Hiatus
11 years ago
Thursday, September 24, 2009
New start time for our weekend rides.
Starting this weekend the rides from Gearworks on Saturday morning and the rides from Orchard Hills on Sunday morning’s start at 9:30am.
While I’m away this Saturday doing the Seacoast Century I’m sure someone will step up this Saturday morning to lead the ride in my absence.
See you all next weekend.
Charlie
While I’m away this Saturday doing the Seacoast Century I’m sure someone will step up this Saturday morning to lead the ride in my absence.
See you all next weekend.
Charlie
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Tuesday night ride report - last ride of '09
The most depressing ride of the year report
It’s kind of like I imagine the pros might feel on the last day of The Tour, the final ride of a sometimes enjoyable other times punishing some odd 20+ weeks of riding, riding into Paris onto the Champs Elysees, Leominster, Prospect St, whatever…. Mixed emotions, excited about the ride itself and the post ride dinner’s opportunity to eat, drink, drink more and reminisce over the events of the past 5 or 6 months. Depressed that another year of Tuesday night rides is in the books, older, fatter, slower than the year before, for me anyway.
I was so bummed out about this fact I ended up getting to the shop at 4:30 just so I could extend the experience by another 90 minutes. All I really got out of the 90 minutes was a new water bottle Daren owed me from COVAC, and “A Ride Greg” making me even more depressed telling me how he dialed his HR up to 210BPM on his last training ride. Bowling, Croquet or Golf is the one decision I need to make this winter, and I blew all my money on bike stuff so golf is definitely out.. C’est la vie mes amis.
The stats:
Miles: 20.52
Time: 1.00.25
Avg MPH: 20.4
The ride – I think it’s the same loop we normally do on every "last ride of the year". Heading out of the shop it really was like the final stage of The Tour, everyone talking it up, having fun, the only thing missing was the Dom and some flutes to drink out of.
To be honest, I don’t remember crap about the ride, I think it was due to too much of Peter Cunningham’s wine during the post ride festivities, but I remember things picking up once we crossed Rt 70 and started heading into Shirley, a nice brisk pace, hit the hill and things started falling apart but not too bad. Slowed at the top and by the time we hit the stop sign I think we had everyone.
From there a left over 2 and then a right towards the prison where the speed always picks up, damn I was stuck in the middle on some of the worst tarmac this side of the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix. No matter, a busted up bike is a good excuse to upgrade to a Tarmac SL3 next year, right? New bike = faster speed, or so the good folks at GW are always telling me.
Or maybe not, if I can’t afford a set of Calloway clubs, I certainly won’t be able to afford the SL3.
We somehow ended up in downtown Shirley as we tend to do when heading past the prison. Took a right in the center, well some of us did anyways before realizing we were going straight over the tracks and then right - we really need race radios to keep this stuff in order.
I think we went straight, and then somewhere along the way there was this slight incline that seemed to go on forever, especially with Tattoo Dave, Dustin Pedroia, and a host of other A riders turning up the watts as they quickly separated themselves from the rest of the group.
Thankfully there was a stop sign somewhere along the way where we all stopped to regroup.
Took off again, a left onto 2A and then a real quick, pedal scraping sharp right that would lead us into Devens.
At this point I remember 2 things.
1. Noah pulling a Lance Armstrong and cutting over the grass to shave about 20 feet off his ride, I was actually quite impressed with his riding ability and the show he put on. Nice of him to let me know he did it to make it into the ride report.
Which brings up an interesting point – I didn’t realize anyone actually read the crap I spew out in these ride reports until a lot of people on the ride, as well as at the post ride festivities made comments about my commentary. I suffer from insecurity that goes back to my childhood when Billy McManus beat me up in front of the hottest girl in the 4th grade, so I still don’t know if people were complimenting me or pissed off at me for something I wrote about them or some dumb name I might’ve come up for them for them. Trust me, it’s all good, I love you all!!!!!! And thanks for the added pressure of coming up with new material for next year (my plan is to write about 20 of these in the off season and tailor them to each of the weekly rides next year before posting in the blog - we'll see how that works out).
2. The other thing I remember is after Noah pulled his stunt the roads got real nice and the speed was way up as we dipped into Devens – man it was fun trying to hang on at 40+ MPH flying down those hills.
Once out of Devens we headed back into Lunenburg and came out to PJ Keating.
After the right I knew…… I bided my time, cruising along in the pace line, occasionally drifting to the left to see how things looked….. tick, tick, tick, pull out for another look, time to move up. Big ring or little ring??? Last ride of the year 53/17 big ring for sure!
Slowly made my way to the front knowing full well what was coming.
The worst feeling in the world, positioning yourself perfectly when you know the attack is about to come, moving off the front as we headed up the sorry excuse of a hill, burning matches, HR in the red, aiming to be the first to the top. Things are looking good this time, maybe I have a chance.
And then the unmistakable sound of gears clicking, the steady rhythm of riders out of the saddle as their bikes twisting from side to side, the sound of their wheels tearing up the road.
And worst of all knowing there’s not a damn thing I can do to stop it (except to resolve to train harder with more intervals and less beer in the off season) slowly being swallowed up, one by one until there’s 2, 4, 7, 10 up the road, matches burnt, screwed again as more riders passed by and then total humiliation as the late night jogger passed me on the hill past Padula’s.
“Train smarter, not longer” – this is why I was so interested at the after ride festivities trying to get Tom Orsini to start up the Tuesday night trainer rides we had going on at GW a couple years ago, only this year I want them to start in October, not February.
Oh well, once we all made it up to the top of Prospect street everyone took their flyers down to rt. 13, as usual we missed the light again (I don’t think we ever caught it the entire season).
Back to the shop.
Only one award to give out – “650” Dawn” on the blue Trek got female rider of the night award not only because she was the only female to show up for the ride, but because covered every move throughout the night.
I also fear I might have scared off all the other female riders after my COVAC comments about keeping my head up instead of on the saddle in front of me. I'm still learning so bear with me.
The post ride dinner, as always was a blast. It’s always my opportunity to learn about the people I ride with throughout the year but was afraid to ask. Like putting names to bikes, helmets and kits.
Hats off to Daren, Gene and the folks at Gear Works for their generous donations of 3 water bottles that were raffled off at the end of the night.
Oh yeah, there were gift certificates in those water bottles - I know Dan Oulette was happy that he can buy that new cassette he was thinking about earlier in the day.
What else is there to say? It was another great year of riding. I’m depressed, but I’ll be all right with a little therapy, and when the first sunny days January and February roll around when we can get back outside for some Saturday base training rides.
Until then there’s still a lot of good riding to be had throughout the fall.
Hope everyone has a great off season, looking forward to riding with you again in '10.
It’s kind of like I imagine the pros might feel on the last day of The Tour, the final ride of a sometimes enjoyable other times punishing some odd 20+ weeks of riding, riding into Paris onto the Champs Elysees, Leominster, Prospect St, whatever…. Mixed emotions, excited about the ride itself and the post ride dinner’s opportunity to eat, drink, drink more and reminisce over the events of the past 5 or 6 months. Depressed that another year of Tuesday night rides is in the books, older, fatter, slower than the year before, for me anyway.
I was so bummed out about this fact I ended up getting to the shop at 4:30 just so I could extend the experience by another 90 minutes. All I really got out of the 90 minutes was a new water bottle Daren owed me from COVAC, and “A Ride Greg” making me even more depressed telling me how he dialed his HR up to 210BPM on his last training ride. Bowling, Croquet or Golf is the one decision I need to make this winter, and I blew all my money on bike stuff so golf is definitely out.. C’est la vie mes amis.
The stats:
Miles: 20.52
Time: 1.00.25
Avg MPH: 20.4
The ride – I think it’s the same loop we normally do on every "last ride of the year". Heading out of the shop it really was like the final stage of The Tour, everyone talking it up, having fun, the only thing missing was the Dom and some flutes to drink out of.
To be honest, I don’t remember crap about the ride, I think it was due to too much of Peter Cunningham’s wine during the post ride festivities, but I remember things picking up once we crossed Rt 70 and started heading into Shirley, a nice brisk pace, hit the hill and things started falling apart but not too bad. Slowed at the top and by the time we hit the stop sign I think we had everyone.
From there a left over 2 and then a right towards the prison where the speed always picks up, damn I was stuck in the middle on some of the worst tarmac this side of the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix. No matter, a busted up bike is a good excuse to upgrade to a Tarmac SL3 next year, right? New bike = faster speed, or so the good folks at GW are always telling me.
Or maybe not, if I can’t afford a set of Calloway clubs, I certainly won’t be able to afford the SL3.
We somehow ended up in downtown Shirley as we tend to do when heading past the prison. Took a right in the center, well some of us did anyways before realizing we were going straight over the tracks and then right - we really need race radios to keep this stuff in order.
I think we went straight, and then somewhere along the way there was this slight incline that seemed to go on forever, especially with Tattoo Dave, Dustin Pedroia, and a host of other A riders turning up the watts as they quickly separated themselves from the rest of the group.
Thankfully there was a stop sign somewhere along the way where we all stopped to regroup.
Took off again, a left onto 2A and then a real quick, pedal scraping sharp right that would lead us into Devens.
At this point I remember 2 things.
1. Noah pulling a Lance Armstrong and cutting over the grass to shave about 20 feet off his ride, I was actually quite impressed with his riding ability and the show he put on. Nice of him to let me know he did it to make it into the ride report.
Which brings up an interesting point – I didn’t realize anyone actually read the crap I spew out in these ride reports until a lot of people on the ride, as well as at the post ride festivities made comments about my commentary. I suffer from insecurity that goes back to my childhood when Billy McManus beat me up in front of the hottest girl in the 4th grade, so I still don’t know if people were complimenting me or pissed off at me for something I wrote about them or some dumb name I might’ve come up for them for them. Trust me, it’s all good, I love you all!!!!!! And thanks for the added pressure of coming up with new material for next year (my plan is to write about 20 of these in the off season and tailor them to each of the weekly rides next year before posting in the blog - we'll see how that works out).
2. The other thing I remember is after Noah pulled his stunt the roads got real nice and the speed was way up as we dipped into Devens – man it was fun trying to hang on at 40+ MPH flying down those hills.
Once out of Devens we headed back into Lunenburg and came out to PJ Keating.
After the right I knew…… I bided my time, cruising along in the pace line, occasionally drifting to the left to see how things looked….. tick, tick, tick, pull out for another look, time to move up. Big ring or little ring??? Last ride of the year 53/17 big ring for sure!
Slowly made my way to the front knowing full well what was coming.
The worst feeling in the world, positioning yourself perfectly when you know the attack is about to come, moving off the front as we headed up the sorry excuse of a hill, burning matches, HR in the red, aiming to be the first to the top. Things are looking good this time, maybe I have a chance.
And then the unmistakable sound of gears clicking, the steady rhythm of riders out of the saddle as their bikes twisting from side to side, the sound of their wheels tearing up the road.
And worst of all knowing there’s not a damn thing I can do to stop it (except to resolve to train harder with more intervals and less beer in the off season) slowly being swallowed up, one by one until there’s 2, 4, 7, 10 up the road, matches burnt, screwed again as more riders passed by and then total humiliation as the late night jogger passed me on the hill past Padula’s.
“Train smarter, not longer” – this is why I was so interested at the after ride festivities trying to get Tom Orsini to start up the Tuesday night trainer rides we had going on at GW a couple years ago, only this year I want them to start in October, not February.
Oh well, once we all made it up to the top of Prospect street everyone took their flyers down to rt. 13, as usual we missed the light again (I don’t think we ever caught it the entire season).
Back to the shop.
Only one award to give out – “650” Dawn” on the blue Trek got female rider of the night award not only because she was the only female to show up for the ride, but because covered every move throughout the night.
I also fear I might have scared off all the other female riders after my COVAC comments about keeping my head up instead of on the saddle in front of me. I'm still learning so bear with me.
The post ride dinner, as always was a blast. It’s always my opportunity to learn about the people I ride with throughout the year but was afraid to ask. Like putting names to bikes, helmets and kits.
Hats off to Daren, Gene and the folks at Gear Works for their generous donations of 3 water bottles that were raffled off at the end of the night.
Oh yeah, there were gift certificates in those water bottles - I know Dan Oulette was happy that he can buy that new cassette he was thinking about earlier in the day.
What else is there to say? It was another great year of riding. I’m depressed, but I’ll be all right with a little therapy, and when the first sunny days January and February roll around when we can get back outside for some Saturday base training rides.
Until then there’s still a lot of good riding to be had throughout the fall.
Hope everyone has a great off season, looking forward to riding with you again in '10.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
COVAC 2009 Ride Report - better late than never
The day started out so promising, I took Charlie's checklist of stuff I'd need for a century, added beer, camera, iPod and cell phone to it and thought I was all set. Everything packed the night before so I could roll out of bed, put the bike on the roof rack and head out.
Once again, I remember essentials such as iPod and beer, forget other stuff like sunscreen, my good sunglasses, bandanas (so as not to sweat over all my fellow riders), towels, a facecloth to clean up with after the ride. And post ride food. But the beer tasted pretty damn good at the end!
For some reason I never sleep well the night before something big like COVAC, an early morning flight, or anything else that requires me waking up before noon. It's not that I dwell on the event itself, or that I have undue anxiety about it, or anything like that that keeps me up at night. It's thinking about not getting enough sleep that keeps me up. And of course the fear of not waking up when the alarm goes off. Even with one of those wind up alarm clocks with the two bells on top that would wake the neighbots up, I know that with ambien and ear plugs you can sleep through stuff like wind up alarm clocks, the block party next door, the police sirens coming to break up said party after the gun shots start going off.
So maybe my worst mistake was not taking the ambien because I slept like crap and 4:30 came very quick.
After packing up the bike and other stuff, headed out, rolled into the hotel parking lot a little after 6:00, I was surprised to see the number of people already there, especially with less than ideal weather.
It was probably a little after 6:20 when we rolled out.
Pulling out of the parking lot I was already nervous about being the last car out , as we headed up route 2 I made a conscious effort to slowly move up until I was about 3rd or 4th wheel, er I mean car from the front.
There were two reasons for wanting to move to the front. One, I have no idea how to get to Hatfield and was afraid of getting dropped at a red light and missing the ride (Peter Cunningham told me missing the start really sucks). And two even more importantly - the first to get to the dunkin donuts parking lot in Hadley gets a primo spot in line to the rest room.
The weather driving down route 2 was to say the least, dreary. I kept hoping things would clear up by the time we got to COVAC, but it remained dismal as we turned off 2 and started the drive down 202. I was about ready to turn around and go back home and ride the rollers (which in hindsight woud've been a good idea) but I had a feeling the weather was about to turn.
And while driving down 202 it started happening, slowly at first, but it was obvious, the sky started to brighten, just a little but it was enough to make me hopeful everything would clear by the time we hit Hatfield.
And then as we drove over a hill close to the Quabbin it happened! The sun came out, ever so briefly, but it was there. And not coincidentally at the same time as the sun was breaking through the clouds the song "Lucky" by Radiohead (one of my all time favs) came out of my ipod, "I feel my luck could change", "it's going to be a glorious day" - and I somehow knew it was going to be a glorious day indeed.
Driving into Amherst it got even brighter until we got to Rt 9 and when the sun was totally through the clouds! Yahooooooo!
Stopped at Hadley D&D for a bio break, carbs and cafine - while there Daren pulled out the biggest bagle and cream cheese I'd ever seen (he'd be holding onto it since he and Nataline left home, how he made it all the way from home to Hadley without eating it was beyond me, but he did - it looked damn good and i wanted some). And then as we were looking at an oversized advertisement for one of D&D's products I learned about his fondness for the D&D Chicken Parm flatbread sandwich (served all day in case you ever have a craving for one at 7:00am on a Sunday morning) - I know he wanted it, but to his credit he resisted, I guess the 2lb bagle and cream cheese was enough of a pre-COVAC ride meal.
After the D&D stop we headed to COVAC, getting there a little after 8:00A, by the time we were done getting set up, photos,etc it was probably close to 8:30 before we got started.
The stats:
Miles 103.3
Time: 292 minutes (4 hours 50 minutes)
Average MPH: 21.2
Average Heart Rate: HC (that's beyond category)
Personally I think of this year's ride as "the Good the Bad and the Ugly" except I'm calling it "The Good, The Better, The Bad and the really Ugly", each segment based on 25 mile increments.
Part 1: The Good
The 1st 25 miles were very civilized, everyone taking their time warming up, enjoying each other's company, laughing it up, I think we were all hoping for a nice easy ride at a managable 20mph pace from start to finish. At least I was hoping that would be the plan.
During this time a certain un-named rider again pointed out the new helmet they were wearing, and the nice fragrent scent of it, a cross between lilac, honeydew and a dryer sheet (I know I mentioned this before, but one of my favorite scents while taking a leisurely Saturday afternoon ride is of Downy coming out of someone's dryer vent).
I also learned that you can actually GAIN weight riding COVAC! Who knew, but between the Hadley Dunkin Donut stop, the 3 SAG stops filled with yummies, and the post ride dinner, race reporter Natalie Couric explained to me her theory of weight gain during a 103 mile ride before interviewing your's truly (with microphone and all) asking what I planned on eating at that first SAG. I lied telling her some fruit, a muffin, maybe a banana. But I had my heart set on other things after Dave Lystila told me they were actually going to be serving up hot turkey dinners complete with stuffing, mashed potato smothered in gravy (mmmmm, gravy!) served with with a slice of fresh pumpkin pie and hot coffee to top it off with, The other dinner option was a Dunkin Donut chicken parm flat bread sandwich. Boy was I ever psyched to get to mile 25, even though it was a huge disapointment when we pulled in that SAG and all that was presented me was fruit, muffins, and bananas. Where the hell was the turkey dinner?!
Oh well, the banana, muffin, chex mix and water was still good, maybe the the chicken parm flat bread sandwiches would be waiting at mile 50.
Oh yeah, before we even got to the first SAG, somewhere around mile 20 there was a group of of us working real well together, like a machine we had the paceline thing working like a freight train tearing up the tracks, each of us taking turns at the front, all I could think of was this must've been what it was like for Astana doing the team time trial at this year's TDF……. That is until we went right when the rest of the ride was laughing at us as they followed the course to the left - I didn't notice who was out front and missed that turn (could've been me), but whoever it was, thanks for the extra watts needed to connect back up to the group. They would've come in handy around say mile 62.
Back to the 25 mile stop, pulling out someone flatted, I think it was Peter Cunningham which was good because he can swap a tube as quick as anyone. While we were waiting I noticed Daren was already low on water, with his one water bottle that someone loaned him back at the Hadley Dunkin Donuts (if you see the photos, the water bottle Daren is drinking from is actually a "free one" Gene gave me when I once spent $4000 on a new bike) - so if Daren is reading this, I want that water bottle back!
But that's not the story. To help unload some weight from her bike Natalie offered Daren some of her water from a bottle she was about to empty, he declined (maybe thinking she might need it somewhere before mile 50), so she starts pouring it out on the ground - Daren had an indescribable look of shock on his face watching the precious liquid spilling out on the pavement, I thought he was going to get down on his knees and start lapping it up, but he managed to catch her before the entire bottle was emptied and she gave him what was left.
Part 2: The Better
As we started out from mile 25 we were averaging a managable 19mph pace.
I can’t remember all the details of the next 25 miles, I do remember the pace began picking up - slowly. Somewhere in Greenfield we had to take a left, right, left slowing us down until we reached route 10(?) - and the tempo quickly picked up to the point where I don't remember my computer ever going below 20mph, at points we were over 30, working as a group, taking turns on the front - Tattoo Dave and several others were driving the pace to the point of insanity as the rest of us tried to hold the wheels of those on the front. At least it was flat so it was kind of fun.
Here's something not to say on a group ride (this happened maybe around mile 45) - we were cooking along working well as a group, being the nice guy I am I try to be accomodating to other riders riding on the outside of the paceline letting them pull in instead of having them drift all the way to the back of the line. That is as long as they meet the following requirements:
1. Are considerate and don't try forceing themselves between riders to avoid falling back (there are 2 or 5 Tuesday nighters who consistantly fall short of this requirement).
2. Are part of our group (no sandbaggers from Cyclonauts unless it's Dawn)
3. And their helmet doesn't smell
A certain female rider was on the outside, she looked over to to her right, I fell back and told her to jump in, someone behind jokingly told me "Don't let Natalie in". What not to say on a group ride? "I don't mind, I really don't want to look at Mark's (Muzzi) ass anyway", which was true enough but no sooner were the words out of my mouth when I realized how it must've sounded to the female rider I let in and every other female rider reading this who will now never want to ride in front of me (damn pervert!).
Fortunately the female with the fresh helmet took it all in stride, but I'm not sure how Daren felt after I told him abou the comment - it was only a couple of weeks ago I was commenting on his new saddle, I have to learn to keep my eyes up and my mouth shut!
Just as we were pulling up to mile 50 rest area Greg prophetically summed up our riding over the previous 25 miles. "What we just did was really dumb!", he went on to explain that it was stupid of us to expend so much energy drilling it on the easiest part of the ride and that we'd eventually pay the price on the next 30 miles when we hit the hills.
Prophetic indeed.
But then Tattoo Dave said something else - "sometimes you just can't say no when the speed picks up", hmmmm a paradox indeed. "To go or not to go, that is the question"
The next stretch was going to be interesting.
Mile 50 SAG
If you're not interested in reading out my digestive system I strongly recommend you skip this next part (don't read between the brackets, you can't say you weren't warned)
[When we pulled into the SAG my stomach wasn't feeling too well, I guess I should've taken one of Big Dave's Tums he keeps in his saddle bag. I was suffering from a bout of gastric distress and needed some relief, but this creates a big problem problem for me in that there are 2 places I can’t take a poop, an airplane and a portapotty - oh, and any rest stop on the Jersey turnpike. I was feeling pretty bad, so much so I didn't even care that they had no Chicken Parm flat bread sandwiches at the stop. Having no choice I went into one of the porta-johns, closed the door (and my eyes) and tried to think of pleasant thoughts to take my mind off my environment - a nice beach, Sedona, the scent of fresh lilacs, honeydews and laundry sheets. When none of that worked I dug deep into my bag of psychological tricks, visualizing a soft serve ice cream machine, the kind they have at Carol's Dairy Bar and the Dairy Queen, when I was a kid I always liked the vanilla-chocolate swirl soft serve and sitting there I dredged up old memories of the ice cream coming out of the machine, but not even that worked - this wasn't good. I hoped that it would pass (as these things sometimes do), I'd find out real soon.]
Anyways, at the stop I met up with a couple of Tuesday nighters includig Dawn (the superfast woman on the blue Trek riding with the camelback, and another woman who does tris and rides an awesome yellow Pinerello - they are in Charlie's photos). It was nice seeing them as well as a couple other people I recogized.
Part 3: The Bad
"Sometimes you can't say no", I couldn't get Tattoo Dave's words out of my head as we rolled out of the 50 mile stop at a leisurly pace on our way up to Brattleboro - we all made it over the tracks without any bike damage or concussions.
When we pulled into Brattleboro all I could think about was stopping at McNeils Brewery for a nice cold Dead Horse IPA or Duck's Breath ESB, but alas they don't open until 4 so I pedaled on.
Once we were over the bridge and into NH the pace again picked up. Because it was still flat it wasn't too brutal, but there was still some suffering involved. "Hold the wheel in front of you" I thought, another nugget of wisdom someone passed on to me earlier this year to make the suffering even worse, we were pushing a 25+ average as the miles quickly rolled by. And I was watching everyone one of them tick off on my computer, counting them down, mile 57, 58, mile 59, getting closer and closer to mile 62 - "sometimes you can't say no", "hold the wheel in front of you", "the fresh scent of lilac, honeydew and dryer sheets", "what am I doing trying to ride with these guys?", thoughts that kept spinning over and over through my head - at this point I made a deal with myself - hang with the group to the next SAG and you can take it easy on the last 20 miles.
It didn't work.
The organizers of the ride did an especially good job of timing the ride so the hottest part of the day coincides with the toughest part of the ride, the hills that start around mile 62. Up until then It didn't seem especially hot, but then the hills started and it felt like 90 with 90% humidity. The first hill wasn't too bad, I managed to hang on to most of the group, except for the kid in the NEBC kit on the black Super6, he was off the front.
Each consecutive hill seemed to get worse and worse, by the 3rd one I was hanging on by a thread.
And then I hit the hill I hate the most, I believe it's coming into the center of Northfield, it isn't even the steepest, but it's the most cruel because it comes at a time when I'm completely wasted from the heat and brutality of the pace set by Tattoo Dave, Big Dustin Pedroia, NEBC on the Super6, Lee, John on the black and gray Cdale, Florida Ken, and several others I was too gassed to remember who they were. Going up that hill is like climbing the Col De Tourmelet, only instead of it being a 19km climb at 7-10% gradient, it's like 1/2km at 2%. Either way, for me it's an HC climb and that was where I lost all contact with the lead group, and the suffering began in earnest.
Time to make a decision - 1. try and bridge up to the lead group (not happening), 2. wait for the main peleton to show up and ride it out with them, 3. ride my own pace for the next 10 or so miles to the last SAG.
I opted for option 3, hoping that I was going slow enough that option 2 would come into play.
It didn't and it was not a pleasant experience trying to go it alone. The miles were no longer ticking off at such a quick pace, 1 mile seemed like 10, 2 miles seemed like 25, 3 miles seemed like 50. "Just keep turning the pedals, ride your own pace, the rest of the group will pick you up soon enough", "lilacs, honeydew and dryer sheets", D&D chicken parm flat breads, Liz Hatch waiting to massage my aching legs at mile 80, all of these thoughts kept turning over and over in my head, but none of them were helping to relieve the suffering.
Over every hill, around every turn I kept hoping to see the sign for the last SAG, but it never came which is when I noticed there weren't any riders in sight, anywhere. Did I miss a turn? I was screwed if I did because I had a cell phone, but no one's number to call. I wasn't going to ask one of the locals for help because I know what happened in the movie Deliverance and I didn't want to be doing any squeeling. Nothing to do except pedal on, suffer, and worry.
Mile 80 SAG
Finally made it!
All the guys from the lead group were there, lounging around like they had just spent the last 30 miles at the spa.
I didn't dare sit for fear that I would never get up to finish the ride.
Less than 2 minutes later most of the rest of the group pulled in (why didn't I pedal slower?)
It wasn't until later, maybe when we were pulling out, that I noticed Andrea wasn't with us. I asked a couple riders if they saw her, no one seemed overly concerned, I assumed that she had picked up with Dawn and some of the other riders from mile 50. I assumed wrong.
Hindsight what it is, I think we need a better way to account for all the riders at each stop. Cell phones anyone?
Part 4: The Really Ugly
Needless to say I was less than enthused about the last 20 miles of the ride. Greg's words kept coming back to me all the way until the end. "We were really dumb" between miles 25 and 50, and I knew it was time to pay for mistakes made.
The ride into Erving wasn't terribly bad, even though every part of my body was in pain, especially my bottom (I wish I could find the illusive "perfect saddle" but I'm not sure it exist), at that point there was still hope of finishing with the 2nd group.
Then came mile 88 when all hope left me. Time to pay for another mistake.
All the time between miles 50 and 80 while I tried hanging with riders I should never have tried hanging with, and after getting dropped, riding alone thinking about dryer sheets, Liz, and other things, I managed to make the worst mistake of all. A total rookie mistake!
I forgot to take in liquids and food during those miles. I know enough about long distance riding to understand the importance of keeping hydrated and eating enough food to prevent bonking. Too bad for me for early deciding of going for the glory of a podium spot instead of riding smart.
Even at the mile 80 SAG where I knew I'd spent a lot of calories and fluids over the previous 30 miles, I still didn't think I needed to drink much more than a few glasses of water, some chex mix and a gel pack. I didn't want to tempt fate, so I stayed away from the bananas.. Again, dumb mistake (the theme of the day).
At mile 88 my back was beinging to hurt so I got up off the saddle to strech a little - and that's when the pain hit, I'd never felt anything like it before (that didn't involve whips and chains anyway), it was enough to cause me to fall right back down on my seat. My left hamsting cramped. Not bad enough to give up, but bad enough to know it was going to be a problem for the rest of the ride.
I watched as riders rode away, no chance of a podium spot, or finishing anywhere near the front for that matter. Oh well...
I caught on to the next group of riders, rode with them into Deerfield, things got a little mixxed up at the lights, I rode through the red light (bad move I know), and waited for the rest of the group. I started feeling good again.
Until I got out of my saddle again and the pain hit again, only this time the cramping moved into my quad - I knew I was screwed and that's when I basically had one goal in mind, making it back to the parking lot without the help of a car or ambulance.
A lot of what happened after that is a blur - the last thing I clearly remember is someone shouting "Right Turn", thankfully it was into the parking lot where all this began.
The ride into the parking lot wasn't the best part of the day, but it was certianly a relief knowing those 103 miles were done and I could notch my second century of my short and less than fulfilling career as a bike rider.
When the ride was over I asked Charlie how many centuries he had under his belt, he told more than he wanted to remember.
Same for Paul Skerry, and I'm sure Big Dave and others too…… None of them looked completely wasted when I saw them in the parking lot, I'm sure none of them rode like a DUMB ass either. Oh well, live and learn I guess. I might get this right in a another 10 or so years - I just need to learn who to listen to (Big Dave who told me to go easy when we pulled out of the mile 25 SAG), and who NOT to listen to (Tattoo Dave - "sometimes you just can't say no").
All things considered, and now that I've a couple days to recover, it was definitely the high point of the year for me. And I'm looking forward to many more to come if I don't sell my bike before next season……
Thanks to all the Tuesday nighters who made this another memorable year, even though it isn't officially over until the last ride on the 22nd. Don't forget to save your appetite, I heard Il Forno's is going to be offering up Chicken Parm flat bread sandwiches
Once again, I remember essentials such as iPod and beer, forget other stuff like sunscreen, my good sunglasses, bandanas (so as not to sweat over all my fellow riders), towels, a facecloth to clean up with after the ride. And post ride food. But the beer tasted pretty damn good at the end!
For some reason I never sleep well the night before something big like COVAC, an early morning flight, or anything else that requires me waking up before noon. It's not that I dwell on the event itself, or that I have undue anxiety about it, or anything like that that keeps me up at night. It's thinking about not getting enough sleep that keeps me up. And of course the fear of not waking up when the alarm goes off. Even with one of those wind up alarm clocks with the two bells on top that would wake the neighbots up, I know that with ambien and ear plugs you can sleep through stuff like wind up alarm clocks, the block party next door, the police sirens coming to break up said party after the gun shots start going off.
So maybe my worst mistake was not taking the ambien because I slept like crap and 4:30 came very quick.
After packing up the bike and other stuff, headed out, rolled into the hotel parking lot a little after 6:00, I was surprised to see the number of people already there, especially with less than ideal weather.
It was probably a little after 6:20 when we rolled out.
Pulling out of the parking lot I was already nervous about being the last car out , as we headed up route 2 I made a conscious effort to slowly move up until I was about 3rd or 4th wheel, er I mean car from the front.
There were two reasons for wanting to move to the front. One, I have no idea how to get to Hatfield and was afraid of getting dropped at a red light and missing the ride (Peter Cunningham told me missing the start really sucks). And two even more importantly - the first to get to the dunkin donuts parking lot in Hadley gets a primo spot in line to the rest room.
The weather driving down route 2 was to say the least, dreary. I kept hoping things would clear up by the time we got to COVAC, but it remained dismal as we turned off 2 and started the drive down 202. I was about ready to turn around and go back home and ride the rollers (which in hindsight woud've been a good idea) but I had a feeling the weather was about to turn.
And while driving down 202 it started happening, slowly at first, but it was obvious, the sky started to brighten, just a little but it was enough to make me hopeful everything would clear by the time we hit Hatfield.
And then as we drove over a hill close to the Quabbin it happened! The sun came out, ever so briefly, but it was there. And not coincidentally at the same time as the sun was breaking through the clouds the song "Lucky" by Radiohead (one of my all time favs) came out of my ipod, "I feel my luck could change", "it's going to be a glorious day" - and I somehow knew it was going to be a glorious day indeed.
Driving into Amherst it got even brighter until we got to Rt 9 and when the sun was totally through the clouds! Yahooooooo!
Stopped at Hadley D&D for a bio break, carbs and cafine - while there Daren pulled out the biggest bagle and cream cheese I'd ever seen (he'd be holding onto it since he and Nataline left home, how he made it all the way from home to Hadley without eating it was beyond me, but he did - it looked damn good and i wanted some). And then as we were looking at an oversized advertisement for one of D&D's products I learned about his fondness for the D&D Chicken Parm flatbread sandwich (served all day in case you ever have a craving for one at 7:00am on a Sunday morning) - I know he wanted it, but to his credit he resisted, I guess the 2lb bagle and cream cheese was enough of a pre-COVAC ride meal.
After the D&D stop we headed to COVAC, getting there a little after 8:00A, by the time we were done getting set up, photos,etc it was probably close to 8:30 before we got started.
The stats:
Miles 103.3
Time: 292 minutes (4 hours 50 minutes)
Average MPH: 21.2
Average Heart Rate: HC (that's beyond category)
Personally I think of this year's ride as "the Good the Bad and the Ugly" except I'm calling it "The Good, The Better, The Bad and the really Ugly", each segment based on 25 mile increments.
Part 1: The Good
The 1st 25 miles were very civilized, everyone taking their time warming up, enjoying each other's company, laughing it up, I think we were all hoping for a nice easy ride at a managable 20mph pace from start to finish. At least I was hoping that would be the plan.
During this time a certain un-named rider again pointed out the new helmet they were wearing, and the nice fragrent scent of it, a cross between lilac, honeydew and a dryer sheet (I know I mentioned this before, but one of my favorite scents while taking a leisurely Saturday afternoon ride is of Downy coming out of someone's dryer vent).
I also learned that you can actually GAIN weight riding COVAC! Who knew, but between the Hadley Dunkin Donut stop, the 3 SAG stops filled with yummies, and the post ride dinner, race reporter Natalie Couric explained to me her theory of weight gain during a 103 mile ride before interviewing your's truly (with microphone and all) asking what I planned on eating at that first SAG. I lied telling her some fruit, a muffin, maybe a banana. But I had my heart set on other things after Dave Lystila told me they were actually going to be serving up hot turkey dinners complete with stuffing, mashed potato smothered in gravy (mmmmm, gravy!) served with with a slice of fresh pumpkin pie and hot coffee to top it off with, The other dinner option was a Dunkin Donut chicken parm flat bread sandwich. Boy was I ever psyched to get to mile 25, even though it was a huge disapointment when we pulled in that SAG and all that was presented me was fruit, muffins, and bananas. Where the hell was the turkey dinner?!
Oh well, the banana, muffin, chex mix and water was still good, maybe the the chicken parm flat bread sandwiches would be waiting at mile 50.
Oh yeah, before we even got to the first SAG, somewhere around mile 20 there was a group of of us working real well together, like a machine we had the paceline thing working like a freight train tearing up the tracks, each of us taking turns at the front, all I could think of was this must've been what it was like for Astana doing the team time trial at this year's TDF……. That is until we went right when the rest of the ride was laughing at us as they followed the course to the left - I didn't notice who was out front and missed that turn (could've been me), but whoever it was, thanks for the extra watts needed to connect back up to the group. They would've come in handy around say mile 62.
Back to the 25 mile stop, pulling out someone flatted, I think it was Peter Cunningham which was good because he can swap a tube as quick as anyone. While we were waiting I noticed Daren was already low on water, with his one water bottle that someone loaned him back at the Hadley Dunkin Donuts (if you see the photos, the water bottle Daren is drinking from is actually a "free one" Gene gave me when I once spent $4000 on a new bike) - so if Daren is reading this, I want that water bottle back!
But that's not the story. To help unload some weight from her bike Natalie offered Daren some of her water from a bottle she was about to empty, he declined (maybe thinking she might need it somewhere before mile 50), so she starts pouring it out on the ground - Daren had an indescribable look of shock on his face watching the precious liquid spilling out on the pavement, I thought he was going to get down on his knees and start lapping it up, but he managed to catch her before the entire bottle was emptied and she gave him what was left.
Part 2: The Better
As we started out from mile 25 we were averaging a managable 19mph pace.
I can’t remember all the details of the next 25 miles, I do remember the pace began picking up - slowly. Somewhere in Greenfield we had to take a left, right, left slowing us down until we reached route 10(?) - and the tempo quickly picked up to the point where I don't remember my computer ever going below 20mph, at points we were over 30, working as a group, taking turns on the front - Tattoo Dave and several others were driving the pace to the point of insanity as the rest of us tried to hold the wheels of those on the front. At least it was flat so it was kind of fun.
Here's something not to say on a group ride (this happened maybe around mile 45) - we were cooking along working well as a group, being the nice guy I am I try to be accomodating to other riders riding on the outside of the paceline letting them pull in instead of having them drift all the way to the back of the line. That is as long as they meet the following requirements:
1. Are considerate and don't try forceing themselves between riders to avoid falling back (there are 2 or 5 Tuesday nighters who consistantly fall short of this requirement).
2. Are part of our group (no sandbaggers from Cyclonauts unless it's Dawn)
3. And their helmet doesn't smell
A certain female rider was on the outside, she looked over to to her right, I fell back and told her to jump in, someone behind jokingly told me "Don't let Natalie in". What not to say on a group ride? "I don't mind, I really don't want to look at Mark's (Muzzi) ass anyway", which was true enough but no sooner were the words out of my mouth when I realized how it must've sounded to the female rider I let in and every other female rider reading this who will now never want to ride in front of me (damn pervert!).
Fortunately the female with the fresh helmet took it all in stride, but I'm not sure how Daren felt after I told him abou the comment - it was only a couple of weeks ago I was commenting on his new saddle, I have to learn to keep my eyes up and my mouth shut!
Just as we were pulling up to mile 50 rest area Greg prophetically summed up our riding over the previous 25 miles. "What we just did was really dumb!", he went on to explain that it was stupid of us to expend so much energy drilling it on the easiest part of the ride and that we'd eventually pay the price on the next 30 miles when we hit the hills.
Prophetic indeed.
But then Tattoo Dave said something else - "sometimes you just can't say no when the speed picks up", hmmmm a paradox indeed. "To go or not to go, that is the question"
The next stretch was going to be interesting.
Mile 50 SAG
If you're not interested in reading out my digestive system I strongly recommend you skip this next part (don't read between the brackets, you can't say you weren't warned)
[When we pulled into the SAG my stomach wasn't feeling too well, I guess I should've taken one of Big Dave's Tums he keeps in his saddle bag. I was suffering from a bout of gastric distress and needed some relief, but this creates a big problem problem for me in that there are 2 places I can’t take a poop, an airplane and a portapotty - oh, and any rest stop on the Jersey turnpike. I was feeling pretty bad, so much so I didn't even care that they had no Chicken Parm flat bread sandwiches at the stop. Having no choice I went into one of the porta-johns, closed the door (and my eyes) and tried to think of pleasant thoughts to take my mind off my environment - a nice beach, Sedona, the scent of fresh lilacs, honeydews and laundry sheets. When none of that worked I dug deep into my bag of psychological tricks, visualizing a soft serve ice cream machine, the kind they have at Carol's Dairy Bar and the Dairy Queen, when I was a kid I always liked the vanilla-chocolate swirl soft serve and sitting there I dredged up old memories of the ice cream coming out of the machine, but not even that worked - this wasn't good. I hoped that it would pass (as these things sometimes do), I'd find out real soon.]
Anyways, at the stop I met up with a couple of Tuesday nighters includig Dawn (the superfast woman on the blue Trek riding with the camelback, and another woman who does tris and rides an awesome yellow Pinerello - they are in Charlie's photos). It was nice seeing them as well as a couple other people I recogized.
Part 3: The Bad
"Sometimes you can't say no", I couldn't get Tattoo Dave's words out of my head as we rolled out of the 50 mile stop at a leisurly pace on our way up to Brattleboro - we all made it over the tracks without any bike damage or concussions.
When we pulled into Brattleboro all I could think about was stopping at McNeils Brewery for a nice cold Dead Horse IPA or Duck's Breath ESB, but alas they don't open until 4 so I pedaled on.
Once we were over the bridge and into NH the pace again picked up. Because it was still flat it wasn't too brutal, but there was still some suffering involved. "Hold the wheel in front of you" I thought, another nugget of wisdom someone passed on to me earlier this year to make the suffering even worse, we were pushing a 25+ average as the miles quickly rolled by. And I was watching everyone one of them tick off on my computer, counting them down, mile 57, 58, mile 59, getting closer and closer to mile 62 - "sometimes you can't say no", "hold the wheel in front of you", "the fresh scent of lilac, honeydew and dryer sheets", "what am I doing trying to ride with these guys?", thoughts that kept spinning over and over through my head - at this point I made a deal with myself - hang with the group to the next SAG and you can take it easy on the last 20 miles.
It didn't work.
The organizers of the ride did an especially good job of timing the ride so the hottest part of the day coincides with the toughest part of the ride, the hills that start around mile 62. Up until then It didn't seem especially hot, but then the hills started and it felt like 90 with 90% humidity. The first hill wasn't too bad, I managed to hang on to most of the group, except for the kid in the NEBC kit on the black Super6, he was off the front.
Each consecutive hill seemed to get worse and worse, by the 3rd one I was hanging on by a thread.
And then I hit the hill I hate the most, I believe it's coming into the center of Northfield, it isn't even the steepest, but it's the most cruel because it comes at a time when I'm completely wasted from the heat and brutality of the pace set by Tattoo Dave, Big Dustin Pedroia, NEBC on the Super6, Lee, John on the black and gray Cdale, Florida Ken, and several others I was too gassed to remember who they were. Going up that hill is like climbing the Col De Tourmelet, only instead of it being a 19km climb at 7-10% gradient, it's like 1/2km at 2%. Either way, for me it's an HC climb and that was where I lost all contact with the lead group, and the suffering began in earnest.
Time to make a decision - 1. try and bridge up to the lead group (not happening), 2. wait for the main peleton to show up and ride it out with them, 3. ride my own pace for the next 10 or so miles to the last SAG.
I opted for option 3, hoping that I was going slow enough that option 2 would come into play.
It didn't and it was not a pleasant experience trying to go it alone. The miles were no longer ticking off at such a quick pace, 1 mile seemed like 10, 2 miles seemed like 25, 3 miles seemed like 50. "Just keep turning the pedals, ride your own pace, the rest of the group will pick you up soon enough", "lilacs, honeydew and dryer sheets", D&D chicken parm flat breads, Liz Hatch waiting to massage my aching legs at mile 80, all of these thoughts kept turning over and over in my head, but none of them were helping to relieve the suffering.
Over every hill, around every turn I kept hoping to see the sign for the last SAG, but it never came which is when I noticed there weren't any riders in sight, anywhere. Did I miss a turn? I was screwed if I did because I had a cell phone, but no one's number to call. I wasn't going to ask one of the locals for help because I know what happened in the movie Deliverance and I didn't want to be doing any squeeling. Nothing to do except pedal on, suffer, and worry.
Mile 80 SAG
Finally made it!
All the guys from the lead group were there, lounging around like they had just spent the last 30 miles at the spa.
I didn't dare sit for fear that I would never get up to finish the ride.
Less than 2 minutes later most of the rest of the group pulled in (why didn't I pedal slower?)
It wasn't until later, maybe when we were pulling out, that I noticed Andrea wasn't with us. I asked a couple riders if they saw her, no one seemed overly concerned, I assumed that she had picked up with Dawn and some of the other riders from mile 50. I assumed wrong.
Hindsight what it is, I think we need a better way to account for all the riders at each stop. Cell phones anyone?
Part 4: The Really Ugly
Needless to say I was less than enthused about the last 20 miles of the ride. Greg's words kept coming back to me all the way until the end. "We were really dumb" between miles 25 and 50, and I knew it was time to pay for mistakes made.
The ride into Erving wasn't terribly bad, even though every part of my body was in pain, especially my bottom (I wish I could find the illusive "perfect saddle" but I'm not sure it exist), at that point there was still hope of finishing with the 2nd group.
Then came mile 88 when all hope left me. Time to pay for another mistake.
All the time between miles 50 and 80 while I tried hanging with riders I should never have tried hanging with, and after getting dropped, riding alone thinking about dryer sheets, Liz, and other things, I managed to make the worst mistake of all. A total rookie mistake!
I forgot to take in liquids and food during those miles. I know enough about long distance riding to understand the importance of keeping hydrated and eating enough food to prevent bonking. Too bad for me for early deciding of going for the glory of a podium spot instead of riding smart.
Even at the mile 80 SAG where I knew I'd spent a lot of calories and fluids over the previous 30 miles, I still didn't think I needed to drink much more than a few glasses of water, some chex mix and a gel pack. I didn't want to tempt fate, so I stayed away from the bananas.. Again, dumb mistake (the theme of the day).
At mile 88 my back was beinging to hurt so I got up off the saddle to strech a little - and that's when the pain hit, I'd never felt anything like it before (that didn't involve whips and chains anyway), it was enough to cause me to fall right back down on my seat. My left hamsting cramped. Not bad enough to give up, but bad enough to know it was going to be a problem for the rest of the ride.
I watched as riders rode away, no chance of a podium spot, or finishing anywhere near the front for that matter. Oh well...
I caught on to the next group of riders, rode with them into Deerfield, things got a little mixxed up at the lights, I rode through the red light (bad move I know), and waited for the rest of the group. I started feeling good again.
Until I got out of my saddle again and the pain hit again, only this time the cramping moved into my quad - I knew I was screwed and that's when I basically had one goal in mind, making it back to the parking lot without the help of a car or ambulance.
A lot of what happened after that is a blur - the last thing I clearly remember is someone shouting "Right Turn", thankfully it was into the parking lot where all this began.
The ride into the parking lot wasn't the best part of the day, but it was certianly a relief knowing those 103 miles were done and I could notch my second century of my short and less than fulfilling career as a bike rider.
When the ride was over I asked Charlie how many centuries he had under his belt, he told more than he wanted to remember.
Same for Paul Skerry, and I'm sure Big Dave and others too…… None of them looked completely wasted when I saw them in the parking lot, I'm sure none of them rode like a DUMB ass either. Oh well, live and learn I guess. I might get this right in a another 10 or so years - I just need to learn who to listen to (Big Dave who told me to go easy when we pulled out of the mile 25 SAG), and who NOT to listen to (Tattoo Dave - "sometimes you just can't say no").
All things considered, and now that I've a couple days to recover, it was definitely the high point of the year for me. And I'm looking forward to many more to come if I don't sell my bike before next season……
Thanks to all the Tuesday nighters who made this another memorable year, even though it isn't officially over until the last ride on the 22nd. Don't forget to save your appetite, I heard Il Forno's is going to be offering up Chicken Parm flat bread sandwiches
Tri-State Seacoast Century, September 26-27, 2009
Big Dave, Bruce and I are doing this century as well. If anyone wants to join us let me know.
Ride Description: The Tri-State Seacoast Century route is primarily along the Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine coastlines.
Ride Description: The Tri-State Seacoast Century route is primarily along the Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine coastlines.
Monday, September 14, 2009
For those waiting for a COVAC ride report
You're going to have to wait a little longer.
I was actually writing the report as I rode along yesterday, but somewhere around mile 65 I completely lost it. Thank Tattoo Dave and the others riding up front all day for the delay. They completely destroyed me, physically and mentally. Those last 10 miles were the longest 10 miles of my life.
I'll publish something soon.
I'll also create a photobucket account we can all access to upload COVAC photos and any other photos we have..... last ride of the year is September 22, hopefully we can get a few more photos from that ride as well as the post ride dinner (which I will not miss!)
I was actually writing the report as I rode along yesterday, but somewhere around mile 65 I completely lost it. Thank Tattoo Dave and the others riding up front all day for the delay. They completely destroyed me, physically and mentally. Those last 10 miles were the longest 10 miles of my life.
I'll publish something soon.
I'll also create a photobucket account we can all access to upload COVAC photos and any other photos we have..... last ride of the year is September 22, hopefully we can get a few more photos from that ride as well as the post ride dinner (which I will not miss!)
Thursday, September 10, 2009
COVAC century logistics
Meet at the Marriot to car pool from there at 6am.
150 Royal Plaza Drive
Fitchburg, Massachusetts 01420 USA
Were aiming to lift off from the start in Hatfield at 8am.
Hatfield Pavilion
Billings Way,
Hatfield, Mass
Bring your own t-paper, they usually run out.
After everyone is finished there will be post ride eating pizza activities at
Bertucci's Brick Oven Restaurant
233 N. Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA
150 Royal Plaza Drive
Fitchburg, Massachusetts 01420 USA
Were aiming to lift off from the start in Hatfield at 8am.
Hatfield Pavilion
Billings Way,
Hatfield, Mass
Bring your own t-paper, they usually run out.
After everyone is finished there will be post ride eating pizza activities at
Bertucci's Brick Oven Restaurant
233 N. Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Tuesday ride report - 9/8/09
Yesterday morning I read an email Charlie sent me letting me know he wouldn't be on this week's ride (fishing again) and that I was solely responsible for this week's Tuesday night's ride report - "So it’s all on you to gin up the ride report, NO PRESSURE!" - direct quote.
Sometimes I go on about the anxiety I feel when I see a field of blue kits lined up at the front of the Tuesday ride, thinking about the pain and suffering they are going to inflict on the ride. Sometimes it's bad, sometimes it's not so bad, more often than not it's managable.
But that kind of pressure is nothing compared to the pressure I've begun feeling in trying to churn out these ride reports week after week. I find the anxiety attacks starting Sunday evening, lasting all day Monday, turning into full fledged panic by Tuesday. I wonder if Stephen King feels the same pressure trying to knock out 2-3 books a year? I suppose when you have his money and success there's little worry about much of anything.
Which leads me to wonder, is there any money to be made in writing up these ride reports? Maybe everyone could pass the basket around before the Tuesday night ride.
Maybe not.
Distance: 30.95
Ride time: 1:31:21
Average MPH: 20.3
As we lined up I had mixed emotions - no blue spin arts kits, but no A ride either - which meant it was going to be a combined A/B ride. Luciano, Big "Dustin Pedroia" on the black Super Six, blue Six13, red "Psycho" kit on the green Liquigas bike, a new woman on a yellow Pinerello (I love that bike and she can ride it too!), black Scott cr1, "Oulette" on the black Specialized - too many question marks.
And there were the usual cast of Tuesday nighters, Mark on his vintage steel Paramount, Big Dave, Natalie sporting a fresh new helmet, Daren and others.
Rode up to Prospect St, down past the shopping center/ Orchard Hills, left onto Mechanic St, about 1/4 mile down the road someone had a gap of about 30 feet and kept looking back, slowed down for the group, and then tried to accelarate when the group reached him - this always screws things up, rode around him and tried setting a steady pace down Mechanic and onto 70. I pulled for what seemed like forever, I kept going and going (there comes a time when you need to pull off so as not to slow the pace), just as I was about to flick off Luciano and the rest of the group pulled through on my right, I just stayed to the left and let the train pass until I caught last wheel and stuggled like hell to hang on. I was afraid I was about to get dropped for the first time this year - I didn't know wheather to spin it or mash it (I opted for the latter) and searched my brain for a song I could use to try and move back on to last wheel ("Black Betty" worked perfectly).
When I finally had enough gas to look up I couldn't believe it, there were several riders way off the front, Luciano, Blue Six13, Big Dustin Pedroia, Green Liquigas, I think the yellow Pinerello and a couple others were there too - a spectator stuck in the back, I watched as several riders in the main group decided to move up (although I still don't know what they were trying to accomplish because they weren't going after the lead group) they were riding dangerously close to the double yellow, maybe over it, on rt 70 that's never a good idea.
I finally recovered enough where I felt strong enough to move up to the front, and then off the front hoping to get a group on my wheel to try and work to bridge up to the group of 5, I guess I should've asked for help instead of hoping for it - no one went (saving themselves for COVAC I'm sure). So I was off the front with no help, left out to hang in the breeze, bridged up to a lone rider also stuck out in no mans land - asked him to work, no deal. So no help, no way to bridge the group of 5 who were working together, I rode alone listening to "Black Betty" as I watched the lead group pull away to the intersection of 117.
One thing that amazes me is watching Luciano ride his bike, seemingly without effort, on the one hand it makes me want to commit to raising my training up 10 notches in the off season, while on the other hand giving up riding altogether knowing I'll never be that good (it's got to be the Italian genetics). Him and "blue Six13" had it going on all night and even though they spent a fair amount of time hanging in the peleton, when they wanted to go they went, and even when they didn't go for townline sprints you knew they were just playing nice on the B ride.
From 70 we took the right onto 117 and then onto Langden, straight through towards Sterling Rd, that short little climb was when I realized how warm and humid it was, I was sucking air going up that short hill watching more riders pull away - we got to the end and a quick right onto Sterling Rd - signals got mixxed up and like a sheep I followed a few others who bore right down Sterling rd, while the main group went left onto Deershorn, I didn't have the bike handling skills to cut across the grass like several others did so I had to ride up to the left that cuts across to Deershorn, again hanging on the back when I caught back up.
Cut across 62 onto Chace Hill, I knew what was coming so I tried to move up while at the same time saving myself, but it didn't work, one by one I was passed by the stronger riders as we started the climb up the hill, the ride down the other side was fast as we made our way down to 110.
A right onto 110, the pace remained brisk, I don't know if I was finally warmed up or the ride eased up, but I didn't feel like throwing up as much as I did the previous 10 miles so that was enough to make me feel like sprinting to the W. Boylston town line - it was the most pathetic sprint ever, I might have cranked out enough power to maybe light a 45 watt lightbulb, I "won" but I don't think it counted for any sprinter points since it was uncontested.
We continued on all the way to the intersection of 12, turned right and then headed towards Sterling.
It was starting to get dark the pace was quick as it always is down 12, as we got close to Sterling Center Big Dustin Pedroia who was doing a lot of the work asked if he screwed up by pulling too hard - "Do you think I dropped them?"
Me - "Maybe"
Red Fuji Roubaix - "should we wait up?"
Me - "yeah, pull into the bank parking lot and we'll wait up"
No sooner in the bank parking lot -
Daren - "what, did you guys think you dropped us (chuckle)?"
Me - "I thought we had a 1/2 mile gap on you"
Luciano- "your team director on race radio had the wrong time gap, it was only 1/2 meter, not 1/2 mile"
The ride got cranked up again going down Rt 12 - everyone was working well, I cheated (if there is such a thing in bike racing) by finding shelter on the inside, completely out of the wind, perfect positioning, hardly any work for the first couple miles out of Sterling center.
I was 3rd wheel when I finally found my way back into the paceline, Litespeed in front, Elaine 2nd wheel and your's truly. Litespeed did his work, then Elaine tucked into the drops and started hammering it, HARD! She was really working it so much so I was finding it hard to hang on. My turn, I did a quick pull before bailing (because I had no idea which turn we were taking) - snuck back into the paceline but found it hard holding the wheel in front of me - after pulling back in I tried to hang on but couldn't, I bailed not knowing Daren had my wheel - he yelled at me for not holding the wheel in front and leaving a gap for him to bridge - I did what I could to get back in there and try to help Daren out, but I wasn't strong enough and couldn't do it so I spent the rest of the ride contemplating whether or not to sell the bike and take up another sport, maybe bowling, maybe croquet, I belive both to be noble sports, and as a bonus one can drink beer while competing, unlike cycling where you have to wait for the ride to end before imbibing.
Took the left onto N Row, everyone rode their own pace up to the end before turning right onto Pleasant. Made the last little climb up to Sholan Farms and then cruised downhill all the way to the shop.
When I got back to my car I realized I might have worked harder than I needed to - I noticed my front rim had been rubbing against the brake pad all night, even when I opened up the brake lever it was still rubbing, I was too tired to try and diagnose the problem. I'm sure Gene will help me out by selling me those Zipp 404s, even if a quick wheel truing might solve the problem.
Time to taper down the miles before Sunday's big event. The weather looks real good so I'm hoping we have a great turnout for COVAC, and better yet, the post ride imbibing! I think I feel a sick day coming on for next Monday.
Sometimes I go on about the anxiety I feel when I see a field of blue kits lined up at the front of the Tuesday ride, thinking about the pain and suffering they are going to inflict on the ride. Sometimes it's bad, sometimes it's not so bad, more often than not it's managable.
But that kind of pressure is nothing compared to the pressure I've begun feeling in trying to churn out these ride reports week after week. I find the anxiety attacks starting Sunday evening, lasting all day Monday, turning into full fledged panic by Tuesday. I wonder if Stephen King feels the same pressure trying to knock out 2-3 books a year? I suppose when you have his money and success there's little worry about much of anything.
Which leads me to wonder, is there any money to be made in writing up these ride reports? Maybe everyone could pass the basket around before the Tuesday night ride.
Maybe not.
Distance: 30.95
Ride time: 1:31:21
Average MPH: 20.3
As we lined up I had mixed emotions - no blue spin arts kits, but no A ride either - which meant it was going to be a combined A/B ride. Luciano, Big "Dustin Pedroia" on the black Super Six, blue Six13, red "Psycho" kit on the green Liquigas bike, a new woman on a yellow Pinerello (I love that bike and she can ride it too!), black Scott cr1, "Oulette" on the black Specialized - too many question marks.
And there were the usual cast of Tuesday nighters, Mark on his vintage steel Paramount, Big Dave, Natalie sporting a fresh new helmet, Daren and others.
Rode up to Prospect St, down past the shopping center/ Orchard Hills, left onto Mechanic St, about 1/4 mile down the road someone had a gap of about 30 feet and kept looking back, slowed down for the group, and then tried to accelarate when the group reached him - this always screws things up, rode around him and tried setting a steady pace down Mechanic and onto 70. I pulled for what seemed like forever, I kept going and going (there comes a time when you need to pull off so as not to slow the pace), just as I was about to flick off Luciano and the rest of the group pulled through on my right, I just stayed to the left and let the train pass until I caught last wheel and stuggled like hell to hang on. I was afraid I was about to get dropped for the first time this year - I didn't know wheather to spin it or mash it (I opted for the latter) and searched my brain for a song I could use to try and move back on to last wheel ("Black Betty" worked perfectly).
When I finally had enough gas to look up I couldn't believe it, there were several riders way off the front, Luciano, Blue Six13, Big Dustin Pedroia, Green Liquigas, I think the yellow Pinerello and a couple others were there too - a spectator stuck in the back, I watched as several riders in the main group decided to move up (although I still don't know what they were trying to accomplish because they weren't going after the lead group) they were riding dangerously close to the double yellow, maybe over it, on rt 70 that's never a good idea.
I finally recovered enough where I felt strong enough to move up to the front, and then off the front hoping to get a group on my wheel to try and work to bridge up to the group of 5, I guess I should've asked for help instead of hoping for it - no one went (saving themselves for COVAC I'm sure). So I was off the front with no help, left out to hang in the breeze, bridged up to a lone rider also stuck out in no mans land - asked him to work, no deal. So no help, no way to bridge the group of 5 who were working together, I rode alone listening to "Black Betty" as I watched the lead group pull away to the intersection of 117.
One thing that amazes me is watching Luciano ride his bike, seemingly without effort, on the one hand it makes me want to commit to raising my training up 10 notches in the off season, while on the other hand giving up riding altogether knowing I'll never be that good (it's got to be the Italian genetics). Him and "blue Six13" had it going on all night and even though they spent a fair amount of time hanging in the peleton, when they wanted to go they went, and even when they didn't go for townline sprints you knew they were just playing nice on the B ride.
From 70 we took the right onto 117 and then onto Langden, straight through towards Sterling Rd, that short little climb was when I realized how warm and humid it was, I was sucking air going up that short hill watching more riders pull away - we got to the end and a quick right onto Sterling Rd - signals got mixxed up and like a sheep I followed a few others who bore right down Sterling rd, while the main group went left onto Deershorn, I didn't have the bike handling skills to cut across the grass like several others did so I had to ride up to the left that cuts across to Deershorn, again hanging on the back when I caught back up.
Cut across 62 onto Chace Hill, I knew what was coming so I tried to move up while at the same time saving myself, but it didn't work, one by one I was passed by the stronger riders as we started the climb up the hill, the ride down the other side was fast as we made our way down to 110.
A right onto 110, the pace remained brisk, I don't know if I was finally warmed up or the ride eased up, but I didn't feel like throwing up as much as I did the previous 10 miles so that was enough to make me feel like sprinting to the W. Boylston town line - it was the most pathetic sprint ever, I might have cranked out enough power to maybe light a 45 watt lightbulb, I "won" but I don't think it counted for any sprinter points since it was uncontested.
We continued on all the way to the intersection of 12, turned right and then headed towards Sterling.
It was starting to get dark the pace was quick as it always is down 12, as we got close to Sterling Center Big Dustin Pedroia who was doing a lot of the work asked if he screwed up by pulling too hard - "Do you think I dropped them?"
Me - "Maybe"
Red Fuji Roubaix - "should we wait up?"
Me - "yeah, pull into the bank parking lot and we'll wait up"
No sooner in the bank parking lot -
Daren - "what, did you guys think you dropped us (chuckle)
Me - "I thought we had a 1/2 mile gap on you"
Luciano- "your team director on race radio had the wrong time gap, it was only 1/2 meter, not 1/2 mile"
The ride got cranked up again going down Rt 12 - everyone was working well, I cheated (if there is such a thing in bike racing) by finding shelter on the inside, completely out of the wind, perfect positioning, hardly any work for the first couple miles out of Sterling center.
I was 3rd wheel when I finally found my way back into the paceline, Litespeed in front, Elaine 2nd wheel and your's truly. Litespeed did his work, then Elaine tucked into the drops and started hammering it, HARD! She was really working it so much so I was finding it hard to hang on. My turn, I did a quick pull before bailing (because I had no idea which turn we were taking) - snuck back into the paceline but found it hard holding the wheel in front of me - after pulling back in I tried to hang on but couldn't, I bailed not knowing Daren had my wheel - he yelled at me for not holding the wheel in front and leaving a gap for him to bridge - I did what I could to get back in there and try to help Daren out, but I wasn't strong enough and couldn't do it so I spent the rest of the ride contemplating whether or not to sell the bike and take up another sport, maybe bowling, maybe croquet, I belive both to be noble sports, and as a bonus one can drink beer while competing, unlike cycling where you have to wait for the ride to end before imbibing.
Took the left onto N Row, everyone rode their own pace up to the end before turning right onto Pleasant. Made the last little climb up to Sholan Farms and then cruised downhill all the way to the shop.
When I got back to my car I realized I might have worked harder than I needed to - I noticed my front rim had been rubbing against the brake pad all night, even when I opened up the brake lever it was still rubbing, I was too tired to try and diagnose the problem. I'm sure Gene will help me out by selling me those Zipp 404s, even if a quick wheel truing might solve the problem.
Time to taper down the miles before Sunday's big event. The weather looks real good so I'm hoping we have a great turnout for COVAC, and better yet, the post ride imbibing! I think I feel a sick day coming on for next Monday.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
COVAC Century Sunday Sept. 13th
I'm sure Daren will be sending out an email notice for this ride.
For those who haven't done COVAC (http://www.amherstrotaryclub.org/covac/), it's a 104 mile ride that starts in Hatfield Ma, travels up one side of the Connecticut River to Brattleboro Vt, over the river into NH, and back south down the east side of the river. The SAG stops (for food and drink) are very well stocked with pasteries, cookies, fruits, coffee, gatorade, and water - so be sure to register to help support them.
Registeration ends Wednesday (yes as in tomorrow at 8:59pm), so sign up early so you can help their causes and get a free t-shirt and baked potatoe at the end of the ride.
If you've always wanted to do a century but never thought you could, this is probably one of the easiest centuries this side of Iowa and Nebraska. Because it runs along side the river it is for the most part flat. The only exception being about a 10 mile stretch after the mile 50 SAG stop. As I recall, these hills are more the rolling variety you might find along 119 heading west into Rindge NH and not stuff like heading into Princeton Center or Mason NH. And because we ride as a group it's even easier as we all spend our share of time in the wind (taking pulls) helping those behind us.
I guess I should mention something I found out a couple of years ago - the first 75 miles the ride the group pretty much stays together, we wait up for anyone who has a mechanical problem and regroup at each 25 mile SAG stop.... but the pace gets turned up a notch or 3 after the 75 mile stop, we'll still wait for mechanicals and all, but it does get fast. And then for the last 10 or so miles anyone wanting to finish in the front should definately pay close attention because this is usually where the trouble makers are going to stir things up by trying to break away. Depending on who's in the mix (i.e. anyone really strong who is used to the A ride pace), you may want to sit it out and enjoy the fast pace being set by everyone else. Think of it this way, most know how much the sprint along Rt 70 can hurt. Well this is 7 miles further, 10x harder and usually into the wind.
But COVAC isn't a race, it's a long group ride where most riders are simply out to have a fun time, enjoy each other's company, enjoy some spectacular scenery and get together for the post ride dinner.
The ride ends where it began, more food and beer, unfortunately you need to pay for the beer.
In years past the plan has been to meet as a group at 6:00am in the Courtyard Hotel (formally the Best Western and now home to Coco Keys water park on Rt 31 in Fitchburg) - from there we'll drive to Hatfield as a group so we can begin the ride at 8:00.
Hopefully as many of the tuesday night and saturday morning GW regulars as possible can make it. Of all the group rides we do, this one is the best!
For those who haven't done COVAC (http://www.amherstrotaryclub.org/covac/), it's a 104 mile ride that starts in Hatfield Ma, travels up one side of the Connecticut River to Brattleboro Vt, over the river into NH, and back south down the east side of the river. The SAG stops (for food and drink) are very well stocked with pasteries, cookies, fruits, coffee, gatorade, and water - so be sure to register to help support them.
Registeration ends Wednesday (yes as in tomorrow at 8:59pm), so sign up early so you can help their causes and get a free t-shirt and baked potatoe at the end of the ride.
If you've always wanted to do a century but never thought you could, this is probably one of the easiest centuries this side of Iowa and Nebraska. Because it runs along side the river it is for the most part flat. The only exception being about a 10 mile stretch after the mile 50 SAG stop. As I recall, these hills are more the rolling variety you might find along 119 heading west into Rindge NH and not stuff like heading into Princeton Center or Mason NH. And because we ride as a group it's even easier as we all spend our share of time in the wind (taking pulls) helping those behind us.
I guess I should mention something I found out a couple of years ago - the first 75 miles the ride the group pretty much stays together, we wait up for anyone who has a mechanical problem and regroup at each 25 mile SAG stop.... but the pace gets turned up a notch or 3 after the 75 mile stop, we'll still wait for mechanicals and all, but it does get fast. And then for the last 10 or so miles anyone wanting to finish in the front should definately pay close attention because this is usually where the trouble makers are going to stir things up by trying to break away. Depending on who's in the mix (i.e. anyone really strong who is used to the A ride pace), you may want to sit it out and enjoy the fast pace being set by everyone else. Think of it this way, most know how much the sprint along Rt 70 can hurt. Well this is 7 miles further, 10x harder and usually into the wind.
But COVAC isn't a race, it's a long group ride where most riders are simply out to have a fun time, enjoy each other's company, enjoy some spectacular scenery and get together for the post ride dinner.
The ride ends where it began, more food and beer, unfortunately you need to pay for the beer.
In years past the plan has been to meet as a group at 6:00am in the Courtyard Hotel (formally the Best Western and now home to Coco Keys water park on Rt 31 in Fitchburg) - from there we'll drive to Hatfield as a group so we can begin the ride at 8:00.
Hopefully as many of the tuesday night and saturday morning GW regulars as possible can make it. Of all the group rides we do, this one is the best!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Tuesday night ride report 9/2
Arrived at the gym and found that I had;
Grabbed my bib knickers instead of my bib shorts.
Forgot my socks for after the ride.
Forgot my towel for my shower after the ride.
This getting more mature thing is starting to suck.
Here it is September already, where did the summer go? Felt like a Fall night last night with the temperature at launch at 69F, with a slight Southwest wind. I started out wearing my arm warmers as well. I think my blood is thinning out. I’m guessing around 25 riders or so showed up for the ride.
We were headed on the roads that go by the Grand View golf course. Starts getting dark around 7:30pm, so Daren set a very brisk pace right out of the chute. I was in the big ring right after we went by the hospital. Once we made the right turn on the climbs to the Grand View golf course I got dropped from the lead group. By the time I had arrived at the top they had already hit a bucket of balls.
We re-grouped at the top, slapped it in the big ring, then off we went screaming down all the down hills then a very sharp left at the near the base of Justice Hill Road, onto Leominster Rd. A right onto 140 then a quick left onto Gleason Road. Then another right and a quick left onto Bullard Road which brought us to Route 62 where we turn left and stayed on this all the way to Moore’s corner on route 140. From here we got on what used to be the old 140 TT course that took us by the Sterling Airport. A right onto Route 12 then a left onto Gates road where we went over some nasty RR tracks. One dropped bottle that slowed down the groups pace a tad then it was full throttle again as we headed over to Route 70 in Lancaster.
All this was rolling terrain and I had a few red zone moments, mostly on the uphill sections staying with the front group. As we all know once you get to Route 70 it’s going to get REALLY hard. We had a small lead group about 8 of us tooling along and I’m almost at my max when Greg who’s on the front turns up the screws and now I’m beyond my max, well over the redline, completely shattered and fell off the group just before we got to Route 2.
By now it’s pretty dark and the temperature had dropped to 62F so now I was glad I had my knickers on as well as my arm warmers. Meandered over to Target and caught the lead riders at the lights there. Had visions of the fire box sprint, but that’s just what it was, a vision. I was so far back they were out of site by the time I arrived at the fire box. Rode back to the gym and walked in at 8:55pm completely wasted.
Grabbed my bib knickers instead of my bib shorts.
Forgot my socks for after the ride.
Forgot my towel for my shower after the ride.
This getting more mature thing is starting to suck.
Here it is September already, where did the summer go? Felt like a Fall night last night with the temperature at launch at 69F, with a slight Southwest wind. I started out wearing my arm warmers as well. I think my blood is thinning out. I’m guessing around 25 riders or so showed up for the ride.
We were headed on the roads that go by the Grand View golf course. Starts getting dark around 7:30pm, so Daren set a very brisk pace right out of the chute. I was in the big ring right after we went by the hospital. Once we made the right turn on the climbs to the Grand View golf course I got dropped from the lead group. By the time I had arrived at the top they had already hit a bucket of balls.
We re-grouped at the top, slapped it in the big ring, then off we went screaming down all the down hills then a very sharp left at the near the base of Justice Hill Road, onto Leominster Rd. A right onto 140 then a quick left onto Gleason Road. Then another right and a quick left onto Bullard Road which brought us to Route 62 where we turn left and stayed on this all the way to Moore’s corner on route 140. From here we got on what used to be the old 140 TT course that took us by the Sterling Airport. A right onto Route 12 then a left onto Gates road where we went over some nasty RR tracks. One dropped bottle that slowed down the groups pace a tad then it was full throttle again as we headed over to Route 70 in Lancaster.
All this was rolling terrain and I had a few red zone moments, mostly on the uphill sections staying with the front group. As we all know once you get to Route 70 it’s going to get REALLY hard. We had a small lead group about 8 of us tooling along and I’m almost at my max when Greg who’s on the front turns up the screws and now I’m beyond my max, well over the redline, completely shattered and fell off the group just before we got to Route 2.
By now it’s pretty dark and the temperature had dropped to 62F so now I was glad I had my knickers on as well as my arm warmers. Meandered over to Target and caught the lead riders at the lights there. Had visions of the fire box sprint, but that’s just what it was, a vision. I was so far back they were out of site by the time I arrived at the fire box. Rode back to the gym and walked in at 8:55pm completely wasted.
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