Sept 27: Raccoon Twp Park CX

Rain and the promise of wet grass and a slippery course was not enough to deter the hearty. In fact, a total of six riders showed up for the first CycloCross race of the 2009 Month of Mud Series.

Brian Hopkins and Steve Brewer were first to arrive... at 7:00 am ... 3 hours before race time, the result of a slight miscalculation in their travel back into Pa. from Saturday's Ohio CX race!!!

Also racing were Mike Maher, Rich Allen, Ray Sielski and me (Henry Dimmick).

The first race of the day gave us all a chance to check out the course under race conditions, knowing that each passing racer only made things more and more treacherous for those who would follow!

This can be seen in the excellent displays of Race #2 bike handling by Steve Brewer...

...Ray Sielski...

... and myself :)

Even Brian's Where's Waldo Socks could not overpower the Gods of Slip'n'Slide!

Just to make sure you know we aren't TOTAL sped's, here are a few pics of us STILL on two wheels!

At the end of the day, we had the following Results in the "Sport" B-Race:

Steve Brewer: DNF (saddle "malfunction"; rear brakes "inoperable"!)

Mike Maher: 6th Place

Brian Hopkins: 8th Place

Henry Dimmick: 14th Place

Rich Allen: 19th Place

Ray Sielski: 22nd Place

A good day in the MUD :)

Thanks to John Curran and (me) for the photos!

Sept 26: Kent State – Stark CX

Brian Hopkins and Steve Brewer traveled to Ohio on Saturday to race in the Kent State University – Stark Campus CycloCross race ... part of the 11th Annual Bike Authority CX Series.

Steve took 3rd Place in the (full length) "C Race"!

Brian took 10th Place in the (lightning shortened) "B Race"!

Afterwards, they fed their faces and got themselves ready to race again TOMORROW, back in Pa. at the Month of Mud, Raccoon Twp Park CycloCross Race!

Thanks to John Curran for the photos!

Sept 20: Presque Isle Time Trial

This event marks (for us) the end of the Summer Road Racing Season... something we all look forward to! Attending were Steve Marlette, Ray Sielski, Dave Hickey and me (Henry Dimmick). Arriving to Erie at 6am... the change of season goes hand-in-hand with a change in the Sunrise ...so camp set-up for this Fall event is done in the DARK. While the venue is the same as usual, a beautiful loop around Presque Isle State Park... ...NEW THIS DAY was the addition of 2 new riders to the Ag3r Team... the one-two punch, husband-wife team of Steve and Hanna Brewer. ...and as you can see.... Hanna is a real "Knock Out" :) So, while everyone pulled out their Time Machines for this final TT of the season, I dusted off my Single Speed Fixie... and outfitted it with the latest in (not so aerodynamic) "hipster"assessories and race fuels!

Meanwhile, with such close proximity to the lake...

... one must be on constant watch for signs of forward(?) steps in human "evolution"...

Getting back to racing (!)... and to the awards, we all gathered around...

...to watch Steve Marlette and our "New Brewers" proceed to collect some hardware!

Hanna Brewer: 1st Place Women's 20-24 yrs / 87th Overall

Steve Brewer: 1st Place Men's 20-24 yrs / 4th Overall

Steve Marlette: 1st Place Men's 45-49 yrs / 6th Overall

Dave Hickey: 30th Place Overall

Ray Sielski: 34th Place Overall (Setting his 3rd Personal Record on this course in 2009!)

I, on the other hand, beat these two 9 year olds!

Henry Dimmick: 59th Place Overall

So...now we transition into The Month of Mud, and CycloCross Season!

See you all in the dirt :)

Thanks to Steve Brewer for providing a few of the better photos!

Sept 19: Crooked Creek Triathlon

By Mike Maher: Great race for me. ½ mile swim brought me out of the water about mid pack, but knew the bike course would hurt the traditional triathletes in attendance. Once on the bike, I started quickly picking off riders as the terrain went more vertical. By the end of the bike I was in first place with one other guy coming out of T1. One more guy was close behind. The eventual race winner pulled away from me on the first hill. Near the top # 2 caught and passed me. I stayed about 100 yards behind these 2 till about mile 2 when they started testing each other. About a ¼ mile from the end a guy overtook me on the downhill run to the finish. He was flying I was not. So old guy Mike took 4th overall and won my age group for the last tri of the season. Now to relearn how to ride for a couple cross races.

Sept 19: Peanut Butter Festival

Rich Allen finished in 2nd Place (50+) in the BIKE-THE-WILDS SERIES,

...a three race circuit comprised of the:

(1) FAT TIRE Challenge (June 21), (2) Shannock Valley Community Festival (July 18), and the (3) Peanut Butter Festival (Sept 19) The goal of the Series is to promote Mountain Biking and Racing in the local western Pennsylvania wilderness. Congratulations Richy... and nice Podium Face :)

Sept 12/13: Tour de Strongland

Text by Mike Maher Beatings suffered by: Brian Hopkins!!! MTB Expert: Never use anything new on race day. We’ve all heard it right? I didn’t know that applied to floor pumps. I misread my new pump and mistook 57 lbs for 27 lbs of pressure. On the first of 2 laps I crashed 13 times! (No I am not exaggerating! ) 4 times completely dislodged from my bike. After a lap I “realized” that my fork was not broken and let some air out of my tires and completed the race without any more incidences. I finished WAAAAY back. Good news….I beat Brian….bad news he asked me to fill his tires before the race as well. Sorry Brian, Really! Mike Maher - 19th Place (4th Place 40-49 yrs) Brian Hopkins - DNF MTB Sport: Rich Allen - 20th Place (2nd Place 50-59 yrs) Road Expert: I had no ambitions of doing well, but had hoped for strong team showing for a local race. Brian and I were both at the start of the expert race. That has to count for something right? The gun goes off and I work my way to the front for the upcoming brutal 1.5 mile climb up “Garver’s Ferry Road”. I knew I’d get shelled, but had hoped to hang on at least on the first brutal climb. About ½ way up a group of 7-8 riders went off the front. Then Before the top I was spit out the chase group. So a long day of being in the 2nd chase group of 10 knowing that we will never see the front of the race again. Good news x 2. I attacked the group with 1.5 miles left and soloed in for 311th place. Oh and I beat Brian who “claimed” to flat about ½ mile in. Yeah right???? Mike Maher - 21st Place (3rd Place 40-49 yrs) Brian Hopkins - DNF

Sept 11: Remembrance Ride

(Back Row - L to R) Ray Sielski, Ken DeFurio, John McLaughlin, Skip Rogers, Ed Johnson, Jason Maust, (Front Row, L to R) Randy McCracken, me and Curt Morrison went for a ride on Friday, September 11th... and like all good rides, it started at Cummings Coffee Shop! Our goal this day was to Remember the attacks of Sept.11, pay our respects to those who lost their lives that day, and to proudly fly the colors of the Unites States.

Beginning with a wreath and flag (lowering) ceremony at Diamond Park, across from the Butler Court House...

...we were then escorted by the Pennsylvania State Police...

... which took us past a Military Fuel Depot...

...the whole way to MARS...................... Pa!).

... finishing the final miles on Rt 228 into the Cranberry Twp area.

Once there, we pulled out the folded flag we received and carried with us from the Butler Ceremony...

...and handed it over for an official flag (raising) ceremony at The Ciba Restaurant in 7 Fields.

Afterwards, we rode back to Butler, with a little less formality and a LOT more speed : )

Remember... " NEVER FORGET "

Sept 8: 24 Hours at 7 Springs

Mike Maher competed in the Corporate Team competition in this years 24 hours race.

Mike was the only returning member of last years 3rd Place Masters Men's Team from 2008. The rest of us are soft!

Team TMR finished in 14th Place, with 14 Laps.

Below is a picture of Mike (bottom left) waiting out the final countdown seconds before the LeMans start (run) around the mountain top lake.

Sept 5: Tour de Tamarack

Rich Allen, T.Lyle Ferderber along with Steve and Hanna Brewer headed north to Meadville for the Tour de Tamerack.

Rich, T.Lyle and Hanna entered the 20 mile race... with T.Lyle and Hanna finishing up on the podium!!!

T.Lyle - 2nd Overall Men (1st 50-59 yrs)

Rich - 11th Overall Men (2nd 50-59 yrs)

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Hanna - 3rd Overall Women (1st 20-29 yrs)

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Steve entered the 30 mile Intermediate race... and WON it :)

Steve - 1st Overall Men (1st 20-29 yrs)

Quite the day, for the Brewer's... THATS for sure!!!

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As told on race day by T.Lyle:

Race report from the North: Sunday 10/6 saw 4 AG3R related folks venture north to the Tour de Tamarack and brought home some hardware, or rather in Steve's case, a lion a la the TDF.

Steven Brewer rode the 30 Mile Intermediate race and feared the hills. Yet he stayed in the lead group till the final descent/ascent where he charged out of the few remaining riders, gapped them on the descent and held on to win on the uphill finish.

Hannah Brewer rode the 20 mile citizen race, finishing 2nd in her age group.

Rich and I also rode the 20 miler with Rich finishing 2nd in his age group and I missed the win by 1 second, passing up the other 7 of the lead group on the final ascent, rounding the uphill bend in the lead, but having someone pass me in the last 20 yards.

Top 10 Ranking

Brian Hopkins is presently Ranked 8th in the NATION, in the classification of USAC Cat3 Individual Time Trial. (He finished 2008 ranked 21st in this category.)

In his age bracket (19 to 29), Brian is Ranked 2nd in the NATION. (He finished 2008 ranked 7th in this category.)

In Pennsylvania, Brian is Ranked #1. (He also finished 2008 ranked 1st in this category)!!!

Congratulations Brian :)