Sunday was hpv enjoyable day at Hellyer Velodrome in San Jose. This is organized by a neighborhood couple Carol and George Leone who do it as a labor of affection. They cost a payment for collaborating however it barely covers their prices. We had a good looking late spring day for the event. The velodrome is about 15 miles from my home, so I rode my recumbent there, partly on the Coyote Creek path, and partly on roads with good bike lanes. We needed to enter by way of the again gate as a result of the trail from the primary entrance to Hellyer Park to the velodrome was nonetheless flooded.
I had a little bit of a tailwind so I acquired there in 53 minutes. Then we have been capable of heat up on the velodrome observe for about half an hour. It is amusing how intimidating that is at first- the banking appears actually excessive for these of us who expertise using on it solely every year. But after a few laps, your confidence comes again and it turns into actually enjoyable zooming on the observe.
The first occasion was a 200-meter time trial. We got a full lap to stand up to hurry then did the timed half. We may additionally reap the benefits of the banking by staying up excessive at first then swooping right down to the black line on the backside of the banking for the timed run. I loved this an ideal deal. I crashed doing this occasion just a few years in the past on a folding bike, partly as a result of it had small wheels and partly as a result of the place within the aero-bar handlebar extensions on an upright just isn’t essentially the most secure. This time I used to be on my recumbent, and the “aero” place is with the fingers with their regular grip on the handlebars. So I felt rather more safe.
There have been just a few extra group races after that. Due to my inexperience using in a gaggle on a observe, these felt much less secure to me, and I’d promised my spouse I’d watch out, so I skipped most of them, having my lunch whereas I loved watching and filming them. My favourite was the “miss and out” race: At the top of every lap, the final place rider is pulled from the race. This continues till there is just one rider left, who’s the winner. I uploaded a video of the top of this race right here:
I couldn’t resist doing the “Medicare” race, nevertheless, open to members over 65, during which there have been 4 entrants. Two of the others have been fully-faired “velomobiles” and the opposite was a higher-performance recumbent than mine, rather more reclined and aerodynamic. So I used to be not shocked to put lifeless final. But it was nice enjoyable. It’s fascinating that unfaired bikes, being lighter, begin out rather more rapidly than fully-faired ones, however their aero benefit rapidly takes over in order that they catch up rapidly. Being handed by one is thrilling as a result of they make a really distinct noise arising behind you after which a whooshing sound as they fly proper by.
After that race, I took off for house, which took about 70 minutes this time because it was in opposition to a slight headwind. A most pleasing outing. Thanks, Carol and George!
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