I can't believe it!

My husband's team recruits pretty good riders, so I was kind of hoping that after some *good* placements they might pick me up (they're quite well sponsored and get a lot of good stuff, sometimes get their entry fees reimbursed, etc.). But I was also researching local teams with a lot of women so I'd have some companionship at races. Problem is, there ARE no such teams! Very few local teams, very few women.

So DH came back from the regular Tuesday night race last night and told me I'm on the team! Apparently he only had to tell the head guy that his wife took 8th at the last two races! He was so sweet to pipe up about me, and now I'm on a team! And as of last weekend, I have an annual license too, so I guess I'm a bike racer!

Yay.

Congrads!

Gratz!!!!

Congradulations... great feeling isn't it...

Yup, it rocks. I've got a long way to go, but with somebody to believe in me (my supportive yet tough-love hubby) I feel like the sky's the limit!

Whats the Team? I grew up in Ohio.

West Virginia University Healthcare, who took over All-Ireland Racing (the Guinness team) last year. They've got a handful of members here, some in PA, I think some in MI and WV.

Cool!! One of my Buddies races for them, he lives in MI, Randy Aardema

I wish that I was on a team, then again I havent raced before, and I think that personally I need tog et into better shape.

A lot of teams are development teams, they don't require that you have experience and will be a huge asset as you train. And you don't know how you stack up until you get out there and race!

Smoothie, you know Randy also!!?? I think I've ridden with him befor also, up here in michigan, we have a velodrome in rochester, and I think Randy races there also, I've seen him racing at it in previous years, pretty good track rider I'd say also....Small world eh??

Benjamin

Hey Alison...YOU GO!!
I am very happy for you, knowing how much you wanted to do this after following your posts. I wish you all the good fortune in the world...

GO GET 'EM!!

Brian

yah I guess. MY next step is to join a constant club. That meets at set times where I can go almost everytime.

Very small world, I rode the velodrome at bloomer park last summer. I was up there for a weekend to watch the detroit six day. Randy was down in Savannah for a month or two, about a month or two ago.

Oh wow that's neat, so you have ridden the drome, what do you think of it, pretty small eh??..I think our club up here has finally gotten me and I in my own mind have gotten to the point, where I think I will try riding the velodrome also, I'm a pure roadie and that track has just intimidated the heck out of me up till now, but I think this year I will try it, don't know when but we'll see....Savanah, yeah I think Randy and I know our friend who lives down there, Paul Jacqua, I ride with his father up here in detroit, and Pauly is a great guy! do you know him also??...It's neat to be able to talk with people like you and others here on this forum that are all over the country and world!!..

Take care, and have a great summer riding!!, oh and yeah that six day that they put on up here, it's really neat, I usually get to one or two day's of it also, you coming up this year for it again??

Benjamin

Hey, thanks, that's really sweet! I appreciate the encouragement so much!

hi565, if there are any pick-up rides in your area, you don't necessarily need to join a club to get group riding experience. Put some feelers out. Chat with folks on the road (how I learned about a weekend morning ride around here).

alison,

i know what you mean, there is a club that my cousin rides and that I ahve ridden with and I want to ride with them alot more. If by the end of the summer I can keep with the fast group the whole time and not get dropped Ill know that I am doing something right this summer. Also my science teacher last year is also a cyclist and he is cat 4 or 3 dont remember and he is going to help me with getting better and maybe hooking me up this summer.

Great Alison - kick butt!!

Paul Jaqua is my training partner and teamate, and one of my best friends. I had breakfast at his house this morning, he lives about 6 blocks away from me. Tell Don that Sergio says Hi next time your ride with him.

RIDE THE TRACK, it is one of the best things I have done ever. It will blow your freakin mind. 44 degree banking in the corners, as you know. When I first got there, I just stared at it for like 10 minutes, and paul says "pretty intimidating eh? I told you so."

Oh my gosh Sergio!! it really is a small world!!...I certianly will pass the word along to Don, he comes on my wednesday evening rides, so I should see him this week or else soon, no problem!!.......So Pauly told you the same thing that I thought when I saw the track for the first time!, I totaly agree with you, it's soooo intimadating!!..I'll give it a go, probably in July since my month of june is all filled up on the weekends, and on saturday's they have a track 101 course that I want to take, so july will work better for me....Don said that Paul could be coming up here soon to visit and ride the drome, I sure hope so, you know anything about that still?? I'd love to see Pauly, give him my best also and tell him that I'd love to see him again and maybe he could even come on a ride with me maybe?...But I also know that his father-in-law is not in the greatest health, so he might not be able to make it either..

Well nice chatting and maybe one day we'll get to meet.

Take care,
Benjamin

Paul is headed up there in 2 weeks, father in law is doing better!

Ahh good to hear!..It'll be nice to see him again then..

Benjamin

Wow, 44 degrees is steeper than Alpenrose in Portland!

Pretty amazing eh? alison in oh, and hi565. You can probably understand how that intimidated a person like myself who has only ridden the road and some off-road/singletrack stuff. I love watching the guy's who race on it, a lot of them I ride with during the weekday's and used to race with on the road. We've had this velodrome now for I think 3 or so years, and I still haven't gotten on it!..But slowely it's coming along, the low points are only 8 degrees of slope, it's the corners that are the steep stuff. I don't know if you know about madison racing, but they do it on this track. Dale the guy who designed the track and is the head guy at it, has this series of races during the summer at it and the main race is the madison, pretty neat to see with the hand slings and everthing!...How about you guy's would you ride it??

Benjamin