The Suitcase of Courage

Cape Cod Training Camp(?)

Strange - I'm beginning this post the same way I ended the last post.  But believe it or not, this is a totally different picture of a different day.  Yes, there have been only TWO snow days so far this year, and I got a pic of each of them.

This picture is more special though since it was shot on the morning of our trip to Chatham, MA out on the "elbow" of Cape Cod.  I'd promised Mrs. Suitcase a little 3 day weekend away for her birthday and - bonus! - I got to take my bike.  But seeing this snow shocker when we woke up prompted me to get a trainer ride in before we left.

Good thing - all the way up that Friday it was snowy and rainy.  Just as well - I'd gotten my workout in and could take the rest of the day off to read & nap at the B&B.

The next day was cold but sunny.  And - as I was to find out - VERY windy.  The Mrs. had plans for the afternoon and I took advantage of the time to get out for a ride.  This is the shot of the bike at the B&B - "B&B&B" as Velomonkey pointed out.

I rode west into the wind toward Harwich on the Chatham branch of the CCRT (Cape Cod Rail Trail), averaging a bit over 14 mph for a lot of effort.  But as I turned at the Harwich rotary (yes, even rail trails in Massachusetts have rotaries) and headed northeast to Orleans, I had mostly a tailwind.

Nice.

After a stop and a chat with Jahn at Idle Times Bike Shop, I headed back south along Rt. 28 to Chatham.  Despite the cold and wind, the scene above was MUCH nicer than the scene last time I rode here:

(taken from SDC's helmet cam/blog) 

Well, that was summer time (more crowded) and, um, northbound.

Anyway, I had no incidents this time and was happy to get the pretty pic along Little Pleasant Bay.

I was even happier to get back to the Mrs and enjoy reading by the fire back at the B&B.  I'd only ridden 32 miles, but it was a nice triangle route and - given the wind - was enough of a workout for the day.  Click here for the route map and details.

We had to check out the next morning, so I needed to get up extra early if I wanted to get one more ride in.  Which I did.  But it was a LOT colder and - unbelieveably - even MORE windy than the previous day.  I only rode 12.5 miles and was out about an hour, but I got to explore a lot of the local roads and side streets in Chatham and got some great pics.  The one above is of the lighthouse - well, one of the lighthouses.  As I discovered later, like Old Saybrook, Chatham has two of them.

This is down by the Chatham Fish Market.  Many of the boats were already gone fishin', but these pleasure craft were still bobbing around with the sunrise.

Another shot up the beach a ways.  The wind was so strong here I almost got blown over while I was trying to aim the camera.

I'd seen the "other" lighthouse in the distance during my ride the previous day, but wanted to be sure and go back with a decent camera to capture it.

I'm not quite sure how you get out there - the land wasn't connected from what I could see - but it certainly looks lonely, and a bit romantic, sitting out there so exposed to the elements.

I was feeling pretty exposed to the elements myself by that point, and it was getting near time for the the non-bed "B" part of the B&B.  Two Eggs Benedict and a few muffins & coffee later and I was ready to get us all packed up and back on the road to home.

I hadn't meant for our weekend getaway to evolve into a 2 day training camp, but I can never seem to go to Cape Cod and not take my bike - no matter what the weather.  And despite the temperature and "breeze" the sun certainly made for some nice rides - my 3rd and 4th rides outside of the year(!)

But it's back to the trainer this week, in preparation for Six Sundays in Purgatory the Bethel Spring Series this coming Sunday.  Despite my recent rides, I don't have the miles in my legs I'd hoped to by now, but racing with the guys is always a blast no matter what my condition.  If nothing else, at least I'll get some good blog fodder and you should see more frequent posts here in the coming weeks.

And even my license came in the mail on Monday - just in time.  So I've got no excuses, ready or not.  How about you?  Hope to see some of you out there!

A Miles Milestone & Other Activities

After the Turkey Day Ride, I did an increasingly rare two-fer - saddling up Saturday the 26th for my second ride in three days.  I must admit I spent almost as much time watching my odometer as I did watching the wheel in front of me.  It was the usual off-season loop - done "backwards" - but as we went over the bridge shortly before the right turn onto Great Hammock Road (and the shoreline), I finally saw what I'd been waiting for...

That's twenty THOUSAND miles on the ol' Cannondale R900.  My wife got me this bike as my ten year anniversary present way back in August, 2005 and I rode my first century ever (accidentally) the following month.  I took up racing in the spring of 2006 and have pedaled just about every two-wheeled mile on this frame.  The wheels and some of the components have changed over the years, but it's the same bike.  And while it's not as jazzy - or anywhere as light - as the latest plastic carbon bike, its aluminum frame still gets me where I'm going, sometimes faster than anybody else.  Any sluggishness is definitely symptomatic of my middle-aged frame, not the bike's.

And I don't mind pointing out that that's 20k ROAD miles - it doesn't include all the many miles I put in on the trainer during the last six winters (though it does include some miles on the rollers).  So it actually only works out to about 3-4,000 miles per year - nowhere near the totals some of my teammates rack up - but it's quite an accomplishment just the same.  Especially considering how much I've abused it in races and such, it's still going strong.

Here's hoping I can eek another 20 thou out of it!

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In other news.....

The long Thanksgiving weekend saw not only two bike rides, but the "official" kickoff to the 2011 Christmas Season.  And in our little corner of the world, that not only means Christmas lights....

 
.... but Christmas lights on boats.

This is the 2011 "Trees in the Rigging" boat parade on the Connecticut River in Essex.  Ever since moving to the area, we've been meaning to see this and finally got to it this year.  After a more traditional parade down Main Street, everybody goes over to the old steamboat dock to watch the boat parade pass.  It's a hotly contested event - and even two kyakers showed up this year - but it seems to be more for the benefit of the tourists than the locals.  When the announcer asked who came from less than 5 miles, the Missus and I were the only ones we heard yell.  Most folks came from over 50 miles away to see this festive flotilla.

With village strolls, tree lightings and even our own steam-locomotive-powered Noth Pole Express train, there is certainly plenty to see in the area.  But this past weekend we decided to be tourists ourselves and headed to Cape Cod for the day.  It's one of our favorite places on the planet and we enjoy it no matter what the season.  It's certainly less crowded than the height of summer, but Christmastime has its own attractions.

Like a decorated lighthouse(!)  This is Chatham Light, all decked out as if the spinning beacon weren't enough to let Santa know where to be sure to stop.

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So this is the nadir of the cycling season for me.  I was seriously considering starting my 2012 training yesterday (the first Monday in December) - REALLY I was.  But, alas, motivation has all but deserted me.  The first Monday in January should be just as effective, though I'll have to psyche myself up to actually start training on my birthday.  Birthday LT Test?  Yes, please.  Ugh.

However, in the past few days there have been some developments on my team that make me VERY excited about next season.  Very excited indeed.  Of course, I can't share any details with you right now.  But suffice it to say, after a "holding pattern" of sorts during 2011, I'm really looking forward to the races in 2012.

Thanks for your patience as my blog has been relatively quiet.  Rest assured, it'll ramp up again as I dust off the trainer and the rollers for the upcoming winter.

In the meantime, I hope you're having a wonderful holiday season so far with you and yours.  Get out to ride while you can - and if you do, keep an eye out for me.  You may just catch me out there too.

Still here....

It's been a crazy few weeks.  How many blog posts start out that way?  Not terribly original, but true.  We were percolating along nicely during the Summer of 2011, doing our usual racing & daytripping routine, when the wheels seemed to come off slowly grind to a halt around mid-August.  The change seemed to start with the cancellations of my final two big summer races (Hyannis & Fall River), then the Missus got sick for one of the Rent' Races and - coincidentally - I got stung by a bee.  So instead of racing, we spent that evening in the ER.  We had a slight up-tick in activity the last full week of August, racing TWICE (Rent' & Ninigret), but then The Hurricane Tropical Storm Irene came calling & we had to deal with that.  After she left, the weather took a decided turn for the chilly & the last Rent' race of the year was cancelled due to the National Guard using it for a staging area to help victims of the storm.

Talk about a strange - and abrupt - way to end the summer.  Instead of doing what we'd planned, the storm made us plan what we'd do (you have to when you're without power & water for days).  So before plunging totally headlong into Autumn, herewith are a few photos documenting the summer's ignominious end....

 

The night before the storm, I took a short ride around town and took a few "before" shots.  This is North Cove.

 

And here's Fenwick.

 

Here's Fenwick again, shortly after the bulk of the storm headed north.

 
We couldn't get to town our usual way.  This is one of five trees that were down, blocking the road and ripping out powerlines, between us and the substation.  We'd be without power (and since we have a well, we'd be without water) for four days.

 

This is the beginning of the causeway over South Cove and the beginning of the leadout/sprint for our Friday morning group ride.  Road's flooded.  Sprint's blocked.

 

The storm forced us all to be a little more creative.  Though this use of our grill isn't all that original, I'm glad it has the little gas burner on the side (though don't try to cook a pound of bacon without planning ahead where all that grease will go.  Ask me how I know).

 

And candles aren't the best way to roast a marshmallow, but anything'll do in a pinch.

 

One of the brightest discoveries (sorry) was how great my bike light was as a source of indirect/bounced light.  Aimed at the white ceiling, it just about lit the entire room.

 

As we started clearing things out, we discovered the main reason power wasn't being restored quickly.  This picture doesn't do it justice, but this is an absolutely GARGANTUAN tree across the street from our house that took out ALL of the powerlines.  Good thing it fell the way it did.  If it'd gone the opposite way, it would have totally destroyed the house (just off pic to the right).

 

We got by relatively unscathed.  A big branch came down in the front yard.  And this big, ivy-covered tree, came down in the back yard - right on top of our well.  Speaking of the well - and water - we were VERY blessed to not have gotten ANY water in the basement.  I was especially worried about that given all the rain and the fact that the sump wouldn't be working without power.

 

And another blessing: Clearing the tree away from the well revealed that it wasn't a direct hit.  The well is fine.

I was actually out on the regular Wednesday Night group ride when my neighbor texted me that we'd gotten our power back.  And one of the coolest things was heading back and seeing house after house, previously dark, now all lit up like Christmas.  Tim was on our ride and we all cheered when we saw his porch lights were finally on too.

Labor Day Weekend was a lot different this year.  Our traditional dinner couldn't happen - Dock 'n' Dine had been swamped by the river and the storm surge.  And instead of playing at the beach, most of us in Old Saybrook - and all over the state - spent the weekend cleaning up.  But what we had to deal with was nothing compared to the devastating flooding that happened in upstate NY and Vermont.  Nobody expected that and those folks are STILL trying to get things back together up there.  So all in all, certainly no worries here.

But now that the summer and my racing season are now officially over, it's time to turn my attention to my "off season" pursuits.  All that time indoors - and now that I don't have to train, I'll have a little more of that - allowed me to make some more progress on Chet's modules.  I don't think I've ever told Chet's story on this blog before, but since I expect I'll be sharing more photos like this, it's probably about time that I did.

Not quite time though.  While it seems forever ago now, I did do two last races and I've been able to get together for some great Saturday morning group rides that I'd like to share.

So watch this space.  There may not be any racing to report, but Autumn is one of the best times to ride.  And if you don't mind the "branching out" a little bit topic-wise, there'll be plenty of off-season activities to share with you too.

Motivation Monday:So-Called Setbacks & a "New" Bike

It's been 3 weeks - almost a month - since my last post, but it seems even longer.  For bike racers, July is the height of the season, with the Tour de France and a full calendar of races to choose from.  I could have raced both days of every weekend in July, in addition to at least two midweek races every week.  Then, it all seems to stop.  The TdeF finishes, the racing calendar begins to thin out, and even a race or two gets cancelled.  My last big target of the year - the Fall River Crit - was supposed to take place Aug. 28.  Now it's not going to happen.  Between that and the super hot & humid weather, motivation to get on the bike has been at a low ebb.

I think I must have hit bottom at last Tuesday night's Rent' Race.  I didn't get dropped, but I only saw the front a few times.  Most of the time, I was near the back, flitting off the end of the pack.  The previous week, I'd only ridden my bike twice for a total of 55 miles.  47 were during one great road ride with MSL, the other 8 on a railtrail with a MTB.  Hardly "training."  And it showed Tuesday.

I certainly don't want to give the impression that there weren't consolations :^)  The rail trail ride was with my brother, visiting from overseas, and some of my lack-of-riding was due to spending time with him.  A great trade-off, I'd say.

 
And Mrs. SOC and I got to go to the beach a couple of times too.  We have one right in our town, so it's especially inexcusable if we don't get there at least a FEW times during the summer.  HOB & Dorothy joined us one Sunday afternoon for a trip to the Book Barn.  And I went with friends Randy & Charlie to the Cape to meet with an old friend about railroad stuff.  In addition to the regular work schedule and various/sundry things, riding time has been neglected.

I decided to change that last Friday with another ride into work.  It's been getting harder to gin myself up for that commute - it's early, long and on very busy roads.  But all the planets lined up and it got hard for me to refuse: I'd start with our Friday Morning Throwdown ride, MSL & Shawn would join me for part of the way up, then friend Jeff would join me north of Middletown.  With the FMT ride tacked on the beginning, and the return ride home, I was slated to get in over 100 miles Friday.

Well, on the way in - and just after texting Jeff that I was on schedule - I got a flat.  MSL had commented on the state of my tire as I was changing the tube, but with his help, I was back up and running quickly.  I'd need another tube to have a spare for the ride home that evening though.  Unfortunately, I learned too late that the shop I'd planned on visiting on my way home was closed.  So I had to take the bus.  No ride home (though, in a strange twist of irony, the bus had to take a detour that took the same roads).

 

I figured that worn rear tire would last at least one more ride, so Saturday morning I and seven other "Saturday Morning Crew" members did a nice 45 mile loop along the shore to East Lyme/Niantic - with a planned stop at Ashlawn Farm for (iced!) coffee and biscotti.  That's the obligatory group photo in front of the silo (we're all "fodder" of some sort, right?).

But on either side of this photo, that rear tire was giving me fits.  I got the FIRST flat of the ride (second in two days) just north of Niantic...

 

(pic courtesy TimA)

And after our coffee stop, I got ANOTHER flat on the big descent on Rt. 156.  Fortunately (considering the speed we were going) it was that rear tire - again.  Unfortunately, I'd already used my spare tube - I had no others - and everybody'd already blown past.  Thankfully, KimC circled back and gave me her tube (saving me a patch job - or a long walk!).  Gratefully, the rest of the gang was still waiting for me at the bridge so we were able to finish the ride together.

First item on Saturday afternoon's agenda: CHANGE TIRES

And that's what I was in the middle of doing, when our washing machine started banging.  LOUDLY.

I figured all the clothes had shifted to one side and unbalanced things, but in less than the time it took me to drop my wheel,  jump up and get to the washer, it had stopped spinning, was whining loudly, and I detected a faint smell of something burning.

Uh oh.

 

Suffice it to say, this is what I did for the rest of the afternoon.  I'd never fixed a washing machine before - and it remains to be seen whether I'll fix THIS one.  But thanks to the internets, I found some instructions on how to take it apart at least.  And I discovered that the coupling between the motor and the transmission had sheared off in four(!) places.  Soooo.... during lunch today, I hope to find the part I need and tonight I hope to remember how to put everything back together.

If it actually works again, I'll have saved enough money to replenish my stash of tires, tubes, & CO2 cartridges.

But in the midst of these setbacks, I found my motivation to ride & race again.  Being out with friends (and very patient and understanding friends at that!) is a big motivator for sure.  But what sealed the deal was taking some time to give my bike the TLC it was clearly demanding.  Three flats in two days certainly sends a message.  And during all those tube changes I saw how much I'd been neglecting my bike - not just the riding of it, but the condition of it.  It was pretty filthy (and no fun to work on).

But a thorough cleaning (along with a long-overdue inspection for frame cracks, etc) and new tires makes the bike look brand new.

Sure, Fall River is cancelled, but there's an exciting new race scheduled on Cape Cod in a couple of weeks.  As a Pro123 race, I don't have any expectations at all, but it'll be a blast to race around downtown Hyannis.  And of course, there are four weeks left of Rent' Races - and I may even do a few Wednesday night races at Ninigret.  So there's some racing left this season.

But most of all, my "new" bike - like any (actually) new bike - just makes me want to go out and ride.  And that's what I'll be doing, just as soon as I finish fixing the washing machine.

Nadir & Apex: Weekend Rides & Tuesday Rent'

Ah, Fourth of July Weekend!  Despite Memorial Day's lock on being the "unofficial" start of summer, July 4 marks the beginning of summer's height.  This weekend is also often the kick-off weekend for Le Tour de France.  So, for us cyclists, the holiday weekend usually means riding as much as we can.

 
After my late work night Thursday, I was just too beat to ride at all on Friday - despite the gorgeous weather.  I planned to make up for it Saturday morning by tacking on some early miles before meeting up with the regular Clarke group ride.  I still had my race wheels on from Wednesday's fun, so was sure to remember to take an 80mm tube "just in case."  Good thing - 7 miles into my ride, I got a flat.  The first in I don't know how long.  Fortunately, I made it to the group ride in time - catching KimC for the last few miles on the way in.  And after a great ride with the gang, Don & I were able to get breakfast afterwards.  Nice consolation after an inauspicious start - and 55 miles for the day, though the route I took resembles a bowl of spaghetti.

Taking advantage of a rare Sunday morning at home this holiday weekend, I decided to join the regular Cannibal ride.  Had a nice 8 mile ride to the start & had a good time seeing some folks I hadn't in a while.  I was looking forward to the Durham Loop they planned, with a promised hammerfest south on Rt. 77 to the shore.  Once the group got started, ChrisW set a hard tempo pace north to Candlewood Hill Road, but 20 miles in, my rear derailleur would no longer work.  I didn't think I'd broken a cable since I could move between my 23 & 21 cogs, but I couldn't go down the cassette.

Hard to keep pace with such low gears, so I decided to turn around and ChrisB graciously kept me company during the ride back.  Unlike the previous day's bowl of spaghetti, this route was more like a long noodle.  Appropriate - especially given the pace, which was decidedly "noodling."  Got 44 miles in though.  It was only later that I realized I missed 100 for the weekend by one mile.  Oh well.

When I got home and got the hood off of the lever, I confirmed that the cable - while not totally broken - was badly frayed within the brifter.  And it was Sunday of Fourth of July Weekend.  All shops closed, chances of racing Tuesday were looking grim.

But I posted my plight on FB and it was really amazing and cool how many folks chimed in with help & encouragement.  I found a new Campy cable in my shop, but it wouldn't fit my Nokon housing.  I also discovered some leftover Campy housing, but I had no cable cutters.  DonW came to the rescue the following morning with cutters and after a ride with Mrs SOC (on my city bike) and an afternoon at the beach, I got to work.  I cut & installed the housing (that first cut being a little stressful), and the Campy cable of course slid nicely through..... and came about 8" short of reaching the rear derailleur(?!)  It was only then that I realized that Campy (and others?) make different length cables for the front and rear derailleurs.  Of course, I had a front & needed a rear.

I made a desperate, almost literally last minute, call to Clarke of Clarke Cycles who not only had a cable, but would meet me at the shop to give it to me.  And - BONUS! - it even fit my Nokon housing.

So off came the newly-installed Campy housing, back on went the Nokon housing for a permanent-rather-than-temporary fix, new cable installed, bar re-taped, hood back on (tip: use a little dishwashing liquid to slide it on MUCH more easily), and I was back in business - less than 24hrs before Tuesday's race!

I've said it many times before - the folks are the best reason to get involved in cycling.  Special thanks to Don, Clarke, & AdamM, as well as all of those who weighed in on FB the past couple of days, for helping me get back on the road.  It was like you all recognized the tragedy of being without a bike during the holiday weekend.  Turns out replacing a broken cable wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be, but it would have been a lot worse without you guys.  And now I'll be sure to keep a spare cable in my bag!

Since I didn't have daylight left to road test my handiwork, I got to the Rent' early the next evening. Despite a number of 1/4 turns on the rear barrel adjuster, the mech was still slightly hesitant to move up the cassette, but downshifting was spot on (all the better for sprinting!)  So, despite knowing I'd have to nurse it a bit, I was still VERY glad I was able to make it to the race after all.

A rough time with our cat Rainy (please keep her in your prayers) compounded by a couple other "life things" on Tuesday kept my mood decidedly down.  The usual pre-race visiting help lighten my mood considerably, but I looked to the race itself as more of a "hang on & wait for the endorphin rush" rather than an opportunity to do anything great.

But races are fickle things.  You can feel ready to conquer the world, but miss the break or get boxed in at the end.  And you can feel lousy and then have the race of your life.  Well, last night wasn't the race of my life, but it sure did turn out much better than expected.

We started off and SDC - surprisingly, and a little shockingly - launched immediately.  I figured he was just trying to jumpstart his warmup (since he doesn't usually warmup much before races), but when he was still off the front two laps later, I started thinking maybe he'd start the first break.  Unfortunately, nobody went with him and he was eventually caught.

Then the counter-attacks started, but nothing was sticking.  There'd been a winning break every week I've been there this year, so I did my best to go with moves or cover attacks when a teammate was up the road.

About 1/2 way through the race I'd been sitting in for a few laps and felt pretty good.  Aidan attacked up the left side after corner 3 and teammate Todd went after him.  So when a Central Wheel guy in front of me launched a chase, I covered.  I'm no great reader of races and thought this was just another move that would get snapped up fairly quickly.  But as we started trading pulls and a few more guys joined us, I happened to look back.  We had a gap.  A LARGE one.

Two EXPO, two CVC, a CCNS, a Central Wheel, a Horst-Benidorm, and one other guy I couldn't make out in my oxygen depleted state.  Eight guys, breaking away from the pack.  With the big teams represented and the gap growing, it looked like this break would actually stick - and I was lucky enough to be in it (if by "lucky" you mean "consigned to lap after lap of pain while keeping up hope you can actually keep up."  I only looked relaxed on the front cuz I knew the Missus was shooting).

The break did stick and we eventually lapped the field, getting back into the pack.  I, for one, was glad for the R&R, but I'd never lapped a field before and realized - almost too late - that you have to be especially watchful of your break companions or else they could slip up the road while you're enjoying the numbing embrace of the peloton.

I have to admit, at that point I considered myself WAY WAY ahead of my expectations for the evening and was almost content to just stay in the pack - one lap ahead - til the end. 

But teammate Cliff would have none of that, and he was thankfully keeping a watchful eye on the other break members, so when he saw one of them go and he motioned for me to get on his wheel, I did - though barely.

There were only a few laps left at this point and teammate Joe - racing especially strong this season - got in front of Cliff and we actually had an EXPO train going for the last couple of laps: Joe, Cliff, me & Todd.

After the bell rung in the last lap, Joe gave a last effort and Cliff took over, continuing his hard, but steady pace: slow enough to keep me on his wheel, fast enough to discourage attacks.  Perfect.

Down the backstretch, I saw Aidan attack and at corner 3 I yelled to Cliff "I got it!" so that I could cut inside him and get on A's wheel.  Todd was on my wheel and as we rounded the final corner, he jumped.  I got behind him to sweep and held that position to the line:

 

EXPO took 1st and 2nd.

 

Todd's a super strong sprinter and, despite working in the break, still had quite a kick at the end.  And, as you can tell from the picture above, didn't look any the worse for the effort - unlike yours truly.

It was an great ending to a roller-coaster Fourth of July weekend.  After the low points of flat tire and broken cable, pet and life issues, I got to race after all.  Sure, being in a winning break was amazing, and coming in 2nd place in the "A" race is something to proud of, especially when your teammate wins.   But just as importantly, the cable held up, the tires stayed inflated, nobody crashed and we got to spend time with our friends.  Few things are better than that.

**** Thanks to Rent' Race Regular Matt Stewart of Action Cycling Photography for the new profile pic!  Just sorry it took me so long to use it.

Racin's Racin':Saturday at Lime Rock

In all the years I've lived in Connecticut, I've never been to the racetrack at Lime Rock.  I just always knew it as the place Paul Newman used to race and took it for granted.

Well, this past Saturday, I finally got up there.  My dad has been racing autocross for a while and has been to Lime Rock probably at least a dozen times.  So when he mentioned early last week that he was going up, I couldn't think of a better way to spend Father's Day (Eve).

 
It helps to know someone - and dad knew some of the guys who were staffing the races as well as a couple of the drivers themselves.  That meant we were able to park down in the "Paddock" with the other racers.  That's dad's car in the foreground.  Friend Steve's car behind.

 

The yellow Solstice driven by friend Bobby D.  We also met the owner of the suh-weet red Solstice, J Remy.  Those Solstices sure do look nice all tricked out for racing.

 

It was cool to walk around and see the different racers/helpers working on their cars, getting them ready for the race.  These are amateur racers, but that doesn't mean they don't take their racing seriously.  There's a lot of money tied up in getting (and keeping) your car in race condition, entry fees are in the hundreds of dollars, and don't even talk about crashing.

Walking around watching folks doing their prep reminded me a lot of our pre-race routines in bike racing.  The similarities surprised me a little, especially considering the much-publicized and talked-about antagonism between drivers and cyclists.

In fact, racing bikes and racing cars have a lot in common.  You still have to make sure your machine is in top condition, since you'll be pushing it to its limit.  You have to pick the best and fastest line you can through the corners.  You can even draft.

Other than speed, the major difference is when you crash.  Crashes in auto racing are WAAAAY more expensive than in bike racing.  But we bike racers make that up in loss of skin and broken bones.  It's amazing the crashes car racers can walk away from with nary a scratch.

Oh - the other big difference: the sound.  All you usually hear in a bike race is the sound of tires on pavement, gears turning and labored breathing.  The loudest thing in a bike race (other than the announcer) is a crash - all that metal and carbon hitting tarmac at speed. 

Car racing, on the other hand, is SCREAMING loud - so much so that earplugs are highly recommended.  But this sound is a lot of the attraction too.  I have to admit, after getting a little tired of the distinctive sound of Miatas downshifting, I laughed like a crazy man when the Mustangs went by.  Big bore Ford V-8s at speed, and with no mufflers to calm them down, have a sound all their own.  And #50 (pictured above) was one of the loudest.

But pictures don't really do any of this any justice.  You have to see movement and hear the sound to truly appreciate auto racing.  While my camera wasn't the best for catching this type of action, it was better than nothing.  Here are a few videos to illustrate my point:

 

Here's one of my favorite cars of the day - a very loud vintage Mustang.  Sure wouldn't want to crash that.

 

This is from the same race.  I really liked the mix of cars, from the Corvette leading, to the Mustangs, Camaros, there's even a Maserati in there (#24 I think).  Makes Formula 1 racing look boring - or at least homogenous (though I expect that's part of the point).

As I mentioned, we were up there mainly to see dad's friend Bob race.  So after a great lunch/cookout at Bob's trailer, we headed over to the start/finish to watch him line up:

 

And take off:

 

Here is probably the best location for watching the race - southeast(?) corner of the park, just before the hill.  You get to see the cars coming at you through an S curve, then have to slowdown for the corner (saw a few right/rear tires leave the pavement), and accelerate up the hill.

 

The first pan shot is of red Solstice #8 - J. Remy.  The second is of our host, Bobby D (yellow Solstice #1)

The worst crash we saw was at this location earlier in the day.  It just looked like the guy's left rear wheel sheared all its lugbolts.  He hit the wall and there was a little fire as the underbody scraped along the track, but he was fine.  His car wasn't.

Bob had a much better day, as you can see here:

 

 Winner in class.

 

After congratulating Bob and seeing everybody one last time, we said our goodbyes having to get home in time for a Father's Day weekend cookout at the house.  Of course, we drove with the top down and (also of course) made record time from CT's northwest corner to Old Saybrook.

I have to wonder how anyone can watch these races and then be disciplined out on regular roads.  Yeah, a lot of drivers aren't so great.  But like I told somebody earlier in the day - I'd trust any of these racers way over and above some guy driving while talking on the phone and/or eating his Big Mac.  At least when you race, whether cars or bikes, you're much more aware of what's going on around you.  You have to be.  That's your training and becomes your 6th sense.

But I have to admit, when I got to drive dad's Solstice the rest of the way home, it was hard keeping it reined in after all I'd seen and experienced during the day.  Racing cars is a rush all it's own and I expect is just as addictive as racing bikes.  It's just as well my bank account is more in line with bike racing.  I could get in a lot of trouble - financially, if not with the law - if I had any one of these amazing cars.

Racin's racin' though - the adrenaline rush of cornering, the speed of the sprint to the line, the thrill of going to your limit, the cameraderie and community of your fellow racers.  Bikes or cars, makes little difference.  We can each appreciate what the other can do.  It'd be great if we could all take some of that common ground from the track to the road.

Four Day Weekend:B&B, Books, and Biking

It's been a nice 7 days since my last post.  Thursday was all about catching up on sleep, doing some post-session cleanup, and restarting my Thursday Night Photo Archive get-togethers.  I finally got on the bike Friday morning for the Rooster Ride (a.k.a. Friday Morning Throw Down).  Didn't contest the sprint and confused a couple folks %^).  Had a nice b'fast & visit with MikeK afterwards & expect that to be a good harbinger for the summer.

Unfortunately, those miles on Friday were the only ones I got in for the week (marking my 2nd week in a row w/35 miles or less).  Mrs. SOC and I had plans to go away for the weekend for our anniversary and since the forecast was for rain, we decided to leave the bikes at home.  Fortunately, we didn't miss them too much, having a great time hitting the local bookstores and hanging out at the B&B.

To the extent this blog is also a stand-in for a personal journal, what follows is mostly a travelogue for our weekend away.  If you're looking for cycling content, you'll have to skip to the bottom to read about my long ride Monday afternoon.  But if you want to "come along" for our trip to Cape Cod, read on!

 

Our first stop was actually at The Egg & I restaurant in Hyannis for their famous (to me, anyway) cranberry pancakes.  But after that, we hit our first old bookstore looking for books by Sara Ware Bassett.  She was a novelist during the 1930s & 40s and wrote most of her stories about the fictional town of Belleport on Cape Cod.  Her books are a fun escape to a beautiful time and place and her characters are interesting and fun folks to know.

We figured Isaiah Thomas Books in Cotuit would be a great place to start, and we were right.  Not only did they have an entire section devoted to Bassett, but we were able to pick up a rare book of Asey Mayo mysteries by Phoebe Atwood Taylor (another Cape Cod author) as well.  And - bonus - I found a bookmark that had our very own Old Saybrook Lighthouse on it(!)

After spending way too much time at Isaiah Thomas, we decided - given the rainy weather - to see what our room looked like and maybe hang out there for the afternoon and read.

 

We arrived at An English Garden B&B and got some pictures of the outside in between rain showers.  As you can see, it's pretty close to the ocean and, from the outside, looks like a cross between a cozy seaside cottage and a beach condo.

  

 But the inside is 100% cozy B&B, complete with fireplace, nice sitting areas and a breakfast room.

 

 

The room didn't disappoint either.  It was certainly cozy, but being up on the 3rd floor, it was the perfect spot to spend an afternoon of napping and reading.

Click on any of these photos for a larger image.  In this one, you can see the hand-embroidered lighthouses on the curtains.  A nice nautical touch.  And that French door opens onto the "Juliette" balcony (apparently, that's a balcony that you can't sit out on).

 

Even though the balcony wasn't large enough to sit on, you could put your chair in front of the open door and get this view of the ocean.

After a wonderful, low-key afternoon, we went up to Orleans for our anniversary dinner.

 
(image from Orleans Inn website)

The Orleans Inn is a beautiful historic inn and restaurant located on the shore of the Town Cove.  Built in 1875, it's been a sea captain's mansion, general store, boarding house, and now a popular place for weddings, anniversaries and other special occasions.  We spent out 15th wedding anniversary here last year, and decided to go back.

The weather prevented us (again!) from eating out on the deck, but the very accomodating staff at least secured a table for us by the window.  Speaking of the staff, if you go there for your anniversary, they ALL seem to know about it and congratulate you.  Despite the grandeur of the place, homey touches like this are common there.  Of course, the free dessert didn't hurt either.

I've already covered the first "B" - the second "B" in B&B is all about breakfast(!)  And here's the breakfast room, all bright and cheery despite the cloudy morning the next day.

 

Of course, the colorful flowers and great food did a lot to brighten up things as well.

 

And right outside our corner table-for-two, there was a bird feeder - though this cardinal preferred to peck at what he/she could find on the ground.

We were able to check out late, so we had enough time after breakfast to hang out in the room some more.  While it would have been wonderful to have our bikes with us and sunny weather to ride in, my next favorite thing to do - especially on a rainy day - is to read.  And a room-away-from-home, without all the home-bound distractions of chores and things-to-do, is an especially nice place to read.  The great view was just an added bonus.

But we did have to pack up and leave eventually and, unlike our typical daytrips, we were already 1/2 way up the Cape and had a huge headstart on our touring.  Of course, bookstores figured prominently in our travels.  And Parnassus Books in Yarmouthport is a must-visit.

 
(image from Parnassus Books website)

Located in an old general store, this shop is absolutely PACKED with books, old, new, rare, and antiquarian.  In fact, there are almost too many books (if that's possible) and specific titles and authors can be difficult to find.  But if you're having trouble, just ask the owner - he knows right away whether he has what you're looking for, and where to find it.  We picked up another Bassett here, with a (barely-intact) dustjacket.

From Yarmouthport, we headed up to Wellfleet and another bookstore.  But along the way, we stopped at the Brewster General Store.

 

I've been by here dozens of times, but don't ever remember going in.  But once I did, I had to go back to the car and get my camera.  It was like taking a step back in time.

 

While the building, floor, ceiling and counters were all the same as they must have been for generations, the stock has changed.  Mostly.  Mixed in with all the stuff you'd expect to find in a modern store, there were plenty of old artifacts too.

 

But the fun really began when I went upstairs.  It was like entering the Twilight Zone.  I don't think many of these things have moved in half a century.  Old WW2 posters, advertising signs, and ephemera were all over the place.

 

The 2nd floor must have at one point been a community room too.  You can just imagine the First Selectman addressing a local gathering from that stage.

 

And it was pretty clear that somebody was deeply interested in wartime stuff.  Not only were those recruiting and morale-boosting posters everywhere, but 1940s magazines ("Life" figured prominently), military artifacts, and lots of models.  Being on the Cape, of course, ship models were most prevalent.  Above is a typical display.

Well worth a visit if you're at all interested in history.

After we left Brewster, and a short drive later, we arrived in Wellfleet and Herridge Books.

 

We've had great luck here in the past, and they carry a large stock of Cape Cod and New England regional authors.  But, sadly, not a single Bassett on the shelves.

 
(obviously from their website)

After Wellfleet, we headed back to Chatham for a late lunch and window shopping.  I was even able to get some cranberry tea (where else other than Cape Cod could you get cranberry tea?) at The Mayflower Shop - another old-fashioned store.

 

Our final stop on the way home was Titcomb's Bookshop in Sandwich.  The Cape is a lot larger than I can ever remember and we got to the shop only 15 minutes before closing time.  But we've been there many times before, so knew right where to go for what we were seeking.  Unfortunately, they didn't have any Bassett either and we didn't have a long time to browse.  So we contented ourselves with what we were able to find and promised ourselves that we'd be back again soon.

After an uneventful trip home, I got this pic of our weekend's acquisitions:

 

We've been to Cape Cod in all kinds of weather and in just about all seasons and no matter what, we always enjoy ourselves.  If it's nice and sunny, there's always bike riding or walking along the beach, but even if it's cold and rainy, you can always explore the many little shops and bookstores tucked in a number of villages along the way.  And if you have a nice, cozy place to hang out at the end of your day of touring, it's even better.

Of course, the next day - and the final day of my 4 day weekend - the sun came out brilliantly.  The Mrs would be out in the afternoon, so I decided to skip a morning ride, sleep in and continue our "B&B" state of mind at least until she had to leave.  I could ride while she was gone.

And ride I did!  Since I knew I'd have a few hours alone, and knowing that the forecast looked good, I'd planned on driving out to Mystic and riding some new roads out there.  On the off chance that he might be able to get away too, I emailed friend PM to see if he could join me.  Not only could he join me, but he came up with a MUCH better route than I could have planned.

 

As you can imagine from the map, it was 54 miles of pure fun and scenic delight.  We started out heading for Stonington, in the far southeast corner of Connecticut.  Then rode along the water all the way up to Pawcatuck, over into Westerly, RI, down to Watch Hill (and the famous Ocean House) and along Misquamicut Beach.  After a mellow TTT along a nice, long coastal road, we headed inland.

The ride profile tells the tale:

Sure there were hills, but nothing too bad and the company (and shared pulls) was great.  At least as good were the wheels PM let me borrow - a pair of Mavic Cosmic Carbone full-carbon tubulars.  Boy, were those wheels suh-WEET.  Every time I'd be rolling along, surprised at how my time-off hadn't hurt me any, I remembered the wheels.  It was no accident it felt like I was floating up the hills (most of the time).  At something like 1000g for the pair, they trimmed my bike down to just 16lbs or so.  Thanks to PM for the loan but my wallet says I need to stay firmly grounded on planet earth.  They sure were nice to try though!

But no matter what I was riding, nothing would beat the scenery on this loop.  Not only was all the shoreline breathtaking, but I didn't know so much pristine farmland still existed in this corner of the world.  The only thing I regretted during the whole ride was that, despite bringing my camera, I didn't take a single picture.  I'll definitely remedy that some Sunday afternoon soon when I plan to take the Mrs. out in the convertible and drive this same route.

So while I didn't get many miles in the past two weeks, I'm off to a great start this week.  54 in the bag and a group ride planned for tonight.  Last night's Rent' Race was cancelled, so I'm glad I didn't shy away from such a long ride Monday.  Though it would have been nice to see how the legs would have raced after such a long layoff and then such a long ride the day before.

But it's all good.  Busy time at work is done and summer is here.  I won't get any riding in this Saturday (doing Father's Day stuff), but I'm already looking forward to Friday's throwdown Rooster Ride - and I may even decide to ride on into work.  If Sunday afternoon is as forecast, I'll even be able to get out with the Missus to ride.  And if that happens, it'll be a great way to cap off another wonderful summer weekend.

Basset Hound Bianchi

 
Ok, I'm not sure if he's really a basset hound, but he sure makes a fine guard dog for that vintage Bianchi (much more effective than the rope on the handlebar).

The day before racing the Newhouse Crit at Ninigret, at I went on a yarn crawl with Mrs. SOC (think "pub crawl" but instead of visiting pubs, we/she visited yarn shops).  Bonus for me though - there were a number of bike shops along the way, and we stopped to visit those too.  You can read more about it over at the Mrs.' blog.

We saw this guy at East Providence Bicycles, and while he looks docile now, he sure started hollerin' as soon as I finished taking the picture.

No worries that that Bianchi was going anywhere without its owner!

Great Weekend

(Thanks to all who weighed in with blog reader recommendations.  Seems like Google Reader has the nod - I'll try it out tomorrow.  And thanks also to those of you who let me know (or reminded me) about your blog, or recommended another good cycling/racing blog.  It's not too late -  So keep the suggestions coming!)

This weekend ushered in not only the official start of spring, but also a number of firsts for the year.  It started Friday morning with the first Rooster Ride - accompanied by the sound of the first peepers of the season.  The last time I rode the beach loop with these guys (the normal route for this early-Friday-morning-before-work ride), it was the Friday of Labor Day Weekend.  It's been a long winter, for sure.  But getting out again on an early Friday morning, watching the sun come up as we pacelined across the causeway, always makes me smile - especially cuz I know that summer can't be too far behind.

Saturday morning dawned clear, though a bit chillier than the previous couple of days.  No matter - Mrs. SOC decided she wanted to join in with the normal Saturday morning group ride, which also recently got going for the season.  It's been a while since she's braved a group ride, having had a not-altogether-wonderful experience the last time.  But the Gang was very encouraging and enthusiastic.  She hung on for an impressive time considering the headwind and the hills, but we cut things short promising to return next week to try again.  We can ALL remember our first group ride experiences - and we know it gets better.  We're already looking forward to next Saturday.

Then Sunday - the Bethel Spring Series' Tour de Kirche.  It was just as sunny as last week, just as chilly, but without the gale force wind.  I'll post a full race report later, but suffice it to say that I raced BOTH the Cat 3/4 and Pro12/3 races without getting a flat tire!  And I got over 50 miles of hard crit racing in my legs as part of the bargain.

The balance of this first day of spring was capped off by our traditional after-race get-together with Hobgoblin and Dorothy (and Seamus! - sadly, blogless) for eats and treats.  These visits are always a hightlight of the day, and the conversation flows despite how tired we are from racing.

So here's to the Start of Spring!  This weekend provided the perfect start for what promises to be a great season of racing and spending time with friends.

Autumn Eve

Has it really been only 10 days since the Fall River Crit?  It seems like forever ago.  It doesn't help that it feels like I've stepped through a portal to a parallel dimension where it's Autumn already.  I got a faint warning at the crit which was cooler than in past years, but still seasonal.  But after that, it seemed that the weather quickly turned to "September" and the past few days of cold and rain have certainly felt like "October."  Even the leaves are starting to change a little.

And I saw this on the way into work this morning:

Corn Mazes, Pumpkins, Hayrides

So what seemed to be the height of the racing season just last week, now seems like a very distant memory.

But the change in the season isn't without its consolations.  Autumn rides are some of the best you'll have all year.

 

Last Friday morning on my way back from Chester, I saw this group of swans.

And the next day, (most of) our Saturday morning group ride stopped at this Farmer's Market in Old Lyme.

Later that same day, Mrs. Suitcase and I - not being content to let the rest of summer slip through our fingers without a fight - packed a picnic lunch and headed east to Rhode Island.  We stopped at Alison Goodsell's bookstore (where I got a WW2 era copy of MR James stories, complete with dustjacket!) and after a stop at a local coffee shop for refreshements, we read our books along the beach at Narragansett.  Afterwards, we even had dinner at our favorite summer eatery - Aunt Carrie's - where we shot this last little reminder that summer is still with us:

Beach Roses, Pt. Judith, Rhode Island

These last summer days are quickly drawing to a close though.  August is flying by and Labor Day weekend is already on the horizon.  The Tuesday Night Crit was canceled last night, giving us a taste of what our weeks are going to be without it.

But we'll make the most of the summer days while they're still here - and will look forward to beautiful, crisp Autumn riding soon (but hopefully not too soon!). 

Sunset at the Tuesday Night Crit, July 2010.