The second NMBS race had been rescheduled from Sonoma to just north of Santa Barbara or in terms of temperatures out of the frying pan and into the fire. Nationals in Sonoma last year were toasty and so was this race.
I enjoyed a leisurely drive down to Santa Ynez with Rachel Lloyd (winner of the pro Super D) of the Proman team. This was the second time I've used my newly installed Craig's List special roof racks. If at all possible I put my bikes inside my little Honda so as not to ruin the gas mileage, also I prefer not to use the A/C but sometimes it's inevitable.
We made it to the venue on one tank of gas and the very first thought upon stepping out of the car was that it's a bit warmer here than at home. The bowl shaped valley reflected the heat from the hills into the exhibition area.
After picking up our numbers Rachel and I went to check out the course. I had raced here a few years ago, it was my last race as an expert and the course has changed a bit. The start was in a new area and there's much more single track than before. About fifteen minutes into our ride we hit the first little hill; it was steep with a few switch backs. It was at this time that I noticed a ringing in my ears and a rather uncomfortable feeling in my stomach. Not good signs; my legs didn't want to work either.
