Monday, October 17, 2011

Oh, it seems to be travel season again. And Cyclocross.

Last week I started the annual Fall work travel season, with a trip to Norwood, Ma. Haven't been to Norwood in like 5 years, it hasn't changed. Chose to fly into PVD instead of BOS, brilliant planning, small easy interstate access airport. Yet, the travel from the gate to the rental car counter was a very........... long.............. trip............. alas, got my Ford Focus and headed north to Norwood, I stayed the last noight of the trip at a hotel right next to PVD, as I had a 6am flight. Luckily, my high school best friend lives in Providence with his wife and kids, and we ended up meeting for dinner. Ironies of ironies is that when we were figuring out where to meet, he asked if i drove under the sky bridge to find my hotel, I said, of course, that freaking long ass one?? He said, 'I designed that' (he is an architect) Of course he did :) It was great catching up with him, hadn't seen him in about 15 years.

So i got home around 1pm Friday, and went to sleep. Lyna got home from work, sick, so she was out for the Weber Fairgrounds CX race.

I skipped Weber Fairgrounds last year, I may have been out of town, but didn't lament it. Some people claim it to be their favorite. I don't hate it, but the long straights are not great for me in general, and then add that to racing single speed and i am usually suffering for back o pack there.

I got a good start into the first corners and settled into the top 8 or so, the first section is twisty with lot of wide 180's, braking is not required usually here, but in a tight group, well, they brake, you brake. 1st log is easy to clear without a dismoutn, quikcly followed by a triple log, that is a required dismount for 99.9% of us. Then ther is a bunch more twisty's followed by a log that is easy to think you can jump it. Ryan A cleared it on lap one, Bo P tried right in front of me and didn't (he went on to win) So, i had a log, Bo and Bo's bike to clear, which i did. The lap was short (Actually all but 2 of my laps were either 6:26 or 6:25)

Chris C., Nate D. and I then traded spots for a few laps, till I put a small gap on them, I then made my way through several B's until Cody H and Jay B were a few turns ahead. Never was able to catch them though and endd up 6th, which for me, on that course, is good.

Sunday was a Team ride up PC way. Up Armstrong, over Mid Mountain Down Ambush, Rob' sad Rosebud, it was prime colors and conditions.

Tomorrow Evening I fly back east for a few days, NYC this time, great.

Saturday is the 2nd annual CX out Cancer at wheeler farm. Rabid, they even have a 5k before the Bike racing begins. Go here to donate to the Huntsman Cancer Foundation.

Speaking of Rabid, she sent a care package to my office.


2 comments:

Ski Bike Junkie said...

That Weber course is kinda like Uncle Rico and steel frame bicycles: I seem to remember it as being better than it actually was. Seems like last year it was more turny in the infield, but maybe not. Either way, it was a 60 minute time trial. Meh. State Fairgrounds is where it's at.

Rabid said...

Well... I know how much you like stickers. It would be selfish of me not to share...