Early spring classic

Well today was the first ride / race of the 2011 Winter Bile League put on by Jared Nieters of Haymarket Bicycle.



The weather before today was looking kind of iffy, but on the side of it should be a good ride, might start out cool roads maybe a little damp but other wise unseasonably warm. The last 3 or 4 days the temperatures have been in the low to mid 50s as the high, which is a sigh of relief because the first 25 days of December were spent well below the average temp.

Most of base season weekend riding has been with Chuck and Eli out west from Unison, lots of climbing, a few gravel roads, snow covered roads, and oh did I mention climbing, like over 50,000 feet for the month of December.

Last Spring I ventured out to Haymarket to do the Battle of Bull Run and was feeling great, but I got a little over confident on the dirt section and wiped out just after the winery with about 10 miles to go. Today was revenge on it.

As I was packing up the car I began to feel a few rain drops and quickly looked at the radar image on my phone. There was system headed right towards me in Fairfax, that was still sitting over top of Haymarket. I wasnt sure how many would show if the weather wasnt going to be as nice. I knew a few people that were planning mentioned they might ride else where if it was going to be raining because the potential cluster fuck with rain, dirt, gravel and people not racing in the past few months with handling skills.

As I got closer to Haymarket on 66 the rain picked up and I was thinking to myself, crap, why didnt I bring any of my damn rain gear. The temps was just under 50 and I was prepared for that at the least. So I knew getting warmed up was going to be an issue. The ride was suppose to start out rather mellow and then have a "race" points a long the way so everyone doesnt get dropped by the beasts.

As I arrived it was still raining some, a slight drizzle if you will. I got changed in the car, got the bike ready, signed my waiver and we headed out. I stayed near the front, saying hi to some new friends, and avoiding would could a near disaster given the conditions. There were a few points were I found myself up front and a few other people trying for a little break but we were always brought back.

Well at the last stop in Unison we headed out on a quick gravel road that I think scared some people off, then on to Snickersville Turn Pike, the road I love to hate. It is relentless with its rollers, but ridden properly it isnt that bad. Sprinting up every rollers and coasting down them is not the way to go. I took my time, we still had over an hour left and there was a group infront of me drilling it up every roller then coasting. After a few I was able to catch them just by doing tempo up the rollers and then pushing down hill. After the catching on to them and then slowly pulling away at the end of the pike we turned on to 50 as we had a brief stretch on here before the infamous gravel.

I entered the gravel alone, I could see some others catching up to me, and then would power up the hills and rest, I kept everything tempo. I was doing great, I had to keep telling myself dont get over confident. I passed the rock that caused me to crash last time. I spotted a black kit way up in the distance, as we got closer I could tell the rider was injured. I knew because I have been there before, he was showing favor to his left elbow and entire left side was covered in mud.

I saw it was Tim Rugg, and having just met a few months ago, been in a similar situation before I decided I will end my race there and make sure he got back ok. I was having a great ride, legs felt extremely well, not exhausted surprisingly but thought it was best.

Let me tell you what, even though he spent some time regaining some feel in his left side I was still getting in some good tempo work going up those hills. We ended up passing two other riders, getting passed by the SAG wagon and then passing the Haymarket Bikes Van sent out there. I still got it in some good work and had fun chatting, some parts that were missing the later half of the ride.

As we rolled into the parking lots absolutely filthy I was glad it was over. It wasnt as hard as the first time I did it, I felt like I did better, but the weather conditions made it seem like a spring classics race. Temps in the 40s, rain, wind, sand, gravel, dirt all over everything. Cant wait for the next one.