Azu on the rocks.
Trying to rock climb, and most likely where she broke her nail.
A little help, please.
With the "stick" that she dragged all the way to the car because she was not ready to leave.Monday, November 12, 2007
White Dog at RCP
Azu on the rocks.Trying to rock climb, and most likely where she broke her nail.A little help, please.With the "stick" that she dragged all the way to the car because she was not ready to leave.
Even more photos from Race Pace
Jess and I hamming it up for the camera. She races A and will kick my butt once I upgrade.
The "podium" shot. Sonja insisted that she get a podium shot, so she and Jess pulled it out of the trailer. Problem was, none of the podium finishers were around so Jess and Denise filled-in for Lynda and Kristina. Jess looks happy, doesn't she. Such a ham!
Route 1 Velo's resident model and second place finisher in the Men's C RaceMore photos from Race Pace
Another view of the off-camber
Approaching the only "barrier" on the course... a log that you could ride over
High-fiving JJ at the finish
I'm pretty happy about this one
Chickin with some dough. That's the podium in the trailer. They hadn't unpacked it yet but I was ready to go.Race Pace Photos
Ladies at the start
Announcer Extraordinaire
The technical off-camber section of the course
Chicken in the lead!
Other than the pavement, my favorite part of the course was this section.Bipolar Day
A day of ups. A day of downs.
The upside. The day started with something I've been waiting for for a long time. A WIN! Yes, that's right. I actually won my race yesterday. I had an okay start. The usual not being able to clip-in to my pedal, slotting into 5th or 6th place, making some good passes and ending up in 3rd about half way thru the first lap. I was behind Lynda and Kristina going up the "run up" which most of us were able to ride. Lynda got a small gap and I was kind of stuck behind Kristina. I managed to get around her and began chasing down Lynda. She took the first lap prime but her gap was not that big (I would say only 5-10 seconds) but it must have looked bigger to the spectators because JJ (the announcer) was going off on how far in front she was. I caught her just after the pavement climb about a quarter of the way into the second lap and we were together going up the run up. Unfortunately, she crashed on the downhill and nearly took me with her. At this point the little angel in me wanted to stop and make sure everything was ok. The little devil in me wanted to put the hammer down. The little devil won (sorry Lynda). What followed is a blur. I put on the gas and never let up. The first time gap I remember was only 15 seconds, then I heard 51 seconds, then 2 minutes. JJ was already announcing me as the race winner with 3 laps to go. I heard him say "Winner, winner, chicken dinner" with 2 to go and was praying he wasn't going to jinx me. Sonja told me I could go easy and cruise to the win but I didn't want to take that chance. I've had so many mechanical issues that I wanted my gap to be as big as possible just in case my bike broke and I had to run to the pits. I ended up winning with a gap of about 4 minutes. Lynda recovered from her crash and was able to hold onto second. Good job. Kristina rolled in for third. Really good job considering she was on a mountain bike.
Results here. Be sure to read the story, too.
After the race, Sonja took me to lunch at Belga Cafe, the Belgian restaurant on Capitol Hill where we dined on waffles, drank a glass of champagne, and toasted the Belgian monks in Chimay by downing some of their fine brew. The day was capped by borrowing the White Dog and taking her on a hike in Rock Creek. Nothing pleases us more than watching her joy in running off leash and fetching sticks out of the water.
The downside. The White Dog split a toenail at Rock Creek and there was blood everywhere. It doesn't sound so bad now, but we were panicked at the time. I mean, we borrow someone else's dog and she gets injured under our watch. Of course we're going to feel bad about it. Thankfully, Laura didn't seem to mind. Dogs will be dogs.
And the really bad news... Sonja's mother took a turn for the worse. I won't give details but I hope she knows my thoughts are with her.
The upside. The day started with something I've been waiting for for a long time. A WIN! Yes, that's right. I actually won my race yesterday. I had an okay start. The usual not being able to clip-in to my pedal, slotting into 5th or 6th place, making some good passes and ending up in 3rd about half way thru the first lap. I was behind Lynda and Kristina going up the "run up" which most of us were able to ride. Lynda got a small gap and I was kind of stuck behind Kristina. I managed to get around her and began chasing down Lynda. She took the first lap prime but her gap was not that big (I would say only 5-10 seconds) but it must have looked bigger to the spectators because JJ (the announcer) was going off on how far in front she was. I caught her just after the pavement climb about a quarter of the way into the second lap and we were together going up the run up. Unfortunately, she crashed on the downhill and nearly took me with her. At this point the little angel in me wanted to stop and make sure everything was ok. The little devil in me wanted to put the hammer down. The little devil won (sorry Lynda). What followed is a blur. I put on the gas and never let up. The first time gap I remember was only 15 seconds, then I heard 51 seconds, then 2 minutes. JJ was already announcing me as the race winner with 3 laps to go. I heard him say "Winner, winner, chicken dinner" with 2 to go and was praying he wasn't going to jinx me. Sonja told me I could go easy and cruise to the win but I didn't want to take that chance. I've had so many mechanical issues that I wanted my gap to be as big as possible just in case my bike broke and I had to run to the pits. I ended up winning with a gap of about 4 minutes. Lynda recovered from her crash and was able to hold onto second. Good job. Kristina rolled in for third. Really good job considering she was on a mountain bike.
Results here. Be sure to read the story, too.
After the race, Sonja took me to lunch at Belga Cafe, the Belgian restaurant on Capitol Hill where we dined on waffles, drank a glass of champagne, and toasted the Belgian monks in Chimay by downing some of their fine brew. The day was capped by borrowing the White Dog and taking her on a hike in Rock Creek. Nothing pleases us more than watching her joy in running off leash and fetching sticks out of the water.
The downside. The White Dog split a toenail at Rock Creek and there was blood everywhere. It doesn't sound so bad now, but we were panicked at the time. I mean, we borrow someone else's dog and she gets injured under our watch. Of course we're going to feel bad about it. Thankfully, Laura didn't seem to mind. Dogs will be dogs.
And the really bad news... Sonja's mother took a turn for the worse. I won't give details but I hope she knows my thoughts are with her.
Friday, November 9, 2007
I did happen to find this
Not the most flattering but it's all I could find...
Over the uphill barriers at the Wayne Scott Memorial Cyclocross race at Fair Hill
Over the uphill barriers at the Wayne Scott Memorial Cyclocross race at Fair HillI'm over it, finally
I never posted about my races this past weekend because frankly, I was too upset. But now it's time to move ahead, look forward to the upcoming weekend and focus for my race on Sunday. Not that my races last weekend were bad or anything (I finished 2nd both days), it's just that I am sick and tired of mechanicals dictating how I finish.
Saturday's race at Fairhill was different to say the least. A pretty strange course had us running thru the "Sand Pit of Doom", hopping over the most ghetto of barriers (a concrete something or other), passing thru horse barns, and lots of turns. It didn't really suit me, but I had a good start (even taking the prime for the first racer across the finish line after the first lap). After taking the prime I was passed by the eventual winner. She's a very strong rider and I was not making up ground on her so I settled into 2nd place and rode my tempo. She beat me by 30 seconds and I beat third by 30 seconds. I was happy with this race and looking forward to Sunday.
Sunday was MY race. The course couldn't be better suited to me and I got a call-up so I didn't have to elbow my way to the front. The first lap and I've already got a gap. Jeanbean and I are WAY off the front starting the second lap when she started to fade. I made my move and had a sizable gap when my bike broke AGAIN. Forced to run to the pits I was passed by Jean and 2 other riders. At least that was it. If I hadn't of had such a gap on the field it would have been much worse. Hopping on my pit bike I was able to fight and clawed my way back up to second in what was described to me by several spectators as one of the best races they've ever watched. An epic, I guess.
Here's hoping for no mechanicals (or crashes) on Sunday. Please. Pretty please with sugar on top.
No pictures from the races but here are the results.
Fairhill
Tacchino
Saturday's race at Fairhill was different to say the least. A pretty strange course had us running thru the "Sand Pit of Doom", hopping over the most ghetto of barriers (a concrete something or other), passing thru horse barns, and lots of turns. It didn't really suit me, but I had a good start (even taking the prime for the first racer across the finish line after the first lap). After taking the prime I was passed by the eventual winner. She's a very strong rider and I was not making up ground on her so I settled into 2nd place and rode my tempo. She beat me by 30 seconds and I beat third by 30 seconds. I was happy with this race and looking forward to Sunday.
Sunday was MY race. The course couldn't be better suited to me and I got a call-up so I didn't have to elbow my way to the front. The first lap and I've already got a gap. Jeanbean and I are WAY off the front starting the second lap when she started to fade. I made my move and had a sizable gap when my bike broke AGAIN. Forced to run to the pits I was passed by Jean and 2 other riders. At least that was it. If I hadn't of had such a gap on the field it would have been much worse. Hopping on my pit bike I was able to fight and clawed my way back up to second in what was described to me by several spectators as one of the best races they've ever watched. An epic, I guess.
Here's hoping for no mechanicals (or crashes) on Sunday. Please. Pretty please with sugar on top.
No pictures from the races but here are the results.
Fairhill
Tacchino
Friday, November 2, 2007
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Mom, this one's for you.
I bought Azucar a new toy when I was out in Colorado a few months ago. She likes to play tug-of-war and when I saw it, I just had to get it for her. It's a rubber football attached to a stretchy rope with a loop at the end. She and Maya enjoyed playing with it.
She played with it all night Thursday and even brought it to bed. You know how dogs are when they get a new toy... it's their new favorite thing. However, when I woke up on Friday, all I could find was the football end. I couldn't even find one single thread from the rope, nada. No way could she have eaten it, I thought.
Well, I was wrong.
The rest came out later in the day.
She played with it all night Thursday and even brought it to bed. You know how dogs are when they get a new toy... it's their new favorite thing. However, when I woke up on Friday, all I could find was the football end. I couldn't even find one single thread from the rope, nada. No way could she have eaten it, I thought.
Well, I was wrong.
The rest came out later in the day.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
WV Ride
Sunday Sonja and I were out in WV with the dogs and decided to do a little ride. "Little" is a bit of a misnomer as any ride that you do in WV winds up being epic. It started innocently enough with the descent down the front side of the mountain on Howard's Lick Road. The views from here are magnificent. Case in point.
Along the way we ran into Heidi. She and the ABRT/Latitude girls were staying at the barn. This was Heidi's second day on the bike since her horrible crash at the Christiana stage race back in August.
Me posing with "Eddy".
After descending Howard's Lick, we started the long dirt climb up to the Fire Tower. The descent from here was a scary ordeal for me on my cross bike as the trees were casting shadows on the road and I had a hard time seeing the potholes, rocks, and whatnot.
The next climb was Liberty Furnace. I have a love/hate relationship with this climb. I think it's one of the hardest climbs in WV. It's long, extremely steep in some sections, and has 2 false flats. Some may say that the back side climb is harder, but I find Liberty Furnace to be more taxing. I have to look at my garmin, but I think it took us an hour to get to the top.
After descending Liberty Furnace, we headed to the Mathias General Store for some grub. I chose the white chili. It was yummy and exactly what I needed to face the final climb of the day back up to the house, Hemlick Rock Road.
Sonja enjoyed her food.
Hemlick Rock Road is infamous. It is pretty much straight up the mountain and it's not paved. We couldn't take pictures here because, frankly, if we had stopped, we'd probably not be able to get back on our bikes. It's that steep. Fortunately, the recent rain had the road in good shape and our tires weren't sliding out so much in the dirt.
At the end of the day we had ridden something close to 50 miles, 4 and a half hours, and almost 7000ft of climbing.
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