"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Wake Forest NC Downtown Criterium

I just got the green light on this one. The venue/format reminds me of Sanford. Looks like fun. Anyone else in?

Link (http://www.usacycling.org/events/getflyer.php?permit=2009-889)

no fair.

Too far away. I wish I could though.

In, with a couple of teammates. Great course, by the way, and good food downtown.

C'mon, Substructure... there's a masters' race too... you can double up... :)

In, with a couple of teammates. Great course, by the way, and good food downtown.

C'mon, Substructure... there's a masters' race too... you can double up... :)

6 hours on the road for 1.5hrs of racing. That is, if I don't crash, quit, or have a mechanical.

I just can't do it.

Plus my legs have taken a beating this week. I was walking up stairs just now from lunch and I almost dialed 911 on my cellphone.

6 hours on the road for 1.5hrs of racing. That is, if I don't crash, quit, or have a mechanical.

I just can't do it.

Plus my legs have taken a beating this week. I was walking up stairs just now from lunch and I almost dialed 911 on my cellphone.

Understandable. At least help me bust Lonnie's balls for being on call all weekend :)

You in for Fayetteville?

Understandable. At least help me bust Lonnie's balls for being on call all weekend :)

You in for Fayetteville?

Other side of Charlotte.

Understandable. At least help me bust Lonnie's balls for being on call all weekend :)

You in for Fayetteville?

That's a secondary reason for creating the thread. The wife want's to come and capture some of the more inglorious moments of mine. We should have a pretty good record of everything Lonnie missed.

I'll see you there.

Other side of Charlotte.

Gotcha.

That's a secondary reason for creating the thread. The wife want's to come and capture some of the more inglorious moments of mine. We should have a pretty good record of everything Lonnie missed.

I'll see you there.

Looking forward to it. :)

I woke up early this morning, chugged down a pot of coffee and rousted the family to be ready to leave by 9:00 am. Loaded everything and everyone up and arrived in Wake Forest about 10:45. Drove around looking for where to park and register-something didn't look right. I look down at the flyer I had printed out - second page.

Race Schedule for Sunday, May 17, 2009.

Pure genius.

I had ice cream and a nice lunch. The wife has something to hang over my head for years. Sub, before this is over with I'll have about 8 hours of driving in for, at best, an hour and 10 minutes of racing.

The life of crazed racer with coffee jitters.

I woke up early this morning, chugged down a pot of coffee and rousted the family to be ready to leave by 9:00 am. Loaded everything and everyone up and arrived in Wake Forest about 10:45. Drove around looking for where to park and register-something didn't look right. I look down at the flyer I had printed out - second page.

Race Schedule for Sunday, May 17, 2009.

Actually showing up on Saturday was not bad from the weather point of view. On Sunday it rained all freaking day and turned cold. I raced the 5 at 8 AM with the roads freshly wet. It rained lightly but steadily for the entire race. I yelled that I was not going for the sock prime - kind of a safety first idea i think - there was agreement and we pushed a jr rider to the front for that. I got third. Number 2 launched an attack at the start of the last lap and I let him go - mistake. Number 1 must have been riding my wheel again like he did in Greenville. If anybody needs a lead out man - give me a shout. The hill on corner 3 was awsome but after corner 4 you keep going up gently until halfway to the finish line.

I stayed from 7AM-3PMish. I saw all the juniors, womens 3/4, 55+, 45+, 35+, men's 4. Missed the women's 1/2, pro/1/2 and men's 3. The women's 3/4 had high wind and heavy rain - worst of the day IMO. They were tough.

Oddly, lot's of flats in my opinion. When i got home and unloaded, my rear tire was flat. I caught an odd looking small paper-clip-looking thing. Somebody else mentioned catching a staple-looking-thing. The wheel pit was staffed by an ex-pro wrench. It was cool to watch that guy operate. Reminded me of baseball - a lot of standing around until you're needed when you have one chance to do your job perfectly the first time.

I ate steamed blue crabs at Backfins and guzzled a couple of Newcastles with the family. It was too wet for the youth race so that was canceled.

I timed lot's of laps in various races. My calculations show the Old Man doing 24-28 mph laps for 40+ minutes. He didn't look to upset by it so I'm guessing there was more in the tank. I averaged 23.9 mph for 20 minutes and nearly barked up a lung as I crossed the finish line. Apparently it takes a whole lot of training to double my effort in time and add a few mph in the last 10 laps. When you are gasping for air, someone riding away from you at 4-8 mph looks like a rocket. I did not time the pro/1/2 but judging from who started and who finished, my guess is that laps were faster still in that race.

Here's wishing the www.hdwfcrit.com gets better weather next year.

I hate that I missed it. Between the crappy weather, the disclaimer on the flyer saying the officials reserve the right to cancel due to inclement weather and me not being able to tell if it was going to take place, I decided cut my losses and not make the 2-hour drive, again.

I mentioned to the misses that the Patriot's criterium was going to be in Fayetteville next Monday on Memorial day. Her response-

"Are you sure Memorial day is on Monday?"

It's going to be a long season.

Team mates pulled 5th and 6th in the Masters Race.

I was in Spartanburg getting ready for Assault on Mt. Mitchell, but one of our guys finished third in the P/1/2.

I was in Spartanburg getting ready for Assault on Mt. Mitchell, but one of our guys finished third in the P/1/2.

What is there to get ready for in Spartanburg? This should read "I was in Marion getting ready for AMM..." ;)

Good luck. -Flatlander.

edit-d'oh, it was yesterday-how'd it go?