Road Bike Racing - Wow...I must be serious about Saturday's race

First race of the season coming up...Saturday morning.
This is the same one that many of you guys talked me into doing two years ago as my first race.

Last year the weather was a little better, but still cold.

This year, sun and 60's....perfect!

I however, am not perfect.
I only was able to ride on Monday, then today in preparation.

I must be serious about the race because of something funny that happened on my training ride today. On the way back on my 26-miler, sun out and 66 and feeling rested and good, I'm intentionally taking it real easy....just a spin to knock the rust off and not really use my legs up less than 24 hours from the start.

A guy on a mountain bike with bike knobby tires goes flying past me at about 19 mph, his T-shirt flappin away...no helmet....he says "Hey, how's it goin'" as he goes past.

Friendly enough I guess, but then he even started looking back at me, going like a sum beotch up there.

Normally, my brain would have gone nuts and I would have chased.
Not today.
He's not the prize.

The RACE Saturday is the prize.

It's funny....
A 25-mile road race, mass start, about 150 people.

I go in knowing I don't have a chance to win.
I don't have a chance to finish in the peloton.
I'll be happy finishing in the top 100.

But you know what?
I CAN'T WAIT!

That rush of warming up...pinning on your number...checking out all the bikes....lining up....hearing the gun go off...the sound of everyone clipping in....then it's down to business.

Wish me luck!

Go get 'em, Hip!

Rock and roll, Hip... get out there and make 'em hurt!

I'll be visiting the house of pain on Sunday... those 3/4 races still make me a little nervous.

:beer: :beer: :beer:

Rock and roll, Hip... get out there and make 'em hurt!

I'll be visiting the house of pain on Sunday... those 3/4 races still make me a little nervous.

:beer: :beer: :beer:

"House of Pain"...I like that...
Good luck Dr. Pete.

Good luck tomorrow, Hip! We'll be thinking of your suffering as we cruise around on the BFNIC ride.

Make sure to have a big old chocolate milk when you finish as a reward, yeah?! :)

Good luck tomorrow, Hip! We'll be thinking of your suffering as we cruise around on the BFNIC ride.

Make sure to have a big old chocolate milk when you finish as a reward, yeah?! :)

You got it CyLowe....thanks.
And I know you're going have a great ride...looks like a nice long list of people.
I look forward to the pictures and my juding for the BFNIC Hipcycler "Best Dressed" award!

good luck sir! Ill be racing on Sat (tomorrow) and am already feeling the butterflies...

HOP! Thats a fast group ride up in the Livermore Ca area out here :p

Race report please, Hip. We'll look forward to the pics, too!

Good luck!!

Race report please, Hip. We'll look forward to the pics, too!

Good luck!!

thanks.....will do.

I'm planning on going with the good-luck Quickstep bibs. :)

Is it too late to order the WC jersey and the gold shoes to go with the bibs, so you can kick it Bettini--style? :D

Is it too late to order the WC jersey and the gold shoes to go with the bibs, so you can kick it Bettini--style? :D

......ooooh....GOLD shoes.....

Oh well, I'm doing the red Thor Hushovd look Saturday when it comes to shoes.

thanks.....will do.

I'm planning on going with the good-luck Quickstep bibs. :)

don't do a Boonen in them;)

don't do a Boonen in them;)

I haven't checked ebay yet, but I bet the "autographed" bibs are already up. ;)

I haven't checked ebay yet, but I bet the "autographed" bibs are already up. ;)

As Ricky Bobbie says, "It's the real deal down there".

As Ricky Bobbie says, "It's the real deal down there".
From the movie:

"You need speed. You need to go out there, and you need to crank it up to 400W. You need to fire it up. You need to grab ahold of that line between speed and chaos, and you need to wrestle it to the ground like a demon cobra. And then, when the fear rises up in your belly, you use it. And you know that fear is powerful, because it has been there for billions of years. And it is good. And you use it. And you ride it; you ride it like a skeleton horse through the gates of hell, and then you win, Hip. You WIN! And you don't win for anybody else. You win for you, you know why? Because a man takes what he wants. He takes it all."

Just a motivational quote for ya, Hip.

From the movie:

"You need speed. You need to go out there, and you need to crank it up to 400W. You need to fire it up. You need to grab ahold of that line between speed and chaos, and you need to wrestle it to the ground like a demon cobra. And then, when the fear rises up in your belly, you use it. And you know that fear is powerful, because it has been there for billions of years. And it is good. And you use it. And you ride it; you ride it like a skeleton horse through the gates of hell, and then you win, Hip. You WIN! And you don't win for anybody else. You win for you, you know why? Because a man takes what he wants. He takes it all."

Just a motivational quote for ya, Hip.

Holy Crap....someone pass the spaghetti....that man is good!
I'm ready now!

(Spaghetti on tap for final pre-race meal later this evening)

Hey hip,
Good luck with you man.

Hey hip,
Good luck with you man.

Thanks Sub!

Signing off and heading out of the town for the race....will post a followup.

Good luck this weekend everyone!

go for it hipcycler!

don't count yourself out just yet.

Soooooooo, what happened?

C'mon don't leave us hangin'

Yeah--we need a result! There was nothing but pain and bloodshed for the DC area BF racers... :(

You have to post results now.

You have to post results now.
I posted a race result thread merlin

I posted a race result thread merlin

yeah, but even more importantly - how was the spaghetti?

yeah, but even more importantly - how was the spaghetti?

Wasn't that from his century ride last year in the school cafeteria, along with the screw-top bottle of wine?

Wasn't that from his century ride last year in the school cafeteria, along with the screw-top bottle of wine?

...yes.

They were doing some spaghetti dinner that afternoon at this race, but it was way too nice out to hang out there for some bad pasta!

Wasn't that from his century ride last year in the school cafeteria

post 16:


Holy Crap....someone pass the spaghetti....that man is good!
I'm ready now!

(Spaghetti on tap for final pre-race meal later this evening)



along with the screw-top bottle of wine?

Forgot about how knowledgeable those Wisconsin-Italians are when it comes to wine. ;)

Forgot about how knowledgeable those Wisconsin-Italians are when it comes to wine. ;)
Blame me on that one. It was a bottle of St. Julian Simply Red table wine. Michigan winery.

The screw top wasn't the real offense, though. It was drinking the wine out of blue plastic Solo cups....

Blame me on that one. It was a bottle of St. Julian Simply Red table wine. Michigan winery.

The screw top wasn't the real offense, though. It was drinking the wine out of blue plastic Solo cups....

Hip PM'd me that the wine was 'capped'.

isnt the screw top the new cork? later.

Lets clear a few things up....

1. botto...stop making up PM stories about me and get to work photoshopping something involving me and those pictures I posted the link to.

*** EDIT *** Click here for my race weekend photos (http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/Hipcycler67/Pedal%20for%20Proceeds%20Race%20Weekend/)


2. Oh..THAT spaghetti. The pre-race meal was actually very good Friday night.

3. CyLowe rocks! Who else would take the time to even bring the celebratory wine in the first place!

Lets clear a few things up....

1. botto...stop making up PM stories about me and get to work photoshopping something involving me and those pictures I posted the link to.

*** EDIT *** Click here for my race weekend photos (http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/Hipcycler67/Pedal%20for%20Proceeds%20Race%20Weekend/)


2. Oh..THAT spaghetti. The pre-race meal was actually very good Friday night.

3. CyLowe rocks! Who else would take the time to even bring the celebratory wine in the first place![

i accept NO responsibility for what comes next.

Hip - now I know why you're so popular when you wear the Quickstep bibs. Interesting team sponsor you have as well. :D

:gone:

i accept NO responsibility for what comes next.

...I can only hope it involves BOONEN.

...oh dear...that's NOT what I had in mind!

...oh dear...that's NOT what I had in mind!

didn't think so. removed for reasons of good taste. ;)

...probably a good move on your part.
Now, can wipe the spit off my flat panel next too?

...just stopped laughing now.