Have you ever had one of those moments when you thought the universe was against you? Well after my most recent race experience my advice, to anyone thinking the world is against them, is fight back! Honestly what does the universe know anyway?
So my lead up to Rapid Ascent ICME 2012 was interesting to say the least. There were several moments when I could have just thrown in the towel but I am too crazy to take the easy option. It all started the week prior when I dropped my beautiful Scott 29er into NBS for a pre race check over. A few creaks and groans but nothing I thought couldn’t be fixed…how wrong could I be! Then it happened, 1600 Friday afternoon (15 hours before I was to board a plane to Alice Springs), the dreaded call from Benny J at NBS “Nomes we have a problem” and in the same breath “don’t panic we have a plan”. The problem was a crack in my beautiful carbon frame, the solution was a quick build up of a NBS demo Cannondale 29er for the sole purpose of getting me to Alice Springs, and it worked. Nothing like a bit of pre race bike stress to throw your plans into a tailspin!
Bike and rider in one piece after Stage 1. So it is possible!
Disaster averted, I caught my flight and set a course for Alice Springs. Landed, bike built and an afternoon trail ride planned with my Subaru-MarathonMTB.com team mates. My memory of the Alice Springs trails has blurred over the last couple of years but I recall rocks and sand. With Alice Springs local, Paul Darvodelsky, in the lead we headed out to ride the closing kilometers of stage 4.
We weren’t too far in and I realized my lender Cannondale was riding like a fixie, the rear hub was a little jammed. Not ideal but no problem, not something Corey and guys at Ultimate Ride couldn’t handle, just as long as I could handle it! Then I stalled on a corner, couldn’t unclip and fell on a rock. No problem, hurt a lot but when you are in the middle of nowhere it is best to think that it is not a problem. When i caught up to the rest of the crew and actually checked my knee I decided some stitches were warranted, or that is what I would advise if I was a dog or cat. With some assistance from Paul D I set a course for the Alice Springs Veterinary Hospital and pedal pedal pedal. Fortunately my accommodation in Alice Springs had been organized with local Veterinarian, Kathy Moylan, who, incidentally, I had never met until I presented myself in her waiting room with a split knee, lots of blood and a request for sutures.
That's quite deep, attention required!
Why go to a veterinarian for sutures? The Vet ER wait is a lot less than Alice Springs Hospital Emergency, I think vets are very proficient at stitching and I think there are less, if any, MDR bacteria in Veterinary medicine….
Needless to say I got my knee back together and made a token visit to the human ER the following day for radiographer clearance. No broken bits so, despite the throbbing pain and swelling, no excuse not to race. In the interim, I dropped the broken Cannondale into Corey at Ultimate Ride and he made sure the bike was upto the task, 18 hours until race start.
So a little bruised and battered and against all odds I stepped on to the start line for stage 1of the Rapid Ascent ICME 2012. With 3 stages done and my knee feeling more ‘normal’ and beginning to return to normal size and color I must say it was definitely worth the drama. The trails here in Alice Springs are awesome, I am sitting second in the women’s GC. The universe doesn’t know nothing! …. And I am heaps happy to have such a mad supporting team… Subaru-MarathonMTB.com