Fort Wayne-Franke Park Race Report

First....

Happy (belated) Birthday to you.
Happy (belated) Birthday to you.
Happy (belated) Birthday, Dear John.
Happy (belated) Birthday to you.

Clasen turned another year older while racing this weekend.

Do you think he looks older?? And on a side note, may I point out the Lefty on the Fisher?

Second - THANK YOU to all the spectators and cheerleaders. Having you at these events make the drives bearable and sometimes entertaining, the pain and discomfort during the race temporarily forgotten when we see you clapping and yelling, and the post-race food and atmosphere pleasurable. Your support is appreciated. Additional thanks to Matt L. for the wonderful pics that are posted on this site.

Here are some regular spectators on the course. "I gotta have more cowbell. I have a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell."

And third....the race.

Friday's wet conditions & the 30-80% chance of rain Friday night made many question how pleasurable the race would be on Saturday. Thankfully no rain fell and the course improved as hundreds of tires and sunshine helped to dry it out as the day went on. I commented that the margin of victory or defeat is only seconds on a course like this. Each muddy, rooty corner or bog can cost a few seconds. Multiply that by the 2,000,000 corners and one can stand to gain or lose a lot of time. This course has certainly made me want to practice skills, specifically cornering, more often.

On the way home, we were trying to decide how many people have made beating Denny a season goal. It must be in the hundreds. Great job, Denny! Keep up the good work. And don't you even think about hanging up the bicycle at the end of the year.

And that determination is why Denny is feared.

Feske passed me in the woods and didn't seem to be breathing hard at all. "Hey, Ange. Thanks [for letting him by]. Keep rolling." And I must point out that Lindsey's peanut butter, graham cracker, chocolate bars were AWESOME after the race.

So, after Jean-Luc and Matt crossed the finished line, the race organizer asked to interview them. I doubt this was their first. While sitting on their bikes, Brian started asking questions about when they started racing how the day's events unfolded.

I didn't catch all of the interview as I was talking to a fellow rider. She looks at the two boys holding the mic and says, "They are unbelievable." I agreed. It's a treat to get to ride with them any time. She added, "And they're no spring chickens are they?" My reply, "They've been doing this a while."

Master and Commander:

The hole shot. And wouldn't I like to corner like that?

DINO #2 - Brown County State Park

Where to start? What a fabulous day for racing! It may have been on the warm side, but we were blessed again with perfect trail conditions. Team Bicycle Station had a great turnout including some first-timers. While I met him for the first time on Sunday, I wonder if this was Zane Wischmeier's first race after seeing the results. He dominated the Juniors. Another new face this year found success in the Cat 3 Women's race; congratulations Baylee!

From the stories following the race, it seems this was one of the more intense races with some close results. (For a complete list of results, check the DINO website.) Rivals from nearby Kentucky showed up again; if you remember, several made the long haul to Warsaw as well. A quick tally of the results netted over 300 participants throughout the categories. Yay for Indiana racing!

On a personal note, I had some bad luck again with a rear flat. (Is this karma for the trash talk I was giving Denny & Danny??) Having the SLOWEST mechanical ability, I lost quite a bit of time putting a tube in. While I finished last, I still gained 193 points for the X-wing fighters. Remember, we still have the team competitions within the series. Always Persevere! You'll be glad you did.


Thanks to Matt L. for the great pics!

What a great looking team!

#1 in action

How many men did you pass, Mer?

Mike B. assured us he was well rested after the birth of his daughter.
Congrats, Mike!

Sean takes a break from the road for some trail action.


Feske is getting ready to make his move.

Denny doesn't need to trash talk the girls;

he just shows us how it's done.

And Blake, "What lap are we on?"

Extreme perseverance!