Quick Report

Today, I leave for Paris. First time! I have a bunch of cousins there that I haven't seen since the 80s, and yep. More travel. It's only a couple hours each way so I'll be allright. I am taking the bike though...and we all know how FUN it is to travel with the bike. Can't wait to pack it up and wander aimlessly through the full train in search of a place to put it. However, before I leave for Paris, I need to ride, clean up the house, and write this blog entry. If I don't write it now, I never will, so let's have at it...

Saturday. Quatorze Julliet (Bastille Day)!!! The French have no shortage of holidays, and saturday was the biggest one of all (though 7-7-7 was pretty grand as well), and a town right next to the Lyon Airport (St. Exupery) was having a bike race party and we were invited. Right-O. All week, team dudes that are in the know said, "Aram, c'est une belle course pour toi...c'est trop plat!! Gagnez!" [Aram...it's a great race for you...very flat! win!] This time I felt like they were actually serious. Hmm. The prior week, I was in total recharge mode. I got back from Cape Town on Wednesday, the 4th, and didn't ride again until the following wednesday. It was swell to have that week off. The body is thankful. Anyhow, after a couple decent rides wednesday-friday...it was game time. Wasn't sure how the legs would be, but who knows?

The course: One of my favorites. 8km circuit, 17 laps. 135k 95% flat. One 100 meter climb (and that was just so we could have a feed zone), and that's it. Now, how to describe the course in words? Hmmm...I thought of this metaphor: you know how when you're a kid, and you go to an amusement park for the first time with a bunch of your peers? You're finally tall enough to participate, and all these crazy coasters and rides await -but who will be the first to give it a go? Me? You? "If you do it, I'll do it" is usually thrown out there. And so, the course...i'll try to recreate the first lap: first K was pretty standard...fast. 160 (XL!!!) of us. I couldn't see the front or the back...just a never ending stream of riders, then down a descent into a roundabout. 20 of the 160 bunny hop onto the median before the roundabout, bunny hop onto the island, then back into the peleton. Smooth, too. Then the 3rd-5th kilometer....medians all over, but both sides were open to us. At one junction, half the peleton went left, the other, right. The road at the end of the left side had a gate on it! So allllllll those guys bunny hop the median, and swing into our group. All this is happening at 50+ km/hr!! I'm just laughing, and thinking "I wanna do that, too." After that section, there's yet another roundabout on a really fast downhill tailwind section...but these are prettier to look at from a helicopter's perspective than a riders'...so yes. It was an insane time. Curbs were used, millions of bunny hops, blazing pace for the first 4-5 laps, and....the kicker......just one crash (on a straightaway)...good times, I was happy to be there.

Oh...a result? I did it, finally....I missed the break. Not because I was unlucky, but the legs weren't ready for that kind of thing. Once I realized it was game over for the peleton, I just putted around, enjoying the [obstacle] course. Unfortunately, the whole team missed the break, missed the chase group, and yeah...bummer. I sincerely hope the french cycling gods will throw a course like this at me again...I promise i'll bring the good legs! And lastly....sorry I've been a bum with the camera lately...I didn't even take it to the race, and the blog suffers. But i'll get back on it, for sure.

Here we go, Vel07...the top bike shop in France!