Santa Barbara Cal State Race Report

Cap'n Chris and his Race Wife, Vinylla Patrick



What a difference a few months makes. Last time in Santa Barbara, we suffered through one hundred degree plus temps with no breeze at all. Yesterday, we had balmy seventy degree temps and a cool ocean breeze. With Darter, Heidi, King James and World Famous Vegas Bob on site I knew it would be a fun day. We had some support from friend o' the team Ariel also.
11 a.m. saw James and Darter to the start line (o.k., Darter was ready...james was still fussing with something inconsequential up until the exact point of gunfire). King James quickly pounced on the field, asserting his vascular dominance on the rest of the slack-jawed hippies in his class. Fourth at the top of the initial climb, James would pound out three laps and only lose two spots due to a flesh peeling crash on the second laps descent. Finish in sixth, james now moves into second overall in California.
Darter blew out right behind James, and began his systematic destruction of the other Sport racers. Darter is so damn fast on the downhills, his fellow racers thought he had blown a turn on the DH course and was just finishing his race run on the XC course! Darter placed sixth as well, moving him up into that highly coveted thirty-third overall position! :)
Heidi was up next, (o.K., I was up next....up next to the Fat Tire Ale hut getting my drink on) and actually looked to have some competition this day! OR NOT....Heidi took off on the gun, and was gone faster than O.J. in Al Cowlings' Bronco. As the laps peeled off, Heidi's gap grew between the next girl. Finishing ahead o 90% of the Pro men, Heidi won her race and put herself ahead in the State Overall standings. Who said "sandbagger?" Wasn't me! :) I smell expert cooking, better get some!
World Famous Vegas Bob had to wait until 2pm to go. Pisser, because it was eighty degrees by then and entirely not fun. Giving it hell, VB rocked the XC course like the White Shadow and finished with only ONE of his major muscle groups locked up tighter than a boy dog.
Ariel was doing podium work, looking to gun for first at the line with another guy who wasn't even in his class. The guy being a douche nozzle shoved Ariel into the gate with twenty feet to go, and Ariel and his bike came to a dusty and bitter end. After getting up and running to the finish, he realised his back wheel had come out, and hos front end was completely turned 180 degrees! we had a seance, wishedsmall pox on the guy's children, and swung a dead chicken around a few times. I hope this works, cuz I'm gonna buy a few more chickens...

Thanks to everyone who raced, and to all the Backbone Team peeps that hung out under the mighty KENDA umbrella.

SPECIAL PROPS TO BACKBONE ALUM CHRISSY BONO FOR COMING 7/10ths OF A SECOND BEHIND THE TREK GIRL WHO ALWAYS WINS EVERYTHING!

Peace out freaks!

C