Pentucky!

Just got back from Seven Spring's and it was different in just about every way imaginable... and it kind of grew on me by the end.

Hills

First of all, when you arrive in Pittsburgh and drive in any direction, the roads simply go up and down. I mean UP and DOWN. I was in my car talking to my mom saying now I am at the top of the hill, 10secs, 20 secs 30 secs later... now I am at the bottom and so on...

The Road Course

This sucker went really up and really down to the max... and most of the hills have no flat at the trough or apex... and some are pretty damn steep. Anyway you start with a minor climb, you hit the only somewhat flat part for about 3/4 of a mile then a minor climb, then it goes down, then a steeper climb then it goes down hard, flattens a bit goes down harder, flattens less and goes down even steeper, then up and down, the you enter the loops which are all up and down so much I must have been hallucinating... and you go fast, really fast like a roller coaster... then back up the steep long rollers for a 4 mile climb... then fast through some condo areas and up, down fast and up to the finish... whew! And it was really humid and scoarching hot during the day.

The Race

The good news- the race seemed short for me... the bad news- the race was short for me... It started well, I got in the front row next to Jeff Sargent (who was 3rd last year and got on the podium with 5th again this year... back to him later). We had almost 150 guys sign up and it looked that way at the start. So, we went up the hill, Jeff and I stayed toward the front, then there were some surges that put us down to about 50th (they opened up the whole road which was pretty cool). Anyway we then had two climbs seperated by a downhill, the second climb was long enough to move up and get to the front. So that is what I did, went to the very front and some nice dude wanted 1st spot, so I sucked his wheel at numero dos. That was pretty cool, considering we then had to descend fast, for the next 4 plus miles... with 150 other dudes...some heavier dudes passed me, and man could you smell brakes- it was wild. Anyway the rollers came, I tried to stay within 10 people of Jeff at all times (who was always at the very front and even went for a short dig with two other guys -Jeff is strong). Anyway, had a lot of fun sucking wheels and conserving energy, there was one serious hill per lap (4laps) and the guys hit it pretty hard, but it wasn't bad. To make a long story short, I was having fun, felt really good, was way relaxed and looking forward to the last climb when... the next thing you know, I was a dirt seeking missle. I didn't crash, but I was then off the pack a ways and had to try to catch the group (down to about 60) up the damn hill, down some fast hills, around the chase cars for about 5 miles, almost there, almost there- POP! Game over! Play again next year.

The post race thoughts

Ah, not happy somes it up. But I will say this, the local road racing definately prepares you for the Nationals and Coach Hardwood really had me peeking at the right time. So, I guess I could take that away. And once again big up's to Jeff. He worked hard up front, did his pulls, was willing to attack and still drilled the podium spot. I know 'cause I always had an eye on him (at least for 3 laps)...

Other Results

I didn't see everyone or all of the races (apologies to those) but I did see... in the M45's Rob Westerman tuff it out with his reconstructed leg coming in the top 1/2 of the field, and my roomate Tony "the Italian" Chesrow who crashed on the first of 4 laps and taco'ed his wheel (please don't stay in room 221 at the Super 8- it causes vertigo, obviously). So what does The Italian do, he figures aw-ight I'm last and I need a cold one ASAP- he drills it for 3 laps then starts catching people on the climb and ends up 59th... he stormed on the down hills and his back wheel was toast. Italian's seem to be short on smarts but long on guts!

W40+ Jill Wilkerson Smith saw the podium for the TT and was tenth in the road race which was pretty fractured by the end and newbie Lori Fransden got 9th, she was a cat 5 at the start of the season...got to fly back with her, she's got it together...

W45+ Kris Walker took off on an attack and was in 2nd ascending the climb to the finish when Ellen Guthrie caught on and pulled the group up the entire climb while wearing a big smile that never seemed to leave. Anyway they finished 3rd and 4th and had enough energy to set up the Italian with several of their single friends, which brought a smile to his face also.

I left before Dirk went off, but he was wearing his socks high so it must have been a good day... he's down to only 4-5 hours a day of training for the worlds... then he'll up it to 6-7 hours a day for the intergalactics...and Mr Ken Louder had to have been there and must have done well, I did not see him?

Mark Schaeffer and Louie Amelburu had some technical difficulties in the TT and came in second...barely... they were not happy, I mean they were really not happy esp. Las Vegas Louie... so what do they do, they train like mad men for the road race, break three chains and the crank bolt on the tandem... Mark tells me "the goal is to go hard enough to win, but soft enough to not break the bike." Man! So, Louie says the hell with that, duct tapes the bike then loses a lung while putting out power like Thor and spinnin like DJ mastablasta... they win... Mark is so thrashed he can barely make it up to the podium... I really like those dudes, a lot, great job! Oh, and they hit over 70mph descending while Las Vegas closes his eyes "I just don't want to know at that point" fortunately he's in the back.

The goods

J.R. Smith was defending his turf from some gang banger at the feed zone when the crip said "don't play in my sandbox"... Crippy then body slammed a stunned J.R. and punched him in the kisser and beak a few times. It looked like J.R. went a round with Iron Mike ...So watch out! Those feed zones are pretty tough in the land of the Ohio Valley...

Package Stores

In the PA, they have package stores (liquor) stores everywhere... I mean there could be 8 people living in the township yet have 3 packies... one was a drive through, that was wide and high enough that your local truckers with the semi's could mosy through.

Toll Booths

The Italian really doesn't like toll booths, he feels that they are un-American. He avoided them at all costs and found dirt roads to get to the venues... oh, he drove across country to the nat's, I think he went via Mexico to avoid all but one... and at that one, he found out they don't accept credit or debit cards... so he was sent to a local hotel to get cash... he was pretty happy about it...

Hot Mama's

Lotsa the lady riders were rightous! One inparticular was way rightous for my tastes. Then I saw her line up for the 60+ group, holy cow! After the race one of the grandma's she raced with got on the podium also, I think it was her mother... she had one tooth... now come on, get the kisser fixed first, then buy the $8,000 Colnago with the Zipp 404 carbons! The Italian said she must have taken her dentures out before the race to conserve weight, if that is the case, way to go, but come on put 'em back in for the podium photo's!

Southwest and the kiosk

I'm the only one at Southwest at 6:30Am in Pittsburgh Inter... I have the bike in a roller carrier, a suitcase that has a bunch of tools, and bike stuff and a backpack filled with food, zig zagging toward the ticket counter...There are three ladies in two areas doing.... nothing... except for telling me that they can't help me, and that I have to ticket myself at the kiosk... I look around still not another soul around... now the kiosk and self serve is fine with me if the peloton arrives all at once but.... come on already...get off the keister and put the fingers to the keyboard ladies, I kinda have my hands tied up right now... ya think!

That's it for now, I have a lot more stories in person... so just ask... overall I think it was a 9 on the enjoyment scale and a 13 on the bizarre scale... and one more thing... you can buy mush for breakfast, wha? Name it something other than mush, I think the marketing could be better...mush?!? Come over to the Nest I'll make you some mush... for free... I won't charge ya, I mean it is mush, tastless, soupy, luke warm and all...