Summer is Gone, But Our Love Will Remain, Like Old Bicycles, Out in the Rain

Okay. So, where was I? Oh, yeah. Last Saturday, my cold was getting better, but I woke up with a migraine. Wah!

I took my migraine meds (Zomig) and they worked just fine. By the time we got to the race venue, my brain pain was all but gone, and I was surprised at how much energy I had.

Cyclocross is always a fun spectacle, and the world championships brought out the costumes and cow bells in full force.

To me, the women's races are way more exciting than the men's, and this competition was no exception. There was a race to the sprint for first and second, and the third and fourth place racers battled until the very end too in the Women's Championships.

The biggest problem for me with the race was the food and drink situation. You weren't supposed to bring any food or water in with you, and they made you wait sometimes an hour and a half to stand in line for a bottle of water. Also, it was sixty degrees on Sunday, and for us Northerners, that was a LOT to get acclimated to, so dehydration was definitely possible. So dangerous. So dumb.

The food there was another shit show. Again, we missed watching an entire race, so we could stand in line for an hour, and they had about five options available. All were gross, fried food. The only thing I could eat there, because I don't eat beef or pork, and I don't like mushrooms, was this greasy cheese fries concoction with a mess of chicken and cheese. I ate about half of it, before it made me sick.

I don't know who plans a bike race without plenty of different kinds of beer? On Saturday they had an IPA, but I guess Miller Lite was their sponsor, and on Sunday that was the only kind of beer we could find. Have you ever tasted Lite beer? It felt like we were transported back to the 80's. Fayetteville, you could have don SOOOO much better.

Like most people we knew, we snuck food in on Sunday. Believe me, no one wants to be around me when I haven't eaten all day. We did that race venue a favor by ordering an extra pizza for leftovers, and hiding it in our bag on Sunday.

On Sunday one of my favorite riders was racing in the Under 23 women's race. Puck is amazing, but she kept getting 2nd in all of the big Under 23 races this season, and I was REALLY hoping she would win.

Lucky for me...And her too, I suppose, she pulled it out in another sprint finish. I was so happy. She is such an incredible bike handler.

Since I was feeling a little better, John and I went to ride on the mountain bike trails in Bentonville after the races were over. We were staying at a place just across the street, so it was easy to just pedal over.

These trails are amazing and abundant. They are made with Walmart money. I wish Walmart would pay their workers better, AND make cool trails.

I am not the bravest mountain biker, but there were plenty of green trails, and any trail we rode on was super scenic.

Since I still wasn't feeling 100 percent, John did a lot of riding ahead and waiting for me. Riding ahead, and waiting for me. I'm sure he's used to it by now.

I really do love it when people put art on the mountain bike trails. It makes the experience even more fun and photogenic.

We spent our last night in Arkansas eating Torchy's tacos. I love their food. We went to our first Torchy's in Austin, and then the last time we were in Arkansas, we found out they were a franchise. There are two in the Fayetteville/Bentonville area. We took full advanatage.

 So, after our long anniversary weekend adventure where it was warm enough to even see a butterfly at the end of January, we returned home to the cold, and our cats. The cats were happy to see us, but sad that they didn't get to free feed dry food all day anymore Too bad for them!