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2022 (2020 too)
Last Post 01/27/2022 03:24 PM by Cosmic Kid. 41 Replies.
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79pmooney

Posts:3189

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01/19/2022 04:11 PM
OC, my memorable big ring climb. 1977 Maine International. 106 miles. At 90 miles is a 2 mile hill that separates the men from the boys. I made the cut, barely. Another 10 miles of shorter but steep Maine hills followed. Next hill, I dropped the chain off the inside. (54/42 X 13-19) Just before I rolled to a stop and fell over, I got the chain onto the 54. (Middle cog in back.) Muscled my way back to speed and caught the leaders at the top, wasted to the core. (54 X 15 is pretty fast even when your RPMs barely qualify as plural.)
Orange Crush

Posts:4499

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01/19/2022 06:58 PM
Ha Ben - mine wasn’t nearly as eventful as that. It will be forgotten in another week. Thanks for sharing.
Habanero

Posts:257

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01/26/2022 12:25 PM
I punched out of bookface for good so I have more time to spend here!
Habanero

Posts:257

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01/26/2022 12:27 PM
Ben - where in Maine was that race? There was an epic one that ran for many years around Buckfield and Hebron Maine. Those climbs are beastly!
Cosmic Kid

Posts:4209

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01/26/2022 12:33 PM
I punched out of bookface for good


Good....that site is almost-single-handedly fueling the pandemic now.
Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
Orange Crush

Posts:4499

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01/26/2022 12:46 PM
Posted By Hot Habanero on 01/26/2022 12:25 PM
I punched out of bookface for good so I have more time to spend here!


Haha, again!
79pmooney

Posts:3189

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01/26/2022 04:48 PM
Posted By Hot Habanero on 01/26/2022 12:27 PM
Ben - where in Maine was that race? There was an epic one that ran for many years around Buckfield and Hebron Maine. Those climbs are beastly!
It ran along 201 from the Quebec border, through Jackman, Binghamton (as I recall, 1/2 way prime), Skowhegan and smaller road through that 12 miles of hills, up a longer climb to high ground, then a 3 mile roll into Waterville.

No one hill was killer but I bet the total was 5000' or more.  Long climb out of Jackman, a series of smaller ones hitting another every time we left the Kennebec River, bigger one to climb out to higher ground, then a break for maybe 30 miles, building climb to Skowhegan, a left turn from downtown up a 2 mile leg breaker starting the 12 miles.

I rode the race in 1976 as my first open race.  Poured.  Slow race.  Everyone stuck together.  Next year was sunny, perfect temp, 120 rider field (quite a few good Canadians) and fast!  Never slowed down.  Everyone that made the Skowhegan cut finished under John Howard's old record.  Next rider was 10 minutes back.  (I knew that when I looked over my shoulder 1/2 way up the breaker climb; wondering how far I could drift and stay with the leaders - if I didn't split the group.  Next rider behind was 25 yards back and slipping fast!  The wheel I was on was going to beat that guy by a ton.  I had a choice.  Hardest anything I have ever done.  Was wasted the next 48 hours.)
Orange Crush

Posts:4499

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01/26/2022 05:52 PM
Always good to read about these racing adventures from when I was barely out of diapers Ben. OK, I was about 9-10 years out of diapers by then. Riding a Dutch bike on gravel forest trails behind our village presumably (we were clearly well ahead of our time). Building bunkers, playing war. Still 7 years away from getting first road bike.
longslowdistance

Posts:2886

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01/27/2022 06:39 AM
A few more details about the Maine International Road Race. Route was US 201 from the border to Skowhegan, then Maine 104 to Waterville. Agree with Ben: the climb out of skowhegan was brutal. Starts steep then eases but drags on. The Junior race picked up the same route about 60 miles in before switching to a crit in 1976 or so. Tour of Mass was big in the 70s too. 3 day stage race. Two hilly stages west of Boston. Last day was two stages, a short TT in scenic Marblehead then a fun crit of a zilllion laps around Harvard Square.
longslowdistance

Posts:2886

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01/27/2022 07:37 AM
One more tidbit: Waterville, ME is where Tony Soprano killed mob informant Febby Petrulio while college touring with his daughter in the first season of the Sopranos. One of the all time best episodes.
Cosmic Kid

Posts:4209

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01/27/2022 09:19 AM
One of the all time best episodes.


fact check: True.
Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
Cosmic Kid

Posts:4209

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01/27/2022 03:24 PM
Doc gave ne the OK to get back on my bike....but definitely gonna start out slow!

Will probably ride for 20-30 minutes tomorrow.
Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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