Anyone else going to the 2nd EFTA NECS race in Sterling CT the day after Six in the STIX? June 10, 2007

It is in my plans.
 
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Sounds like Brian is going to pick me up at my house at 5:30am. It will probably take about 3 hours to get there.

Fees: $25 for online pre-registration; $27 day of event; annual EFTA license or $4 one-day license required

Course:
Novice - 8mi
All other categories - 16mi

Start Times:
Novice - 9:30am
Elite - 11:00am
Expert & SingleSpeed - 11:01am
Sport, Tandem, & Touring - 11:05am

Prizes:
Awards to top three in each age group

Contact Info: Doug Peckham
Phone: N/A
Email: dougpeckham@cox.netThis email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Directions:
From North: RI 295 Southbound, Exit 6B (Northbound Exit 6C). Route 6 West 5 miles to Route 6/Route 101 split; bear left on Route 6, 12.2 miles to Snake Meadow Rd, left 2.6 miles (follow EFTA arrows).

From CT: Route 395 Exit 91 E, Route 6 East 2.3 miles; right on Snake Meadow Rd 2.6 miles.

We are all set for a 5:30 departure. Nathan is going with us now, so we need to swing by the New London park and ride. I have permission to use the van, so we will have plenty of room. I'm going to trust you for directions to the event Dana.

Brian
 
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OK, 5:30am and directions...

Good luck boys........

If Nathan wants his new kit, I will leave his stuff in a bag on my front steps.

PJ

What a perfect day for racing, bright sunshine in the low eighties! I heard that other areas of New England were not so great, but that was the best weather conditions I have experienced for a race in a long time. It did rain on the course Saturday leaving some areas greasy and creating a couple mud holes, but overall things were in pretty decent shape. The first couple miles of the loop were real bony, hard on the upper body trails with one hike-a-bike mud bog. Then we were treated to some smoother singletrack in a piney area. The lap ended with a long straight climb that allowed you to see racers 2-3 minutes ahead of you. I spent the first two laps in second chasing the same guy who beat me at the Grind with Nathan always one turn back. I was passed early in lap 3 by a guy who had been stalking us for a bit and finished the race in third. Happy with the results and got enough cash to cover gas. Much closer to the winner this time around, but not quite ready to challenge him yet.

Brian
 
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I was a little fatigued going into this one. I ended up running about two thirds of the 10 mile course. The second lap didn't seem to take as long as the first. Perhaps the pain was distracting me from the overall time on course. I thought I was the only Novice Master, but after I finished, I learned that there was another out there from a friend of his waiting at the finish line. I don't think the other Master finished this course.

I had couple of bad spills, the first one fifteen minutes into the race my front sprocket ripped open the back of my achilles. I managed to finish the race, but had to have a couple stitches this morning.

As I took photos of Brian and Nathan, I was glad to see several Experts in front them also running parts of the course. For the most part, I think Brian and Nathan were two of the few who stayed on their bikes from my photography stand point. A couple sport riders said that two laps were going to be enough for them in this rocky mud bog (DNF).

Killer day to race, just wish we brough sun screen. Thank goodness most of the race was ST in the woods. I told myself that if I could keep Brian on the radar screen I'd be happy with what ever turned out. So I'll live with a fourth place finish, just out of the money honey.

The first section zig-zagged up through a gravel pit, everyone took off like a dart and I tried to get maintain a gap infront before entering the woods. Mucky, slick and loose were the trails so I just took it easy and tried not to fall.

Back to the gravel pit and on to next loop a skidder trail complete with calf deep mud and no hope of riding through. Hike-a-bike to some swith back pines and get into a groove.

The first lap I wondered why in the hell got up a 5AM car pooled 3 hours for such torment.
Lap 2 I acctually found myself enjoying the pain and suffering.
Lap 3 my legs began to cramp if I was forced off the bike I would lock up. Best if I just kept spinning. During the second lap I found Brain about 40 second infront, by the third he had doubled that lead leaving me soundly off the podium.

Dana gets the award for biggest wound for a TP member, deep and bloody.
Thanks Brain for carting us down and back. I think I going to put a 1.5-2-hour cap on travel to for races from now on.
 
Alone in the woods, who stands to be King?