Conference noted::bicycle

If it's not toooooo late to register, the neon tandem will be flashing up that 
molehill...

...and the next day I will become the new pope

See you there Chip

Eric

    ALRIGHT!!!!!!!! I'll be lookin' for that monster....
    
    
        Chip

     Well, the task is almost at hand. Dickie Albert is promising
    good weather conditions.
    
     I way over dressed last year... I'm just going with shorts, shirt,
    one bottle and a sweatband. Oh yeah, the MERLIN (never leave home
    without it).
    
      Chip

    
    	Yeah. It's funny. I've noticed that I often need to take the bike
    to the race as well :*)
    
    Graham
    

    Chip,
    
    Phil Johnson will be there tearing up the road;    
    he did an impressive 1:20 last year in his first
    time up so He'll be starting in the 'elite' group.
    
    Dan Massucco (Minuteman Road Club) will also be giving
    Doug Tanner (Doug won last year) a run for his money
    if Doug chooses to compete.  Dan did 1:08 last year
    (5th) and expects to go faster this year. He's one of
    the few who actually 'race' this event!
    
    Another interesting rider ... Dan's father will be
    competing for the first time in over 10 years.  He's
    over 50 years old -- and his goal is to beat Dan!?!?
    He's done it before in 1:16 when he was in his early
    40's.  I see where Dan get's his climbing legs!
    
    Best of luck & weather!
    Mark

     The father son match-up sounds very interesting. I hope I'm
    around at 50 doing area rides let alone the big hill.
    
     Thanks for the luck and weather...
    
        Chip

     IT'S OVER! Well, although I did manage to take over 11 minutes
    off last year's time (over 1 minute per mile), I didn't hit my
    goal. I went in wanting to do a sub 1:30 and ended up with a
    1:35. 
    
     I didn't stick around for the finishes, but I should have all the
    details in a couple of weeks. They mail out a full listing of the
    riders, places, and times.
    
     At the 6.5 mile mark I came up with this major stitch in my side.
    I have never - EVER felt a pain like this in my life. I tried to
    work it off, but it just got worse. I had to get off my bike and
    walk a while. I did get on before it went away, but eventually it
    did. Man that hurt. I was feeling pretty good. I would have easily
    gone under 1:30 if it wasn't for that. I even felt great doing the
    last 50 yds. (22%).
    
     I would say all 400 people showed up (it was mobbed). Eric, there was
    a tandem there. I passed it and from the looks of the pace they were
    doing it probably wouldn't have been a threat. I also saw one MERLIN
    ATB and one unicycle.
    
     The weather started out great. All I wore all the was were just shorts
    and a short sleeve jersey. I was over heating after about 2 miles...
    
     The weather turned to crap at about 6000'. It became very, very cold
    and the winds, at that point, were well over 20mph. It was like opening
    a door. It was wierd.
    
     It gradually became foggier too. This was the forst time for me that
    wind became a factor while I was only doing 5mph :-).
    
     By the I reached the top the fog was soooo bad visibility was barely
    10ft. If it weren't for the people talking and yelling (lined along
    the road) I would've had difficulty finding my way the last 20yds.
    or so.
    
     Felt great though. And even though I didn't hit my goal I felt good
    about the ride. Next year I'm going up to 30-32 teeth in the back.
    This year I ran my standard 39x28. With two to four more teeth in
    the back I'll really be able to take the steeper sections quicker
    and easier.
    
     By the way, the temperature at the top was something like in the
    30's with a 20+mph wind which gave it a wind chill of about 15 degrees.
    It was nippy. Especially after sweating nearly every ounce of fluid
    out of your body.
    
     It appeared there were many more ATB's this year (to me). The
    officials were in a much better mood too.
    
     Just as we finished (two of my compadres) it began to rain. I was
    very glad it waited.
    
     CAN'T WAIT 'TILL NEXT YEAR!!!!
    
       Chip 

    Chip,
    	Having skimmed this thread I've now read it from first to last -
    its sounds rather good fun.  Congratulations.  Can you spend a moment
    giving a bit more detail, or a pointer to last years note; 
    
    	Thanks
    		rod
    
    PS: Yes, I know about "dir/title=" and I'm just about to try it...

     Gee thanks. Anyone know where I can get these hooves trimmed... :-)
    
     Actually, the "real" animals took off in the front pack. They're 
    called the elite class. Regardless of age, gender, breed...
    
     It is fun. As I had mentioned in one of the earlier notes. I do
    just for my own personal enjoyment (?). Maybe gratification is
    a better word.
    
     If you're geared correctly in average shape it really isn't that
    bad. BTW, did I mention that the guy on the unicycle was in a 
    prone position waiting for medical attention? 
    
     Pushing it, however, does require more preparation, a pain threshold
    better than most, and a brickyard recently buglarized...
    
     I'm sore this year, but wasn't last. Last year I didn't crank it up
    becuase it was the first time. I would definitely recommend first-
    timers get the experience of it, then hammer it the following year.
    That is, if you still have the need to do...
    
      Chip

     I almost forgot. There had to have been a large field of
    "Ben Gay" users.... WHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
     Talk about clearing your sinuses!
    
       Chip 

Hey chip,

I knew that I would find you here.  As you know, our registration was too late 
so we couldn't go.  Needless to say that we were both p*ssed for not 
registering earlier.  Next year, the tandem will be there.

Eric (& Nancy)

     One other thing... The T shirts were great this year. Very colorful/
    vivid and  long sleeves...
    
     See ya there next year Eric... I'll be the guy with the iron lung
    strapped to the MERLIN.
    
      Chip

     Mark, what happened with Dan and his dad?????
    
        Chip

    Winning time this year: 61 minutes; the guy weighs 130. VERY fast!
    
    Dan did 1:12, I think 30th place.  The day before he did the Cat II 
    Lake Sunape RR (3 x around a tough 23 mi loop) ... and placed SECOND
    in his first II race!  He was burnt for the climb the following day
    and finished 5 min slower than last year.
    
    Dan's dad (Age = 50) finished in 1:22 !!! This did not even place
    him in the top 5 of his 45-54 age group.
    
    Gotta love genetics - anyone know where I can get some ?!?!
    Mark
    
    PS - I wimped out this year, weighing in 15 lbs overweight @ 182. 
         NEXT YEAR!! I'll shoot for a sub 1:26 PR!                    

     Here are some "important" race results:
    
    1st overall: Andrew DeGarmo   1:01:30   1st (Sr. Men)
    
    41st (DEC) : Norm Flye        1:15:17   (Sr. Men) 34th overall Congrats!
    
    1st Women  : Mary Serreze     1:24:40   (Sr. Wm)  105th overall
    
    1st Vet    : Mike Goodrich    1:08:53   (Vet Men) 10th overall
    
    1st Master : Art LeBlanc      1:11:29   (Mstr Men) 23rd overall
    
    48th Vet   : Chip  Girouard   1:35:41   (Vet Men)  184th overall
    
    Entrants: 367
    
    Sorry Eric... There was a tandem, but the time isn't listed. I don't
    know why because they did list the two unicycle's times.
    
      Chip   
    

    ahhh, did you mean:
    
    34th (DEC) : Norm Flye        1:15:17   (Sr. Men) 41st overall Congrats!
    
    ed

    Duuuhhh, yup. Thanks Ed. Sorry for the cockpit error. 
    
     My apologies to Norm.
    
       Chip