A Great Start

Eric, Tom, and Jesse

To kick off the 2008 racing season, Eric Franck, Jesse Suders and I headed up to the inaugural Ramble Around Prattsburgh. If the rest of the season turns out to be anything like this first race, then we are going to be wearing permanent grins until November. What a great event. Prattsburgh NY is a neat little town, and the crew of Pedaling Productions and all of the other volunteers did a superb job putting everything together.

The race started at the traditional town square. A motorcycle led 77 of us out of town, down a rutted dirt track, and then back through town for a pleasant, chatty, controlled start. I guess this was the “ramble” part. Then he took us back out of town again and turned us loose on a paved road that quickly turned to dirt and climbed up into the hills. Ramble: over. Race: on!

Jesse and I planned to stick together as much as we could, but you know how bike racing and plans go together. Yup, pretty much like Campagnolo cassettes and Shimano freehubs – not at all. As I watched about a dozen tough guys open an ever-widening gap in front of me, I also took a few glances behind to see where Jesse was. No sign of him. Turns out he got hung up in some traffic at the start. Near the top of the climb I could see that we were going to turn onto a ridgeline and head into the wind. I put in an extra hard kick to jump up to a big guy on a ‘cross bike just before we crested. Sorry, Jesse, but a little guy me has to jump on a gravy train like that every chance he gets.

Eric's Cross Pro served him well (thanks, Fuji!)

We swapped pulls a few times, then a couple of other guys caught us. The four of us started working pretty well together, then dang!, the big guy got a flat. And just before the fast paved section too. So the three of us rolled it down the pavement lickety-split and stuck together on the second big climb. A quick round of introductions at the top, then Bruce, Gordon and I kept on truckin’. We worked together ‘til the next fast, rutty descent, where Bruce’s mountain bike proved to be superior to Gordon’s and my skinny cyclocross treads. He dropped us and kept going.

On the third climb, just when my morale was crumbling as Gordon pulled away and I had to unclip to walk up the last pitch, I heard a voice – “Tom, I’m right behind you.” It was Jesse, clawing his way back. Awesome! We got together, hooked up with Gordon, and flew down the last hill. The three of us hit the pavement and did a few rotations, trying to reel in a solo mountain bike ahead of us. We skirted around an onion field with soil that was impossibly black, and a smell so pungent I briefly considered disgorging my Hammer Gel. A tractor path, then a little more pavement. Then a muddy 4-wheeler track dotted with a few spectators – the end must be near!

Jesse gets bogged down in the mud and dismounts. I hit the gas and plow right up the middle. Then a gravel track with two tiny hillocks that nearly stop me dead. I finally make the main road and sneak a quick look back. I have a little gap! Big ring, hands in the drops, head down. Go! Not much left in the tank. Another look back. Here comes Jesse. Man, he’s getting strong. We zigzag through some neighborhood streets and are approaching the town square. Jesse starts ramping it up and I dig deep, but can’t hang. He finishes a few seconds ahead. We both feel great.

After the nausea subsided, we found Heather (Jesse’s fiancé) and cheered Eric on as he finished. Then we all had a good meal at The Robbins Nest. And the re-hydration was extra delicious (thanks, Eric). As for the results, Jesse finished 12th and was 3rd in his age group, I was 13th and 3rd in my age group, and Eric was 5th in his age group. It was an excellent race on a gorgeous spring day shared with the best of company. I can’t imagine a better way to start the
season.

Jesse, thumbs up on the podium