Should I Write This

It's already been semi-written. The highlight reel and all, it just has yet to be put into a late night fueled diatribe about the last few weeks.

I've been up since 4 this morning (and yesterday for that matter) pouring over CX world's. Holy balls what an emotional roller coaster… did you see that gunfight between Nys and Stybar today? My first born daughter will also be named Marianne… or my wife, that chapter has yet to be written. Let's pray for the latter.

First off I would like to congratulate señor Bundy for passing the counsel of Bad Goat and joining the ranks as "prospect of quickness." I have received his hair, blood and sperm sample safely in the mail and as soon as I can find a proper pygmy goat to artificially inseminate and guarantee the quality of his bloodline than he shall be officially patched in. This might be pre-mature, but I wholeheartedly welcome you to the fastest club of debauchery in North America. Be ready to break hearts, bikes and yourself.

I honestly haven't slept that much since I raced my own nationals race. I have been angry, ecstatic, drunk, sad, more happy and more tipsy ever since. This is a weird time of year for me. This year has been even stranger. 10,5000 people watched me eat shit after I got the holeshot at nationals so that is kind of neat. I'm still mad about it, I spent the entire drive up to nationals talking to myself (as I tend to do if you have ever warmed up for a race with me). The only thing I could say is "don't fucking crash and you can hold down a top 10 at nationals in your own backyard, you don't get this opportunity very often." And what did I do? I went and Katie Compton'ed it. I got in my own head and took the holeshot and crashed hard, granted I had a slow leak in my front tubular and was probably running 15psi at the start but I should still be able to hold a line better than that.

Things happen I guess, I am still angry though. This season was a roller coaster. I took a top 50 at Vegas and a few top 10s locally early on. The week Amy died in October I also had a training partner of mine crash hard enough to warrant 61 days in a hospital room and facial reconstructive surgery, coupled with one of my mother's cousins being hit and killed while commuting in TX and the whole breakup thing. I had a hard time coming to terms with bike racing for awhile and quit training and racing for more than a month, it was a headspace thing. By the time that I realized that none of the aforementioned would have quit their passion due to circumstance and got back on my bike it was too late in the season. I figured my one redemption was the industry race at nat's. If I was good enough for Vegas than I should have been good enough on my home turf, I wasn't. I put in a huge training block leading up to nationals and still couldn't hold it together. Maybe one day I will find my form again.

Alright let's talk about nationals weekend. Waller drove over, the Patterson's drove down and Jeff and Kayla drove me around. We partied hard…er than most. I am always amazed at what professional CX racing does to me and my friends. It is obviously the most emotional weekend of my life every year, I invest myself into these athletes… effing Elle Anderson and Jeremy Powers, enough said.  Couple that with my best friends and we tend to party wayyyy too hard/fun together. I accosted the Twin Towers, Todd Wells, Tilford and literally everyone else in the cx industry and for that I don't apologize. Don't forget me, I'll be in your life for as long as you are in the CX domain.

And to that I want to offer a toast to those who don't read this so raise your glasses friends. To Richard Fries: I will take your job one day. To Colt McElwaine: I respect you immensely, I will stand on your head to take your job. Only to one day become Richard Fries because your career path has you on track for that job and I deserve it. To Jeremy Powers: Sack up and finish strong in Europe next year, you are the only man that can make me cry so you need to stop. To Elle Anderson: I'm single and I like your style.

And for those that read this, raise it up again: To Bundy for becoming a Goat, to the Goats for tearing up CX hats with me. To those of you who stood with me through the hard parts of the season and to those who will be on the start line with me next year (Pattersnap and Jeff)