Conference noted::bicycle

     The district road race championships for both southern and northern
New England are being held on Sunday June 10th.  The Mass/Ri race is being
held in Brimfield MA (central MA) - the Cat III race is 5 laps of a 23 mile
circuit with one long climb.  If you're 30 or older you can race with the 
30+ group which will only be racing 69 miles instead of 115 (that's my 
group).

     I don't have any information on the Vt/NH/ME district RR but I assume
that it's somewhere in southern New Hampshire.  The distances are dictated
by the USCF rulebook so I expect that they would be similar to our race here
in MA.  One more thing I'm not sure of is if you have to be a resident of 
the district to race (I doubt it but you should check).

     There is a fast crit on Sunday the 17th in downtown Burlington.

Steve

    Sorry, Vermont Districts are the weekend you mention.  If you want
    to take a memorable ride in that area, though, and you don't mind
    killing most of a day, try the Tour of the Gaps.  This is the course
    we used for New England Championships back in 1974.  From Burlington,
    head south on Route 116.  Just before Bristol, turn east on Route 17.
    This takes you over Appalachian Gap -- 9 miles of climbing broken up
    by a couple of all-too-brief downhills.  The last 2 miles are *steep*!
    (42-23)
    
    The descent that follows is almost as long as the climb, with several 
    sharp switchbacks to test your brakes.  No kidding -- this'll show you
    how a good bike handler can make time on the downhills in the
    mountain stages in the TdF.  This is the only course I've raced
    on in 18 years that requires really primo descending skills if you're
    going to go all-out.
    
    When Route 17 meets Route 100, turn south.  For the next 20 miles
    the terrain is undulating, forest and farmland.  There's an absolutely
    gorgeous waterfall on the way (can't miss it) where you can cool off
    if the weekend is hot.  Last time I stopped there, the water was quite
    drinkable.
    
    When Route 100 meets Route 125, turn west on 125.  Now you're in for 
    six more miles of climbing, up Middlebury Gap.  Middlebury Gap 
    shouldn't be *quite* as hard as Appalachian Gap, but it is, since
    you've *already* done Appalachian Gap.  The descent is through some
    of the most beautiful New England forest you'll find anywhere.
    
    At East Middlebury, 125 joins up with 116, which will take you back
    to Burlington.  If you want to fuel up and take a rest, Dayton's
    store is right on the corner.
    
    The rest of the ride is through undulating farmland, and when you get
    back to Burlington, you will have done approximately 120 miles. 
    After you've rested up from this ride, you will be able to eat
    *anything* (and everything!).
    
    It's not a race, but it's a great challenge anyway.  If you want to
    measure performance, any time under an hour from Route 116 to Route 100
    is good (45 minutes of this will be getting to the top of the first
    Gap).  Ditto for Middlebury Gap (from Route 100 to the top in half an
    hour or less is good -- the descent to East Middlebury is longer, and
    not all downhill).
    
    Most of the top Burlington area riders use this for training.  It makes
    the climbs in any other New England race (except the Brandon Gap stage
    at Killington, maybe) look easy!
    
    Justin
    

	The Tour of the Gaps ride sounds great, but I have to comment on
this one piece of advice...

>    When Route 17 meets Route 100, turn south.  For the next 20 miles
>    the terrain is undulating, forest and farmland.  There's an absolutely
>    gorgeous waterfall on the way (can't miss it) where you can cool off
>    if the weekend is hot.  Last time I stopped there, the water was quite
>    drinkable.

	You shouldn't drink from any open stream in New England without 
either boiling, chemically sterilizing or filtering it first. You'll be
leaving yourself open to Giardia (Isn't this what Lemond recently had?) and
other intestinal infections. When I go backpacking in the White and Green
mountains I bring my water with me. I refer you to the Hiking notesfile
(BTOQA::HIKING) for technical discussions on the matter.

JimH

    RE: .2
    
    I did my first Century along this route.  It's the best cycling I've
    ever done!  Awesome.
    
    Phil

    .3
    
    	Where did you hear that the Lemond "mystery virus" was Giardia?
    Were you speculating?  

>    	Where did you hear that the Lemond "mystery virus" was Giardia?
>    Were you speculating? 


	I remember reading it in USA Today's Sport section before the TdT.
But I didn't save the paper so I'm not sure.

JimH
 

    I thought that giardia was a bacteria, not a virus.  right?

    Indeed, it is, and it's everywhere (in the U.S. at least).