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06-26-06, 05:42 AM
Trying desperately to sharpen my form prior to the Nationals in mid-July I found this event promoted by Red Rose Races, a mere hour and 30 minute drive from home. The weather report was for thunder showers all weekend. On the way up, the sky was gray and we drove through a few hard downpours. The course profile showed some ups and downs but to my surprise, when I got there and rode the course, it was all big-ring material.
When you get off the beaten path in Lancaster County, you are transported back in time... The first clue I had that I would have a good time at this race was trying to find the staging area! Every intersection was manned by a local Constable or fire person who all dutifully directed us out of the race course! "Road closed' barricades were in place one block out from the actual course in some instances. We drove completely around the course until finally being able to get in from the west. Parking was supposed to be in a farmer's field, but since it had been raining for 24 hours, everybody had to park on the road - or half on, half off the road or risk having your car sink into the fertile field....
The 40+ race with a bunch of my team mates had just finished up when we arrived. These guys had done their race in a heavy rain. Our guys were covered from head to toe in diluted barnyard waste - gawd I wish I had a photo!
There were Amish folk all around the staging area and watching the race. We signed in, got our numbers and took a warmup lap while the juniors were on the course - no problem warming up on this course as long as you got out of the way if the field was coming by. Out on the course, Amish families had set up viewing areas and picnics out on their front lawns. Back at the staging area, Amish kids and adults meandered up and down the roads on home-made scooters (with large 20" wheels) and old 3 speed bikes. The males in work boots, long pants, long sleeved shirts with suspenders and a wide brimmed hat. The women and girls in long dresses and bonnets - just shows you don't need a fancy kit to ride a bike!
I was doing the 1/2/3 race to get the most mileage. Not having participated in an open race since 1994, I was hoping not to get shelled out in the first lap. It was still overcast, very heavy and humid air and threatening to rain at any time. Half the course was wet and half was dry! I decided to take 3 bottles for the 50 miles and was glad I did.
Well, I made it through the first lap but I don't know how. It was the fastest lap of the race as some youngsters tried to bust it open from the gun. One of our guys was at the front of the pack but not in the break so I got a chance and scooted up the left to the front. On my way up, my teammate was able to cross the gap. I was going to try also, but I was at redline and figured he was up there, so just back off. It looked like a good move, but they all started arguing and came back within half a lap. Things settled down for a bit, but then guys started trying to get away. I was hiding in the last 3rd or the field of about 65. 4 guys got away on I think the 3rd lap without us (we had 4 guys in the race). On the backside of the course there was an inexplicable pileup which I managed to avoid. The race neutralized itself for half a lap for guys to get back on (would never happen in D-20) then heated up again. Breaks dangled off the front but where re-absorbed. The 4 guys were a 1/4 mile up the road still. After rounding a turn a guy in front of me pulled his foot out of the pedal when he stood to accelerate, almost loosing it. He swerved back and forth then regained control. I hit the brakes and was bumped from behind, but nobody fell. My team mate told me to go to the front and chase, so on the 7th lap I got up front after the start-finish climb and took a pull for about a mile. The break was just up the road, but other teams would not help with the chase so I pulled off. They rang the bell for a preem with 2 laps to go (out of 10 total). I figured after the preem sprint would be a good time to put in an attack. At the bottom of the finishing hill, I sneaked up to the front and got behind the guys sprinting for the preem. I just sat in behind the last guy. After the start/finish there was a sharp left turn and the 6 or so who contested the preem sat up and I took off. I figured for sure somebody would come with me but no! I was out in no-man's land all by myself. The break was still just up the road maybe 200 yard. There was no way I could close it down myself. And when I got winded, the field just rolled up on me. On the bell lap the break was still off... but there were a lot of turning heads from up there. On the backside of the course, they just gave up after being out there for about 35 miles (can't say that I blame them!). With the pack back together, but now down to about 40 from the crash and attrition, we were doing about 35 around the far side when disaster was narrowly avoided. Rounding and easy bend, a car coming the opposite way had pulled over and stopped to let us by. An Amish horse-drawn buggy was going in our direction at about 10 MPH and the pack was doing over 30. The stopped car was taking 3/4 of a lane, the buggy 3/4 of a lane leaving about 5' down the middle for the pack and it was all going to come together at the same spot in the road. The moto tooted and held up his hand, the front guys brake and shouted back. Brakes were squealing and just as it was about time to really hit the binders, the Amish dude finds an open spot to the right and heals his horse and buggy over hard-right off the pavement, bouncing through a drainage ditch and into somebodies front yard!
The entire field said a heartfelt 'thank you' and waved to the Amish guy as we cycled by and got back up to racing speed. For the last 1k up to the finish banner we got the whole road for every lap which made moving up pretty easy (plus the lenient yellow line enforcement) but I was not planning on contesting the finish. So, I just rolled by shelled guys up the the finish and came in 28th. Our top guy was 7th - one place out of the money!
This race was so much better than any of the D-20 crits that I have done... just a well done race in a great part of PA.
When you get off the beaten path in Lancaster County, you are transported back in time... The first clue I had that I would have a good time at this race was trying to find the staging area! Every intersection was manned by a local Constable or fire person who all dutifully directed us out of the race course! "Road closed' barricades were in place one block out from the actual course in some instances. We drove completely around the course until finally being able to get in from the west. Parking was supposed to be in a farmer's field, but since it had been raining for 24 hours, everybody had to park on the road - or half on, half off the road or risk having your car sink into the fertile field....
The 40+ race with a bunch of my team mates had just finished up when we arrived. These guys had done their race in a heavy rain. Our guys were covered from head to toe in diluted barnyard waste - gawd I wish I had a photo!
There were Amish folk all around the staging area and watching the race. We signed in, got our numbers and took a warmup lap while the juniors were on the course - no problem warming up on this course as long as you got out of the way if the field was coming by. Out on the course, Amish families had set up viewing areas and picnics out on their front lawns. Back at the staging area, Amish kids and adults meandered up and down the roads on home-made scooters (with large 20" wheels) and old 3 speed bikes. The males in work boots, long pants, long sleeved shirts with suspenders and a wide brimmed hat. The women and girls in long dresses and bonnets - just shows you don't need a fancy kit to ride a bike!
I was doing the 1/2/3 race to get the most mileage. Not having participated in an open race since 1994, I was hoping not to get shelled out in the first lap. It was still overcast, very heavy and humid air and threatening to rain at any time. Half the course was wet and half was dry! I decided to take 3 bottles for the 50 miles and was glad I did.
Well, I made it through the first lap but I don't know how. It was the fastest lap of the race as some youngsters tried to bust it open from the gun. One of our guys was at the front of the pack but not in the break so I got a chance and scooted up the left to the front. On my way up, my teammate was able to cross the gap. I was going to try also, but I was at redline and figured he was up there, so just back off. It looked like a good move, but they all started arguing and came back within half a lap. Things settled down for a bit, but then guys started trying to get away. I was hiding in the last 3rd or the field of about 65. 4 guys got away on I think the 3rd lap without us (we had 4 guys in the race). On the backside of the course there was an inexplicable pileup which I managed to avoid. The race neutralized itself for half a lap for guys to get back on (would never happen in D-20) then heated up again. Breaks dangled off the front but where re-absorbed. The 4 guys were a 1/4 mile up the road still. After rounding a turn a guy in front of me pulled his foot out of the pedal when he stood to accelerate, almost loosing it. He swerved back and forth then regained control. I hit the brakes and was bumped from behind, but nobody fell. My team mate told me to go to the front and chase, so on the 7th lap I got up front after the start-finish climb and took a pull for about a mile. The break was just up the road, but other teams would not help with the chase so I pulled off. They rang the bell for a preem with 2 laps to go (out of 10 total). I figured after the preem sprint would be a good time to put in an attack. At the bottom of the finishing hill, I sneaked up to the front and got behind the guys sprinting for the preem. I just sat in behind the last guy. After the start/finish there was a sharp left turn and the 6 or so who contested the preem sat up and I took off. I figured for sure somebody would come with me but no! I was out in no-man's land all by myself. The break was still just up the road maybe 200 yard. There was no way I could close it down myself. And when I got winded, the field just rolled up on me. On the bell lap the break was still off... but there were a lot of turning heads from up there. On the backside of the course, they just gave up after being out there for about 35 miles (can't say that I blame them!). With the pack back together, but now down to about 40 from the crash and attrition, we were doing about 35 around the far side when disaster was narrowly avoided. Rounding and easy bend, a car coming the opposite way had pulled over and stopped to let us by. An Amish horse-drawn buggy was going in our direction at about 10 MPH and the pack was doing over 30. The stopped car was taking 3/4 of a lane, the buggy 3/4 of a lane leaving about 5' down the middle for the pack and it was all going to come together at the same spot in the road. The moto tooted and held up his hand, the front guys brake and shouted back. Brakes were squealing and just as it was about time to really hit the binders, the Amish dude finds an open spot to the right and heals his horse and buggy over hard-right off the pavement, bouncing through a drainage ditch and into somebodies front yard!
The entire field said a heartfelt 'thank you' and waved to the Amish guy as we cycled by and got back up to racing speed. For the last 1k up to the finish banner we got the whole road for every lap which made moving up pretty easy (plus the lenient yellow line enforcement) but I was not planning on contesting the finish. So, I just rolled by shelled guys up the the finish and came in 28th. Our top guy was 7th - one place out of the money!
This race was so much better than any of the D-20 crits that I have done... just a well done race in a great part of PA.