Sunday, May 07, 2006
Jiminy Cricket
Smart move of the day #1: Checked the radar 10 minutes before leaving home. Waves of rain in western MA. D'oh! Threw every warm/rain gear thing I had quickly in my bag.
It was in fact raining, but had pretty much stopped as we sat on the start line. Huge field as usual. Don Mills and some CRCA guy attacked out of the parking lot and rode away on Rt. 43. We went at a pretty good clip for 10-15 minutes, and Gary got away for a bit with another guy. But then it slowed to a crawl. I was thinking I could have stayed back in CT and done the club ride. Just as we started the hills on Rt. 7, the pace car pulled up in front of the pack and slowed us down to a near stop. At first I thought they were chastising us for taking up both lanes on the uphill, but they were neutralizing us because the 3's had caught us! First time up the hill was slooooooooow. After we got rolling back up Rt. 43 on lap 2, the racing finally started. We re-caught and passed the 3's at just about the same spot they had caught us the lap before. Smart move of the day #2: I could see us gaining so I got as far to the front as I could. Even though the officials pushed the 3 field to the right, the gap to get by on the left got narrower and narrower and I was glad I was up front and made it through before people really got squeezed in the back. Even though they had a lead of 2:40 at one point, we caught the break of 2 just before the hill. Trip #2 up the hill was typically brutal. With about 200m to the top, I started to come off. I could see Matt and Wade just ahead. Smart move of the day #3: I told myself...30 more secs. Focus on Wade. Go as hard as you can. It will be over soon. I made it over last wheel but unfortunately Leigh Sorrells had let a little gap open and Wade, Matt, Badger, me and a couple other guys were chasing like crazy on the descent to latch back on. Wade took a hard pull at the bottom, then I did....and whoops...as we came around the corner I blew up. Luckily, the pack eased about 100 yds. up the road and I latched back on. Thanks Matty...I could see you looking back to make sure I made it.
Attacks started going up the road and I didn't see all of them. I was able to slide to the front at one point and I actually had enough strength to take a hard pull to get things started to bring one move back. After we turned onto Rt. 7 some more attacks went, then Badger attacked and Ed smartly went up to him. A couple more guys went up to them and I thought that's it; Ed will get a top-10 placing. Unfortunately, one last push by the Bicycle Link guys on the descent to the final turn and they were swallowed up at the base of the hill. I was done at this point. Smart move of the day #4: I sat up and soft-pedaled to the top. The 3's were finishing so I pulled to the side to let them by. Lame move of the day #1: about 50 meters from the line I glanced back to see Bodin SPRINTING for the line. (!?) But I picked it up so I could "beat" him.
Cool Move of the Day #1: Donny Mills came over to us right after the race to shake hands and exchange "no hard feelings" sentiments.
It was in fact raining, but had pretty much stopped as we sat on the start line. Huge field as usual. Don Mills and some CRCA guy attacked out of the parking lot and rode away on Rt. 43. We went at a pretty good clip for 10-15 minutes, and Gary got away for a bit with another guy. But then it slowed to a crawl. I was thinking I could have stayed back in CT and done the club ride. Just as we started the hills on Rt. 7, the pace car pulled up in front of the pack and slowed us down to a near stop. At first I thought they were chastising us for taking up both lanes on the uphill, but they were neutralizing us because the 3's had caught us! First time up the hill was slooooooooow. After we got rolling back up Rt. 43 on lap 2, the racing finally started. We re-caught and passed the 3's at just about the same spot they had caught us the lap before. Smart move of the day #2: I could see us gaining so I got as far to the front as I could. Even though the officials pushed the 3 field to the right, the gap to get by on the left got narrower and narrower and I was glad I was up front and made it through before people really got squeezed in the back. Even though they had a lead of 2:40 at one point, we caught the break of 2 just before the hill. Trip #2 up the hill was typically brutal. With about 200m to the top, I started to come off. I could see Matt and Wade just ahead. Smart move of the day #3: I told myself...30 more secs. Focus on Wade. Go as hard as you can. It will be over soon. I made it over last wheel but unfortunately Leigh Sorrells had let a little gap open and Wade, Matt, Badger, me and a couple other guys were chasing like crazy on the descent to latch back on. Wade took a hard pull at the bottom, then I did....and whoops...as we came around the corner I blew up. Luckily, the pack eased about 100 yds. up the road and I latched back on. Thanks Matty...I could see you looking back to make sure I made it.
Attacks started going up the road and I didn't see all of them. I was able to slide to the front at one point and I actually had enough strength to take a hard pull to get things started to bring one move back. After we turned onto Rt. 7 some more attacks went, then Badger attacked and Ed smartly went up to him. A couple more guys went up to them and I thought that's it; Ed will get a top-10 placing. Unfortunately, one last push by the Bicycle Link guys on the descent to the final turn and they were swallowed up at the base of the hill. I was done at this point. Smart move of the day #4: I sat up and soft-pedaled to the top. The 3's were finishing so I pulled to the side to let them by. Lame move of the day #1: about 50 meters from the line I glanced back to see Bodin SPRINTING for the line. (!?) But I picked it up so I could "beat" him.
Cool Move of the Day #1: Donny Mills came over to us right after the race to shake hands and exchange "no hard feelings" sentiments.
Comments:
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Wayne's report is mostly correct. I'll just make a couple of corrections. The Fiora di Frutta rider that opened the gap at the top of the climb was not Leigh. The team that lead the charge into the final climb was Fiora di Frutta, first Leigh then I think it was Big John (Interlande) with John Funk on his wheel. Missing Link did their pulling further back on Rte 7 only a minute or two after Ed's chase group got organized.
Anyone see who hit the muffler on the decent? Word has it that it was Andy Ruiz. Good job to keep it up and how did he not flat? Yes I said muffler. About a foot and a half piece of tail pipe sitting right on the yellow line. We were probably going 35-40 mph. It was not there the first two laps. I heard the impact behind me and waited for sounds of futher destruction but they never came.
Great job by Ed for his efforts in the chase group.
Wade
Anyone see who hit the muffler on the decent? Word has it that it was Andy Ruiz. Good job to keep it up and how did he not flat? Yes I said muffler. About a foot and a half piece of tail pipe sitting right on the yellow line. We were probably going 35-40 mph. It was not there the first two laps. I heard the impact behind me and waited for sounds of futher destruction but they never came.
Great job by Ed for his efforts in the chase group.
Wade
I can mirror Wayne's report with my not so smart moves. number one - decided to chase Mills and unknown CRCA rider. I caught up with a Bike link guy, took a couple of turns pulling and realized he was off my wheel on one of the grinders. I chose to keep chasing, but couldn't get the break any closer than 20 sec and wasn't gaining on the pack. Since I did not remember exactly where 43 became more of a downhill, I pulled the plug on my solo chase, perhaps a bit too early.
Not so smart move number two. Well, I was trying to be smart and move up in the pack when we were overtaking the 3's. However, I didn't get far enough and with the fast pace heading up the grinders on 7 I got pinched by the 3's swelling back to the yellow line - forced to head into the oncoming lane to get by. Paul and I were both dangling at the back end of the strung out pack and kept in contact only to be shelled out the back on the main climb.
Beyond, all I can say is I finished, which was largely what I was hoping to get out of the race. I had hoped I might be able to do a bit more for the team in general, but it wasn't exactly my kind of terrain.
By the way, anyone pick up an easternbloc bottle in the feed? I ditched it while heading off the back on climb two and forgot the head back post race to grab it (despite seeing it waiting patiently where some kind soul had stood it up on the side of the road 3rd time up).
Not so smart move number two. Well, I was trying to be smart and move up in the pack when we were overtaking the 3's. However, I didn't get far enough and with the fast pace heading up the grinders on 7 I got pinched by the 3's swelling back to the yellow line - forced to head into the oncoming lane to get by. Paul and I were both dangling at the back end of the strung out pack and kept in contact only to be shelled out the back on the main climb.
Beyond, all I can say is I finished, which was largely what I was hoping to get out of the race. I had hoped I might be able to do a bit more for the team in general, but it wasn't exactly my kind of terrain.
By the way, anyone pick up an easternbloc bottle in the feed? I ditched it while heading off the back on climb two and forgot the head back post race to grab it (despite seeing it waiting patiently where some kind soul had stood it up on the side of the road 3rd time up).
I never was good at details when my heart rate is 190. Apologies to Leigh. Maybe it was another guy but his jersey LOOKED red due to the high blood flow to my brain. :-)
I heard the initial hit on the muffler (sounded like a blowout) then saw Andy looking down at his rear wheel with the old "I can't believe I didn't flat" look on his face.
I heard the initial hit on the muffler (sounded like a blowout) then saw Andy looking down at his rear wheel with the old "I can't believe I didn't flat" look on his face.
It's nice to read Ed's comments so I know what actually happened at the FRONT of the race on the last lap. And it's good to know that Roger is still smiling...
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