A morning ride before work is like a stolen kiss before detention.
Today is the last day of legislative session and the past few weeks have been the busiest of the whole year, filled with late nights. Fortunately, I've been able to get out most mornings before going into the office and other than the past couple of days when it's been raining (and I'd rather get a few hours sleep than try to squeeze in a ride), these spring mornings have been beautiful.
So herewith is a short sampling of a few of the kisses I've stolen during these final busy days...
Foot-of-Main, Connecticut River, Essex
Otter Cove, Old Saybrook
Essex Town Dock
North Cove, Old Saybrook
Harvey's Beach, Old Saybrook
Steamboat Dock, Essex
All you morning folks know very well the joy of getting up with the sun, but it's a new experience for this night owl. But given my schedule lately, the early morning is the only - and often the best - time to ride. Nevertheless, we adjourn at midnight tonight and I'm looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow. With session over, I won't have to seize my opportunities so early in the day and I get (almost) as much pleasure out of sunsets than sunrises.
And as you can see, those kissess can be just as sweet. . .
Whether you're staring down a late night at work or an afternoon forecast of rain, a morning ride may be just the thing you need to cheat The Man or cheat The Weather. You can rest assured all the rest of the day that you not only got your ride in but, no matter what happens, you were able to be outside in nature for at least a little while. It does a soul (not to mention a body) good. Of course, it doesn't hurt if you can enjoy the incomparable feeling of pedaling your bike past beautiful scenery like this.
It's hard for a decidedly-not-morning-person like me to get up early enough to enjoy such pleasures, but in addition to all the benefits outlined above, I also wanted to test out an experiment. I've been trying to silence an intermittent "tick tick tick" sound for over a year now and nothing undermines the sheer pleasure of riding a road bike than having some random creak or click disturbing the sound of silence. On this particular morning, I finally solved the problem.
All I could hear was the sound of my tires on the pavement, the air passing by my ears, and the calm ocean gently lapping the shore.
***
This is the first Why Cycle Wednesday of the season. Next up - Chris Hinds (Ninigret) Race Report!
It's been a while since I posted a "Why Cycle Wednesday" but I can't think of a better reason to ride than to help raise money for a good cause.
Charity bike rides are popular fundraisers. Name the cause, illness, or need and there's likely a way to use riding your bike as a means of support. Like many cyclists, Mrs. SOC and I have participated in a number of these events.
But this is the first time we've CREATED one!
Actually, it was Mrs. SOC's brainchild. She volunteers at Forgotten Felines, a no-kill cat shelter in Westbrook, CT. They're in desperate need of funds and receive no public funds, so a charity bike ride seemed like the perfect solution to a serious problem. For more background, click here. Mrs. SOC did a guest post here a little while ago. If you missed it, you really should check it out. She described, in better detail than I could have (including LOTS of kitty photos!), how important this ride is.
So with tons of help from lots of hard-working folks and generous sponsors, it's finally here! The response has been great and the weather forecast looks BEAUTIFUL.
If you haven't signed up yet, it's not too late! Just show up at the Kathleen Goodwin School this Saturday morning and head over to the "Day Of" registration line.
We promise beautiful fall scenery to delight you, good food to feed you, a band(!) to entertain you, and even Sylvester the Cat to make you smile.
And you'll feel good knowing that you're able to ride your bike for such a great cause.
It's been a while since I've done a Why Cycle Wednesday post, but a recent ride on Cape Cod provided the perfect inspiration.
My big Christmas present from Mrs. SOC this year was this painting by Johanna Bohoy titled "To the Lighthouse." The story behind this painting is here, but suffice it to say that the Mrs. had it done special and shows me riding to one of my favorite places on the planet - Highland Light in Truro, MA.
The only problem, which the Mrs didn't know at the time, was that this had never actually happened. As much as I've ridden my bike on Cape Cod - and even rode through Truro once - I've never ridden to the lighthouse. A few weekends ago, I decided to do something about that.
So early on a Saturday morning, the last day of our visit and before the Mrs woke up, I kitted up and left our hotel in West Yarmouth, pointing my bike east/northeast toward the sunrise and Highland Light.
There are a few "Yarmouths" on Cape Cod - West Yarmouth, South Yarmouth, Yarmouthport - but no actual "Yarmouth" that I've ever found. There's no "East Yarmouth" either: East of West Yarmouth is South Yarmouth, which is where this cool Victorian shop is located, right before crossing the Bass River into West Dennis.
Emily Dickinson wrote "There's a certain slant of light, On winter afternoons, That oppresses..." I cannot imagine an antithesis so complete as the light on a summer morning. No matter whether it's clear or cloudy, a summer sunrise fairly pushes you out of bed and into the fun of the day. This is the view of one such summer sunrise from the bridge over the Bass River.
And the boats on the South Yarmouth side, patiently awaiting their next adventure.
One of the greatest things about a long bike ride "down Cape" (anywhere between Hyannis and Provincetown) is that you can take the Cape Cod Rail Trail (CCRT)- the first bicycle "superhighway" in the country. Here's the trail head - about 5 miles from our hotel. Words can't adequately describe the feeling of traveling on a dedicated bike path, for miles and miles, early in the morning, with no cars and only the sound of the wind, the humming of your tires, and the whhirrr of your gears disturbing the tranquility of the ride.
The path takes the route of the New Haven Railroad's Old Colony line for 22 miles from Dennis to Wellfleet. There's even a branch off to Chatham, at the elbow of Cape Cod, using one of the only bikepath rotaries you'll ever see (look for it in Harwich). Click on the pic above (or any of the pics) to get a larger view - in this one you can get a nice overview of the trail, as well as a very early example of women's cycling.
The main reason for the railroad pushing out onto Cape Cod - other than for general transportation (it was faster than horse and wagon) - was to take cranberries to market. This is one of the old cranberry warehouses that's still around. It's been a bike shop and ice cream stop in the past, but I'm not sure what it's used for these days.
Shortly after I took this pic - which is very typical of the scenes along the CCRT - I startled a robin that was right in the middle of the trail. He took off and flew a little further up the path before he landed and had to take off again to avoid me. He flew down the path and I was able to draft him for 100 meters or so before he pulled off. The short pull was ok - he wasn't much of a draft anyway.
Although the trail goes through the middle of the Cape, far from its famous beaches, there's plenty of water to see along the way. Kettle ponds and lakes dot the landscape all along the way, along with dozens of cranberry bogs. And just past Hinkley's Pond, in Harwich, you'll find this throwback to a simpler time - the Pleasant Lake General Store. True to its name, you can stop here for just about anything - but their ice cream is especially good. And they have ample bike racks (just be sure to use them).
This is Long Pond, just a little further down the road, er, path.
As you saw at the beginning of the trail, there are a number of informational signs along the way, especially suited for the thousands of casual tourists that ride the CCRT each summer. You can learn a lot if you stop to look and read. And even though I wasn't toodling - wanting to make good time to my destination - I stopped from time to time to check them out.
And a good thing too - I not only would have missed this scene, but wouldn't have learned a thing about it. Namskaket Creek, Brewster, just past Nickerson State Park.
As you come into Orleans, you pass this lumber company - another former railroad customer. But fortunately, unlike the railroad, it's still in business.
Sorry for the backlit view (if you tilt your monitor, you may see it better), but this is Orleans, trackside (trailside). That's Orleans Cycle - one of two bike shops here. The other shop is just out of view to the right (and is where I rode my first fixie - which almost launched me over a parked car).
As beautiful as the CCRT is, there's nothing very remarkable about the portion from Orleans to Wellfleet. It heads north through the back country and tends to be more undulating as it goes over the little hills made by the dunes.
To continue Down Cape, you leave the rail trail and take a left out of the parking lot, and a right onto Route 6A. The "Old Kings Highway" is particularly scenic from Sandwich to Orleans, all tree lined road and old colonial houses. But the Rt. 6 limited-access highway merges with 6A from Orleans to Provincetown, and while the scenery is still lovely, everything is a bit more sparse, and the road is a LOT more busy.
It's also very hilly - or at least seems so after 22 miles of relatively flat rail trail. But the shoulders are wide and once you get over the shock of having to share your ride with cars and trucks, it's not a bad route. Frankly, it's pretty much the only route if you want to get to where I was headed.
Obligatory town line shot. No, I didn't sprint (that would have looked pretty foolish), but stopped to take a picture instead. Only a few miles left to go!
To get to the lighthouse, you turn off Rt. 6 at the "wrist" of the Cape - more particularly, South Highland Road. After a couple of miles, there on your right, you'll see the turn for the Highland Golf Course and Highland Light.
Taking this turn will offer you a menu of attractions all out of proportion to the small, obscure location. In addition to the Truro Historical Society (located in the old Highland House, a throwback to the early 20th century), you can see Jenny Lind Tower. Rising 55 feet, it looks like a Norman outpost, but it's actually part of the old Fitchburg Railroad station in Boston. Jenny Lind, a famous Victorian Era opera star, had sold out the local concert hall and didn't want to disappoint the hundreds of fans crowded outside. So she went to the railroad station next door, and sang from the top of the tower. It was moved here, stone by stone, to North Truro in the 1920s.
The Tower overlooks the oldest golf course on the Cape (and one of the finest 9 hole layouts in the country, according to Golf Digest). When you're golfing at Highland Links (as it's often called), you'll think you're in Ireland or Scotland. There are hardly any trees, just gorse and sea breezes. It's the perfect links course. In fact, the 5th hole plays along a high bluff overlooking the ocean - just be careful not to slice your ball into the Atlantic or you may hit one of the whales that are sometimes seen along this shore. The best shot off the 5th tee aims for the lighthouse. It's almost like playing a giant's mini-golf course. Fortunately, there are no clowns.
As wonderful as they are, these attractions weren't my reason for pedaling over 40 miles. This was:
This is the approach to Highland Light from the road. The Atlantic Ocean is on the other side.
If you continue past and around the lighthouse, you can follow a path to a deck on the bluff overlooking the ocean. This is the view back to the lighthouse from the deck. Click on the pic for a larger view, and check out that rock (with the plaque behind it) - that's where the lighthouse USED to be. Years of erosion on the bluff had threatened to topple the lighthouse into the drink, so in 1996 it was moved back 450 feet.
This is the view from the deck. You can't quite make out Morocco, but it's over that horizon (quite) a few miles away. The cliff is just past the bush there.
Looking a little more northeast, towards France, maybe England. You can hear the surf breaking, if the wind isn't too strong.
The plan was for me to ride to the lighthouse and have Mrs. SOC meet me there with the car. That would serve a two-fold purpose: 1) I'd be able to take the car back to the hotel so we could checkout on time, and 2) Mrs. SOC could commit to, er, "film" the image in her mind when she commissioned my painting. . .
I, for one, think she and the artist did a fine job.
For many cyclists, spring riding usually brings to mind images of rain and mud-soaked flahutes hammering across the cobblestone byways of Northern Europe. The Spring Classics are such a large part of this time of year it's sometimes easy to forget how beautiful and peaceful spring riding can be.
I haven't had a typical "Why Cycle Wednesday" post in a while, but today's after-work ride provided the perfect opportunity. I rode one of my favorite loops - from Old Saybrook, through Essex,
along the Connecticut River up to Chester. This was the route the
Mrs. and I took on our picturesque River Village tour a couple autumns ago. It looks a lot different this time of year, but it's still beautiful.
Cove at Essex, CT
One of the best things about riding this time of year is the anticipation of warmer weather. The leafless trees make it look a lot like late fall. But the air doesn't have that autumn crispness, and it smells of moist earth rather than fallen leaves. The sun is just as golden as in October, but getting stronger - rather than weaker - every day. Of course, once Daylight Savings Time hits, you get to enjoy it even longer. After being cooped up all winter, your first few outdoor rides are especially sweet.
This is the view from River Road between Essex & Chester. It's still early enough in the season that trees haven't yet hidden the views. You can see a lot more during a spring ride.
You can hear a lot more too. When I stopped to take these pictures, I couldn't believe how quiet it was. I could almost hear the blood rushing through my veins. I didn't even want to breathe for fear that I'd break the silence. There wasn't even a rustle as the breeze blew through the naked trees. But I swear I could almost detect the faintest hint of the sound Nature makes as she starts to rouse herself from her slumber.
As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I haven't been on the bike much lately. Actually, no riding at all from Sept. 26 until Oct. 11. But I'd changed my chain and cleaned the rest of my drivetrain to match (cassette - natch - but chainrings & jockey wheels too). I'm certainly more motivated to ride a clean bike than a grimy one, but what finally got me on the road was the prospect of racing Monday on an untested bike.
The Missus and I were out all day Saturday and had plans after church on Sunday to continue our Fall Foliage Frolic through the Berkshires. So that meant I had to get out early Sunday morning. Early? Score one on the anti-motivation side of the scale.
When I (surprisingly) woke up feeling pretty good Sunday morning, I checked the temperature. 34 degrees. Coldest morning so far this season. Add another point for anti-motivation. Why oh why did I wait until literally the last possible time to test-ride my bike?
Despite this, I (over)dressed, got on the bike and headed out. Other than the cold, it really was an ideal morning - the sun just coming up, the autumn leaves stunning. I even got a bonus of some fog lifting off the river.
These pics are a chronicle of what turned out to be a great October Morning Ride - and more than tipped the scales to the motivation side. . .
I did my "Essex Loop." It's only a little over 13 miles, but has a variety of terrain and views - including a couple switchbacks up and over a large (for this area) hill. At the top of the climb, I saw this little group trying to avoid next month's holiday . . .
Continuing north along the Connecticut River, I spotted this scene. I'm not usually out this early, so I wanted to be sure to catch the fog rising off the water - the sun just starting to claw its way above the horizon.
As I turned the corner to head into Essex village proper, the sun had peeked above the fog and ignited these trees. They only look like they're on fire.
Main Street in Essex ends at this picket fence. The fog is putting up a fight, but is slowly - and steadily - losing its grasp on the boats in the harbor.
In full retreat now, the fog provides the shot of the day. End-of-Main, Essex.
This shot didn't come out quite as nice as I envisioned, but I include it anyway since I think it's cool we have a windmill so close by.
Speaking of having cool things so close by, this is the Essex Steam Train. The combination of Autumn, biking, trains, and racing all in the same weekend really toyed with my OCD usually-rigid distinctions between the seasons. But I managed alright.
After turning south from the train station, I passed this field - an increasinly rare sight in this part of the state. I hope someday my photography skills will help me better convey what I see, but for now scenes like this do all the heavy lifting for me. Just point and shoot.
Same field, a little further south. Wildflowers free for the picking.
As I continued south, I got in a couple hard efforts both to test the chain and to remind the legs what it's like to have to pedal fast. Fortunately, there was one more cool scene I wanted to catch before packing the bike up for the race.
Up the road from my house, at the corner, there's a farmer's market/garden center. If you have any doubt what season it is, you can just sneak a peek here - Christmas trees in December, mulch and plantings in the spring, sunflowers and others of all types in the summer, pumpkins and apples in the fall.
Of course, my favorite is the fall. And it probably has something to do with this guy:
Meet "Oliver." Not sure if that's his actual name, but it's on his tractor so it'll do. Despite a recent windstorm that took his hat (and then his head - yikes!), he's all better now, as you can see, and wishing you all a Happy Autumn!
Thanks for all the helpful suggestions on how to convert my Super8 videocassettes to digital. I got quite an education - not the least of which was discovering that I do not in fact have a Hi8 camcorder, but just a plain ol' Super8. I'll probably end up hooking it up to a DVR and see what happens. Hopefully I'll have some videos to share with you soon. If I do, you know my experiment was successful.
Actually, your helpfulness would itself make an appropriate post for Why Cycle Wednesday. Why cycle? Because the folks you meet are so generous with their time and eager to share their knowledge. So thank you!
Another reason to cycle - especially this time of year - is Charity Rides. As I mentioned in my last post, I participated in the Folks on Spokes ride to benefit local mental health and addiction recovery programs. It was the third time I've done it and it's always a favorite, being essentially a Tour of Milford, Orange and West Haven, CT. Having lived in Milford for so many years, I couldn't NOT do it and it was great to see the old stomping grounds, and catch up with some old friends too.
I rode again with friend Larry and new-friend Jim and we opted for the 65 mile route out to Branford and back. As you'll see from the pics, almost the entire route goes along the water and we had absolutely perfect early Autumn weather - all clear blue sky and low humidity.
So come along for the ride. And be sure to click on the pics if you want a larger, more detailed view.
The ride starts behind the Milford Public Library where there's ample parking, a pavilion and even actual bathrooms (no portapotties here). Registration is under the big white tent and you get a goodie bag and an ID bracelet. The smaller tent to the left is for the sponsor shop, Tony's Bikes & Sports - my old LBS and a bunch of great guys too. They were there not only to make any last minute repairs and adjustments (the ride attracts a lot of newbies and occasional-only riders), but to offer fundraising prizes too.
The start is on the other side of the pavilion next to Milford Harbor. The ride is staged by distance option and since we were going the longest distance, we started earliest. And you can see, there weren't THAT many that decided to go long this day. But fortunately for the fundraising effort, I understand there were many, many more that showed up for the "classic" 40 miler (that route is so classic that it's actually marked with permanent metal signposts!)
After the pre-ride instructions, we were off and within 10 minutes were along the shoreline. This is Gulf Beach and Larry is right there in the corner, keeping pace.
Another shot, this one along the shore in Woodmont (east Milford).
West Haven Beach. Almost all of these photos were taken at speed, so excuse any strange angles or composition.
Lest you think the entire ride was as pretty as the initial pics would lead you to believe, this is New Haven. Specifically the Tomlinson Bridge over the Quinnipiac River. The (in)famous Q Bridge (I-95) is off to the left. The Tomlinson is remarkable in that it accomodates both vehicular traffic as well as a railroad - and the entire span lifts. It's the largest lift span on the East Coast and the second heaviest in the USA. But beware of the tracks crossing on the other side - they're at an angle and a little dangerous.
This also is New Haven - a much prettier part, on the east side of the harbor. Considering I was going about 20mph at this point, the composition of this shot is pure luck. We're heading toward Lighthouse Point in the distance.
And here's the lighthouse itself. For another, earlier pic from this blog ("BC") check out this link. What a difference a few years makes...
And all I had to do was turn 180 and got this dramatic shot of the harbor, with the City of New Haven in the distance.
After our brief stop, we continued on to Branford where I got this shot, literally at our turning-around point. I think that may be a Great Blue Heron, but I'll leave verification of his/her identity to the orinthologists that read this blog.
We made our way back the way we came, retracing our route and enjoying the now-tail wind. Once we got back to West Haven, we picked up the classic FOS route and pedaled into the old farming town of Orange where I got this shot of one of the last farms standing. The town seems more focused on growing crops of houses these days, so shots like this are becoming increasingly rare.
The rest of the ride followed the normal route through the rest of Orange and the northern part of Milford, going back down to the shore. The most remarkable part of this section of our journey was the shortcut we took through Silver Sands state park. I'd never ridden my race bike off road before, but once I got over worrying about my wheels and stone chips on the frame, I had a blast. This little taste of cyclocross has me chomping at the bit to try more trail riding later this fall.
We logged a total of 64.5 miles and I was tempted to circle the lot to make it an even 65, but I gave up after only one lap. The apres ride pizza was calling and I wanted to get packed up and home to the Mrs to enjoy the rest of what turned out to be a spectacular day thanks to good friends, a worthy cause, and a great ride.
If you bike for any amount of time, you'll probably gravitate towards a local group ride, or you'll start seeing the same cyclists along your usual routes, or at different events. You'll strike up conversations with them - or they with you - and it's likely that you'll become fast friends. Something about the shared interest, especially in the face of so much adversity (road hazards, traffic, hills), forges these relationships.
Another way I've found great cycling friends is by reading cycling blogs. You leave a comment, perhaps an email correspondence blossoms, and maybe - if they're local - you see each other at the local ride or race. You can learn a lot about someone from following their blog, so you eventually get a good idea of what you have (and don't have) in common. The first time you meet IRL, it's not all that surprising if you feel like you've known them for much longer.
One of the blogs I follow is Velophoria and last weekend, the Mrs. and I finally got to meet the Velosopher and his wife. The Velosopher - as his name would suggest - has some very thoughtful insights into cycling (read this post for a recent example) and we enjoyed a leisurely ride along the Norwottuck Rail Trail - all the better for great conversation. And while some of the talk focused on bikes (of course), we enjoyed a wide-ranging discussion on a lot of things other than bikes. It even turned out that the two Missuses have some things in common, which made a the great time we had even better.
So in the quest to answer our (often) weekly question - "Why Cycle?" - don't forget that the benefits of cycling are manifold and don't always have to include power meters and training plans. Sometimes, when the cycling becomes incidental to the friendship it starts, you don't even need the bike.
No, that's not a typo. It's just that this edition of Why Cycle Wednesday is dedicated to the Lovely & Talented Mrs. Suitcase, my race photographer and all-around best friend. I don't get to ride with her very often - she has many other interests & hobbies that distract her from the bike - but when it works out, we have a lot of fun toodling around town.
Here are some pics from our latest ride. . .
On a recent Saturday morning group ride, I discovered a part of town I didn't know existed. Indian Town it's called, but I suspect the Native Americans have long since moved on to better things. This gazebo is right by the shore . . .
. . . and next to this marina. I never tire of living near the water. Having grown up in Kentucky & West Virginia, I can tell you - the sea shore beats the Ohio River any day.
Near a usual photo location, but a little further west. This is at Cornfield Point. The old Castle Inn is off my right shoulder a few hundred yards. It's now a private residence, restored to its original splendor.
South Cove, Saybrook - just before getting to the Causeway.
North Cove - Regular readers will recognize the scene.
The best rides end with ice cream, and we're blessed with one of the best parlors around. James Gallery is probably one of the few ice cream shops that's also on the National Register of Historic Places. Even Lafayette made a purchase here in 1824. The original soda fountain dates from 1896.
An interior shot. Can't believe it wasn't more busy. But it was a Monday night after all...
They even provide bike parking. NYC can keep its fancy shmancy bike-racks-as-art. I'll take a few 2x4s nailed together, along with a dash of panache. Love the sign.
So, as you can tell, this blog tries to strike a balance between the racing and the restive. Sure, taking the race wheels out for ice cream is blurring the line a little too much, but when you get to ride with the pink bike - and its owner - you don't worry about incongruity. You just grab the bike and have some fun.
Why Cycle Wednesday is usually about taking the time to just enjoy the simplicity of riding a bike and appreciating the ever-changing landscape we get to see from the saddle. It's everything that racing and training is not.
Sometimes though, the reason we get up for an early morning ride isn't to watch the sun rise over the water, but to get stronger and faster. Whether your goal is to keep up with the bunch on your weekly group ride, or win the local crit, you have to put in the time and miles, making regular deposits into your training account.
Last night, at my 2nd Tuesday Night Crit of the season, I got to cash out some of the savings I'd been squirreling away. And I had a blast! What better answer to the question "Why Cycle?"
As I've mentioned elsewhere, our team, CVC/Subaru of New England, sponsors the Tuesday Night Training Series at Rentschler Field in East Hartford. These races are perfect for trying new strategies/tactics and taking risks you wouldn't normally take. There's a "B" race (for Cat4/5) and an "A" race (Cat1/2/3/4) and last night was only the second time I've raced the "A"s since upgrading to Cat3.
After helping out some beginning racers in the "B" race, I lined up for the "A"s. I did fine in last week's race, winning the first prime(!) and finishing with the pack. But after my conservative racing last Sunday, I was ready to get out of my comfort zone and see what I could do, without having to worry about the result.
The speed was very high right from the start, a change of pace from last week, and we were all strung out from the gun whistle. A guy in a black kit had launched, gapping the field almost immediately. The pack eventually chased him down, but it was strung out for a bit. When we caught him, DaveH, apparently wanting to stretch his legs in prep for the Fitchburg stage race this weekend, started to detonate the pack. That's him at the front (above).
Things calmed down a bit after a couple of laps (Dave not wanting to use up TOO much reserves before his season's major goal), but then the attacks started. Fortunately, CVC had a lot of guys in the race so we were able to cover most of them.
But not all. About 10 minutes into the race, "black kit" launched again - a perfectly timed attack on the headwindy back stretch, taking 3 other guys with him, but no CVC. I was near the front (already doing better than on Sunday), so I was able to see what happened. They got about 70 meters up the road and just before corner 3 (which turned into a tailwind) I jumped, trying to bridge.
When I took off, it was like I was sprinting for the finish. But it was effective - I gapped the pack immediately with nobody on my wheel. It took me about 1/2 a lap, but I caught them at the Start/Finish. The 3rd guy in the paceline saw me hook on and pulled over, motioning me to pull through. I thought "Crap! I just bridged!" - actually I may have said it out loud, because as I came through the guy told me he was cooked, and fell off the back.
So now I'm in a 3 man break - the first time ever in a race at this level. Race Mission Accomplished: I am definitely outside of my comfort zone now.
I don't normally "do" breaks, usually contenting myself with staying sheltered and waiting/hoping for a field sprint. I've been in a few, but I'm still very new to it. I know to trade pulls, try to keep things smooth, try to conserve as much as possible - without letting on. I think there's a fine line between racing smart in a break and being an outright slacker. Being with the Big Boys now, I wanted to be proud of my effort.
We worked well together, and smoothly. And got over 1/2 lap lead on the rest of the field.
I was doing my share, but I had to make sure I didn't work so hard I got shelled. Now that I was in the break, my teammates could relax a little and maintain pace at the front of the pack. But if I got popped after building such a long lead, it'd be tough for our team to get back in the game.
Fortunately, for some reason, "black kit" (BK) was always pulling into the headwind on the back stretch, with me on his wheel, and a young CCNS rider ("Chris" who I'd met earlier during the "B" race) on the rear. As luck would have it, my pulls tended to be through the tailwind into the final stretch, then CCNS would take a turn. My quick observation was that BK was by far the strongest of the three of us - he just kept plowing through that wind, and even took a full lap pull once(!) - and CCNS, while young, looked very smooth and fit - strong too. They obviously knew what they were doing. I just tried to hang on, keep things smooth and do my share.
A couple of primes came up and it looked like we ignored the first one. CCNS was usually at the front through the S/F and he was there at the prime as well. We just did our normal rotation. I wasn't going to contest it.
When we came to the line for the second prime though, BK, who was 2nd wheel to CCNS, came around and took it - and continued to pull all the way around to the 3rd corner. After CCNS took over and then pulled off, I asked him whether we should go back to our original order - "that seemed to be working well for us" (well, for me anyway). But no luck. With the re-sorting, I found myself pulling more into the wind.
Fortunately, it looked like there were only 15 min left before the 5 lap countdown and I surprised myself that I was still able to hang in there - but it was getting a lot more difficult. I was the one pulling through the headwind on the backstretch now and every time I pulled off at corner 3, I had to stand and make a hard effort to catch back on. And that was with the tailwind helping me.
5 laps to go - thank God - and we're still working together.
4 laps. 3 to go. Wondering how long we'd stay together like this . . .
At the final corner, coming into 2 laps to go, I got my answer.
BK launched a HUGE attack in the final corner, flying to the far edge of the road. My first thought was "it's way too early - he'll never make it - let him kill himself". Then I reconsidered: he'd gapped us decisively with a huge effort, after all that hard pulling for so many laps. He was still very strong.
So I dug deep into my Suitcase of Courage (sorry, couldn't resist) and chased, with CCNS on my wheel. It took all I had, but I caught him just after corner 1 and he sat up.
We fell back into an illusion of working together through the backstretch and around the final two corners. By the time we went through the S/F, we'd almost stopped, watching each other, with the bell announcing the final lap.
All I could think of right then was Paul and Phil saying "Ah, the cat and mouse games have stahted" (because, during ALL of our greatest moments riding, we ALWAYS hear Paul and Phil in our head, don't we?).
"ON YOUR RIGHT!!!" broke my reverie and I saw CCNS launching up the right side up the road as I'd been watching BK on my left. "Click" "Click" no mo' buwwets. But a "GO CHRIS!" from Mrs. SOC and Mrs. SDC at the line went straight to my legs and I chased, with BK on my wheel.
Big mistake.
I was hurting, but surprised that I was in this dream-like state. All that existed for me in the world at that moment was CCNS' wheel.
I ... Had ... To ... Get ... On ... That ... Wheel.
We hit the headwind back stretch and I was still digging my own grave, shoveling for all I was worth.
I caught him, finally, going through the 3rd corner.
Then POW! BK launches off my wheel, comes around us both and goes for the line. Forget bullets, I ain't even got a gun now. So it's CCNS' turn to chase, if he can. I'm not letting go of his wheel for love or money.
As I see BK raising his hands at the finish, I notice CCNS look over his left shoulder. I jump off his wheel on the right and start sprinting, shocked I have anything at all left. I come in second.
Here. See. And watch to the end, noting the gap to the pack - at least as much a testament to my teammates' control as to the break's speed.
It wasn't until we were cooling down that I realized what illustrious company I'd been in. CCNS/Chris is a Cat2 and - at only 23 yrs old - looks like he's got a lot of racing experience under his belt already. When I introduced myself to "BK" and he said his name was Tim, I knew he had to be Tim Unkert and he confirmed that, yes, in fact he was. I'd heard a little about Tim before since he frequents these Tuesday night races and when I was in the "B"s I'd watch as he often placed in the "A" race.
But it wasn't until the Mrs. and I joined Mr. and Mrs. SDC for dinner afterwards that I learned I just lost to a former bronze medalist at the Elite Road National Championships! Tim's a Cat 1 racer and won the silver medal at last year's CT state crit championships. Oh, and he podiumed at 6 other races last year.
Big Boys indeed.
You can probably tell I had a lot of fun. Sunday's race was fun too, but not as much. Conservative racing may be smart - and it will continue to be what I do best at. But there's nothing like taking a risk and seeing what happens. That's what made New London and Ninigret so much fun too. The final results weren't what I'd hoped they'd be in those races - I'd burned too many matches taking racing aggressively - but I had a blast.
That's why I love these Tuesday night training races - results don't matter. You can take all the risks and have all the fun without worrying about how you place. Sure, they're not "BIG" races and a even a great result is mitigated by that fact, but only a little.
I have to realize that, at my amateur level, ALL races are "training races." The results never matter - not really. It's not like I do this for a living. Thank God.
But I DO do this for the comraderie of being on a great team, for the competition, to test the limits of my capabilities, to help out my teammates when they need me.
And sometimes, like last night, it's just pure, unadulterated fun - especially if I can keep up with the big boys . . .
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If you want to know what was happening in the peleton, click here.
And thanks, as always, to Mrs. SOC for the pics and video. ESPECIALLY last night!
