Team BEER

I have had a GoPro digital Hero 3 camera since December now, and it has been turned out to be a wroth a while device for making little bike videos. First of all it’s small. Like the size of a watch and bike computer together. Second, the hardware is all self contained. It only need to be strapped to something like a handle bar. Finally, the connection to the computer is done via USB.

Lithium batteries are needed to ensure proper recording times especially during the cold months, and that is all. After that it’s all about cut, cut, cut, add some music, and upload to YouTube.com.

I plan on filming more during racing for entertainment, and hopefully to learn something. Next up, Prarie City MTB and some video from Hellyer Velodrome.

First race as a Cat. 4. I was hoping for lots of wind, and it came true once again. I’m not sure why I wanted wind, maybe because it’s hard on the psyche during a race. It’s an invisible force that just wears you down. Well there was plenty to go around.

All in all the race went well. I felt like I rode smart. It was easy enough to get setup for the cross wind sections and make sure that some one was on my outside taking the wind for me. On lap 3 the race really started. I was following and could not see the group ahead, and then they guy in front of me died. No problem, but he also left a huge gap.

It was a gap that couldn’t be closed. Ehhh! there goes the front group. Got into a chase group, and we had some good rotations, but we just could not pull them back.

While all of this was going on, little cramps were starting to set in. On the last lap it all caught up. On the final hill I stood up took 2 pedal strokes and my inner thighs seized. There was some uncertainty if the unclip action would even happen. I stood there on the hill hoping no one was coming, and that I’d be able to finish. Luckily everyone else was in solo no mans land so i was able scoop up 14th despite the cramps.

This race was my last race as a Cat. 5. I wanted it to be hard, and my wish was granted. The weather was questionable as it appeared rain could break loose at any moment. Bu thte clouds held together, but the wind knob was turning up oh so slightly during the race.

At the start there was only a heavy breeze, but each lap became subsequently harder. On lap two a few guy were giving it a go on the front to string things out, but there was no echelon. I had a feeling that someone might fall off the road into the soft sand. A moment later it happened. The crash was avoided, but I was left in no mans land trying to get back on. It didn’t happen.

There was a chase group behind me, and I started working with them. When we got to the main stretch It dwindled from 8 to 3. How does that happen? Well, eventually one guy popped so we were 2. We kept bustin, and we could see our progress bringing them back since the wind was on full tilt. No on in that group wanted to go hard.

We rode into the group before the start of the last lap. The racwas still progressing like a parade around the farm lands of Snelling. By the time we got near the finish, I was quite anxious for something to happen. At 1.5km I went for it. At 200m to go the group showed me what was up.