local road race

[carl]

http://www.pensacolacyclingclassic.com/

i'm signing up in the ultra slow class.

[out-of-place]

4 more years and I can race in the senior games category and stay away from those FAST Masters category guys.

Seriously, if nothing else come out Sunday, Sept 19 and watch the crit in downtown P'cola. 3 riders wide through the turns, pedals scrapping, shoulders bumping, very real possibility of crashes... NASCAR on bikes.

[carl]

i'm growing a mullet.

[VT Scott]

Carl, I take it we'll see you Saturday morning for a 7:30am start for the road ride at Blackwater.

[Maloney]

I was going to take vacation for this race but due to a rise in unexpected stress levels at work I'm taking vacation next week. It would be awesome to have a group of pigs out there supporting the event.

[carl]

Carl, I take it we'll see you Saturday morning for a 7:30am start for the road ride at Blackwater.

i got my bike in 1999 from mat. it still has the original drive train. the only thing i changed was the saddle, bar tape & tires. i don't want to put to much strain on the gears so training will be kept to a minimum. but i probably will make it up at some point to do a ride.

[carl]

it's this weekend! i signed up. i need someone else slow so i don't have to ride by myself.

[VT Scott]

Carl, Are you doing all the stages? I'm riding the LHT out/back to the race course Sat. and from home to the crit on Sun.

[carl]

i'm not doing the crit. i'm riding the road race and time trial. look for me at the back of the pack.

[losdog]

I'm doing the road race and the time trial. I'm doing it to support the cause; not to win :)

[Maloney]

I done my first crit this past weekend in Dothan on my heavy ole surly pacer. I was 4th or 5th from last. Every one of you guys are just as fast if not all faster than me. Do the crit if even to support the whole cause. Yes, if I were to be in town I'd be doing all three events...

[trittj74]

What catagory are ya'll racing in? We might come out and spectate.

[trittj74]

Just a heads up. Watch for the tractors. It is peanut digging time, and there are a lot of tractors on the roads. They won’t be going very fast, but they might slow ya'll down.

[out-of-place]

The road race finish is at Adventures Unlimited on Saturday Morning. My guess is that the Cat 5's (new road racers and those looking to move up) will finish between 9:00 and 9:20. The course for 5's is 25 miles and an average speed of 20 mph means 75 minutes of racing. The average for the lead group in Cat 5 should be higher than that.

[out-of-place]

The most spectator friendly racing takes place Sunday morning. Criteriums start at 7a for the handcycles. Cat 5s race at 8:40. Nascar on bikes baby!!

[trittj74]

Yeah I have a schedule. I just didn't know what cat they were riding in.

[carl]

my race starts at 8:55 saturday morning and then again around 4:00 out at the beach. i'm not racing sunday.

[MikeG]

I will be out there as the token fat guy bringing up the rear. I will be the one with a bungy tied to the back of Carls rig wearing licra that fit when I was 60 pounds lighter. Not expecting much but I know it will be a blast. haven't decided about the crit yet due to the road rash that is still healing.

[carl]

i will be bungied on to ed's wheel.

[Maloney]

I wish we had clydesdale (200+) and super clydesdale (250+) classes. I'd love to do a 50 miler/crit/tt against other 250+ guys... It just sounds like good fat fun!

[trittj74]

At the start/finish area of the road race will there be venders? Like bike and bike part stuff to look at, or is it just a place for the racers to get organized.

[carl]

i doubt there will be vendors but you never know.

[sandfly]

i will be bungied on to ed's wheel.

That first hill is gonna suck with all those bungie cords. Maybe looking back at Mike G in his super-huggy lycra will keep me going.:D

There's already 66 people signed up for the Cat 5 road race, it's gonna be a big pack.

[VT Scott]

I heard they were going to break 5's into 2 groups since there are so many. Ed, how'd the Wed. night ride go for you? Feel better about avoiding crit chaos? I guess I've gotten so powerful lately that my cassette couldn't take it, twisted off the 12 tooth. LOL or maybe I shouldn't do my own mechanic work. It got exciting there for a moment at 30 mph, the cog broke loose, chain wrapped around the cranks. Good thing nobody was to my right when I veared.

[Maloney]

I heard they were going to break 5's into 2 groups since there are so many. Ed, how'd the Wed. night ride go for you? Feel better about avoiding crit chaos? I guess I've gotten so powerful lately that my cassette couldn't take it, twisted off the 12 tooth. LOL or maybe I shouldn't do my own mechanic work. It got exciting there for a moment at 30 mph, the cog broke loose, chain wrapped around the cranks. Good thing nobody was to my right when I veared.

DAMN! Your F'n Strong!

[sandfly]

I heard they were going to break 5's into 2 groups since there are so many. Ed, how'd the Wed. night ride go for you? Feel better about avoiding crit chaos? I guess I've gotten so powerful lately that my cassette couldn't take it, twisted off the 12 tooth. LOL or maybe I shouldn't do my own mechanic work. It got exciting there for a moment at 30 mph, the cog broke loose, chain wrapped around the cranks. Good thing nobody was to my right when I veared.

Two 5 groups would be great, be cool if they did it by age.

I liked that Weds night ride, good group. Crit time will still be a bit sketchy, it's been a long time since I've done one.

Snapping cassettes apart??? You sir, are a machine!!

[VT Scott]

Mini update, looks like all the Porc guys made it through the road race without physical injury. The cat 5's piled 'em up twice with at least 2 serious injuries. All in all a good day of racing. I'm feeling it a little this morning. First time on a tandem and in a race, pretty much non stop cranking for 25 miles. Definitely the most fun I've had racing. Thanks Dave for letting me be your stoker.

[Maloney]

recognize anybody in the pile-ups?

[trittj74]

I must have missed all the pile-ups. I did see one guy walking back with his bike on his shoulder, and road rash on his calf. It looked like a blown back tire. He was in the Masters 35+ category. I got lots of pictures that I need to sort out.

[Maloney]

I want to hear about the criterium that happened today. Those are just pure amazing to watch.

[VT Scott]

Locals showed well. Stephen either got first or second (insignificant), he and team mate crossed the line after a bell to bell breakaway with their arms around each other. The suburu team looked good. Dave Murphy went with the initial break of 7 guys and sprinted to a 4th place finish. Super Debbie ran at the front of the men's 35+, but had a mix up in a last lap crash that spoiled her race. Would have been fun to see her in the sprint.
The races today were fast, really fast and very impressive. I thought I was getting a little quickness, but that dream will go back under the pillow tonight.

[carl]

691

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[carl]

694

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696

[trittj74]

Here are some pics from CAT4, and one from CAT5. I have lots more pictures, and in better quality. I had to resize these to put them on line.

[trittj74]

Here are some pics from Womens, and Master 35+. I have lots more pictures, and in better quality. I had to resize these to put them on line.

[brettk]

i ended up taking 774 pictures on sunday - from the hand cycles all the way through to the 1,2,3's.... most of them went in the trash, but out of all those i ended up with 150 or so "good" pictures.

however, once sluggo's started selling beer my focus went out the window.

[brettk]

well, boo.... i am apparently not savvy enough to upload pictures.

and it won't let me upload any images to the album i just created...

i will try again from home this evening.

[brettk]

i was finally able to upload some pictures to my album....

[VT Scott]

I just uploaded some pics of some of the guys who ride in the woods and did the race and a few pics of the super girl cyclists Debbie Milne who raced the mens masters 35+. The picture of her by herself is when she went on a one woman break off the front late in the race. She is super impressive. pictures are in my photo album "Pensacola Cycling Classic".