Saturday, August 31, 2013

Saturday, August 24, 2013

D2R2 - The Deerfield Dirt Road Randonnee 2013 -- No 9 and 7th for Py

Time for some of the most epic two wheel action of New England... D2R2.


No need to repeat again, see previous reports: http://pyzahl.blogspot.com/search?q=D2R2 or just check back up to 7 years in Py's blog archive for D2R2 reports found usually in August of each year.

The usual convenient travel up North. Check-in at RR-Inn, evening ride to sign-in and a little explorations and check on gravel conditions -- looking good.

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So let get to the start by about 6-isch in the morning to begin the so far most beautiful day for a long ride, just perfect, crystal clear air, dry, perfect temperature. Can't ask for more -- just as good as it eventually can be if not better!

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Looking for some known riders, but not very successful, saw one of the Tall Tree guys at breakfast, but no sight later -- start times are spread out between 6:00am and 6:30am -- leaving at 6:15am and making is way up past several riders and passing up on several groups until finding a few riders of similar pace -- to begin Marc and Kevin and a few others on and off, also the Fatty bike rider was good seeing again!

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Well moving on, the number of other riders in sight diminished to near zero. 1st quick stop and refill, then heading on and reaching Heath soon. Eventually a group we passed caught up as we stopped for a picture at the 1st covered bridge... Managing the "getting old" Archambo climb (27% on loose gravel) once more with ease. Waiting up for Marc with his little borderline single front chain ring... then proceeding and taking the "group" KOM as a bunch or riders was following our tracks closely...

To some of those eventual surprise Py stopped on top to take a few photos :o) Only to catch up later again and take off with Marc.

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Making good grounds, kill'n all the descents at warp speed often topping off at 60km/h on gravel... fun fun.

Soon arriving at the Green River Covered Bridge for great lunch.

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Proceeding well filled up at a notch reduced pace as usual, suffering a bit for about an hour over countless smaller rollers to get back on speed to finally climb Patten Hill... before the long awaited portapotty -- always the same issue -- need to put on near the bottom of the climb please :)

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From Py's feeling a amazing quick run to the finish in Deerfield.

Finish -- about 4:08pm.

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Beer, dinner, dip in the great river -- to finish up a amazing day!

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Thank you to all of you making it so great again!

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Early Birds flying North -- FSA

EBs-N time again.

Full Speed Ahead again... and kill'n it on the "finish" climb and run to the end -- -1 escapee.

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Early Birds, and other birdies... FSA and much more.

What a day -- in brief:


  •  full speed ahead EBs-S -- 126km 6:51am .. 11am, running low on water last 5 miles to home, looking forward to RP farmers market stop to grap some great donat peaches -- finishing two right away...
  •  recovery meal... laundry.. quick garden hose shower...
  • complete reorganzation of home media center/computer
  • late lunch, more computer setup fine tune -- back online...
  • fixing SBRA web site after complete updates...
  • mowing lawn, drive way broom cleaned... -- one more hose down...
  • tea time !!!
  • home THX testing...
  • quick "Abendbrot" (dinner)
  • turbo removal of some annoying weeds I was upset one for some time... of upper back yard... dusk
  • having a good beer
  • real shower -- done now.

... and did I mentioned -- there have been 4 (or more flat stops..), can some one please fix those craters on LI road ways???


Saturday, August 10, 2013

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The old one again with great team of eight. Good work gentlemen!



Sunday, August 04, 2013

Tour of the Catskills -- Stage Three: RR, the Devil and Thunder

The Devil is waiting... on stage 3. Also known as Platte Clove Road.


Sign In.

Easy warmup with Ben.

Staging.

Rolling out, nothing really exiting happening on the few easy rollers. Little concern toward the first KOM, but just a little extra throttle did it this time and as far as he can tell the majority of the field stayed together. Maintaining a more front of the pack position most of the time. Fun fast moving. Then that one strait havoc run down hill... and a little counter wall, then fun fast roller coaster all the way to the foot of the Devil. Beyond one short heavy thunder shower, grabbing a third neutral bottle on the way -- nothing particular. Just a fun race so far. Guess what -- every one is awaiting this Platte Clove... also known as Devils Kitchen.

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Yes and sure so it goes. Py positioning more up front slowly to avoid too many stalling riders... Nice climbing, but no way to hang with some of those 20isch year old kids and such, but doing fine. That Mineola rider sitting on Py's wheel... About 1/2 way up the dark sky opened up a 2nd time for good times with heavy rain, a notch of hail, scary lightening and thunder -- well now that's a new addition to the Kitchen climb. Moving up to the KOM point, no one even attempts to pass... and moving on sharing the head wind with just a few, picking up a few more riders... well, that needs a plan to minimize damage at the end in places. Py scouted out while warmup the finish scenario good enough. Even in front, and putting in a good work it seamed to be enough to hurt the guys behind already suffering the Devil -- ha ha, little climb this is...

with even 5km, then 2km to go picking up speed sharing with one (???) a little the move then with one km to go moving up front again and hutting down some (unknown) watts into the last turn uphill to the finish -- at that point giving it all fearing already the usual crowd passing -- so far just two riders attempting to go around -- there is more left in Py guys and in particular as some stupidity just behind noticing crunching sounds gave Py an extra boost >get the hell out of here and finish<... and yepp catching that one guy and almost wheel on wheel with the other. What a fun finish.

 
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http://velocityresults.com/results/464/tour-of-the-catskills-rr2-hunter-ny


Saturday, August 03, 2013

Tour of the Catskills -- Stage Two: RR

Relaxed easy morning and good breakfast with plenty of time to the start at Windham for stage two road race. Preparing at Windham mountain, little warmup. Some what feeling little "slow" this morning. Py is blaming the eventually little too heavy Alfredo pasta sauce of the night before.

Singin.

And eventually start of the Cat 4's.

The race was kind of easy moving for some miles, cruising up that first gradual incline and flying down 23 until hitting the more winding and smaller county road 20. Eventually one guy got ahead, but not for very long. As expected toward the 1st KOM the action began and the field spread out quite a bit. Some what a notch too much to keep or even move all the way up with the front. However, pickup up riders on the longer climb and making up places good times! Eventually hanging with a smaller sized "yellow jersey" group, making some fun speed out there. Then even loosing some of them at the feedzone and dropping riders at Airport.... Eventually a good 4 men group formed to finish up the remaining 20 miles. Working OK with a few of them. And some what still plenty of energy left to outsprint the few left in that group at the Windham mountain finish -- slightly uphill again. Taking a notch confidence at least getting this right :-)

 http://velocityresults.com/results/462/tour-of-the-catskills-rr1-windham-ny


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Friday, August 02, 2013

Tour of the Catskills -- Stage One: ITT

Friday morning, last preparations like packing food supplies waiting or better said picking up a friend who's car broke down with no electricity left... But with plenty of time all worked out fine and we went on the road just in time. A little traffic issue as to be expected in NYC before hitting finally clear roads to move up North. Checking in at the Fairlawn Inn as usual and slowly preparing for the individual time trial.

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A little warmup riding up and down some roads, finding the start what was moved a little down 23A this time. Thanks to the mechanic at the start to realign and tighten up my handlebar/stem joint a bit -- need a new and better clamp.

Perfect nice day. Py felt OK, but not really great. So what, no power meter, so he could not even monitor how good or bad Py would do. Just going for it, full speed ahead and out of the "box". Towards the turn around point already catching and passing his minute rider -- moving fine. Just about right some "good" hurting en route -- not much room he thinks. Moving strong up the few inclines, watching the time -- looking like it's going to be close to 30 minutes. A little more all over uphill this time -- means won't compare very good to previous best time what was under 29minutes... Finally reaching the turn into town, speeding up a notch and giving all, obviously too much, what's left to the uphill finish line. About 3:20 back, not bad but not as great as hoped.

 http://velocityresults.com/results/460/tour-of-the-catskills-tt-hunter-ny

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Little recovery snack and dinner time -- heading with D. to Tannersville.