Wouldn't you know, the ONLY weekend out of the entire summer than I am not traveling somewhere out of town, I get this horoscope, today:
"Today is a 9 (out of 10). Travel conditions are excellent, with few complications. You rarely get such a great chance to do what you love. And it's the weekend!"
Now, that makes me wish I had gone to Levis Trow 100! I wanted to go, I came close to going. I have always really liked that race, always had a good time hanging out afterwards with everyone. I hope everyone there is having a good day. Those of you who went, give us all the details!
It's mid-afternoon, so I could still go watch the early evening pro race at Elk Grove. A long road ride would be a better idea....given that I so seldom get to do a long road ride on a weekend, and given that travel conditions are "excellent"!!
I also hope to do my second cleaning of my bike from the Alterra Muddy Bean Classic. And finally I am going to attack the mud-encrusted shoes. Yeeech.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Leadville and Ore to Shore
Good luck to DJ, Tawnya, Dave P., and Charlie S., who are doing the Leadville 100 this weekend! I hope everyone gets a buckle!
Good luck to Sara K-J and everyone else from WORS who is doing Ore To Shore this weekend. Sara, go win it!
Good luck to Sara K-J and everyone else from WORS who is doing Ore To Shore this weekend. Sara, go win it!
Monday, August 06, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
You Can Sleep When You're Dead
The moon was out in full glory for the 24/9 racers this weekend. Perfect timing.
Congrats to ALL of the WORS and WEMS peeps who made huge efforts and rode well at 24 Hours of 9 Mile! As for the podium, It seemed like there were familiar faces in every category that got called up. If I try to list everyone who I saw up there I am sure I will forget to mention someone. It was great to see so many people I know donning stars and stripes jerseys, and so many others who gave their all.
Being Nationals, it was no surprise that Chris Eatough was in the number one spot on the podium for 24 hour men. And Pua Sawicki was atop the women's 24 hour podium - though she could barely climb up onto it, she was so spent from her race!
Big congratulations to Chris S. and his support team of Kim and Mountaingoat. Chris dug deep and finished 8th in the national 24 hour solo men's category in his FIRST ever 24 hour race! And this is after doing his first two 12 hour races ever in the last couple of months. A very impressive ride! Super-organized race preparation. His support team was a well-oiled machine - Kim and Mountaingoat seemed like seasoned pros at the support thing - they had it all figured out, as far as I could tell. Even at 4 a.m! I learned a few things from watching them.
Stars and stripers that come to mind (of which there are many) for congratulations include Ronsta and Jerry for their two person 24 hour duo - and I think I am the only person who was tempted to take a picture of Ronsta sleeping in his chair but didn't actually take one! Barb told me it might wake him up - this was at about 4 or 5 a.m.. I notice he got Loser of the Week for his chair snoozing......Doug Swanson, Brian Matter and the LaLonde Bros. and support team of Chris and Chris crushed their competition.... Rayana and his 4-man team won their category and got to wear stars n' stripes.... there were the junior women (Sam, MurphyKate, Megan, and I think Sarah?) who called their team "Teenagers doing it all night long" (or something like that).... Ed made them say it into the microphone rather than announce it himself.... Russell and crew won in the Clyde category, I believe.....I'm sure I am forgetting people....
In other podium placings, the Junior men (Nate, Mitch B. etc.) got 2nd place and had a great and inspiring race against a 1st place team much older than they are.....Reckless Racing (Tony, Ed, etc - Chicago area riders) got 2nd in Clydesdale... ... Renee and Michelle (Mad Forcs) in the women's 4 person team, also Katie and her Cowgirls in that same event.....Jay and his 4 man team....and I'm sure I'll think of more when the results are posted
Rachael and John along with Casey and Zoe had a four-person spectator/support-their-friends team. Glad it worked out for them to go up after all.
I don't know if I'll get to post any pics before I leave town - I should be packing and doing laundry for a trip tommorrow instead of writing not to mention sleeping (I am writing this very late Sunday night) but I may not be near a computer again until the weekend. I was also hoping to catch up on entries from the last couple of races one of these days. Not today.
I had a great time being there and seeing everyone. I'm glad I didn't race - that was the right decision. It would have been more fun to have gotten there earlier but this was the only way I was able to go. I made it home on 3 or 4 hours of sleep. I was thinking about all the cars on the road that had people with leg cramps and no sleep... I hope everyone made it home ok. Traffic kept stopping suddenly north of Madison. I had to slam on the brakes more than once.
When I got home after so many hours of driving it was ride vs. nap. So, I went for a road ride at dusk with lights and saved unloading most of the car for later. It was a perfect night to be riding, even as it got dark. Glad I dragged myself out there.
I didn't notice the saying on the back of the brown race tee until I got home - You can sleep when you're dead. I have always liked that saying. Perfect for this event.
Congrats to ALL of the WORS and WEMS peeps who made huge efforts and rode well at 24 Hours of 9 Mile! As for the podium, It seemed like there were familiar faces in every category that got called up. If I try to list everyone who I saw up there I am sure I will forget to mention someone. It was great to see so many people I know donning stars and stripes jerseys, and so many others who gave their all.
Being Nationals, it was no surprise that Chris Eatough was in the number one spot on the podium for 24 hour men. And Pua Sawicki was atop the women's 24 hour podium - though she could barely climb up onto it, she was so spent from her race!
Big congratulations to Chris S. and his support team of Kim and Mountaingoat. Chris dug deep and finished 8th in the national 24 hour solo men's category in his FIRST ever 24 hour race! And this is after doing his first two 12 hour races ever in the last couple of months. A very impressive ride! Super-organized race preparation. His support team was a well-oiled machine - Kim and Mountaingoat seemed like seasoned pros at the support thing - they had it all figured out, as far as I could tell. Even at 4 a.m! I learned a few things from watching them.
Stars and stripers that come to mind (of which there are many) for congratulations include Ronsta and Jerry for their two person 24 hour duo - and I think I am the only person who was tempted to take a picture of Ronsta sleeping in his chair but didn't actually take one! Barb told me it might wake him up - this was at about 4 or 5 a.m.. I notice he got Loser of the Week for his chair snoozing......Doug Swanson, Brian Matter and the LaLonde Bros. and support team of Chris and Chris crushed their competition.... Rayana and his 4-man team won their category and got to wear stars n' stripes.... there were the junior women (Sam, MurphyKate, Megan, and I think Sarah?) who called their team "Teenagers doing it all night long" (or something like that).... Ed made them say it into the microphone rather than announce it himself.... Russell and crew won in the Clyde category, I believe.....I'm sure I am forgetting people....
In other podium placings, the Junior men (Nate, Mitch B. etc.) got 2nd place and had a great and inspiring race against a 1st place team much older than they are.....Reckless Racing (Tony, Ed, etc - Chicago area riders) got 2nd in Clydesdale... ... Renee and Michelle (Mad Forcs) in the women's 4 person team, also Katie and her Cowgirls in that same event.....Jay and his 4 man team....and I'm sure I'll think of more when the results are posted
Rachael and John along with Casey and Zoe had a four-person spectator/support-their-friends team. Glad it worked out for them to go up after all.
I don't know if I'll get to post any pics before I leave town - I should be packing and doing laundry for a trip tommorrow instead of writing not to mention sleeping (I am writing this very late Sunday night) but I may not be near a computer again until the weekend. I was also hoping to catch up on entries from the last couple of races one of these days. Not today.
I had a great time being there and seeing everyone. I'm glad I didn't race - that was the right decision. It would have been more fun to have gotten there earlier but this was the only way I was able to go. I made it home on 3 or 4 hours of sleep. I was thinking about all the cars on the road that had people with leg cramps and no sleep... I hope everyone made it home ok. Traffic kept stopping suddenly north of Madison. I had to slam on the brakes more than once.
When I got home after so many hours of driving it was ride vs. nap. So, I went for a road ride at dusk with lights and saved unloading most of the car for later. It was a perfect night to be riding, even as it got dark. Glad I dragged myself out there.
I didn't notice the saying on the back of the brown race tee until I got home - You can sleep when you're dead. I have always liked that saying. Perfect for this event.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Full Moon for 24/9
I just read that there is going to be a full moon tomorrow night. Perfect for those doing night laps at 24/9. Owwooooooo!
After much weighing of pros and cons all week, I decided yesterday that since I still wasn't feeling better from the sciatic misery of last weekend's longer-than-usual bumpy Metro race, I wasn't going to sign up for the 12 hour at 24/9. I do need a rest, no question about that. I way overdid it last Saturday. And I have been racing every weekend for a while now.
With my sister and nephew arriving in town late last night, and my needing to get everything in order at work to be gone on a family trip next week, packing and getting out of town today was not meant to be. I'm still hoping to head up there in the morning to help out and hang out later in the day. We'll see how I feel tomorrow. It was so much fun last year, I hate to miss it. And this is the last year all the big guns will be there for Nationals. It would have been nice to watch the start. I want to be there, I just don't want to pack and make the long drive.
I think some of our Midwest WORS/WEMS peeps are gonna rule on the home course! Good luck everyone!
My nephew had his first bike riding lesson today. He doesn't seem to get the pedaling thing. Or else he likes having his mom and his auntie pushing him along!!
After much weighing of pros and cons all week, I decided yesterday that since I still wasn't feeling better from the sciatic misery of last weekend's longer-than-usual bumpy Metro race, I wasn't going to sign up for the 12 hour at 24/9. I do need a rest, no question about that. I way overdid it last Saturday. And I have been racing every weekend for a while now.
With my sister and nephew arriving in town late last night, and my needing to get everything in order at work to be gone on a family trip next week, packing and getting out of town today was not meant to be. I'm still hoping to head up there in the morning to help out and hang out later in the day. We'll see how I feel tomorrow. It was so much fun last year, I hate to miss it. And this is the last year all the big guns will be there for Nationals. It would have been nice to watch the start. I want to be there, I just don't want to pack and make the long drive.
I think some of our Midwest WORS/WEMS peeps are gonna rule on the home course! Good luck everyone!
My nephew had his first bike riding lesson today. He doesn't seem to get the pedaling thing. Or else he likes having his mom and his auntie pushing him along!!
Thursday, July 26, 2007
24/9
to 24/9 or not to 24/9?? that is the question.....
Good luck to everyone headed up to Nine Mile this weekend.
Good luck to everyone headed up to Nine Mile this weekend.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Monday, July 23, 2007
And they're off!!!.... Superweek comes to Evanston
Congrats to Sam Schneider for winning the Women's 1/2/3 race in a sprint finish! Impressive. I wasn't able to get a photo of the finish from where I was standing.
Above, the Pro/1/2 race, just after the starting gun, at the Evanston Crit stage of Superweek Sunday July 22.
The Pro/1/2 field as they swarm around a corner at the back of the course. If you stood in the right spot, you could see both this corner and the start finish area just by turning around!
The break in the Master's 40+ race.
Above, the Pro/1/2 race, just after the starting gun, at the Evanston Crit stage of Superweek Sunday July 22.
The Pro/1/2 field as they swarm around a corner at the back of the course. If you stood in the right spot, you could see both this corner and the start finish area just by turning around!
The break in the Master's 40+ race.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Sundaaaaaaaaay!!!!.......Evanston Crit
The Metro Challenge at Crystal Ridge is tomorrow. I am soooo happy that this is the closest WEMS race, and I won't be getting home at 2 or later in the morning after a WEMS race like I sometimes do.
I want to be able to get up Sunday in time to watch friends and teammates in the first ever Evanston Crit!!! So excited about this!
The restaurants are allowed to set up tables in the parking lanes on the course so that people can see the action up close as they eat. How cool is that? Should be a fun weekend.
I want to be able to get up Sunday in time to watch friends and teammates in the first ever Evanston Crit!!! So excited about this!
The restaurants are allowed to set up tables in the parking lanes on the course so that people can see the action up close as they eat. How cool is that? Should be a fun weekend.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Soaking Wet
I made it a point to start my evening ride earlier than usual so I would miss the storms that were forecasted. It was partly sunny when I left, which was encouraging. I rode north for a little over an hour, did about a 15 minute errand/stop, then turned around and headed back home. It was overcast at that point. About 15 minutes from home the heavens opened. Torrents of rain. Had I not stopped I would have made it home without getting poured on! What a downpour - I could barely see, and my riding glasses are prescription, so they needed to stay on. Luckily I had brought blinkies in case it got dark and rained. I was on my old cross bike - the brakes worked better than I expected in the rain.
What a mess. Road grit stuck to everything, water dripping all over the place. My wet riding gear weighed a ton as I tossed it in the washer. Shoes stuffed with newspaper. Shower felt great! Wish I had made it home earlier, but still I feel lucky that I only got hit at the end of the ride. All the Wednesday night group rides were still out there. I can't imagine riding in a pack in rain that torrential, although at one time I used to do it.
Electricity still on, unlike 67,000 other ComEd customers....
What a mess. Road grit stuck to everything, water dripping all over the place. My wet riding gear weighed a ton as I tossed it in the washer. Shoes stuffed with newspaper. Shower felt great! Wish I had made it home earlier, but still I feel lucky that I only got hit at the end of the ride. All the Wednesday night group rides were still out there. I can't imagine riding in a pack in rain that torrential, although at one time I used to do it.
Electricity still on, unlike 67,000 other ComEd customers....
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
July 17, 2007
I got an email a few days ago from an astrologer in AZ about today being a special day in terms of our solar system. That probably explains why the new age fire the grid was chosen for today. (I just noticed tonight on the net that there are opposing opinions about the validity and the true agenda of fire the grid - I'm not sure what to think about that, not having researched it.)
Anyway, here is what the email said (see below). If you are open to this type of thing, it sounds like good advice. I'm not sure what conjunct means in this context.
Quoted from the email:
> I've previously sent out information about the important date coming up this Tuesday.
The planet Pluto is conjunct the galactic center of our solar system, an event that
happens every 250 years. It occurred once before and is happening again this coming
Tuesday, and one more time, on October 28th of this year.
What you need to know about this is that it activates great transformation on this
planet and in each person's life. It is a very good time to let go of old stuff, to clean
out your closets and get rid of things that no longer serve you.
It is a good time to write down your intentions for your life.....all facets of it, work,
relationships, finances, and anything else of importance and to actively energize all
that you want in your life.
It is an extremely powerful time, so choose your activities for that day very carefully.
Anyway, here is what the email said (see below). If you are open to this type of thing, it sounds like good advice. I'm not sure what conjunct means in this context.
Quoted from the email:
> I've previously sent out information about the important date coming up this Tuesday.
The planet Pluto is conjunct the galactic center of our solar system, an event that
happens every 250 years. It occurred once before and is happening again this coming
Tuesday, and one more time, on October 28th of this year.
What you need to know about this is that it activates great transformation on this
planet and in each person's life. It is a very good time to let go of old stuff, to clean
out your closets and get rid of things that no longer serve you.
It is a good time to write down your intentions for your life.....all facets of it, work,
relationships, finances, and anything else of importance and to actively energize all
that you want in your life.
It is an extremely powerful time, so choose your activities for that day very carefully.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Article about Reforestation Ramble
Article and video on Green Bay TV website about the Reforestation Ramble. The article is fluffy, targeted to the general non-cycling public, but any bike racing coverage is better than none.
I'll write a post about the race later....
I'll write a post about the race later....
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Superfast
Congrats to Gabi on her great triathlon results the last two weekends, and to John F. on his great Superweek result today!
1st woman in the Short Course race at Lifetime Fitness in Minneapolis today! 9th out of almost 4000 women last weekend at the Danskin Tri in Wisconsin. She asked me to look at the results of today's race online and print them to bring to the marathon race at Reforestation Camp tomorrow, and when I went to check just now, I saw that she got FIRST woman in the short course, out of 559 women. She was 21st overall, when you include the men. Super fast transitions. Nice.
And, I just talked to John F., who just finished the Blue Island Superweek cat 4/5 crit and got 2nd. Nice job! Good luck tomorrow in Bensenville.
1st woman in the Short Course race at Lifetime Fitness in Minneapolis today! 9th out of almost 4000 women last weekend at the Danskin Tri in Wisconsin. She asked me to look at the results of today's race online and print them to bring to the marathon race at Reforestation Camp tomorrow, and when I went to check just now, I saw that she got FIRST woman in the short course, out of 559 women. She was 21st overall, when you include the men. Super fast transitions. Nice.
And, I just talked to John F., who just finished the Blue Island Superweek cat 4/5 crit and got 2nd. Nice job! Good luck tomorrow in Bensenville.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Inching Along at Blue Mound
That which does not kill you makes your stronger.
Blue Mound. There is so much you could say about it.
Hardest course in Wisconsin for me. Course most likely to draw blood and break your bike. Evil mind control rocks. Course most likely to be the set of a horror movie.
I have been thinking about the horror movie aspect all week. This idea hadn't occurred to me in previous years, but the heat, humidity, huge rock piles, vegetation, jungle-like atmosphere and pig farm smell this year all added up to a surreal experience!! (note: I haven't seen a lot of horror movies, so I really have no basis for comparison!!)
The first time I did this race, maybe in 2004, the start was down in the lower parking lot, by the pool. It gave it a different feel. Instead of the long gravelly climb, we climbed the hill on the road. Our cars were at pretty much the same level as the trail. This time around, it was like we were descending into a steamy jungle.
Now, can't you just see it? Innocuous gigantic green field, parking lots, picnic tables, a shelter, some bathrooms, lots of happy people's tents set up along the course, amiable Toyota Fj Trail dudes taking photos, giving out schwag, and giving test drives, all in all a nice day in the state park! It's a whole different story however, when you descend into the steamy jungle underworld. This takes place soon after the rocky downhill. The evil mind control rocks are lying in wait to puncture!! You are "initiated" into the underworld by the rock gauntlet within the first few minutes of your first lap!! Whether your realize it or not, you are being forwarned about what lies ahead. They are just waiting oh so patiently for you to fly by, full of enthusiasm and adrenaline!! And what happens then? Boom, the mind control rocks immediately show their dominance by causing flats before people even get to the next stretch of singletrack. The rocks let you think you made it safely by letting you ride past the pool and then next thing you know your air sneaks out in the first stretch of open doubletrack... I'm sure almost everyone saw someone changing a flat after that rocky section at some point.... So I decided ahead of time to walk the worst parts of that first downhill section - partly to avoid that fate but mainly because I knew the downhill was above my skill level. The two women right behind me decided to do the same thing once they saw what was to come.
You momentarily pop back into happy State Park mode (just a teaser!) as you barrel down a grassy hill past the pool, which was hopping. We turned left, the longer races turned right after the pool. Then we hit the doubletrack for a bit.
Then, in the first stretch of singletrack, there are green finger-like fronds reaching out at you from the sides of the trail at waist level and below. The lush vegetation makes the trail feel very intimate, but could be spooky too, if you were all alone out there. There are small rocks, big rocks, and rock piles everywhere. Navigating the rocks requires such intense concentration, you end up blocking everything else out. A lap ends up taking so long that you just feel immersed in the jungle, like you might never emerge. I never had a clear sense of where I was. It was close call after close call. I had a "no crash rule" for this race after getting really banged up in previous years. I did get saved many times from friendly trees on the side of the trail that I fell into or grabbed onto. If you took this setting and added some eerie bird noises in the background and took away most of the competitors except for the Thing behind you in black that you can never quite see but you know he's there chasing you, ready to pounce if you don't make it over the next rock pile.... well, there's the start of your movie!
Silly, huh? I don't know what made me think of this, I didn't think of it so much while I was riding as I did later, when I was thinking about what a drastic change it was to go from the parking area into the woods.
And really, you could say the LaCrosse course is kind of like that too - after all, my bike did get attacked by a Rooty Thing there, causing it to bleed brake fluid!!
Anyway, the first person I saw when I got there was Ray, aka "Rayana". He had just done his first lap of the 6 hour, and his story did not inspire confidence in my ability to handle this year's course. He was covered with scrapes and said he endoed twice. Then one of the registration guys told me that they used the hardest part of the course for the three hour. Upon further questioning, he assured me he was not kidding! Gulp!
I had been looking forward to seeing the FJ Cruiser Trail Team. I really like the look of the FJ's, they caught my eye the minute they came onto the market. Ray told me that the Trail team was taking pictures and giving away multi-tools and other stuff. He suggested going over there before the tools were gone, so that is what I did after registration. Then I got ready for the race.
I noticed Marty and his kids arriving in a van with kayaks on top as I was getting ready. I couldn't resist telling him he forgot and brought the wrong toys. They had a big kite too, in addition to the kayaks and bikes. I'm sure they had a fun weekend trying to do everything.
I found Chris and Kim's tent over near another parking lot that I didn't even realize was there. Rachael, John and Mountaingoat were also stationed there. I left my little cooler with them before the start. I kind of loped at the LeMans start for the 3 hour race, instead of running. The running starts are not great for me. The cast of characters was pretty much the same as usual, it's nice to see the familiar faces.
Made it through the downhill gauntlet, the cautious way. Chris flew by in the gauntlet, he had the rocks under control. Once in the singletrack, I did alot of walking. Ride a bit, almost fall over when hitting some obstacle, get off, walk a bit through the rock piles, get on again, almost fall into a rock pile, grab a tree, get off again, on again, off again. On, off, on, off. I was drenched with sweat. The heat didn't bother me, I like heat, but I was also soaking wet from being away from a breeze. And not going fast enough to create my own. I was again on the unfamiliar bike that I am not used to, and was just trying to survive. Stabbing knife pains in my feet too, that added to the survival factor, knowing this was really hard on my back.
The funny thing about walking your bike there is that you could really just as easily crash Walking as you could Riding!! Or at least I could. As I got tired, I would find my toe catching on a rock or root, which would almost send me flying. I can't count the times I turned my ankles on embedded rocks and rock piles. Also, my shoes would slip on the rocks. Last year one of my worst "crashes" was when I was trying to drag the bike over a rock pile. I noticed one or two people at the start were wearing running shoes, and I wondered if that was a strategy for dealing with all the dismounts and the walking that some of us had to do. I was not the only one walking out there, that was for sure.
The course required so much attention that any "conversations" were bound to be weird. A few times when I asked someone a question as they were passing, it was like they had to snap out of their haze for a moment, think about what I was asking, and then realize they had no idea if they had just passed any women right behind us, or how far into the lap we were, or whatever I was asking them. Hardly anyone was giving a warning before passing - I told one guy I could move out of the way faster if he warned me ahead of time, and he said he didn't have the energy to talk.
At one point in my last lap John G. passed me, then I saw him standing in the vegetation by the side of the trail, looking for something. His sunglasses had flown off. I think Chris passed shortly after that, then John passed me. Must have found the glasses, I wasn't sure he would. It would be really hard to find anything there! Don't lose your car keys! I didn't dare stop, I was under the gun on time at that point.
The last lap I was very worried I would not make it back before the cut off time, based on my previous lap time. I pushed myself harder and tried to stay on the bike more. I rode alot of stuff that I walked the first time around, so I felt a sense of accomplishment about that. Not that I had mastered the course or anything, but it was a little more manageable. Except for how much harder everything gets when you are getting tired and sloppy. I didn't think I'd be able to lift my right leg over the seat to get back on one more time... but I always did somehow, even when I felt like I couldn't. (see...? the riders with poor technical skills get an entirely different workout in this race than the more skilled riders!)
Was anyone else besides me creeped out by the creaking noise that fallen tree made as it rubbed against another tree trunk? I just about jumped out of my skin until I realized what that was. I guess there must have been some moving air down there, for that thing to move like that. I think we had to ride right under it. Maybe that's what subconsciously got me thinking about scary movies....
Someone else in their blog, I think Peter from Killjoy, mentioned the stinky trail. I definitely noticed a pig farm type of smell floating around in spots. It didn't make any sense that it would be there, it seemed out of place. I remember going, huh, what's that doing there? Another thing making it surreal....
Thanks to Kim for the bottle handup! I was soooo tired after slogging up that hill - it was wonderful to have her there to hand me a bottle so I didn't have to get off and find my cooler.
I finished with time to spare - my watch was off from the race clock, and I failed to check the difference at the start.
After changing, I checked my raffle tix against the raffle board and found that I had won a Planet Bike pump and Hat, and a bottle of Hammer Gel. Thanks to both of those companies and all the others that donated to the raffle! I was excited to get such useful stuff. I also got a third place medal at the awards.
I then went for an FJ Cruiser test ride. I enjoyed that. We went driving in the countryside, got a little lost but not for long, thanks to the Garmin stuck to the windshield. I liked the truck. If I weren't so happy with the one I have, I might consider it. That was fun having those guys out there, it added something to the event. The special modified Millenworks off-road cruiser on display had a refrigerator inside, and the guy said he puts his bike upright on the other side in back next to the fridge. That was the one they took our pics with. I notice on the website that it did the Baja 1000.
After the race Chris, Kim, and their friends/hosts John and Michelle and I went to dinner at Pasqual's, the one close to the race. I was excited when I saw that was where were going, because I had heard about it but had never been! I didn't get to try their famous margaritas because I still was driving back to Chicago that night. But I did get a delicious chocolate cupcake for dessert, something I haven't had in ages, mmmm.
Enough of Blue Mound for now, if you made it this far. Other people gave wonderful detailed descriptions of their race, so I thought I'd also try to capture the mood of the place a little. Not sure if it worked, but if not, you can always wait for Blue Mound, the movie!
Blue Mound. There is so much you could say about it.
Hardest course in Wisconsin for me. Course most likely to draw blood and break your bike. Evil mind control rocks. Course most likely to be the set of a horror movie.
I have been thinking about the horror movie aspect all week. This idea hadn't occurred to me in previous years, but the heat, humidity, huge rock piles, vegetation, jungle-like atmosphere and pig farm smell this year all added up to a surreal experience!! (note: I haven't seen a lot of horror movies, so I really have no basis for comparison!!)
The first time I did this race, maybe in 2004, the start was down in the lower parking lot, by the pool. It gave it a different feel. Instead of the long gravelly climb, we climbed the hill on the road. Our cars were at pretty much the same level as the trail. This time around, it was like we were descending into a steamy jungle.
Now, can't you just see it? Innocuous gigantic green field, parking lots, picnic tables, a shelter, some bathrooms, lots of happy people's tents set up along the course, amiable Toyota Fj Trail dudes taking photos, giving out schwag, and giving test drives, all in all a nice day in the state park! It's a whole different story however, when you descend into the steamy jungle underworld. This takes place soon after the rocky downhill. The evil mind control rocks are lying in wait to puncture!! You are "initiated" into the underworld by the rock gauntlet within the first few minutes of your first lap!! Whether your realize it or not, you are being forwarned about what lies ahead. They are just waiting oh so patiently for you to fly by, full of enthusiasm and adrenaline!! And what happens then? Boom, the mind control rocks immediately show their dominance by causing flats before people even get to the next stretch of singletrack. The rocks let you think you made it safely by letting you ride past the pool and then next thing you know your air sneaks out in the first stretch of open doubletrack... I'm sure almost everyone saw someone changing a flat after that rocky section at some point.... So I decided ahead of time to walk the worst parts of that first downhill section - partly to avoid that fate but mainly because I knew the downhill was above my skill level. The two women right behind me decided to do the same thing once they saw what was to come.
You momentarily pop back into happy State Park mode (just a teaser!) as you barrel down a grassy hill past the pool, which was hopping. We turned left, the longer races turned right after the pool. Then we hit the doubletrack for a bit.
Then, in the first stretch of singletrack, there are green finger-like fronds reaching out at you from the sides of the trail at waist level and below. The lush vegetation makes the trail feel very intimate, but could be spooky too, if you were all alone out there. There are small rocks, big rocks, and rock piles everywhere. Navigating the rocks requires such intense concentration, you end up blocking everything else out. A lap ends up taking so long that you just feel immersed in the jungle, like you might never emerge. I never had a clear sense of where I was. It was close call after close call. I had a "no crash rule" for this race after getting really banged up in previous years. I did get saved many times from friendly trees on the side of the trail that I fell into or grabbed onto. If you took this setting and added some eerie bird noises in the background and took away most of the competitors except for the Thing behind you in black that you can never quite see but you know he's there chasing you, ready to pounce if you don't make it over the next rock pile.... well, there's the start of your movie!
Silly, huh? I don't know what made me think of this, I didn't think of it so much while I was riding as I did later, when I was thinking about what a drastic change it was to go from the parking area into the woods.
And really, you could say the LaCrosse course is kind of like that too - after all, my bike did get attacked by a Rooty Thing there, causing it to bleed brake fluid!!
Anyway, the first person I saw when I got there was Ray, aka "Rayana". He had just done his first lap of the 6 hour, and his story did not inspire confidence in my ability to handle this year's course. He was covered with scrapes and said he endoed twice. Then one of the registration guys told me that they used the hardest part of the course for the three hour. Upon further questioning, he assured me he was not kidding! Gulp!
I had been looking forward to seeing the FJ Cruiser Trail Team. I really like the look of the FJ's, they caught my eye the minute they came onto the market. Ray told me that the Trail team was taking pictures and giving away multi-tools and other stuff. He suggested going over there before the tools were gone, so that is what I did after registration. Then I got ready for the race.
I noticed Marty and his kids arriving in a van with kayaks on top as I was getting ready. I couldn't resist telling him he forgot and brought the wrong toys. They had a big kite too, in addition to the kayaks and bikes. I'm sure they had a fun weekend trying to do everything.
I found Chris and Kim's tent over near another parking lot that I didn't even realize was there. Rachael, John and Mountaingoat were also stationed there. I left my little cooler with them before the start. I kind of loped at the LeMans start for the 3 hour race, instead of running. The running starts are not great for me. The cast of characters was pretty much the same as usual, it's nice to see the familiar faces.
Made it through the downhill gauntlet, the cautious way. Chris flew by in the gauntlet, he had the rocks under control. Once in the singletrack, I did alot of walking. Ride a bit, almost fall over when hitting some obstacle, get off, walk a bit through the rock piles, get on again, almost fall into a rock pile, grab a tree, get off again, on again, off again. On, off, on, off. I was drenched with sweat. The heat didn't bother me, I like heat, but I was also soaking wet from being away from a breeze. And not going fast enough to create my own. I was again on the unfamiliar bike that I am not used to, and was just trying to survive. Stabbing knife pains in my feet too, that added to the survival factor, knowing this was really hard on my back.
The funny thing about walking your bike there is that you could really just as easily crash Walking as you could Riding!! Or at least I could. As I got tired, I would find my toe catching on a rock or root, which would almost send me flying. I can't count the times I turned my ankles on embedded rocks and rock piles. Also, my shoes would slip on the rocks. Last year one of my worst "crashes" was when I was trying to drag the bike over a rock pile. I noticed one or two people at the start were wearing running shoes, and I wondered if that was a strategy for dealing with all the dismounts and the walking that some of us had to do. I was not the only one walking out there, that was for sure.
The course required so much attention that any "conversations" were bound to be weird. A few times when I asked someone a question as they were passing, it was like they had to snap out of their haze for a moment, think about what I was asking, and then realize they had no idea if they had just passed any women right behind us, or how far into the lap we were, or whatever I was asking them. Hardly anyone was giving a warning before passing - I told one guy I could move out of the way faster if he warned me ahead of time, and he said he didn't have the energy to talk.
At one point in my last lap John G. passed me, then I saw him standing in the vegetation by the side of the trail, looking for something. His sunglasses had flown off. I think Chris passed shortly after that, then John passed me. Must have found the glasses, I wasn't sure he would. It would be really hard to find anything there! Don't lose your car keys! I didn't dare stop, I was under the gun on time at that point.
The last lap I was very worried I would not make it back before the cut off time, based on my previous lap time. I pushed myself harder and tried to stay on the bike more. I rode alot of stuff that I walked the first time around, so I felt a sense of accomplishment about that. Not that I had mastered the course or anything, but it was a little more manageable. Except for how much harder everything gets when you are getting tired and sloppy. I didn't think I'd be able to lift my right leg over the seat to get back on one more time... but I always did somehow, even when I felt like I couldn't. (see...? the riders with poor technical skills get an entirely different workout in this race than the more skilled riders!)
Was anyone else besides me creeped out by the creaking noise that fallen tree made as it rubbed against another tree trunk? I just about jumped out of my skin until I realized what that was. I guess there must have been some moving air down there, for that thing to move like that. I think we had to ride right under it. Maybe that's what subconsciously got me thinking about scary movies....
Someone else in their blog, I think Peter from Killjoy, mentioned the stinky trail. I definitely noticed a pig farm type of smell floating around in spots. It didn't make any sense that it would be there, it seemed out of place. I remember going, huh, what's that doing there? Another thing making it surreal....
Thanks to Kim for the bottle handup! I was soooo tired after slogging up that hill - it was wonderful to have her there to hand me a bottle so I didn't have to get off and find my cooler.
I finished with time to spare - my watch was off from the race clock, and I failed to check the difference at the start.
After changing, I checked my raffle tix against the raffle board and found that I had won a Planet Bike pump and Hat, and a bottle of Hammer Gel. Thanks to both of those companies and all the others that donated to the raffle! I was excited to get such useful stuff. I also got a third place medal at the awards.
I then went for an FJ Cruiser test ride. I enjoyed that. We went driving in the countryside, got a little lost but not for long, thanks to the Garmin stuck to the windshield. I liked the truck. If I weren't so happy with the one I have, I might consider it. That was fun having those guys out there, it added something to the event. The special modified Millenworks off-road cruiser on display had a refrigerator inside, and the guy said he puts his bike upright on the other side in back next to the fridge. That was the one they took our pics with. I notice on the website that it did the Baja 1000.
After the race Chris, Kim, and their friends/hosts John and Michelle and I went to dinner at Pasqual's, the one close to the race. I was excited when I saw that was where were going, because I had heard about it but had never been! I didn't get to try their famous margaritas because I still was driving back to Chicago that night. But I did get a delicious chocolate cupcake for dessert, something I haven't had in ages, mmmm.
Enough of Blue Mound for now, if you made it this far. Other people gave wonderful detailed descriptions of their race, so I thought I'd also try to capture the mood of the place a little. Not sure if it worked, but if not, you can always wait for Blue Mound, the movie!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Tour de Life
It's time for the annual July increase in the electric bill - it's Tour time! I noticed last year that my bill goes up in July with the combination of air conditioning and having the TV on whenever I am home! Mountaingoat and others mention in their blogs that their training suffers in July - and that is surely also the case for me. But everything else suffers too. During race season, with going somewhere every weekend, there is already little free time to do the stuff that keeps your life in order. With the Tour on, even less of the "life stuff" ends up getting done!! July = chaos at home!
I guess no one's going to want to do blog updates for the next few weeks....
And speaking of things that take up time.....The clock is ticking on making a decision about 24-9. Last year I signed up for the 12 hour but crashed so many times in the rock gardens and got so beat up over and over that I am not sure I should try again, given the condition I am in this year. On the other hand I had a great time being there!!! The best time I had post-race all last year. Lots of friends to hang with after I was finished, watching them film 24 Solo, the excitement of it being Nationals, warm weather, crazy weather. So it's between: sign up for the 12 hour and ride for maybe half of it, go, don't race, just ride and hang out and enjoy being there and help people who are racing, or stay home and have a rare weekend off from racing. what to do, what to do..... who is going?
I guess no one's going to want to do blog updates for the next few weeks....
And speaking of things that take up time.....The clock is ticking on making a decision about 24-9. Last year I signed up for the 12 hour but crashed so many times in the rock gardens and got so beat up over and over that I am not sure I should try again, given the condition I am in this year. On the other hand I had a great time being there!!! The best time I had post-race all last year. Lots of friends to hang with after I was finished, watching them film 24 Solo, the excitement of it being Nationals, warm weather, crazy weather. So it's between: sign up for the 12 hour and ride for maybe half of it, go, don't race, just ride and hang out and enjoy being there and help people who are racing, or stay home and have a rare weekend off from racing. what to do, what to do..... who is going?
The dog ate my Blue Mound report
Sunday night I sat down at the computer to read Blue Mound race reports and write my own report, when the phone rang. A friend was calling spur of the moment to see if I wanted to see the movie "Once". It sounded kinda cool, so even though it was late, and in spite of a million other things I should have been doing, I went to the movie. It was pretty good. It revolves around amateur musicians - specifically a street musician who is trying to break into the music biz and at the same time get the courage to win his old girlfriend back. The music was the best thing about it, to me. I liked it. It ended kind of abruptly - I wished it had kept on going long enough to let us know more about what happens to the main characters. If you like folky, acoustic-y indie music, you might like this movie.
I've been busy since then, but I am going to get to my race report, eventually. There are plenty of more interesting ones out there, anyway!
Friday night before I hit the grocery store I stopped by the Tour de France party at Turin. It was fun. I should have been at home preparing for Blue Mound, but it was great to see some peeps I hadn't seen in a long time. Then I went to the store to get food for the weekend. I didn't make it to bed until almost two, due to packing, bottle filling, tire filling, chain lubing, etc., and then I couldn't fall asleep. One of these days I'll get a good night's sleep before a race! Luckily I didn't have to get up until 8 to make it for the afternoon race.
I've been busy since then, but I am going to get to my race report, eventually. There are plenty of more interesting ones out there, anyway!
Friday night before I hit the grocery store I stopped by the Tour de France party at Turin. It was fun. I should have been at home preparing for Blue Mound, but it was great to see some peeps I hadn't seen in a long time. Then I went to the store to get food for the weekend. I didn't make it to bed until almost two, due to packing, bottle filling, tire filling, chain lubing, etc., and then I couldn't fall asleep. One of these days I'll get a good night's sleep before a race! Luckily I didn't have to get up until 8 to make it for the afternoon race.
Friday, July 06, 2007
Eau Claire
This was my one of my worst WORS race ever, in terms of overall placing, not counting races where I had a mechanical. So far this year I have gotten some of my worst placings. I hope I can reverse the trend.
After over 6 hours of driving I got to Eau Claire a little after midnight. One of these days I have to try getting a good night's sleep before a race, it might help my results!! I don't think I ever get eight hours before a race - although I always intend to. Sometimes I can't fall asleep at all before a race, even if I get to bed early enough.
I didn't really want to come to this race, yet I sorta did. I talked myself into it. When I think of this course the main thing I remember is Liz falling off the ledge in the roller coaster part in the first year. Her bike fell on top of her, and she was tangled in the brush which kept her from falling further down the side of the hill. We stopped to help her get back on the trail. She won't go back to this race after that happened. On the other hand, they do a great job with putting on the race and getting there is pretty easy for how far it is, super fast interstate all the way. Facilities are pretty good. Last year some of us had a great time on the kart track after the races.
My bike brake wasn't back yet from the mishap last weekend, so I had to use a bike I haven't ridden since September 2006, with wider bars, stiffer suspension, a bigger frame, a different shifter on one side that I can't shift with the sore thumb (used the whole hand instead), and so on. I kept fiddling with the seat height up until minutes before the start - higher for the leadout, or lower for the hard stuff where I'll have to get off? I had a hard time adjusting to the bike in the race.
I forgot the backpack part of my camelback so I spent what would have been warmup time trying to borrow one, unsuccessfully. My race bike has two cages but this bike only has one!! So I carried an extra bottle in my jersey. I seldom forget stuff at races, so I don't know what's up this year!
I was counting on the leadout to get me a good position and pass lots of people, but that didn't happen. Not having preridden, I should have scoped out the turn after the start. My gut said to line up on the right but if I wanted to be in the second row I had to go left, which put me in the middle. I wish I had gone right. I got stuck in the middle of the pack behind slow starters and then I got bogged down in the sand that I had no idea was there. The pack took a different line than I expected, again, I should have been better prepared. I watched people pulling away up front. I was pretty much stuck for most of the leadout, until I got around people at the end and passed just a few people. And that was pretty much how the race went! There was alot of stuff I had to get off for, which lost time, people passed me, and there was stuff that had me braking more than I should have, which lost more time! I found my rear wheel skidding alot on the downhills, and I wasn't sure if it was me grabbing the brakes too much on the unfamiliar bike, or if it was the super dusty, loose conditions. That usually doesn't happen as much with my brakes on my race bike. The tires have the same tread pattern on both bikes, though the other ones are regular tires and these are tubeless.
Unlike most of you other WORS bloggers, I do best on a course with open spaces where I can catch people after they pass me in the singletrack. Or at least I used to when I was in better shape! This year I am just getting passed, period. There wasn't quite enough open stuff for me to make up for the stuff I couldn't ride. Not that I would have gained that many places. But, I am glad to hear that lots of people loved the course. Makes it worth the drive for most people.
That's all for now, it's late. Tomorrow I have a million things to do, including getting ready for Blue Mound. I hope my brake comes in tomorrow - although they are not sure they'll have time to put it on before closing time if it does. Anybody have any spare body armor for bouncing off rocks?
After over 6 hours of driving I got to Eau Claire a little after midnight. One of these days I have to try getting a good night's sleep before a race, it might help my results!! I don't think I ever get eight hours before a race - although I always intend to. Sometimes I can't fall asleep at all before a race, even if I get to bed early enough.
I didn't really want to come to this race, yet I sorta did. I talked myself into it. When I think of this course the main thing I remember is Liz falling off the ledge in the roller coaster part in the first year. Her bike fell on top of her, and she was tangled in the brush which kept her from falling further down the side of the hill. We stopped to help her get back on the trail. She won't go back to this race after that happened. On the other hand, they do a great job with putting on the race and getting there is pretty easy for how far it is, super fast interstate all the way. Facilities are pretty good. Last year some of us had a great time on the kart track after the races.
My bike brake wasn't back yet from the mishap last weekend, so I had to use a bike I haven't ridden since September 2006, with wider bars, stiffer suspension, a bigger frame, a different shifter on one side that I can't shift with the sore thumb (used the whole hand instead), and so on. I kept fiddling with the seat height up until minutes before the start - higher for the leadout, or lower for the hard stuff where I'll have to get off? I had a hard time adjusting to the bike in the race.
I forgot the backpack part of my camelback so I spent what would have been warmup time trying to borrow one, unsuccessfully. My race bike has two cages but this bike only has one!! So I carried an extra bottle in my jersey. I seldom forget stuff at races, so I don't know what's up this year!
I was counting on the leadout to get me a good position and pass lots of people, but that didn't happen. Not having preridden, I should have scoped out the turn after the start. My gut said to line up on the right but if I wanted to be in the second row I had to go left, which put me in the middle. I wish I had gone right. I got stuck in the middle of the pack behind slow starters and then I got bogged down in the sand that I had no idea was there. The pack took a different line than I expected, again, I should have been better prepared. I watched people pulling away up front. I was pretty much stuck for most of the leadout, until I got around people at the end and passed just a few people. And that was pretty much how the race went! There was alot of stuff I had to get off for, which lost time, people passed me, and there was stuff that had me braking more than I should have, which lost more time! I found my rear wheel skidding alot on the downhills, and I wasn't sure if it was me grabbing the brakes too much on the unfamiliar bike, or if it was the super dusty, loose conditions. That usually doesn't happen as much with my brakes on my race bike. The tires have the same tread pattern on both bikes, though the other ones are regular tires and these are tubeless.
Unlike most of you other WORS bloggers, I do best on a course with open spaces where I can catch people after they pass me in the singletrack. Or at least I used to when I was in better shape! This year I am just getting passed, period. There wasn't quite enough open stuff for me to make up for the stuff I couldn't ride. Not that I would have gained that many places. But, I am glad to hear that lots of people loved the course. Makes it worth the drive for most people.
That's all for now, it's late. Tomorrow I have a million things to do, including getting ready for Blue Mound. I hope my brake comes in tomorrow - although they are not sure they'll have time to put it on before closing time if it does. Anybody have any spare body armor for bouncing off rocks?
Independence Day
So, here I am trying to write a race report when I should be getting ready for the next race! It always seems to turn out that way....
4th of July was a nice day, sunny and pleasant. I went for a ride in the afternoon, doing about 40 road miles. Before being injured, I used to try to do 50 miles on summer holidays, if there was time and I wasn't doing something else like going to Kettle for the day, I would ride up to Abbott labs and turn around. But this is the longest road ride I have done all year. The bad thing about racing every weekend is that I seldom get to do the longer rides I might be able to do if I were at home. And that will be the topic of a whole 'nother post. The ride definitely aggravated some things, but I am glad I did it.
On the way home from the ride, I stopped at a party on top of the lakefront parking garage at Northwestern. These friends stake out a spot there with pop up tents and food and throw a party which leads up to having an excellent spot to watch the fireworks. During the day you can watch the sailboats and then the fireworks at night. I meant to stop for just a bit but some people I hadn't seen in ages showed up - some of my old motorcycle friends - and persuaded me to stay for a while and have some food, etc. It was fun, and I really enjoyed seeing my friend's triplets (gulp)!! Yes, three little boys!!! They are 2 and a half, and actually are really cute and were no problem as long as we made sure they didn't fall over the side of the 2 story parking garage! I'm sure they have their difficult moments but at the party they were being great little fun guys. Their parents brought a bubble machine to keep them occupied - we all had fun with it. Kids all over the lot were enjoying chasing the bubbles that blew their way! The bubbles were gigantic and some of them had several small bubbles inside the big ones, which was pretty cool.
I eventually got really tired of sitting around in wet bike clothes and headed home to get a quick shower before I met some other friends to go to the fireworks. I was behind schedule on meeting them so instead of going to Kristin's I met them at the beach. Rode the old purple mtn bike, which is now a town bike with riser bars. If we had a "crappy bike ride" like Russell's here, I guess that's what I'd ride, even though it's not crappy. Some might say all that 90's purple is tacky, but it's not crappy!
We ended up lying on the cement of a parking lot., they said the beach was too crowded. It was pretty uncomfortable after the long ride earlier, I was wishing for a chair like all the old folks seemed to have! We got good spots, but there was a long delay in getting the fireworks going so of course lots of people squeezed in around us. People were constantly stepping over us until things got started. The lakefront fireworks were great and went for a long time. They always do an excellent job. Of course after the fireworks are over people swarm all over the park to get back to their cars, which are usually parked pretty far away. There are always lots of people setting off their own fireworks as we are walking away from the lake, so you are always at risk of walking too near to something that's about to explode! Stuff was exploding all around us.
Eau Claire next...
4th of July was a nice day, sunny and pleasant. I went for a ride in the afternoon, doing about 40 road miles. Before being injured, I used to try to do 50 miles on summer holidays, if there was time and I wasn't doing something else like going to Kettle for the day, I would ride up to Abbott labs and turn around. But this is the longest road ride I have done all year. The bad thing about racing every weekend is that I seldom get to do the longer rides I might be able to do if I were at home. And that will be the topic of a whole 'nother post. The ride definitely aggravated some things, but I am glad I did it.
On the way home from the ride, I stopped at a party on top of the lakefront parking garage at Northwestern. These friends stake out a spot there with pop up tents and food and throw a party which leads up to having an excellent spot to watch the fireworks. During the day you can watch the sailboats and then the fireworks at night. I meant to stop for just a bit but some people I hadn't seen in ages showed up - some of my old motorcycle friends - and persuaded me to stay for a while and have some food, etc. It was fun, and I really enjoyed seeing my friend's triplets (gulp)!! Yes, three little boys!!! They are 2 and a half, and actually are really cute and were no problem as long as we made sure they didn't fall over the side of the 2 story parking garage! I'm sure they have their difficult moments but at the party they were being great little fun guys. Their parents brought a bubble machine to keep them occupied - we all had fun with it. Kids all over the lot were enjoying chasing the bubbles that blew their way! The bubbles were gigantic and some of them had several small bubbles inside the big ones, which was pretty cool.
I eventually got really tired of sitting around in wet bike clothes and headed home to get a quick shower before I met some other friends to go to the fireworks. I was behind schedule on meeting them so instead of going to Kristin's I met them at the beach. Rode the old purple mtn bike, which is now a town bike with riser bars. If we had a "crappy bike ride" like Russell's here, I guess that's what I'd ride, even though it's not crappy. Some might say all that 90's purple is tacky, but it's not crappy!
We ended up lying on the cement of a parking lot., they said the beach was too crowded. It was pretty uncomfortable after the long ride earlier, I was wishing for a chair like all the old folks seemed to have! We got good spots, but there was a long delay in getting the fireworks going so of course lots of people squeezed in around us. People were constantly stepping over us until things got started. The lakefront fireworks were great and went for a long time. They always do an excellent job. Of course after the fireworks are over people swarm all over the park to get back to their cars, which are usually parked pretty far away. There are always lots of people setting off their own fireworks as we are walking away from the lake, so you are always at risk of walking too near to something that's about to explode! Stuff was exploding all around us.
Eau Claire next...
Monday, July 02, 2007
Update
Here is a link to the article about the Chicago XXX racing-AthletiCo racer who died in Peoria on Saturday.
Some friends were at the race, and one of them was in the race and was in front when the accident happened. She heard it but did not see it. Her husband heard there was an accident but didn't know who had been hit - he had to wait a while to find out it was not his wife. Sounds awful. He said that Beth was a wonderful person, and lots of fun. It sounds like she will be missed a great deal.
My thoughts are with everyone affected by this. I can't stop thinking about how everyone that was in the race must be feeling right now. In addition to all the family and friends, I have not forgotten about the driver and his family in the truck, who must be really struggling as well.
Some friends were at the race, and one of them was in the race and was in front when the accident happened. She heard it but did not see it. Her husband heard there was an accident but didn't know who had been hit - he had to wait a while to find out it was not his wife. Sounds awful. He said that Beth was a wonderful person, and lots of fun. It sounds like she will be missed a great deal.
My thoughts are with everyone affected by this. I can't stop thinking about how everyone that was in the race must be feeling right now. In addition to all the family and friends, I have not forgotten about the driver and his family in the truck, who must be really struggling as well.
Condolences
My condolences to the family, friends and teammates of Beth Kobeszka, of XXX racing-AthletiCo, who was killed in the Proctor Cycling Classic road race in Peoria on Saturday. I did not know her, but am very saddened to hear about this.
I just arrived home from the Eau Claire WORS (it's late Sunday night), and haven't actually talked to anyone that was in Peoria yet. I don't know the details other than that she likely got bumped across the yellow line in the 4's race, at which point she was hit by an oncoming truck. I think I know some people that were probably in the race with her, so I will have to get more information later.
Very sad.
I just arrived home from the Eau Claire WORS (it's late Sunday night), and haven't actually talked to anyone that was in Peoria yet. I don't know the details other than that she likely got bumped across the yellow line in the 4's race, at which point she was hit by an oncoming truck. I think I know some people that were probably in the race with her, so I will have to get more information later.
Very sad.
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