Not much to add. Just a great ride. 95 miles by my count. Didn't contend for any of the KOM trifles, but definitely was in the mix for KOD and KOHATFWJP (probably a tie for second on that one with Norm behind Jeff Owens).

A few observations:

1. JP made a hero's effort on the front for probably close to 4 hours -- interestingly, he mostly ignored our KOM embellishments.

2. After passing Gavi motopacing behind a cute girl on a Vespa furiously beeping at our paceline, I remarked to Stephane, "Besides you, that's the most Euro thing I've seen all day." JP concurred.

3. Ejecting both your water bottles is an effective excuse to rest before the candy prem.

4. Marc Bertucco apologizes for taking a "bad line" on descents when most riders of my ilk would just consider it "a line." Also, he's the easiest guy to ride next to in a double paceline. When your bars touch, it's easy as Sunday morning.

5. Marc Bertucco is a climber. I did not know that. And while Perlberg is definitely NOT a climber it didn't matter -- he bent the hills down with his stupid watts. Also, since WHEN is Gideon a climber?! I do not like this.

6. Senior discount in NJ for liquor and tobacco.

7. Jeff Owens does a certain thing when approaching attractive women in the bike lane in SoHo. It's not exactly lewd, but it's not exactly not lewd. Hard to explain.


Did I mention "not much to add"?

Oh yeah, and Ryan had a fake mechanical to avoid the last big hill. And he's really weird about using the bike lane.

Gotta ride with you guys sometime.

Posted By: Ryan J

In all seriousness, it was lots of fun. Thanks to JP for leading it. Just over 98 miles for me, according to Garmin.

I did half a lap in the park to get it over 100. First time this season I think.

Good company for sure (Seriously, that was the decisive factor for doing it instead of the closer Triangle ride). Thanks to all of you for not hammering after the climbs (my legs were tired when we left from GWB), otherwise I would have made a Ryan's disappearing act more than once on those strange roads. This ride was definitely not a recovery ride for me, but Monday is good for that too.

Here's some sick video from Sunday's ride

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekF1Io9fzdw&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Posted By: Jeffrey WhiteNot much to add. Just a great ride. 95 miles by my count. Didn't contend for any of the KOM trifles, but definitely was in the mix for KOD and KOHATFWJP (probably a tie for second on that one with Norm behind Jeff Owens).

A few observations:

1. JP made a hero's effort on the front for probably close to 4 hours -- interestingly, he mostly ignored our KOM embellishments.

2. After passing Gavi motopacing behind a cute girl on a Vespa furiously beeping at our paceline, I remarked to Stephane, "Besides you, that's the most Euro thing I've seen all day." JP concurred.

3. Ejecting both your water bottles is an effective excuse to rest before the candy prem.

4. Marc Bertucco apologizes for taking a "bad line" on descents when most riders of my ilk would just consider it "a line." Also, he's the easiest guy to ride next to in a double paceline. When your bars touch, it's easy as Sunday morning.

5. Marc Bertucco is a climber. I did not know that. And while Perlberg is definitely NOT a climber it didn't matter -- he bent the hills down with his stupid watts. Also, since WHEN is Gideon a climber?! I do not like this.

6. Senior discount in NJ for liquor and tobacco.

7. Jeff Owens does a certain thing when approaching attractive women in the bike lane in SoHo. It's not exactly lewd, but it's not exactly not lewd. Hard to explain.


Did I mention "not much to add"?

actualols

I'm headed up to Bear on Saturday. If anyone's not racing and wants to come feel free to, I think so far we have a group of 4 not including me. Back roads north, 7 lakes up, and mostly 9w down but avoiding haverstraw. If you want to turn around in Piermont, Nyack, or Congers/ new city that's fine too.

I'll keep it GWB @ 9 AM this time. I'm taking the west side path up, so if you want to meet me at Chambers and West Side around 8:10 that would work.

Doing this ride however will not be an excuse to not to Marc's Sunday crit skill ride. I will lead by example and show up for it as well. (:

i'm going to try to make this ride. my double century is on june 25. have yet to do a century but i've done several 60-80 mile days in a row.

I'll post this here:

I'm reciting today's incident to warn and also ask for a way forward.

On my weekly Thursday ride we were descending Route 9 into Piermont just after the intersection with the bridge at upper 9. A red domestic sports car maybe a dodge or a mustang jumped into the oncoming lane and sped by us. Since we were going about 30-35 he must ahve hit it to around 50. Coming to the first right turn he jammed on the brakes and veered a bit right looking like he was turning right. My training partner Dan was ahead of me a went left. The driver then quickly took the LEFT turn forcing dan to the brakes, a skid and nearly taking him out. Fortunately Dan is an excellent bike handler and he stayed upright. I took off in pursuit of the car. The driver pulled into a nearby driveway and I pulled up behind him before he was out of the car. I yelled "what the fuck was that, you almost killed him" as the driver exited the car. With what looked to be a .45 caliber handgun DRAWN AND POINTED at me he yelled "get the fuck out of my drive way". I argued and he repeated the threat 3 times. Now I would have no problem riding right over to the local police station and reporting the incident. Obviously the guy is unhinged and pretty fucked up. But based on his reply to my taunt of "what, are you gonna shoot me?" I think he has a badge. He said he'd arrest me. Could be bullshit but that's not the usual made up story of the common thug. Usually when that course of action you are dealing with a member of the public service class.
I have the plate #, I know where he "lives" (unconfirmed since I'm relying on his statements) but little else. No witness. No harm done. But this guy will probably end up killing someone either on the road or by summarily executing some "criminal". Either way 'round these parts cops get a walk unless they are caught on tape raping babies.
So a way forward? Ideas, suggestions? I'm open to all ears.

Keith

My opinion of what is the Right Thing:

Report it to the police ASAP. Write down a physical description of the man, the gun, the car now, while it's still fresh in your mind. If you can pick him out of a lineup and he's a cop he's in some trouble.

A promptly submitted police report can aid you in many ways; you never know.

For instance, I once had to get a restraining order against someone, and the judge made it a mutual restraining order instead because I went straight to the courthouse with it rather than filing a police report. She basically cited that as the grounds for it being mutual rather than one-way.

Also, thanks for posting this on the forums, Keith. We should all be on the lookout for cars like this when we ride up there. I assume you were wearing Kissena team kit?

Joe, Ryan, myself, and whomever (whoever? me grammur and spelling bad) else doesn't have time for the bear mtn ride is welcome to come with us for a paltry 80 miler or so from Brooklyn. GWB at 9am as well.

Oh, and I have AMAZING prizes from City Reliquary. Non-edible though (unless you have pica, I suppose). Just two. We can have one for a sprint and one for a KOM. Either the overall average winner, or a specific climb.

I'll lay in waiting along the West-side bikepath at Houston St.
David

David I'll probably be rolling through houston around 8:15-8:20. If anyone else want to meet at BB, I'll leave there at 8.

If its not raining I will be at the Brooklyn bridge Ryan.

So, I guess it was my turn for an aggro-driver mishap. Jeff White and I were coming down Nostrand on the way home from what was a nice 70+ mile ride with Jeff Owens and David S. It was wet. Jeff and I had taken a lane because the right side was all torn up, and there were some manholes. We weren't there for long, or really holding things up even, but the car behind us was pissed. Basically the guy pulled past us and sort of swerved toward me as if he was going to hit me, which scared me and forced me to hedge to the right away from him - straight onto a wet manhole upon which I went down kinda hard.

No major injuries, hurt my wrist a little it seems but I don't think it's serious. Standard cuts and scrapes. Derailer is a little bent but I think its just the pulley cages.

Everyone be careful out there, seems like the aggression on the streets is palpable. Maybe I'm imagining it but I feel like I can really see the difference between when I left in December and when I got back in May.

Seriously! I thought the guy actually made contact with Ryan. If he didn't, it was within inches. The dude literally swerved out of his way to do it, and then when he saw what he did, sped off. I locked up both wheels to avoid plowing over Ryan, stopping with my front tire against one of his wheels, and him sprawled on some seriously rough pavement. Ryan said he was actually glad the guy didn't stop, and in hindsight that makes a lot of sense, and I'm glad I was left in no position to chase.

I have to say I'm pretty shocked by the incredible behavior of that driver. I think there must be a sizable portion of the driving public who literally cannot fathom that the world on the other side of their windshields is real, and not some kind of video game or something.

ugh

i'm sorry this happened to you guys

an Ugly Human Moment

the video game effect is a real thing - scary!

sun ride rain or shine right?

rain or shine for the crit workshop. Not sure about the regular Sunday group ride.

@Ryan & Keith: I wanted to check in with you guys for an update about your incidents/accidents. Did you take any action i.e. file a police report? Whats your next steps going to be?

@ Joe

Was that you racing in DC yesterday? My brother said he saw a lone Kissena that was on the front the whole race and bridged up to a break that got caught. I believe he said you wisely sat up for the finishing sprint as it was dicey, even after the race had already been delayed due to a first lap crash that left a rider unconscious? Glad you saved yourself for Housatonic.

Hey Joe,

I didn't report it. I really wish I'd had the presence of mind to look up and get a plate, or to chase him down, or ask Jeff to, but I was kind of in shock as I laid sprawled out face-down on the cess-pooly New York pavement.

So with no plate, or a look at the driver, it just seemed like a waste of time. Probably the wrong decision, but that's the one I made.

R.

Glad to hear you're ok, Ryan

@Jeff: That was indeed me yesterday at the race. I'm pretty pumped I actually got a shout out for the club during the race on one of my many chance to try and bridge. Was he in the race with me or just watching. I was on the look out for a guy who looked just like you in an NCVC kit, but never found him. I did sit up at the end but it wasn't really by choice, coming around the 2nd turn on the last lap I got sandwiched between two riders and the guy to my left went down and I almost went down with him. So I had to sprint back on pretty much taking me out of contention for the sprint. Great race though, really technical!

@Ryan:
Things happen so fast its tough to even think straight. Glad your ok.

yeah, that was my brother. He looks almost nothing like me. Taller, straight dark hair, small nose...I was probably found behind a dumpster. Anyway, I told him to root you on since he did a different race and was just hanging out. He ran out of beer for the hand-up though, sorry.

The beer hand up would of been epic. Srsly

Jeff wrote: "I thought the guy actually made contact with Ryan"

Last year I went down when a driver on Route 106 near Route 25 "switched lanes" as he told the insurance. There was no lane on his right, I was riding one inch left of the curb, the white line was a couple inches to the left, he moved to the right into the ramp for people coming from Rte 25 above us because the traffic was coming to a halt in front of him. He told the insurance (Geico) that he would not have stopped if another driver had not stopped him (a witness passed him and stopped in front of him to prevent him from leaving) because he had not seen me and did not know he had touched me. Geico told me that it did not matter whether he had hit me or not, since he had made me fall (established by me and more importantly by the witness' testimony. A witness is key! If you can, ask them to give you (or to the police) their names and phone number.

Anyone up for a pre-weekend --that is, Friday-- ride over the bridge for some hard hill-work?

I'm leaving town Friday afternoon and won't be racing this weekend, so I want to get in a hard workout over a good many miles. And, if anyone knows some more technical descents that would give me some practice in that area, I'd love to work on that Friday as well.

I'm aiming at arriving GWB Jersey-side @ 8am.

-Norm

normaaaan:

a technical descent that comes to mind is descending Bradley.

fast, curvy and bumpy - plus you get to climb it again when you're done

from Piermont, climb Ash st, to South Tweed all the way to the intersection of Clausland/Route 28 and go straight

climb up a bit on what will then be called Tweed Boulevard/County Road 5 then descend till you hit North Greenbush

turn around and repeat