the upcoming mayhem
On the NorCal scene ... we've got the Elite Road Race titles up for grabs this weekend. The normal Fort Ord course has to be altered this year, i'm guessing because of the ridiculous development going on out that way nowadays.
and, it ain't the pretty kind o' ... if you know what i mean.
sprawl, carpet bombed housing units being shoved rat-to-rat in as small of a profitable space as possible. ah ... such vision.
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last year Teddy the Huanger outlasted the Giant Starberries to take another size-able win. He don't race often these days, but there is still a lot of talent in those darkly skinned uber-calves. Huang has always been one of my favorite guys to watch punch it up the short steepies ... he has power, resilience, and can sniff out the win in most circumstances. We'll see how he runs it this year.
But, i'm sure the big berry crew will be in full effect and tough to whoop on. But, with the "Wall" not in the race this year ... who knows how the races will unfold. It could be this is a year for a sneaker to stay quiet in the group, follow the right wheels, and uncork a cheeky move in the finale to steal a win from the favorites.
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For la' femmes ... it's going to be the usual crew of hardies pulling each other's hair out. With only a couple of NRC crits in the deep southeast, it seems a good chance most of the local names will decide to show up to fight out for a nice palmare addition.
Last year it was BamBam Betina Hold bulldozing that final uphill sprint for a satisfying win. This year, with a course that might suit the aerobic vs the pure strengthers ... it could turn into an interesting battle between a lot of very fit women from the different teams.
VAC has had some huge success with Mactier and Banks this year ... each wearing leaders jerseys or making podiums in prestigious events. Patella is still ranked well in the Sprinters series, but hasn't let on if she'll be making a bid to move up in that competition. Sato was out for a long spell and might be the one to watch this weekend. If she's hungry for it, she might have the kick to make it happen. We'll see if the VAC women show up in force.
Webcor's Bev Harper usually does this race and is always one to animate and show herself at the front. I could see her getting away early with someone like Brown of VAC and maybe PROMAN's Emily Zell ... another rider coming off a digger of an injury and someone I've conidered to have huge potential.
I guess it will really depend on how many chickas from the teams decide they can make it. I'd love to see a battle royal where all the tops make appearances ... a full showing of the amazing talent here in the NorCal. TIBCO, Webcor, VAC, PROMAN, MetroMint, Touchstone ... these are big, strong teams and haven't really joined hips to fight it out amongst theyselves in a local event ~ most taken wide and far from the NorCal in their respective team's bids for national exposure. And we can't forget all the smaller teams that have the chance to prove themselves worthy of a crown ... the Easton chicks, CRC, Dolce Vita, Velo Bella, and more.
this could be a very, very good race.
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The Hellyer'Drome is adding gears as the Thursday nite Endurance-athons get rolling. So that's 3 nites in a row i can race at the track.
... daddy like.
And, apparently, so do some others because there were 60+ people attending last Saturday's intro-to-track clinic. holee-schnikeys, that's a lot of not coasting!
Sabine is going to head out there this weekend to join in the fun. She's been to Saturday sessions before, but wanted to hit one again to remind herself of what the track feels like. Should be another good crew out there this weekend ... coolio.
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Timpani ... i don't know why, but it's one of my favorite crit courses. It's just an oval Nascar circuit that has high speeds and constant attacks.
oh, that must be why.
It's a course that, on paper, should be for the field sprints ... but, somehow breaks do manage to pound away more often than not. It's a race for the fit crit riders, and tactical ta'boot.
hope my body is healed up enough to make a move on it.
36 comments:
i've been waiting all morning for a post. me and migo are getting a bit bored. in fact, he just tried to put the leash on me and pull me out the door.
but damn, reading this just makes me wanna race!!!
i'm gonna go cuddle my track bike now...
Should be a fun weekend. I think I will do a second Sat. in a row at Hellyer; may try to rest the legs before getting them ripped off by VB and others. Then I am going to make an appearance at Timpani in support of the ladies in pink.
"Thursday nights with Larry" offer real points races. None of that 15-40 laps and take a seat stuff.
Right after the newbie session on Saturday is the last Sprint Tournament before the elite nat's qualifier and masters nat's. Most of the speed freaks will be nearing their peaks.
Now, "It's GO time!"
My money is on the Starberries
> My money is on the Starberries
Hopefully for them it will work out better than Leesville...
Yeh, what were they thinking?!?! Um, we will outsprint with our non-sprinter??? Good tactics.
Guess we all make mistakes, but that one sounds really funny.
Can sumbuddy hep me out here.
Last year the "wall" was NOT included, neither is it this year.
Is it still going to be a different
course from last year?
Confused
East-Gag-Me-Some:
The first knot in the FORA noose, tightening around the BLM domain and drawing "civilization" into the buffer of temporary no-man's lands containing the "happy trails" and other delights. The dirt kids can simply reroute around the $900,000 affordable housing through the poison-oak.
Bobby L. has no such option for Districts. I wonder what the trannie nimby's who move in next year will think about all the two-wheeled subversives rattling past their little slice of paradise each afternoon, evening, and night?
MK
Everyone
here is the course layout
Olaf does not know the exact route or what he is talking about in this matter, but i guess at least he was trying something
the course is......for the districts........
the same exact course as last year with a different start and finish area
the course does have a climb even tuffer then the wall, the course goes up hennekens road which is steeper and longer then the wall and is basically a long wall in itself,
it is the same course as last year!
it just starts and finishes in a different spot
Olaf i will help you along when you write things that are sort of out of whack
the course is the same as last year, with a tuff wall climb in the loop up hennekens road
same as last year
Olaf really is a drama queen, good for him. He crashes and then is out for the season and full of crying and feeling sorry for himself, until the next day when he is ready to go for the road race on saturday and signs up for 2 divisions of the crit on sunday. 3 races for Olaf the very next weekend following his season ending crash. Bring on more drama please Olaf.
signed up doesn't mean gonna race.
but, i will be doing my best. you see, i want to support my Team as much as possible before they disband into the night.
morale is good.
and, funny ... don't recall ever mentioning it was "season ending" ...
were you just hoping?
cuz, i plan on racing everything i can the rest of the season.
full fucking guns, baby.
i find "hennekens" to be easier than the wall.
but, i'm more aerobic than pure strength ... as referenced in the post.
but thanks for the clarification. what an ass-et you are!
Actually East Garrison will be a cycling destination, and the community will be very pro-active toward cycling in general, I have heard they are working with local cyclists and will even promote a few events in this area. They already have the tuesday night circuit race practice that has been going on all year, and apparently they are going to have a East Garrison circuit race, and a Criterium in the city center once it is finished, and they are also going to work to keep the roads open for events like the Districts and the Sea Otter. Lets just hope the local cycling community stays involved with the developers and the county and keeps this area the cycling popular area that it has been since the Army opened the land up. Crying about the situation will do nothing, it is going to take people to make a difference and keep cycling going strong in this area.
T.J.
So true! I really respect the folks who work behind the scene to keep roads and trails open to cyclists. The people who do the bargaining with city planners and work with local government to keep the needs and desires of cyclists recognized by the city councils and supervisors are quite valuable. These individuals really need to be thanked and respected for helping all bike riders to make the most of their cycling time.
anonymous posts from anonymous people about anonymous people to be thanked... So, in the words of Gerome Seinfeld, "Who are these people?!"
My pick for Districts is maybe Huang to repeat, but for sure Olaf finishes in the top 3.
They are the ones who remain annon, and maybe you should do some research yourself to find out who goes to supervisor meetings and city council meetings to represent cycling on the local level. Or just read here about Olaf's favorite racers.
no way in hell i've got 105 miles in these legs.
sign my ass up for the geriatrics division.
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and i shouldn't have favorite racers? but then, if that happened ... i wouldn't be a fan, would i.
where's the fun in that?
hey olaf, did't you say you were training the new kitty to catch and kill anonymice?
or was that just wishful thinking on my part?
PAB seems a little charma got you, I wouldnt ask to kill anything if I were you, or you might get hurt even more.
PAB stop being so bitter and bossy, seems you need some help? But your not gonna get any help with your negative attitude, the only thing you are going to find with your negative attitude is a little kitty litter down the throat.
Re: Ft Ord
spoken like a race promotor...
I saw what the building site looks like. And its a wasteland. They knocked down every single tree. There is no trace of vegetation and they leveled the land.
I almost cried staring at it.
I suppose it is cheaper to knock everything down and make something artificial, rather than build within the landscape, and thats a shame. That was a unique wildlife area and habitat and one of the few areas in that region not greatly affected by artillery.
But hey, they will let us ride our bicycles on their streets so its all good! hurray.
Olaf You For Sure Have 105 Miles In Your Legs~ You Better Not Pussy Out. I Want To Work With You To Stay In The Front Group. PLEASE!
JHK
but i like the pussy
Your so right Velo Bella. Hurray!
"Actually East Garrison will be a cycling destination, and the community will be very pro-active toward cycling in general"
Spoken as if it were fact.
Good people down here ARE working on making it more cycling friendly, KD in particular, and the mtb people. But...no matter what the developer promises, ultimately the new owners will decide. Let's hope they like bikes.
Crying will do nothing. True.
Doesn't make it any less sad. Allow me my sorrow.
Years ago, when the public meetings were taking place, one of the developers (who I know personally) took me aside and stated emphatically that "no mountain bike trails will be affected by our development."
Promises, promises.
MK
Bella I am just like you.............
I actually did cry when I saw that development start.
I have never promoted a race, and I do not think I ever want to. From what I have seen race promoters seem to have to work way to hard. But I do hope that when they are finished with the destruction out there, and there is a community thriving, that they still have cycling events going on! I live in Marina and race the Sea Otter Classic and some other local races and I just hope that the needs of the local cyclists are kept updated to the developers.
I hope they have cycling activities for the community and I hope that since I live so close to this development with my family, that me and my children can still use this area for cycling once the groundwork is done for East Garrison.
love you,
TJ
yeah
i think m.o.r.c.a. has done some good work for the local cause and keith d and the monterey velo club to name a few, it is hard to fight multi million dollar developments
it truly is a shame when prime open space and riding grounds and nature area's are affected by development
just remember though that most likely where you life now was a nature area years ago and was developed so you could live there
i hope for the best for this area in east garrison
and i hope there will still be trails there for me to ride on and share with all the local mtb'ers
i did my first cyclo cross race there and it is a true shame to see that place leveled
anthony
actually I moved to where I live just because i can't stand the paved over, replanted, artificial development stuff.
And it can be done, with some planning, but it costs more.
The development on the Bluffs just down the street from East garrison worked within the landscape, as does most of the development in the 68 corridor. Of course, those are all million plus homes so probably not a good comparison.
I saw some great examples of building within the environment in Canada.
It just seems a shame to completely bulldoze a lovely habitat and then replant it as something else. That only makes sense in a crazy world.
And most of the greater Ft Ord area will stay with BLM, so the majority of our trails are not in danger.
Yay for Teddy H!
A great pick to be your fav local races, OV, a true kind spirit as well as great athlete.
My money's on the Berry Boyz. But I'm biased....:-)
LH (a strawberry spouse).
At the MORCA ride tonight...saw Lilly Bella's shooze placed just-so on the ground behind her MiniKoop. For some reason...that cracked me and PK up.
MK
I'll throw an extra Ben Franklin to the Winner!!!! How do you like them Strawberries!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
too bad yer beat-up self weren't at hellyer tonite.
we done did the keirin.
and it was fun.
I like them Strawberries!!! (Damn, you tricked us into saying that.)
hmm...wonder if BJM will be out pedaling?
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and Grey, i tried the Keirin at Districts ... silly thing, that is.
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