shovelhd

Negative.

Based on my extensive race promotion experience, being on the race committee of exactly one race, I'd say no. You can never have enough porta-potties, and someone will always complain about them. Like the sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening. But if it makes you feel better, go ahead.

carpediemracing 

I think I should, esp based on the forecast.

carpediemracing 

Was anyone here there for this? (Central Park, Sunday morning)

gsteinb

that's a whole bag of dumb. evidently the promoter raised the field limit on the 3/4 race and there were 150 guys in there.

zigmeister

Well, happy to have them in the middle of nowhere...but not happy when they are out of toilet paper and they don't have more.

That is why I always bring my baggie of baby wipes....perfect for my precious bum-bum.

sherpakid

I was in that 3/4 race in CP on Sunday. I was off the back due to a crash about 2 miles in. Had to stop on Harlem Hill and group in front got away. Field was huge and felt sketchy. 5 crashes total on Sunday.

gsteinb

So with all the flying rumors how many guys were really in that field?

sherpakid

No way to tell really as I didn't count, but it was MASSIVE for a CP race. AVD announced as we were lining up that there were 150 riders in the field, so to race smart, etc.... He sent out an announcement today that at the next race the 3/4 field will be capped at 100. There were two crashes before we even completed a lap.

My thought was - maybe I should do the Bethel Series instead. Hopefully this weekend will be safer.

gsteinb

bethel is awesome
AvD is an idiot. I'm not going to be PC about it any longer. He should be run out of the sport.

Ohmannuel

It was a perfect day in Snelling Ca. The roads are a but choppy but at the Merco Classic RR you have the full road so that was nice. This is my second year doing this race, last year I took 2nd in the 5's so I was very comfortable with the route. I did a little bit of work but I never gave too much effort when I was in front. Most of the race was just awesome. The riders out there are strong and smart, which leads to fun racing. After a few failed breakaways one I worked to bring back because this 14 year old kid in what looked like a national champ jersey riding for Specialized Dev Team was in it. After that we just powered the easy kickers and that's when everything went wrong. I almost got crashed out when someone jumped from right to left and almost took me out. I was in my drops and going full gas with the top field when he hit me. I buckled and fell into my bars but everyone stayed up; another sign of a good field. The guy came up after the race ans apologized (Classy move) but the damage was done and I finished near the back.

shovelhd

carpediemracing 

Another one ordered.

And I put on my list (before I read this post) that I need to buy TP and assign someone (probably me) to check TP situation regularly throughout the day.

carpediemracing 

There's a quotable quote.

bostongarden

Look, I don't do fast food. Now, if shovel had said Four Seasons, then, well, I'd have no complaints.

DocM

Glad to hear the clinic helped! After the 5s race, one of the guys in my group came up to me with a huge grin and proudly told me that although he got bumped in the final lap he kept it straight and upright.

The M45 race seemed pretty fast. There were a lot of attacks, but nothing could stick because everyone was feeling frisky. The trademark Bethel EternaWind picked up a bit during the race, and, judging by the flags at the bottom of the hill, the direction of that wind kept shifting about 30 degrees or so. It meant one lap the left side was protected and the right side on another lap. Things got a bit bunched up in the final stretch (which gsteinb mentioned), so the start of the sprint was a little chaotic. Still, that final lap was 1:38, which puts it close to the fastest I've done a lap at Bethel.

The complainers, I noticed, are NEVER there to help sweep or marshall or do anything else to see how a race really runs. Typical, though.

Great race, and Navone's bakery is a nice addition to the scene.

carpediemracing 

1:38 was the fastest in Strava, P123s bell lap. 1:39 for two 3-4s, I think the last lap. I checked my helmet cam stuff - it took me 1:39 to do that last lap (3:41 to 5:20 in the second file).

This week we start with bumping and more interesting stuff.

Homebrew01

I know there was a line right after the clinic which makes sense since we had 50 guys captive for 45 minutes, but I didn't see any lines after that, or t.p. issues. Seems like 3 was enough.

Afterwards, I thought about giving homework at the clinin. Maybe this week.
During warmup or during the week, I want them to:
- Practice bumping elbows with a friend
- Practice bunnyhopping
- Drinking without looking down at the bottle cage.

I also had a couple of "thanks" with positive feedback about the clinics.

DocM

Wow, we old guys are fast! Last lap was 1:38.0 at 28mph.

https://connect.garmin.com/activity/154957787

carpediemracing 

I forgot bunny hops, grabbing bottles. Those could be extras during the pacelines and such. Just remember, no bunny hops in turns. I sent out an instructor email just now.

I think a 4th PP won't hurt, and with the turn out I feel like I should try and make things a bit nicer for the racers.

Homebrew01

Next time, reply with something along the lines of:
"In the race that you run, how do you do things differently ?"

shovelhd

I received no rider compliments after the clinic. I must have sucked.

My group included the Cat5 "winner". I spoke with him after the race was over. With 1 to go he was off the front of the field, looked back, and sat back in. He won the sprint. I told him that if you're going to go off the front, commit. He fired back "but I didn't need to, did I". I saved the reality of racing beyond Cat5 as a lesson for him to learn on his own.

My group was really sloppy doing the pacelines in the beginning, but after talking them through it, they were a well oiled machine by the time the hot lap came around. So I guess I added some value.

carpediemracing 

100% awesome. That's a good one. I will definitely use that one.

I don't know who won but there were guys that were assuming a lot. A huge assumption was that all the crashes happen in the 5s. Honestly there are some, but when guys think they're better they crash harder. It's like motorcycles - most serious accidents happen after the motorcyclist has been out there for more than 6 months. That first 6 months the motorcyclist is scared and nervous and very careful. Then they get falsely confident and lay down the motorcycle somewhere.

I swear, when your group went by, they could have been Cat 3s. Impressive. I looked at my group and thought, "Crap, I did a horrible job coaching them, look at these gaps, huge gaps, etc."

Homebrew01

I can think of someone likely to complain, but not sure he's respected. He's very sure about the impending economic collapse of the entire world though. "Um, ok, well, good to see you again".

bostongarden

More BFers at Bethel than I realized!! It was an awesome time as usual. I'll be more social next time.

carpediemracing 

BG - As an FYI most of those above comments were clinic instructors. Good ones too. It's like BF, just in real life.