IGVENTURE
- Thread starter pooriggy
- Start date
The Weekly Highlights
Its hard to find time during the week to sit down and give a re-cap of what's going on. J has soccer 3 nights a week and baseball every day after school. Evan has been sending be all over NJ to look at cars he finds on CL. I am glad to say he found a car he was looking for that worked out well, but first let me tell you about my century ride yesterday.
I met Capers at his place in Lambertville for my first century ride of the year. He lives right on the canal and even though you have to go down this long beat up gravel road to get to his house he has easy access to the heart of Lambertville with a walking/riding path right behind his house. Its like a mini-New Hope with all the charm but without as many tourists. Even the bridges along the path had charm.
We start out by heading down to the local bike shoppe so Capers can load up on snacky bars. Once we leave Capers hits his Garmin and the century offically starts. About 5 miles into it I am getting some crazy high HR readings off my Garmin and realize I am picking up Capers signal. At this point I decide to re-boot, which does the trick but my mileage is lost so I'll rely on Capers Garmin for the official milage recording.
I knew there was going to be a lot of climbing in this ride, 6,286 to be exact. What hurt more then the climbs was the constant wind out of the north at 10-20mph. At least with hills your HR goes up to show your working harder. Riding in wind is like lifting weights, your HR doesn't really go up but your muscles begin to burn. The only climb that really hurt was the one going up 519, it was long and steep. I had to get out of the saddle for that one and there was no way of keeping the HR down, this was one you had to put some effort into to make it to the top. Doing 100 miles we knew we had to pace ourselves, especially on the climbs. I am more comfortable spinning at a higher cadence, even on climbs. Capers was never that far behind on the climbs. On the flats he had good power and we were able to work well together in keeping the ride under the 6 hour mark.
With most of my rides being 3 hrs. or less, going twice as long is definitely a shock to my body. At about 3.5 hours it says hey how come we're not stopping, at 4 hrs. its says WTF! and at 5hrs. its just beaten down by my willpower. Having Capers with me was a big help, especially during the last 2hrs. when you can drift into zombie mode. We stopped before the climb up Zion at a deli to get some eats and take a mental brake. I felt better after this and was able to climb Zion without any issues. Being about 80 miles in at this point I did not want to hit the lap button and see my time, I was steady climbing it but was not in the mood to attack it to see whose time I could beat. Knowing myself I don't do well racing against a clock, I need to chase someone or avoid getting caught my someone else.
After the climb up Zion it was an easy cruise back into Lamberville. We had some good tree cover along Ridge rd. to block the wind and then some nice down hills into Lambertville. Capers had some aches and my legs felt fatigued by the time we finished but for all the climbing we did plus the wind our 17.7 mph avg was solid. Its going to be tough for me to do the next century solo, its so much more enjoyable rolling with Capers.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/165368352
Shmev's Car
Evan turns 17 on Friday and has been on a mission to find a car by then. He has been searching CL everyday and sending me all over the state to look at Honda's. Let me just say I've had some negative experiences with people selling there car on CL. This week Shmev put an add on CL looking for a Honda. Someone replied the next day. After reading the reply I thought it was a scam, it seemed too good to be true.
Of course I have to follow up on this lead, Shmev is texting me at work every 10 minutes asking me if I talked to the guy yet. I exchange some emails and make an appointment that night to go see the car with Shmev.
We drive to Kendall park off of rt. 1, right down the road from Halters. We pull up to the driveway and the car looks like everything the women said it was, 97 Honda Accord...mint condition. I knock on the door and the wife invites us in and asks me and Shmev to sit down in the living room. She starts talking to us like we're distant relatives, I'm polite but at the same time I'm thinking wtf...lets get down to business and look at this car.
We go out and look at the car, I take it for a test drive and everything checks out. Car has new tires, newer brakes, good exhaust, just passed inspections...all good. (+ original owner)
We go back and buy the car today. What amazed me after dealing with a lot of assholes on CL was how nice this couple was. The dude drove the car to the local DMV and waited for us while we registered the car to make sure there would not be any problems. When I meet people like this it reminds me not to be an asshole.
The happy ending.
PatrickBrown
Active Member
thats a really sweet looking century loop....
I cant wait to be able to do something like that
I cant wait to be able to do something like that
Yeah that wind was not very encouraging early on in the ride. It was steady and strong. I'll admit, I started thinkig to myself "am I really up to this today?" Pretty sure if there was little to no wind, we could have banged that out at an 18-18.5 MPH avg.
You really are a hell of a climber there, Iggster. Even though we weren't aggressively attacking anything, you're still riding away from me on those extended climbs. Yes, 519 climb out of Bloomsbury is a bitch. No doubt about that. Ouchy.
Thanks for joining me! The wind probably would have made me quit if I was by myself.
Oh no no no. The 519 Wall you are referring to is an ant hill in comparrison.
This one climbs out of Bloomsbury. The one you are referring too always hurts because we've always raced each other up it.
I'm not Capers but I play him on TV.
Yes, it was. Maurice contends that climb is on par with Iron Bridge & Fiddler's Elbow. I grew up in Bloomsbury, incidentally. Handful of times trucks coming down that road would just run right through that (not quite) 180 degree corner and end up in the field. There's some awesome views of route 78 up there...
The bottom of that climb is the damn I mentioned on the windcast the other day. Downtown Bloomsbury.
soulchild
Well-Known Member
Shmev's Car
Evan turns 17 on Friday and has been on a mission to find a car by then. He has been searching CL everyday and sending me all over the state to look at Honda's. Let me just say I've had some negative experiences with people selling there car on CL. This week Shmev put an add on CL looking for a Honda. Someone replied the next day. After reading the reply I thought it was a scam, it seemed too good to be true.
Of course I have to follow up on this lead, Shmev is texting me at work every 10 minutes asking me if I talked to the guy yet. I exchange some emails and make an appointment that night to go see the car with Shmev.
We drive to Kendall park off of rt. 1, right down the road from Halters. We pull up to the driveway and the car looks like everything the women said it was, 97 Honda Accord...mint condition. I knock on the door and the wife invites us in and asks me and Shmev to sit down in the living room. She starts talking to us like we're distant relatives, I'm polite but at the same time I'm thinking wtf...lets get down to business and look at this car.
We go out and look at the car, I take it for a test drive and everything checks out. Car has new tires, newer brakes, good exhaust, just passed inspections...all good. (+ original owner)
We go back and buy the car today. What amazed me after dealing with a lot of assholes on CL was how nice this couple was. The dude drove the car to the local DMV and waited for us while we registered the car to make sure there would not be any problems. When I meet people like this it reminds me not to be an asshole.
The happy ending.
glad it worked out... he looks pretty siked... good luck with the whip...
p.s. you know you just ruined the used car buying experience for everyone else for like the next 5 years by using up the 1 good experience there was to be had...
Yesterday
Well since Vreeland, Utah and Norm recapped the High Gear A ride let me try to cover something they didn't.
I'll just say damn that ride is hard, you can be feeling balls out one minute and on the rivet the next. With the wind last night if you stay too long up front it could bite you on the ass, especially when the double pace line blows up and your looking for a wheel to hide behind. We try to keep some order on this ride with regard to a pace line but it doesn't take much for the order to disintegrate when 15+ guys of varying fitness are pushing close to a 22 mph avg.
But hey this is the same chaos you find in a race, thats why this ride is such great training. Hopefully I'll be ready for the chaos that is Battenkill this Saturday. I'll be racing Cat 4 with teammates Falco and Ilya. Ilya is really prepared for this one and I will probably loose sight of him. I'd like to stay with the lead group for as long as possible, my fitness is not at its peak right now so I am not putting any pressure on myself to place top #. When I race the local mtb scene I know my competition and about where I'll end up, with Battenkill I have no fucking idea where I'll end up. Off the top of my head I'd say slightly better then average, so with 121 guys racing I guess that puts me in about the 50th range. Whatever, this is my training race to get faster for the next race. My plan is to ride a smart race and work hard when I have too. The last miles to the finish is going to be everthing I have left in the tank.
Last Weekend
We celebrated Easter and Evan's birthday on Sunday. He actually turns 17 on Friday but with all the family over we always knock these 2 events out at once. Having all the family over 2 weekends in a row would not be a good thing. My family is great but listening to the same old stories and old people talk is a bit much. I am happy to entertain and glad everyone has fun but it is nice to see them leave. My wife gets bent out of shape because out of her family and mine we get stuck with all the Holidays except Thanksgiving, her mom makes the bird. Her brothers and sister can barely take care of themselves and my brother & sister in-law always manage to squeak out of entertaining. Geez listen to me rambling on like old man Rob.
Shmev
My mom and dad with Evan.
I pulled this pic out from when Evan turned 11. Kids are so cute, then they grow up. Jamie was only 8 in this pic and Mary was...
Well since Vreeland, Utah and Norm recapped the High Gear A ride let me try to cover something they didn't.
I'll just say damn that ride is hard, you can be feeling balls out one minute and on the rivet the next. With the wind last night if you stay too long up front it could bite you on the ass, especially when the double pace line blows up and your looking for a wheel to hide behind. We try to keep some order on this ride with regard to a pace line but it doesn't take much for the order to disintegrate when 15+ guys of varying fitness are pushing close to a 22 mph avg.
But hey this is the same chaos you find in a race, thats why this ride is such great training. Hopefully I'll be ready for the chaos that is Battenkill this Saturday. I'll be racing Cat 4 with teammates Falco and Ilya. Ilya is really prepared for this one and I will probably loose sight of him. I'd like to stay with the lead group for as long as possible, my fitness is not at its peak right now so I am not putting any pressure on myself to place top #. When I race the local mtb scene I know my competition and about where I'll end up, with Battenkill I have no fucking idea where I'll end up. Off the top of my head I'd say slightly better then average, so with 121 guys racing I guess that puts me in about the 50th range. Whatever, this is my training race to get faster for the next race. My plan is to ride a smart race and work hard when I have too. The last miles to the finish is going to be everthing I have left in the tank.
Last Weekend
We celebrated Easter and Evan's birthday on Sunday. He actually turns 17 on Friday but with all the family over we always knock these 2 events out at once. Having all the family over 2 weekends in a row would not be a good thing. My family is great but listening to the same old stories and old people talk is a bit much. I am happy to entertain and glad everyone has fun but it is nice to see them leave. My wife gets bent out of shape because out of her family and mine we get stuck with all the Holidays except Thanksgiving, her mom makes the bird. Her brothers and sister can barely take care of themselves and my brother & sister in-law always manage to squeak out of entertaining. Geez listen to me rambling on like old man Rob.
Shmev
My mom and dad with Evan.
I pulled this pic out from when Evan turned 11. Kids are so cute, then they grow up. Jamie was only 8 in this pic and Mary was...
Yeah, where's the love? I'm under no illusions of finishing well but if I can help a break happen or be a blocker I'm game. I just havent put in the big rides yet to be competitive. Last year in Cat 5 I missed the jump up that first climb and spent the rest of the race trying to organize chase groups and then waiting for them after every downhill. Cat 4 is going to be a kick in the balls!
Battenkill Recap
Intro
I usually don’t give long recaps after a race; at least I haven’t done it since my first couple races. The motivation seems to wear off after awhile and I feel like it was just another race. Battenkill was not just another race; this one is worth writing about.
This was the first road race I had done in 7 years so I was more nervous going into this one. In 2004 and 2005 I was into the roadie scene and did enough crits to upgrade to a Cat 4. Basically it comes down to the fact that I don’t like doing crits so I stopped doing them. Battenkill is nothing like a crit and its more suited to my abilities as a cyclist, this was highly enjoyable for me.
The race takes place in Cambridge NY which is located about 30 miles north of Troy. It is a huge road race that sells out in like a day. The 2011 edition played host to over 2,500 amateur and professional cyclists from throughout North America and dozens of nations worldwide. (From their website). This place was crawling with roadies yesterday, even on the ride up there and back you couldn’t help but run into someone going to or coming from Battenkill.
The Ride Up
I woke up at 4:15, which is my usual time to get up for work, so doing this is not foreign to me. After breakfast I pack the car and head out to meet Chris Santalucia on the NY thruway to ride up together. We usually call him 26er but it is fun to say his last name. Pronounced; Santa-Lou-Chia (The end of his name is pronounced like chia-pet)
At the rest stop while waiting for 26er I meet Sean Runnette. This was the first time I met Sean but like a Seinfeld episode I saw him randomly 5 more times over the next 10 hrs. Once 26 shows up we load up his truck and shove off. The ride up goes fast, having a teammate with me calms me down and I don’t feel nervous as we head to the race. At 9:15 we pull into the lot and park.
Warm-Up
26er and I are doing the Cat 4 race that goes off at 10:40. We head over to registration and get our numbers. When we got back I noticed my other teammate Ilya (Kush) getting ready as well. I go over and say hi but I can tell Ilya is in the zone and hyper focused at this point…which means he is not in the mood to chitchat. I know Ilya is peaking for this race after winning HOH a few weeks ago. He is a fierce competitor so I wish him good luck and move on. Santalucia and I head out for a warm-up then pedal over to the start. Oh yeah, we chi-chatted with Myles before the race as well, he was in our group.
The Race
Prior to the race out teammate Ben gave us some good info based on his past experiences from racing and pre-riding the course. I read in detail the critical points he described and printed out the info he gave us and put in on my top tube. This helped me out big time, everything he described basically happened and I was ready for it. Talking with guys like Norm, Vreeland and 26er who had done this race before and got dropped early on in the climbs because they missed the jump uphill, I knew how important it was to be ready for it when it happens. Vreeland told me before the race that last year if he worked his ass off for that 1 minute climb it would have prevented him from suffering for the next 2.5 hrs pulling the chase group. I’ve heard this story from a number of people and was determined to be sure I wasn’t one of them.
Before Juniper Swamp Rd there was an uphill that lost some guys off the back, I believe 26er was one of them. I saw the climb coming and weaved my way to the front third to be sure I was with the stronger guys. After the climb we descend toward Juniper Swamp Rd. and make the hard left. A few bikes back I hear someone sliding out on gravel and cursing the whole time it’s happening. Up the road we make a left and we hit another climb, this one is bigger and the lead group pushes hard to get rid of the dead weight. I am right with the lead group as we are all out of the saddle climbing. We are only 34 minutes into the race as my HR soars to the highest I’ve seen in 7 years, 185bpm. My adrenaline is pumping so my perceived effort is not as high as my hrm indicates.
So there you have it only 35 minutes into the race and the group is split in half with about 50 of us in the lead with the other 50 chasing. Over the next hour and 45 minutes we lose about 10 more guys as we hit the occasional climb, power roller section or loose gravel road. During this time I am able to get next to my teammate Ilya and talk. He didn’t realize I was in this group because I was hiding and staying clear of taking any pulls up front. I noticed Ilya working up front and thinking about a breakaway near the first feed-zone but I was glad to see he and the 3 others he was with re-think that. No way would the group let them get away; it would have been a wasted effort.
With 18 miles left in the race we hit Wrights rd. This was the second critical point Ben had described; this is where the shit hit the fan. It started out as a gradual gravel climb upward, which mixed in some climbs over the next 8 miles. The leaders took off leaving small groups of 2 and 3 riders in the dust…literally. The gravel was real dry and the sections at the bottom of a hill’s were like someone opened a bag of ready mix concrete and spilled it on the road. These sections zapped your energy as you headed toward the next climb. I was suffering at this point and fighting some slight cramps on the muscle above and to the left of my knee.
We finally finish these series of climbs on Wrights rd/Meeting House rd and make a right onto 74 with 10 miles to go. There is no group at this point only isolated riders who are racing towards the finish. I get behind a CRCA guy to draft his wheel, after a few minutes he motions for me to take a pull. I ignore it; at this point I could not match his power. After another minute he tells me to take a pull and I reluctantly go to the front to chase down these 2guys up the road. As we latch on to these guys I tell them to form a double pace line to work together since none of us is in any condition to take monster pulls up front. I start yelling at them how to do it like Chris Esnes on a High Gear ride and surprisingly they listen to me. The 4 of us are working together nicely to conserve energy as we approach the dreaded Stage Rd climb.
Stage Rd is 6 miles from the finish line. The 3 guys I was with on the double pace line fall behind me as I climb this road. It always surprises me how guys can be so strong on flat roads then fade when the climbs start. I am the opposite; I struggle on flatter ground and don’t feel the pain as much when I climb. After finally reaching the top of this climb I put about a 2+ minute gap on these guys but there is no one to work with for the last 3 miles and I am forced to TT home solo…Suck! They catch me with .5 mile left to the finish. I latch on to their wheel and don’t contest a sprint to finish 25th with at time of 3.01.
Fuck yeah I’m happy with the results. I felt I pedaled a smart race and worked as hard as I could have. Props to Ben for the cheat sheet and thanks to the High Gear A ride to help get me ready for this. That A ride is like a micro Bkill, in some respects I find it harder because the pace never lets up. The pace at Battenkill was intense at times but also very tame a lot as we neared the attack points. This was a great training race and something that is going to be on my race schedule next year.
