Friday, May 15, 2009

Tall Ride & Links

In my quest to become a faster rider a couple of weeks ago I publicly called out all offers for an ass-whipping. Last night the call was answered. 6:30pm at the gate at Gameline a group gathered for a quick loop of the park.

A group of about thirteen of us gathered for a loop of the park.

The ride was exactly what I was looking for - something punishing, something to strive to get faster for, some good folks with no attitude or egos to ride with and a fun time. I surprised myself by being able to stay near the front as we climbed Pinks. Every time I looked down we were averaging around 21km/hr. I thought for sure I'd be shot out the back, but by the time we got to the top I had hung on and not lost my position. I guess my fragile ego must have dug deep to find some great courage to dance on the pedals long enough to stay in the group (how's that for a Paul Sherwin commentary?!). However, as soon as it flattened out, the pace stayed high enough that I had a hard time staying on as I tried to recover. The group basically held together until the Fortune climb.

Felt like someone ripped off both my legs and beat me with them.

I must have blown my load in my effort up Pinks 'cause I had nothing on Fortune. By the gate to the Fortune Parkway near P10 I was off the back and basically rode to the top alone with the only goal in mind was to keep them within eye sight. I was almost successful. The guys were kind enough to wait at the top near Lac Fortune for me - seemed it took me so long that they were able to set up a card table and got through a game of Crazy 8's while waiting. The ride up to Champlain was good, as it's a gradual climb and the pace wasn't too bad.

Of all the places to fall off and totally lose contact was on a down. A small gap opened between me and the last guy and before long it was huge and I couldn't gap it. What I'm learning about riding in a group of roadies who know what they're doing is that you have to pay attention, stay on the wheel in front of you and anticipate any change in pace. If you don't, you're spit out the back. As difficult as it is trying to keep up to guys a calibre or two higher than I am, it was a lot of fun.

Speaking of the Tall Tree guys . . . .

The Tall Tree crew is planning a dam ride. Unfortunately I cannot make it. Dam it. It's going to be a dam good ride. Check it out.

Link Dumpage:
  • My Eyes! They burn! Yesterday morning, while reading my morning blogs and trying to enjoy a bowl of granola and coffee, something disturbing made me I throw up a little. No, it wasn't because it was his fourth day in a row of reporting on the DSG race (is three laps really worthy of four days of blogging?) Click on over to Dicky's blog, cause he has given a whole new meaning to the word Fjear. I know that most of you continue to come to my blog in hopes of a new Naked Gear Review(can I help it if I'm eye candy? And, yes, I am working on a couple of reviews). After visiting Bad Idea Racing you won't want to go back. Leave taking off your clothing to the pro's Dicky.
  • The Goat is Back My favourite person and riding buddy, formly from North Carolina, Jeremy is back in the blog-o-sphere with adventures from Colorado. Great to see him on his bike again. Clicky clicky.
  • Giro - If you're like me, you hope that if you watch fast guys on bikes that somehow you'll be fast too. Interested in watching the Giro d'Italia and can't find it on TV? Rodd put me onto Universal Sports. Bagged from the beating I took at the ride last night, I fell asleep while I watched stage five last night.
  • Cycling Tips - since I'm a roadie now (does doing one loop of the park with guys who road race make me a roadie? I'm still not going to shave my legs though) I can share with you the place where I get all my cycling tips that make me so fast.

7 comments:

dicky said...

Still can't count eh?

Only two laps and now FIVE days of blogging.

That's one day of blogging per two miles of movement on the course (I woulda said riding if it were appropriate).

Anonymous said...

Impossible to beat richy boy in the blogging! Don't even bother...
that mommaboyofabiker has been blogging for ever since he was little boy dribbling over his tricycle!
Have great respect for that guy - has 2 kids, bikes all day long, then goes and races on weekends!
Full on schedule! Jammed pack with excitement...
The man loves biking!!!

I surely wish one of the bike mags would pick him up. Then again bike mag writters are all made up of stiffies...

good read his blog is.

Many just bike and thats their only responsibility... that's easy. (like one site out there - all made up of coaches and the only damn thing in their life is - training. Easy...)

As for the loop - everyone makes it up Pinks. Its Fortune climb where people get dropped.
Yah wanta win - wait till August, when everyone is burnt out...
People are just power houses right now. They spent the whole damn winter on trainers mostly!! Except for the tall tree boyz and girlz. Just love it that they head out in the dead of winter. That takes some gutts and commitment.
Trainers are for hamsters!
Going out in -40oC is for tough mother fuckers. Yah gotta have balls of steal and courage of a nice wet snot!

Anonymous said...

"shave my legs though"

shaving legs is gay. Don't sir cum to it!

I always ask myself -
why is it that we put on tight shorts

why is it that many shave their legs

why is it that road shoes fit like reversed high heal shoes

why is it that we need to dress ourselves up like some hooker advertising for tampax?

Sometimes I think the cycling world is influenced by a bunch of flunky gay designers that just couldn't make it in the fashion world. So, we are stuck and sucked into it...

I hate road shoes. And, I'll keep my hairy legs, unless I get a sex change.

Another strange thing - we all took up mtbing for the enjoyment of it. As we get more and more into racing, we move more and more into road riding. Then to get farther into it, we get into trainers. Farther and farther away from the sport we loved. To become hamsters.
Why is that?

Anonymous said...

here's a great vid of DSG

http://www.jeremiahbishop.com/blog/index.htm

see the video.

Anonymous said...

or here as well:

http://www.cyclingdirt.org/videos/coverage/view_video/234968-2009-dirt-sweat-gears/177718-harlan-price-2nd-pro-solo-post-race-interview

Harlan and jermiah always kick butt out there.

Truely admire these riders... cause they ride!!!
Not just hamsters on a trainer.

wade wallace said...

Thanks for the "Cycling Tips" link mention. Glad you like it.

Great blog yourself Craig. Makes me miss Canada and mountain biking.

Bookmarked and subscribed.

Thanks

Wade

the original big ring said...

Cheers Wade!