The PDX report never fails to deliver.

And that win added 10 bucks to my career winnings. Nice!

I have very vivid memories of sitting a few wheels of the front (aka Normantown) hanging on with an aching back thinking "good grief I'm not sure I can keep doing this..."

Raced me English Cycles bike for the first time last night. It felt just fine out there --didn't think it about except when I let myself get pushed into the red/white racetrack corner brick thingys... but that was pretty easy to recover from, no crash. 

I was in a fog for the first 5 or 6 laps (hence letting myself get into the dicey situ noted above). I was rationalizing that I needed to practice my mid-pack wheel following skills. Then, willy-nilly, something clicked and I became active, finding myself in the first good-looking break of the day, a big one of about 10-12 riders. But a good-looking break at PIR seems to be one that lasts more than one-lap (or about 5 minutes), as there are always more hangers-on than willing and urgent fugitives. I had considerable fun attacking out of that big group just before it was caught, got a nice gap... then I saw a single guy bridging-up so I waited for him, waited, waited, then as he arrived I saw what the sun's glare was depriving me of --of view of the dude's black and yellow kit belonging to the biggest team on the tarmac... ugh, he was just covering me. However, I think this big, failed move might set me up nicely next week... perhaps the group will let me go solo like a fool and I will bring forth hammer and knock their lungs out.

There was more racing activity, more little breaks gotten into, long solo catch-on after I over-neutralized myself during a neutralization to the 1/2/3 field... then the pack finish.

But all I am taking from the race, other than the nice interval workout, is the attack out of a separation, knock their lungs out. I will surely get caught, eventually, but it will not be a repeat of the usual PIR.

Lo, if I get that gap, there's a tune that'll be going through my mind... 9 Pound Hammer. And my 9 pound hammer is gon be a little too heavy for 'em... can't wait to see them fellers roll on up after chasin' up to me.