Sparrow Shot Key West March 2008

Phanny's New Friend

PA

Someone recorded one of my PAs between DFW and SFO and sent it to me.

I thought you'd enjoy this!

Square Grand

I never heard of such a thing. But, I am now the caretaker for one.
Built in 1860. I haven't played since I was 13. We'll see how quickly
it comes back.

Air to Air Gunnery

Ever wonder how fighter pilots practice shooting down other airplanes?

Well, since airplanes are too expensive to shoot down we have one jet tow a banner and the others roll in and shoot at it.

The first image show what it looks like from a distance.  It really is that hard to see.

Next we get a little closer.  This is about what it looks like just before we start to shoot.  It gets big fast so we only shoot for about half a second.  That's long enough to get 50 20mm bullets into the air.

You can see the how close in size the banner is to one of our F/A-18s.

Images from Key West

Your earliest response

Nederlands Staatsloterij
Postbus 3334
5902 RH Venlo-Nederland
https://www.staatsloterij.nl
Ref No: STLI/88-5/0007.
Batch No: 587/9876JH.

Dear. Sir/Madam,
Your email address has won EUR 920,000:00 (Nine Hundred and Twenty
Thousand Euro Only) in the Netherland Staatsloterij Sweeptakes,conducted
on the 11th day of March 2008, sponsored by consortium of software promotion
companies.

For claims and more informations, contact our processing
department with the details below.

Mr. Peter.Gobec
Staatsloterij Processing Dept.
Tel: +31-634666123
Fax: +31 847195169
Email: contactpetergobec@gmail.com

Your Winning Details.
Ref No: STLI/88-5/0007.
Batch No: 587/9876JH.

Sincerely Yours,
Mrs. Clementina Colombo
Sweepstakes Coordinator.
Copyright © 2001-2008 Nederlands Staatsloterij

Brrrrr

Look out Zamora, here comes VOS.

RE: Land Park

congrats you guys...great results
 
have fun tomorrow too
 
m
 


> From: kyleglerum@gmail.com
> To: vos_racing@googlegroups.com
> Subject: Land Park
> Date: Sat, 15 Mar 2008 18:18:12 -0700
> CC: kyleglerum.lothar@blogger.com; gebhard@cyclepath.com
>
>
> 45+ Sweet G 3rd
> 35+ Jeff Poulsen 1st
> P/1/2 Dan Martin 7th
>
> Plus several primes!
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
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> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "vos_racing" group.
> To post to this group, send email to vos_racing@googlegroups.com
> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to vos_racing-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
> For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/vos_racing?hl=en
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>

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Land Park

45+ Sweet G 3rd
35+ Jeff Poulsen 1st
P/1/2 Dan Martin 7th

Plus several primes!

Sent from my iPhone

Do The Test

Do The Test

Thanks Taz!

Remembering

Memorial Ride

Team Roaring Mouse Cycles and Third Pillar Racing Team are holding a joint 
memorial ride this Saturday March 15th, to honor the lives of Kristy Gough and 
Matt Peterson, our two teammates killed on Steven's Creek Canyon last Sunday 
while on a training ride. We welcome friends, family, fellow cyclists and all those 
whose lives have been touched by Matt and Kristy. Our ride will include a visit 
to the site of the crash site for those to share their memories

When: Saturday, March 15th 

Where: Leaving from Foothill College
12345 El Monte Road,
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022

**We kindly request you do NOT drive out to the crash site during this time, as 
we need to keep cars to a minimum in the area, given the road conditions.

Time: Meet at 2:30pm, ride by 3pm

Length: 30-45 minutes to the crash site. Base pace (ie, mellow). No drop. 

Route: 
Start @ Foothill College (Parking Lot #1, near the football stadium;  see link 
above for map)

–         Left on El Monte
–         Right on Foothill Expressway
–         Continue on Steven's Creek Canyon

–         Return

*Press are welcome to attend, however we request respect during our ride. It 
would mean the most to us if press were to accompany us on their bikes, as we 
are all cyclists this week.

Matt Peterson

Mercury News - Matt

Kristy Gough

Mercury News - Kristy

County Sheriff Hits and Kills Two Cyclists

It is a far worse day than I thought.  

I just found out two of my training partners from Five Rings Cycle Center were killed and a third rider who I have ridden with several times this winter was seriously injured.

Kristy Gough, a professional triathlete and member of Third Pillar, a friend and training partner, was fatally injured.  

Matt Peterson, Roaring Mouse Cycles, was fatally injured.

Christopher, a young European professional from Germany training this winter on the Peninsula, suffered critical injuries.  Sounds like broken arm, leg, and ribs.

I am out of town but it sounds like these riders, who train with my coach, were on a ride around Stevens Creek Reservoir when the Sheriff crossed the center line and hit them.  This is our usual route to Hwy 9.  Several witnesses heard the officer remark that he must have fallen asleep.

These three and one other strong rider had broken away from the rest of the training group. The fourth rider became fatigued and was about 30 seconds behind the others going around the reservoir. When he rounded the bend by the quarry he saw the aftermath of the accident. There was nothing he could do for Matt. He kept Kristy alive until the paramedics and life flight arrived.

So far this is the most informative article I have found:

Two bicyclists were killed when a Santa Clara County sheriff's patrol car crossed the double-yellow line on Stevens Canyon Road in Cupertino and hit a group of riders shortly before 10:30 a.m. Sunday.

The crash on a beautiful Sunday morning left the local cycling community and the sheriff's department shaken.

"It's just horrible," said Mike Riepe of San Jose, after hauling his mountain bike up a trail near the crash site.

The opportunities for hill climbing and downhill coasting along Stevens Canyon make the road tempting for cyclists. So on Sunday morning four cyclists training for an event decided to give the hills a shot. The group collided with the deputy's car while the deputy was on a routine patrol in the area, Sgt. Don Morrissey said.

Coming around a corner, near a straight-away, the deputy accidentally crossed the center line and struck the group. He called for help and immediately began CPR on one of the fallen cyclists, Morrissey said.

Two cyclists, a 29-year-old San Francisco man and a 30-year-old Oakland woman, died. A 20-year-old man was seriously injured, CHP officer Todd Thibodeau said. The fourth rider was not hurt.

Sunday's accident rattled the whole department, Morrissey said. The deputy involved in the crash will be placed on administrative leave until the investigation is complete. He's been on the force for about a year and half.

"He's taking it very hard," Morrissey said. "The whole department is saddened."

Fatal crashes are rare for the sheriff's department, even though deputies often drive as many as 200 miles in a single shift, Morrissey said.

The last fatal crash involving a sheriff's patrol car happened in 1994, when a deputy trying to keep a suspect from running struck and killed the man near the intersection of West San Carlos and Bascom Avenue. The deputy was cleared of wrongdoing.

On a good weekend, thousands of cyclists cruise the winding road leading to Stevens Creek Reservoir, said cyclist Steve Paterson, 49, of Cupertino, as he was turned away from a road block near Ricardo Road set up because of the crash.

"There are so many rides up here," he said. "Club rides, sponsored rides, groups of friends."

It's unclear whether the cyclists involved in the crash were riding as part of larger group, Morrissey said.

Local cyclists noted that riders in large groups will sometimes ride two-abreast. The practice is not illegal but can be extremely dangerous on narrow, winding roads with a large amount of traffic.

It was unclear if the cyclists involved in this crash were doing so, Thibodeau said. But cyclists said they've seen dangerous behavior from those on both two-wheels and four.

"I've seen bicyclists who ride crazy," Paterson said. "And I've seen cars that go too fast."

In 1996, cyclist Jeffrey Steinwedel, 46, died on Stevens Canyon Road just up the road from Sunday's crash when a quarry driver struck him as he took a winter ride. The driver, Jon Nisby, was sentenced to a year in jail.

The CHP is asking anyone who witnessed the crash to call (408) 467-5354, ext. 337.

Not so nice today...

Thai Lunch

Key West might suck for cycling (especially since I broke a spoke 26
miles from civilization...again) but sunny and 80 on the deck enjoying
a little Thai lunch ain't bad.

Fork Shoals Road Race

Fork Shoals Road Race P/1/2

Greenville, SC

1 March 2008

To start off, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to make it to the race.  When I finally decided "game on" at 8pm Friday night, I checked the flyer one more time and noticed a pre-reg option.  I figured I could at least look to see if the field was full or not.  Well, much to my surprise, not only was the field not full, but I was able to register on line! Only 10 hours prior to the start of the race...kudos to Race Management Services.  And, I also noticed that Big George (High Road) and Teddy King (Bissell) were racing.

So the morning started like any other race morning. Except I was in a hotel in Atlanta not my bed in Redwood City. And I was going to a race I hadn't even heard of until the week before. And I didn't have a kitchen to raid for my pre-race meal.  But, alas, I was going to do my first P/1/2 road race.

I solved the breakfast issue with a quick stop at Cracker Barrel.  What a deal.  For $4 I got a bowl of oatmeal with nuts, raisins, brown sugar, a sliced banana, a carton of milk, and an apple bran muffin.  Gold Mine!  A quick stop for a potent cup of 'joe and I was, well, off to the races.

As I left Georgia and entered South Carolina the morning clouds broke, the sun peeked through, and of course the wind picked up. But, I had just raced Snelling with evil nasty crosswinds so I was prepared.  I would stay near the front so when the hammerheads went...I wouldn't get caught behind the gapped riders and have to bridge the gaps unnecessarily burning matches I would surely need.

Ah, best laid plans.

The race started 45 minutes late.  My only negative comment about the whole day.  And, to the promoters credit, when they realized it, they announced that "all afternoon races will be delayed 45 minutes".

On the line I noticed a couple teams well represented (Hincapie/Coca Cola, Hincapie Development Team, Industry Nine, Black Sheep) but it looked like mostly a lot of ones and twos.  I saw George and his brother and Teddy and the 2007 State Champ (SC I think) and a bunch of kids.  But, there were a couple old guys like me also.

We weren't 5 miles into the race when the first break went. I waited.  Surely the "teams" would not let this happen if it was serious. It was only four guys, the state champ and a teammate (Hincapie/Coca Cola) included. I couldn't stand it. I tried to rally some support. I needed a couple guys to go with me. I jumped on a chase with Bissell. It failed. Maybe I could get another going. But, I had no idea what the course held. And, we had 65 miles to go. I got a couple guys to rally but there were at least 3 or 4 more Hincapie/Coke guys in the field. And they were boogers. They had control. None of the other teams were interested.

Lap 1: Gap = one minute

Lap 2: Gap = two minutes

I couldn't take it. The race was up the road. I had already done too much trying to get in the "right" chase and ignite chases, but at this point it seemed like it was just a work-out. A 75 mile training ride. The race was over. After two guys went off the front to bridge to the break and I was left sitting on the front, I tried to give it up, I was going sooooo slow but nobody would come around me. i got so frustrated. Then one of the Hincapie guys who had been blocking all day came up and became my oV. 

He said, "don't worry about those two, they won't make it."

I replied, "none of us are making it, I might as well get a work-out."

He so profoundly replied, "Oh...you'll get a work-out as soon as Big George and Bissell decide to turn it on."

I dropped back about 15 bikes, sat in, relaxed, started to enjoy the easy ride, then all HELL broke lose.  Bissell went, George took a pull and a pull and a pull and Bissell again, they were going for it.  Tag teaming the front. For 10 minutes it seemed like a pro race. We were all guttered and gutted. Then they sat up. We all sat up. Later I heard two guys talking, "I was so on the rivet back there", "yeah I don't think I could've hung on for another minute". I think we lost twenty or thirty guys in that 10 minutes.

Lap 3: Gap 1 minute

It stayed like that with random periods of speed when somebody got antsy. When the crosswind picked up. When Bissell or George took a pull.

Lap 4: Gap 1 minute

Bell lap. Here we go. But we weren't going. It was just more of the same. Then, on the backside, in the crosswind, George moved up. He pulled, someone else took a turn, someone else. We could see the break. It was coming back together. Ouch, the beginning twinges of cramps. (I drank the three bottles I carried, no neutral water) Have to stay near the front. No more than 10 back! That's my final offer. Top ten would be respectable. Last 5 miles. Rollers, long steeper roller, down, the last long steep roller, I'm holding my spot, some guys moving up, others falling back. At the top, flattens out a little, winds around, slight up hill, little kick at the end. Seen it 4 times already. Speeding up. Finish is closer than I thought. There's the sign, Bissell is sprinting, and the roof, and the 200m, still holding on, George sat up, two guys I can catch, over the shoulder nobody even close, pedal harder, faster, sprint. Finish. How far back? 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 in front...maybe 7...maybe 9.  Lots of people on bikes.

Well, 9th it was 

and a 

$20 payout to boot, 

thanks George

...until I looked on line (just for shits and grins, because no promoter can get results posted on the inter webs within 4 hours of the finish of a race)

I was actually 8th!  

Woohoo!

I love racing!