Weekend report

Got home. Safe, a little cold and apparently nuts. Got hit with a little of everything. The roads where pretty decent until Manotick (I went the long way) when the drivers suddenly all became tools. Started and finished with a little rain, little snow and some hail in the middle portion. Not abd though. Mostly quieter roads, Perth to Richmond, to Manotick and then into Ottawa from the back way. Damn solid 4.5 hours in the saddle though. Got home, quick shower and food then hop on another bike to head to the pub for the Eastern Ontario Roller Racing Championships. And what a night it was.... Seriously the most fun I've had on a bike in a long time. The place was packed with cyclists and sketchy bar "normals". Everyone got into the action though. The couriers where there, every club and team was represented, and DJ G Reain was spinning his beats. Epic. The place got so packed with racers and crazed cheering spectators for a while that we were turning people away at the door. Two races, the fixed 500m and the 1000m free. The set up was ridiculous, two sets of rollers hooked up to a giant clock. The bikes drove a hand on the clock around and the thing was calibrated into meters. (see the pictures for a better visual you wanks.) 500m fixed involved two track bikes, strapped into the rollers via fork mounts and rat trap pedals so that anyone may compete. Same gearing, simply a matter of who can spin the fastest for the time needed. 40-50 riders rode the qualifiers. Top 16 times moved on to the main event. I ended up with my first podium of the season, taking home the bronze after 6 grueling races. In between, I tested the remainder of my gas tank in the 1000m free. This was the main event. Your own bike, fixies and road bikes present. Choose one gear and you go from a standing start on the rollers. The only safety gear present were the bumpers on the sides of the rollers and the throngs of adoring/drunk fans cheering and waiting to be your cushion if you went flying off. I got knocked out in the semis. My legs fully gave out while leading the one and only John Large with about 250m to go. They fully stopped working and the gnarly veteran stomped his authority all over me. No worries, in the end. The venerable Kris Westwood emerged victorious. He emerged and the smoothest on the rollers and most able to knock down all challengers. With a good show for the fans too of course. The crowds were wild, the racers wilder. Huge congrats are in order for this event to the Wheelers. What a show. Even a women's race took place. High fives where exchanged, trash talk ran rampant, and the show went until 12:30 when the final medals were awarded. Next installment appears to be loosely booked for February 16. Keep you ears and eyes peeled. Check
Canadian Cyclist
Pictures