Not since the invasions of 1812...

or SSWC Durango has Canardia kicked so much butt.


The second weekend series of Cross The Way kicked off Halloween at the Gaylord Goat Farm. A full heavy soaking rain hung over Nashville for most of Friday during the day lasting into the wee hours of the morning. Cool temps, cloudy skies, and a very wet and muddy course greeted the racers. Perfect setting for cross, it could only have been better with a dusting of snow.

You Nashvegans out there moaning about the trails being wet, grab a bike and head over to the Goat Farm and join in the fun. You're missing out. Stop whining and start riding. If you try hard enough maybe you can catch the Swine Flu.

Highlights:

• Attacking Eric and Max with mudballs from the top of the run-up.
• Chicks in skirts getting muddy
• Valerie's Yum Yums
• Attacking Eric and Max with mudballs from the top of the run-up.
• Seeing a Nashville Homegrown in person
  
• Pelting 'doadiedorfer with mud clods during the pro/1/2 race.
• Accidentally bitch slapping 'doadiedorfer whilst trying to knock each other off the bike
  
• Watching 8Ball not catch the Swine Flu
• Valerie's Yum Yums
  
• Draining the Arabica Coffee Stout growler 'doadiedorfer gave me in between races.
• The first 2 laps through the haunted barn.
• Accidentally bitch slapping 'doadiedorfer whilst trying to knock each other off the bike
• The large crowds hecking, jeering, and cheering.
• The beer hand-ups.

Now on to the pictures:

Hubba hubba: Costumes were encouraged and MWhite's schoolgirl outfit had the fella's sitting up and taking note. She'd go on to hand it to most of the boys in the CX4 race despite starting 1 minute behind.

Someone smell bacon? Officer 8Ball and Swine Flu Chandler

Homegrown Hero Andy B

Some of Andy's handy work: lugged steel

Homegrown here in Nashville TN

Andy tearing up the course

Motorman Max now training wheel free.

Kentucky Kreeper Eric

Mr. Incredible Graham

Swine Flu drifting the turn

8Ball Overgeared

8Ball trying to catch the Swine Flu

Old Greggers trying to catch the 8ball trying to catch the Swine Flu

Mrs. Taylor?

MWhite working her way through the boys

Batgirl Lisa. Or is it Badgirl?

Yum Yum gal Valerie

Kathy's first cross race and first time off road. She was all smiles.

Captain Canuckardia and his Awesome powers of bondage

Perfecting the Peter Pose

DSG flashbacks

Captain Canuckian and the illusive 16t cog For The Win (note: second beer hand-up)

Stupid fast can-o-quit 'doadiedorfer. Apparently my Lepper Laser Vision only works in Canardia.

Luckily Andrea was there to lighten up

A gift of trickery from the 'doadiedorfer. Arabica bean coffee stout. This is what I drank between races. Helped with the pain, not so much for the speed.

Walz Caps for Prizes. I'm a double winner.

Scarring The Kids: A Halloween Preview

Last Year Sweeney Todd with a loverly Mrs. Lovett by my side.

This year stag and Carnadian.

Look for me as a dazed, confused, and off the back Captain Canuck at a Cross the Way race near you.

Horsing Around With Mules

Miss Lucy brushing her little pony

As H. so impatiently pointed out in the comments from Monday's post, I hadn't gotten back around to talking about the riding part. Well, after the hours and hours and hours of captive trail work were completed, the Cotton Mill Preserve opened up to volunteers for some well earned trail riding. Some foolishly brought their bikes for the ride. Who wants to work more after working so hard on the trail? We smarter (lazier) folks brought our powered rides. Hay powered and all foot drive that is.

H. and Monkey bringing in the boys

Master Hunter tacking up

Miss Lucy, still brushing

Crow and Ian watch as Amy and Copper are followed by the 3 asses (Willie, Clay, and Merle)

Crowvision: Master Hunter waiting for the others

Crowvision: Miss Lucy's interpretive dancing

Crowvision: There's a Monkey here somewhere

Crowvision: Following the Monkey trail

Master Hunter led off the expedition taking us around the field and through the creek backwards to Lucy's Loop staying mainly on the double track. Crow loves a trail ride, especially somewhere new, and has a hard time not kicking the pace up a bit (I don't know where he gets that behavior from) and we ended up trading spots back and forth with Master Hunter.

McP leading the way around Lucy's Loop

Eventually, McP (Ian, the Gov'na) took the lead and took us towards middle road. Crow started up the steep rocky climb like Pantani only to realize the hill was much longer and steeper than his out in the field fitness could muster, and he started to slow. Luckily he was able to make it before my saddle slipped completely off (his chest is wider than his belly so the girth slips back) and I paused at the top to reset it. Pretty much the only near calamity of the day aside from the Monkey getting stepped on by Crow. After which he'd dive off the trail into the brush when he'd hear us approaching from behind. Lesson learned by the smart little Monkey.

H. is all smiles as we wait for the group to catch back up

The Smiling Mule Man

McP grabbing a quick trail snack.

The Mule Man and his ladies.

Look at the size of those ears! Willie has some big ears too.

Heading back to the barn.

Amy and Miss Lucy.

Is that eternal cell phone at head gRant on Willie?

After the trail ride it was time to play on some of the jumps set up in the field. Master Hunter started us off by showing the grown ups how it's done.


Hunter picked out this shirt just for me. Hours before the trail ride even. This kid hangs around his Dad too much. I still have the thank you letter with smack hung up on the fridge. He rocks a 64'er on the trails now, he's gonna be tougher to beat next time at the DSG night time trail.

Old Crow

Beware Inferior Human Organs

photo from the freak

Already antsy and counting down the days to the weekend. I missed the last weekend series of the freak races as they conflicted with other obligations. Plus I'm at the end of my checkbook, but payday is Friday and another month of mayhem can resume. Or at least another month of covering my expenses and having a little fun monies. It probably didn't help that I ran into one of my CX old not old guy class nemesi from the last CTW races in line at the lunch counter at work today. Oh you're going down old not old guy with gears and big wheels . DOWN!!!! (read with shaking pointer finger and maniacal Zim voice)

This weekend is Halloween and the only thing that could possibly make my favoritest holiday in the whole of Canardia be even better is bikes and beer and a haunted barn at a cross race!

photo from the freak

I fear no Spirals of Doom.
Nor Fondoadies of Gloom.
My little wheels of terror
are ready to zoom!

Beware inferior human organs, I've not been on a bike since the photos above!