Fame and Fortune: Kari Heads to the Midwest

By Kari Studley
Bothell, Washington

I can’t let my new almost celebrity status go to my head.

In checking my bike for my flight to Ohio, the TSA guy looked at the tag, looked at me, did a double-take and exclaimed, “You’re Kari Studley!  You took tenth at Cross Vegas!!!”  Completely dumbfounded that a stranger (who looked like he’d follow football more than cycling) knew cycling, the obscure sport of cyclocross, there’s a race called Cross Vegas and me!?!   As I was speechless, he continued, “ I knew you had to be a serious cyclocross racer when I inspected your bike last time [when I traveled to Cross Vegas].  So I looked you up and you did pretty good.”  (Turns out his dad used to own a bike shop and he sold Chris Horner “his first road bike”, so he likes to follow Chris and the cycling world.)

So my first trip to the midwest started out well.  It was an “unseasonably warm” (or really hot!!! For us west coasters) weekend with temps in the mid-high 80s.  I’m not complaining, it was just a shock to go somewhere where the lowest temp is your hopeful high temperature (of whappin’ 55 degrees) and it never even got that cold at night…   Saturday’s race sponsor, Java Johnny, graciously allowed me to stay in one of his furnished apartments less than a mile from Saturday’s race venue which I REALLY appreciated!

Friday’s race: Darkhorse Stampede in Birmingham, KY.  Aka: my cross nightmare come true.  Seemed like the course was 70% of my weakest types of corners – tight and off camber. <=/   Lesson learned from this race: know the start.  Duh.  But I forgot about that part until I was at the start line and realized I had no idea how/where the transition from pavement to unfriendly cornering would take place.   So I tried to hang on and think happy thoughts when going somewhat blind into that and missed my chance to be in the lead break.  When my race brain finally kicked in, someone crashed on one of the (many) off camber corners and I barely missed running her over.  When I settled into a grove again, I took myself out on one of the choice ditches at the bottom of a downhill.  Then that same girl (who passed me in my self destruction) crashed again.  I was done with her at that point and set my sights on putting as much distance between us.  Which brought 10^th place into sight….   I like 10^th place… so I managed to secure my lucky number to bring my UCI point total up to… (drum roll please)  2!  It’s a start.

Saturday: Java Johnny’s in Middleton, OH.  Anything could be more favorable for me than Friday’s course, and since this was so close to my lodging, I got to practice quite a bit on it.   Knew the start, and was pretty excited when I realized “I’m trying to catch Georgia Gould’s wheel!”  Never thought I’d ever think that (at least this season).   At least I felt like I was actually racing, and I got to follow Georgia’s wheel  when she was chasing back from a mechanical.  I even thought of passing her on the slight hill just because I knew I could, but decided to be nice as she already had enough stress in her race and didn’t need to worry about getting around me again.  But I enjoyed managing to stay on her wheel for a while.  After Georgia went her way I was able to work back to my lucky number: 10^th.  And although 9^th was dangling like bait for me, I never caught her.

Sunday: BioWheels in Cincy (Cincinnati) OH.   Aka:  being Barb Howe for a day.  Celebrity again!  I was told that a photo of me made cycling news from Saturday’s race!  The only catch, I was labeled as Barb Howe.  Guess it’s a start.  I’ll just make sure to wear a name tag next time.   The course was really cool and suited me well.   I thought I felt better, but 3 days of racing, travel, the HEAT, and a funky stomach caught up to me so I didn’t have the reserves that I had hoped to make the lead group.  Just when I was closing in on (take a guess on what place) 10^th, my celebrity photo twin, Barb Howe, my back tire went flat!  So I lost a lot of time trying to ride / run a half lap before I got Barb’s “B” bike in the pit.  At least my knees didn’t hit my elbows too much as I ride a frame one size bigger… and now I really knew what it was like to ride like Barb!  Amazingly, 11^th was still mine with 12^th no where in sight!

And I realized I’ve already surpassed what I set out to do this season: place top 15 at UCI races.  Now I want to crack top 10…. I’ve heard 7 is also lucky….

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