Sunday, July 23, 2006

Catching up & dumb, dumb, dumb

A lot of stuff has transpired in three weeks, yet I felt no real motivation to write about it.
New job possibilities still on hold, although the position is now definitely open and should move forward quickly.
A few races where my tactical errors cost me. Hummelstown, Allentown and Crit Nats.
Nats RR in rain and with food poisoning/virus. Yeah, that was fun.
Work is still boring as sin.
Trying to figure out cross season, on all fronts that I am involved with.
Trying to get through road season without cooking myself.
Trying to spend time with Ames whenever possible.
A good friend's husband passed away after a lengthy bout with cancer, he was only 36.
Neighbors have been away all month, definitely a hole in the 'hood.
Reeser's soft Ice cream has been phenomenal.
Tour has been phenomenal.
Landis is inspirational. How long before fatass Lemond downplays Floyd's ride?
Oh Yeah, the title, dumb, dumb, dumb.
Mt Holly RR. 92 miles of flat, fast Navigators led Jersey racing with 150 guys who all think they should be at the front. Being that it is Mt Holly, two things are guaranteed, rain & a big crash. Well right after the start the heavens opened with a monsoon, and no that is not an overstatement. The wind was so strong for a while that the rain flat-out hurt when it hit you. I enjoy racing in the rain, it seems to calm me down and make my legs feel good. Right from the start I stay towards the front, just in case. Fred Billet moves me from 40th to top 10 when the first swarm starts. From there it is rippin fast through a little woods section and into town through the chicanes. Then to the feed and a false downhill with a tailwind and 38 mph. After this section we turn 180 into a false up headwind and those who were not in front come rippin into the front. Dumb, dumb, dumb. As I was sitting 15-20 deep I see some movement out of my periphery, to the right. All of a sudden two guys fall to either side at 30+ mph. I get by to the left, but then it happens. The sound no racer wants to hear. Bikes smashing into each other, aluminum breaking and piling up, tubulars exploding. It must have went on for 5-10 seconds as we were riding away. There it is. Mt Holly is decided 15 miles in due to a crash that takes out SEVENTY riders! All of my teammates are involved. Flyin' Ryan went over the bars and over a ditch. He said after he landed and got up people were still flying into the crash at 30 mph, oblivious to the carnage. To add insult to Mg-GPOA injury I flat 20 miles later and negotiate the painted line & cobblestone chiacanes on a flat front tire. I go from 10th all the way to the back waiting for Mavic to come with a wheel. When they finally arrive, behind six other team cars the field is 300 meters up the road. I ask for a draft to the caravan and the tech does not respond. Tehn as I give chase here comes Mavic flying by, zoom no pace. I go through the feed zone and hear that I am twenty seconds back. Not bad if there is a climb. twenty seconds solo, when the field is going 38 chasing a break means I need to go 40 for about a mile. Yeah right. I chase 3 miles and the field is gone and my team car is nowhere to be seen, as they were caught up and trying to get Ryan back in the race. At least I stayed upright. Ryan has been going so well & I felt good, I wish we could have had the chance to race.
Oh yeah, when I got my wheel change at the finish of lap three. Here is what my computer read.
36 miles in 1:14, 29 mph, and it really was not hard at all.