rand
Senior Member
Registered: Oct 2003
Location: Virginia
Posts: 230 |
GRR/bodysock meets local race team
On Tuesday road to Livermore to meet theSpokesmen and Livermore Cyclonauts race team for their noontime training ride, today its their Carneal Loop, a fairly flat 660' with one climb in a ride that they post as animal fast.
I left at 10:30 am ridning my red socked GRR giving myself plenty of time so I will be rested when I get there and arrive about ten minutes early, the ride starts at 11:40 am. Some riders ask me about the bodysock and want to know if its aero dynamic, I tell them its like having aero bars and wheels on their bike, that I have it on today mostly for the sun protection. Say it was on for sun protection was like saying was really tired and just hoped to stay with them today, the bent translation was I was there to party and couldn't wait for the ride to start.
The roll out to the outskirts of town starts and this time lots of people are asking me about the bike as I drop to the back of the again fifty strong group. One rider is telling me the route, where every turn is, I have no idea where these roads are but listen quietly.
Its a hot day, in the low ninetys as we get outside of town and the wind is blowing strong. The pace quickens and the group is forming a left handed wing because of teh right to left crosswinds. I am surprised they are mostly single file left wedge and take the oppertunity to pass a far as I can on their right not wanting to cross the double yellow road lines to pass left. Two riders have broken away rom the front and pulled about a hundred yards ahead. I move up to about sixth position in the group and am blocked from going further, I stay in this general postion waiting for an opening. Then a rider slows on a slight uphill making a two bike opening and I zip through and am not hemmed in any longer and here a comment of,"there is a motor under the hood of that". There is a sharp left turn and we now have a tail wind and I quickly accellerate and close on the two front runners.
I see a climb ahead and stay with the two riders sharing pulls wanting to be as rested as possible for the climb, the early part of the climb I stay with the front three but then start to drop. I see the peleton gaining in my mirror and know to just stay working, the pelton is closing quick and soon passes me, a couple riders say,"nice work" as I watch them pull away as a group.
Its a 1-2 mile climb and I crest the top, I see the peleton has split and there is a smaller group ahead, my speed rapidly increases on the decent and I start calculating when I will catch the first group. I know not to wear my self out spinning too fast and continue my overtaking of the first group, I see their heads turning to look back every so often, they know I am coming and overtake them about 4 mph faster than they are moving, one rider breaks to stay with me, I slow just a little as you can always use an ally but he cannot keep pace and I speed up again hunting to the fast pack.
Its all flats now and I am cooking in the 53-11, a few riders head have been dropped and I reel them quickly in like a minnow and see the lead peleton of about 15 riders.
As far as I can see its fairly flat, riders are looking back now and then and I let me speed carry me past the group at about 3-4 mph faster than they are going not slowing at all as I pass.
One rider in a blue jersy makes a break to catch up, I slow a bit to see if he can bridge the gap, you can always use an ally. He makes it and I know he is a strong rider. I am in the front and the blue jersy'd rider shouts out when a turn is coming, I am really glad he is there. One sharp corner I take a twenty yard gap and slow for my blue jersy'd ally to hook back up. I am surprised he says he is sorry and we pick up speed in what are now strong crosswinds.
Ahead I see two riders turrning left onto the road, they have taken a short cut. We pass them is short order about 2-3 mph faster in the crosswinds, my ally passes to take a pull and I get a short rest and am very grateful for that. I soon take the lead, its amazing how even a short rest can bring back strength and we press on through the crosswinds, the peleton has dropped 400-500 yards back.
A left turn and a slight uphill now directly into a strong headwind, am still in the large chain ring but in the low 20's in speed. The Blue jersy'd rider passes to take a pull, he is standing working as hard as he can, the wind quickly slows him down and I repass thankful for the rest.
A right turn and cross tailinds, it feels so easy to pedal now. I see the Blue jersy'd rider slow way down, I slow too wondering if he has a problem, the two riders we passed a few miles ago catch up and are now pedaling slow too. The ride is over and a regroup to ride back through town has started.
What a fun group to ride with! Its not often you find upright riders that will work with a bent. Had a lot of questions about the bike riding in. Is it hot? Whereis it made? How fast can you go? No one asked if it was slower climbing. Fun, fun fun!!! two rides with the race group and twice the GRR finished first, Hubba!!!
So if you ever near Livermore and want a fun fast training ride,
The actual meeting time is closer to 11:25 and the group usually departs by 11:30. The daily ride is determined by the day of the week. The only exception may be on the Tuesday after a Monday Holiday (which then becomes a "virtual" Monday). The unofficial group leader of the 11:30 group is Darrel Lager. The ride pace is not considered beginner as it is often quite brisk. The nice part about these rides is that there is always a "regrouping" point where the pack waits a reasonable amount of time for those who have not been able to keep up with the pace. The 11:30 group is affectionately called the "B" team by the "Noon" group. This is a good place to work on pack riding skills, speed, and endurance. The size of the group ranges from 10 to 25 riders.
The 11:40 (aka "noon") Group Weekday Ride Distance (miles) Terrain &
Elevation(ft) Duration
Monday Patterson Pass 22.7 Hilly
1650 ~1 hr 10 min
Tuesday Carneal Loop 25.0 Flat
660 ~1 hr 10 min
Wednesday Tesla 14.7 or 18.2 Moderately Hilly,
1090 or 1830 ~ 1 hr
Thursday Patterson Pass 22.7 Hilly
1650 ~1 hr 10 min
Friday Reverse Carneal Loop 25.0 Flat
660 ~ 1 hr 10 min
The "Noon" group is the "A" team of the Cycletrons. These rides are often very fast. Wednesdays, and Fridays are supposed to be "rest days", but often turn out to be quite spirited. Tuesdays and Thursdays are "hard days" and the pack lets there be no doubt. Some of the members of the Valley Spokesmen Racing Team use this ride for training. Sometimes, riders come from out of town to ride in the infamous Noon ride. Stan Terusaki, is the unofficial ride leader, mainly because he is one of the more charming members of the groups. Riders start gathering at 11:25 am and the ride departs at 11:30 (Please don't ask why they are called the noon group or 11:40 when they start at 11:30:-). This ride is not recommended for beginners. The pace is fast and excellent pack riding skills are a must. The size of the group ranges f rom 10 to 20 riders.
Hubba,
rand
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06-21-2006 04:43 PM
