So it begins...
Once upon a time a nimrod sent out a rally cry to participate in the 12 hours of Temecula #3 November race. The response was favorable, however, in the tradition of nimrods all but four kept the rally alive, kept the date open for the event, and even, dare I say, "trained to survive" the event. Weeks before the fateful day the nimrods one by one fled from their interest in participation. Pappy set the ball in motion. Then he bailed. Family comes first. Sam bailed. No time to ride. Matt, has fallen off the face of the earth. Ivan was training over 100 miles per week for months then somehow "overtrained" in the waining days before the race and had to bailout. Bryan who truly has very little "free" time was still in until his work took the wind out of his sails and sent him on several long business trips - coincidence? Could he have altered the plans? Was fear a motivating factor? No one will ever know.
So be it.
The day began November 15th 2008, cool and damp - 4:15 a.m. I managed to add a racer on Friday because on Thursday Ivan bailed due to a sore knee. Joseph is his name. He is a U25 road racer with one week of mountain biking experience. He arrived at five to five and we loaded his stuff up in a trailer I borrowed from a friend (Farris-CHP) We drove and drove from Long Beach to Temecula, stopping for coffee at Starfarts off the 79 S. and providing a hazmat opportunity in the restroom.
Upon arrival the vendors were setting up and the racers were rolling around the parking lot. There is always a festive aire at these events, an aire, that is welcoming and friendly - never judgmental. A very different feeling than a criterium race.
Jason (the race organizer) was out running about Vail Lake Resort with a Cheshire Cat grin and an eye for all that was occurring. Jason, his wife Nancy, his father Vic, and the rest of the gang that coordinated and tended to the literally hundreds of racers and their families and friends deserve a huge "THANKS" for their efforts. Vic tended to me when both my legs seized up like pistons cramping in a fashion that would have thrown me from my bike on chalk hill had I not found the strength to unclip and grab my ass attempting to massage out the hideous pain. As one leg subsided the other triggered and shot a seizing tension up the back of my leg, screaming and grabbing the muscle, forcing my leg straight, flexing my quad to protect the hammy only to have the quad radiate the same pain up the frontside of my legs. Hell. Period. Then Vic, in a kind and wise voice told me to grab a seat and have a banana or two. He and his right hand helped me regain my composure, then I rode away down the fireroad to the quick whoop with a sudden and violent drop thirty or forty feet down through rutted flour-like dirt.
Back to the nimrods racing crew. Gerry is a roadie, Ward a mountain biker, me...I'm confused, and Joseph our short notice addition is a bike shop rep and up and coming U25 racer.
Gerry - The Swami Ward - Scary Content Simon - What??? Joseph - Wanted in three States
Our Camp: 
Our Team:
The course was "SICK" with solid climbs. Tight switchbacks, rock drops, sandy chutes, exposed ridgeline single track that flowed like water. All in all, a perfect course for all intermediate and advanced racers/riders.
Our three man team rode 6 laps (one lap was lost due to a mechanical)and I managed 5 before I pulled the plug due to the cramping and failure to bring my prescription glasses for the night leg of the race. We set up a fire and the BBQ and burned some dogs and sucked down some beers. The weather was HOT and very windy. There were thirty plus vendors with more bling bikes than you could enjoy if you had weeks to demo them all. Paul from Ellsworth Bikes was on hand exuding stoke and talking up the industry. The gang from STR had a strong showing and a great EZ-up camp.
I can't wait until January, I gotta keep riding. Maybe 6 laps next time!?
