I did the elite nationals madison in T-Town in '96 with Larry. We were in a "bit over our heads". I started "in". After a lap we were going somewhere close to 100mph and Larry came down to get thrown in and it seemed like he couldn't have been going more than about 10mph. Of course Lar weighs more than 190 and I'm about 165, there is no way in hell I was going to grab onto him with that speed differential. I imagined that the result would be similar to what would happen if I grabbed onto a tree as I went by. So I yelled at him to go faster and passed on the exchange.
It got better after that. But not a whole lot. :-) Two timely rain delays kept us from losing a lap and we finished 6th or something I think out of 10 teams.
Nothing like riding a bike with no brakes at 30+ mph and seeing the road ahead blocked by two teams doing exchanges...
I watched a video of a 6 day race in Germany once. Something like 19 teams on a 200 meter track. There are still pucker marks on my couch! :-)
Miss and Outs are fun. I liked to ride them from the front. I never got the hang of sitting on the pack and pimping somebody every lap. I was usually the pimpee... It is very frustrating when they call your number before you even start sweating!
Points races are fabulous. Track racing for roadies. Just wait for a series of attacks that makes the no sock crowd all go up track when they catch and then counter down below and lap the field.
Match sprints. Well, I NEVER won a single match sprint round or even placed well enough to move on to the next round. Once in a three up I was getting the lead out of all time and hoped to come around for 2nd and therefore move up to the next round. But I hit HTV (Hellyer Terminal Velocity) and couldn't come around even with the arm chair ride. It's a complicated equation with lots of physics, but basically it is physically impossible for me to go more than 60kph at Hellyer. If you dropped me out of an airplane above Hellyer I am positive that I would fall no faster than 60kph.
pab: How to Madison: Go as hard as you can for about 30 seconds; locate partner while trying to follow wheels, go over others exchanging, and vision is dimming from lack of oxygen; sling partner in; try and recover for 30 seconds; repeat. It's fun, and beautifully painful.
I guess we'll have to bring more beer and wine and cheese and chocolate and air horns and... to make Dave feel better that he can't race the Madison. HE has no idea either how they are run but he thinks they are cool - we'll be there cheering!
Hernando- I'm partnerless as well and would be happy to madison with you. It's true that Metcalfe has more brain cells than me but I know how to have more fun! I can't make it tomorrow but if you and BJM decide to sit it out on Friday I'd be happy to show you a workout and a half! I assure you that the crowd will go wild. Lemme know. Diesel
I'll be moving friday so 90% won't be there friday night. and if i am, my arms are going to be so pumped from carrying boxes all day that if i try and throw someone in it'll just kill both our speeds without anyone actually making it in to the race.
but i gotta get it done sometime, and i figure doing it here will be better then on LA.
Hernando- are you upgrading your madison to BJM? if so, please confirm so that I can look for another slinger. Good luck tonight and see you Friday. Nolly
32 comments:
damn! you win today's bloggy picture prize
Dang!
In ways im glad im missing it, and in ways im bummed im not going to see the debacle.
:)
be sure to come in at a good speed. and pretend your bowling.
plus practice!!!
pabcid--work on that upgrade!!
working!
of course, do either of us have ANY idea how the heck madison racing works?
i didn't think so....
I just hope you get to race in a giant fruit bowl like in the picture
OV
I love Madison's, wish I could come out and ride it with you!
http://tinyurl.com/2encl2
Madison's scare the crap out of me.
I did the elite nationals madison in T-Town in '96 with Larry. We were in a "bit over our heads". I started "in". After a lap we were going somewhere close to 100mph and Larry came down to get thrown in and it seemed like he couldn't have been going more than about 10mph. Of course Lar weighs more than 190 and I'm about 165, there is no way in hell I was going to grab onto him with that speed differential. I imagined that the result would be similar to what would happen if I grabbed onto a tree as I went by. So I yelled at him to go faster and passed on the exchange.
It got better after that. But not a whole lot. :-) Two timely rain delays kept us from losing a lap and we finished 6th or something I think out of 10 teams.
Nothing like riding a bike with no brakes at 30+ mph and seeing the road ahead blocked by two teams doing exchanges...
I watched a video of a 6 day race in Germany once. Something like 19 teams on a 200 meter track. There are still pucker marks on my couch! :-)
Miss and Outs are fun. I liked to ride them from the front. I never got the hang of sitting on the pack and pimping somebody every lap. I was usually the pimpee... It is very frustrating when they call your number before you even start sweating!
Points races are fabulous. Track racing for roadies. Just wait for a series of attacks that makes the no sock crowd all go up track when they catch and then counter down below and lap the field.
Match sprints. Well, I NEVER won a single match sprint round or even placed well enough to move on to the next round. Once in a three up I was getting the lead out of all time and hoped to come around for 2nd and therefore move up to the next round. But I hit HTV (Hellyer Terminal Velocity) and couldn't come around even with the arm chair ride. It's a complicated equation with lots of physics, but basically it is physically impossible for me to go more than 60kph at Hellyer. If you dropped me out of an airplane above Hellyer I am positive that I would fall no faster than 60kph.
Fun stuff. Enjoy.
fruit bowl. well, i suppose that would be appropriate...
miss n outs care the crap out of me. i think that madisons will do to me whatever comes after that...
I must be on the wrong blog, this is some kind of foreign language from mars.
This weekend is the C2K, maybe I'll Madison Gianni at the summit.
Get in some practice asap. BJM and Michael Creed are coming to AVC and they'll do the Madison as well.
yeah, like i know what im doing...
are you going to be out wed night? maybe we can practice...
so, um, does anyone BESIDES Skibby know how to ride one of these things?
I totally want to get on that track on my hockey skates
pab: How to Madison: Go as hard as you can for about 30 seconds; locate partner while trying to follow wheels, go over others exchanging, and vision is dimming from lack of oxygen; sling partner in; try and recover for 30 seconds; repeat. It's fun, and beautifully painful.
V Bella come to the track!!! you would do so well, its great for the power chicks!
I guess we'll have to bring more beer and wine and cheese and chocolate and air horns and... to make Dave feel better that he can't race the Madison. HE has no idea either how they are run but he thinks they are cool - we'll be there cheering!
Ride w/ Mary, she's damn good at the Madison and safe.
Farid
No kidding.
Hernando- I'm partnerless as well and would be happy to madison with you. It's true that Metcalfe has more brain cells than me but I know how to have more fun! I can't make it tomorrow but if you and BJM decide to sit it out on Friday I'd be happy to show you a workout and a half! I assure you that the crowd will go wild. Lemme know. Diesel
Don't forget the foam fingers and the beer hats
Nolan and Michael in the mad-is-on? I am getting one of the early seats
i'm laughing at the prospect of stickboy me trying to sling in the Diesel.
i'll be there Wed, BennyJ. we'll practice and laugh at ourselves.
then on friday we'll draw straws as to which will get crushed like the beercan by Nolan.
Skibby - get yer ass out here one of these days. we'll liquor you up and take you to the newdie bars.
metcalf - tree ... classic.
holla - have a good fishyburg. don't laugh at me when you pass me through corner 3 anymore.
petersen - something tells me you a madison luva.
Jeffe - we're retarded.
xBun - keep us out of trubble.
Aymster - make sure Dave wears something nice.
let's boogie.
Nikky - she's gonna be out there as soon as the rentals are available. greeat ... another bike to buy.
fah-reed - mary is too strong for me.
nome - go climb a mountain.
and, ya'll have no idea how sexy she is on skates
I would love to be your partner and screw it up perfect, but..
Matt T. called dibs on my sweet ass last week! :)
I hear there is an 82 inch gear restriction...
Maybe once we learn what we are doing we can get a thing going for Nats/qualifiers?
sissy boy
oh, I see you are cheat'n on me already with BJM. I'll never get you away from him once you two start....
there is no reason benny should risk his season with a madison with us hooligans.
get tamel out of your system, then we'll sling each other stoopid for that natz qualifier.
you realize we're gonna die...
I'll be moving friday so 90% won't be there friday night. and if i am, my arms are going to be so pumped from carrying boxes all day that if i try and throw someone in it'll just kill both our speeds without anyone actually making it in to the race.
but i gotta get it done sometime, and i figure doing it here will be better then on LA.
yeah - let's get a few rounds of practice in tonite.
LA ... madison...
jayzus.
and we're bringing margaritas when you get the pad setup.
Mary won't rip your arm out of the socket that hard. Are you afraid of a girl? (I would be!)
Farid
Hernando- are you upgrading your madison to BJM? if so, please confirm so that I can look for another slinger. Good luck tonight and see you Friday. Nolly
NOLAN ... it's on, baby.
i figure i'll only need to do one lap, right?
see you Friday.
Respect the Madison or it will get you...
Watch for guys riding through exchanges... going under exchanges or as Kevin noted too big a speed differential.
Then watch for three or four exchanges going on at once so there is no room to squeeze through.
If you think Miss'n'out is scary that is tiddly winks in comparison to Madison.
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