Rich I will definitely go halfsies on a rental car with you. I will email you off list to discuss more

Joe/Norm/Rich - I have a car, and just got off the wait list today (sweet!). If we can score a roof rack to borrow, I'd be happy to offer you all a lift upstate.

I have a carrier that attaches to the back of my car, but I don't trust it with 4 bikes.

Sage advice....thanks all. So seems the consensus is: stick with the Michelin Pro3Race, don't sightsee while I'm riding and try to avoid riding into things. Check!

I typically pump the tires the morning before a race, and of course I always check their integrity before I head out. Tires/tubes on both wheels are new, since I tore through the old ones riding Computrainer last winter (lesson learned: use a separate training wheel on the back!).

Just got off the wait list today, so looking forward to this ride (though, seems I'm the only Kissena in the Cat 5 35+ field).

Cheers D
David

(PS - Tito - you're Kevin Arlyck's brother, yeah? Just re-introducing myself - I'm one of his friends through the Paul/Tracy New College crew....Ayres DJ'd our wedding, yadda yadda)

Hey Dave --thanks for the kind offer, but I have plans in the city this Sunday afternoon and cannot make the trip up. I do hope I can preview the course in the next couple of weeks though.

i will be driving up on saturday morning and returning monday morning. i have a seat available in my car if anyone is interested.

Hey Norm

I actually meant a ride up for the April 10 race - not the preview ride, so - that offer still stands!

I will try to snag the turn sheet this Sunday, though, and share with everyone here.

Cheers

I'm also heading up this weekend for the preview ride. Snagged a spot in a buddy's car.

Posted By: dstearnsHey Norm

I actually meant a ride up for the April 10 race - not the preview ride, so - that offer still stands!

I will try to snag the turn sheet this Sunday, though, and share with everyone here.

Cheers

No real need for the turn sheet, since every turn is marshaled and well marked. There are very few situations where you don't feel like you're in a rolling enclosure race. It is a good idea to look at the course preview but it isn't that big of a deal if you're not 100% up on where the hills are.

Last year for battenkill I had a piece of paper taped to my stem. It had a list of numbers in two columns.

The first column had the mileage at which climbs and dirt sections started. The second had the mileage at which the climbs and dirt ended. They were approximates.

Dirts were written in brown, climbs in red.

It was useful.

Hey Jeff: My cell is 718.501.8666. Ping me on Sunday and we can ride together.

For anyone going up to ride the course some weekend before the race, I grabbed the turn sheet - attached here. (edit: Or not: it's too big)

Hello - I recently joined Kissena and I'll be racing in the U35 Cat 5 at the Battenkill and attempting to finish with dignity intact.. I'm driving up from Princeton and might have room for 1.

Hi,

I'm registered for the Cat 4 race and looking for a ride, and or lodging. I'm of course willing to pay my fair share of gas and other expenses. If you have room for 1 more please email me at jmmeny@syr.edu.

Thanks,
-Josh Meny

Hey Josh,

I'm not in school anymore, and I live in Brooklyn. You might have me mistaken for another Josh. There are many of us. At any rate, I will take offer. However, when are you driving back? I need to be back in Brooklyn on Monday morning by 10am to be at my job. As for lodging, we should figure that out pronto, because as you probably know, all of the hotels and lodgings are most likely completely booked at this point. So, we've gotta figure out the lodging situation two weeks ago. At any rate. let me know about when you're driving back to the city and we'll go from there.

Thanks,
Josh 2, or 3, or 4.

Hey Cat 5er's headed to Washington county!

I am pumped to do this race and just wanted to get the conversion started on tactics.

Anyone have any thoughts on how to utilize the feed zones, i have never done a race with a feed zone. The first feed zone seems really early in the race...

Haha, just call me Meny. That's my last name.

Ok, so the ride situation sounds great! (Aaron you're off the hook. I'll contact you off the server just in case you don't see this.) At any rate, Josh, I can pay for my fair share of the gas, lodging etc. Saratoga and Clifton Park sound like good places to look for lodging. Let's start looking for lodging in those areas and touch base sometime tomorrow.

Thanks again,
-Josh Meny

have the same question - thanks Dan. i'm in the Cat 5 over 35. figured i'd carry an extra bottle and plenty of food in my pockets. i couldn't figure out if they might have "neutral" bottle handouts at the feed zones, since i won't have anyone there.

A foot of snow predicted for Battenkill area today/tomorrow. And a "chance" of additional snow predicted every day through Wednesday before the race. Those dirt roads are gonna be a mess.

They have neutral feed zones at BTK. Bring three bottles.

I just checked the team slottings for the cat4s at Battenkill. We're in the PINK race. We are 14 riders which makes us the largest group --along with Sid's who are just behind at 13 riders.

PRE-RACE MEETUP (?): If you guys think it would be helpful, I can host a pre-Battenkill Cat4 meetup at my apartment (right near Grand Army Plaza) this coming Monday evening. We could invite a couple of the Battenkill veterans to help with understanding the course and with strategy/tactics for such a large group. Alternatively, I could have you guys over following Saturday or Sunday's Prospect Park race (not my first choice for timing as I'm sure everyone would rather not sit around in their bibs for very long following a race... and I know some folks --including myself-- want to get some extra miles in after the races). But, I'm open to suggestions.

Please reply here if you would be willing and able to attend.

Monday evening might work for me - lots of schoolwork means I'd have to play it by ear, but I think this would be really valuable.
Ryan, are you in town yet?

BTW, I'm psyched about our color - Pink is very, very auspicious. My heart sank for a moment when I scrolled down the list and thought we were gonna be the Brown group.

I'm with Tito, pink is great. I have an appt I can't skip from 7-8 monday evening in Park Slope, might be able to join after?

Monday works for me. I'm racing tomorrow and will be doing some extra laps after, so it's not the best for me.

Mr. Pink is the guy who gets away with the diamonds:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9f/Reservoirdog.jpg

As stated above - three bottles will do it. I've heard the last hill before the finish is a real killer and you'll probably want to save some for there. I also heard the KOM is being done on the hill after the first dirt section (Juniper?) - but that should come out in the technical guide this weekend. The technical guide will give more information on the feedzones - I had not heard they were neutral.

One of our competing teams has almost 4 riders in each of the cat 5 U35 sections and they will be sending one or two guys early into Juniper to burn out the field for the first climb. Or so I overheard on a group ride. Strategy? Form a solid pace line and try to ignore any attacks that come in the forst 40 miles...

OK guys,

Come on out to my place tomorrow (Monday) evening at 7:30 to discuss Battenkill.

JP has graciously agreed to provide guidance on racing this course. Not sure how long it will go, hour and half perhaps.

WHERE:
Norm's...
50 Montgomery Place (between 8th ave. & Prospect Park West --In Park Slope)
Basement apt

CONTACT:
normanswygert@mac.com
917-578-0381

I can't make it into Brooklyn Monday. I hope that those of you who do meet will continue the discussion of pre race strategy on the forum. Looking forward to racing together on Sunday.

Patrick

Those attending:

Please go to http://www.tourofthebattenkill.com/race-information/ and print out the course map, finish map, and cue sheet. If you are planning on racing with a Garmin, you can download the GPX file.

Hi Norm,

I actually cannot make it out tonight. Is there anyway someone could take some brief notes on the important points of the discussion?

Thanks,
Josh Meny

I doubt my 7 oclock meeting will wrap up in time for me to make this, sorry to miss it.

I will send a brief of tonight discussion sometime tomorrow.

Thanks JP for mentioning the race info packet... I'll have these items queued-up on my TV for reference during the meetup.

I'll have some chocolate milk on-hand too.