tetonrider

psyched to put it to use. hangers these days can be pretty soft--doesn't take too much to do some damage. fortunately it's a trivial fix with the right tool.

tetonrider

sorry that you weren't able to make it. i was looking forward to meeting you.

yesterday i told @globecanvas that i passed through binghamton on my way south, and he mentioned you live there. for some strange reason i had it in my head that you lived on long island.

KSR for you? battenkill?

i'm tossing around the idea of driving up for battenkill before heading back south to north carolina.

tetonrider

anyone want to talk me into/out of racing battenkill on saturday?

cons:
* it's ~4h drive each way. not a HUGE deal, but...
* i'd need to turn around and drive 4h back to nj immediately after. then sunday i do the long drive to north carolina.
* it's probably not ideal to do this and then race nationals (1st race on tuesday).
* i didn't plan on racing it, so i don't have wheels/tires i'd prefer to race. (i prefer to race a set of higher volume, slightly beefier tubulars. i've got a set of tubular wheels with me but with vittoria corsa 23s...and a set of clinchers but no beefier tires.)
* weather looks pretty damn nice.

pros:
* i've got a place to stay ~10 minutes from the start, with people i like.
* the course is the same as last year, so i know it -- and i liked it. no need/pressure to recon anything the day before.
* even though it may have fallen a bit in prestige, i have a soft-spot for the race -- and it might be the last year. last chance for me to drink that chocolate milk from the podium??

fields seem a little lighter than last year (maybe that is due to the date change, with masters nationals the following week -- or maybe a continuation of the declining trend, or the dropping of USAC status).

open to any thoughts. i probably should decide by thursday afternoon. thanks!

gsteinb

alternatively there are a couple of races that might be closer to this weekend to you. NJ masters RR is this weekend in south NJ, and there's a crit at a park across from the track in PA, which seems to be less than two hours from you.

Of course if you're heading to nationals on Sunday it might not work for you.

globecanvas

When will you have a chance to race the "last" Battenkill again?

bostongarden

Stay focused and on point.

gsteinb

Some would say battenkill isn't battenkill any more #trolling

Grumpy McTrumpy

when it's sold?

Grumpy McTrumpy

At this point I don't expect to be racing until mid June. It's been an odd year.

tetonrider

thanks. i just checked it out and see that the NJ masters RR is about 1h from where i am sitting.

it's closer, though it's before 8am (i hate morning starts), and i'm guessing it's a less interesting course than battenkill. (not saying less difficult, but flat, 15-mile loops in NJ are probably a little less memorable than the roads used for battenkill.

i've been giving this some thought since your post. i think it makes for a longer sunday for me (earlier wake-up + race + not on the road until afternoon) vs battenkill (yeah, race saturday/longer drive, but i sleep late sunday, no stress, spend some time with family, leave when i want).

do they have a p12 race, too?

hm. possibly next year?

i thought last year was _the_last_year_.
got a message from a friend last night who is caring for another friend in his last days. who knows how much longer i'll have to "just" do a 4h drive for a great race?

still deciding but leaning toward doing it. 'on point' for me = 'having fun' with my racing. i'm not turning pro.

plenty have said "Battenkill SUKZ" every year as it is, right?

gsteinb

You're over selling it. It sucks so hard I can't even remotely justify driving down there to chase a jersey. It's a 75 mile crit course.

I'm doing the crit in PA which is a mid day start, and has a 2,3 race as well (my teammate is doing that and the 45+ with me).

tetonrider

oh. i figured you were doing it. that is not much of an endorsement then (if you are serious). weather looks not great for it, either.

i won't be racing a crit mid-day in PA on sunday--just doesn't make sense for where i need to go.

sorry to miss you on this trip. so close and yet so far.

gsteinb

no, I'm not kidding at all. I hate that course, and it's about the only road course they use in NJ anymore. The road course used to be about 90 minutes from me, on rolling roads, near princeton. But it's been a number of years since they used that. The present course is like a 2:40 drive for me, without stopping, and it's an 8am start. It just doesn't make any sense for a guy the lives at the opposite end of the state.

Next time!

gsteinb

edit:

actually, what are you doing tomorrow? We could try and find a meet up if your'e free. We're like 90 minutes apart. Come hang here...meet in the middle, or something?

let's do lunch

Harlan

Isn't Battenkill non-USAC this year, so no points up for grabs? There are a ton of people signed up.

I'm getting excited for KSR.

notwist

I believe the State RR this year is in Montgomery (just outside Princeton) on the old course. Agree about the typical road races around here.. pretty much flat except the Giro Cielo course thought it's more rolling; less hilly.

TheKillerPenguin

Is the road course you're referring to the one that was used for the Giro De Jersey? Half of it is rolling next to a river, there's like a punchy 3-4 min climb and a wooden deck bridge and stuff?

echappist

do you happen to know what roads are used?

a few years back Rutgers hosted a collegiate race that's 5 miles from where my dad lives. 13 mile laps, with a 5-min hill at the beginning of the lap and rolling terrain throughout. Would be nice if they use that course, but the roads are quite horrible

notwist

I think the State RR will be using the same course as last year's Jersey Devil RR which might be the same as the Rutgers race years ago. Not sure if it will be exactly the same this year though.

The Jersey Devil

gsteinb

masters RR is this weekend. The elite RR is on the NJ devil course, which I've heard good things about, but don't really want to chase those guys around.

gsteinb

https://www.usacycling.org/events/ge...rmit=2015-2479


NJ Devil

notwist

I don't believe so though I've heard there used to be a 3-day stage race in New Jersey. I was probably wasn't riding a bike yet at that time haha

gsteinb

The Giro de Ceilo (sp?) 2 day NJ stage race

Is the weekend of July 9th.

TT. Augusta Fair grounds crit. RR

The RR is in Sussex county

The old RR course I was referring to was in the Ringoes area, though the course has moved around the state throughout the years.

echappist

that's more of a circuit race course than a road race course though. you'll need 12 laps to make it 50 miles...

this is the course i'm talking about: https://www.strava.com/activities/4756597#89998538. They should really make good use of the hills that traverse Sourland Mountain Reserve

gsteinb

You should put on a race. The club that put the race on the ringoes course no longer does it.

In the meantime the elite RR is on the course I posted.