Ride to the #1 of 3 Long Island (@Kings Park) Psychic CX race...

Py missed to sign up in time for the #1 LI "Psychic" CX race @ Kings Park -- but signed up right away for the following two. So what -- a kinda chilly cold morning, getting a little late -- but not of any concern as he just had to get there to support and watch! Bundling up a little too cosy and tight, but he kept it easy going and was comfy and warm... It all took a little longer, as he explored known but rarely visited roads of the Harbor Hills area, not skipping Cordwood Path and finding a few nice roads and connections not yet seen! Passing East Setauket and reaching Nissquogue River State Park -- the former location of Kings Park amd abandoned psychiatric wards that make for fun cyclocross racing.

After the race Py did one lap on his road bike -- worked OK, just little more thread/knoby tires would help on the grass...

Then did a little help at the "down taping" and rolled up two big balls of yellow tape. Fun event & setting either way -- little music & waffles would be a blast to have, may be some volunteers around??!

Great job, great race! Big thanks to Gregory/Krebs!!

For his way home he took off this not any longer needed warm layer and exactly back tracked his route -- a few very scenic views -- a gorgeous day.

Out West and Return -- 90km -- 1300hm -- 16 WPTS -- BTW, why is no one playing the WP game this winter with Py??? Makes Py very sad, no fun counting just his own points :-(

RP2IPBP -- cold & windy

A day off on Turkey day. A slightly wet ride to the Camp on Friday at noon to get a little job done and a extra loop on the return -- not so many choices, heading a long way back on open roads into the wind. And back to the usual RP2IPBP today. Py was glad and happy to have a group of fife riders to start with -- as this was a kind of last minute call!

A fast move out to the beach with that pretty steady and cold 20+ mph NWN wind. However one rider just joined part way and one more one one way.

With that there were just three left to fight to wind on the return -- one.... A lot of work today.

WLSCC DAY 2 -- much better

This morning Py car pooled with Karl to Eisenhower Park. Self sign-in. A little more time to warm up on the coarse today, good for 3 laps -- about in reverses, but a few modifications.

Still nothing really of a difference -- all flat and grassy. Good was the barrier was not hidden behind bushes at a 90 deg turn plus leading into one more 90 deg turn, so dis/remounts were much smoother this way. The few stairs/steps were still up-hill but were approached from the other side coming down. That's about all of the features worse talking about.

A chilly morning, but a really nice clear and sunny day!

Start at about 9:05 with a short prologue flying out on pavement for some good 100 yards before merging on the course in right direction. Py had a better start and felt so much better today and was able to put down power all the time making up some positions. A few back and forth changes in between. A few laps w/o chasing some one in sight after getting up... And yes, this time they got there 40 minutes or 5 laps (was it fife??). To the end one rider Py passed was hanging on again and looked like was going to take the sprint... well, he did but Py was at least able to not let him go but was about only a wheel behind his front wheel! Much more fun today.

Preliminary results in Masters 3/4 35+: 17th.

Big thanks to Myles to get this WLSCC kicked off at the new location! It's two fold -- closer to NYC -- great for the city riders -- but Py liked the Southampton setting much better, as it offered so much more variations of terrain and real trails -- what unfortunately was not available this year. A little dump, not sure if he got it right, but the Waffle guy he saw yesterday briefly in the morning was send away due to park contract issues o-( Py was looking forward to one, a nice "Belgium style Waffle!!!" and may be a coffee... today. Some one said there is as Hot-Dog guy (with contract) some where -- well, super, some where. Who wants a hot dog and what does it help if that dude is not any where near by if around at all? Sorry, but these are ridiculous regulations.

WLSCC DAY 1 -- not Py's day

Not Py's day and not his thing today either. Yeah, and it does not helped Py being kind of slow and tiered from the start. This rabbit zig-zag on energy sucking grass all the time, no trail to enjoy and get a chance to recover, no climb at all, just a strong breeze -- wasn't his favorite either. He felt slowish all the time. Did not really got warm at all. Forgot to put the HR sensor on -- but sure that did not went any where up at any time either way. Yes, it was to short, he did not noticed any "official" bell for the last lap either. Forgot again to bring his cow bell (must be a bad omen??). Py did not even felt like taking pictures, all he got are a few seconds video of the womens field. He was super tiered driving home and took a long nap -- but still felt even more tiered. Note sure what was all wrong in particular -- may be he did still some work today (a little bit at times -- yes) or he is going to be sick soon....

Well, not that he is expecting any thing -- but will give it a shot again tomorrow.

Good cooking and a fine dinner finally tonight -- the best he can do. And yes, try to make it to bed in time -- will see -- at the time of writing, right now, some remote microscopy / science is happening under his fingers tips on the mouse at home.

Trevors #2 + a little more hills

Just Trevors ride and a little extra today. Good sized group, nice ride, nothing really special today.

And a little hill route add on -- 4 hours moving total exactly -- 16 WP Pts:

Staten Island CX 2010 (SICX)

Py went racing again -- Cyclocross season! Just a little bit and Py is having a lot of fun - racing and watching all day. A great day, almost summer feeling! Some Belgium stuff, waffels and more -- can it be any better?

A quick course review: Start on grass with a lot of U turns, the typical double barrier, a little speed sections before it went down to the beach. This was any where near ride-able -- about one bike length and all momentum was killed to zero speed and running was on the list, just followed up by a stair case to get up and off the beach again. Did Py old you, he hates sand.... and in particular in his shoes. Well no time to even think about hating it while racing. So far so good. Then a fast grassy/dirt section before hitting a rooty trail section along side a beautiful water view ending in a steep unrideable short down to the water U-turn and run it up again followed by a slight up hill trail part into the woods. Exiting the woods with an fast right turn onto grass again and repeat. In pictures this looks like:

Good to have more photographers around -- Py at the Masters 35+ 3/4.

But also Py took some pictures for all you cycling fans!

Click this to go to Py's Staten CX album:

Also good video footage -- just edited, watch it now:

Ride in Red

Noon to sun set. Catching up on missed sleeping hours. Letting the sun rise. Hey reaching 14C -- Shorts today! A fantastic clear crisp blue sky day -- late fall. Going for a little longer ride, just getting out going East on old know routes combing a little different today on the go. Little pushing the pace solo out east all the way. But taking a few easy intervals and a few chances picture the beauty of the season.

Look at these trees in dark red!

Proceeding to Iron Pear Beach Park via "The Tanks" and following "EBs N route" for a while out East passing water ways and passing by vine yards. This so well know route looks so different in the after noon light! Nice!

Arriving at the Cutchogue Deli, taking a Coffee break. Meeting two other riders known from the Camp... how random -- or may be not?

On the way home now. A little quiet unexpected surprise, some serious flooding...

Some how time is flying and totally unexpected the sun is getting low quicker than thought -- well, DST is over and days getting shorter. Huddling up a bit... but not skipping the route in mind, this will just work out fine. And Py was back home exactly as the sun hit the horizon :-)

15 WP Pts.

We Nite MTB Ride

2 hours of fun in the woods.

2010 Whitmore's Landscaping Super Cross Cup Weekend is approaching

Great Cyclo Cross Events coming up on Long Island soon, be prepared, get your bike and camera out and ready! 2010 Whitmore's Landscaping Super Cross Cup Weekend is now at at Eisenhower Park, in East Meadow NY on Saturday, Nov 20th and Sunday, Nov 21st 2010.

Find the event signup and info here at BikeReg.

So far recall memories of one year ago with a little movie -- enjoy:

WLSCC-2009-Sat from Percy Zahl on Vimeo.

2009 Whitmore's Landscaping Super Cross Cup -- Saturday, Day 1

Trevors #1 - flying w Jeff

Yikes. That was some work once in a while....

Winter time, or just back to standard time -- or what they say here, no day light saving time any more. One hour more in the morning, nice. But there is also those, as Py realized, who have to work and get an extra hour to cover with in that special day's shift, can only wish the same hour they get back on the other end later.

However, this first Sunday in November the Early Birds turn into Trevors. Winter season is on us since at least a week already. 6am the radio comes on -- good to know there is some extra time this morning. In particular as Py was working from home remotely on some LT STM, getting this darn tip stable behaving took again longer than anticipated, but around midnight it finally cooperated and he was able to pick a interesting area to start a looong map what will run until next day... and finally got to bed.

7:35am about ready to roll. Making his way to the Bagels and a Whole lot more in PJeff Station on 112. John driving by on Kind road saying hello... -- some questing about the temperature, little chilly but alright, only this wind, kind of nasty. He seamed to be very early and took the scenic drive. Getting to the meeting point around 8:10am. The early "B" group consisting for Phil, John, Kev, and at least 5 more was about ready to go -- or to be chased group, as they take off 15 minutes before on the same route. Py waiting for hopefully a few more of the "A" group to show up.

Just a small group finally, Trevor, Jeff, Rick, Mark, Ken (rider in black) and Py. Moving out 8:28am -- no more riders in sight. Moving out on a badly bumpy 112 a little further as there was some construction on the regular path out of town. Getting to speed and just warming up the engine a little bit. Rotating through the group about once until Jeff taking over and already starting to drop off Trever, Py and the rest - Py managed to get up to him to to ask to hold off a notch... Well, so far so good -- that about a steady 22mph ride -- moving with at least 25mph into this head/cross wind up and over some rolling terrain for some good time. Powering up N WR road... hanging on Jeffs wheel, one more behind Py and three more falling behind. Re-assembly wait up on top... we will have more re-assemblies along the way.

2nd on Sound Ave few miles after Boy scout hill. Reaching up to 32mph on Osborne... Rick cutting short one more rider missing??? 3rd re assembly at the light on 25. Again 3 and 3 behind gapped off on Mill. Py now getting 3rd wheel behind (the guy in black) -- much better than 2nd all the time. 4th wait up on North Street. Basically cos Jeff is responding to a call...

And going into aero formation again. On South St they caught up to Rick who cut off a bit. Py got a little struggling to hang on after the light stop at the Floyd going towards Yaphank and stayed with Trevor and Rick. Jeff and the guy in black in sight little ahead for a while. On Yaphank Middle Island road Jeff finally took off and the "B" group came into sight and they including the guy in black all merged together on E Bartlett Rd to finish the ride at a more moderate pace.

Py going East in North Country -- back home -- Yikes, that hurt a bit in a while.

Almost missed to say: 14 WP Pts -- I want one more for that -- would have gotten at least one more going with the B group...

And big thanks to Jeff for this super pull just at our limits... and wait ups :-)