BRI/WALLA WALLA & FAT TIRE REPORT

(courtesy guest reporter and BRI team mate A. Luhn):

Walla Walla is in the books and done. Joe, Gavin and myself made the Mecca to wine country to hook up with our newest teammate, Remi M. He was probably thinking WTF when he met us. Joe's scar is still pink, I have a gut and pinned my number on all noonen & upside down, and all 3 of us are over 40. He was probably looking in his bag to see if he brought another kit

Stage 1 was in a town outside of Walla Walla a bit because there seems to be more hills there. We headed out, registered, got our numbers and put the game face on for a 4:20 start.

At 7 miles there was a sprint, at 11 there was a KOM. It was pretty MF'n fast. I'm talking a lot of single file with a 100 guys. I popped at the KOM and gathered with the weak children for the rest of the day dropping 19 minutes. Gavin & Joe had some fun chasing on a few times but survived with the main chase group. Remi closed a gap to within a few meters of what turned into the winning break, thought he had it closed, waited for someone to pull through, then watched them ride into the sunset.

65 miles, 4000 feet of climbing. Finished at about 7pm

Stage 2 was a sharp 8:45am out and back tt for breakfast. After a hard stage 1 and a late night, less than 30 guys raced it (Joe went hard enough to beat me). Everyone else rode it...because we had a 100 miles to do in aft. Remi & Richter rode side by side and caught up.

8 miles, 400 feet of climbing

Stage 3 was the Queen stage if you will. 1:45 roll out for 1 k then we headed directly to a 3 k climb. The race started in earnest from there on and we were off for a wine country tour. Second time up the hill there was a split in the field but it came back together. 3rd time up Remi made the sharp end, Gavin and I went over with Strangland and another dude, and Joe "conserved" because he was around a group with "horsepower". Gavin and I chased hard for 20 minutes, collected a couple of buddies and got back on. Joe, who had better buddies, including Tubbs, Chad and Ryan Miller got back on shortly afterwards. That took care of about 3 hours.

Somebody poked Remi with a cattle prod because that guy just started go off. He attacked a bunch (more than 5) and got enough attention and a lead that the race leader finally chased him down while his teammates watched.

The group minus 20 drop outs hit the final decent into town compacto with the hill top finish waiting after a long day. Buckeye rolled up and said lets grab Remi "he was 5th over the climb last time". Ok. So we collected Gavin and cheated like a bastard passing the bunch on the left. We got to the front with 1 k before the s turns in town. I got along side Remi and said we're here and ready to sell out. He said thank you very much but he was fine where he was and in good position. Hopefully, the R-man could look at the color of his jersey and say I'm on the same team...with a bunch geriatric seniors all jacked up, but still at the front of the race with the leaders after 90+ miles reporting for duty.

The race up the hill totally split everyone up and Remi stayed with the leaders all the way to the final few feet and dropped a few seconds to the stage winner. Great performance after being as active as he was. Joe, Gavin and I hit the hill with the bunch but just tempoed up. Gavin did just enough to stay in front of Joe. Joe made sure he was in front of me. I...I thought about selling out and punking Joe ;) Our little race inside of the race. Joe and Gavin finished up around 2:30 back and I was around 3:00. Good day for all of us.

Stage 4 was the DT crit. It rained all morning and the mood was grim. Remi was jacked up for a rain crit and so was I, but by the time the gun went off it was dry pave. Buckeye was thinking about not riding for obvious reasons, but the man from Ohio lined up. Props.

My Clif shot hit the system when the gun went off and I sprinted to the front and lead the first lap. Did it do anything? Yes, it made me really tired for the next 55 minutes and got a few folks single file. 30 minutes of squirrelly crit riding by a bunch of tired guys. Then All Idaho started blazing near the front, then was in a break with 4 guys that turned into 3. The pack chased hard for 20 minutes but never caught Remi & the break. Remi got one more cattle prod and took the sprint for the V and a stage win.

60 minutes, 25mph +average, 27 miles

Great weekend of racing. Remi started to get his swerve on real good. The old guys rode well and like a team when it counted. Our GC placings sucked but I think we all drove away with a job well done, no road rash and a big stage race in the legs.

Fines-
1. $5 Luhn for noonen number pinning
2. 1:30 for heading to the pits for a "handle bar" adjustment and a rest in the crit
3. $10 Buckeye for none team issue socks & gloves (suspended unless another infraction) (editor: official protest as Seigler is BRI's official tubular tire sponsor)

First month awards:

For best off the couch, Remi & Toby
Rookie moves of the year...Luhn is leading. Chasing down Joe at Seward and number pinning.

Have one,

a