ColorChange

I'm in for 50+ (wanted the 58 miles) [I say that now] lol

aham23

in. elite 5. later.

Mayonnaise

i got in. they sold out fast...again. Lady Gaga should be so popular

carlosflanders

Just snuck into the 4s. Was waiting to go home at lunchtime to register but a buddy emailed me to say that the cats 4 was almost full and he was kind enough to register me.

Some interesting names also registered in the 4s. I expect it to be a race for third place.

Psimet2001 

I caught that you were in. Hopefully you're out of form enough that we can ride together for at least a portion.

This will end up a long training ride for me as I go shooting out the back when hitting the stacked hills after 1 lap - near 30 miles in. 30 miles, early season, race pace, guys still in form/peaking from cross.....spring winds.....killer cross wind.....ugh....can't wait.

mridan

Missed the registration for the cat 5 race,so I'm in for the 40-49 race.What am I getting myself into !

ColorChange

Just sent an e-mail. My name wasn't on the list? I have a confirmation number.

Psimet2001 

You're on there. 50+

Mayonnaise

it's a date.

Let's be honest. This race blows. You drive all that way for a race where the odds are pretty damn good you'll be dropped within the first lap. If you fail to accelerate correctly out of a corner and fall just ten feet behind, you're race is over. Or if you overcook a hill or start a hill in the back of the pack, you're done.

Why we get up early to sign up for this race I don't know. Last year I made it all the way into town before I got dropped. The next lap was a training ride.

The point is to have fun, get in a good ride, see your friends after a long winter. Results are less important.

Also. If you get an email about a race in St. Louis that same weekend, don't bother. That was the single worst race I've ever entered. The course was super narrow and I was constantly worried some idiot was going to take me down.

Psimet2001 

Agreed. I got dropped last year as we headed into town. I got dropped before that and actually bridged back up but that coincided with the climbs as you got into town. Short, fat wheel builders don't go up hills well.

John Wilke

Now you know that if you expect to be in contention on the last lap, then you have to fight to be in the front of the group. You can read that in any book written in the last, oh, 50 years? Just say'n.

tspek

I'm in.

Frunkin

I didn't have the greatest time at last years race, and school is about 10x more busy this year so the odds I race are pretty slim.

SmokinMiles

I'm in and like mridan wondering seriously what the heck I got myself into. Now for the important part...where are you staying and where are we eating the night before? Could be my last supper!

slim_77

I"m on the wait list....work was crazy all day and though I intended on registering just as I got to work, I didn't. I'm waitlisted. bummer.

for a consolation price it looks like Leland is also around 100k/62 miles. I like the direction these races are heading.

I also like the first weekend of real racing with the COUGAR series; I'm racing cat 4 and 30+ both days. Now, who will draw the greatest "cougar" points?

Psimet2001 

Not I. I am registering for Leland - actually putting up some podium prizes as well. Doing 4 races in the COUGAR series.

aham23

leland is 4/5s for 62 miles with some gravel road. this racing stuff is new to me, but that could be epic. later.

Psimet2001 

The wind made it a true epic last year. Check out the old blogs about it.

SmokinMiles

Leland looks amazing. I cannot tell you how much I love riding on gravel. I'm not joking. My brother says it's the only time I've dropped his sorry arse.

Why do I love this stuff? Why oh, Why???

carlosflanders

If the wind gets up, then 62 miles for the 4/5s is gonna be torture. The race blew apart in the first 3 miles last year. If the same thing happens again I see a higher than 50% DNF rate.

I adore gravel as well - my bike seems to come alive when the surface gets a bit rougher. Something to do with having so much weight on the back wheel and a springy steel bike. As long as I don't get a flat it's gonna be great. Wind I can take or leave, don't hate it but would prefer not to have it.

Being an ABR race, there wasn't much attention paid to the yellow line last year. Echelons were starting on the left of the road. Even though there wasn't much traffic, I trust USAC will be strict this year. On deserted roads it's tempting to cut some corners pr take a few risks.

I saw one close encounter between a crazy mail carrier in a pick-up and the lead group in the 1/2/3s. He cut a left turn and almost slammed into them. Luckily they were only doing about 10 mph into a headwind and could stop easily.

eskimo85

im in, should be fun! no teammates though, flying solo for this one

Psimet2001 

HAHA....now I know who you are. See you there.

MJH2

I didn't even try for Hillsboro. May very well pass on Leland, too. Too much, too early, and I'm too damn out of shape.

I'm just trying to focus on improving on my 56th place finish from the Burnham crit last year.

MJH2

PS-

Mayo, where are the COUGAR details? Like points structure, etc. We need to know this stuff!

Mayonnaise

I'm kinda out of the loop on the Cougar details. I think they're sort of making it up as they go along. I'll see if I can find out anything.

Going in for surgery on Monday and was told I wasn't allowed to have my heartbeat over 100bpm for 2 weeks. That just kills any chance of proper training to get ready for HR. Looks like it will be a training ride for me.

If you're interested in the removal of nasal polyps follow the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFDMxAtvEBs