Like Jules, I'll be there with my wife and two boys and three cowbells. I assume we will be able to tell which ones are his and which ones are mine.

As for a pit crew, part of the deal for this weekend was an outing into Philly on Saturday so not sure if we can stick around for masters race.

I am hoping that they are so enthralled with the beauty of the race (and Waffles. There will be waffles, right?) that they'll want to stay and cheer on Luka

Looking forward to seeing you all there

Patrick

I'm there for the weekend. I somehow find myself signed up for both C races and both B races but I will (probably?!) only do the Cs.

Derek - if you can get a ride home that is on that schedule, do the C both days, and then with whatever you have left in your legs, do Sunday's B.

I know all about the carpools. I know that Bill Elliston crashed and broke his collarbone. I DON'T KNOW IF any Kissenas actually raced the hedgehog event. Reports please.

My race was canceled on Saturday because Bill crashed. I showed Perlberg around the course a couple of laps.

Posted By: mugwumpI know all about the carpools. I DON'T KNOW IF any Kissenas actually raced the hedgehog event. Reports please.

LOL.

raced both days.

Saturday I started 78th The course was more technical with fewer power sections (at least compared to Sunday). I was struggling on some parts of the course (downhills) but was acing other downhills (by the greenhouse). I'm not sure what the deal is with that except I need to practice practice practice. And maybe just disconnect the brakes.

I did most of my moving up in the first 2-3 laps. After that, riders were so spread out that it was hard to catch anyone else. I rolled my front tubular partly off with two or three to go. Didn't realize what was rubbing (thought I broke a spoke or something) until the run up. I pushed it back on and finished as best as I could. Beat 2 others in the long uphill finishing drag. Finished 40th

Sunday's course was made for me. Much less technical stuff (still a few tricky parts and off-camber sections) but 2 run-ups, more power sections and uphill drags. Started 75th. The race started with big pile-up just to my left (which got Todd caught up) and forced me to slow. On to the grass another rider goes down and gaps are already opening up. Guys trying to ride a section that any idiot knows you should run on at least the first lap further slows things down. After 1 lap riders spread out and I start moving up. I'm getting my rhythm and not even breathing hard. I'm passing riders who started far ahead and who are gassed from the early effort. I think I'm close to 35th, maybe further up. Around that tower thing I slide out, land hard on my right knee, drop chain, etc. loose a bunch of spots on a group I just passed and more pass as I'm getting my chain back on. I had my chain crossed in the 34x12 which made things more difficult. My mistake. So I spent the next few laps making up the spots I lost. Lost a lot of momentum. Battled as much as I could but had a tough time getting my rhythm back.

Didn't stick around for results, but I doubt I'm higher than 45th.

Racing from the back is tough. I'm getting the hang of things and looking forward to the next slew of races (Beacon, HPCX, SICX, Super Cross) where I hope the fitness I'm building and the skills I'm refining will come together.

The ride home was long and slow. The 4PM start blows and I hope the mac folks will rotate that start time around next season.

Damn this CX is so sexy... nice work Perlberg!

Mike,

Today's course was definitely made with you in mind - sucks to hear about the slide-out & subsequent shake up. Totally know what you mean (race reports tomorrow)

Here are some of the shots we got...

and...

and...

Especially like Perlberg doing the "cha-cha" in the background of the chaos...

Which one should we call "Kung Fu Barriers?"

and...

And of course, the \"Embro Dance\"

and Josh, so cool he can race, smile, AND photog...

Posted By: Jules RoazenWhich one should we call "Kung Fu Barriers?"

• 
• 
• 

my three favorites, by far

megalols

nice work, gentledudes

great photos, Jules

Great pics. The action is palpable.

(but next time can we get shots of hot chicks bending over and rubbing embrocation on their legs instead?)

great pics!

I have a few vanity shots of myself. To add to the cha-cha pic I have one Sunday where it looks like I might be pole-dancing.

Woke up today feeling like I got hit by a truck. ouch! good thing next weekend is a rest / eat / drink weekend for me

http://www.cyclingdirt.org/video/510408-Granogue-2011-Masters-Race-That-Never-Was

video of crash

What I don't get is why the race was canceled altogether and not re-started as soon as the course was clear? RIders get taken to hospital all the time at bike races...

They called the wing for a concussion? Was the hospital over an hour away? Weird.

Marc, I heard (but can't confirm) that the UCI Junior race that was scheduled following the Masters 35+ had to be run on time according to UCI rules. Since this was one of only 5 UCI Junior races in the country this year they didn't want to mess with that arrangement.

Posted By: Jeff OwensThey called the wing for a concussion? Was the hospital over an hour away? Weird.

Winds were high and gusty at the time. I was very surprised they brought a chopper in. I guess since he was out for a few minutes it was a precaution?

Gusty winds usually mean no chopper flights--but that is up to the pilot. In the med field, with any kind of trauma we talk a lot about "the mechanism of injury." That is, what caused the trauma and what is the worst thing that is most likely to have happened? But in this case, a hole-shot pile up? If the rider has normal vital signs, is breathing normally, even if you are worried about spinal cord injury, even if the pt is unconscious, even if the hospital is far away, you can stabilize at the scene, and transport via ambulance. In my opinion.

Good interview from Adam Myerson. For those of you who don't know...this guy has been racing and organizing cross races in New England forever. He used to be one of our reps to all the big UCI cross meetings. And he's not known as a whiner (unlike me). My favorite quote pretty much sums up Granogue:

"On this course...they're not turns or transitions, there's booby traps and sections between booby traps where you have to go as hard as you can."

http://www.cyclingdirt.org/coverage/240328-Granogue-Cross-2011/video/510373-Adam-Myerson-10th-Granogue-Day-1

My better half (the ER doc) happened to be on the scene which was handy since the race doc was a Pediatrician (and a pretty big douche, which gets covered in my race report)

The presenting injuries were bad enough to warrant the chopper. As a spectator (and former Fire Fighter) I was astounded they went through with the landing - very high winds with a crowd spectating - a formula for catastrophe if I ever heard one.

Great to hear they both walked out of the ER. The crash, quiet, confusion and subsequent drama cast a real pall over the morning. Everyone I talked to feared the worst for the guy who landed on his head.

The consensus among the spectators was that the worse-off rider was "The nicest guy in the peloton"

Jules - in the helicopter\emergency services defense - they hovered overhead and looked for a landing zone for a bit (and probably the right moment in terms of the wind dying down) while the rider was being worked on. Once the helicopter decided to land (on the entry road, away from the crowd), the DE state troopers blocked the road (one car near the crowd, one care on the other side of the LZ blocking incoming traffic) and allowed the helicopter to land without people getting in the mix.

Does anyone know if they had an ambulance on site before the accident ? Would that have changed anything ?

Do we get an ambulance pre-arranged for Whitemores\ should we look into it if we don't ?

Heh, when I was a paramedic we used to get a ton of shit for calling the wing unless it was really necessary. It presents tons of logistical problems and unless you're transferring a decent distance or have multiple critical patients, it actually takes a while. Generally, you could stabilize them and get them to a trauma hospital quicker via ambulance, unless it was a rural area. They also used to tell us it costs a jillion dollars every time that thing goes up, and the state ends up covering most of the cost. Not sure how much more it costs to just having it sitting around.... I know we don't want to consider costs when treating patients, but if it's completely unnecessary.... Ok, I just joined the tea-party. Also, those things crash and kill all involved, so it's a risky proposition. There was a stink about their effectiveness a few years ago after a slew of fatal medical chopper crashes.

That being said, I think they're awesome and I'm pissed I never got to do the ride-along (no room). And sometimes we'd go chill in the hanger with the pilots and crew and they would be itching for a call. Use it or lose it! But all parties involved tend to get pissed when someone has called the wing for a headache and a patient with an aortic dissection is waiting....

@ Jeff - definitely those things crash & kill everybody all the time. As for the need; it was legit - dude had clear (cs?) fluid coming out both nostrils along with plenty of blood and he was out cold for a long time, followed by plenty of perseveration...

All that said, I would like to invoke the "no blood no foul" rule and say - that aside from wrecking Eric's birthday race, it sure added an element of drama - and cool as shit medivac goodness. Below is a pretty cool shot of the Mrs from early in her ER career.