Celebrating PA, on the bike and off

Third place prize
I was the low man on the podium at Crossasaurs Awesome
It was awesome! See what I can do when there's no mud and lots of straightaways?

My friends declared this weekend, "Pennsylvania Fest," and while I didn't participate in all of the Fest activities (choosing to sleep in and ride, instead of visiting the Yuengling brewery, Clover Hill Vineyards and Winery, and Cabella's), I did take some time to celebrate Pennsylvania in my own ways. Incidentally, a week from Monday will mark one year since I moved here.

How does a cyclist celebrate his adoptive state? Relaxing at a bonfire, drinking beer with friends, and riding bikes, of course.

It occurred to me today that, "went to a bonfire," requires a little explanation when talking to folks who haven't experienced the country life. Everyone loves a fire, and it's a pretty great, relaxing way to spend a couple hours, if you ask me. But, it's also not something that happens when you've lived your entire life in the city. Bonfires happened with some regularity in Saratoga -- particularly in the fall and winter. I always look forward to chances to warm my toes by the fire.

Anyhow, a relaxing bonfire turned into a trip to the VFW, before the party moved to the Jungle Room. A pretty solid Pennsylvania day.

On the bike front, I wound up leaving late to ride on Saturday. I still don't know as many of the roads around here as I'd like to -- so, I just simply took off, riding generally west and south, both on roads I know, and on roads that were new -- toward the setting sun. Knowing that I was likely to be rolling home at dusk, I'd brought a handlebar light along, as well as a blinky. It was a good thing, as around 4:30, on my way home, I came across Kiem Road. I'd ridden it once before, during the Rapha Gentleman's Race, but had no real memory of it. Bill talks of it often, as a favorite road, one that inspired him, and the last time I'd come across it on a previous exploration, I'd demurred, riding instead on toward home.

It was late, I had a bonfire to get to and I was running out of light, but I took the left anyway -- I was in an exploratory mood, and what the hell? It is a fun road. The dirt was in good shape, and the climb back up Oysterdale Road was a pleasant surprise. Then it got dark. I switched the lights on, and eventually made it home.

Today, on little sleep and a hangover I rolled to the Derby. Things got off to an amusing start, when the entire peloton acted collectively on bad advice, attempting to ride a bridge, only to discover that there was no pavement on the bridge, just lots of soil. After surviving the ordeal, the pace became slightly quicker than usual on the way out. After the turn, I quickly found myself off the front -- first in a group of three, and then in a group of five.

Both efforts were fairly painful, and lasted about 20 minutes, before the second group was finally overtaken, just a mile from the finish. I made a last-ditch solo dig, only to be (as-scripted), swarmed from behind. So it goes.

Not content to stop there, I rolled home and switched my skinny tires for (slightly) wider ones, taking the 'cross bike down to Crossasaurus Awesome, in Schwenksville. After last week's debacle here in Emmaus (I drank more beers than I completed laps of the course), I was racing in the Bs, which is the appropriate field for me. Because I have no points or standing of any kind at 'cross races, I started at the back of the small field. A crash in the first lap caused a slight delay, but the race was soon rolling along at full tilt.

I came through traffic on the first lap, arriving at the front to cheers of "rainbow warrior!" at the barriers (I was wearing my Bicycling Magazine kit). It was pretty sweet. Actually, I wasn't quite at the front -- there were two riders way ahead, racing for first and second. I initially settled into fourth, but was soon able to overtake the guy ahead of me, slotting into the last podium position, where I stayed for the next couple laps.

For a while, I thought I was gaining on the leaders, but I probably wasn't. In any event, I certainly wasn't going to be able to catch them, so I settled into a rhythm of trying to hold off the three riders who were coming up behind me.

They did eventually catch me, and I even briefly slipped back to fourth, but the course was very well suited to my specific 'cross abilities (applying watts to long straightaways), and I was able to open up big enough gaps on the non-technical bits to keep myself from risking the podium position -- until the last lap, when the three finally did catch me.

Even with a big burst of speed leading into the barriers, I came through with only a marginal lead -- and I'm about as fast over the barriers as your grandmother, so it wasn't going to be easy. Fortunately, I proved faster in the final sprint, and preserved my third-place finish. And, can I just say, tubulars are awesome for 'cross.