Home Sweet Home

I had excellent company on my recovery ride today. Stephen road his cross bike, perhaps for the first time since cross season and Alia confidently mounted the trail along behind my cross bike. We headed north toward Mountaindale. A storm was just arriving with a little wind and spit for rain. By the time we turned west we could feel the cross wind but there wasn’t any increase in precipitation so I continued to take us north. I explained to the children what a great tail wind we were having since we couldn’t feel it at all. It was another story when we turned around just before the timber piles. The wind halved our speed and intensified the chill of the rain and imminent storm.
Getting home was more of a challenge. Alia’s occasional whimpering due to cold and discomfort frequently sounded like a flatting tire. Stephen had trouble keeping a straight line with the wind gusts and passing trucks but continued to use multiply gears to get up the inclines and push into the wind. While I kept my heart rate down my anxiety grew for my children as the fierceness of the wind and rain increased. We made it ~12 miles in an hour.
Immediately after getting his bike and helmet put away Stephen crawled under his comforter. Before taking her helmet off Alia ran warm water over her hands to no avail. She then turned on the gas stove and sat there petting the dogs until I offered the warmth under my shirt for her cold hands. Because of the winter like storm, on this first Monday of Spring, we should have gone out earlier or not at all. While we were peddling Alia said, “Good idea MOM!” In an attempt to sway her mood I replied with sincere gratitude. To which she clearly stated, “I was being sarcastic!” Once we got home they quickly forgave me.

My First Road Race

After wanting to do at least one of the Banana Belt series’ races for the past three years, I’ve done it. I’m registered for the whole three race series. I raced in Cat 4 along with 5 other Hammer Velo women teammates. They scheduled the Master Women to start five minutes after Cat 4, but as we we’re lining up they delayed Cat 4 to race with the Master Women, putting about 36 women on the course. There was a mystery rider in the pack who I’ll mention later.

We had a team plan to stay in the front and set the pace, fast. I didn’t come up with that, but I was all for trying to stay in the front, if I could. My goals were to do my best to contribute to the team strategy and to stay with the pack. I took a turn at pulling twice maybe three times. One of our teammates, Lindsay led most of the race. She really claimed it. I was able to help her a couple of times, but only for ~ 1 minute. Another mate, Anna got up for quite awhile and pulled strong on lap three. I found myself at what seemed like the back on a number of the climbs. I can see this changing as I continue to train, ride and race, especially with my team. Anyway we were definitely an encouragement to each other. Mid-way through lap three, maybe even sooner there was a big break away group. Lindsay and Anna were there. SallyAnn, Jennifer and I worked with others nearly drawing them in, but it never happened. This second group started shrinking, I stayed on until the climb before the descent to the damn. From then on I was alone.

SallyAnn was riding consistent and provided a wheel for me to follow a few times when I was slowing. I was able to hang on to the pack at least once by meeting up with Jennifer at a crest and moving up in a descent. Sadly we lost Christy early on. Her chain dropped and tending to that caused her to drop off the pack. Having missed out on racing Jack Frost, Christy made up for with a 30 mile TT at Hagg Lake.

It was a really good experience and I expect it will be even more fun with better weather. It was cool, the ground was wet, which I understand from my friend, Martha, can be good making for less road resistance, but the rain brought a chill. The many neutrals we were required to take were a significant frustration.

It was a really neat experience providing the service of the lead car for the Master 4/5 men. I was getting tired as drove along in my WARM car. Having the company of our son and the responsibility of leading the racers kept me alert thought. It was pretty cool to see Hammer Velo men up front the whole race. Dave seemed to lead most of the race and Hugh and his friend, Jake, lead a breakaway at the end. Too bad they did not take 1, 2. Alia and Stephen did support with Hugh for Cat 3 in the morning. Then Alia joined Mile and Theresa Olson and Shari Tedder at registration while Stephen and I were on the course in the afternoon. It was a great day for our whole family.

Just to Mess with Us?

Here’s my story about the mystery rider who is strong and could be great, no doubt, if she cared to learn how to race or ride with others. Measuring ~ 6 feet or more and weighing 200+ lbs., this woman messed with us for nearly 2 laps. She rode what looked like a sturdy bike with fenders and dangling mud flaps.

I hope I am not the only one to comment on a woman in the Wm Cat 4/ Master Wm. with the #295. She seemed to ride intentionally reckless. I don't see her in the results, but I know she was in the race. While I never saw her push anyone or ride into anyone's wheel or bike, she would swerve back and forth in the middle of a bunch and worse so if people tried to ride around her. Trying to get in front seemed to bring on retaliation where as she would ride all the more recklessly. When asked to hold her line so that riders could pass she made it so you could not get by without going over the yellow line and mouth off saying she had no intention of letting someone by just cause they said, "On your left." As her ability to keep with the pack diminished her dangerous riding became less of a hazard.

So I suppose she has as much right as anyone to ride in OBRA events since she really did not make physical contact. Just the same it was more like roller derby with her than a cycling event let alone a road race where everyone wants to finish with bike and body intact.

Is this par for the course in road racing?

Beautiful People Living Beautiful Lives

I may be the last person I know who bikes in Oregon to join OBRA Chat, but just in case you missed Rick E Martin’s public notice there on Friday, I want to include it here.

"Here's something funny for you all....it's been 22 years with no 
car....commuting, racing, epic rides ect. 
I went out and got myself a car, haven't ridden my bike since the 
september bta commute, gained 50 lbs. Few people have hardly recognized 
me, and well, I'm done! Burnt out, I can't even get myself back on the 
bike. 
Money is tight and well my wife and I are buying a farm in the molalla 
area and we're going to do some organic farming and build a cyclocross 
course for some people to come out and enjoy, train, eat good food and 
pretty much...chill out. 
I will go back to doing my long epic mtn. Bike rides. (Oakridge here I 
come!) 
I have hair on my legs again and it's awesome! 
It's was fun while it lasted! 
So no.....raam will have to happen in another life."