[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference noted::bicycle

Title: Bicycling
Notice:Bicycling for Fun
Moderator:JAMIN::WASSER
Created:Mon Apr 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3214
Total number of notes:31946

1322.0. "HOLLIS, N.H. ROAD RACE" by WMOIS::C_GIROUARD () Mon Oct 02 1989 12:34

     A little conversation on the Hollis, N.H. Freedom Ride Citizens Race
    last Saturday. I really like the course. It was a circuit (2 loops of
    approx. 25 miles). My Cateye said 25.86 and other had 26+. I came in
    at 1:10.10 (22mph average). I understand the winning time (for the
    30-39 year old cat.) was around 1:04. The road was in outstanding
    shape. I even met a DEC guy from Australia here for a few weeks.
    
     I was fairly happy. The course was hilly, but that was okay. Toward
    the end of the loop there was a series of three hills that got worse.
    The last climb (approx. 1 mile from the start/finish line) was pretty
    telling on the lead pack during the first swing. We were cruising at
    what felt like a leisurely 25+mph pace until those things showed up.
    What was a 30-40 man lead pack probably dropped weeded down to a 
    dozen or so after that last hill. That's where they dropped me. And
    from what I could see, that's where a ton of other riders were sawed
    off. The weather was great/comfortable. There was a pretty good breeze
    on the backside that was in your face which made it tough to work
    alone. I was waiting for the usual "second pack" to come up but there
    wasn't one. As I waited for the riders from my group to finish, no
    one else had bunched up. All the riders that were flying in after were
    pretty much solos.
    
     I did stick around for the apple cider and PB & J's, but didn't for
    the final results. Anyone got 'em??
    
     I did ask (who seemed to be the head honcho) if they were going to 
    publish or list the finishes. He said anyone in the lead pack wouldn't
    know because they were so tight, but said they were trying to keep the
    finishes. 
    
     All in all (even with the hilly/rolling terrain) I thought it was a
    fast course.
    
      Chip
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
1322.1Hollis RRWECARE::PAMMERMon Oct 02 1989 13:1120
    Yeah, that was a great race.  Most fun racing I've had all year.
    I raced in the 19-29 group.  The first lap was relaxed.  I mostly
    just floated up and down the peloton chatting with friends.  Tried
    to avoid the dogs in Pepperal.  Did you see 'em?  Once we made that
    sharp right hand corner to the first serious climb the tone changed.
    I stayed in touch with what was happening in the front.  We made
    a few attacks to saw off some of the squrrelly ones.
    Once we came back into Hollis for the second lap there was 7-8 of
    us that immediately formed a pace line and worked quite well together.
    The pace started to quicken though the last hills.  We blew though
    Hollis and I wasn't quite sure where the start/finish line was.
    We jammed the last hill and spread out in both lanes and a neat
    little slug session.  I was able to hold out and win by about a
    half a wheel or so.  As I said, I wasn't sure where the line was
    so I mistimed my sprint I felt.  The time was 1:03.29.
    The roads were in GREAT shape!  Great weather and some good riders!
    Nice way to end the season.  Time to heal the road burns from the
    Bar Harbor RR, shake this cold and watch TV!!
    
    Jim
1322.2COW MUFFINS ANYONE?WMOIS::C_GIROUARDMon Oct 02 1989 15:1410
     CONGRATULATIONS Jim! Fido was flipping out on that turn prior
    to the hills, but on the second swing he was gone. I agree with
    the tone of the day. It was fun, a little more relaxed than the
    usual fair. I think it was like that because it was small (the
    whole thing and the age groups). I'm definitely doing it again
    next year only I'm gonna stay with the pack on the first swing
    or pass out trying. How about dodging the COW MUFFINS? Did you
    notice 'em???
    
       Chip
1322.3my $.02THOM::LANGLOISDT Data NetworksMon Oct 02 1989 15:3110
    I agree with the previous replies. A nice race, nice course, stupid
    dog. Just before the hills on the second lap the wind was pretty steady
    into your face (is it EVER behind you?) but it was great weather
    overall. I haven't been on the bike too much lately so I won't
    embarrass myself and post my time but I'm looking forward to doing the
    race again next year. This was my last race in the 30-39 category so
    next year perhaps I can make a decent showing at least in my own age
    category  :^)  .
    By the way, got some nice comments on the Digital bike jersey. I picked
    it up last week from Tom Deloriea and wore it in the race. 
1322.4SLICK AS S___TUCOUNT::PAMMERMon Oct 02 1989 18:3210
    Chip,
    
    Nope...never noticed the muffins.  I probably would've had it been
    raining.  I was in a RR in Upstate NY that had a cattle crossing
    on a sharp corner, it was raining....needless to say, I ended up
    in the ditch with REALLY DIRTY ROAD RASH...YUCK.
    
    But, Hollis was fun.  Every season should end so nicely, huh?
    
    Jim
1322.5Hollis + sunshine + bike-race = GREAT FUN!ULTRA::TANNERDon't let reality get in the wayTue Oct 03 1989 14:0713
    g'day,
    
    	I'm the bloke chip was referring to in the base note... from
    Australia... I'm working at BXB 1 and managed to attend the race... and
    I had a great time... really enjoyed the race and post-race
    festivities! wonderfull weather... you guys certainly manage to time
    the weather well.. lousy during the week and fine on the week-ends!!
    :-)  
    
    	thanks for the hospitality and friendship... and well done jim, I
    wasn't too far behind.. 1:07 was my time..  
    
    		paul tanner ( Canberra, Australia, Software Services)
1322.6 time to get the mountain bike out !USMRM5::MREIDTue Oct 03 1989 20:1427
    Yeah, everything was picture perfect in the Hollis RR; beautiful
    sunshine, comfortable temperature, no crashes in my (19-29) pack,
    and I was sitting on Jim Pammer's wheel as we approached the major
    hill where I knew the attacks would be made. Perfect. My teammate
    Dan Massucco made a move and lead the pack up the hill; I saw Jim
    glancing at Dan, and then get out of his saddle to hammer a bit.
    I stayed right on his wheel ... then slowly slipped off. It's
    called "burnout". I just quit at that critical moment in the race.
    It reminded me of the scene in American Flyers where Marcus is showing
    Davey a videotape of a race, and the exact moment where Marcus "quit"
    in that race.I just didn't have the mental toughness to push it. 
    I watched as a lead pack of 7 riders formed: Jim, Rich Graves, 
    Dan Massucco, Andre Gougen; I should have been in there with them - 
    but I didn't feel like suffering that much. I eased up. Even before
    the race I was "blahhh" rather than nervous and excited. After a long 
    season of racing most weekends since May, I guess the time has come
    for me to take a break, have some fun, and rejuvinate my hunger for 
    speed on the bike.
    
    Another teammate, Nancy (Stevens) Thomson did this race. She's a
    top local (to Marlboro,MA) triathlete. This race was her first ever
    bike race. She stayed with the women's pack until the climb, then
    she dropped all the other women, and rode solo the last lap for
    the win. The second woman was almost 4 minutes behind Nancy!
    
    Mark