Dan Ryan woods

Beverly Bike and Chicago cross cup put on an awesome venue. Outside of Camrock this has to be the best local course I've ridden in either the Wisconsin and Chicago Series. A long loop with fast sections, hill section with trail, offcamber down hills with great corners and they brought in some good food and gave us free meal tickets. The weather was 45 degrees and sunny....cyclocross is good.

Great start. Singletracky hill climb, Luca Lenzi puts his foot down and I get off my bike to run the rest....bye Scott and Brian. They opened a huge gap. Too bad I couldn't enjoy this course.....after 2.5, laps, my chain snapped. After the Jackson debacle, I may have taken too many links out. However, the chain was snapped mid cog. Truth be known....I have never broken a Sram chain but could not find them and used a Connex. Could have over stressed it yesterday on the hill....who knows. I've beaten the shit out of Sram chains going up the gnarliest root and rocky filled climbs mountain biking and never broke one.

I had no pit bike because of the Paul brakes were still not working on the Eriksen. I order new springs and sleeves and the stoners out in Chico California send me sleeves but no springs. Well...I come back last night and the springs come in the mail. I should have brought the other bike home! I could have made it to the pit and atleast salvage 4th.

I bummed because I liked the course and felt good enough to catch Luca for 3rd. Also, if I am not racing, I am drinking beer and getting slower while everyone else is getting faster. Reminds of the scene from Apocolypse Now when Martin Sheen is waiting for his mission while Charlie is in the bush....getting stronger.

Next weekend....2 Wisconsin races. I like Carpentersville and would like to come back and do the Chicago one but I love Camrock. Hopefully, I will have a new chain, Holly will have her bike and she'll be feeling better next weekend.