FLCC> Owasco Flyer 2007 Report -- Not quite as long as Ano's

[Sandy and Don Fitterer]

I want to say before everything else - race director Jack Kirch, the entire Tersegno family and all the volunteers involved in the Owasco Flyer put on one of the most professional and enjoyable races I've ever been to. Well done and thank you!



 This is my first OWF and I did not really know what to expect. Two hundred people racing south on Rt 38 sounded like a recipe for disaster. I've been a bit hypersensitive about crashing since the BCR (Binghamton Circuit Race) where I escaped personal harm but destroyed my bike and I'm constantly feeling like an actor in Final Destination where the grim reaper is not happy that I escaped. 

I decided that I would race after I received an email from Curt, one of my best friends from Vermont stating that he and one of his riding partners would be traveling west to race the Flyer. I had a terrible race last Tuesday night and was getting tired of racing again. Curt arrived Friday night and both he and I lamented about riding too fast and hard all the time and not enjoying the effort required. My goal for Saturday was to ride 4 to 5 hours and use Sunday's Flyer as a high intensity exercise day and perhaps ride the tandem with LiLynn rather than race. 



I met up with Bob Perry and Curt on Yellow Barn Rd at Mike Ciborowski's house. We did a 30 mile mellow ride with a few town line sprints thrown in for fun. Well, fun for me since I knew where they all are and the summer vegetation adds a significant advantage to local knowledge. Considering all the factors I made the decision late Saturday evening to race on my own and do the best I could.



On race day, Kate Stewart noticed that she had a cut on her front tire and part of the tube was poking out. I offered her my Kyserium as long as I got a cut of any prize money. Kate accepted but stated that all I'd get was a appreciative hug and no cash for use of the wheel. Hugs are good.



The race started precisely at 10am. Lilynn finally got her bike off her car at 10:05 but with the controlled start she was able to catch back on to the peloton.



I rode behind Andrew Chadaeyne and Glenn for the first few miles keeping a bike length plus between me and them. I noticed that both Glenn and Andrew were doing the same. Unfortunately, riders were constantly squeezing into the gaps and eliminating my safety zone. We had a few accordion moments asthe front of the group would slow and compress us and then accelerate forward without notice. Slowly, Glenn moved forward and soon we were with Andy Melnychenko. I stayed with them all the way into Moravia and was right behind Andy as we made the left that started our climb back to the north. 



Riding became a game of dodge bike as gravity challenged riders seem to fly backwards as we climbed. One racer broke his chain but did a wonderful job raising his arm and holding his line and preventing an accident. We hit a flat spot in the hill climbing and the peloton swelled across the road. I was on the right side of the road and was feeling like we finally had a group of experienced riders when all of a sudden the rider two places ahead of me threw on his brakes. The guy directly in front of me lost speed so rapidly that I was literally in his lap, making arm, hip, and shoulder contact. We both sat up off the seat in unison and allowed our contact to dissipate naturally without any real effort. Mike Sobol, who had been right behind me, rode up and gave me a pat on the back. "Awesome bike handling skills Don! I thought for sure we were all going down." Your compliment means a great deal to me Mike. Thanks.



I was spit off the lead pack on the first big climb. The ten yard separation was getting bigger when a younger rider rode past and said, "Come on! Don't give up we can catch them!" I did what he said and caught his wheel. In less than a minute I recovered enough to take my pull. Soon we were six and together we made it back to leaders. I rode up next to Glenn. "Fitterer! Impressive."  We had Andy M, Stevie Moto, Trevor Conner, Max Taam, Don Sproull, Joe Bailey and quite a few others going up the road. 

My impressive riding lasted until the next big hill and I just didn't have the legs to stay with the leaders. Several of us were experiencing the same amount of discomfort and we formed a motivated pace line to get up the road. My group had Steve Edgar and Joe B and about 4 other riders. Occasionally, Joe would recover enough to charge to the front and get us back up to speed. This went on to the finish with a pack of 16 riders finishing together. I went to go around Steve just as he cut left. I decided not to force my way past him with the little asphalt we had remaining and that opened enough of a gap for two guys to shoot past me.

The awards started off with a raffle that had some great prizes. The women were next with both Maria KJ-Hannon, and LiLynn 2nd in their age category. Charlsie Donnelly was 1st in the 18 & under. Eli Robinson was 4th in the 18 & under. Max Taam won the field sprint and was 2nd overall. Ryan Morris was 1st. Don Sproull was 4th, Trevor 5th and Glenn 7th. Marko Shenstoni was 2nd in his age group. Andy M was 1st in his age group with Stuart Wolsh 2nd. Doug Carlson was 3rd in his group. Oh, and I got 2nd overall woman, or at least my front wheel did! And I received two hugs!!

 



I hope everyone had as much fun as I did. 









 
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