PMVC TT

Summer has BEGUN....

...with the opening Friday Night at the Track event of the Pittsburgh Master's Velo Club (PMVC) 5 mile Individual Time Trial at the Bud Harris Oval.

Ray Sielski & Steve Marlette...

...took 40th Place and 8th Place respectively.

While Mark Briercheck and Henry Dimmick...

..."got together" to take 22nd Place and 31st Place Overall :))

Ft. Classic Road Race

"Stretching the Legs"
by Mark Briercheck

My 2013 racing season kicked off at the annual ABRA Fort Classic Road race.  Temperatures in the low 80's, a nice stiff breeze, and sunny skies were the order of the day.  Pretty much the most ideal weather one could ask for a bike race.

The Master's 40+ category had a lot of the usual suspects showing up to lay down some hurt.

Five laps on a rolling 8 mile course with one 'sort of hill'.

The peloton must have feared either the hill or the wind because there were few half-hearted attempts to organize a break during the day. So the field held together like glue for 33 miles.



Photo by Fred Jordan

Finally starting into the final lap a group of four rocketed off the front.I missed the break but stayed in the group of chasers hoping to organize a catch. Given the hill and the wind it was unlikely they could hold the break unless the chase group failed to organize.

Long story short - the chase group failed to organize and lost 30 seconds to the leaders.

Coming into the final stretch I was in excellent position to sprint but burned my last match too early at 200m out, and lost a few places just before the line to finihs in 8th Place Overall.



Photo by Fred Jordan

Overall - Just a great day to be on the bike and shake out the racing cob webs for the start of 2013 racing!

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A lot of the locals were coming down hard on JR so i wonder if he might skip this location for next year..we'll see. He even had to approach one local about putting their dogs onto chains to they wouldn't chase the riders - the owner said 'No' and refused to restrain his dogs from coming after the bikes. *sigh*

Oh well...still a super fun day.

thanks,
Mark

ABRA Short Track MTB #1

by Kirk Morrison

Race Date: 6-1-13
Race Location: Oakdale, PA
Race Category: registered to double up with Cat3 and SS races

Finish Place: DNS (for both !) due to crash during warm-up laps.

Details: Took the “XX” downhill section too fast and ended up “burping” off my front tire and crashing on the concrete pad at the bottom. 

After trying to “shake it off” for a half-hour, I headed to the nearest hospital ER and was diagnosed with a broken scapula (shoulder blade .. see pics from my later CT Scan at Butler Health System).  Disappointing...

...but I was relieved to learn that surgery isn’t required and it should heal up on its own.

I’ll be back.

Oh, since I know some will ask, the bike (steel Spot Rocker SS) is OK.

Thanks.

Dash for Cash

Hannah Brewer, Rich Allen and Logan Krause gathered in Sarver, Pa. for (possibly?) the FINAL Dash for Cash MTB race(?)

Here is the story from Hannah:
-----------------------

Ag3r's trusty MTB crew Richy, Logan, and I raced the Dash for Cash. Although the weather was calling for thunderstorms all day, after a morning rain shower, we had sun and clouds the rest of the day. This was great because the course is hard enough when it is mostly dry!

Since I raced women's sport in the Bike the Wild series last year, I really wanted to bump up to expert this year. I knew the longer distance would be difficult because my "time on the bike" up until May this year was a joke. I paced myself well, and I rode more of the technical sections than I made last year.

Photo by Extreme Prestige Worldwide Photography



I finished the 19.4 mile course in 2:17:07. Thanks to a BIG racing weekend of the Mochichan 100, Short Track, and Bear Creek, I was able to take home some podium cash as the only female expert rider.

Photo by Extreme Prestige Worldwide Photography

 

http://www.smileymiles.com/2013/RES13%20DASH%20FOR%20CASH%20MT%20BIKE%20EXPERT%20OA.HTM

Teammate Logan gets faster everyday, and finished 21st overall in the 14.4 mile course with a time of 1:56:32.

Photo by Extreme Prestige Worldwide Photography

 

Photo by Extreme Prestige Worldwide Photography

 

Richie is still coming back from a wreck earlier this season, but put in a solid 25th place finish.

Photo by Extreme Prestige Worldwide Photography

 

Photo by Extreme Prestige Worldwide Photography

 

Sierra Maher's boyfriend, Bobby, also rode and finished in 2:10:08. And yes, this is the guy that JUST started riding about 2 months ago!

http://www.smileymiles.com/2013/RES13%20DASH%20FOR%20CASH%20MT%20BIKE%20SPORT%20OA.HTM

The T-shirt confirmed that the rumor is true. As of now, 2013 was the LAST year for the Dash for Cash.

Photo by Hannah Brewer

 

I hope the race is able to continue in some form since the rock sections, steep climbs, loose descents, and creek and tunnel crossings are one of a kind. I also have unfinished business with the Dash for Cash because I was off of my bike on a few of the techy sections.

If this was the last year, at least we went out with a bang! I had a great day on my bike, and just as good of a time hanging out with great friends before the yummy BBQ.

~HannaH

Yellow Creek MTB

Mike Maher ventured solo inito the back woods of Indiana, Pa. to race the May Edition of the Grassroots Racing Yellow Creek Park X-Country (series).

Problem is, Mike's alter ego, MATT showed up to race, which is likely the reason "HE"was able to achieve 2nd Place in the Sport Division!

Click here for the RESULTS