This was the race where I had the most fun. It was another 45-minute race, plus 2 laps. I had told Mackenzie I'd help her if I could, try to pop off the Wolverine. Mackenzie had just a slim lead in the series, and I wanted to see her win; these races also count for the Michigan points series, which Mackenzie was also leading. I was once more working hard from the gun, and we had a rotation going, but the field was staying together. I did get the Wolverine to pop off, she bridged, and I grabbed her wheel to get back on. There was another rider I wasn't a big fan of, because her idea of a pull was 8 seconds typically. I wanted her to get dropped, or to waste energy. She's the type of rider Cindi H. had warned us of--the loudmouth who tries to bully other riders.
I had fun--when she bullied the Chix riders (all cat 4s) to bridge up to the leaders when the split happened, I bullied right back. I shouted that if she wanted it bad enough, she should work at it, otherwise shut up and let it go. I woulda taken a turn to bridge it, but I sure as heck was not gonna pull her up there. The Chix rider took my advice--it was only cat 1-3 and masters up there, no 4s. Renee, the other 3, therefore was back with me. We all took turns, and I tried to help out the Chix riders when I heard them in distress; I'd tell them to come off w/o pulls, take short pulls. Renee continued to take her ultra short pulls; and I don't think she ever pulled going up the hill.
In our mix was also the Master 55+, husband to Renee, named Aldo. He's a Maple Leaf. If ya'll ever race with him, be warned: Not a nice rider. E.g., in race 2, when a rider told him he'd done something rude, he cussed at her, told her if she wanted to see how rude he could be, he would put her face into the concrete. Real nice, huh? In this race, he pulled a perfectly legit move of bridging Renee (and me and the others) to 2 of our group who got away on the small hill. Renee didn't climb well, and I wasn't going to bridge, because those were 4s getting away. What I hadn't realized, and that bit me later--there was one more 3 on the course today, and that was who was getting away.
Then there was the mid-race prime. That was sweet--Renee had skipped her pulls that lap, saving energy; I did respectable pulls, but had the luck of being in the right place in the paceline that I was number 3 as we set up for the sprint, with Renee at 2. I sprinted past Renee, a bit too early; I narrowly held off her charge, then dropped the pace so I could recover. I was glad no one counter attacked, since next up was the hill, and that would have hurt.
OK, long story short, Aldo vanished from our group near the end of the race, never having taken a pull. Last lap, I'm the one pulling. I go harder up the hill, knowing it'll pop Renee. Who do I see at the top of the hill but Aldo, clipping in! I shout to him not to jump back into the race, at which point he cusses back at me he'll do whatever he pleases. I was ready to lodge a protest if he bridged Renee back to me. Didn't matter--the Chix rider pulled her up to me as I slowed down (I wasn't going to waste energy if Aldo was going to bridge his wife). On the straight before the last 2 turns from the end, I carefully got myself into my starting sprint gear. I just knew Renee would attack on those turns. Sure enough, she took a tight inside line, flying past me. Hah! I love this game. I had the legs to get right on her wheel. About 50M to go, I came around her and beat her. Too bad I didn't realize that other rider I let go was a 3! This race I finished 4th in the cat 1-3s, and 5th overall. I think we had 12 riders on the course. Today it was my ex sister-in-law and the kids who watched me; they said it was more fun to watch than the previous day.
This was a fun series, and I hope we can get more SHC folks up there next year. The track is in great shape; you can camp down there, with running water & electrical hookup if you stay above the track.
