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What Carl saw:
Category: Masters 35+ 4/5
Result: Flatted!
FLATS!!
I should have seen the writing on the wall (or street in this case), I am in the midst of a rash of punctures and on Saturday my racing was shortened by a flat tire and not having a pump.
I believe my luck was on a down turn beginning on Friday because I had 3 flats during my commute to work and home again. I arrived at the course on Saturday with enough time for a good warm-up and to wait in the long line for the porta-potty's (I had pre-regged so that line was fast). The races began about a half hour late due long lines at registration and the forming of additional races from full fields in the Cat 5 and Masters 4/5 races.
Our group (Master 35 4/5) moved out onto the course at a pretty good clip and we began to shed a few riders on the feed hill then we hit the climb and things stretched out and I got caught off the back. The decent was not as bad as I had thought it would be except for the EMT waiting on the hairpin corner for some action (I hope that this was only for show). At the bottom of the decent I was off the back but could see some other riders ahead and I told myself that I would give it a go to at least ride with some others. I helped form a group of 4 riders and we started working together and were, after some serious efforts, to catch up the main/lead group.
At this point I decided to sit in the group and try to rest up for the next lap and climb when at about the 1 km to go to the finish sign I had a front flat. I was able to slow with out any problems and had a spare to change out but I didn't have a pump (I thought flats came in 3's and had done those on Friday) and waited by the side of the rode hoping for a follow car. After a lot of racers had passed (the rest of my field along with some others and a follow car which did not stop) a local rider stopped and offered me use of his pump. I decided that doing the rest of the race was not going to be for me and headed back to town packed up and headed to Sacramento to meet up with my family and go to the State fair.
I hope that Mike M and Alan faired better than I did.
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What Mike M. saw:
Category: Masters 35+ 4/5
Result: Flat - off the back
Summary: OTB again! Front flat! But still a good day of riding.
Unlike Carl, I did not pre-register, and I waited in line with many others. Fortunately, there were enough of us 4/5 types that the organizers put together an overflow race for us. I met up with Alan, and our group set off at a leisurely pace until the foothills. There were still no attacks, but the riders in front were keeping a good tempo with the back of the field rubberbanding quite a bit.
The first serious incline comes at the feed zone, is very short, but was enough to shed some bad hill climbers off the back (including myself). After riding over the summit, I found I was dead last. I picked up the rider in front of me, and continued on to pick up 3 more forming a group of 5.
We were just getting a good pace going coming back on Putah Creek Road when I found that the bike was feeling a bit slushy. I had a front flat from a thorn. (You know, those damn weeds with the thorny seeds?!) So much for the chase. After fixing the flat and hearing from other riders saying "Bummer, dude!" as they passed, I continued on, seriously considering going home. But I figured, hell, I've got another 25 miles or perhaps 1:10 or riding left, so I may as well finish it out. I ended up catching a 4/5 straggler and was a ride-along witness to a women's race breakaway duel (perhaps the Women 1/2/3?).
I finished with a time of about 2:35. It was too bad about the flat. Maybe we could have caught up with the main field again.
Regarding Alan, his friend went down on the downhill. As Richard described before, there is a slightly off-camber lefthander that you must be careful navigating, and we were also warned about it at the race start. Nevertheless, 5 or so riders went down on the first lap including Alan's friend. I met up with Alan briefly at the end of the race when he had to run and take his friend to the hospital -- he was in a bad way with a broken collarbone and deep facial lacerations. Good wishes and good luck go out to him on a speedy recovery.
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What Alan saw:
Category: Masters 35+ 4/5
Result: Mid-pack
I decided late to go to Winters, and drove up with Steve Turner from AV. We didn't pre-register, which almost shut us out of the race as the field was full. Velo Promo opened up another group of combined Senior 5/Master 35+ 4/5, allowing us to race. Michael was in this group also, and we rode together up to the first climb. The pace to that point was pretty slow, but the hill broke things up. I stayed with the lead group through the first lap and up to the hill on the second lap, but got dropped on the second half of the climb, and was about 30 seconds back after the descent. A group of three of us worked together the last 10 miles, but couldn't get back on, although we passed a lot of folks enroute. I didn't get the results, but probably finished about 20-25 out of 50.
Now for the disasters...
My friend Steve bought it hard on the first descent in a tricky tight left turn on a steep section. A rider to the inside couldn't hold his line and drifted out, forcing Steve out and into the soft shoulder. He went over the top, breaking his collar bone and tearing his face beneath his nose and inside his lower lip. NOT a pretty sight! He was one of three riders to lose it within a few minutes (two with broken collar bones). We went to the hospital in Davis and spent about 6 hours in ER getting him repaired, most of the time waiting for the plastic surgeon to come in and then for X-rays. The bone was broken into three pieces. He definitiely was in some pain. There was also a female there in the ER who broke her collar bone in the race.
The second disaster was a freak crash about 3/4 through the first lap. Someone about a third back from the front suddely went out of control and perpendicular to the road, taking out at least 6 riders. I was near the back and was sure there was no escape, but like others on the team I rode for the middle and found a clearing while bikes and bodies were still in motion on both sides of me. What a crazy experience!
Besides all the crashes, I had a good time and really enjoyed the course. Now to hit the weights in the off season so I can stay on during the second climb!
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