Great Lakes - Master's Weekend? (Wood Dale / Batavia, IL)

Anyone racing this? I've gotta work all weekend, so there's no way I can make Iowa ... but Chicago is just doable for me (I work nights). I see that it's sponsored by Athletes by Design ... so with Gear Grinders just grinding up the Masters 123 race every weekend, how can I NOT go to shoot pix???

I thinking about racing Saturday and/or Monday. Most likely Monday because it is within 10 miles from my home.

Can't figure out the flier though. This is ABR but they list a Cat 5 field....which they don't have. The Batavia course whould be good. Pretty flat with an slight uphill finish.

The family and I headed down to Batavia this morning to watch Psimet race in the Cat 5 race. We got to the start line just as they were rolling off, so I snapped this photo. See if you can spot Psimet. First one to spot him wins a prize!

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc205/cylowe97/2008%2005%2025%20Batavia%20ABD%20races/DSCN2242.jpg

Don't see him? Well, how about as the field comes by the first time?

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc205/cylowe97/2008%2005%2025%20Batavia%20ABD%20races/DSCN2251.jpg


I keed, I keed! No Psimet, but a nice morning to watch the races under warm sunny skies. More pics here (http://s216.photobucket.com/albums/cc205/cylowe97/2008%2005%2025%20Batavia%20ABD%20races/) spanning the first four races.

I've kind of burnt out already this season. Some tough riding early and some recent work and family related setbacks had me questioning the alarm when I woke up. I decided that the rest was worth more than the 15 minutes ($1/minute) of "racing" that I would have gotten.

CyLowe....you're right though....I could have owned it. :(

CyLowe....you're right though....I could have owned it. :(

No worries. It was a fun outing for the family and has me contemplating finally pinning on a number in the near future.

As for owning it, yeah, you'd have been near the front for sure. I might not have won the 10 lap Cat 5 Masters (30+), but I would have been somewhere near the front, I would like to think.

Then again, I can't really talk until I take to the starting line someday.... :o

Just get a number and line up.

It's easy.

:)

I came to see you too. Mom and I rode over at Fermi and then got over hoping to pick you out of the crowd. Had a great time watching the festivities. Stayed for the kids' race which was too cute. Cy, were your girls in it?

I saw an awesome bike like aham's being sported by a youngin....she had upgraded though to add a baby doll seat on the back. :) Adorable.


I've kind of burnt out already this season. Some tough riding early and some recent work and family related setbacks had me questioning the alarm when I woke up. I decided that the rest was worth more than the 15 minutes ($1/minute) of "racing" that I would have gotten.

CyLowe....you're right though....I could have owned it. :(

I raced Sat and Sun Cat5. Sunday they changed it to 10 laps. Wood Dale was a great course since it was recently paved. The Cat5 field was small both days but it gave you a chance to try things. Sat: With 1.5 laps left I jumped up when the pack slowed going up hill and opened a good gap. It lasted 1.3 laps and I blew up. Yep, 1.5 - 1.3 = .2. Went from 5th to 1st to 8th to 7th in 1.5 laps. Sun: jumped again at the same spot but this this time in response to a break. Made it into a 3 man break that stayed away for the 1.5 laps. Missed a gear on the sprint and stayed in 3rd. Since I have been in only a handful of races, the finish was not the big thing but actually planning an attack and/or jumping onto a break was truly the fun part. I could not make Batavia due to a soccer tourny for my daughter.