GFNY 2013 -- a wet misery but good ride and race beyond that!

The 2nd GFNY for Py. Saturday -- taking the LIRR train with friends to Pennstation, NYC to Sign In and pickup the race package, numbers, jersey, etc. -- the day before at the GFNY Bike Expo with Doug, Jeremy and Mark:

 
Sunday, barely Sunday -- wake up 1:50am... drive up with Doug's to carpool with Doug, Mark and Jeremy. Getting wet more and more on the way/LIE, yikes.... arriving in Manhatten, parking, unloading, little misery in mind, putting shoes on... -- raining, foggy, the clock is nearing 4am, dark, wet still rainy. About 45min easy ride to start, more and more green jerseys merging the bike path until hitting a slow moving crowd up toward the pre-staging assembly area with the only porta potties. Too early, this is the usual annoyance... We were supposed to start staging -- entering the bridge, lower level -- or entering the GW by about 5:30am. There in good time. Moving up to the bridge, no facilities on GW. Still almost 1h30 to go.

 


Thanks to the organizers for picking the lower lever so we had at least cover from the rain. It may have been near death waiting in a little wind and rain for that long in just a jersey. A notch of chill setting in. Cowering low at the side of the road hiding from the elements a bit. The dense crowd helps a bit warming... staying low. Still 1 hour to go. More and more riders rolling on. Moving up a notch. Chatting with some unknown riders from all over the world, a Canadian and others. Talking bike... it does not matter, some thing to make time moving. Almost feels like Py knows the guys forever... holding the spot/seat for a while. Then some activity moving up a bit more. Loosing the good spot. Sitting down n the pavement seams to best bet now. So what. 20 minutes... 5min... 1min .. and off we go!

     Flying out of NYC in a fast paced pack around 22mph moving, front pace vehicle in sight for long, awesome, fun -- just a little wet and foggy ride up to Bear Mountain. Entering the beautiful palisades road, a few climbs moving up in a rush. The pace still just up there, the photographers moto moving back and force... cool! Nearing 9W, still a hard pace up hill the pack stretching out a bit and separates, a few attempts to bridge up from the 2nd half Py was in now -- but no way to catch up solo, but keeping up a high pace solo for a while, a rider snagging on. A few more showing up from behind. At some point working with two others all the way up to bear mountain. Cruising via a few towns at high speed... not even realizing any food stops.
On top of bear the only stop. Grabbing 1/2 banana. Gone. Finally visiting this urgently needed bathroom right up there to drop some weight. So dump carrying all up, but no earlier chance. So what. All good now -- new energy. Still plenty of water and fuel -- pretty much 1/2 way. Good to fly on! Let finish this up and get out of that wet misery. Descending, little unnecessary slowed behind one other rider, passing at next safe opportunity. Tucking down, minimizing exposure to the elements. Woooosh... Hitting 73km/h on wet roads.... no problem, plenty of room, new Fredestein tires feeling good and giving secure grip. Let the fun begin. At some point loosing the two riders, so what. It's a GF -- pick, go pick a new rider if any... what so ever works -- right? Pulling long, good to be in front -- less dirty water from other wheels, most safe, best sight, views and best line to pick.

   

Have there been more rest stops? -- not noticed any but there must have been some. Good to go with two bottles, a cliffbar and 1/2 banana. Most fun part of the ride were the last 15km or so -- for a long time "we" -- two other riders and myself Py pulled a lazy bunch of about 15 or more guys around... I did not minded the front so much, less spray and drinking dirt water... plus most safe -- hehe!! -- and then on the last few climbs we just shelled those guys all off with ease... and had a nice steady good move with a huge gap to the "timing" finish!

    Results -- 5h16, 73rd over all: http://results.bazumedia.com/event/results/event/event-3985?entryID=4308689

LINK TO SPECIAL VIDEO PENDING -- come back!

Grabbing a few snacks before hitting the last few miles to the all over finish and ferry. Pasta and Choban Yoghurt waiting :) Then a long wait and little shivering at the Ferry dock, at least in doors. Quick warm face rinse off... a hot chocolate, so good! Then about 1..2 hours later taking the ferry back over to Manhattan. What a day!