“For a local race, not too many Missoulians came to the old fort to watch the warriors of cyclocross battle it out in the final race of the Montana cycling season. We had the Red Bull girls from Bozeman and a strong contingent from Kalispell who had to overcome some extreme construction conditions on their way south. I was hoping to see more friends and possibly have someone take some photos, but that wasn’t in the cards, and neither was a win for me. That honor went to Chance Cooke, the state champion from Kalispell.
The course turned out to be a surprise. I was expecting the usual Wednesday Night Race Series caliber course, but I was mistaken. The back end of the course followed some bumpy single track, leading to a sandy run-up that was quite challenging. The course was flat with lots of turns and even some muddy sections.
As usual, the fields were divided, with the Masters group being the largest. As soon as the seven Men’s A riders came by, we took off to see how many we could pass. Even before the run-up, we had started overtaking the A group.
I began the race strongly, expecting to settle down after bridging the initial gap to the A group. However, as I sprinted out, Chance Cooke took the lead and created some distance between himself and the rest of the pack. They just vanished into the distance in our wake. This was not acceptable, and after overcoming some form issues, I managed to catch back up to Chance within 5 laps.
With 4 laps to go, we realized that we were closing in on the Men’s A leaders and decided to help someone from our pack catch them.
On the third-to-last lap, I took charge. I pushed hard, and we started gaining significantly on the front group. I could hear heavy breathing behind me. Could I be putting everyone in difficulty?
I pushed until I felt like I needed a little break before the last lap quagmire. As I swung around a corner approaching a railroad crossing (relatively smoother), I went too wide and hit the tracks head-on. The rails are about 6 inches high… I expected to crash, damage the wheels, and possibly end up in the hospital. Remarkably, I bunny-hopped the first rail and managed to lift my wheel again to clear the second one. The back wheel banged on the rails.
I fully expected to get a flat tire. The leaders took off, and my pace slowed. I nursed the bike, anticipating a flat. I would still secure second place if I could baby the bike for the last lap.
Fortunately, I didn’t get a flat tire, but my late charge to catch back up proved fruitless. Chance charged to the finish line and took the win. I came in a close second.
So, that’s how the last race of the season unfolded. There were some enthusiastic cheering sections, and the race was top-notch. It sure feels great to be up with the front group, battling it out.”
Boneshakerbike 
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