Cyclepaths/Wild Cherries Racing

Scenic photo courtesy Ronald Mariano

Wente Road Race features great scenery, smooth pavement, lots of climbing, hella windmills, and some nice, twisty descents, so I wanted to check it out. So refreshing after some of the flatter, nasty pavement races we've been doing.

I wasn't registered due to a full field, but showed up anyway to try to get in. I warmed up as usual, and showed up at registration exactly 15 minutes before the start as instructed. At that time, non-claimed numbers are distributed to those on the waiting list. I got in, as did the half dozen or so others who were waiting. Showing up is 80% of the game and this was proof.

Three fifteen mile laps comprised my Master's race plus 1 extra time up the big climb for the uphill finish. Good course for me with the climbs and technical descending. First time up the climb the group of 75 was whittled to about 35-40. Then a hairball descent with a nasty corner stacked with hay bales to catch riders. It's one of those corners you can take with no brakes at 40 mph, but it's pretty ballsy! Second time up the climb things really began to shatter. I was about 15th over the climb and looked back to some big gaps.

After that smaller groups formed, and it was fun chasing and working with a few other racers. Toward the end there were two groups of 5 or 6 ahead, then our third group of 5 or 6.

Last time up the climb to the finish I decided my best bet was to attack, figuring I wouldn't do as well in a 200 meter sprint, so I did attack, was caught, and passed by all 5 guys. Oh well. So I lost a few places at the end, but even with a finish in the teens out of 75, I'd have to say this was my best race so far this season, and somewhat of a confidence builder.

Best part of the race were some classic quotes, tales from the peloton as it were, so here goes:

A rider near the back of the herd on the second lap:

"Ya know, one thing about riding at the back of the bunch on a hot day...it kinda stinks back here."

Another rider, having been dropped on the climb and having chased for the remainder of the lap to get back on:

"My plan worked to perfection. I got back on just in time to get dropped again."

I was in a chase group on the third lap. The Pro,1,2 guys had sat up and were riding slow so we came up behind them. I had to get through them to have any chance of a good finish, so I soloed past the entire lead Pro 1,2 field, riding on the Botts Dots on the double yellow centerline with traffic coming the other way, bike rattling like crazy. The moto ref saw me and I thought for sure I was going to be warned at best, or DQ'd at worst. He pulled up along side me and I cringed about what he was going to say, but to my surprise, he said:

"It's not every day you get to do a solo pass on the entire Pro,1,2, field. Nice work!"

And...

"Bend over."

My reply to a young female Cat 3 racer in the parking lot after my race and before hers when she asked me to pin her race number on her impossibly tight jersey.

Next up our boyz Nick and Nate are heading to Tour of the Gila. We look forward to some daily prose from those guys. Good luck gents, that's a tough one!

Recently, the Cyclepaths/Wildcherries Racing Team and some friends booked the 2008 calendar with a trip to Monterey in hopes of making a lasting impact on the event for our team's first appearance as a group at this large scale cycling showcase. Nonetheless, our attendance left an impact on the event with top place finishes, carnival activity like no-hands spinning on rollers (which attracted many photographers and fans thanks to Huisman) and much more. The CWC Racing Team is off to a huge start, every member of the team has a ton of character and I am very pleased to be part of something that I feel is really, really rad. All of our equipment from our Oakleys, my Addidas, didas, didas, scratch, scratch, crossfadeto our Scott Addict, Scale, and Spark bikes, Giro helmets, SRAM components, and on to our plaid kits thanks to Wild Cherries and Cyclepaths. All of this, along with the CWC personality, camaraderie, team support, and racing skillz we were able to have a super fun time cycling, standing atop the podium, eating wonderful food, taking a few pictures, and staying in one of Californias best environsCarmel Valley. Special thanks to everyone who made the trip and to all of our wonderful sponsors listed above and to Michelin tires for helping Conrad, ESI grips for styling out JTs ride, Chris Schierholtz from WTB, and Engin from Scott Bikes. Continue reading some great stories below:

......................................................

When I found out that the Sea Otter Classic was at Laguna Seca I was excited. Oh yeah man, the Dead in 88. I used to a have a bootleg with a sick China Cat> Crazy Fingers> Rider . But that was from another lifetime and I've traded my hacky sack and blotter in for a road bike and lycra. So I signed up for the road and circuit races, packed my bags and hit the road. I was headed to a festival. The road

race was a lollipop course with five laps that climbed, descended and rolled through the Fort Ord Testing Grounds. My race played out like a scene from the movie "Saving Private Ryan". I got shelled after two and a half laps and spent the rest of the race trying to rendezvous with Cat 4 company. I kept seeing signs on the barbed wire fence along the way that read "CAUTION! EXPLOSIVE TESTING GROUNDS". So I knew that I was in dangerous territory and needed to push a steady clip and stay on course. I didn't have time to write a letter home to mom and stopping for a pee break in the bushes was NOT an option. Eventually I was able to climb out of the trenches to the finish. I got out alive. Others weren't as lucky. The circuit race was the following day at five in the afternoon which afforded me the time to take in the festival sights. Goos, socks, bikes, grips, clothes, wheels, kettle corn, and lubes. Oh my. While I didn't see any lions, tigers and bears I did see a giant beaver mascot. Or so I'm told. And this is when it started. The words. The buzzes. The whispers. I kept hearing people talk about the "CORK SCREW". " Oh yeah dude. You go like eighty miles per hour through this loopty loop thing with no breaks man. It's like, POP! Wow man, whizz, ZING!" These people were talking about the circuit race course and I was getting scared. Yikes. So it came time to race and I lined up. Ready, set, go. This was going to be sixty minutes of sheer terror. You get to the cork screw after a gradual climb with a steep and false finish and it was recommended that if you hadn't pre run the course you would want to position yourself at the front of the race at the end of the climb so you could get a first hand look at the screw with out having to worry about descending in the pack. So I did. The best advice I ever took. I let my bike run with no brakes and came flying out the screw in a good position to race. I stuck with this strategy for the rest of the way and had a blast. On the last lap and climb I got separated from the pack and lost them coming out of the screw. A pace line of four previously popped riders eventually caught and tucked into my line. I didn't have the legs to pull these guys in so i coasted and did a couple of back pedals to try and force these guys to pass me. They took a bite on the bait and went for the inside pass on the the final sweeping turn of the course. I gracefully put myself in their line and let them lead us in. Here comes the finish and I attacked. Winning my sprint. Super fun. Taming of the screw. Go Sea Otter! ~Ramsey Etchinson

......................................................

The last time I went to the Sea Otter Classic was three years ago. I had just moved to Tahoe not too long before that, and decided on a whim to try to get back into road racing. I entered the Cat.4/5 race, got shelled from the field after about 3 or 4 laps, and probably finished near last. It sucked. This year was a different story... Nick and I will soon travel to the Tour of the Gila in Silver City, NM and the Sea Otter Classic would serve as the last true test before the 5 day stage race. The Circuit Race was the first of two races that I would participate in. 90 minutes of racing worked out to about 15 or 16 laps, and well over 5000 ft. of climbing. Because of this there were no suicide attacks off the front, just a consistently fast pace throughout the duration. Many different riders(including myself and Nick) took turns pushing the pace up the steep Laguna Seca climb. By the time we arrived at the bell lap, much of the field had been dropped off the back. I didn't feel great climbing the hill for the final time, and as a result, did not have good position for the final sprint. I finished up in 13th, out of range of Cat.2 upgrade points, which was my goal for each race. In hindsight I feel like I should have pushed the group a little bit harder more o

ften up the climb, to drop even more of the field for the final climb... next year I guess. That night we shot team photos, which I had never done before. My favorite part of the experience was when Paul called for "mad dog" face when he was shooting individuals. I am still not quite sure what a "mad dog" face is, but some of the individual photos turned out really funny. Overall though, they look very professional, and will make the team web site look amazing. When we got back from the photo shoot, a lasagna/pesto pasta feast awaited us. Everything was great.... thanks ladies! Saturday morning the Cat.3 guys awoke early, while the rest of the team got to sleep in. It was much colder and much windier, but did not seem to be a huge deciding factor in the race. The Road Race course featured a rolling 8 mile lap which we would do 7 times, and a 2.5mi. mountaintop finish. I figured that this would be very much similar to the three road stages of the Tour of the Gila, so it would give me a good idea as to where I am at, and h
ow I should expect to perform there. Glenn rode with Nick and I in this one, and rode off the front immediately off the front from the gun. He held a relatively consistent 45 second to 1 minute lead for about 30 miles. This kept the pace high and allowed Nick and I to just sit in the pack and let the other teams try to decide how to handle the situation. By the time that Glenn had been reeled in, many guys had already been dropped. The pace stayed high for the remainder of the race, with guys sending out an occasional attack, but nothing sticking. On our approach to the final climb, my legs felt like they did not have much left at all... About 30 guys remained in the field, and at the foot of the climb, the pace increased to about 25mph. This cause the pack to immediately shatter. I struggled to hang with the front guys, but a small gap opened up in front of me with only 10 guys in front. This is the only time that the wind played a factor for me, as a small pack formed about 20 meters in front of me, and I was unable to close the gap. I managed to grind my way for the final 1k by myself, and pass 2 guys in the process... finishing 9th. That evening I had a great time watching all the Cat.4s race the Circuit Race. Nick mentioned that watching this race can almost be compared to watching some sort of torture.... but the entertaining kind. I agree. I was very proud of how hard everyone rode... I don't know everyone on the team THAT well, but I do know that none of us will drop out of a race unless we have a very good reason...and I definitely appreciate that. Thanks! ~Nathan Freed.

........................................................

This was my first time in Monterey at Sea Otter, hosted at the Laguna Seca raceway. The venue is most famous for its auto racing, but during Sea Otter the track is transformed into an epic bike-only party. The entire Cyclepaths/Wild Cherries Racing team was at the event so we rented a large house in Carmel Valley (about 10 minutes away from the venue) to relax between races with home-cooked meals. The house and teammates alone was worth the trip, as it provided a great bonding experience, eating and living together for 2 days. The first race was early Friday morning on the actual Laguna Seca race track. It was a 2.5 mile circuit with 300 feet of climbing per lap followed by the infamous corkscrew to a 50 mph downhill. Rinse and repeat for 90 minutes (or about 15-16 laps). To prepare for this course I have been playing Forza Motorsports 2 on my Xbox 360. It features an exact virtual replica of the Laguna Seca track, and when driven at about 15-20 mph " you can get a good feel for the course. Call me crazy, but it worked. I knew every turn and hill by heart and I hadnt ever seen it in person. With Forza Motorsports in mind, I was able to roll right up to the start line knowing full well what was in store for me. I stayed at the front of t

he pack throughout the entire race. Each time up the big climb we shelled more and more riders until our field was down to about 30 by the final lap. Going up the final climb I punched it as hard as could, but it felt like I was pedaling uphill in quicksand. I lead over the climb into the downhill and held my position in the top 5 all the way to the finish line, sprinting for 3rd/4th place. The reason I say both, is because I am still not sure what place I finally got in the race. The initial results listed me in 3rd, on the podium I stood in 3rd place and I received a 3rd place medal. However as we were walking down from the podium, an official came running up to declare he looked closer at the finishing photo and decided to slide an additional rider into 2nd place. Even though the results had already been officialized, this USCF judge decided to re-officialize them. Those of us in the top 5 didnt really care, so we exchanged medals and moved on. And later that day I saw a results sheet with my name in 4th place, but the online results still list me in 3rd. Whatever. That night we had our team photo shoot with individual portraits and a bunch of group shots riding out on the open road around Monterey. We must be the most professional looking non-professional team in California. Matching kits, Scott bikes, SRAM parts, Addidas shoes, Giro helmets, Oakley glasses and our bellies full of organic Clif products. Im really proud to be a part of all of it. And not only do we look good, more importantly all the stuff we have works really well. I had a Scott CR1 last year, and I was amazed at the difference when upgrading to new Addict frame. Its a much racier setup, even stiffer and the geometry has been tweaked for quicker handling. It has taken some time to get used to SRAM shifting, but the quality and performance is there " especially in the RED components. The Oakley Radars are the best optics Ive ever looked through, and the hydrophobic coating truly works. They never fog up and never get sweat stains " so clear viewing all day long. The next day was the road race around the Fort Ord military base near Laguna Seca. It was 70 miles of steep climbs and false flats. I had two teammates in the race, Nate and Glenn. Glenn was saving his legs for the single speed cross country race the next day, and didnt plan on finishing the race. So we formulated a plan to use Glenn to make the race hard for our competitors and easy for us. He attacked right from the start line and stayed out in front for the next 90 minutes. The pack would work to bring him back and then he would attack again. Meanwhile Nate and I were able to sit-in and relax while the field wore down their legs on catching Glenn. At the 2 hour mark, as we discussed, Glenn was done and turned in for the day. But his efforts truly made a huge impact on the final outcome of the race. I didnt have the legs in the end though and dropped on the final climb like a rock for 32th place. One thing to note in this race is that we all had timing chips on our ankles to help the judges with scoring. Ive never worn a timing chip before. On each lap following the feed zone, there was a large metal device on the road that would beep when a timing chip passed by to count your laps. There is a scene in the movie Running Man with Arnold Schwarzenegger where he is trying to break out of a futuristic prison. However everyone at the prison has a tracking collar around their necks. In the movie, if you cross the prison boundaries the collar will start to beep and then explode and blow your head off. Each time we passed through the lap counter and it started beeping, I kept expecting the collar around my ankle chip to explode. ~Nick Schaffner

.........................................................

I had high hopes coming into Sea Otter, figuring maybe my form would be coming around, and I might be able to do some damage in the peloton. But it wasn't to be. In the Road Race, I was with the front group for four of six laps, then was "the last guy shelled," which seems to be my M.O. these days. I soloed for a while, then got caught by four guys who were behind me and working well together. I got in with them and we worked as a group on the last lap. Then I dropped 'em all on the finish climb. Too bad I was riding for twenty-something place instead of the win.

The Circuit Race was super fun as our cheering squad/fan club was present. Greg, Liam, Lisa, Alanna, Annmarie, Matt, Katie, Allie, Nick, Nate, etc. were all there during t
he multi lap race screaming wildly each time we came around. It was so inspiring! But alas, while motivated, my legs wouldn't cooperate, so I got dropped toward the end of the race and soloed in for another twenty-something place finish. On the bright side, I found an awesome place for the team to stay for the weekend, I got some great team photos, and our overall performance as a team was great! I guess my contribution for the weekend is in areas other than race results... All in all, a super fun weekend. I'm really stoked about our team, the people and friends, and the great support from our sponsors. Our equipment is nothing less than awesome!
~Paul Mckenzie

........................................................
Friday Haiku:

Drive down, road race ouch.

Drive up, work, drive down, photo shoot.

Pasta! Pasta! Drive home, sleep.

Lot's of driving on Friday. The parking lot warm up was great with all the guys on our trainers, and yet even with all the time in the world, I didn't make it to the start on time. (Note to self: from the parking lot to the start line is fifteen minutes, no short cuts, or fence hopping). I rolled up and asked the referees if the Cat IV guys had rolled out, he nodded his head, and I put my head down and burned a couple of matches catching the group just before descending Barlow Canyon. The new kits are really distinctive with the different arm colors ... making it easier for me to sight Justin and Conrad as they rolled away up the 5th lap climb. I knew Conrad was going good as he took care of business and caught back on with nothing more than a "that's a bit better."

The Carmel Valley accomodations were super and I enjoyed a cold leg bath (read: unheated pool) followed by a nice jacuzzi. Thanks to Paul for making the photo session a painless endeavor and for scouting out such a picturesque site. No thanks to Glenn and Conrad for tapping my legs of any remaining energy with the tempo efforts to and from said picturesque photo site (Note to self: an arrow formation would be cool to try next year).

Finally, back in the kitchen, we were welcomed with aromas of lasagna a la LT and pesto pasta a la Katie. Following the terrific meal, and on the road home, I thought of the toast I should have made ... hmmmm ... maybe I will save it until the next time!

Sunday Haiku:

Sunday morning singlespeed!

Conrad, Glenn, J.T., and me ...

Blessed LT feed!

I don't think I have ever worked that hard for a 15th place finish, but man, that is one fun course. Coming around the tra

ck, under the Yokohama bridge, I hear this huge cheer from team CyclePaths up at our own private feed zone. If there is any more inspiration to hammer, let me know. As I rolled up to the guys, LT had me set up with a small bottle of coke and two Cilff Shots. Cleverly, she wrapped the "litter leash" slits over the bottle nozzle allowing for a single hand off of liquid and gels. I pounded those gels before the bottom of the feed hill and started on my buzz bottle. Awesome. The second lap just flew by, and before I knew it, Glenn and I were kicking it at the Salinas In-And-Out Burger, wolfing down some well earned protein.

What do you tell your co-workers when they ask you about a weekend like we just had? Uh yeah, it was nice, a little riding, a little eating, and a little drinking ...

Later,
~Rich Blanco

............................

Sea Otter is one of the highlights of the bike racing calendar. Its such an awesome festival of bikes, with every discipline represented: when else do roadies in lycra mingle with DHers in full-face helmets, goggles and baggies? The weekend was fantastic. Since almost the whole team was racing as well as staying in the same house and eating together, we really had a great time hanging out. I raced well, with two 2nd place finishes and a 3rd. Cat 4 Road Race (Fri): With the mountain bike race on Sunday, my plan was to sit in until the final climb. At the the end of the road race, there were only 3 of us remaining with 500m to go, and I was attacked by the other 2 and finished 3rd. This was the first race where I followed my plan, and with success (note to self). Our big group dinner with lots of beer and wine that night served as a great recovery session. I cant get over how great our wives and girlfriends are, first they put up with our racing, then make us dinner!?! Wow. Cat 4 Circuit Race (Sat): As I laid in bed to take a quick nap in the afternoon before the race, I visualized the sprint finish. My heart rate increased and adrenalin pulsed through my legs. After a few moments, as the feeling disappeared, my legs got tired " whoa?! Based on that and the hard road race, I followed my plan to sit in until the sprint finish. Its REALLY hard to know when to attack. At about 1/2 mile to go, I found myself in second position behind Eric from Specialized. At first I was nervous since thats typically too close to the front, but when he dropped the hammer, I thought Id have a chance. I yelled encouragement to him, and he accelerated so much I wasnt sure I could hold onto his wheel! With 200m to go, he pulled off and I went for it. The hilarious part, was that I letting up a bit when a rider came up on me, but was yelling so loud that I noticed him, and accelerated a bit more to take the sprint (unfortunately one rider was away off the front so I got 2nd). That was my first field sprint victory, and its a huge confidence booster. The best part of this race was having the rest of the team in addition to the girls, on the side of the course cheering us on! Pro/Expert Singlespeed Cross Country MTB (Sun): After two hard days of riding, I wasnt sure how Id hold up for the 39 mile mountain bike race. This race seems to be the perfect distance for me. After flatting last yr, I didnt want to take any chances. I ran slightly heavier tubeless tires (Michelin Dry2) at a slightly higher pressure than normal (35psi) and ended up trouble-free. While I blew the first corner, I was off my bike and running it back onto the trail before I lost more than 1 position. Travis Brown, Josh Kelley and I rode together for the entire

first lap, though they almost dropped me halfway around. Interestingly, Josh and I worked together taking turns pushing the pace, but Travis hung back, never taking a pull. Early on, I told Josh he and I were racing for 2nd place and the obviousness of that statement became clear at the beginning of the second lap, when Travis attacked and left us in his dust. With 10 miles to go, when Josh could no longer help set the pace, I slowly rode away to happily secure my second place finish. Here are a few fun quotes from the race: from Travis to me you have a lot of fans out here then following the hand up I received from Liam (12 yrs old): was that your son?. Quotes from Josh to Travis: Im honored just to be riding with you, and from Josh to me when Travis attacked us as we began to fade at the beginning of the second lap: that guys an animal, I cant believe how fast hes going...

The Sea Otter course is fast and generally n
on-technical and smooth. There are several short sharp climbs and quite a few long steady grunts. The singletrack descending is exhilaratingly smooth and fast. This was my first race on my new Scott Spark 15, and I assure you that while I wasnt the fastest rider in our race that day, I was on the lightest/fastest bike. While the equipment doesnt win the race for you, having the right equipment puts you in a position to win the race. For singlespeed races, the most important equipment decisions include: frame, fork, tires, gears. My Scott performed flawlessly the entire race. Over the years Ive learned that while a light bike is essential for climbing, its also critical for descending: throwing the bike from one side to the other for linked fast, tight turns. The Reba World Cup 100mm fork is the best all-rounder Ive found. Its light, stiff, and has an awesome remote lockout, which I use constantly. I ran tubeless Michelin XCR Dry2 tires, which are super fast with a thick, strong, protective casing. I ran my standard 32:18 gear (front ring:rear cog), which was perfect for me. While I wanted more gear on the rolling sections, I had a little bit of a hard time with some of the climbs indicating I couldnt have used a larger gear. However, Travis Brown ran a 2:1, so clearly I can chalk his win up to gear selection if nothing else... ;-)

~Conrad Snover

Click here to see more photos on Flickr.

Last weekend, April 12-13, was a big one for Cyclepaths/Wild Cherries Racing. We had a great turnout with 7 team members making the event. The Madera Stage race consists of a Criterium and Time Trial on Saturday, followed by a Road Race on Sunday. Lots of racing packed into a short weekend! And check out Richs report on the Napa Valley Dirt Classic. Rich stayed in the Bay Area last weekend to tackle that event. Read on to see how your favorite rider did. Yeah, we know " with so many great guys, how could you possibly have a favorite? (unless you're Nate's Mom, of course). And be sure to check out better/more photos here:

Flickr Photos

Nate (Elite 3)

The weekend started out on a bit of a strange note... Ramsey, Nick, and I checked ourselves into the Madera Valley Inn, after being moved over there from the Days Inn, which overbooked. After paying and getting our keys, we jammed ourselves into the elevator that had to be at least 200 years old. Then once we arrived at the fifth floor, I unlocked our room and walked in, and was greeted by a woman who was laying on one of the beds, smoking a cigarette and watching TV. I later learned from the hotel clerk that she was with the guy who was working on the satellite or WiFi or something. The clerk told me that they would be out in 20 minutes, and we could have the room after that..... No thanks, we'll just take another room.

TT: Nick and I both had nearly identical times, which we thought were worthy of top 15 or so. I guess the competition this year was much better, because we ended up in 25th and 31st. The heat was nothing compared to the 102 degree scorcher that we dealt with last year.

CRIT: It was fast and furious, with many attacks going off the front. When Nick took a flyer, I sat up front and blocked for as long as possible. He did the same for me. Nothing stuck, and it came down to a bunch sprint, I got 17th.

RR: It was probably around 85 at the start, and only got hotter as the race progressed. It was fast, but not much really happened. The top GC teams controlled the front fairly well, and didn't let any break groups stay away for very long. I sat in and tried to keep cool and watch how things played out. Just as expected, the majority of the field stayed together for another bunch sprint. I had the wheel of a junior who I knew had a very good sprint going into the last 1k. He jumped much earlier than I thought, and I couldn't stay with him... turned out to be a great move, he won. I pulled a 6th... first upgrade pts. of the season, so all-in-all, I am satisfied with my performance. Side Note: Josh from ZTeam complimented me on the new kit, as did two other random guys in the Cat. 3 field.... skinsuit fits so well that I sometimes feel naked, which I think is a good thing.

Nick (Elite 3):

I think I need a new nickname along the lines of The Bad Luck Kid. I came down with a nasty cold a few days before Madera. My only goal was to get as well as possible so I could still race. The morning of thetime trial I was still achy-sick, dripping snot with a bright red throat. Somehow I still pulled a decent time, 24:24 for 25th place. Later in the afternoon during the crit I was able to muster a solo attack for a few laps and then cover the race from the front until the end for 10th place. Bad luck almost struck both Nate and I down before the crit as we managed to flat a front and rear wheel during the warm up. Same story the next morning before the road race, feeling super sick but I managed to ride extremely well at the front all day, and assert my will on the pack as I tried to drop stragglers with a hard pace. BUT, in the last half mile before the finish on the last lap, my shifters/brake levers came loose and tightened my rear brake cable. My rear wheel locked up and the race rolled away. And as it turns out my front wheel had a slow leak that appeared as I crossed the finish line. The Bad Luck Kid.

Gary (Elite 4):

I felt that overall we had a successful race in Cat 4. Personally I came away from it with a lot learned.

Crit: The pace was OK throughout but nothing really very hard and maybe that was just from the lack of organization within the teams.

Time Trial: I thought I was bringing my "A" game to my first 2008 TT but it was not to be. I was not concentrating much on the course itself, instead I was focused on my form and pace, and blew past the 2nd turn which added 2 miles to the 10 mile course. So it went from a possible top 5 finish to near last. Passing the same person twice was kinda weird. They must have thought, "WOW, these Cyclepaths/Wild Cherries riders are tearing up the TT today, that's the second guy to pass me in 5 minutes".

RR: It was a great day out. All of us were feeling good. We rode well together as a team and made sure none of the potential GC guy's would get away on a break to possibly take an overall 3rd away from Conrad. With three miles to go I hit a pot hole hard and both brakes locked due to my shifters dropping forward. I weaved through a crash up the road after fixing my brakes and chased down the pack with a rider that was involved in the crash. We caught up after around two miles and with just a mile left the bunch started to wind it up and into the rollers it exploded. With not much left in my legs I could not hold onto the charge and could only watch as Conrad fought to chase for the line. Overall it was success as Conrad moved into 2nd overall on the GC and Cyclepaths/Wild Cherries had a dominating presence in our first race as a team in the new plaid kit.

Conrad (Elite 4):

This race had several firsts: my first stage race as an individual, our first stage race as a team, and the teams first race in our new kits. With most of our wives/girlfriends at the Luna Summit, we had a great chance to be boys and talk about nothing but bikes for 72 hours.

Im really happy with how our team is coming together. The fun we shared by racing as a team in Cat 4 illustrated the importance of working together to get everyone upgraded to 3, so we can ALL race together. Of course Im happy with my own performance. However, working together as a team turns whats traditionally been an individual sport for me, into a team sport with an exponentially larger fun factor.

Our
teamwork established us a strong presence; several riders noted that we were the strongest in the group and asked if they could work with us.

Our sponsors really delivered top notch equipment for us thats really helping us deliver stellar results, while looking great. Our unique and distinct plaid kits received quite a few compliments from other riders in the peloton.

(Ed. note: Conrad finished 2nd in the Crit, 4th in the Time Trial, and 6th in the Road Race which gave him second overall in the G.C. for the entire stage race. He'll be racing with Nick and Nate in the 3's in no time!)

Ramsey (Elite 4)

After crashing out of my first race in Zamora I was looking at Madera as redemption. But I also wanted to build on my racing skills. My goals were to ride with more confidence in the pack, ride with the leaders, sprint for the win, and have fun.

Half the crit went by when it occured to me that I was watching the race and not racing. I woke up and began to mix it up. As we turned our last corner and headed for the sprint I had no legs but my confidence had been boosted. So I need to put myself in a place to win sooner than later. Riding towards the back half is like doing intervals. Come around the corner, catch up to the surge, relax and repeat. Silly right?

Next up the TT. Never done one of these. I didn't even think about it when signing up for this race. Then a few days before the race Nate asked if I had aero bars. Uh, no. I've got Clif Bars. 10 miles later and 4 minutes slower than most I came across the finish and realized that I enjoyed myself. I like the idea of TT's. Next time I'll be more prepared. Oh yeah, it was hot as a blistered pecker in a pepper patch out there.

Road race. Road race. Road race. Most of the butterflys had flown the coop and I was ready. I rode aggressively. I had confidence. I held my line. I felt good. It felt good. I raced with my friends and had a blast.

Most importantly are the friends. Paul, Conrad, Gary, Nate, Nick and Glenn. These guys are awesome. Thanks guys. -RAMSEY
Paul (Elite 4):

No Masters race for me once again, so I found myself fortunate enough to race with my younger teammates in the Elite race. It's a blessing really. It's was super fun racing side by side with Conrad, Gary and Ramsey in the Crit and Road Race. We were noticed for sure in our new snazzy kits. It's really cool when you need to get back in the draft and another rider sees you are part of a team and let's you fall in behind your team mate. That happened on several occassions. We really got the respect out there in the peloton.

My goal was basically to not get dumped. No big aspirations for me as far as results. The Crit was uneventful, mostly a moderate pace and then a sprint at the end. I really hate Crits. Not only do I suck at them, they're also dangerous and nerve racking. But I'll do 'em if it's a stage race, and I admit, this one was kinda fun.

The Time Trial went just

OK. My legs were a little fried from the Crit, but I enjoyed the 26 minutes of sheer and total concentration alone on the bike. The weather had warmed as our group did the TT in the afternoon, while Nick and Nate had done it in the morning in the "3" race (they run both venues concurrently and riders split the day depending on category). All the riders carried their trainers into the almond orchard to warm up. Meanwhile, freight trains would cruise by periodically on the nearby tracks. Very cool.

The road race was a blast with my three teammates. By then we knew we were riding for Conrad, who had by far the best place of the four of us in the GC, especially after Gary's mishap in the TT. We rode together, watched out for each other, and generally rode a smart race. After Gary hit the pothole and lost some time it was up to me to look out for Conrad. I wasn't sure I was up to the task, but I was able to guide him up through the pack safely to put h

im in good position for the final push over the rollers to the finish line. By then I was cooked and struggled in for a mid pack finish.

We hit the In 'n Out Burger joint on the way home, of course.

Rich (Single Speed MTB, Napa Valley):

Just a perfect day to be riding a bicycle in the dirt ... the course is a weaving twenty-two miles, consisting of an initial road hole shot climb, 50m roller coasters, sweet forest singletrack, and a monster fire road climb to top off the sundae. I was really stoked to be back on the Single Speed and racing on the trails. The start was super fast as per normal and separated the lead group within 5mins of the start ... it was just ballistic and a perfect reminder of the pain known as mountain bike racing. The first four guys got away in the coasters and I merged in with a group of three guys and we whooped it up through the forest (you should race this puppy for this section alone). I finally got away on a short riser and hit the climb in fifth. My legs felt great and with all the running in my program I was able to reel in fourth and third by the top. Unfortunately, I did not realize I passed the third place guy until he came by me a few minutes later ... he had a slightly bigger gear, but it was enough to keep me from bringing him back (where were those geared riders when you need them!) ... so fourth place for me.

The Oakley, Adidas, and Giro equipment worked great all day. It would be an understatement to say how much I am looking forward to hearing all of the Madera stories first hand and doing a "little" riding in Monterey at next weeks Sea Otter Classic.

Conrad Snover (4)
Wards Ferry Road Race is in Sonora, CA, and the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas. The race course is on a fun, rolling, 12 mile circuit on quiet country roads. The only problem with roads like this is that theyre not maintained very well and are rough, with many potholes. This road surface caused many problems for our team.

We had solid representation: Paul, Justin, Gary, Nick, Nate, and I, and it was a great experience for us to race together.

Ive had a mixed season, placing well about half the time, and getting shelled the other half. This race I was determined to sit in and do no work until the finish. That plan ended 5 miles in when the pack came around a corner to find a pickup truck blocking our way (with Nick sitting in the back- read on). We swerved to avoid it, and I pinch-flatted my front tire after hitting a pothole. I stood on the side of the road with my front wheel in the air, hoping the pickup would be coming around the corner and I could grab a wheel. About a minute later, I put the wheel back on- still flat, and rode about 100 yards to the corner where I traded wheels with some dude on the side of the road. Now I was about 3-4 minutes down, and I hammered at max HR to catch up. Fortunately for me, the pack was going slow, and 12 miles later I was cooked, but back on. I hung on with the leaders as best I could, but was dropped on the last climb, finishing 8th, just out of the points. BALLS!

Paul McKenzie (4)
I rolled with the Elite 4 group as there was no Master's group for me. Good and bad. Bad in that I race with guys that are half my age. Good in that I get to race with my teammates (who are more or less half my age). We rolled out at a moderate pace for the 4 lap race. I was able to hang with the group for the first two laps and even punch to the front for the descents, where I like to be. Bumpy course and bottles popping out everywhere.

At one point I noticed Conrad was gone. Where could he be? He was arguably our guy with the best chance for a decent finish. Turns out he hit a pothole early and flatted unbeknown to his teammates. If we were a Pro Tour team, the three of us would have been called back on the radio to wait for him and bring him back. But as it was he had to grab a wheel from another rider on the side of the road and fight back on his own. Pretty awesome he was able to do that, and still battle with the lead group at the finish for 8th place!

Me? I made it two laps with the front group, then got blown off the back. I tempo'd in, and finished 29th out of about 50. I did everything right, just don't have the fitness. Great training on a beautiful, if a bit rough, course. Looking forward to the next race!

Justin Thomas (3)

First road race of season and first road race in MANY years. Felt okay during first 3 laps of 4 lap course. Per Nick and Nate's advice, I stayed near the front of the pack to avoid any mishaps or large breaks. Tried to break away with another competitor on 3rd lap (who ended up solo'ing to win) on top of longest climb but got reeled in on following descent (maybe I should try and gain some weight?). With Conrad's help I tried to bridge to the leader for a second and third time but had nothing left in the tank. Soft pedaled to finish b/c I was completely spent. All in all, fun race but I felt left out b/c I didn't get a flat tire-just flat legs.

Nate Freed (3)
For me, the Wards Ferry racing weekend was bittersweet. It was nice to spend some time with various members of the squad, learn more about them, and share stories from our separate races. On the other hand, it is a bit discouraging to feel

so great and well prepared for a race, then finish poorly due to mechanical issues. Oh well, that is racing... Since I raced here last year, I had a pretty good idea about what to expect from the course and the competition. It is a 12 mile loop of very skinny, rough back roads with a rolling stage profile, not much flat riding at all. I tried to keep myself out of harm's way by sitting in the top 15 for the majority of the race. The rapid pace(and rough roads) whittled the Cat. 3 field down to about 20 by the time we had completed four laps. I kept a watchful eye on my competition, and it seemed that the high tempo was starting to take a toll on almost all of them. At this point I was still feeling very strong, which was a first for me this season. A few guys had taken chances going off the front during the race, but since our pace was already fast, they could not stay away for long. Knowing this, my plan was just to hang in the top 5 or so until the end and sprint for the uphill finish. Everything was going according to plan, but UNFORTUNATELY I flatted with about 5 mi. to go. I jumped off my bike, changed to my spare tube as quickly as possible, but it was much too late in the race to have any prayer of catching the leaders. While I was changing the flat, I did take notice of the Cat. 3s that passed me by, and I probably caught and passed the majority of them in the last 5 mi. before the finish. I ended up in around 28th. Overall, it was a very enjoyable weekend because Cyclepaths/Wild Cherries Racing represented with 6 out of 12 members of the team. I look forward to the next few weeks when our numbers will be even higher...

Team Results:
Conrad Snover (4): 8th (flat)
Paul McKenzie (4): 29th
Justin Thomas (4): 20th(?)
Gary Mandy (4): 20th(?)
Nate Freed (3): 28th (flat)
Nick Schaffner (3): DNF (flat)

The last few months I have been balancing work and training along a fine line that has kept me perpetually tired and on edge. Im very aware of falling down the path of overtraining as I have done it so many times in the past. One of my major goals since I started seriously training and racing again last year was to avoid this burnout. I was able to dodge the overtraining bullet for half the season last year by not training, just riding enjoying my bike. However this happy-go-lucky method eventually caught up with me in August and I was torched for the remainder of the 2007. This season I moved back to a scientific method of periodization, very specific workouts and detailed tracking of my body and fitness. Using my super secret methods of monitoring my progress and well-being, I have been able to successfully cheat death (overtraining) for the last 4 months " even though the entire time I have feel his icy grip ready to close around my neck.

I know my fitness is growing and I have the numbers to back it up. However training and work schedules have put me into the first few races of the season with extremely tired legs (often purposely). Even though I know I will not perform well, and am using these racing for training " it is still mentally taxing to get dropped and shelled.
Going into Wards Ferry, my training has finally reached a point of total adaptation. I am able to now string together a series of hard workout days without fatigue. My legs are finally there, my lungs are ready for action and my heart is pumping strong. I want to race and am ready to do well, physically and mentally. With the back story in place, I can now present my official race report of the 2008 Wards Ferry Cat 3 Road Race.

From my warm-up on the trainer and straight from the gun on the start line, I was feeling very loose and really good. 6 miles in to the race, I hit a crater-sized pothole and my front tire exploded. Jumping off my bike to throw in my spare tube, I realize I have a C02 cartridge but not a dispenser valve. I wait around for the follow truck to borrow a pump, only to discover that my spare tube had a hole in it. BAM, race officially over. I rode the rest of the lap clinging to the toolbox in the bed of the Velo Promo truck, sharing stories of woe with other fellow flatters. Fuck

On a positive note, it was great driving down with Conrad, Justin and Nate for an evening of team bonding, burrito eating and death defying driving down Highway 49. And many thanks to Dr. Jonathan Laine for driving me back up to Truckee.