SSKC was the SHIT!

   So the race and results was pretty irrelevant in the grand scheme of things when it came to Single Speed Kansas City. But, for those who are interested I will spend just a moment of time explaining, and then blast you with all my pics. Then maybe just link you to everybody else's photo spots on the interwebs.

I drive to KC Friday night. I meant to get there early enough to do a preride. Nope. I've ridden Swope Trails YEARS ago for a 6hr, but little was retained as far as course knowledge.

I meet Edward from New Belgium Brewing and we drink some coldies and talk about Mike Bussman and SSMTBWC  in Alaska. Then I go to bed at 12:30.

Brian the floppy hat wearing race director wakes us campers up just before 7am. There are donuts and other sleepy eyed one speeded knuckle heads filling into the park.

I've seen floppier.

 Minutes before the start I change into costume. A American flag thong  with flag on helmet. My goal was to win The Joel Dyke Big Grin Speedo Award. I then hustle up to the racer meeting and blow minds.

We roll down to the start which is at the bottom of the driveway for a ferocious up hill sprint into the woods.

Look at Griffs "I'm gonna crush this shit" face!

 After 20mins, we start. I'm right up there behind Griffin Hamilton when we get to the rabbit hole. I gladly let a few folks pass me figuring I'm going into uncharted territory. This place is hella tech, I mean HELLA, and even though I can wield a rigid fork that doesn't mean I can improvise that quick on a course that these guys live at. I'll be honest, I was nervous and was not the most confident I've ever been.

The 1st tech spot. It was way more terrifying at race pace. Look at my face!

The first lap had a bunch of dabs, but I made it through holding onto 5th overall. I pass the dude who is behind me in the photo above because of a flat. 4th now!

One of my dabs. Sorry guy.

Second lap I was familiarizing with the terrain and riding 50% smoother, but got a puncture in my back tire halfway through the lap and rode it at about 10 psi till I was able to borrow Travis' pump at the end of the lap. 

Third lap I was on fire! Unfortunately the rear tire leak came back when I hit a small rock garden at ludicrous speed. I rode that for a bit until I had to pump some C02 in. A couple miles later I  pedal spiked a huge boulder and nose wheelied off the trail and into a tree. A real "oh shit!" moment. My right brake lever got rotated under my bars. I rode like that for awhile until I was able to ham fist-it almost back into place.

As I was gorrila-ing up Heckle Hill somebody yells I'm in 3rd.

Heckle Hill

So I continue to light up the trail. At the end of the last tech section is a right switchback. As I'm working my way through the rocks I see Britton Kosiak pushing his full squish Santa Cruz almost at a defeated crawl.

To my pleasure, I can tell that he is straight up cooked, and I'm just getting warmed up. This last section is where my rigid bike and gear choice was supremo. I get up on Britton's wheel and ask for a pass. Then again. And then since there was no real response I just took the inside line on the next switchback. Sorry dude. Since this last section was all super fast and dirt critty, I railed every turn and mashed my 38/20 thus dropping Britton and his full squish SS.

I absolutely drilled it all the way to the finish in hopes of the "what if I catch Griffin". Well I didn't, but one of the scoring doods said he had only been in for maybe 30 seconds. Griff kinda looked like he had just rolled in, too. Since this is a dirt bag SS race, times were not recorded very well which I wouldn't of had it any other way. Griff's time was 144min and 31sec. My time was non existent, but what ev's. Oh, and Griffin, NICE F-ING work dude! You killed it!

Wheelies at the finish. Its in my BOCOMO contract.

For me the race was a bad ass mental victory/confidence boost. Even though its been mentioned, Swope Trails are probably the most technical/brutal trails in the state of Missouri. During the race I was kinda wondering how many doods have brought their novice as hell girlfriends there on a first ride, and got broken up with that night. That being said, I show up on a fairly big gear to a tech trail with no real course knowledge of and kinda slay it wearing only a very small speedo. 4 of the top 5 dudes were local, and 3 of those were on full squish SS's. If that doesn't say anything....  At the end I also realized that I had only drank 1.5 bottles. I txted Dwayne later and told him that he was becoming a bad influence on me because he is known for not drinking any thing during crazy hot rides and races.

After the race was hang out sesh till 4pm. Then awards. Then Skillaz course. Then slip n slide. Then group ride to Bier Station. And then home.

Here are a bunch more pics kinda in order of events. Enjoy!

T-Ravis on his jenk squishy SS.

 

Look at that SMILE! So good!

Moar Smiles!

Winning Big Grin Joel Dyke Speedo award.

Whats up, pup?

Our shorts were off, hehe.

Dumb self absorbed I'm on a bike riding selfie.

And the spoils.

I am fighting with my self to use this cog or to frame it.

New T's

1+1=1....Ray Porter, and OUTVI stickers

Stock photo of the OUTVI Race Roll. Mine's already on the bike and being put through the ringer.

Hey so thanks ere'body for making SSKC weekend a absolute blast! Brian and White Mike you killed it and everybody behind the scenes, likewise. There's too many to give shout outs and since it was such a rager of a weekend I have forgotten a bunch of names anyways. Nothing personal :).  We really did have a all-star crew out, for real!

And to ere'body who missed this. I will never let you live it down you bleeping squares. We didn't want you anyways. Probably would'a just harshed our buzz. HA!

Also check this stuff out if you get the chance
-Oddity
-OUTVI
-8 Lumens
-SSKC
-ATM 
-Endless Cogs
-Randy photos
-Pete photos
-Sean photos
-John photos
-Chris photos
-Chris Reichel

-peat