Cannonball Ride---October Of 2020
Don't like bicycles-------read no further.
This is a gravel bicycle race which if you didn't know is very popular and in the big
races pro riders come from all over the world to race in them.
I'm talking "Tour De France" serious stuff.
However---in the sleepy Mississippi River town of Chester Illinois it's a much smaller
race and you have old people like me show up and get in the way !!!!

 

 

They slap this race number on my back and I feel like I'm really in the race---------and racing-----"NOT"

 

 

 

I'm in the lower right corner starting in the back and trying not to get run over just like in the old days
when I raced moto-cross.
There are 2 routes--a short 38 mile ride and a much longer 70 mile ride.
The serious fast guys rode the longer one----they went one way and we went the other so as
not to get in each others way.

 

 

My wife keeps hollering at me to get going as they are starting---me I'm talking to some guys
as my wife is getting pretty frustrated with me. "Get going you old fart".

 

 

 

So off I go----in last place----just as I planned.
Planning to finish in last place didn't work out so well..........just after this picture a very young
boy got a flat tire and I smoked him. I threw all 52 volts at him up the hill.

 

 

 

 

Didi takes a nap in my "Race" van.
She's not interested in any of this---just waiting for me to come back so she'll get a treat.

 

 

 

 

OK---how did I get in this race ???? All the other riders were riding pedal bikes and could smoke
me at any time they pleased.
I begged my way in and assured the promoter (Bike Surgeon of O'Fallon Illinois) that I'm just coming
to have fun and am not interested or capable of racing. Thank you Bike Surgeon.
There was a kind of embarrasing moment at the start at the riders meeting when they announced my
presence on the course and to not get their tight racing panties in a wad about the guy on an
electric mountain bike.
He's to old and slow for a podium finish !!!!

 

 

 

 

We hit a really big hill right off the bat and I was not wanting to show my electric bike superiority
on the climbs..............................but couldn't help myself. They'd blow me away over the hill and I
knew it.

 

 

 

What happened here was hilarious.
This really steep down hill had the deepest gravel on the whole course---its deeper than it looks and the
skinny tired riders were really nervous going down this--I don't blame them for walking-------but again I just couldn't help myself and probably
got going 30 mph down this passing many walking riders---my motorcycle offroad skills and the fact I was on
a full suspension fat tired mountain bike with 20lbs. of air in the tires made this fun and easy for me.

I guess me coming down that hill so fast with my big tires was making quite the noise as one rider yelled
"Car Back"---to warn other riders-------then changed it to "Bike Back"-----you can hear that in the video at the bottom.
It was my moment in the race.

 

 

This was a very long dirt climb.

 

 

 

The funnest and prettiest part of the ride.
I was wanting to test myself on this ride----but as with all my motorcycle adventures I enjoyed
the scenery the most and could care less how fast or slow I was.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just as I was rolling into the finish line---the Mississippi river and famous Chester bridge came in full view.

 

 

I rounded the last run to the finish and the crowd roar was absolutely deafoning.
Turned out to be a train roaring by----dang it.

 

 

 

 

 

Like I said the roar was deafoning and I waited for the podium that never happened.

 

 

Thanks to my sponsors and support crew for making this happen !!!! Debi and Didi.
By the way this town is home to Popeye and there are statues of all the popeye characters all over town.
Millenials----------google popeye as this was way before your time.
This new statue was just unveiled this very day.
What a hoot I had today ........!!!!!!

 

OK--hope you enjoy the video---what a hoot this was !!!!