RAINY, COLD WET DAYS

What to do on a rainy, cold, windy day? Susan suggested work. Not bad really. Lots of stories, the wind blew open the front door of the store and blew over one of our clothing racks. No harm done but fun to watch. Besides work, what to we do? Skiing is out. Why? Well because it is rainy and not snowy, even in the mountains. Football? Not for me, I am more of a doer than a watcher so no football. Kathy likes garden planning, writing and playing the piano. All good choices, in fact I am writing now.
But for me what is best are two things that I love. One is cross racing, and we had wet and windy one this weekend. It was epic for sure. I got to race, help out my friends, watch the pros race and generally get very tired and happy. It started with a long drive to Portland on Saturday morning. Snowy, icy roads, and dark, but no traffic. We pulled in with an hour and one half to spare. It was spitting snow and I told Karen and Robin to just get ready and I would take care of the tents, the heaters etc. They got down to business while I readied the camp. Fortunately Jon, Sami, Jim and Damian showed up to help. They had a great races. Karen was third and Robin fourth. Maybe Robin's best race ever. Then it was Jon's turn, he ended up 5th in the single speed and was quite happy. My race was very competitive. We had to start at the same time but behind all the 45 + guys. I passed at least forty of them. I was in the lead when I flatted managed a great bike exchange and ended up second.Jim, (one of the 45ers), ended up a credible 6th. The rest of the day we spent helping Mike who had a great race, Sami, who's bike blew up, Ben, who's bike also blew up, Jimmy who had a great, but cold race and Damian (who I did the world's worst bike exchange). We got back to the hotel, wet cold and happy. We were too tired to go anywhere so we ate at the hotel and went to sleep at 8:30. Other than the front desk calling us at 1:00 am to tell us to be quiet it was a quiet night.
Not to bore anyone day two was more of the same, I was second again. the course was more fun and my bike exchanges improved. Mike had a stellar race (his best all year). We managed to get all the tents, heaters etc into all the cars and the very wet and windy drive began. We thought we were going to loose the bikes from the top of the cars. We didn't we are home. For some of us this is the end of cross season (Jon and Sami are off to Nationals in two weeks).
This is where I start my other activity. Reading by the fire. Only cross is better and then not by by much. It is bonus to have kitty on your lap. Warm and comfortable. Not much to describe here. A chair, a fire, a kitty and a good book. I like them fat and long (as the photo shows).
Thanks for reading, I will be blogging about skiing and other things until bike season starts again.
Don
Sunnyside Sports, Bends oldest bike store.