This year's 4 Women Tour Finishers
(me, jennifer wolfson, sue hwood, sue george)
what is it:
a local club ride in pro-ville harrisonburg VA. for 5-1/2 days you literally chase down some of the east coasts fastest, most notorious riders in an effort to prove you are worthy to be there. or not.
who goes:
aside from the formentioned big wigs, only local riders go or some very close invited buddies from a few different towns. somehow JP & I hooked up with the Tour some odd 6 years ago doing small bits of it each time while visiting, until 2009 we felt ok to join for the whole sha-bang.
what you do:
it's like a mini tour de france, but yet not so mini. you need to be prepared to ride some 350+ miles on whatever terrain the leader has chosen, maybe like 25000(?) climbing...not sure...no one REALLY keeps track. If you are slower like myself, you need to be ready to hustle for just about ALL 300 miles or risk complete ridicule.
Race sections (usually 2/day each lasting just over an hour for the leaders, with a short lunch break) you have 1 hour max to be in from the leader, parade sections you NEED to be spot on with the group or you get dumped. Basically, you climb a TON.....and descend some LONG sweet forest DH as a reward!!!! There are KOM, Sprint, overall GC, TT, DFL, and Super D points along the way.
the guys have 'teams' and some strategizing going on in the GC, including a hair cut/shave contest for time bonus.
how to do it:
you either know someone local to stay at their house, or beg to yardcamp. Me & JP yardcamp with some Boone NCers. This makes a little rougher week, but whatev.
So, last year we ran into constant rain & muddy conditions. by day 5 I was most definitely in last place of the local women, led by Sue H. pace. although it really doesn't matter what the girls are doing.....you need to be within 1 hour each stage from the OVERALL leader to continue on. some years this has been JB, harlan price, brian fawley, sam koerber or some sort of similarly paced local or not so local peep.
hence, you can see the dilema of me even attending!!!! So last year, I manage to somewhat meet the timechecks, although forced to sag once due to the crappy weather and the group leaving without me, I was not DNF for it...but on the last day I had just about had it with being last, and to make it worse it was POURING & I woke up with no further ambition to struggle on what was going to be some long, technical, wet DHs on RIM BRAKES. So I opted DNF....Ugh....
So, I am back this year with a vengenance. To finish. That is all. Finish and not be TOO far back from some of the local girls. But hence right from the getgo, the comp is all over me....wth?? I am here for fun & challenge myself to get through the week. Just before the first MTB TT prologue, I am spinning around, Sue H. leads me astray from the start sidetracking me with conversation about battling a certain local in the womens tour. I say "NO WAY, not into it!!" ok, so now not only has she got me knowing someone is out for me...but I also MISS THE START of my TT!!! Just a few seconds but still in a 1 hour TT, getting a shit start didn't help!! Being not a local is not a good quality here......they will screw you anytime they can:-)
So, the TT goes ok, I come in about midpack and the night is off to the group ethiopian dinner out in town & then off to our yardcamp for the night. And this year, it seems the Tour will be hit by a heat wave!! this week the NE gets a wave of 100 degree temps & dry as a bone.
Day 2
A classic typical MTB day here in shenendoah mountains. we are up for a 45 miles MTB, some heinous uphills are added in for our pleasure. There is some miles of parading for a warm up, then some sketchy directions on how to navigate the George Washington forest up at elevations that barely any peeps attend to so we are clearly warned trails may/may not even be visible. This is a hard 'race' day sections. Huge forest road climbs ensue in the late morning blazing sun and rising heat. people are walking, crawling already in first race section. Finally hitting some shade, only to find it's neck high nettles over big rocks. wth....eventually to the treachorously fast DH and lunch checkpoint. People are bloody and totally disheveled looking!! But being the first day, no one is disheartened and the section 2 race is on, just as good, I do ok this day. Holding on to keep going, although the local girls are crushing me.
Day 3
Day 3: Me & JP on top of Reddish Knob
Typical 'roadie' day here. This is the 100 miler road day + a short MTB TT to top of the evening. Road term is used loosely here. the terrain can & will be not all exactly road. This is a big flat potential day. You can use whatever bike you like that you can keep up on, most peeps are on some sort of cross bike. heading out from town on parade pace, again this for me is a hustle right from get go. I have learned how to somewhat keep up by getting in the group and drafting some, the group is fast & tight. It gets scary sometimes, but gotta keep in for fear of getting dropped & kicked off the tour to be a mere spectator. Race section 1 again a regroup and some sketchy directions. Climbing up some forest roads forever and ever. I totally lose the group...darn..how are they going SO fast!!! I ride the rest of the section alone, which sucks because after gravel DH number 1 there is a long flat road which would be nice to have some peeps here for drafting!!! I know I lose tons time here alone, but keep going just hoping I make the time lunch check!! Climb 2 in the section is shorter but steeper, and full on sun getting hot now, finally reaching the Confederate Breastworks overlook, onto the sweet s-turns road down the mountain crossing into WV, thru a short valley, one more short climb to go....I still see NO ONE in sight!! although I do see an ambulance going by and I wonder 'for the tour???' cresting this last hill, it's a few minutes roll to lunch stop, i hold my breath as I can't see anyone there! OMG, I was too late!!!! I hit the timer very upset, but then look further left & see the groupo IS still there....WAY over under the shade trees!! Holy Cow, no one even looks near ready to get up and go yet....they are all sitting around in the shade looking kind of half dead. Not sure what is wrong with them, but I know i can't have much time before tour director is yelling 'lets go'....so I get water refills, and start munching on sammiches. Say quick Hi to JP & then I hear the ambulance WAS for the tour!!! Losing control in some gravel on the descent, a bad accident happened for one rider, he gets stiches all over his face & is at the camp this night but does DNF he is pretty badly banged up.
Ok-parade pace section 2 is on. I know it's another super climb and DH, so I try to keep some energy during the parade and drink more too. Race 2, straight up some loose gravel to start and onto some dirt road....on & on & on crossing back in VA. I see some peeps sidelined with flats, it's gets pretty bumpy with rocks on the roadie bikes/tires. Sun is sweltering. Finally our high destination...Reddish Knob lookout!!! No DH to end the stage, but a really nice place to stop and hang out a bit. So, I make the check in time...I am SO happy as last year the weather was crap & the group left early here me ending up having to short cut in the sag & miss the DH with the group. this year I am happy I will get the DH but really wonder how the parade back to town will go. So hanging out, i come to discover that JP has totally sabatoged the womens GC!!! ok, so it's not REALLY a race, but yet it is. Everyone trying hardest for best time from the leader, hoping for no mechanical/bad flats, etc. So Sue of course the womens leader has a bad episode this day with flats and then a wheel issue that leaves her walking to finish. JP had flats too and sees her....he GIVES HER HIS WHEEL....she comes back to win the stage. hhhmmmm.....thanks JP, next time the leader in your group has issue giving you an edge us girls will remember this one!!! Just because we are girls and someone is a pro doesn't mean we aren't actually trying to have a race just like you are against the pro men!!! Either way, i am happy to still be with the group and we start the casual long DH coast towards town. About 1/2 way down a 'coast off' contest begins....the leaders end up coasting about 8 mile(?), JP gets a second in the contest(!)
along the way, while I've been hanging to keep up in the back, i hear rumors that JP has been killing the KOM sections and has accumulated lots of points so far!!!! i don't get to see the KOM except for them taking off at the start, but they are gone in seconds so I am clueless what goes on after that. he is happy with KOM as there are some fast peeps here to go against for it. After the coast off, regroup and i decide to head with the more casual group back to town, sidelining ourselves to a swimming hole...this was a welcome cool off!! but also got me with a smaller group afterwards getting a little lost back to town and adding a few extra miles. that always happens around here!!!
Not time to do much...once back, it's time to switch bikes and ride straight over to local park for a twisty tight MTB TT. This is a short one folks, but after spending the day on 105 miles in blazing 100 temps, even a 15 minute TT is a test. It comes out ok, the marks are hard to follow in the twistiness for those of us not familiar with the park, I wreck & dab quite a few time in my hastiness and missed turns. Finally done, it's time for the yard yummy cooked grill dinner at the Tour set up at director's house. find out the overall GC points, and try to get some scoop on the next day. sweet.
Day 4
back to the MTB. another normal day around here. up for some 40 mileish ride with 2 race sections, and parade pace in between. This start is a short drive from town, and rumor is today is up, up, up to some rocky ridge riding with some hike biking in both sections, this section is new to me and never been here before, but it sounds exciting, I have no shame in jumping off my bike although I know so many people seem to hate it!!! I know i am getting tired and I know the local peeps know what's coming up including the DH finishes, but just hoping again to do ok. So it's off, and surprisingly I soon catch up and pass 2 of the girls not having such a great time in some initial rockiness. Not sure why, they usually do ok in it, but I figure they will get me on the DH on the their full suspension bikes and what not. This day is rough going....lots of sections crawling over rocks along the ridge, lots of guys stuck with tires issues. I come up on JP with flat. I feel bad, but I keep going. Soon he is riding right behind me, and since he has KOM and now lost time for GC he says he just ride with me. That makes me nervous but I try just keep going fast as I can, excited to be ahead of 2 girls now. It goes good this day they don't catch me on the fast technical DH and I gain some time in girls GC!!!
Lunch stop & I realize coming in sooner kind of sucks. You have to sit around SO much longer and you end up eating more, a little too much!! Everyone is attempting to snuggle up in the shade as the group waits for everyone to get in and and rest a little. Finally it's off for section 2, another repeat rock like stuff, but this time even more big rocks and hiking. Again i do ok this section, but not as much time gap as section one. One girl drops out the section, another has since left the tour, one claims to take a wrong turn, and again JP is somehow riding behind me. I come is second overall girl today behind Sue H....& i cut my overall time in last place from 1 hour to only 20 minutes!! yeah, that was sweet....but probably not repeatable for the remaining days!!!
Back to tour director house for another sweet grill dinner, the off to yard camp. home sweet home for the week:-)
Day 5
It's another 'roadie' day here in harrisonburg. This time a little shorter, 60-70 miles(?) and a little bit more pavement is planned. Riding out from town parade pace for a ways, regroup for directions, and it's off for another climb start. JP is off for KOM again so I don't see him, or many other peeps, for hours!! Well, ok really only about 50 min on this race section, it's a bit shorter and fast. A quick stop and it's parade to section 2, a little more climbing and little longer. Now, i don't see anyone for a LONG time. Even with the gravel road section I see no one really down with flats, until I hit the pavement I see JP. he not having a good time with bike again, and since had KOM and out of GC is behind the group. We ride together for lots of roadie miles and then some back country gravel small rollys finally to the end. I am way last except the the men's DFL who is purposely going very slow. any time i gained in Day 4 mtb has just been relost. bummer.oh well, time for another super dinner, enter the head shaving escapade, get ready for Day 6.
And I realize the sore throat that started yesterday is way more than a sore throat, somehow turning into a very bad sinus infection just hoping not to feel worse. Why now????
hair in process final: RUTHLESS
Day 6
This is the last day!!!! All I have to do is get through this day and I actually FINISHED THE TOUR!! For some this is easy accomplishment, but at a constant race pace for me to keep up, this is an all out effort for me for 300+ miles....so I am SO HAPY!!! And to top it off, I am excited to hear the day is some nasty rocks with some more hike a bikeing most likely to be had, total ~40 mileish(?). hehe. I just hope this sinus thing lays off a little, I am still finishing no matter what!! So a short drive to the forest, parade/KOM up the hill, regroup and start section 1. No sooner into the trail a short hike bike ensues and I get a spot just ahead of 2 girls, 3rd girl flats, I manage to keep my spot for the section. But they are right on my tail, doesn't really give me too much time gain. Again lunch break, sit in the shade, regroup, parade/KOM the uphill, and start section 2. whew.....another good rocky route!!! We hit the bigger hike bikes now and I am in front of the same two girls. Again I manage to keep the lead just on these two & come in 2nd today to Sue H again but overall time gain doesn't get me as much today.....still overall DEAD LAST GIRL out of 5 finishers (7 starters) this year. And the head shave.....the 1 minute time bonus really didn't get me too far:-( but still pretty fun!!!!!
and Justin WINS OVERALL KOM!!!!!!
So, that is my story of the 2010 Tour. It's a great time, great organization, great course, and doesn't cost a ton of $$$$. Am I recommending people go crash the Tour for a victory??? No, the Tour is quite a local scene, not meant to accommodate the masses or many non-locals. What I would love to do with the experience of being in portions and now all of the Tour, is actually have a Tour in my own local area. It is an awesome annual event in Harrisonburg, that peeps are committed to make happen, participate in, & encourage their own locals to get involved in. Not sure that kind of support/commitment/participation exists in the Pgh MTB community for an event quite like this. But maybe someday......
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