Fifty Plus (50+) - Velodrome

Went to the velodrome this morning to watch some races and was
reminded of the line from Gatsby (?) "The rich are not like you or I."
Well, the athletes are not like you or I either. (I guess that I should
speak for myself!) Well, at the elite level there were guys with
thighs that weren't as big as my waist but getting there. They
had to use both clipless pedals _and_ straps, and this wasn't a
belts and braces issue!!

I also went for a couple of hours yesterday which was juniors.
Some track races are fun to watch, some not, some weird, and
some that I just didn't get. Keirin for example had 4 to 6 riders
following a motorcycle for 4 laps, then they are on their own
for two laps but the real race is just the last half lap.

http://coloradousac.org/pdfs/idgp_flyer07.pdf

Never watched track racing live- But as We have some respectable track riders in the world rankings in the UK- We have it on TV fairly often. That pedal thing by the way- On the TV they use clipless and "Gaffer" tape to hold their foot down and just seeing the pressure they use to get into the pedals- You think think that they would not use anything else. One race last year- A rider pulled up on the pedal and it exploded. He actually pulled the pedal up through the pedal crank. Little bearings and bits of metal all over the track. Took 30 minutes to clear the track with a team of about 20 with dustpans and brushes.

As one race today began a chain skipped. It sounded like
a machine gun. They allowed him time for a repair and a
restart!!

When my family was younger we would make weekly trips to the Trexlortown velodrome. I've always enjoyed these races. I was in awe that anyone would want to ride on those banked surfaces. When a rider went down, it was ALWAYS hard.

I also went for a couple of hours yesterday which was juniors.
Some track races are fun to watch, some not, some weird, and
some that I just didn't get. Keirin for example had 4 to 6 riders
following a motorcycle for 4 laps, then they are on their own
for two laps but the real race is just the last half lap.

I recently attended my first track races and I didn't understand all the races either. I did like the races they called "elimination" races. They did one lap for each racer and the last one over the line each lap was eliminated. The races were part of the Indy NITE ride and before the races we were allowed to ride the track. Wow! I was afraid to go too high on that banked track.

My wife and I attended the 1984 Summer Olympics in LA and watched track racing. It was a fantastic event and I have a picture I took of the 4 man US team racing on the track hanging in my office. There is a track in San Jose and I have contemplated attending one of the beginner track sessions and try riding on the track. They rent track bikes.

The races were part of the Indy NITE ride and before the races we were allowed to ride the track. Wow! I was afraid to go too high on that banked track.

Years ago I attended a tandem rally in Indianapolis. We had an ice cream ride at the Major Taylor Velodrome. We had a ball! The thing that surprised me was how hilly riding on it was. Unless you choose to ride down on the line you are constantly either climbing or diving down one of the banks.

You have to treat yourself to at least one track meet in your life. Having those big blokes fly past at warp 9, just inches from you and the wall is right up there with being on the finish line of a top fuel drag race - fantastic.

And yes, confusion about the rules is normal, understanding them is possibly a working definition of insanity.

Richard

Years ago I attended a tandem rally in Indianapolis. We had an ice cream ride at the Major Taylor Velodrome. We had a ball! The thing that surprised me was how hilly riding on it was. Unless you choose to ride down on the line you are constantly either climbing or diving down one of the banks.

The same one I rode.

Would that be the Midwest Tandem Rally you attended?