Dumbarton

I ride over the Dumbarton bridge just about every morning to get to work, as do a number of others. It's kind of a community I guess since you see the same people over and over again. Also meet up with a group sometimes to ride together: Chris Patterson, Ken, George. It's actually how I started to ride the bike altogether three and a half years ago when I got tired of getting stuck on it in my car every day!

I bring all this up to see if anyone knows what's up with the black tarp along the two miles of frontage fence with the freeway that was put up a couple of weeks ago. Didn't these people know how hard the wind blows every afternoon? All the cyclists knew to be sure. You either hit 30 mph with the tailwind, or are hating all the work you need to put into 18 mph.

So of course, day one the thing is blowing down. Was trying to figure why they went to the trouble. Construction? doesn't look it. Cosmetic? Isn't working.

If anyone can help me here, would appreciate it.

That dusty little town...

...that we call San Ardo. Who would have thought I would like this one? Did it two years ago in the 3's and it was snoresville, and ulimately very frustrating. Ended with me out of position in a mass sprint as Jack Rector showed his mass sprint magic. I had to learn than from the results later since I couldn't SEE the finish. Got caught in the back of the pack over that bridge.

Anyway, cut to two year's later and a different field, what a difference. It was John W and I, and we are looking at all the pros that showed up on the start line thinking wtf? Slipstream, Navigator's, Kodak, Jittery Joe's. What are they doing in dust town?

Pretty active race from the get go, with Cal Giant and some other guy (Arete?) off the front the first lap. I was snoozing the first lap and had to be informed that this was the case. Actually heard the Cal Giant guys making annoying comments like 'if *I* had missed the break I'd be working too'. So, when Spine and Lombardi made a bridging move 1.5 laps in, I went with. Worked some, but it ended up being easy to catch the two, who were hidden ahead of the 45+ 4/5 field in front of us. Things got messed up though, cause that field decided to jump on our wheels on the way past. No amount of shouting could discourage them from this endeavor, and really, if we had the speed we needed we should have been able to leave them right? So no surprise that we were caught pretty soon afterward. Funny thing about the CalGiant guys, cause both times in the break they seemed determined to kill it. I guess that's a tactic, since they have so many guys waiting to sprint, but it's unfortunate. Keep saying 'slow down', 'you'll get caught anyway', what kind of an attitude is that?

Which leads to the next break. Another was off for lap 3 that looked threatening, but was caught, then last lap through the rollers, CVC and someone else hammered the last rollers. I jumped on and all of a sudden we had seven riders and a gap. CalGiant, CVC, LG, AV, me, Lombardi, and out-of-town team that I don't recall. Anyway, some couldn't work, others wouldn't work, CalGiant was determined to sit in (blamed it on me for going too hard he said). Me and a couple of other riders drove it, cause I figure you're out with 15 miles to go, give it a try right?

I actually attacked the break at one point, cause the pace was such that we were going to get caught. Sped up JUST enough to make by seconds. Another 500 yrds and they would have been on us. As it was we let a Slipstream rider bridge up Jared so that he could win the thing (caught us with about 800 yrds to go), CalGiant jumped me (no surprise there) and Matt from Lombardi has a good sprint (worked pretty hard too, so kudos). 4th in an RR is new for me, so I was happy.

John got to sit in all day, which is great. Almost cracked the top ten (11th), so must have been top three in the field sprint. Definitely will be winning one some time soon.

Really nice day out... just don't think about the five hours of driving being longer than the actual race.

Thursday Night Track

Tried out Larry's points racing for the first time. I hadn't done such a long one (the A's did 90 laps), had a good time.

Need to get more aggresive about the early points cause I think that's what hurts me. Got into a break with BJM (stud), Dribble (TT stud), Langley (Track stud) that I thought would bring it down to top four. But with all the confusion of lapped riders jumping in and out I didn't realize that Mendonca had gotten back on the same lap as us and was competing for points. I got more points in the later, but once he was back in our group he bumped me from fourth. Meanwhile Langley is hanging out schooling me in the sprints. Well, live and learn.

Had a good time, got to warm up behind the As and Bs so got plenty of a workout.

Thanks to Larry for putting these on.

Track

First time with thurs night races. Had a good time, but things got
very confusing after man break developed. Bjm, dribble, langley, me.
With lapped riders, i didnt see that mendonca got back on and bumped
me to 5th.

Hutch takes 3rd!

At the WORLD Master's Championship.
Pretty sweet!

And those AMD 45+ guys did really well: http://www.masterswm.org/2007/ergebnis/m3.pdf

super geezers rule

It only occured to me an hour later that three of the top five at Suisun p12 race were over 40. I don't put myself in league with KKlein and Wohlberg (I did finish behind them), but we do share the age group. Badia made a bold move with 800 yrds to go, held off the field. It was me chasing, towing Chad, Eric, and Kevin with me. They all came around me before the line, but getting points with p12 crowd always makes me happy.

Also, was really good to have John W in the race with me. I know we're going to connect this thing for a win one day soon: today, I joined Riggs and KKlein diving turn one, last lap, and it was pretty dicey. Sounds like John lost my wheel here. Good to have a teammate to work for and work for you, etc. And he got his first p12 prime! Nice work John.

Luckily those other 40 yo's 'don't do' the Masters, cause I was able to win that one. Wasn't really planning on it, but Pasco and EMC went off the front from the gun. I got on, we were almost caught, Pasco and EMC sat up, then 3BRT got on with Shaw's. The three of us got a good gap, then after some laps I saw the back of the field! That really got me going hard, dropped Shaw's. 3BRT got pretty cooked but helped some, and we were able to latch on the back of the back of the pack. It was splintered in 3 when we got there, and we lapped 2 of those. I don't take this lightly, I've never lapped the field away from the track! Anyway, 3BRT got me nervous as far as whether he would or wouldn't contest the sprint. First he congratulated me with a lap to go, meaning no contest right? But then he seemed to be trying to get past me, so I laid on a 'sprint' to finish it off.

I didn't want a repeat of Mike Sayers at Santa Rosa this year: yelling cause of some miscommunication as to etiquette, who said what, etc. In the end, the finish line is the finish line and you gotta go over it first right?

Would like not to mention that I slid out in the P12 race, but that's what happened. In a six man break, I got waved through a little too close to turn four. I went too wide and slid out. Sorry to Buckley from Spine who slid with me. We both got back in the race though. Two kits and one tire aside, everything was fine. Thank god it was the rarer counter clockwise crit so I could fall on the left side, not the right, where things are still tender.

Dunnigan

Had a great time at the race today. Mostly cause the team did really well: we were represented in just about every break which meant we could sit back.

John got in the longest, for most of the first lap. It was promising from our viewpoint: seven guys or so? Switters was in it... When we caught them, I got away with Jarrod and Dribble from Davis. We went pretty hard but weren't able to make enough ground and were caught after 20-25 mins or so.

The next counter was started by Vince from CVC and did not look dangerous at first but then another five or so bridged and they got a pretty good gap. I and a Giant rider worked the front to keep the pace up at the front. With about 15 miles to go, Haydn and I got into a chase group of another seven or so. We quickly caught the break and kept on going. With 5 miles to go we had 30 seconds but it was closing. The group wasn't worked very well together. Four or five of the riders were doing most of the work. I tried to get Haydn to sit in and let me do his work for him, though Haydn did do some work. I would let gaps open behind Haydn if there was an attack and let the others chase. I figured either Haydn would get away or at least wear down the others.

With 1K to go the field was only five seconds behind. Dominic from AV attacked but died. At the overpass I attacked but so did another group. I settled into 8th wheel watching K Klein, hoping to jump on. When he did and won, I didn't follow very well, but Haydn got 4th right behind him. I got 8th. Good showing.

Keep up with Haydn

I think I found the link to the World Masters event. See how Haydn and Mike Hutchinson are doing in Austria next week. Good on ya mate! Use those melatonin, and adjust...

wither master's racing next year...

No Safeway, no AMD, no Hernandez. Generally I like the p1/2 races more than the masters races (just a little more edge to it), but I do like doubling up with the masters crits. Hopefully it doesn't lose any of it's quality. What will the team makeup be, who the big players.

By the way Hernandez isn't going away, his blog just states that he'll be don't p1/2 racing.

Wed night racing

Last night was a lot of fun. Did my first and second Keirin, managed to win the Consolation round, which was somewhat of a... consolation, I guess.

A bee strung Reaney still was strong enough to make us look like weaklings in the points race. I was trying to race smart for once, and was being selfish. Sorry Steve...

Recovering (oh hell, he's done recovering now right?) Hernando was his dangerous self. Doug Hall, seems unhappy with his performance, but being a 5 in the A's seems to be doing pretty well to me.

A high point was in the Keirin, the Los Gatos rider (young guy, anyone give me his name?) was trying to make room for himself and Reaney head butted him about ten times in a row. LG didn't flinch, made for a lots of fun. They seemed to be laughing over it afterwards so all in good fun.

I managed to get more than one point last night, which was my total from last week. Turns out I got a point for 7th in the Miss n Out in 8/8, whereas I thought I hadn't regeistered at all. Starting to like the Miss n Out a lot more. Last night I realized it's better to ride on the front of the thing instead of getting taken out first lap riding in the back. Not the best way to win it, cause you're tired for the bell lap, but at least you can make the bell lap. Steve Pelaez came flying by for the win: man what a sprint that guy can put on. Guess that's why he won the National Qualifying sprint on the w/e.

Oh, and damn, how Julie G dominated the C's! Julie, maybe you should give the B's a try. Our own Karla (I call her our own cause she does our Tues night Port ride) was second, riding strong.

Track tonight.

Redeem myself from last week. POO ride almost over for me, maybe be out there two or three more times.

Velo Promo buys a computer

They already have the TT times up! Wow...

Notice that Kevin Metcalfe turned around after the p1/2 TT and did it again in the 35+ 1/2/3! That's pretty cool. Didn't lose much time either the second time around.

I really liked the event actually, also liked that VP made a special effort to pay out 25% of reg fees into the prizes so that the winner of the 3's, Mike Holt, got $100.

I actually wish that there was another TT this season. I'll have to wait until the Knight's Ferry Duathlon to get the rig out for an official ride. I bought my TT rig for this event last year but didn't have time to get it assembled. Will hit the target this year, getting ready for some of those early season TTs in 2008.

Cal Cup beginning

Patterson Pass yesterday and Esparto today. Patterson was really hard, I had done it last year and did well, but that was in the 3's and there was no WIND. This year started with 60 or so and ended with 15-20 guys, which didn't include me. I made it over the 3rd climb fine but lost concentration on the second climb on the back and lost the pack... the wind coming down was amazing, first time riding the ZIPPs in the wind, big mistake. Just about got blown into the barbed wire fence.

Today at Esparto was more fun. I've only done two before and one was just a mess. So this is the second time that I've really worked on it well. I was 26.7 mph average for the 30K, making it in 41:03. Thought that was pretty good, but in this field (p1/2) was only 13th. Still, I think I can work off at least a minute, if not more.

Good to see Ryan get 5th in the 3's TT, as well as 5th yesterday in the RR. May put him in the lead of the Cal Cup. If Mike H gets back and does well next week could set up a good match (Ryan may have to get over his hatred of the Crit here, and ride that Giro).

Ridin with the A's

Last night was my first time riding the A's from beginning to end at the track. Mixed bag: I was nervous and made a mistake as far as handling, luckily it all ended well. I took my lickings from the group. Live and learn. Wasn't able to garner any points though!

Attacked in the Win and Out with Doug Hall but was schooled by the old pros, catching us with a lap to go and leaving us both behind.

First time doing a standing start in the Chariots and that went even worse.

And, first time ever being called a 'negative racer'. Some kind of pent up anger by a guy having a bad season I think... Oh well, I love to get criticism: when it's coming from a good source and a cleaner mouth.

Better honest than good...

The title was my motto yesterday at the Timpani Crit. Lots of work at the front, lots of attacks, but not much to show for it except that I finally have some post crash fitness back.

Was a pleasure racing with new teammate John Wilk, I think that we will have an opportunity arise where he can be delivered at the right time and place to make something happen. Unfortunately my string of bad luck continued with two bikes exploding with two turns to go in the last lap. At least this time it didn't lead to a crash, but with my nerves there I basically sat up at the point. John was able to hold on for 14th or so, but it would have been a top ten at least if our mini train had continued. I was probably tenth or so at the time, and was ready to lead John out to the last turn. We did a good job of finding each other last five laps.

Unfortunately the last five laps was very disorganized field-wise. There were three different trains started and dismantled(Metromint's was promising, but it was just the two of them and me) before CalGiant finally got it going last lap. I was able to stay top five in all but the last lap. By the last lap, they had stranded me off the front solo and I had to jump back in at turn one, last lap. Still felt good, and John was right there.

Working backwards in the race, there was a constant barrage of attacks throughout. Some were a little more dangerous, but nothing stuck. It was a little like Memorial Day, where I thought it would be a pack sprint, but there a group of five did get off which stuck (though the back end of it was caught by the field, the front was not). This is a similar course, wide open, hard to get away. I thought team wise we covered pretty well. John got into a couple so I could chill here and there. Still felt great at the end, to be able to stay up front.

Master's was weird. Was in a couple of breaks, but guys weren't willing to go fast enough to stay away. Maybe the EMC guys really didn't WANT it to stay away. I mean, what's the point of saying slow down when we're trying to create a gap. Anyway, I was third going into the last turn, and it was question of handling the bike better, cause Rich went outside as he was dying off and that pushed me out, but Bosch who was second wheel went inside. There he was able to latch onto a faster train that did a lot better than us.

AND: congratulations to Mike H for winning the 3's. Think we'll have him on the 2's team soon! TO domintation of the 3's continues...

Epicness of the RR

Sure crits can witness heroic efforts, and the track has big moments, but who can say they compare from a pure Epic point of view with the Road Race. This is my first year racing the p1/2 field, and I will say that their crits can come close in the amount of effort just to see the finish line, but even then, the length, the industrial park setting, the repetitive circuit, still can't compare.

You drain yourself to nothing in a tough Road Race. Yesterday, after Fort Ord, when I finally stopped pedalling, drifting to the parking lot, my body was so spent I couldn't believe that I had just been able to ride anything like that for five minutes, let alone five hours.

You see tough guys in any other setting, just break down before your eyes. They'll be going strong in front of you one minute, then the next the lights go off and they float away, not to be seen again.

Then there is the climb, willing yourself to stay on that wheel in front. The agony if you do lose it. Can you do one more effort to get back on? Is this it? No, I'll be here for another lap. It takes a good mix of the mental and physical to get yourself over...

foggy morning

It's bad form to only blog the good news.... I have to admit I've been less excited about typing reports, etc since my post crash non fitness came into focus.

Still, there has been plenty of fun out there. Yesterday for instance, at the District RR Championships, that was more fun than should be had on a foggy, cold Saturday morning.

It was a watershed day in a way for TeamOakland, we had more riders in the p1/2 than we did in the 4's. That's something to think about. We had Haydn, John, Scott, and I. Haydn and Scott had made noises about doing the Masters crit, but when they saw the 15 man field vs the big, big p1/2 field, they couldn't resist. Personally, I was never going to leave young master Wilk in the race all by himself...

At 110 miles (I believe my Garmin over Velo Promo on the distance) and 9400' of climbing, I can't say I was well prepared, but thought there's better way to get into the water rather than just jump in. We shed people every time over the climb. That little climb is small, but I think together with all the other battles you fight on that course it just takes it's toll. Plus at the top, if there any gap at all, you would need to fight the big headwind. A lot of attacks were occuring at the top of the climb and then on the flats on top. Guys staying back on the climb trying to conserve could be caught out quickly and their race was over.

John went on a two lap break about 2 laps in, which was a really good effort. Really good to get that exposure, also tactical for the team. That was with Chava, and Max from Metromint. They got caught after a while. Chava went again, after wunderkind Jarrod (Metromint) attacked for the umpteenth time and got away. It was at the turn around I think? They made a really big gap quickly and weren't to be seen again, for a long time. By the way, the turn around claimed a lot of victims too.

So the break turned into four, with an AV rider with Chava, Jarrod, and EMC. Giant were sort of blocking, or at least not pulling any more, and no other team was willing to do any. We were going along at 18 mph, or something retarded. I thought I would try to get something going and accelerated through. Somehow that turned into a half lap solo effort that at least let me do the climb easy, letting myself get caught just after the top.

I would like to think that the attacks is what made me get dropped on the ninth time over the climb, who knows. Maybe it was the bee sting, damn! that happened right after getting dropped, so that's not it. Anyway, did a lap with two other riders, and so was one of the last finishers anyway. Cringed a little when my wife said "at least you finished!".

Haydn was great by the way, he was a lot more patient than I and got top fifteen somewhere. Not bad for claiming to haven't rode that far since 2003! Some of that toughness from 'stralia.

I won't be surprised if it was close to 100 starters, but I'm guessing less than 30 finishers. I'll say 25, but I wasn't going to stick around long to see where I was.

Oh, I was about to go without telling the end of the break story! Chava was shelled, AV was shelled, and Jarrod and EMC still had 1:40 gap with one lap to go (had a max of 3 min at one point). Cal Giant ( and a little DBC too ) work had whittled it down, using up almost all their riders in the process. Then after the feed, two Strawberrys and Ted Huang attacked something fierce. I could see them one two way rode, killing it. They caught the break just before the end (not sure exactly where) and Cal Giant took it, with Huang in second. Hope Jarrod was third, what an effort!