The 11th D2R2 #9

Py's D2R2 ride # 9....

Sign in on Friday afternoon.


Pre-ride dinner in Shellbourne Falls at the Blue Rock.


Then early rising at the Red Roof Inn...


Getting ready...
for a
...fairly smooth ride on getting old known but still cool roads.

This is still kind of an draft, super sorry about this, just too busy, but check out photos here:
http://eye.pyzahl.net/thumbnails.php?album=221

Vermont Six Gaps Ride plus dirt detour

Vermont Six Gaps Ride plus dirt detour.

Arriving in Waitsfield, located "just over the Appalachian Gap" on Sunday afternoon at out place to stay. Good dinner, ideal place.

Monday about 7am, rolling out for a long day of fun. A a good taste of the best and everything of Vermont has to offer: From a slight chill of morning fog in valleys, great silence, nearly no traffic and decent nice roads, to some fine dirt roads, fine climbs but also some really bad road to miles of constructions roads on some don't ask how ugly surface.... to gorgeous river valleys, covered bridges, county stores and yes some surprises with a missing / removed/under reconstruction bridge and a very scenic fine dirt road detour not really planned for at some 10+ miles... Here a little gallery along our journey over 6 gaps.




And a video report:

Rupert Mountain Road, Recovery Morning Ride

Recovery Morning Ride to Rupert Mtn. on a super humid and foggy morning -- but briefly getting out of the clouds on top with a once in a while pretty view:

Vermont Challenge Gran Fondo

Py was lucky this year getting an entry to a nice ride in Vermont, "The Vermont Challenge Gran Fondo". Always good and up for a change. So he ventured together with Johnny in his big beloved Jeep to Manchester, VT -- a while waiting for the ferry grabbing a cold drink at Cafe Lilly, PJ, then taking the ferry from LI and driving a long way up North.



... and finally up to Stratton Mountain to sign in.



Getting ready the next morning too early to find any breakfast unfortunately, but no too bad. Plenty of food on the way :) Here a short sneak peak:



After rolling out in a big bunch some where in the middle, Py had to make up a little gap to find a good fast group up front. Then... let the fun begin. About 108 miles. A few rollers, hills and eventually two worse while mentioning climbs to sum it up. Great stocked water and snack stations!



Most rolling along nice quiet roads with a neat group of about 8.. 10 riders most the time, in particular working with two, after catching up with Henry... and again a great post ride lunch/dinner was served!
Watch the little longer video below and may be see you for the whole 4 day event in 2016:




All in all great event, coming again!

Tokeneke 2015

Tokeneke Road Race. Py opted this year again to drive to the race same morning, leaving 4:50 getting there driving all around the LI Sound by comfortable 8am with 1h30 time to start -- should be plenty you would think.

But a hard to understand inefficient sign in process was even delaying the race start by 10 minutes... better not commenting any more on this record setting process.

However, finally in possession of the race number with 15min to start, quickly getting the bike out of the car, changing grabbing a bite, a banana, water and rushing with still the number stuffed into the jersey pocket to the start about 1/4 mile up the road... pinning the number at the staging area as usual. A little rolling around with others in the parking lot.

Then staging and getting the number re-pinned by some (timing??) staff claiming -- the as many do and Py always does -- the slightly folded over corners to get better support for the pins are causing trouble for the camera picking up the number (and eventually not been rule book conform?!?!?). However, don't really cared about this first ever complaint, he adjusted it, fine.

Then a intense race started with two climbs per lap. Guessing or hoping every one was more or less with little to non warm up. Wasn't funny. The 2nd climb caused a minute gap Py and a a few others incl. Rob managed to close towards the last descent and climb. Needed some warp speed descending and good work to catch up -- almost lost hope -- but we did it.

Finishing 21st out of 53 in CAT4 35+.
http://www.road-results.com/race/6659#cat71224

Beyond the inconvenience before starting -- great race, great riders lot's of fun.

PS: And just once more to all my friends, the future is here and is OK to be used out there -- I can not stand any stupid comments any more: citing http://www.usacycling.org/technical-director-update-1502.htm#DiscBrakesforRoad :
   "With this rule in mind, do I care what kind of brake your bike uses? Not really - it could be cantilevers, calipers, and yes even disc brakes. As long as the brake is functional, that's what we want to see. So in this case - yes, disc brakes are allowed. So the end result: YES, disc brakes are allowed in road events as long as the event is not a UCI race or a race where UCI regulations are being enforced (such as National Championships, NRC races, etc.) unless an exemption is made for that specific event."

Tour of the Catskills Stage Race -- the last of it's kind -- Stage Three: Road Race -- the Devil awaits!

ToC stage 3:

Good breakfast at the Inn. And a easy ride from the Fairlawn Inn, Hunter to the start next town in Tannersville. Sign in. Depositing a bottle and obsolete base layer.

Here a few pictures, and a rider in a nice KOM jersey. Staging and go. Rolling out neutral, but kind of fast already. Then a fast field flying slightly down the road to a 1st key climb again splitting it all up. Py had a plan to get a little more buffer moving up front, but run out of time not finding the right timing to a) eat a little before that because of at times sketchy road with need to speed control and no good to take even just one hand of the bars to grab a bite. When finally managed that the climb was already almost there and Py could not move up enough to eventually have a little more buffer. So ending up a pretty much one other rider and many more stragglers behind.... The 17 year old CAT3 kid in bib 360. Well nice riding, but hardly racing any more. Then though he may take off at the Devil, but did not and got little behind. Fun to meet Joe... many thanks for coming up and cheering on the race -- there could have been more spectators, but instead more annoying cars than spectators sneaking into the actually closed road!



The finish line, good to see.





Final Result: GC 23rd, 6h 18m 17s

 Special Thanks to...

- The Race Organizer and all the Helpers and Volunteers for running this great event under constrained conditions.

- The officers along the race to keep us safe.

- The Innkeeper Chuck to allow me to get back to my room to have a shower on Sunday afternoon.

- And to Joe for inviting me over at the end of the day!