Mingo Park Road Race

The start of the Western Pa. cycling season has been marked for many years by the Mingo Road Race Series (Houston, Pa) ...a history built as much on the weather as the race itself. This year's weather did NOT dissapoint! Cat 4/5 Race Sam Morrison - 3rd Place By Sam Morrison: I hate cold. The whole ride down I was cringing watching the rain. Once the race started, Jake (Pro Bikes) and I attacked on the first hill. Unfortunately, no one drew and we weren't prepared to spend the whole race by ourselves so we drifted back. Iron City was there with 3 or 4 riders and tried to control the race. I went with every group but none worked, until a group of 4 slipped away on the descent into the finish. I realized they weren't coming back when we passed through the finish line. At the base of the hill we passed Shaffes and Briercheck and they gave a hearty yell, so I had to attack and bridge up just to justify the cheering. I snagged the breakaway halfway up the hill and managed to not totally blow the 7 man sprint (two guys bridged up the next lap). See more at http://www.samlikesbikes.blogspot.com/ Cat 1/2/3 Race Crossing together... Mark Briercheck - 20th Dave Shaffer - 21st By Mark Briercheck: Sunday morning was a BEAUTIFUL COLD RAIN during registration and a heavy swirling wind out on the course. The entire backstretch up to the climb had a straight on head wind that would make one want to cry. A true Spring race climate! Shaffes slipped off the back on the 2nd time up the hill but managed to climb back on for the descent. At the start of the 3rd climb he was done. I got dropped at the top of the 3rd hill and didn’t have the power to jump back on for the descent. Gah. So Shaffe’s and I were back together by the 5th lap and then we just finished the race out together. Overall we didn’t feel too bad because we saw a lot of other typical ‘Strong Men’ pedaling their bikes home with their tails between their legs.