It's taken me almost a week to recover and write this post. Must have been a tough race! Hell was 55 miles, 4 dirt road sections, 2 18% climbs on dirt, a nasty head wind on the paved sections and 92 F. We all finished, no one walked a hill and the results were spectacular.
Riding in the team van from Sayre on Friday were Dan Hertzler, Scott Ouderkirk, Brian Klotz and myself. Dave Prugh went down with his wife separately. First goal get to Cambridge NY before registration closes at 5:00 Note to self don't ever let Danny naviaguess. I swear that boy could get lost in a supermarket. Trip goes well, coming into the twisty roads of Cambridge we catch an SUV from NJ loaded with bikes. Of course I have to pass them. I may not win the race but I can always win the race to registration. Didn't know my diving could make my teammates scream like little girls.
We make it to registration with five minutes to spare, pick up our numbers, some cow bracelets and use the bathroom at a local bike shop. "I have two goals for today and we have accomplished both" declares Scott. Note to self more bathroom stops when traveling with the team. Back in the van we head to Salem NY, the start finish line of the Tour of Battenkill. We park behind a Church suit up and go to preride the course. The first real dirt hill is only ten miles outside of town and we wanted to stretch and see how bad it would be. The road is nice out of town but the first dirt section comes quick. Fast and smooth like Monkey Run with a quick tight down hill the route circles us back to Salem. Yikes lets not get dropped on the first section. The next day this section would feature the famous line " Watch water bottle!" "No,that was a rock!"
After a short flat section the course makes a sharp left and heads up county road 64. A nasty little climb that reminds me more of Bird Creek then Lattabrook. Midway up the hill is a small hotel and two guys offer us a beer as we pass them. "How is it, we're racing tomorrow?" they shout encouragement. The only race these guys will ever win is to the beer tent. I wish I was sitting there drinking with them. I spin easily up the hill, ok this is not so bad. Another left takes us onto Juniper Swamp Road the first nasty dirt section. This is the section that the web site shows fit older guys pushing their bikes up. At the bottom of the climb we run into Dave and his wife who were driving the course. The black flies are biting! Get up the hill Bobby. I climb the hill and don't have to get off the bike. It's tough, but easier then we were led to believe. The training hill I have been using in Sayre Meadowlark Lane is tougher then this. So at least I have that going for me. We turn around here and scream down the hill to Salem. I give some mountain bike downhill tips to the guys. "Speed is your friend, stand up, hold the handlebars loosely and let the bike bounce under you" A lesson we will all heed tomorrow
Dinner is an all you can eat spaghetti buffet in Cambridge. Nice dinner, we flirt with the waitress, (of course she is eyeing Danny), get free water bottles and sit next to a pro team. Ok we kinda make fun of their name Team R.A.C.E. Pro. Ok who do these guys think they are?
Team RACE Pro happens to be former Tour de France rider Steve Bauer's team. Mark Walters their Captain would come in second in the Pro Race the next day. Opps! We sat next to a guy who
- Participated in 11 Tours
- Won the first stage of the 1988 Tour.
- 14 days in Yellow Jersey.
Oblivious of our social error we go to Sarratoga Springs to spend the night. The town is hopping with the good weather. People are all over down town partying on a Friday night. Good exhausted racers we head to bed early. Awwww.
Up early on Saturday we reload the van and head off to Salem for the race. Best decision of the trip: We are up a little early and I decide to ride the last section of the race course in the van into town. This section is truly nasty. Only about five miles from the finish Ferguson Road has been recently regraded by the highway department. Dusty, soft, big rocks, and a nasty climb! Good news is it is downhill and paved for the last three miles into town. I think if we had not predrove this section I would have abandoned on this last hill.
We set up the trainers in the parking lot and did our best to warm up. We were all racing different classes. Scott and Danny were scheduled to go off at 10:20 Brian, Dave and I didn't have to start until after noon. The pictures are from before the race and the start of the cat 5 race.
Note to self pimp out Danny as cycling model.
Danny and Scott before the race
Brian getting ready to race
The rookie checks his afterburners
Scott and Danny at the Start
Cat 5Race takes offRace day was extremely hot! Weather that was suppose to be in the mid 70's pushed to the low 90's. Until the first climb I joked in the peloton. "Anyone here from Canada? Silence "Good!" "How did Elliot Spitzer get caught? David Patterson was his lookout." I should of been closer to the front and remained in contact as the peloton climbed the first hill. I ended up off the back.
After the decent I found Dave and we worked hard to pick up riders and get back on. No way! Working with Dave saved my butt and how do I repay him. " Your buddy fell off the back" I ride on. Dave would later flat but only finish 15 minutes behind me. Great job Dave!
I ride on and start picking off riders from my age group. I don't draft them, I pass them and keep going. I pass Cat 4's who started 10 minutes ahead of me. Keep going Bobby! A speedy group of cat 2's who are doing the longer course pass me. Ok I did hook onto them for a mile or two sitting in the rocking chair position. I just wanted to admire their beautiful paceline technique. OK I just wanted to finish this race. I would also get a chance to ride in the Pro 1 pack for a short time. Incredible bike handling skills. It was cool to see they slow down just like us on the uphill sections.
Water was critical on this race. I had planned to carry two big bottles. Dave's wife gave me a third at the feed section 20 some miles into the race. Boy was I glad to see her! The race set up an emergency water stop in Cambridge and I wisely stopped and top off an empty.
The last dirt section that I had predrove in the car was sheer hell. By this point my kidneys were hurting and I started to cramp on the last climb. Only seeing Cat 2's walk their bike on the last hill encouraged me. I made it over the top without walking. On the downhill I caught a group of cat 2 who were wisely spinning into town. Their race was over. Not me! I power away from them. My goal had been to finish before the Pro race. With a hundred yards to go two Pro riders will pass me. I can feel the peloton and I sprint for the finish. Hey maybe I'll make the Pro finish photos coming in third! I hear the cheers of my teammates as I cross the line.
Exhausted and dehydrated we drive out of town. Dinner was at a Pricechopper. An incredible day. Note to self: Go back to Battenkill next year and have the Rookie wash the bugs off the windshield!
Danny was 3rd cat 5 His finishing time beat the winners of a bunch of races!
Scott was 20th cat 5 He would have bee 6th in the cat 5 age 35+ race
Brian was 11th in cat 4
I was 68th in Cat 4 Masters 40+
Dave was 73rd Cat 4 Masters 40+
See you in Binghamton on Sunday
