Minuteman Road Club

Is the Quabbin Road Race a new event this year? I don't recall seeing it in the past. I wonder if this is replacing another event. I recall hearing Mike Norton had lost a venue for one of the road races he put on in the past.

http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=7455

That looks awesome. Must be replacing Palmer and/or Sturbridge.

Returns to the "everyone does the same distance" that Palmer used to be.

Question is? 4/5 or 4?

When I was in school I rode that loop a million times and it ain't easy.
I think I've always gone in the other direction, but the hills would be about the same I think.
That would be a tough race.

I think they used to have the district road race champs on that course.
There was a metric Kings Tour of the Quabbin

Interesting... looking again it appears that Sturbridge/Palmer has been replaced by Monson/Quabbin. I knew there were issues in recent years, but I'm a little surprised Mike changed both locations in the same year (unless he had no choice).

In the past, this route has had several incarnations. It used to be a 1 lap road race, a 1 or 2 lap road race for the NE/District Championship, and even a 10 person team time trial (which I think we placed 3rd in). Coley is right - it's a tough course; epic in some ways if it's raining and your bombing down one of the descents or hitting what we used to call the "bottle graveyard". There would literally be a hundred water bottles across the road here.
Some of my memories from this course include:
- Mike Umbrell made it for the full 2 lap 1/2/3 race one year in the 2nd or 3rd chase group.
- Jorge was seen riding with the Women's field for half the race chatting up a storm and then forever became known as "Don Jorge"
- Watching Justin Spinnelli ride away from the Men's 3 race with about 10 miles to go and solo in for an impressive win.
- Howard Smith (MRC blast from the past) had his rear deraileur explode about 15 miles into the TTT - I've never seen so many parts come from that part of the bike.

Ultimately, one of the town's Police Chiefs kicked Norton out for failing to control the race properly. Though I think it had as much to do with riders being all over the road as anything else.

I like this course and would definitely try to race it again this year if it stays on the schedule.

This looks like fun, except for the fact that my limit seems to be about 40 miles - after that the engine starts losing power. But I'll probably show up anyway, since my affinity for racing is highly correlated with the love-hate relationship with self-induced pain.

do we know for a fact that Palmer RR is no more? and Sturbridge too?

I knew I had read something about this. Give this a read:

http://www.telegram.com/article/2008121 ... 008/NEWS02

I'm glad they don't get that paper in Sterling.