2010 Barry-Roubaix recap

Damn that was fun! The Hell of the North was alive and well in Michigan this Saturday. I think what made this race so unique was that it wasn't a true road event and it certainly wasn't a mountain bike race. It was a combination of the two although, it truly suited the road riders. Hell, even the tandums were smokin' fast out there! In a nutshell, the race was a flat out time trial over kick ass hills and gravel roads.



The day started out cold and clear. Once the roll out began it I believe there were around 600 riders who had signed up and the road was pretty well clogged. Once the course left the pavement the dirt road climbs began. Immediately, there was a 2 mile stretch of rutted sandy two track that had riders strewn about. This was the only section that favored the MTB's. Once through this section there were some amazing rollers with sharp climbs and sweeping downhills.



The road was generally dry and loose and I tried to latch onto as many fast trains as possible. The road tems were working together and the pace was fast. My teammate, Jeffro passed me on his fixie at the 15 mile mark and I realized I was fading. At mile 17 my right calf started to twang and I knew it was about to cramp up. I took in a gel and downed some fluids and tried to spin it out. While I did I was passed by about 50 riders! CRAP. I settled in and luckily felt pretty good by the time I hit the 30 mile climb. There was some guy along the side of the road beating a tom-tom drum in a slow, rhythmic sound that resembled my pace as I climbed. Although I felt like I was on the Trail of Tears with riders weaving their way to the top, the drum was a great diversion. Also, the bongo player at the top helped break my trance and pick it up for the last 5 miles to the finish. I finished with an empty tank at 2:07:xx.
The team had some excellent results for the day. I met some great people and the event had a good vibe. Overall, this race is well on it's way to becoming another major event for the Michigan cycling scene. Promoter Rick Plite certainly has that Midas touch. A job well done to he and his crew!

RESULTS:

2010 Barry-Roubaix

Saturday! Saturday! Saturday!
It just doesn't have the same effect as S U N D A Y !
The first cycling event of 2010 here in the mitten state will kick-off this Saturday, March 27 with the Barry-Roubaix a.k.a. The Killer Gravel Road race. This event is gaining in popularity and I'm sure it will be a good time for all. I dig riding the gravel roads of Michigan. They keep me away from traffic and the terrain is much more diverse. Less traveled. I am beginning to realize how popular gravel road racing has become. It is steeped in history dating back to the infancy of bike racing when all roads were unpaved. The L'Eroica is Italy's equivalent of Paris-Roubaix. Check out this recap of last years ride in Italy.
Here in the US it seems like many states have been running gravel road races for some time. Especially in places like Texas, Kansas and Iowa. Check out the Gravel Grinder News BLOG for additional info, especially the event listings on the right side of the main page.
Race recap later...

New Conti training tires

With the dirt roads and trails still muddy from the Spring thaw I needed a durable tire for the road/cross bike. Even most of the paved roads around here are fairly beat up from the harsh weather and limited maintenance. I ride primarily before work with a time limitation and I can usually find myself pretty far from home. My buddy Daniel hooked me up with the Continental Ultra Gatorskin tires. At 300 grams they are heavy but hell, it's a training tire. For me it is a balanced trade-off. So far I am very pleased with their performance and they are so much faster than the 35 cm cross knobbies that I was running on the road. So far, so good.
BANANAS!!



Bike Tires Direct dot com link:

That Butt Stuff

I just came across a half ounce sample of a product that was given to me during my race in Arkansas. I was having serious chain suck issues and I made the mistake of setting up my pit area without any tools or lube and my car was far from the pit area. I guess I can chalk up this lack of planning as a learning experience. I approached the team row near the finish and asked the kind folks at the white tent (located behind woman's winner Rebecca Rusch in the photo below) if they had any lube.

The two young women manning the tent sprang into action and busted out these little tubes of lube. One spun my crank and liberally applied a generous coat of lube until the chain was fully slathered. She grabbed a rag and wiped off some excess while the other gal gave me a tube for my jersey pocket. I was off and running in less than 60 seconds. Those ladies were great! My chain was fine for the duration of the race and I realized the benefit of carrying a small tube of lube for those 100 mile rides that leave you far away from your tool box. These lubes are small, portable and could also be added to a drop bag. The screw on cap is a great feature too. It only makes sense that they also make a chamois cream. Check it out.
That Butt Stuff link:

Taking the win!

I do not know what it is about this video that keeps me coming back for more. The characters are straight from a tour stage. I like how the last rider takes it all in with a sense of humor. Good fun. Double click the video to expand.

Early Spring riding

ROUTE

We have had a week of clear weather and the temperatures are starting to climb here in Michigan. Anything above 30 degrees feels balmy! It's been difficult to NOT ride with the sun shining and perfectly blue sky's above. I rode out to Dexter today and squeezed in a few hill intervals. Here is the route as well as some shots from this past week.