Racing can be fun!

Well it's another double race update today, first on the list is the Reagan TT....2nd place as usual. I am happy about this because I felt good and raced hard, which is the whole point I guess. This is the kind of course were the Groovy really shines, and with the dry conditions I set some PR's and kept it upright in the process.
Now onto the most fun race of this year, Manitoc. No, don't get me wrong, I really am not a big fan of this course, there are  just way too many open road/field sections to suit my style of riding. (read weak, old legs).
The Chief is the reason it was so much fun. It seemed like he was gonna bail the morning of the race due to the recent rains, but I told him we would could have a nice leisurely ride together if he showed up.
There was a prime for the holeshot and Chief took off like a raped ape but Suppan got the prize. I however took off slow, so much so that I was dead last into the woods. The fast dudes quickly rode out of site and I could see that Indian up the trail. Apparently that hard effort off the line cost him a great deal. When I caught up to him I got in front since I knew the trail better then he did. We ended up riding the entire race together and I don't think we have ever done that before. The spectacular part was when the Chief went over the bars at the start/finish area while trying to get a new bottle. I had to circle back to heckle him properly. Rody had to be perplexed by this and was yelling at me to not wait for him, but this was way too good not to savor.
After that I think the Chief would have been more pleased for me to just leave him, but I knew he would suffer more dearly if I just kept the pace as high as he could maintain. Oh, how many times I have suffered by his had on those cheese rides of the past, finally my chance to return the favor. When we got to the finish line we both hit our brakes in an effort not to cross first, but he is a crafty racer and I crossed the line before him taking 4th and 5th respectively.
These were probably not the kind of racing  tactics that my sponsor Groovy Cycles would have encouraged. But I have to say that I owe every bit of my past racing successes to the Chief. We started riding together in 1984, and without him making me suffer like mad I doubt I would have ever seen a podium finish in my lifetime. Hail to the Chief!