First dirt in earnest for 2010.

Bang, I’m out circulating around another drit crit race under the Westgate. It’s January, it’s hot ,it’s dusty & I think I’m in last place again (in B grade).
With the bridge works the park’s been cut in half & we’re left with the south side of the park (accessed by the end of Lorimar St ) which is OK, but the track length is lucky to crack 1.8kms long.
There has been a new section added, over a small mound of dirt that’s pretty loose & caused a few riders to clip out, but by the 3rd lap around ( B graders were up for 6 laps) most had sussed the breezy line through.
Was a good ride for me, keeping up with where the action was for a large slice of the distance. Got a little pooped by the 4th lap, but I knuckled down & tried to bop about just at my threshold level – that stage where 95% of the effort is going into the pedals & jamming the groove – leaving not much in reserve to fend off hard chargers from the rear or unexpected course altercations like stacks or getting caught out into the wrong line.

Rolled through at the end somewhere at the back, but satisfied that I gave it a good go & didn’t feel as trashed as I had been after one of these things.
Had to rack off home quicksmart, so I downed a Solo & grabbed my backpack, to put out a ITT back home.
Got a weird front flat half way home. It went down to about 15psi, the Hutchinson Cobra Air Light 2.0 tyre up front rolls really well with low pressure, so I only discovered the deflating tyre as I turned off the road at speed into Docklands & the sidewall distorted pushing the front way out. I pulled over & couldn’t hear a hiss, it seemed to hold the remaining pressure so I pumped it up to what I thought was 40psi & got home. The valve was found to be buggered. so it’s a new tube (yes like all luddites I still run tubes).

Heading to Adelaide with the fellas & the [road]bikes for the final 2 days of Tour Downunder. Staying at Paulies folks & driving back just as the finish line is crossed on Sunday afternoon. Should be good. Not sure if I’m in the bad books for leaving my significant other & child back home. I’ve got Monday & Aust Day off for 100% family QT though.