Fat Boy

That's awful. Sorry.

sstang13

Catch the last bit of the USA national cycling championships men's RR

https://usacycling.thetourtracker.com/

echappist

was just about to post that.

pride of Florida (and BF-33 favorite) is currently leading the race. this should be good

shovelhd

Nice try Phil.

sstang13

Aw that was a little disappointing, I don't know many riders there but it would have been nice to see that work.

johnybutts

Chick I see regularly and have a kinda long distance quasi-relationship with told me today she wants "more". This would require me moving. As I'm not too thrilled with my job, and would really like to live somewhere besides Houston for a while, I would not really be opposed.

What's the Baltimore/MidAtlantic race scene like?

echappist

paging MDCatV; paging MDCatV.

the terrain is mostly pan-cake flat, but you are used to that. The road races have a few rollers, but no significant elevation change of any type. if you drive 3-4 hours into western MD/WV, this is where the fun starts. The race i was in yesterday had a finishing climb of 5 miles at 7%, including 1.1@12% followed by 2 miles at 7.5%.

rankin116

Saw Old Crow Medicine Show last night at Brewery Ommegang. They were good, hadn't heard of them before. The beer was also good, as usual.

Racer Ex 

Just heard that a rider died at the crit I took a pass on today.

big john

Oh no.

caloso

I just saw that on twitter but no details.

Fat Boy

Same here. Just read.

echappist

goodness; very sorry to hear that. anyone know more details? perhaps a donation for the guy's family, etc?

Cleave

It was during the Pro/1/2/3 race. He was an experienced racer (started in the 1980s). Hit a light pole(?). He was alive when the ambulance took him away. I didn't know him but many of my racing friends did. I raced twice earlier in the day. I left before his race.

Really shakes me to the core. RIP. Condolences and sympathies to his family.

His club's Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/velopasadena?fref=ts

Reading about the tragedy in Connecticut last year and now today's tragedy... It's a sport that the vast majority of us do for fun. Please be careful out there.

hammy56

Havent seen anything tragic racing bicycles. *knocks wood*

When I was racing motorcycles I witnessed two fatalities. Right in front of me both times. Not something I'll forget.

While at times I (think) I miss it, I mostly think "at least I made it out in one piece."

/risk/reward.

echappist

the one last year really hit home, and anything like this is just downright awful.

shovelhd

Damn.

Every time I see Speedi-Dri I think of Markus.

rkwaki

That is truly tragic.
Not the correct place to start a rant but...
Many times in the past I have pulled an organizer aside to discuss the placement of hailbails, fence, etc. I know that things are busy but rider safety should be the most important thing for any organizer...
I'll stop...

Flatballer

Wow. Sad day for bike racing, between that and whatever bad stuff happened at enthalpic's race. Sad.

Stay safe out there.

waterrockets 

damn.

valygrl

Terrible news.

echappist

you shouldn't b/c you are completely correct

in a very well organized race last year (Penn State criterium) on a rather technical course, almost everything was protected with hailbails. i'm sure that the one guy who slammed into a sign-post at 30mph appreciated it. He got up without much damage, took his free lap, and got back into the race.

Creakyknees

....aaand that's a wrap on the Texas racing season ....once again I have succeeded in stunning the Masters fields with my distinct lack of results and the uncanny ability to hide in the field as if I was not even there.

Now to find that white bar tape and plan my rally schedule.

johnybutts

Pretty much my thoughts as well. I've got almost nothing to show for the last 5 months of racing. In the skill crit, I didnt see the front of the race ever.

MDcatV

there's allot of it. if you incorporate a 4 hr. radius around Balt/WDC, you can race every sat and sun from mid March to Mid Sept without ever getting a hotel room. From May to Aug, you can add racing every wednesday to your list. Fields are typically big, full to near full in the early racing season, and thin out a bit after late June. 'cross season starts in September and has races every weekend until Christmas. it's really grown over the past 4 or 5 years and there are two "series" that run concurrently. there's a track up in Philly area (trexlertown) that has stuff and there's allegedly one scheduled to be built in DC, but I havent heard much on that lately.

I guess it's a matter of perspective, but i'd characterize most of the road races as rolling with the WVa stuff mountainous and some mid/late summer stuff out in VA as hilly. Lots of crits, lots of RRs, and several weekend stage races. It's hot in the summer, but you're from Houston so you'll probably not be very phased by that.

I think you could do worse that the mid-atlantic when it comes to a place to ride and race your bicycle.