Quitter

I signed up for both the M45+ and the Elite 1/2/3 races at Moser Farm.
20 minutes before I planned on leaving, I threw my bike into the stand to check the chain lube. Last time I rode it it was shifting fine, but now it wouldn't shift to the smallest cog. I must have messed something up on it when I did an uphill endo trying to climb the big hill in Cheshire on Wednesday. Quick fix, but never the less disconcerting.
Pre-riding everything seemed okay; a little crunchy, but okay.
Lined up in the second row, whistle blows and we're off.
Jim Thompson again has done a masterful job using the terrain to his full advantage to create a diverse and challenging course. Especially important with the weather being so nice this year (Mother Nature ain't making it hard). There were 3 or 4 sets of barriers, 2 run ups, and a mini "spiral of death".
First lap in I'm where I want to be, about tenth spot, but I'm having a hard time pushing myself. There is a bumpy descent in the beginning of the course, start of the second lap I dropped my chain on it, and that was it. I rode the rest of the lap, soft pedaling, staying out of the way, and exited at the officials table.
Just like that.
True story.
Josh and James from 503 Cycleworx had just got to the race and were parked behind me. I whined a bit about gears, to which James very astutely pointed out that they seem to work for pretty much everyone else.
Then they asked if I was going to stick around and race the E 1/2/3? I said no, but I might have used more colorful language to express my intentions.
When I got home, I whined a bit more to Kim. She was puzzled when I proclaimed my shifting whoas (shifting? gears? When did that happen?)
I'm thinking of pulling the plug on the cross season. I've had 3 mountain bike rides since September and that's just wrong.
But the State championships are next weekend and they do have a Singlespeed category. Only thing is I don't think I have it in me to swap the Kite back over to SS, so I'd have to ride the Swift which actually might work better in Cheshire.


Or I could just ride my bike.