Poolesville

Saturday marked another D.C. area 'monument' race: Poolesville. This course is a blast as long as lady luck is on your side. With a key feature of a dirt and gravel road, riders who complete this race will either beam in excitement over how much fun they had, or scowl about the nth flat tire they've endured at the race. The thing about Poolesville is that when you are not busy frantic about being pinned behind the centerline-controlled field, you are gliding through the most excellent sweeping turns that rural Maryland has to offer. Sure, there are some potholes in a few places, and the pavement is less-than gentle, but this is the type of course where people will buy a set of tires JUST FOR THIS ONE DAY. How cool is that? Our own little Faux-Roubaix! My day went well. Once again, I found myself at the back during staging (despite my best attempts to use my street cred to waltz in front of the line) and remained at the back for a very, very long time. Many gaps had to be closed, a few crashes or incidents to avoid, and I even had the pleasure of witnessing a rider run off the road at the feedzone and collide with my wife. That was not the most fun thing to see. Melissa, who was fresh off of celebrating a crash-free day in her own Poolesville race, was unable to spectate unscathed. Bike racing will always get you, one way or another. With about 30 miles to go, I FINALLY emerged out of the bowels of the field and, or the first time in the race, could see some scenery rather than the hubs and butts of other riders. My teammate Pete Warner and I went nuts attacking the field, and eventually out teammate Scott was able to spring free with another rider (a good buddy of mine, Jose, from a rival team) and I sat back to catch my breath. Fortunately for my slightly tired legs, the duo rolled out of sight and that was the last we would see. I waited for the field sprint, but right when crunch time was starting, I was pushed out off of the road by some riders who desired my spot too far back in the group. I kept upright, got back on the road, pedaled really hard, and finished in something-place. Smiles were had by all, as we soaked in the 77 degree sunny day of bike racing accomplished.