Conference noted::bicycle

    There was a good size crowd at Brimfield this past Sunday.  The
    weather was hot and the sun was beating down (as seen on my sun
    burnt arms).  The day started with the Citizens doing a 14 mile
    race.  Eric Bettez (DEC employee) took a 5th place finish in this
    race.
    
    Then the A race and B race started.  The As went 35 miles and 
    averaged 25+mph for the day.  Steve Swan (DEC employee) was able
    to wind it up in the sprint for a 6th place finish.  The Bs race
    was 21 miles as they averaged 23+mph.  Unfortunately I didn't fair
    as well as the other guys, but there's always next week.
    
    The A race appeared to be maxed out while the B race had 60-70
    riders.  Overall, a nice day and fun time.  This week, the As
    and Bs will each increase by 7 miles.
    
    Newc

    I was at the race as a team manager.  The A's had 100 and the B's 40.
    The lap time for 7 miles was 15:30.  I think that the coarse is too
    open and too much traffic for 100 A's.  The race finished in a 50 man
    field sprint which was sketchy at best.  Next week they may well keep 
    to the 75 entry limit as posted in the race announcement.  If you want
    to do the A's, you better be there by 11:30am.
    
    Mark

    
    	Gee, I wish I had known of the brimfield race. I live in Holland
    right next door and could have easily participated. It couldn't have
    been advertised.
    	Where do I look to find out about other events?
    
    			Paul

     Check the CYCLE_RACING note. That's where I got it and they're
    usually pretty good about race notices in that NOTE.
    
      Chip

    I was wondering were you guys got all your info. I am the one that put 
    this race on. April 7, there were 100 A's racing there were 68 B's
    racing and there was 21 Cit. racing. The field limits were 100 not
    75.  April 14 there was 93 A's racing  78 B's racing. 
    	April 7 it was a hot day of racing. the course could handle that
    many racers. if people didn't cross the yellow line there would of been
    no problem with cars. both sunday were fast first sunday the a's avg
    26mph and the april 14 they avg 27mph. not bad first the first race 
    
    
    
    
    
    Mike

    Mike,
    
    You're right on the numbers for the April 7 race.  The race was very
    fast.  I still believe that more than 75 is too many.  Even your club
    was going to have a two A race format last weekend, had it not rained.
    By the way, I hear that three people showed up and wanted to go for the
    prize money.
    
    Next weekend, I am Chief Ref for the Eastern Collegiate races who want
    to ride on the same course.  I will not allow a field greater than 80
    on an open course like that.  I also intend to enforce the USCF
    definition of the yellow line rule.
    
    I understand that the Brimfield Town "Fathers" were meeting tonight to
    rule on future races.  Any idea how that went?
    
    
    Mark

    Mark,
    
    		The College race was not going to be held on the training
    race roads, it was going to be on the district road race course.  There
    were some people showed up to race on sunday. we would of race but the
    roads were not in good shape. there were lakes in the road.  Next year
    the race is going to take another shape. the max of people will be 60
    in a group and there will be four groups. 
    
    		The reason why the town fathers where getting together is
    to decide if we can use the course again. The reason for that is
    because there was a ambulance call an the lady had a hard time trying
    to get around the pak to get to the fire station. So the same lady
    went to a offical to find out what can be done about it, so it wouldn't
    happen again. The Offical said " the bike rider don't have anything
    between there ears and she should of run them over." That quota was put
    on the front page of the news paper. That is what got us in all this
    problems. 
    		We went to the meeting an straighten everything out. so next
    year there will be a race.

    
    
    It sounds like the meeting Monday night went well and the town fathers
    are happy.  They gave the UMass group approval to use the course.  In
    return we will have the ambulance driver working at the fire station
    during the race (12-6 Saturday).
    
    By the way, I know who made the comment about riders and I think it was
    in the worst of taste.  Unfortunately, there is more than one official
    who feels that they know more that any rider possibly could.  The good
    news is that most officials really enjoy the work and the people we
    work with.
    
    Good luck.