Okay, T-minus a few hours. I don’t think I’m riding that good, but sometimes I surprise myself. I hope today is one of those times. Whatever the result, it is going to be a good day. I have ridden this course so many times, there is nothing out there that I don’t know.
I did an interview a couple days ago and one of the questions was, “Why do you like the Chequamegon Fat Tire so much?” I answered that one of the main reasons the race attracts my interest is because I do well at it sometimes, even though the course doesn’t suit me. Chequamegon is really a power rider’s course. It is nearly a gravel road race now. I usually need some technical and sketchy sections to separate myself from the guys I race here. But, for some reason, one that I can’t really identify, I sometimes have a bunch of power racing here.
That being said, it is what it is. I wish that Gary would give us number plates that reflected the rider’s place from the previous year. Most everyone here knows me, but I only know a few of the guys that are up in the front group for the first hour.
Honestly, I think there are going to be a lot of riders together at the finish. Lots of the sections that help weed the group down to the “good” guys have now been turned into maintained roads. I would really be surprised if the winning time isn’t less than 2 hours. The course is a little different, especially at the end, but it is essentially the same race. Someone is going to win. I sure hope it is one of the guys that have paid their dues racing their mountain bikes and not one of the guys here to “cherry pick” the race.
Catherine, Gary CrandAll, and Trudi.
Our gang heading out to pre-ride the course.
This is the woman that registered me tonight. She took my license, looked up at me and said, “I guess you’re the one.” Made my day.
I met my old Raleigh team mate, Mark Frise at the expo. His friend from LaCross, Jamie, was doing an expo for the Davis Phinney Foundation.
This is really the brains behind the Fat tire, Trish.
This is Gwen going out for a 12 mile run, after riding with us on MTB bikes. Then she swam 3 ish miles. I think she burned more calories than the rest of us yesterday.
If some of your pro competition has packed their white lunch bags with red eggs and Edgar Allen Poe, the odds are not in your favor Steve. But good luck anyway.
Tell Mark he needs to ride with us more!
journalist- “mr. tilford you won chequamegon today by a handy margin. can you tell us how you were feeling out there?”
steve- “well i felt awful going into the race and wasn’t feeling good during at all, probably a 2 out of 10.”
journalist- “…..”
steve do you ever feel good? i don’t think i’ve ever seen you say you felt above a 5 out of 10. whats the deal hombre?
too busy stressing about the proposed call up system at the 2018 Masters Worlds to feel poorly on the bike today. What about Och and when is that cancer hating machine going back to Trek
Well look at that – a guy with a Pharmstrong band on his jersey gotcha today. Speak out, Steve. You know he’s juicing. Just say it. Why hold back now?