#12 Spring Valley

9. something miles laps, 5 laps with one climb to the finish. Not steep, but long (for Ohio)

There were only about 25 cat 4's and all fields were a little low. Not sure if there were other races going on today elsewhere or what. It was a nice day, but the forecast of rain may have kept people away.

We caught the cat 3's near the end of the first lap. It's not like we were riding all that fast though. Up the first climb and surprise I got dropped and couldn't catch back. Traded pulls with two other guys (Glen from 7hills and Rick from a team I didn't recognize) for the next two laps. Being nice, we decided to regroup at the top of the climb each time (because they would have dusted me up it). I reciprocated by doing as much pulling as I could on the flats to get my TT workout in. At the start of lap four the cat 5's caught us and we sat at the back of their pack for a few miles. Someone attacked and popped Rick off the back. Near the end of the fourth lap, which was the last lap for the cat 5's Glen and I slowed down a bit to let them finish. Glen was done by the end of that lap anyway, so I pulled most of the lap number five. Other than cramping, I felt ok so it wasn't a problem to pull so much.

In a show of gratitude and respect, Glen told me since I was pulling him around, he wouldn't pass me up the hill just to finish ahead of me. It's not that we were in a break battling for first place, but I still appreciated the respect. So he coasted up the hill and I rode in for 21st place.

I finished and I wasn't last. Small victory in what is turning out to be a very hard year.

Tuesday looks to be a nice day, so I'll be heading down for the Cleve's TT unless something comes up.