Blue Steel Blog: Day 3 in Louisville - Not a day for the faint of heart

So.... where do I begin????

Today was a tough day from start to finish.

Racing started in a 44 degree drizzle and within 2 hours, dropped 15 degrees with 40 mph wind gusts and blowing snow falling at a rate that stuck to anything that wasn't mud.

Despite the shortened course... 11 minute expected lap times were averaging well over 15 minutes and each lap had on average 9 dismounts, because of the unrideable mud sections.

The pit started out fairly calm but with bike changes taking place every half lap, and one of the power washers sputtering like a WWII plane with a blown engine, the pucker facter began to dial up for the pit crews. You should know, the Blue Steel Pit Crew Pucker Factor was at a all time high, but I'll let Big Pit explain the circumstances around the pucker factor quotient.

I will however, tell you that within 15 mins of Karen and my Pit Tootsie duties we were already getting yelled at by Tom (the King of Pit Bosses) who was now the racer.

Karen and I were in the process of transporting Tom's bikes to the pit... across a rather grimy section of the course. Come to think of it, there was very little of the the course that wasn't grimy.. there were sections that were less grimy than others... this was a less than grimy section.

So... keep in mind, Tom is 6'2" and rides a 59cm frame. Karen and I are both 5'3" and ride 49cm frames... so, it's much easier for someone 5'3" to "roll" a 59cm frame than to carry it.

We got about half way across the field and we heard this yelling... we both turned around and saw Tom, hanging out of the van, half dressed in his race kit, his hair absolutely standing on end, yelling something at the top of his lungs. Since the power-washer were going and generators were running, we knew he was mad but couldn't make out what he was yelling... so we just smiled and waved back... asking each other, "what do you think he's yelling about?"

I have to say... it must have looked like a Saturday Night Live skit. For about 2 minutes, the yelling continued, we would stop... turn around, wave at Tom, which would only incite him into a even bigger fit and look at each other in wonder until finally, Jeff comes running up to us with his hair on fire yelling.... "SHOULDER HIS BIKES, SHOULDER HIS BIKES, HE DOESN'T WANT HIS WHEELS GETTING DIRTY!!!"..... Pucker Factor engaged!!

So.. Despite our faux pas. Tom had a good race (finished 25th) except for "the incident" that Big Pit will explain... since I am only a lowley Pit Tootsie... therefore not responsible nor accountable for what took place, during those ugly little seconds.

Tomorrow for Jeff and Jerry's Prequalification race, is more of the same... plus freezing overnight temps, wind chill effects of 14 degrees and oh, probably more rain.