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

Mon Jun 25 10:49:07 EDT 2007

I imagine that all of the B riders share that sentiment Joe.

Andrew

On 6/25/07, Joseph Bailey <farklek7 at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> Don,
>
> Really Impressive ride sunday.  I expect to see you in the A's tuesday!
>
> Joe
>
>
> >From: "Sandy and Don Fitterer" <dfitterer at twcny.rr.com>
> >To: <flcc at icycle.org>
> >Subject: FLCC> Owasco Flyer 2007 Report -- Not quite as long as Ano's
> >Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2007 21:20:54 -0400
> >
> >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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> >FLCC at icycle.org
> >http://icycle.org/mailman/listinfo/flcc_icycle.org
>
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