No. 3: Bernstein wins Lake Desolation Hill Climb

As hinted last week,
I rode the most of the MS Century with butterfly wings on
I left the wings home today, but still flew up the mountain!

After a season with only scant results, it may surprise readers to learn that I finally won a bike race earlier today. My Dad, upon hearing the news, asked if I was racing people in wheel chairs. Thanks Dad, real nice.

Anyway ....

With today's victory, I secured my third-straight Lake Desolation Fall Hill Climb Challenge. I'm really happy to have taken this title, and even happier to have done so in my fastest-ever time on the hill, 17:25. I'm still not close to Davis Phinney's record time of 16:36, but it's something to aspire to! I left the fast wheels home today (didn't want to risk flatting a tubular on the way to the race), maybe I should have used them after all ...

It was chilly, but really nice out this morning at Lake D, and about 35 folks turned out for the semi-annual race. Congrats to everyone who raced!

Including myself, four racers posted times under 18 minutes, indicating a fast day on the hill. The winning time in the spring edition (posted by Nick, today's second-place finisher) was nearly a minute slower then my time today. Typically, June times are much faster -- goes to show that everyone came out to race today! Especially me. I got the pace going off the line, and the boys from the Adirondack Velo Club and Tinney's kept it going at the base. The pace forced a quick selection, and the race was down to a select group on the steeper slopes, with riders dropping off one-by-one.

Nick was still hanging tough as we climbed past the quarry, but he was unable to match my acceleration over the last roller, and he rolled through about 10 or 15 seconds behind me. Further back, Embrocation Cycling Journal team member (and occasional GBBM commenter) Franny rolled through for third, pipping Matt M., a Saratogian, at the line.

In fact my finish was so fast that a photographer on hand (stay tuned to this photoblog) was not prepared to take a photo, so we had to re-enact the finish for photographic purposes.

The race was missing a few mainstays, including former champs John (shoe shopping with his wife in the Berkshires, or some shit) and Jamie (now focusing on a run at the U.S. Open.) Still, even without these two, it was a good race, and I'm proud as hell to have earned my third title. That it wasn't raining, like last year, made it event better.

It was great to chat with folks afterward over pulled pork as well, and the number of people who told me they were coming to Spa:Cross was truly awesome. Register here!

Back to the hill climb, for anyone who doesn't know, Lake D is a 4.5-mile climb in the Town of Greenfield. The two annual hill climb challenges are informal, unsanctioned races with nothing on the line except bragging rights and pulled pork. Of course, everyone gets pulled pork, not just the winner. The events are organized by Aaron Miller, local cycling legend and owner of Tinney's Tip Top Tavern.

After the race and pulled pork, Franny and I rode a bit more in Corinth before installing ourselves at Uncommon Grounds for a bit. Then he called it a day and I tortured myself in a headwind for another two hours while riding to the battlefield. In all, I spent 8 hours in spandex today. I wasn't pedaling the whole time, but, as they say, chamois time is training time, so I feel like I put in a solid day of training today!

Congrats again to everyone who raced today, looking forward to seeing you next fall!

Now, if only I could figure out how to climb that fast in May, June, July and August...