The first of the Wisconsin Endurance Mountain Bike Series was set to kick off this past Saturday. I was eager to get the Salsa out on course and turn laps for this 12 hour event. However, the weather had other thoughts.
As I commuted home on my road bike late Friday afternoon I battled full on BLIZZARD conditions, while questioning whether to make the trip to Green Bay. This year's race schedule has the spring, summer and fall packed tight with races taking almost every weekend. Knowing five WEMS races are required to be counted as a series participant and knowing that I can only attend five races made the decision to load up the car a little easier. We would go and hope for the best. Afterall, maybe we were just getting the good ole Gitchee Gummee effect. Not true!
As we approached Wausau, Wi Mothe Nature got pissed! Driving the car was extremely difficult as there was about four inches of slushy accumiliation on the roads that made you float if you moved out of the tire tracks. Semi trucks plastered our tiny Prius and threw blankets of wet snow on the windshield which blinded me causing me to have to use the "force" while driving.
A half hour outside of Green Bay a call was made to a good friend back home asking him to log onto the WEMS site which revealed, "yes" CANCELLED!
I guess it was for the best, because the way things were looking I would have needed a snow bike to get through this race. Who would have thought a full on blizzard on May 7th? So weird...
We had a good weekend anyway as Amy's family resides in Green Bay. Plus, to combat my depression over the race being called off I treated "Big Mama" to a brand new set of Hutchinson Pythons, Mmmm.
In two weeks I'll be towing the line at the 12 Hours of Northern Kettles where I hope to take my revenge on Mother Nature. Until then...
3 comments:
We all got up and rode at the venue at around 12:30....no problems and the course was beautiful. Can't believed they cancelled it.
WEMS needs to implement a thorough review of their cancellation policy. Do they have one?...Itz like they are looking for reasons to cancel...What a bummer...Itz a mountain bike race??? The worse the conditions the better... Last year we got it at LaCrosse...they cancelled it and two hours later it was sky blue and 90 degrees out...IN my world, They should NEVER cancel...ever...
"In two weeks I'll be towing the line at the 12 Hours of Northern Kettles..." Hey Eki, be sure to leave something in the tank for Dirty Kanza. Looking forward to meeting you. Jim Cummins
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