How to outrace a race a chocolate lab the day before the Mt. Washington

Rode 14.8 miles in Bridgton, Maine
While doing my usual morning loop up Mountain Road, at the top of the hill, I decided to head straight onto Hancock Pond Road. Instead of a pond, I found a ramshackle home with a pontoon boat and a vicious, unleashed chocolate lab in the front yard. I was heading downhill, so it was easy to out run the barking beast, but as I came up the next climb, I realized outrunning him while climbing up a hill would not be so easy. So, I turned around and flew back down the hill. As the road turned up I notice the pontoon boat sitting halfway up the hill, so I gunned it, and it was a lucky thing I did since there was not one, but two chocolate labs gunning for me. I was able to outrace them, then noticed I was nearing my maximum heart rate. I slowed down, feeling as if I had just won the sprint of my life.

Witches Cup "Go G-Ham"

Witches Cup in Salem, Aug. 8

I rode from work to the Witches Cup around Salem Common and as the final lap rounded the corner, the back of the pack exploded and the riders in the women's race and the riders went down in a crack or carbon and to the sounds of cleats popping.

Crash during the last lap of the women's race

The men's final lasted an hour and the pace was pretty quick. There's a pretty good article in The Salem News that recounts it. This year, I knew some people in the crowd and in the peloton. I stood next to Jay, who is friends with Kurt Maw, who recognized my name from Facebook. Across the street stood Mike and Karen, strong riders on the Tuesday night Marblehead Cycle crit. In the pack rode Geoff Hamilton, Tyler's brother, and he gave it a good shot and hung in with the pack the whole race. It was a jittery ride, and some of those turns are quite scary. Jay and I kept shouting for Geoff, and hopefully that gave him some encouragement.

G.H. during the cool down lap

Witches Cup speeds by the common

There were no crashes, the breakaways could not stay away, and the race ended in a sprint finish. I couldn't see who finished, and so I rode home, skipping the podium ceremonies. My apologies to Arthur, who was at the courtesy tent the whole time, looking to catch up on old times of this past PMC weekend.

Ninth PMC on Aug. 4-5

Rode 75 miles on day 2 of the Pan-Mass. Challenge, after spending the first day, Saturday, parking bikes. Saturday was one of the most hot, humid days of the ride, so hot that even PMC founder Billy Starr DNF, though he was in great spirits at the "Living Proof" photo. If you want to contribute to my effort, you can go to my profile on the PMC website. I really need your help. The Sea Glass Ride is Oct. 14. Wanna ride? Volunteer? Go to the ride's website.