Paul and Yolanda Duva Welcome a New Daughter!

Violet Crown offers our heartfelt congratulations to former VC'er Paul Duva and his lovely wife Yolanda on the occasion of the birth of their new daugher Gabriella Sienna, who was born November 20th. We understand everyone is in great health (although possibly a little sleep deprived).

Training and Racing in Saxony

I hooked up with a couple local racers here in Dresden this past weekend - Dirk and Uwe. Saturday they dragged me up and down the Ore Mountains for 135 km. I had told them that I wasn't a climber but they said that's alright - they weren't in a hurry. Big mistake - never be the slowest guy on the team in a team time trial or on a training ride in the mountains. Not wanting to embarrass myself too badly I took the lead on an early climb. I guess they figured I could keep up w/ anything after that, which I did, more or less, but not without substantial gagging, bleeding from my eyeballs, etc.

So afterwards, when we got back into town and stopped in for a coffee and cake, they asked me if I wanted to go to a local training race the next day. "It's only a 50 km race, it's only 35 km away, and it's flat." OK, well I was hammered from the mountains, but what the hell - it would be flat. Well it turned out that they meant the ride to the race and return was flat. The race was in  Stadt Wehlen, which is basically built on the hillside between the Elbe River and the plateau above the river. The race was 7 laps up and down the damn hillside. About 3 km of 8% average grade (varying b/t 3% and 12%) on the way up. Turn around and race back down. Repeat until you've gone blind. There were about 100 starters - all categories starting together. Although it was technically only open to unlicensed riders, licensed riders could race, they just weren't elegible for prizes. I foolishly signed up for the open race, rather than the Senioren II (50+), who only did 4 laps. By the time we reached the top on the first lap there were only 20 of us together. I couldn't see anyone behind me. On the second lap, I was dropped from this group. On the third lap the first chase group caught me. On the 4th and succeeding lap, I was basically racing alone. LOL. My two racing buddies got 6th and 10th. I was glad just not to be going up the damn hill anymore.
Afterwards there were almost as many door prizes as racers. The Burgermeister was on stage calling the numbers of the winners; I couldn't understand a damn thing other than the numbers, and I knew I wasn't hearing mine. Then my buddy Dirk came up to me and told me they were announcing a prize for the person who came the furthest for the race (I'm pretty sure Dirk set this up). That would be me. I couldn't really understand what the Burgermeister was saying, but I gather that (a) there was some concern whether I was related to George Bush, and (b) the helmet that I won was particularly appropriate since everyone in Texas rides a horse.
After all the festivities were done we rode home, which meant going up the hill one last time before crossing the plateau back to Dresden.
Total for the day: 125 km., 4 post-race pieces of cake, 2 post-race coffees, 1 post-ride plate of potato wedges with quark, .128 sore bones and muscles.
When I finally got back to my room, I got to catch the end of the Cyclassics where Allessandro Ballaan made a brilliant, phenomenal last kilometer move to win the race.
Later,

zaz

Kurzawa Wins National Senior Olympics Road Race

Frank Kurzawa, Violet Crown stalwart, won the 50-54 division road race today in the National Senior Games being hosted in Louisville, Kentucky. On a hilly, technical loop, Frank attacked the remaining group of eleven riders on the last hill to the finish. He won by a wheel in a group sprint by throwing his bike across the line.

Frank placed fifth and twelfth in the two time trials. John Collins and is lovely wife Alice competed in their age groups and John Bartles accompanied his father who was competing in the 80-84 division.

Two Weekends in Arkansas

After two years of wanting to follow Frank to New Mexico for the Tour of the Gila, but having work obligations get in the way (yes, work must take precedence...sometimes!), I decided to try a different NRC race and chose the Joe Martin Stage Race in Fayetteville, Arkansas. I had heard of the legendary uphill TT and the rolling green hills of Fayetteville. Though nothing like the massive "cols" of Gila, Joe Martin offered enough of a challenge to at least make me curious.

Southern Elite president Jim Quinn and I drove the nine-plus hours and arrived late Friday afternoon. The Pro 1-2 racers soon finished their difficult 92-mile First Stage, even as we awaited packet pickup for the USCF racers. Our first race was to be a 44.5- mile road race on Saturday morning.

One thing I noticed about the difference between a NRC event and a TXBRA race, at least in the 45+ category...smaller fields. We had 33 starters, combined with 16 more 55+ racers in the same race. However, soon after starting and hitting the first section of rollers, something else became quite evident...everyone was a good racer! I guess if you decide to show up for one of these events, you had best be ready to rock!

Phil Sladek of GeriAtrix launched an early attack. I immediately grabbed his wheel since I only recognized him and the two other GeriAtrix racers, Tom Bain and George Heagerty. Sladek's wheel is a smart place to be, if you can hold it! The two of us put about twenty seconds on the field, and we were joined by a third rider who did not want to work, simply trying to keep us in check. The field soon joined us, and immediately the counter-attacks began. The first real climb split the field, and I was able to hold fifth place, still keying on the boys in pink. Four riders slipped away, and three of the rest of us began a solid chase on the long, gradual uphill section. When the GeriAtrix duo of Bain and Heagerty (Sladek had flatted and never made it back to our group) dragged about nine or ten riders with them to bridge our gap, five of us worked ceaselessly to close the still-widening gap of the four leaders. However, with only five working and four strong guys in the break, well...you do the math. We closed to within twenty seconds, but the leaders got away again and disappeared on the winding roads.

George was rightfully perturbed at those not working. He and Bain did some maniacal pulls of 30+ mph on the rollers. I pulled on the uphills, they took over on the downhill and flat sections. We only closed to within a minute of the four leaders and were destined to have a field sprint for fifth place. I spun out my 12-tooth and still finished butt-naked last in our pack sprint! However, I still received the same time as fifth- place rider Tom Bain. I was 15th on the stage. Sladek finished two minutes later, with another large pack a further minute or so behind.

Stage Two, four hours later, featured the infamous 2.5-mile uphill TT with an average gradient of 6.8 %. I was slightly over-geared on the early part (53-21) and wisely shifted down to the small ring, riding mostly a 39-19 or 39-21 up the climb, standing virtually the entire climb (my style!). The climb was steady at 6.8 % and although tough, not as tough as I would have thought. I finished 6th overall in the TT and had moved into 6th on GC, ahead of Heagerty and Sladek!

That was the good news. The bad news was that Stage Three presented a 1.3- mile Criterium course with 8 turns, a long downhill stretch, and a short, steep hill to finish each lap. Sladek and Heagerty (and Tom Bain) love Criteriums! This would be my second Crit ever.

I was gapped almost immediately when I was caught behind some "even- more- novice- than- I" riders going wide on turn two. I chased for the rest of the short (35-minute) race, but never caught the main field and fell from 6th to 11th on GC. Still, all in all a great weekend of racing.

That long weekend with 1,400 miles of driving and three tough races should have quenched my desire for competition for at least a month, right? Not for me! I seem to enjoy suffering. At the last minute (almost literally), I decided to race in the next NRC event, the Tr-Peaks Challenge in Russellville, Arkansas (near Little Rock). I left Houston after school on Friday afternoon and drove the 10 hours to Russellville. I arrived in Arkansas so late that rather than waking my weekend roommates (John McAllister, a Cat 3 for Michelob Ultra and his teammate Kevin), I decided to sleep in my 4Runner. After all, I had to arrive at the race site for late registration at 5:30 a.m. I noticed a familiar face after warming up for a while..George Heagerty! Great, I had a rider to mark, and a great one.

The Stage One 60-mile Road Race featured plenty of rollers, one tough climb, and a lot of beautiful scenery, if you weren't racing of course. The climb surprised me and I was caught near the back and had to chase back to the group. Once again, our 45+ field was small but super-tough, as were the 35+ and Cat 4 fields, so all three groups raced together. George and I made sure we marked all of the "400" series numbers (for 45+), yet at times even this plan proved difficult, so the best bet was to cover everything! Ultimately, our entire field sprinted for the win. I grabbed George's wheel and hung on for dear life. He pulled me to a 7th place finish, my best field sprint this season.

The 5.4- mile TT was mostly flat with a gradual rise in elevation (about 200 feet), but was entirely into a headwind and crosswind. I finally had a TT bike and rode well for me, finishing 10th in the TT. However, enough guys were faster that I was now only 10th on GC.

Stage Three presented a 35.5-mile Road Race with undoubtedly the toughest finish and the toughest climb I have ever done. Imagine 2.5 miles with an AVERAGE gradient of 18%...and that includes a 200-meter flat and slightly downhill section only 1km from the finish! This climb has several pitches of 22%- 25%, even steeper if you take the corners tightly as I foolishly attempted twice! Add about fifteen switchbacks and you have a real "suffer-fest!"

I marked a guy named Bob Cable of Tyson Cycling, who had won this stage and this event five out of six years. The field had some attacks and bridges during the 33 miles leading to the climb, but obviously everyone was thinking about the pain. We hit the climb and immediately a small split occurred...and I was in the second group! I reacted immediately and bridged up to the lead pack of about ten riders (mixed up with 35+, Cat 4, and Heagerty, plus one 45+ I missed!). I pulled away from Heagerty about one-third of the way up the climb and passed a few others on the brutal ascent. I stood virtually the entire climb. I had been advised by several riders to put a 27-tooth on the back, but I trusted my 12-25 setup and went with that. I'm glad I did, because a 27 for me would have been practically spinning in place.

I finally reached the "1km to go" sign and the brief respite of a 200-meter downhill and flat section, then the real fun began. The final 800 meters or so hurts like, well, I don't know what it hurts like because I have nothing more painful to compare. I was fueled by the thought that I was finally going to "win" a race. I crossed the line for what I thought was first place...but I soon found out that Bob Cable had finished ahead of me (and by 51 seconds!). I never saw him ahead of me at the start of the climb, but he was there. Crafty veteran! I'm sure he would have killed me anyway. This guy wouldn't dream of a 27-tooth. He has an 11-21 setup and did almost the entire climb in the saddle! I have some work to do for next year.

I did finish 2nd on the climb and moved up to 6th overall on GC, my best-ever finish in a stage race.

Guys, I know Arkansas is a long (really long!) drive, but trust me… BOTH of these events are well worth the trip. The organizational aspects, the volunteers, the communities are all supportive of the races and the racers. I'm thrilled I decided to race in both, and these two races are already on my calendar for next year.

Any takers? I'll drive.

Kim Wrinkle

Zaza's Pain Chronicle - Tour of the Gila Day Four

Crit Day is always kind of cool. Since I basically suck as a crit rider (oh yeah, I suck at the time trial and road stages as well), I don’t take the stage too seriously and use the day mostly for recovery purposes. Plus the actual racing is only an hour long and my hotel is right in turn four, so there’s plenty of time to just hang out and enjoy Silver City.

I always visit with Steve Ferris, who is in charge of the forty trillion spare wheels provided by the racers. They’re locked up in Steve’s “Biciclub” bike “shop” a block from my hotel. This place is an incredible collection of  assorted bikes and bike parts that stretch over at least 4 decades. Steve is also into MotoGuzzi’s – see the attached photo. Plus everyone who matters knows Steve. I can always count on running into Maynard Hershon at Steve’s. Maynard is now considering moving to Austin.

My crit was early in the day and it pretty much went according to plan – I started at the front, slowly slid to the back over many laps, and was eventually dropped, but not before a lot of other people were. I lost some time on the stage, but not that much; I recovered really quickly and am hopeful that I’ll be fresh enough tomorrow to not suffer a million slow deaths on the final stage.

Geriatrix never created a successful break, but Henry won every prime and then comfortably won the field sprint as well.

I’m currently sitting in the coffee house in turn four. I got to watch the cat 2’s (Adam Gaubert, Joel Grimmett), the Pro/1 women, and am now watching the Pro/1 men do their thirty thousandth lap. Turn four is really fast, coming at the bottom of a gradual descent, but I’ve never seen a crash here. Tonight we’ll be taking Bonnie Walker out to dinner.

No matter how much I suffer tomorrow I’ll be done at the end of the stage, then it’s straight into Sladek’s incredible camper thing for a fourteen hour drive back to San Marcos. I should get home about four am, just in time to not get any sleep before going in to work at 8 am Monday morning. What a restful vacation this is!

Zaza's Pain Chronicle - Tour of the Gila Day Three

Umm, I guess I’m now in tourist mode. It’s been a rough 24 hours. My digestive problems got way worse – I’ve been losing weight and am now taking immodium in hopes of keeping things in check.

Stage three has always been a really hard stage, but I’ve generally been able to come out of it with only limited losses even if it also trashes me. But today was worse than usual as I felt unrecovered being up half the night . The stage (http://www.tourofthegila.com/pics/mapftbardlg.gif) has some hard climbing in the first 20 miles, then a lot of flat and rolling and descending for the next 40 miles, then more hard climbing in the last 20 miles (total – 78 miles). The trick is to not be too far back after the first climbs and to be in a reasonable sized group over the flat-to-rolling midsection so that you don’t have too fight too much wind by yourself.

I suffered as much as I could but was still back in the third group through Pinos Altos at mile twelve, then slipped back further over the next 10 miles of additional climbing. Ultimately I found myself in the midsection with just two companions and with two thirds of the field just up the road. It was really heartbreaking to be within 15 seconds of a group of 20 just before they pulled away for good. Then we lost one of our threesome, leaving just two of us working the headwind for 20 miles to the final climbs. I conserved what I could and luckily my partner was stronger than I. When we finally hit the long climb we could actually see the other group about three minutes ahead of us. My partner cracked at that point and I lost another 5 minutes fighting my way up a 5% grade for the next gazillion miles.

I staggered in alone, 28 minutes after the leaders. The two leaders, by-the-way were the GC leader (Lindsey Blount) and Jonathon Boyer, who rode away from everyone on the first climbs and ultimately finished 10 minutes ahead of the next group of ten. I was thirty-seventh out of a field that is now down to forty-four, and I’m now down around thirty-fifth on GC. Oops.

Dinner was not as painful as the race. Geriatrix and I had a six o’clock reservation at Spaghetti Western – the best authentic Italian food in a five hundred mile radius. Henry Skowolniak recounted his defection from the Polish National team while they were racing in France in 1981. Not even his parents knew of his plan to do this and I’m sure it had to be about the most stressful time in his whole life. He was only twenty-two at the time. What a spell-binding story.

The digestive problems seem to be under better control now – I’ve got my fingers crossed. Hopefully I will be able to recover tomorrow during the crit and have something in the tank to get me up the four major climbs (including a cat two and two cat four’s) on Sunday's final seventy-two mile stage. Geriatrix is talking about lighting it up in the crit tomorrow - oh boy, I can hardly wait.

Zaza's Pain Chronicle - Tour of the Gila Day 2

It's Wednesday morning after the second stage seventy five mile road race up to the top of the Mogollon. Here is the stage profile: http://www.tourofthegila.com/pics/mapmogollon.gif. As you can see, the stage is dominated by the category 1 climb in the final 10 miles.

My strategy was simple: try to conserve energy while staying near the front. Cover what you have to and remain ever vigilant. Every year the pack dynamics are radically different. Last year several groups managed to get up the road: Tom Bain had ten minutes on the pack when he reached the turn-off to go up the Mogollon. This year the pack was having none of that: nothing got up the road and the pace remained uniformly high:this was somewhat demanding but still easier than responding to 65 miles of stop and go before the climb. Geriatrix won both ten-second bonus sprints: Henry Skowolniak (honorary Geriatrix member) took one, and Tom Bain took the other.

When we were ten miles from the base of the Mogollon the lead motorcycle official told us we were just one minute behind the Cat Threes that had started ten minutes before us. Shortly after that we found ourselves running straight into the butt-end of their follow caravan that was creeping up one of the long rollers on the big highway. After neutralizing for a little while, the motorcycle ref motioned the field out over the yellow line to pass the caravan. Here is where things started getting dicey. First we began to crest one of the hills so one of the motorhomes that was trapped in the caravan started gunning it as if to try to repass us on the downhill. Then while we were all on the left side of the yellow line, a pickup began approaching us head on. I searched for a spot in the caravan to dive into just in case I had to. Luckily the approaching pick-up dived off the right side of the road into the ditch. After all that back and forthing with the caravan we finally got in front of them and never did see the actual threes pack although we caught many of the stragglers on the final climb.

When we finally turned off the highway to go up to the Mogollon I was feeling fresher than any year than I've been out here. I was comfortably tucked out of the wind about tenth wheel. The road started up-hill and I continued holding my position. The pace picked up. I gave up a few places. Lindsay Blount (in the leader's jersey after winning yesterday's time trial) surged to the front and jacked it up a few notches. The group split in pieces. I considered my rapid approach to red line and stayed with the second group. We continued upward while I went over redline. I wanted desperately to stay with this group because we were just a half mile from the crosswind-covered mesa that is over a mile long before the second half and harder part of the climb begins. With only a few hundred meters to reach the mesa I was finally separated from the back of group, and I had dug too deep. Phil Sladek came up behind me but my wasted legs couldn't produce enough to allow me to follow him. I ended up working most of the windy mesa by myself before a group of four came up to me for some relief.

We hit the final four miles of climbing. The sign said three miles but it would turn out to be wrong. First I was able to hang with my group of four but I had burned too many matches. They gapped me. But I held them close. For the next two miles they were only fifty yards ahead of me. But the pain was increasing with each pedal stroke. I passed a sign that said one mile to go. I was watching my computer counting down. When I had gone a full mile I came to the one kilometer sign. How cruel can these guys be? To make matters worse I was starting to cramp. I had to keep changing position and relax some of the pedal pressure. My group of four were now slipping out of sight around the next bend and some other dude was overtaking me. I had been passing straggler cat three's but now I wasn't even doing that.

After all that I suppose my actual finish was anticlimactic. I learned that Lindsey Blount won the stage, finishing about seven minutes ahead of me. Jonathon Boyer was third on the stage about a minute back. I finished twenty-fifth.

Afterwards we zipped down the mountain trying not to kill ourselves on the switchbacks, and piled into Phil Sladek's massive, massive, massive camper/pickup. The damn thing is as large as a city block. Six of us fit comfortably in the cab. In the camper were four more bike racers (mostly Moritz) plus all of our bikes and other assorted crap.

One of the returnees was Bruce Hodgkins, owner of Excel Sports. He's a helluva a nice guy and even though he hasn't been racing many years he was fifth on the stage. He has his own airplane and flies to races like this (weather permitting).

My stomach is gurgling now. Golden Corral? Too much gatorade? Too many bowls of raisin bran? I don't know, but it's making me uncomfortable and I'm having trouble staying hydrated.

That's it for now. Lots more to talk about but I'm totally whipped.

P.S. Some people have really bad luck: Many of you know Adam Gaubert, who is doing the Cat 2's out here. He flatted four miles into the stage 1 time trial and was given the same time as the worst place finisher in his category: 51 minutes, 15 minutes out of 1st place. Despite riding well up the Mogollon he is still in 60th place out of a field of 80. Life is a bitch.

Zaza's Pain Chronicle - Tour of the Gila Day 1

[Apologies for the late posting of this report from Wednesday. I’ve been unusually busy with some logistical and (minor) medical issues – zaz]

Ah, it's six am in the morning after yesterday's first stage time trial. When I woke up a few minutes ago I was dreaming that I was at work and had just remembered that I was still in the middle of a stage race. Oops.

The time trial is a 16 mile out and back that starts with 4.4 miles uphill on a 3.5% grade, descends, then does two more rollers before the turn around. On the way back you have to climb back up to the summit of the long grade at 8%, then you descend the last 4.4 miles trying to do your best to spin out your eleven without being blown over by any crosswinds.

I'm hanging out with the Geriatrix crew here - Bain, Sladek, Heagerty, and their newest honorary member, Henry Skowolniak.

Henry had the best time of the

Texas

40+ crew - a 40:44. which was fifth best in the 40+ race that we're doing.

Before my own TT, I was warming up on my trainer when Eric Jordan happened by. He came out here with Joel Grimmett and is also doing the 40+ race. I hope he doesn’t suffer as much as I usually do out here. LOL

I worked the time trial pretty hard - I don't think I left much time on the course. Unfortunately my 30 second man was a no-show so I couldn’t use him as a carrot, but I caught my minute man at 3 miles and I caught a couple other riders as well. On the other hand the guy 30 seconds behind me caught me at 3 miles as well. I really went hard on the final descent managing for the most part to keep my speed in the low to mid 40’s, finally clawing back the last guy that I had a chance to catch. Trying to keep the gear spun while staying tucked was killing my back but I was willing because I thought maybe this was my year to actually start in the top half of the field after the first stage.

But it wasn't meant to be. I only did a 44:38, which was way down at thirty-first place out of a field of fifty-three. I am now over five minutes behind the leader on GC. How can I lose five minutes in just sixteen miles? I guess I must not have been trying. Actually I understand the fastest Pro/1 time was 34 minutes. How can someone go ten minutes faster than me in just sixteen miles?

My time was still two minutes faster than my time from last year but I guess the field has just gotten tougher. This year it's a 40+ race instead of 45+, and even though only ten of the racers are under 45, many of them are cat 1's and just about all of them are in the top half of the field.

Speaking of Cat 1's, we've got Jonathon Boyer in our race. This fifty-one year old raced the Tour de France five times in the mid-eighties, finishing as high as twelfth on GC. There was a controversy the year that Greg Lemond won the World Championship Road Race, because Greg chased down Jonathon - his teammate - to do it. Maybe next year Greg will do the race as well. LOL

In retrospect, I was probably lucky to do as well as I did on the stage. The night before, I went to the Golden Corral with Bain, Sladek, Skowolniak, and Heagerty. Bain swears by that place. I couldn’t convince them to go anywhere else. That place is toxic – I can’t believe how much really bad food that I ate there. But if it works for Tom…

Studying Central Texas Agricultural Practices

While I was on a recent weekend ride I stumbled on these Violet Crown riders who were in deep concentration, carefully studying Central Texas agricultural techniques.

zaz

Mangia Recognized as 2005 Independent of the Year

Our long-time sponsor, friend, and local pizza joint Mangia Chicago Stuffed Pizza was recognized by Pizza Magazine as the 2005 Independent of the Year. The company has been in business for 18 years, just opened its fourth store, and according to the article, has plans to add up to 17 more stores in and around Austin in the next 5 years. The industry award was recognized by the Austin Chronicle 's Food O File.  Pizza Today also wrote about Managia's contributions to keeping it weird in Austin in an August feature article about the pizzeria. Congratulations Mangia!