Some days you have it and some days you just dont. It was a cold morning on race day when i got picked up at 6:15am by the organiser. I was helping with some marshaling pre race which got me free entry and some other benefits. Soon enough start time came and Id have to say I was feeling good. Ive been doing alot of long and hard rides and my legs have been coming good so I was hopefull of a good solid ride. The first 6kms was a paved road the pace was up but easily maintainable in the pack. I was sitting about 20 riders back making sure to spin and reserve energy. We soon hit the dirt and tings got a bit interesting there. We were hammering down a sketching gravel road at about 35kms and hour with not much of a good surface and us still riding 6 riders accross and lots of bar rubbing and shouldering going on. The pace quickened and soon we whittled down to a 15 man bunch and then came the hike a bike. We had to scramble for about 10mins up this quary of rocks that was steeper than a stair case. These canadians are amazing. We were flying when we hit it with heart rates in the high 180s and they get off and start running up the stuff. I just couldnt hack it and found myself a bit off the pace. We got over a bit of the hike and then we could ride again but we were going down pretty much the same stuff which made for pinch flat heaven. Thats when I got the first flat. I only had a pump so the change was slow but soon I was back on the bike and making up for lost time. 30mins later I was feeling settled again and starting to get back near the top 20 riders when I flatted again. Bummer 2 flats is pretty much race over. I had a mate waiting for me at the feed zone so I got him to meet me at the high way after I ran and walked the bike for 30 odd mins. When then headed to the start of the short 40km race where I got give another tube with 8mins to the start of that race. So 30kms of racing under my belt and start number too. maybee I would have some better luck. The 2nd start was pretty small and they were all just hobby riders, so I felt a bit bad there in my pro gear, super light bike and all. I cruised with them for a bit before deciding I should pick up the pace a bit and push myslef. It was fun out there in the single track but the passing was far to frequent. I must have passed about 80 to 100 of the longer race riders by the time I hit the finish. I had won the 2nd race by some 30mins but got them to scratch me. It just wasnt going to be fair to those riders to have me win it. They recorded me in the long race which gave me 50th place. 15th in Elite even with all the stopping. I would give a kidney to be able to race again but still I had fun. Had even more fun at a cocktail party last night and must admit im a bit rough today. I was going to hire a big rig and hit the hill, but time got away from us as we slept of the hang overs so its not worth spending $130 for 3 hours. Ill take my mates bike and have a go tomorrow at a much cheaper rate of $40 for the day. So Im going to stay here another week and play on all the fun trials. see if I can learn to ride ramps and rocks and stuff before I head to Hawaii. Much fun times to be had still, with not long to have them all.