Hammer Head Racing Blog

(Geek, Diva, Sgt, Bones, Kong, Rookie)

 Perfect 81F  today.  Almost too hot, but not quite, and the heat drove the wind down to 0-4 mph.  So we went out on the Berko 20 loop to make the most of it.  If CL is still closed we will just detour to the green way. 

Our outgoing pace on 200S hills was 21.9 mph.  Due to my morning miles my legs are really hurting at this stiff pace, and I keep looking back in disbelief that the rookie doesn’t seem to be phased by the pace.  I keep hoping he falls back so I have an excuse to yell at Geek to, “Slow it down!”  But it isn’t until the turnaround that I finally get an excuse to slow the pack.

Then we headed north finally catching our breath at 20 mph.   Coming home at a 22.6 mph pace split up the pack.  We didn’t see closed signs so we stayed on the Ribbon of Black Gold we call Crystal Lake road all the way home.  At the construction it was paved and passable, but it was about 1.5” shallow so I hopped the lip to save my tires.  The overall average was a respectable 22.2 mph. 

Note; There is a Bike for sale in previous blog.

Bike For Sale,

2009 Trek Madone, 58 cm,  5.2 Ultegra  10 speed drivetrain,  white with red trim, new tires, chain and cassette; and triple (3×10=30 speed).  The price is $2,300.  Call Dick at 903-461-1613  (Please mention that Mike refered you)

Also Bikes Wanted;

Used road bikes for new and potential riders.  If you have that old stead that doesn’t get ridden because you have moved on to an upgrade bike respond to this blog, or email sgt4man@yahoo.com.  I will need to know at least, Brand, year, group level, size, asking price and how you want to be contacted.

If you would like something listed contact sgt4man.

{Pops, Bones, Bull}

Since CL road is closed we decided to head down 400W  to 700S, then u-turn and come back in the same way.  I’ve haven’t had much energy this week so it was a challenge for me to stay with Bones & Bull.  We had a 19.5 mph average when we turned around.  

Even though we had a tailwind on the way back in the combination of rolling hills and high speed had Bull commenting that it took more effort on the return trip.  The downhills enabled speeds in the 30-35 mph range and I don’t think we ever dropped below 20 on the uphills.  As we approached the sprint I went to the front since I hadn’t pulled much the whole ride.  When I thought they would attack around me a string of 5 cars passed us including a sheriff so no one went for it.

(Bones, Sgt, Pops)

 Sgt is just back from 10 days off the bike so Bones and Pops were taking it easy on me.  Thank goodness.  We went out at 20.8 mph and came back at 20.8 for an overall average of 20.8 mph.   The glitch was, it was a constant drizzle and the wind shield wipers on our goggles weren’t working.  Then CL rd was closed.  We didn’t believe them so we went down it anyway.  Sure enough it was closed and a backhoe had already cut a gap in the road.  The gap wasn’t very big so we picked up our bikes and did the Cycle-cross thing and ran across thru the dirt.  That probably is the last time to do the regular route until it is finished?

Bones walked away from us at the finish.  Pops and I couldn’t hang on all the way to the end.  Thats all I could see thru my wet glasses.

{Pops, Stang, Bones, BA}

Welcome back to Brad Aquino who had spent the last couple of years in Singapore.  Now we need to come up with a nickname for him.  Bones led us out into the strong headwind and we headed for the 200S hills for a little protection.  Coming over the 2nd hill I popped off the front and stayed out there for a couple miles before deciding I was just killing myself and slowed down to bring us back together.  We headed north on 800W with an 18.8 mph average.

Coming back on CL road we cruised along at 25-27 mph.  Even though Brad said he hadn’t been on the bike much this year he stayed right with us until the leadout for the sprint.  Bones went to the front after the last rise and sacrificed himself pulling us to 33 mph.  He finally shut it down at the cut in the road where Stang attacked and I chased but couldn’t catch him.  

{Pops, Bones}

Just two riders today to get a ride in between the storms that have been passing through.  Bones and I both made the mistake of having an extra layer on under our jerseys and just about roasted as the temperature shot up 10 degrees in less than an hour and it was very humid.  We worked across CL road at a 23-24 pace and then got clobbered by the headwind going south on 800W for the Dutchman route.  As we turned north on 950W our average was 22.3 mph.

We kept switching at the front about every 1/4 mile on the way in.  I felt like shutting it down a couple times but thought if Bones can take the heat so can I.  We gave it what we had left in the last half mile but neither of us felt like sprinting.  We ended up with a respectable 22.6 mph average considering the strong crosswind most of the way. 

{Pops, Stang, Bones, CD, Geek, Dog}

I didn’t hear it but somebody must have said “Mush” when we started because Dog went right to the front to pull the sled and stayed there for almost 4 miles.  He started out at 21 and then gradually increased the pace to 27 mph out on the flats.  Finally he dropped back, panting like a dog with his tongue hanging out.  Geek gave a burst of speed over 30 until Dog had had enough and went back to front to calm the group down.  At the 950W turn on the Dutchman route we had a 24.5 mph average.

Dog pulled us north and then Stang gave a great strong pull into the wind all the way back to 800W.  The rest of the way in was brutal but Dog went to the front many times to shield us from the wind.  Geek gave his typical monster pull leadout with Dog and Stang going on the attack at the old cut in the road.  Dog held him off for win and I thought I saw somone throw him a piece of raw meat as he crossed the line.  

(Dog, Sgt)

  I’ve had a splitting headache for about 2 hours and aspirin doesn’t seem to be phasing it.  But it is my last day to ride for a week and I need a little suffering too keep me strong until I return.  Luckily Dog was on his cross bike (in 21 mph wind) and he was nice to me.  It would have been easy for him to capitalize on that outgoing tailwind at 30+.  But when I told him my head was starting to throb he backed it down and pulled all the way out on the Dutchman at a comfortable 23.4 mph average with just a couple of short trips up to 30.

 Then coming home into the wind we struggled to make an average 19.6 mph.  Dog was now really paying for bringing out a cross bike.  But it’s the Dog, no use going easy, he never needs it.  Our final average was a dismal 21.5 mph, but keep in mind the 21 mph wind.

(Troll, Geek, Sgt, Bull, Diva, Yeti, Kong)

 Today I’m fried and so is Bull & Yeti from 3 days straight morning riding (94 miles) and they did lunch rides also.  Geek, Troll and Diva popped us going into the wind too fast.  Then Bull and Sgt chased them down before the Dutchman turnaround, but then we went home and Geek & Troll went out for some more miles.  Turnaround speed was 20.1 mph.

But then we set up and yacked like a bunch of girls all the way home for a return speed of 17.8 mph.  Who cares what the average was. 

Kong and Yeti both had to back off due to excessive accumulated mileage.  The human body has limits and they will get you sooner or later.  Those guys needed to get to their “Bike-Oholics Anonymous” meeting!