Sunday, October 21, 2007

Saturday in the Davis, ca...

106 mi - 5:10 - 4500ft
Well the Foxy's slay-fest was about 40~50 people. Most all of them racers - a few Dist. Champions jerseys floating around - however one from close to home who asked for at least 8 man support earlier in the week was mysteriously missing... so, SSN were Wilson, Roy and Myself. Paco, from Paco's bike n ski in Truckee - super strong 55+ racer and friend of SSN was w/ us as well -
The first 30 are flat and we did a 2-up pace line with the same people pulling which included the aforementioned fools - ah, but only the Dumber get stronger! This time of the season is so fun cuz none of it means anything!
The rollers start with a hit of about 5 which catch the back of the pack by surprise and causes the first "break" it flattens out for a few miles and let's the game face re-emerge on those not so practiced in lying on the bike... Re-group. Once we get into the 3%~5% grade that leads to all the climbing. My fear of getting dropped keeps me at the front and I get waved around and do a big pull only to see my wheel must not be good enough to follow... re-group, 7 min later the same thing again... Chicken, Frickin, Shit riders! - I look at this situation the same way every time, and in the future I'll figure to be joined by some friends dressed in black grey n red... and make that point stick.
I wait. Rev. Angerman & his followers come by and I put a donation in the cup and recite the AMD mantra fro the next 15 min. Being Oct, its Halloween season and the guy driving the climb is on some old Canondale with a floppy hat bleeding out from under his helmet of which has a mirror glued to it. After 10 min of him pulling I realize it must be a "racing mirror".
Ya never know, but it was funny to have the Rev. and myself on his wheel lookin all "Versus" and cool - or as cool as one can in the current kit... he peals, Mike from Reno / Spine (now MS) also with a big Bear on his back - comes around and takes over but not for long, then the Rev. hits it on a steep pitch and drops then I carry it over the top and its time to butter me cuz I'm toast and poof, we're at the lunch stop for water. End of segment #1, 65mi. Wilson and Paco hung on to that group which got reduced to 15 or so with Roy leading the chase of group 2.
Roy is coming out of self imposed exile with strength and speed - I think he WILL race next year! He did today- We did a quick turn around and the 4 of us rolled out slow to keep the legs moving and let the others catch us. I'm not really sure if people kept going past that water stop or what, but we never saw anyone else for the rest of the ride.
So now our little group turns on each other... imagine that! Paco starts pushing the pace on the hills. Wilson's pushing Paco, I don't want Wilson past me cuz I don't understand that tattoo on the back of his right thigh -however cool it is. So it's a shuffle over the hills. Wilson is a great guy and strong climber - glad he came. After the hills We gathered up ol Roy and hooked up with some guys from the earlier set and had a hard 20mi back in the wind. I still don't know how Alan got around us, but once we caught him, he was a big help bringing us home!

Great training ride and good to see some of the boys before winter- and no Hottalk!

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