Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Two Clydes Ride a Century

Two of the Team Clydesdale riders in the MS 150 City to Shore ride completed the 104 mile century route. Congratulations to Bautieri....

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... and Vxhanz...

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... for taking the first day in style. They completed the 104 miles in six and a half hours rolling time, 7.5 total. If Bautieri's rear brake hadn't been dragging for 50 miles they would have perhaps finished a little sooner. They arrived in Ocean City, NJ, in early afternoon, after leaving Cherry Hill at 6:30 AM. Bautieri will probably be posting his report in the next day or so, but he gave me permission to let folks know about their ride.

This morning the Dynamic Duo took off at 6:45 for the return 75 mile trip - which is closer to 80 miles. They dropped the hammer, so to speak, early, and arrived back in Cherry Hill five and a half hours later, only stopping once for water and fuel.

I'll post about the rest of Team Clydesdale elsewhere, but these two guys deserve their own thread. They ROCK!

Great job!!! Woo HOO!

Thanks Historian for posting that picture! I didn't realize you took such a "flattering" picture... looks like I'm mad or tired, but I wasn't :) Thanks either way though.

Thanks for showing up and having dinner with us as well. Nice conversation and food with friends, which was a great way to end the day.

For being our first century it was definitely a blast and something I will do again in the future :)

V

Thanks Historian for posting that picture! I didn't realize you took such a "flattering" picture... looks like I'm mad or tired, but I wasn't :) Thanks either way though.

Thanks for showing up and having dinner with us as well. Nice conversation and food with friends, which was a great way to end the day.

For being our first century it was definitely a blast and something I will do again in the future :)

V

Hey, I had to get even for getting me wet! :)

Well... I may have played a small part (ok, a rather large part) in telling you to go further back into the surf. You were a good sport about it though :)

V

Crowds began gathering at 5:00 AM at the Port Authority Transit Company's (PATCO) rail station at Woodcrest in Cherry Hill, NJ. This is the tent for Team Tania, one of the largest teams, with more than 400 riders. Until this morning I thought Tania was a company, but it turns out Tania is a person with MS, and the riders are all her friends and relations, and friends of friends and relations.

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Another view of the crowds in the team tent area. Over 7000 riders participated, riding from three different locations in New Jersey.

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Cyclists stand in 'the chute' awaiting television meteorologist Kathy Orr to give the countdown for release onto Woodcrest Road. MS this year decided to stagger the starts, letting the 'fast cyclists' with speeds greater than 17 MPH out at 6:15, the century riders at 6:30, the slower riders at 6:45, and on up to casual riders at 7:30 AM. This avoided some of the road congestion of last year, but it meant lights were required for century riders.

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Lunch was at the second stop, Hammonton Park, 30 miles out.

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Perhaps the most unflattering photo ever taken of The Historian. The helmet cover doesn't help matters.

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Pack of cyclists coming through a few miles from the Egg Harbor rest stop. Notice how flat the road is? With two exceptions, there are no significant climbs on the City to Shore route.

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More photos when my uploading to Flickr is complete.

More photos:

JT at the second to last rest stop.

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Riders at the final rest stop. Some was repeating on the PA system, "Come all the way in, riders. There's a lot of tired legs behind you." Poor man, he must have said it a thousand times.

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Riders grind up the first of the two bridges into Ocean City. These are the only sizable climbs on the century route.

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Fog-bound Ocean City, NJ, is at the other end of the second bridge:

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Riders approach the finish line near Ocean City's boardwalk:

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The core of Team Clydesdale after dinner and a stroll on the boardwalk. The Historian, Bautieri, and vxhanz:

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The next morning. Bautieri and vXhanz prepare to ride at 6:45 AM. Behind them is the bike storage cage.

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The Historian shows off his one-of-a-kind bike mounting technique.

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Riders climbing the bridge out of Ocean City at 7 AM.

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Atlantic Ocean at dawn:

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That event looks absolutely wonderful!
Thanks for posting the pics.

looks awesome!

Well... I may have played a small part (ok, a rather large part) in telling you to go further back into the surf. You were a good sport about it though :)

V

Yes, vXhanz wanted me to walk back into the surf, with the idea I'd get soaked. I got a little wet, but not as badly as he, and I, wanted. Had I had something to change into, I'd have gone all the way up to my shoulders. The water isn't that cold in September.

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BTW, this was xVhanz's revenge for my capturing the moment he discovered the joys of funnel cake:

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I look like I'm drunk or stoned in the first two pictures that feature me. Slightly less than flattering to say the least.

It was a heck of a ride and a lot of fun. The 106 mile century we averaged 16.42 mph, on the 76 mile return trip we averaged 17.49mph. Some riding around Ocean City to the hotel and back gave us a grand total of 183.21 miles. I plan on writing up a longer report in the next day or so.

Thanks for posting Neil :thumb:

Congrats guys. Looks like a nice flat course to get the first one out of the way, some nice scenery, and a good cause.

Two special notes on cool shirts vHanz skeleton shirt and of course JT with the "team clydesdale" jersy.

Looks like you guys had a blast. Since I started later than you guys, I barely got to see you. I suppose I was the Team Clydesdale annex. :)

Great job, everybody!

Looks like you guys had a blast. Since I started later than you guys, I barely got to see you. I suppose I was the Team Clydesdale annex. :)

Great job, everybody!

And you deserve congratulations yourself, Neil. I remember congratulating you and shaking your hand shortly after you finished.

I'll let those last two sentences linger here for people to consider the unspoken significance......:)

I look like I'm drunk or stoned in the first two pictures that feature me. Slightly less than flattering to say the least.

It was a heck of a ride and a lot of fun. The 106 mile century we averaged 16.42 mph, on the 76 mile return trip we averaged 17.49mph. Some riding around Ocean City to the hotel and back gave us a grand total of 183.21 miles. I plan on writing up a longer report in the next day or so.

Thanks for posting Neil :thumb:

You were tired, Ben. In the first one you've been up since 4:30 AM, and in the second you'd just ridden 100 miles and then had a carb-heavy dinner. I think you look good.

Compare those photos to this one:

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/8648/65977764rd0.jpg

Are you down 30 pounds from then?

I look forward to the ride report.

Are you down 30 pounds from then?

I was 245lbs in that first picture. After a league racquet ball match on Wednesday I was down to 203.5lbs. So 41.5lbs from that picture :)

Nice pics, nice coverage!:D

Wow - congrats!!

Can that route be ridden anytime or were there special exceptions?

Wow - congrats!!

Can that route be ridden anytime or were there special exceptions?

Sure, just follow the cue sheet. Keep in mind there won't be rest stops or volunteers directing traffic the other 363 days of the year. :)

I was 245lbs in that first picture. After a league racquet ball match on Wednesday I was down to 203.5lbs. So 41.5lbs from that picture :)

Yes, and a year ago - June 2007 - you were getting tired after 24 miles. What a change!

In many ways your achievement is more 'inspirational' than that of many other, larger, folks here. Just speaking of myself, I had little choice in my weight loss. It was either lose weight or live with a much lower quality of life, if indeed I lived long. (As a troll on the chess newsgroups once observed of me, 400 pound folks don't live long.) You had a choice. You could have remained 240-245 and nothing would have been said to you about it. Americans consider that amount of excess padding 'normal.' You still could have lived a 'normal' life. But you chose a different line to follow. One that lets you sustain a speed of 17 MPH for hours on end......

Sure, just follow the cue sheet. Keep in mind there won't be rest stops or volunteers directing traffic the other 363 days of the year. :)

That said, once I resolve the saddle problems, I'm tempted to go back and ride the route again, simply so I can ride a century this year. However, I'm not hung up on miles. My tour in August was the important ride for me for 2008; the MS City to Shore is merely a nice one in comparison.

Ah yes... the funnel cake. That was my first time having it and it wasn't "too bad"... though according to Bau it might not have been cooked properly. I'll have to find a place locally that knows how to make it. The few bites I had were ok.

Thanks for posting the pics Historian.

V

Ah yes... the funnel cake. That was my first time having it and it wasn't "too bad"... though according to Bau it might not have been cooked properly. I'll have to find a place locally that knows how to make it. The few bites I had were ok.

Thanks for posting the pics Historian.

V


The best place to get a funnel cake would be at your local county fare, check out the York one which supposedly is America's longest running county fare.

The reason I thought yours wasn't cooked right was due to the oil being too cold. Took much too long to cook and in process sucked up too much of the oil.

Excellent report, Historian and congrats on the Century guys.

Karma

The best place to get a funnel cake would be at your local county fare, check out the York one which supposedly is America's longest running county fare.

The reason I thought yours wasn't cooked right was due to the oil being too cold. Took much too long to cook and in process sucked up too much of the oil.

After I left you guys I wandered the boardwalk and eventually had a funnel cake of my own from a different shop. It was also greasy. Oh well.

The next morning. Bautieri and vXhanz prepare to ride at 6:45 AM. Behind them is the bike storage cage.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3010/2896927584_a2b9259c02_b.jpg



I think I remember seeing you guys on Sunday. I think you passed me shortly after the lunch rest-stop. I know I remember that blue skeleton jersey. There were just the two of you riding together at the time I believe. I remember thinking I should've drafted off you guys, but at the time I was trying to wait for my brother. He rides a hybrid and was only doing about 16 on Sunday.

Bau, sorry I didn't get your message about meeting up before the ride. Things were a bit hectic trying to arrange things to get my family down to the shore to meet me at the finish, etc. I'm on a team called the Roxborough Riders. You might have seen our jerseys like the ones in the picture here. I'm the big guy in the middle with the white helmet and blue shorts. That was last year.

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/PAEBikeEvents?px=2123530&pg=personal&fr_id=8150

I also did the century Saturday and 75 Sunday. Time riding Saturday was 6:24. Sunday I flew back with an average speed of 18.3 MPH. It helps being able to draft off some pacelines at 23+. I think we came into the finish about 12:40 on Sunday.

Darn if I'd known that was you guys I certainly would've said hi. Its rare that I get to find other guys to draft off of. Most times, the people I end up behind are half my size. :-)

Surprisingly I'm not that sore today, but I did take the day off from work.

Oh well, congrats to you both for a good ride. Is anyone doing the Bucks County Covered Bridges ride in a few weeks? I'm planning on it if anyone wants to meetup. I'll be there with a few friends, but I'll gladly meet some new ones.

Later,

Eric

I think I remember seeing you guys on Sunday. I think you passed me shortly after the lunch rest-stop. I know I remember that blue skeleton jersey. There were just the two of you riding together at the time I believe. I remember thinking I should've drafted off you guys, but at the time I was trying to wait for my brother. He rides a hybrid and was only doing about 16 on Sunday.

Bau, sorry I didn't get your message about meeting up before the ride. Things were a bit hectic trying to arrange things to get my family down to the shore to meet me at the finish, etc. I'm on a team called the Roxborough Riders. You might have seen our jerseys like the ones in the picture here. I'm the big guy in the middle with the white helmet and blue shorts. That was last year.

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/PAEBikeEvents?px=2123530&pg=personal&fr_id=8150

I also did the century Saturday and 75 Sunday. Time riding Saturday was 6:24. Sunday I flew back with an average speed of 18.3 MPH. It helps being able to draft off some pacelines at 23+. I think we came into the finish about 12:40 on Sunday.

Darn if I'd known that was you guys I certainly would've said hi. Its rare that I get to find other guys to draft off of. Most times, the people I end up behind are half my size. :-)

Surprisingly I'm not that sore today, but I did take the day off from work.

Oh well, congrats to you both for a good ride. Is anyone doing the Bucks County Covered Bridges ride in a few weeks? I'm planning on it if anyone wants to meetup. I'll be there with a few friends, but I'll gladly meet some new ones.

Later,

Eric

I'd love to do it, but I'd never be able to keep your pace.

Congrats!! Great pics!

I think I remember seeing you guys on Sunday. I think you passed me shortly after the lunch rest-stop. I know I remember that blue skeleton jersey. There were just the two of you riding together at the time I believe. I remember thinking I should've drafted off you guys, but at the time I was trying to wait for my brother. He rides a hybrid and was only doing about 16 on Sunday.

Bau, sorry I didn't get your message about meeting up before the ride. Things were a bit hectic trying to arrange things to get my family down to the shore to meet me at the finish, etc. I'm on a team called the Roxborough Riders. You might have seen our jerseys like the ones in the picture here. I'm the big guy in the middle with the white helmet and blue shorts. That was last year.

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/PAEBikeEvents?px=2123530&pg=personal&fr_id=8150

I also did the century Saturday and 75 Sunday. Time riding Saturday was 6:24. Sunday I flew back with an average speed of 18.3 MPH. It helps being able to draft off some pacelines at 23+. I think we came into the finish about 12:40 on Sunday.

Darn if I'd known that was you guys I certainly would've said hi. Its rare that I get to find other guys to draft off of. Most times, the people I end up behind are half my size. :-)

Surprisingly I'm not that sore today, but I did take the day off from work.

Oh well, congrats to you both for a good ride. Is anyone doing the Bucks County Covered Bridges ride in a few weeks? I'm planning on it if anyone wants to meetup. I'll be there with a few friends, but I'll gladly meet some new ones.

Later,

Eric

No problem Eric, we'll meet up some other time.

Congratulations on the ride and awesome time :thumb:!!

I think I remember seeing you guys on Sunday. I think you passed me shortly after the lunch rest-stop. I know I remember that blue skeleton jersey. There were just the two of you riding together at the time I believe. I remember thinking I should've drafted off you guys, but at the time I was trying to wait for my brother. He rides a hybrid and was only doing about 16 on Sunday.

Bau, sorry I didn't get your message about meeting up before the ride. Things were a bit hectic trying to arrange things to get my family down to the shore to meet me at the finish, etc. I'm on a team called the Roxborough Riders. You might have seen our jerseys like the ones in the picture here. I'm the big guy in the middle with the white helmet and blue shorts. That was last year.

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/PAEBikeEvents?px=2123530&pg=personal&fr_id=8150

I also did the century Saturday and 75 Sunday. Time riding Saturday was 6:24. Sunday I flew back with an average speed of 18.3 MPH. It helps being able to draft off some pacelines at 23+. I think we came into the finish about 12:40 on Sunday.

Darn if I'd known that was you guys I certainly would've said hi. Its rare that I get to find other guys to draft off of. Most times, the people I end up behind are half my size. :-)

Surprisingly I'm not that sore today, but I did take the day off from work.

Oh well, congrats to you both for a good ride. Is anyone doing the Bucks County Covered Bridges ride in a few weeks? I'm planning on it if anyone wants to meetup. I'll be there with a few friends, but I'll gladly meet some new ones.

Later,

Eric


Eric,

Not a problem on missing us. It would have been cool to hook up and ride with each other for a while. I also found it easier to draft off people closer to my size but for some reason there weren't too many of them riding :)

You wouldn't happen to have a link to that covered bridge ride would you?

Thanks,

V

Eric,

Not a problem on missing us. It would have been cool to hook up and ride with each other for a while. I also found it easier to draft off people closer to my size but for some reason there weren't too many of them riding :)

You wouldn't happen to have a link to that covered bridge ride would you?

Thanks,

V

http://www.cbbikeclub.org/?body=covered_bridge_ride&nav=cbr

It's a bit hillier than the Lancaster ride, and the food is better - unlike Lancaster, they believe cyclists should eat.

Keep in mind it can be darn cold at the start.