The last day of 2011 was a great day. My good friend and teamate, Kevin Hines got together with Roger Aspholm and with help from a local campground (Jellystone), they put on a "bandit cross race". We were in Wareham, MA.
It would also serve as a pickup/dropoff point for Roger to collect bikes that he's gonna take out to Natz and Worldz in his trailer. The weather has been insanely warm and yesterday was no different. I woke up to 48 degrees at about 7 am on December 31st. By race time at noon it was overcast and in the low 50's with no wind. We'd be racing in shorstsleeves and no leg warmers, at least I did.
There was a great turnout too. Typically these type of things get 12 or 15 diehards, but it looked like we had at least 30 people at the start, maybe more. People came from all over. Some from Maine, NH, CT, and even NJ. Fergie even made it up from almost Philadelphia. The quality of the field was quite high as well. There were at least 5 guys that had been a former National Champion in an off road discipline, and of course Frank and Marky Mac led that category having done it at the PRO level. There were also lots of natz and worlds podium finishers there as well. Kathy Savary is a two time World Champion and multiple time national champion, she was on the start line also. One of USA's Cycloross pioneers was there as well, Tom (Steamboat) Stevens. I don't know where Paul Curly was, but I wish he was there with his daughter Emily. Maybe they drove out early to Madison.
The course was a very sandy Koksijde like course. I'm sure not nearly as hard, but lots of sand everywhere, actually not too unlike Master's Worlds in Mol, Belgium the last 2 years for me. It was a long lap with several dismounts and run ups and lots of power sections aroung cranberry bogs. We raced for an hour and it was very demanding, both in terms of technique, and fitness, especially if you haven't been training for 2 months and haven't been shy about having a few beers like myself.
Kevin made easy work out of the field since this is his preferred type of course and he happens to be fit as a fiddle too. Marky Mac started at the back like the old days and charged through the field quickly and easily and rode to 2nd place. Al Donahue rode a steady, strong race for 3rd, and Frankie Mac pipped me at the line for 4th after a full lap on a flat front tire and a lengthy wheel change. I've been beaten by worse guys than Frankie, but never a better one! It was a privledge to be at a race with such a friendly feel to it with such good racers and people.
The best part of the day was that when we got through racing, we went into a huge barn where there was a 35' long table completely set with tablecloths, plastic silverware and on each plate a gourmet sandwich and a big slice of melon. There were baskets of chips and bottled water and indoor plumbing. At some point either Roger or Kevin came around and collected a $10 entry fee for the race and lunch. That is pretty incredible. If you ask me, thats the blueprint for how to put on a bandit race. Everyone seemed to agree "It was the best race ever".
What a great way to close out the year and see lots of friends in a healthy, outdoor, fun day riding bikes. I'm sore today, but it's that good sore. Maybe I'll give a bike race a try some day and see how it goes.
Good luck to Kevin, Sammy, Marky Mac, Kathy and anyone else going out to Natz or Master's Worldz. Bring home some jersies boys and girls.
Oh if anyone has any pictures of the race, please send them along and I'll post them here.
Thanks for stoppin' by, JB
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