Hmm, Zebra, don't tell me you were distracted by the 'cat 5' listing on the forum, were you? I admit, that is a bit odd, I mean, if Fast Freddy joins this forum, he'll have to work his way up from cat 5 like the rest of us. Unless of course you've been at this as long as Alan, I, and others have and started as cat 4 (on the road, not the forum). Or, did you just assume he was a 5 based on tone, enthusiasm, etc.? Totally off topic, but maybe we need to reconsider the category designation on this forum because it does not reflect category on the road (or track or CX, etc.). I think Training Peaks forum does it by a number of stars. Others do bronze, silver, gold.

I love reading race reports from other racers on other teams - ours are generally private, but we are moving towards having significant ones go on our public blog. I enjoyed BigRick's EBRR and Paskenta reports, but I like to know the team he is on (especially if there were any team tactics, didn't seem to be). On the other hand, Steve Woo pointed out the forum for public race reports - and it has been mighty empty for a while. Let's fill 'em up in 09!

The only thing that bothered me about it was how can he, or anyone, know how many riders in a pack start are 'cool'? Yes, if you know all the guys from years of racing, I see the point of passing on such judgment. And yet, why share that at all? Was 'cool' a substitute for team mates? 'friendly'? Known competitor? Nice shoes? I mean, I'll admit I thought Zebra was a doofus back in his actual zebra-clad days, but now that I've gotten to know him a bit.... well, let me just say there are a LOT OF COOL PEOPLE IN THIS SPORT! Even when put our on race faces, or our foot in mouth on this forum.

Xeno Rasmusson, InfoVista Cycling Team (signing actual name every so often so nobody thinks I try to hide behind my RacerX moniker).

Quote:Way to barf all over yourself Zebra!
Good one.
Do Zebras actually chew their cud, or other peoples'?

Okay, gang. Consensus is that Big Rick is one pretty cool beer-swillin' dude, so ... not one to keep buckin' and brayin' while people are trying to drink and party ... Go, Big Rick, GO!! I promise, no more smack.

Come see me at Cherry Pie on Sunday, Big Rick. We can share the traditional forgive-the-zebra-floppy-lip-smooch.

Nice Allen,

Was that pescadero or the old "pinkies" course? Man I loved that road race. Dirt climbs are cool again.

I think I had my first Race Report on here when I was a Cat5. I broke away on the same course until about 5 miles from the finish when a chargin Paul Mach and Russ White caught me, then got nipped at the line by Mach. The Cat 5s of today are P12 of tommorow. I for one would like to see more people post reports from all cats

My race report is a little late too…

This is my First Bike Race race-report.

It’s 1979. I just received my first racing license in the mail a few days earlier. I’m a Cat 4 (before there was a 5 category). My seasonal racing number is 123 (a plastic number plate which I mount on my bike in the corner of the head tube and the top tube). My bike is a Schwinn Super Le Tour (27+ lbs).

It’s a very cold and foggy-wet morning on the Peninsula. I show up in my 1971 “hot-rod” VW Bug with my Schwinn up on the rack. I put on my wool shorts, wool jersey, lace up my Duegi wooden-sole bike shoes, and put on my leather racing helmet. I pull my bike off the rack, get registered, and roll up to the start line.

I’m very fit, as I just finished a high school track season (and just graduated). I look around and see all these guys with expensive looking bikes and shaven legs. I laugh to myself thinking what kind of idiot would shave his legs!? I figure I’ll show these weenies how to win a race.

The race starts and the misery begins. The rest of the race is a blur. The only thing I remember is how hard it was. How cold it was descending in the fog. How good it felt in the warmth of sun above the fog. How I couldn’t catch my breath on the climbs. How miserable it felt getting dropped by all these goofy guys with shaven legs (and what’s with everyone carrying a spare tire… how stupid I thought; not ever hearing of sew-ups).
I finished the race with the burning of lactic acid (a familiar feeling from my track days only it seemed so much worse) solo to an almost empty parking lot. I was very humbled.

The name of that race?... The Pescadero Road Race.

Within a few weeks I sold that hot-rod Bug for $1,800.00 and bought a Nishiki Pro ONP Racing frame and built up my first true racing bike (19.5 lbs)… using all but $200.00 from the sale of the car.

I was hooked. Few could understand my excitement for my new found sport. I think it’s pretty cool that Big Rick Rider and others have a place to share the excitement of bike racing.

Alan

First off, BRR is no Cat 5; a sandbaggin' Cat 4 maybe. He is truly one of the "cool dudes" out there. Get a chance to ride with the Rickster and feel his vibe; only then can you truly understand the zen of brewing and fermenting a race report for ten day before posting! :D

Great post Rick!

kt

I like the original post...makes me think of my very first race that I was definately going to win (old, old, bloody pie - cherry) until I had to run directly over the guy second in line for the sprint 'cause he couldn't stay up. I was so jacked up that day! Especially when I found out that the guy borrowed the NEW trashed bike from a friend and his girlfriend was dumping him too (I knew her as well from my photog/fashion days)...pretty funny! Keep these positive posts going! Why, even Velo News couldn't get this good.

Way to barf all over yourself Zebra!

A cat 5 reliving the excitement of one of the first races he will ever do... that is the heart and future of Norcal cycling. That is why I come to this board, to get stoked on other people's excitement.

Your 'too cool for school' attitude is what drives people from this sport. We are all cat 5's at heart, just loving the sport for what it is. Save your snobbery for the wine sipping...

A big hats off for an enthusiastic performance at Patterson.

Phipps, manley: give the guy a break with the timing. It's no different than pulling through too quickly. He'll figure it out with good behavior from the rest of the pack.

I just got my "membership" to this forum yesterday.

I look forward to checking in when I can.

Take it easy, and ride on !

Rick

Cat. 5's of all description - Elites, Master 35's, Master 45's - we have got a home for you on March 28/29 - come to De Ronde van Brisbeen and get exactly the same courses and length of events as everyone of of the big dogs! ('cept high falutin' P1/2's)

We will provide mentors for continued training at both our exacting criterium course - Hot Dog! some might say with one of the few 180 degree hairpin turns in Northern California as well as the Circuit Race on sunday. And we're negotiating with our Chief Referee Melodie Petersen for permission to allow all riders to finish the criterium. If you get lapped we're going to have Mentoring Staff ready to safely gather you together near the S/F and re-start to continue learning-by-doing. We will not pull lapped riders unless on the final lap there might be a conflict with race leaders.

Tom & Alec Simpson
Pilarcitos Cyclesports

Oh, by the way - Cat. 5's cannot race for prizes but for every rider who registers for both days of the weekend - we've got a custom Ronde van Brisbeen Musette bag waiting for you when you pick up your numbers.

CPhipps wrote:OK, Since Zebra started it, I'll add my comments.
1) I like reading race reports and I don't care if it's a Cat 5 or Pro, but at 10 days after the event it's a bit late.
2) Only 5 to 8 "cool" guys in your field? I don't think I was cool as a Cat 5, or even as a 4 or a 3 but hopefully I'm getting there. Maybe...

1) Ditto...I like reading reports, but get them out soon so I have something to read while on my Monday morning conference calls.

2) You're cool in my book since the Fat Tire treated me well. You'll be uncool if you try to kill me up the pimple hills at Cantua. Until then my friend...

Sub wrote:I also like reading race reports..doesn't matter that it was 10 days late at mnidnight..who cares? The guy is excited about the sport and I choose to look at that as a positive. I feed off the new guys energy and excitement every year. Phipps made a good point that grouping with other categories is a no no so don't forget that, but it's an easy and often repeated mistake.

Some people need to seriously get a life. It's not like the board is over crowded with new posts!

Agreed. This board is pretty dull most of the time and could use more race reports, especially from those enthusiastic about racing.

I also like reading race reports..doesn't matter that it was 10 days late at mnidnight..who cares? The guy is excited about the sport and I choose to look at that as a positive. I feed off the new guys energy and excitement every year. Phipps made a good point that grouping with other categories is a no no so don't forget that, but it's an easy and often repeated mistake.

Some people need to seriously get a life. It's not like the board is over crowded with new posts!

Rick could post a race report elsewhere:
http://wordpress.ncncaracing.com/?p=127

ZebraMan wrote:Okay, I dig the enthusiasm, but ...

Posting a cat 5 race report on the Forum is kind of ... gauche.

Get over yourself Zebra. Maybe you need to take a breather from this mentoring, it's gone to your head. The nose knows you are less than 4 years removed from being a wide-eyed Cat 5 at Copperopolis yourself, soon later posting fawning race reports about the "ubers" you got to ride with in your newfound sport.

So what happened? Now you're trying to ban Cat 5s from Copperopolis and all road races, calling them "trainees", and shunning them from the boards. Just a reality nudge - Cat 5 bashing is for insecure teenagers, and makes an old man sound like a big old jack...well it looks like a zebra, but without the stripes.

More Big Rick, less Zebra.

R4L

ZebraMan wrote:
Posting a cat 5 race report on the Forum is kind of ... gauche. (Apologies to you "sinister" lefties).

Doing so after midnight is, well, maybe a little scary?

You can take this piece of advice as a bit of overtime mentoring on a subject that Larry & Co. did not think to cover at Early Birds (although they managed to remember the "don't pee in public" lecture five times):

Join a team with a blog where you can post your Homeric Cat 5 20th - 25th place Epics.
You shall find your way home, oh wandering orphan child.

Oh man! What a bunch of bubble bursters...

Forget the, oh soooo sage, advise from the pro wanabees; I mean, mentors on overtime...

Nice job Rick! We're all racing for what you wrote about -- have fun!

OK, Since Zebra started it, I'll add my comments.
1) I like reading race reports and I don't care if it's a Cat 5 or Pro, but at 10 days after the event it's a bit late.

Big Rick Rider wrote:

My race goes off with only 35-40 guys, but only 5-8 were cool.

I fired up some 3,4 and then 5 guys- we rolled in a group fast forward.

2) Only 5 to 8 "cool" guys in your field? I don't think I was cool as a Cat 5, or even as a 4 or a 3 but hopefully I'm getting there. Maybe...

3) By firing up some 3, 4 and 5 guys does that mean that you were riding as a pack with mixed fields working together. That's a big No No.

ZebraMan wrote:

Posting a cat 5 race report on the Forum is kind of ... gauche.

I'm surprised that the Zebra didn't suggest that Big Rick be banished to the Cat 5 forum, where he can get trained and mentored in the proper techniques of posting. Only after becoming a Cat 4 poster would the Zebra then allow him access to this forum......with all of the posts, we can't allow the forum to grow; we need better quality posts - right, Zebra?

Okay, I dig the enthusiasm, but ...

Posting a cat 5 race report on the Forum is kind of ... gauche. (Apologies to you "sinister" lefties).

Doing so after midnight is, well, maybe a little scary?

You can take this piece of advice as a bit of overtime mentoring on a subject that Larry & Co. did not think to cover at Early Birds (although they managed to remember the "don't pee in public" lecture five times):

Join a team with a blog where you can post your Homeric Cat 5 20th - 25th place Epics.
You shall find your way home, oh wandering orphan child.

b.s. - Perhaps I should have asked up front ... Just how "BIG" is Big Rick, anyway? Big enough to kick a baying Zebra's rear stripes?