Great Lakes - whitewater

i guess i'll start the thread again.

i'll be doing the road race tomorrow. if anyone wants to carpool from madison, i'm doing the cat 4/5 race, and plan on leaving asap after the race.

john - if you'll be there - this time i'll be wearing my new endeavour jersey, red helmet, and riding the orange/white trek 1000.

good luck all.

I'll be there in the 4/5 race too. I'm bringing two guys who have never raced, but keep showing up on our shop's group ride.

Anyways, hopefully we won't putz around the first few laps and we actually drop some people. I don't know how this hill compares to either of the baraboo races, but hopefully the field will shatter.

I wish, but apparently I have to be at O'Hare by 4:30. Not possible with the time the cat3 race starts.

I'll do a double loop of the harper ride to make up for it.

I'll be there in the 4/5 race too. I'm bringing two guys who have never raced, but keep showing up on our shop's group ride.

Anyways, hopefully we won't putz around the first few laps and we actually drop some people. I don't know how this hill compares to either of the baraboo races, but hopefully the field will shatter.

I thought you moved up into Cat 3 or something like that?

By the way, I'll be there, too. Don't shatter me too badly. It'll be my first go at pinning on a number.

Look for the guy on the blue Felt and the plain white and light blue jersey.

I thought you moved up into Cat 3 or something like that?

By the way, I'll be there, too. Don't shatter me too badly. It'll be my first go at pinning on a number.

Look for the guy on the blue Felt and the plain white and light blue jersey.

I got denied. I'll talk to Heidi post race tomorrow and see what she can do. I am going back and forth between wanting to do superweek as a 3 or a 4. I feel like racing the 3's would be two weeks of hurt and being dropped, but I could actually get some results in the 4/5 races.

i rode my bike to the shop to get my front wheel trued, then i walked home barefoot instead of waiting (clipless pedals ya know). now i have blisters on my feet, and probably some broken glass embedded in my foot. at least somewhere was open today...

what are you guys planning on eating/drinking? i was thinking about not eating and just having a bottle each of water and gatorade - but i will probably bring a gu i suppose.

Is there a feed zone? 40 miles - probably not. I'd go two bottles + Gu. I'd think that you shouldn't have to feed for under 2 hours of racing. 70+ miles is a different story!

Batteries charging. Gonna be a L O N G day!

1 bottle water
1 bottle heed
2 gu's

should be a good time

I'll be there in the 4/5 race too. I'm bringing two guys who have never raced, but keep showing up on our shop's group ride.

Anyways, hopefully we won't putz around the first few laps and we actually drop some people. I don't know how this hill compares to either of the baraboo races, but hopefully the field will shatter.

correct.
...see my other thread about the recon four laps on the course I did yesterday.

3s race is 54 miles. I'll bring at least 3 bottles of something and a gel flask.

Wow. I was deep in the learning today. And it didn't last very long, either.

How'd the rest of you do?

I guess I sprinted for the bell lap. Flyer said 8 laps, ref at the start said seven. I basically blew up after sprinting for the line. I got 21st ish. Not my best race ever, but I've been on my bike 4 1/2 hours in the past two weeks.

Good to meet everybody today too.

I guess I sprinted for the bell lap. Flyer said 8 laps, ref at the start said seven.
The official clearly said 7 laps before the start, both when up in front and when he walked down the side of the field.

That's bunk.

The official clearly said 7 laps before the start, both when up in front and when he walked down the side of the field.

That's bunk.

Word. I wasn't the only guy that got screwed either, but **** happens and I was kind of just about to be dropped and my sprint was less than spectacular. :(

Just rolled in the door. Hung around for the Pro 1/2 finish. Early pix in a few mins.

Here's a few early pix. I shot 1200+ pix and I still think to myself ... "Is that all I got??" :lol: But once I start cropping them down, the good stuff appears.

Tjayk and Hip:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_1075.jpg

Hip and I think that's CyLowe97 over on the right:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_1119.jpg

I HAD to take this one:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_1153.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_1242.jpg

Hip leading CyLowe97 up the climb. Dunno what happened to that dude. Dropped chain? Actually, I have a neat series here ... I could probably make an animated GIF of you climbing up the climb, Hip! :)

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_1388.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_1762.jpg

And 1st and 2nd in the Pro 1/2. As if there was any doubt who it would be:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_1815.jpg

Great weather, great course, and excellent turnout. A fun day.

Good race.

We (3s) caught the 1/2s and much confusion ensued. I don't really know how I ended up, but I was at the front of some group with a good-feeling sprint. Maybe top 10.

Then I cruised over to the casa de hip for some patriotic festivities.

On the way home, I saw (barely) an unlit mountain biker on hiway 59.

Nice job to all, especially those first-timers! That hill looks like a killer!

Hip and I think that's CyLowe97 over on the right:
Just for journalistic accuracy, that's not me. I was in the 4/5 field, but if you have one of the back of that pack at the start you'll see me there. :o

Thanks for being out there!

Never before have I had such a good time having my arse handed to me on a platter!

Awesome humiliation.

Fell off the back a bit first time up the climb. Worked my butt off and quickly grabbed the pack again. I did the entire first lap at the back of the peloton, and the view, the sound in there through the canopy of trees on that course was wonderful.
I went through the st/fin line with the group at speed.

Second lap was real interesting.
Lost the group up the climb again, but this time could not catch them. That's the thing...the intensity of the group is over my head. They're just riding tempo...I'm blowing up and still can't keep up. Great respect.

A real nice moment came when the 4-5's, who started later, caught me. Suddenly I'm swallowed into the lead pack. No one yelled....I did just fine. In fact, two guys said things like, "Nice job man....Keep going, good job."

I really appreciated the kind words and the encouragement.

Third lap, Cylowe, who started in that group, caught me too.
All I heard was, "This is humiliating." :)

I knew my family was waiting for me to play boat captain at the lake house for a big family party...I had my taste of racing and was all alone and blown up anyway, so I pulled off after three laps.

Great time with CyLowe and his family afterward....recursive spent the evening dining/drinking/fireworks with us as well.

Congrats to him and teammate Randy King....You guys rock.

JDub -- thanks for getting a shot of me. I think that was you offering me water on the last climb of the day for me, wasn't it? My brother, I appreciated the words of encouragement soooo much...thank you...and thanks for taking all these pix at these races...awesome work.

Let me pull a couple of pix and post later....hang on...

Here's a shot of CyLowe and me at the post-race party...a picture taken by his little girl!

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/Hipcycler67/Various/4th2024.jpg

...and here are the girls...
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/Hipcycler67/Various/4th2023.jpg

Later that night, after his big 54-mile 'learning session'....Sir Awesomeness stopped over for food, drink and fireworks. Unfortunately, the only known photo turned out blurry!

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/Hipcycler67/Various/4th2033.jpg

I believe this is CyLowe97 in hot pursuit of Hip (confirm?):

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_1394.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_1229.jpg

... and some folks just make it look TOO easy ...

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_1413.jpg

Time for a quick ride myself, then it's off to the TT.

nice job folks. im totally jealous that you got your race groove on.

however the best picture of the bunch is these two little rockstars.

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/Hipcycler67/Various/4th2023.jpg

later.

I believe this is CyLowe97 in hot pursuit of Hip (confirm?):

Confirmed.

Look, ma, I'm a racer!

:roflmao2:

Pretty decent turnout for the TT today. ~50 riders ??? Nice course, rolling, twisty just south of yesterday's road race loop.

You had your roadies:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_2052.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_2745.jpg

Your speed freaks:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_2170.jpg

And if you're really fast:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_2378.jpg

:eek: Yeah, there were a few.

You know, you get in a rythm on how fast to pan with the riders ... but once in a while, you hear the bike whistling through the air ... and whoooosh ... he's gone!! :roflmao2:

See 'yall at Superweek.

TTs are hard.

I saw you out there taking photos. Barely.

I didn't stay for the finish, but I got an unofficial time of 28:34, measured by me. I predict the winning time will be 4 minutes faster than that. But not a lot of the regular crit racers show up for these, so I'm thinking I may be in Cat3 Wisconsin cup points anyway.

How'd the rest of you do?

Masters 4/5 was a bit surprising on saturday. Slower than the 4/5s then faster then slower again. It was weird that the race ref didn't neutralize the field. No one in M4/5 was off the front at the time, but I guess by lap 3 (i think it was lap 3) a couple people were off the back. I got yelled at because I saw what I thought was a break up the road and I went to bridge and it was just the 4/5s.

The yellow line rule was a complete joke. On the backside of the course downhill we were hitting maybe 40 and guys were taking blind corners on the wrong side of the imaginary yellow line. Idiots.

My plans didn't come together at all. That's racing. I knew I couldn't attack and survive, but I also knew I couldn't outsprint the Team Wheaton lead out train. I wanted to pull a Cancellara. We hit the final corner and went around it at about 36mph. I was going to sprint at the horse farm sign, or thereabouts. I kept thinking 'OK as soon as the pace slows just a bit, I'm gone'... 'OK anytime now'.... 'OK anytime now'... '...'

Finished with the pack.

Hey, John, got any photos of a guy in an ISCorp kit with aviator sunglasses? I was mid pack the whole race so I'm not holding my breath!

Thanks.

Mr. Burns

Huh????

What are you supposed to do ... dismount and walk? (look both ways first!)

I still don't get it. It's not a km of tracks, it's two bumps.

I raced for 12 years. Why?

do you race?

Dude. Can you illuminate us on the benefits of the continuation of rotating the pedal/crank combination whilst transversing the iron horse rails?


BTW, JDub shows up and gets amazing pictures of racing every weekend throughout our area. His question is legit.

as was my answer.

Which was what again? :wtf:

as was my answer.

pedal, or do you think people freewheel over cobbles during the spring classics ?

Can you please expound on why the continuation of pedaling is superior to freewheeling across these sketchy, yet necessary railroad crossings?

Does pedaling provide better traction? Less chance of crashing? Just good for forward momentum in general?

as was my answer.

Your answer was not legit. You compared a rail crossing to cobbles. If you stopped pedaling over 1k of cobbles, you'd just come to a complete stop. That's a reason not to stop pedaling over cobbles. That's not the case over a rail crossing. You still may have a point, but don't expect anyone else to understand what it is unless you learn them more explicitly.

well i ended up 9th (cat 4/5). i lost my full bottle in the pothole riddled corner - it bounced out of my cage, and i made a grab for it but it slipped through my fingers - almost taking out frunkin i think (sorry, again). so i did the whole race about 1 hr 40 mins with one water bottle - talk about suffering, and by the finish i had some major cramping going on in my calf.

the cat 4/5 field also got mixed up in the master's 4/5 - talk about confusing. i was trying to let them by but the rest of my field wasn't, so i had to pass back through the field to stay with the lead group.

thanks for taking pics as usual john. although i was in the middle/back of the field a lot, so i'm not expecting much for photos...

Does pedaling provide better traction? Less chance of crashing? Just good for forward momentum in general?

i think what he meant, but didn't expand on, was that you should always pedal w/riders behind to avoid those in the back having to brake (accordion effect). this is true for those in the front down the hills as well (which also didn't happen much in this race).

the RR tracks in question were right before a 90degree corner, everyone was pretty much off the gas anyway. those tracks were crossed again after another corner and that time they were taken out of the saddle powering out of town.

Maybe John should have taken the photo there and could have avoided negative critique of his cycling knowledge.

No fair giving out answers. It's also the job of the riders behind to see that there are tracks coming up ... no brakes required. Guess Botto is going to have to have a talk with the four (breakaway - edit) riders in today's Tour stage ... they coasted over some tracks too! How stoopid. :innocent:

Almost done with the TT pix, will hit the RR stuff after lunch.

correct.

if you coast, when you should have pedaled, then don't whine if my front wheel goes up your whazoo.

Why would he whine if you hit the deck?

Why would he whine if you hit the deck?

You never know....he might be his ride home....

because riding in a break is the same as riding in the field. :rolleyes:

correct.


Now, back to what's important here....I was in a race!
Wheeeeeeeee!!!!

Got an inside quote for you too from a classic moment right before, gulp, the end.....

Cylowe catches me after his 4/5 peloton also swallowed me up earlier (they started five minutes after me in the Masters 4/5.

I'm gassed. He's gassed. It's clear the end is near for us.

He takes the point after we confirm we're gassed. I jump behind his wheel for a while to take any help I can get to finish Lap 3. At one point, racked with guilt, I finally muster the strength to pull up alongside when I mumble to him, "I'd pull for you for a bit if you'd just slow down a little."

Then comes the quote from CyLowe:
"Slow down? We're racin'"

Beautiful.

He pulls out on me....I catch him with my mighty "Thor-like" sprint to the line.

Day done and off to more important things, the party at the Chateau Hip where I met his daughters :love:

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/Hipcycler67/Various/4th2023.jpg

Day done and off to more important things, the party at the Chateau Hip where I met his daughters :love:

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/Hipcycler67/Various/4th2023.jpg
Be careful....I;ve seen those smiles. The one on the right will start asking you all sorts of interesting questions, "Mr. Hip? Did you really race today? Why did it take you so long? Why wasn't there anyone else with you?"

...while the one on the left is busy going through your wallet.

Right now in that picture she's sizing you up...."This guy totally has a Costanza. He's leaning to one side."

the RR tracks in question were right before a 90degree corner, everyone was pretty much off the gas anyway. those tracks were crossed again after another corner and that time they were taken out of the saddle powering out of town.

Maybe John should have taken the photo there and could have avoided negative critique of his cycling knowledge.

Ahem!

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_1189.jpg

Those were nasty tracks and it sure looks like there's tension on that chain to me:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_1143.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_1151.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_1156.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_1158.jpg


But I'm getting ahead of myself ... still not done with the TT.

"I'd pull for you for a bit if you'd just slow down a little."

Then comes the quote from CyLowe:
"Slow down? We're racin'"

Beautiful.


Cylowe is up on the rules.

Race Rule 12:

Never complain about the pace unless you're pulling. And if you're pulling, you should be working too hard to talk. Or at least acting like you are.

So never complain about the pace. Ever.

Be careful....I;ve seen those smiles. The one on the right will start asking you all sorts of interesting questions, "Mr. Hip? Did you really race today? Why did it take you so long? Why wasn't there anyone else with you?"

You know my chatterboxes all too well. Those actual questions were asked.

Great, now a three year old is telling me I'm slow. :rolleyes:


Cylowe is up on the rules.

Race Rule 12:

Never complain about the pace unless you're pulling. And if you're pulling, you should be working too hard to talk. Or at least acting like you are.

So never complain about the pace. Ever.

Yeah, one of the things I noticed about this whole racing thing: The fellas didn't stop at the top of the hill so everyone could regroup and tell each other how great they did on the hill and that they did a nice pull.

And they didn't wave to riders going in the other direction. Unfriendly bunch! ;)

Ahem!

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_1189.jpg

Those were nasty tracks and it sure looks like there's tension on that chain to me:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_1143.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_1151.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_1156.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/July%205%20Whitewater/IMG_1158.jpg


But I'm getting ahead of myself ... still not done with the TT.


HA!!! See? J-Dub was on top of it! I like the closeup of the tires going over the tracks. very cool....

.....he's da bomb when it comes to racing photos around here I tell ya.
He got a chance to use one of his antique cameras shooting me on the climb....the kind of camera with the big wooden legs on it...his head under a black cloth pulled over him....his arm extended out offering me water as he held the shutter button for that long, SLOW exposure....

You know Psimet, you may be on to something there about those kids...come to think of it, at one point one of them tried lifting my nephew's watch off the picnic table. CyLowe has trained them well.

.....he's da bomb when it comes to racing photos around here I tell ya.
He got a chance to use one of his antique cameras shooting me on the climb....the kind of camera with the big wooden legs on it...his head under a black cloth pulled over him....his arm extended out offering me water as he held the shutter button for that long, SLOW exposure....

:lol:

Story time: Wisconsin state championship road race some time in the last century, going up this stupid steep climb near Paoli, WI our team manager would walk along side us and swap cold bottles for the empties on our bikes as we raced up this hill. Honest. I got 14th (102 miles - last finisher) and actually fell asleep in my pizza at Pizza Hut that evening. :lol: My friends will never let me forget that one.