Conference noted::bicycle

     This was taken from the Gardner News - 5/12 without permission...
    
     HUBBARDSTON - The Northeast Bicycle Club will sponsor
    the Hubbardston-Barre Road Race from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
    on Saturday. About 200 to 300 people are expected to attend
    this year's event.
    
     The course, consisting of a 15 mile loop with 1,400 vertical
    feet of climbing per lap, is considered the third most difficult
    in New England. Racers can compete in one of seven different
    categories. A citizens' race will offer competition by age
    brackets.
    
     A $400.00 cash prize is offered to the winner of the 60-mile
    race, $300.00 to the winner of the 45-mile race, and $200.00
    to the winner of the 30-mile race. Winners of other categories 
    will receive trophies.
    
     Anyone wishing to enter the road race should plan to register
    at the Center School parking lot by 8:30 a.m. Entry fees range
    from $12.00 to $15.00 depending on the category.
    
     Well, I know the area and I know the climbs they're talking about.
    Sounds pretty brutal!!!
    
     Who's going???
    
       Chip

    	Chip,
    
    	I'll probably go as a spectator. If I see you, I yell at you.
    
    	scott

  Looking at the course profile I received in the mail after I registered Its
easy to see that course could be very hard.  There is a mostly downhill start.
There are two tough hills back to back with a short decent inbetween and then
a lesser climb up to the finish.

  Maybe I'll see some of you at the race.  I'll be doing the CAT 3 race along
with a few other DECies.

  John C.

     Hi Scott... I'll be the guy blowing my breakfast! :-) I'm familiar
    with the area and have biked the hills before. They're tough. I'm
    hoping that the pack will go easy on a couple of laps so that guys
    like me can hang for a while.
    
     The place to attack will definitely be the hill (I'm assuming the
    course is here) into Barre center. If a few "mountain goats" can get
    away here the loop is short enough to keep a lead if they work
    together.
    
       Chip 

    > I'm
    > hoping that the pack will go easy on a couple of laps so that guys
    > like me can hang for a while.                                 
    
    hmm, most European II/III/IV races I've done or watched or heard of are
    more of the `lunatics to the front' for the first 15 miles because they
    can do a `10' in 22 minutes.  Of course after the first 15 miles
    they're off the back....
    
    /

     I'm only a 5 so I don't expect world class thinking. In fact, I know
    they're mixing the citizens in with us so it should be even more to my
    speed... Bananas for breakfast & Ben Gay for dinner!!! I'm pumped!!!
    
       Chip

     Well, it's over, and as anticipated, it was a very tough course. I
    only thank God we had to do one lap of that monster. I'll provide
    my rendering on my race and a little from what I overheard. Peter
    Vincent can fill in the finish info if he chooses.
    
     Congratualtions to Peter Vincent for a 3rd place and Charlie Schnare
    for 4th place!!!!!
    
     My club didn't do too badly (FCC): 4th Charlie Schnare
                                        6th Dave ??
                                        7th Me
                                        8th Mike Niles
                                        9th A.J. Ouellette
    
     Five places in the top ten put a smile on George Gamache's face......
    
     As advertised, the race was all climbing. In fact, it felt like I was
    doing 5-6mph (evrytime I looked at the computer that's what it was
    reading) for most of the race. There were a couple of screaming
    decents. I ended up with a 20mph average for race which shocked the
    b'geebers outa me. 
    
     There were nine of us that got away after about 6-7 miles. The front
    group formed up in the center of Barre (after that monster climb).
    
     From here, we stayed together pretty much for another 2-3 miles. Then
    6 guys began to pull ahead and 3 (Mike, Me, A.J.) began to fade. A.J.
    then faded more leaving Mike and me to trail. We almost caught the
    front runners a couple of times. They were pretty much in sight most
    of the balance. In fact, me and Mike really didn't lose them until
    the last two miles. At one point, 2 cars got between me and Mike and
    the front 6. If that hadn't happened we would have been in again. I'm
    sure we wouldn't have hung to the end though. The toughest climb (1+)
    miles was still ahead.
    
     From what Peter (a.k.a. Steve - private joke) said, a couple of guys
    just took off (1st and 2nd) with Pete hot on their trail. The rest of
    the front 6 sorta came in (I wasn't there - this is second hand).
    
     Mike and stayed together pretty much for the last mile. It  began to
    even out as we got closer to Hubbardston center. The pace quickened
    on the slight down grade. With about 100yds left I got outa the saddle
    and started the sprint. Mike was dead nuts on the side of me... I
    literally threw my bike out from under me (over the line) to edge Mike
    out by at least a 1/2" :-)...
    
     I was very happy. After Miles Standish I thought I was going to be
    destroyed... Great confidence builder for me. 
    
     That was the hardest 15 miles I ever did (given Mt. Washington is only
    8!)...
    
     Chip

    I'll fill in a few details about the race - I remember a group of 5
    forming at the top of a climb - Charlie Schnare, Bob Evans (NEBC),
    another NEBC rider (name?), myself and one other rider.  I suggested
    we paceline and drop the rest of the chasers (sorry Chip - if only
    you were riding for MRC!) and we stayed together until the next climb.
    Charlie and Bob Evans dropped off - I think it's appropriate to mention
    that Charlie and Bob are both in their 50s!!!  (well Charlie's "only"
    49)  The 3 of us continued a rotating paceline until we hit Hubbardston
    Center.  I faded to the 3rd position and drifted back 2 bike lengths
    and was just getting ready to jump when the guy in second took off
    in a full sprint.  There I was hanging out about 4 bike lengths behind
    trying to close the gap.  I finished 1/2 wheel behind for 3rd place.
    Charlie outsprinted Bob for 4th, Chip and company were next and then
    the rest of the folks came in a bit spread out.  T
    
    

As my wife and I are contemplating doing this race this year I was wondering if
someone could tell me what the actual course is.  I know that the start is on 68 
but I usually like to try and pre-drive the course at least.

How is this course compared to Bow?  My wife just did that one and came in Second 
in her class.  Of course we would both be riding public so its just the 15 miles.

Thanks,
Scott

    	Let's continue this in 2809.