Jim Boyer wrote:
:: "Craig Brossman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
:: news:[email hidden]...
::: I rode the Iron Horse race this weekend, Masters 40-44, no chance to
::: place, but it is fun to try to get a good time and ride with a pack.
::: The first real hill on the ride is Shalona, short at about 1.5
::: miles, but steep enough.
::: The peleton is still pretty much together as we come over a roller,
::: speeds are around 20 mph, down to the base of Shalona. The fast guys
::: will climb the hill at 10-11 mph, I can usually go about 8.5, there
::: is a lot movement in the group, getting in position for the climb
::: ahead. This is really the start of the race.
:::
::: Just that quick, I hear the sound of bikes, asphalt and flesh
::: mixing it up. I see about 10 feet in front, just off to the right,
::: a mess of 5-7 guys and their bikes. I hit the hooks and easily make
::: it around, in less than 2 seconds my involvement is over. But the
::: sound of the crash sticks with me, all the way to Silverton.
:::
::: I had a terrible ride, I was well prepared, but had an off day, not
::: as bad as those guys. I don't think anyone was seriously hurt, but
::: I'ld guess that some of them in the pile didn't finish the race. I
::: had never heard the sound of a crash that close up, but others I
::: mentioned it to, and had experienced, seemed to have the same
::: feeling. It is a horrible sound, I hope to never hear it again.
:::
::: --
::: Craig Brossman, Durango Colorado
::: (remove ".nospam" to reply)
:::
:: I just had a similar experience on last Tuesday nite's hammer fest.
:: Most of us in the group are not racers, and I'm certainly not, but
:: we do enjoy riding fast on a short week night ride. After thousands
:: of miles of riding I have little experience with falling...my own or
:: others, and have watched about 2 crits in my life. Anyway, we're in
:: a tight group, one mile into a 28 mile ride, I'm about 5 riders back
:: and suddenly hear several bike tires squeeling, a crashing sound and
:: then suddenly bike wheels appear rubber side up moving along in the
:: pack at the same speed as the slowing group. By the time I get up to
:: the area of the victim I see the young woman who is on her first
:: ride with our group on the soft grassy shoulder of the road. She
:: gets up, quickly checks wheels and brakes and is back on the bike.
:: No road rash...just mud. She hung with us the rest of the ride.
:: She's young, brand new to cycling, dates a racer, and is really,
:: really fast. She'll race and do well. But the sight and sound really
:: got to me for the rest of the ride...it's not like on TV.
::
:: jb
Damn....I go on an organized 35-mile ride this weekend. I think I'll stay
off to myself instead of pack-riding, which I have no experience at. Plus,
I just went clipless so I don't want issues with that, either.
