Northern California - How was the Early Bird? Tell us about it!

Yup thats me. No need to apologize.

I'm trying to learn from this, and that fills in some blanks. From my perspective, I had to turn in with the guy to my outside, since he was a bit in front of me, and I had to turn more sharply than I would have preferred. It wouldn't have been a problem, but you were on my inside and turned less sharply (I would have hit him with my front wheel if I hadn't hit you from the side). You and I had a bit of space between us, so I hoped you would have time to correct your line, but I guess not. So we bumped, but I knew there might be a problem because it wasn't my body that got bumped. I thought for a moment that we would be ok as we kept going and seemed to recover, but you got a little in front of me, we bumped again and it became clear that we were tangled up somehow, and you wobbled and went down to your left underneath me. I didn't realize you weren't aware that there still might be a problem, but I didn't think it was our handlebars. I actually thought it was my chain hooked onto your pedal or something, from the sound of it and the location of the sound before we went down, and since my handlebars were ok. I think I would have seen the handlebars, but I could be wrong.

Also, let me know if youre friend got pictures of the crash, it'd be awesome to have a pictrure of me with my bike in the air.

Hahaha, I think he only got pictures right before it happened. I'll ask him. Thank you for your kindness - I felt horrible after it happened, and I still did until now.

I thought we were gonna be okay after that initial bump as well, but something did seem to get tangled up. I didn't notice it at the time, unfortunately. I think you're right about it not being the handlebars because I didn't spot your bars in mine. But it was just this incredibly strong tugging feeling from the left that brought me down that I assumed that was it.

In hindsight, I should have just ran through the unpaved section of the road to tighten up my line and make some room. I'll definitely take the chance to learn from this as well.

Hahaha, I think he only got pictures right before it happened. I'll ask him. Thank you for your kindness - I felt horrible after it happened, and I still did until now.

I thought we were gonna be okay after that initial bump as well, but something did seem to get tangled up. I didn't notice it at the time, unfortunately. I think you're right about it not being the handlebars because I didn't spot your bars in mine. But it was just this incredibly strong tugging feeling from the left that brought me down that I assumed that was it.

In hindsight, I should have just ran through the unpaved section of the road to tighten up my line and make some room. I'll definitely take the chance to learn from this as well.

Sorry to hear about your misfortune, both of you. Along with the others that crashed. But on the bright side you are ahead of the game as you are learning what happened and what you could have done differently. Something to watch for, is the riders that think winning a Cat 5 or 4 race is the Olympics. Taking big risks to move up a couple spots. Lets face it, we do this for fun. I usually give up spots during a race to those riders and get away from em. The race is rarely won in the corner, but it can be lost. Learn how to position yourself for the sprint and you will be successful. Usually that means being about 10 back from the front. Then its all about timing your jump and exploding to the finish.

I did the Cat5 under 35 race yesterday. It was my fourth race of the five they've had (missed last week). I had more fun in this race than i had in any of the previous 3, mostly because this time i was racing with teammates and felt pretty good. Tried going in a few breaks but nothing stuck.

I was riding mostly on the inside so i couldn't see the lap cards, and from what i could tell they weren't calling them out either. We only raced for like 30 minutes instead of 40, so when i heard the bell i didn't know if it was a prime lap or the last lap. Either way, it really snuck up on us and we (Webcor/Alto Velo) didn't really have time to get organized for the sprint. I was trying to make my way up to the front to lead out a teammate but got stuck behind that crash in the very last corner. Ended up finishing by myself a few seconds after the pack had come through.

Overall, there were a ton of people out there doing some really sketchy things. I don't know if it was a case of a bunch of people coming out for their first race, or people who have been doing the Early Birds the whole time just forgetting how to race, but it was pretty crazy. People making really sudden moves without looking seemed to be the big thing.

I had one guy right in front of me that just sat up in the middle of the group and started braking, then took a hand off the bar and started messing with his shoe. The mentors eventually pulled him from the group.

I saw another guy from Cal whose pedal got unclipped when he bit a botts dot. It could have been pretty disasterous, but he did a good job of recovering and no one went down.

I can protect my front wheel up to a point, but some of the stuff going on was just insane. I think for the most part, people just need to do a better job of being predicatble and looking to make sure they have space before making a move.

It was still one hell of a fun race though. Looking forward to Cherry Pie next Sunday. I imagine there will be quite a few boneheads there, but i'll try and stay up near the front and avoid crashing. Garmin-Slipstream has their whole ToC team registerred, so it will definitely be cool to see those guys do their thing.

I had one guy right in front of me that just sat up in the middle of the group and started braking, then took a hand off the bar and started messing with his shoe. The mentors eventually pulled him from the group.



I think I might have seen that while I was warming up in parking lot. Was it right before going into corner 1? I couldn't believe it! I just noticed some guy slow to a crawl right in the middle of the pack. The unsuspecting riders coming up on him were having to make sudden moves to avoid him.

If you're going to blow up or have some mechanical issue, for Gods sake, pull yourself to the side of the pack and get the hell out of the way. :mad: It seems like common sense to me when you're in a group going 20+. Good for the mentors to school the guy.

BTW. Did anyone see Marco out there? I looked but didn't see him.

BTW. Did anyone see Marco out there? I looked but didn't see him.

I didn't end up going.

Did a lot of driving on Sat, and got home pretty late.

Plus my back has been kind of messed up lately.

I'll see you guys at Cherry Pie for sure though. Ruth and I have something to do up in the N. Bay on Saturday, so we'll be making a weekend out of it.

If you're going to blow up or have some mechanical issue, for Gods sake, pull yourself to the side of the pack and get the hell out of the way. :mad: It seems like common sense to me when you're in a group going 20+. Good for the mentors to school the guy.

okay, sounds like this guy just wasn't getting it, but I disagree with this piece of advice. If you have a mechanical, call out and raise your arm to indicate to the other racers that you're in trouble, hold your position (without slowing significantly) and allow the pack to ride around you. then count to five (to make sure everyone really is around you). then move to the inside of the course for assistance or to pull yourself out.

okay, sounds like this guy just wasn't getting it, but I disagree with this piece of advice. If you have a mechanical, call out and raise your arm to indicate to the other racers that you're in trouble, hold your position (without slowing significantly) and allow the pack to ride around you. then count to five (to make sure everyone really is around you). then move to the inside of the course for assistance or to pull yourself out.

for the love of god PLEASE do this. please.

okay, sounds like this guy just wasn't getting it, but I disagree with this piece of advice. If you have a mechanical, call out and raise your arm to indicate to the other racers that you're in trouble, hold your position (without slowing significantly) and allow the pack to ride around you. then count to five (to make sure everyone really is around you). then move to the inside of the course for assistance or to pull yourself out.

Good advice Lorri, thanks.

I think we both meant essentially the same thing. By moving off to the side of the pack, I in no way meant to do it blindly or suddenly. But get the hell out of the way..............safely. :)

I think I might have seen that while I was warming up in parking lot. Was it right before going into corner 1? I couldn't believe it! I just noticed some guy slow to a crawl right in the middle of the pack. The unsuspecting riders coming up on him were having to make sudden moves to avoid him.

If you're going to blow up or have some mechanical issue, for Gods sake, pull yourself to the side of the pack and get the hell out of the way. :mad: It seems like common sense to me when you're in a group going 20+. Good for the mentors to school the guy.

Actually, this happened in the straight away after turn two.

Part of the problem that i forgot to mention is that while he was slowing down he suddenly moved right as i was trying to pass on his right side and pinched me into the gutter. As velogirl said, he should have said something and kept moving at a decent pace and let the field go around him. Not sure if it would have been a good idea for this guy to take a hand off the bar in the middle of the field though, as he was being pretty squirly the whole race.

Anyone see the results yet?

Anyone see the results yet?

They are listed on the velo promo website ( http://www.velopromo.com/ , the Early Bird race promoter) as 'coming soon', but that's definitely the place to check.

The results for EB wk 5 have been posted.

http://www.velopromo.com/ebcr5-rl09.htm

w00t. 63rd. In most races that would mean OTB. Here is just meant you kinda sat up for the sprint and rolled in with the pack.

12th. Looks like the field was 37 and the other 12 guys were dropped.

kudude, 101 guys in the field? Dang it must be hard to freely move around the pack.

12th. Looks like the field was 37 and the other 12 guys were dropped.

kudude, 101 guys in the field? Dang it must be hard to freely move around the pack.

big fields don't always mean that, but that day the pace was slow, so it was curb to curb racers. kinda of a mess.

12th. Looks like the field was 37 and the other 12 guys were dropped.

kudude, 101 guys in the field? Dang it must be hard to freely move around the pack.

The official told us spectators that they only allow 50 per group. Three weeks ago they split the Cat 5 race into 3 groups because of that. I don't know how they group the actual races, since my average speed is around 10 mph.

Not 50 guys.... (note that there are more people out of the shot to the right)

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s240/jnoffsinger/eb5_notme.jpg

^^^^ That's not a pack. That's more like a swarm. (safest race of the day though, go figure)

Well at least you got some sort of shot of you. It seems like most of the photographers packed it up to get home for the Superbowl so I didn't get any from my race.

^^^^ That's not a pack. That's more like a swarm. (safest race of the day though, go figure)

Well at least you got some sort of shot of you. It seems like most of the photographers packed it up to get home for the Superbowl so I didn't get any from my race.

dumb luck. saw some really, really boneheaded stuff going on. friggin miracle there wasn't a wreck