Durand

First race of the season--Durand, Wisconsin. Also the first win of the season for Doug Swanson and Grandstay. When I looked down the hill to the beginning of the sprint zone, all I saw were green, orange, and white jerseys spread across the road. By the 50 meter point, Doug was so far ahead, Gregg Brandt and Adam Bergman didn't have a chance. Here's the finish, complete with yours truly cheering:

My race (Masters 35+) ended a lap early, when Charlie and I (of Team Sparky fame) traded hard pulls to (mostly) reel in Mike Johnson and Guy Alvarez on the back side of the 3rd lap, just before one of the leg benders. Charlie popped, and I did one more pull to the bottom of the hill, figuring that our man Ray could easily pick the pair off by the top of the hill. Which he did.

Unfortunately, he got boxed in during the sprint and had no chance to finish it off. Hats off to Mark Mliner, who you never see for the whole race until the last 100 meters. A man after my own heart, except faster. Anyway, I got a great 3-lap workout to get me a little further along in my fitness. I should be ready for crit season.

The real fun for the weekend came in camping with Soulmate and Katie in the Katiemobile. We stayed in the Durand city park, which I can highly recommend for any of you RVers out there. The 'mobile worked perfectly, and we all 3 slept like babies and woke up to the birds singing. Then we drove back to St. Paul to drop Katie off with the grandparents and Soulmate and I went to Kinkaid's (from gatoraid to poached halibut, the ridiculous to the sublime) and then to the opera. We stayed overnight at the grandparents' and just got back this evening. We're all tired but looking forward to next weekend in Cannon Falls.

The Katiemobile is up to the camping part; we'll see if my legs are up to all 3 laps of the KWMRR.