Something to write home about

 

       I've had a lot going on the past few weeks. Summer was a slow blur and the beginning of school has been no different.  Looking back on it all my life has been a whirl wind adventure of bike riding and education and driving and everything else under the sun. 

     I'm back in Brevard at school now, thats a huge plus - I like Greenville but Brevard is awesome, its great to be back.  I've been riding the wheels off of my new bike- its amazing, I pinch myself at least twice every time I ride. 

      I got a powertap and a training plan so all you people better watch out I'm going to be throwing down some wattage.  -- Speaking of throwing down wattage its time for the Saturday morning shop ride race report. 

      Saturday started much like any other Saturday morning shop ride usually does. I drove down from Brevard in the early morning hours to good ol SC for some bike riding. I was one of the first to the Shop and got changed and ready for the ride. We pulled out at our usualy 8 oclock time and I was off the front for the first few minutes of the ride, just getting warmed up and doing a little head game playing.  I settled down just before the first sprint of the day, the school hill sprint- at least thats what I call it- is rarely contested by the big guns and it wasn't Saturday so I was happy just to sit back and watch some of the other guys go at it. We pulled out from the convience store parking lot and headed towards my favorite sprint, Meece bridge rd. The pee tree sprint as it is affectionatly called is a long straight sprint with a hard lead in. The lead in is pretty complex, there are two longish gradual climbs before the road flattens out for the lead out to the stop ahead sign. Louis attacked early and got a gap on the field with another guy. I was on Tony's wheel just waiting for the action to start. Tony put in a monster pull and brought back Louis. About that time John came around me with Randy, the greenville spinner, so I jumped off of Tony's wheel and on to their wheels. John put down a good effort to get the pace high, I think it was for me but i'm not sure, and then he pulled off leaving Randy and him side by side and me just between their wheels- the perfect place. I stood and started to churn the pedals, I had it timed perfectally- I was really pleased with it- and got Randy by about half a bike at the line. Sucessful first sprint. 

       I've been trying to win the Quarry sprint since about mid July and Saturday it finally happened. The Quarry rd sprint is probably the hardest one on the ride. Quarry road has two climbs the first one is not that bad but its a decider. The second one is steep and long. John had a break going from the road before Quarry all the way down to the bridge where the lead in to the sprint starts. I got on the front and tried to bring them back, Pait, Louis and I think Tony were right there with me. We brought John back right at the bridge but two other guys were still up the road. They were pushing hard but it was too much too soon- thats what makes the Quarry so hard if you don't time it perfectly its not going to happen. So, Pait got on the front and set out a monster piece of work, the man is a powerhouse and one of my favorite wheels to be on. He pulled over the top of the second hill and even down into the false flat before the sprint actually starts. The line is at the end of a false flat after the two hills. Pait pulled off the front with about 5 or 600 meters to the sign and I was 2nd wheel. That left me two options, pull of and try to get Randy to go around or attack like crazy and try to take it out right. I took the latter. I stood and sprinted as hard as I could. I got to the line with a considerable gap on them- I don't think they even tried to go with me. I was heaving when I crossed the line on the verge of losing my breakfast. Second succesful sprint. 

     On to the State Park Sprint. The State park sprint starts up a really steep short hill and then over a few rolling hills where the pace really picks up. Pait was out on the front again, right at the top of the really steep hill he told me to get on his wheel and he would help me out. So, I did and he pulled all the way until the road started to go downhill and then he pulled off. Randy-the spinner was off the front, he's got this thing where he likes to jump off the group on the hill and see how long he can survive. Louis was on my wheel and I was pulling down the hill towards the dam of the lake at the state park, that's where the road kicks up the entrance of the park and the sprint line. So, with Louis in tow I was pulling down the hill and had Randy in my sights. He never turned around to see where we were so I kept the pace right to catch him just as the road kicked up. I waited for the last second then hit it as hard as I could to set Louis up for the sprint. It worked and Louis jumped out from behind my wheel and up the hill to the park entrance. Another succesful sprint. 

      Saturday was a great day loads of fun. It was nice to get back out on the Saturday morning shop ride. 

     Some things for the future, I've got a cyclocross bike in the works so the pain is going to start really soon and I can't wait. I'm going to do some collegiate and some real races over the winter to see what that scene is all about. 

      Until then 

      Have Fun, 

     T Crotts

P.S. I will update this more than once a month for the next little while sorry for the dry spell.