"Winter" Mtn. Biking

Not that I am happy about climate change, or the fact that there was no snow to ski on, but the warm weather this winter has allowed for some great mountain biking. Here I am on two different occasions at Willodale State Forest in Ipswich, MA

    

 

SRAM pART Project

Click here to see more art and read about the project

Artists transform bike parts into art. The art is auctioned off. The proceeds help people in need through World Bicycle Relief. 

Aqueduct Trail

It has been sometime since I have been able to update my blog. After a freezing cold Cyclocross Regionals, I took some time off the bike and got ready for the ski season. After a brief hiatus, I got back on the bike for build and doing some strength work. During the winter I ski race coach. It has been fun. I got to do a race for myself last weekend. I placed 2nd woman overall in a "pro-style" dual GS knock out.

Here are some pictures of riding on the Aqueduct Trail:

Echo Bridge on the map

"Echo Bridge was built to carry the Sudbury Aqueduct over the Charles River from Newton Upper Falls to Needham, Massachusetts. The aqueduct was constructed to carry water from the Sudbury River to Boston. Construction of Echo Bridge began in 1875 and was completed in 1877 by Boston Water Works (BWW), predecessor to the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority. At the time, it was the second longest masonry arch in the country. The bridge was named an American Water Landmark in 1981. On April 9, 1980, it was added to theNational Register of Historic Places. The bridge is located in the Hemlock Gorge Reservation.

The aqueduct is no longer used for regular water delivery, but is maintained as a reserve backup."

Check out Newton Conservators: Loop around the Aqueducts: Sudbury, Quabbin, Cochituate

Here are some pictures of skiing:

Ice Weasels 12/9/11

So last weekend I got pretty sick heading into Warwick UCI/Verge races. I started Saturday and had to pull out. I was in no shape to be racing, considering I took the day off from work Friday. I have still had a cold throughout the week, but it has been getting somewhat more manageable. I had a warm mug of Theraflu and headed to the race. It was a good temperature out for me. I got to check out the course at 10:15 and discovered it was pretty wet and slick in parts. I had on a skinny front tubular (my regular one is being sent to the manufacturer for defect) and I decided to get a clincher from the Shimano tent. I proceeded to the course again and it was much better, although heavier. But on this technical course, the weight was not that much of a dis-advantage. This was my kind of course, with lots of twists and turns. There were 4 places for dis-mounting. A small set of barriers, a fly-over bridge (which was pretty difficult running up, re mounting at the top, costing down the other side into mud, and clipping in!), a sharp turn into a 10 foot sandy steep run up, then a large set of barriers by the beer tent. I got front row, but I still managed to screw up my start! I could not clip in and I was in too big of a gear. This really threw me off. I was a good 10 places back from where I should have been, and by the time I got around everyone who was going slow, the three leaders (Sally Annis, Crystal Anthony, and Catherine Sterling) were 15 sec ahead. I tried to gap up to them, but being alone, it was hard to move up. Their gap opened each lap, but so did mine on the two racers behind me (Kate Lyskowski and Francis Morrison). I was a good minute up on them, but then on the last lap I was being "cool" and grabbed a beer in my left hand over the big barriers and when I "slammed" my bike back down, the chain fell off to the inside. Grrrr! I tried to remain focused and breathe, but it is always hard in the race. I lost a good 30 seconds trying to put it back on, but I only had 1/2 a lap left. As I was rounding the last corner to the straight away finish, one of the Cat 4's (they started 30 seconds after us and I was on my 2nd time lapping 1/2 of the field...frustrating!!! When there are more than 30 racers signed up for each race, they need to have completely different starting times!!!!) lost control of her bike and jammed me into the corner and we hooked handle bars and went down hard. She was okay, and so was I, but I had lost another 15 seconds on Kate and Francis, but luckily it was the finish. The race was about 40 min. We did 5 1/2 laps (each lap being around 6-7 min). I had a blast in the race. Despite being sick, this got me back and focused. I ended up fourth, in the pay out, out of over 35 racers Cat. 1,2,3. I am looking forward to Regionals next weekend. It is sad that will be the end of the season, it has been such a fun one! I have learned and improved a lot for my second season with the sport.

Self-Reliance Grows in the Utrecht Traffic Garden

Self-Reliance Grows in the Utrecht Traffic Garden

This is a MUST to be implemented across the world!

Sterling CX Verge & UCI 11/26-27/11: Double # 10!!!!

Day 1:
My legs were feeling good today. I was one of the last people called up (again). I tried to pass people around the outside on the lap around the track, but it was difficult. I felt like I wasted time doing so. Once I got up the run up for the first time I got into a good rhythm and hammered down people in front of me. I was riding in a solid 9th place, but knew that I should be up with the 3 women ahead. I slid out HARD on the gravel near the end of the first lap and was bleeding from my knee and elbow badly. It really shook me up, but I mentally and physically got right back up and on the bike. After that point I got caught by the two riders behind me. I knew one of the riders I was much stronger than, and the other I had beaten several times also. I tried to break away, but was unsuccessful. The race was 10 min. longer than usual (finished in about 50 min). One rider took off the front and I did not jump on her wheel. The other rider fell off from me, so I was riding solo in between. I should have kicked it into gear and caught up with the rider in front of me, less than 5 seconds. But the gap opened up slowly over the next few laps and I finished about 15 seconds off of her. Despite that, I still had my best Verge finish ever placing 10th amongst a strong group of women. It was a fun course! I immediately had to get my arm and knee cleaned up. They were very bloody and very sore. Ice was my friend...

Day 2:
I was called up dead last (my luck with pulling these high numbers!), and got stuck being positioned on the inside. I am fed up with the call up system...girls get called up in front of me that I always beat! It should be based off of how you finish, not just if in the top ten for UCI points. Anyway, when I start at the front next season it will feel that much better :-p/ I was stuck going around the track and could not make the move that cost me from placing top 8. It was a clustered mess at the start going into the left hand turn up the steps. My bike got caught in someone elses and I lost a few more places. It was then a flat section for a hundred yards before becoming tight turns. Everyone was riding up on each other's wheels. It was so frustrating. I was trying to keep my cool with the adrenaline pumping. A girl wiped out in front of me and I had to dismount. I made back a few places on the next straight away, but still could not get the group of girls in 6,7,8 place. I was riding by myself for 3 1/2 laps, within 5 seconds of the group of 3, when BAM! I went down again hard on a corner that I least expected to go down on. My bike was all tangled up with me and it took me several seconds to get back up and remounted. My knee was screaming at me, but I just kept on pedaling. The 2 riders that were behind me had now caught me. Ugh. I let one of them take the front for a bit and pull through. I knew we had lost the chance to get the other grounp with a lap to go. It was basically going to be a fight for 9,10,11 place at this point. We all kept rotating around, but losing time since non of us wanted to really do all the work for the others. I made a move with 1/2 a lap to go and got on the front. I tried to pull away, but was unsuccessful in doing so. I knew one of the riders was strong, but the other I had beaten in every race so far this season...and when we got on the track one of the riders passed me by centimeters, while I beat the other by centimeters. We all got the same time, I placed 10th. I was proud of my race, but feel like I should have raced a bit smarter and harder at times. The beginning really screwed me over and then the crash of course did not help. Oh well. It is cross! I had great fun out there and I am learning a lot every race. I have been getting some shout outs for NorEast at every race, which is really cool hearing that over the mic B-) I had the wounds cleaned up again and got ice. The knee is very very swollen and bruised and uncomfortable to bend with the raw sore skin. Had to drive my car to work today, ahhhh! Only the 3rd time in over 3 months...the first was after breaking my bike at Night Weasels and my road bike has half its parts on my cross bike and mtn bike did not have a front tire, the second was when I was sick a few weeks ago and was just feeling lousy. Anyway, I had a good consistent weekend. I am looking forward to both days at Warwick next weekend, then Ice Weasels, and Regionals on the 18th to wrap up the season.

Northeast Velo Cross 11/19/11: 2nd Place!

What an awesome venue for a CX race. loved the velodrome and BMX track! There was a long run up, that cost me a lot of time during the race. I was on the front line and when the whistle blew I took off and got the hole shot. Sally Annis (Pro rider) got right on my wheel and we rode together for 3 laps. I was handling the barriers, BMX track, and muddy corners just fine, but I was fading fast up the 30 sec. run up and I think Sally caught onto this. She ran passed me on 3rd lap (starting the 4th) and I was unable to get on her wheel when I needed to! I mentally cracked a bit, because I was feeling so good riding with her, that when she passed I let it get to me. She only finished 20 sec ahead of me. I felt super strong, but my legs were super sore running up the hill. They could not fire, since they are so not use to it with the running motion. Non the less, I was proud of my result!