Sideline Riding at IMAZ
Was anyone else told to ride on the side of the road while heading back to town in the first loop of IM AZ? The official told to me move over, and I didnt catch what else. As I moved over, I went over the rumble strips and my nutrition bottle fell out. I wasnt drafting, just moving pretty quickly in and out of groups going down the road. Thanks ahead of time.
Greg
0
Comments
Hmm, maybe they just wanted to prevent head ons...understandable.
On the last 3-5 miles of Beeline, the shoulder pavement is actually smoother than the road. So with lower rolling resistence, one could go faster on the shoulder, to the right of the rumble strips. As someone who was passing more than being passed, I was irritated by those who were riding slowly to the left of the rumble stripe, in the traffic lane. (a) they couda gone faster on the shoulder and (b) I had to continually cross the rumble strip (there were gaps, they just had to be timed corectly)
Since there were probably a lot of folks like me, the officials were seeing some "passing on the right", and were trying to get that problem corrected. I think the collisions they were trying to prevent were among those going ine the *same* direction, crossing back and forth over the rumble stripe.
Even if there is "no one around" you, there are always people behind you whom you can't necessarily see, and they will follow your lead as to positioning. Thus, officials were correcting what they could, not really trying to prevent drafting, but just get the standard positioning to be as far right as possible. I for one appreciated the effort.
With that many people out on the course, I was swerving from the far right (right of the rumble strip) all the way to the left to pass people. Rumble strips (as long as they're not ridged and truly 'rumbly') have lower rolling resistance because of the paint, so I try to stick to that as much as possible.
Doesn't help that "on your left" doesn't seem to be enough to indicate to move the heck over before I'm up your arse.
Good. I was wondering if I was doing something illegal, besides the testoterone patch. Speaking of which, anyone get a penalty? Or did anyone else have a penalty given to someone drafting them besides me?
ARGGGH KURT. That just makes me so angry! ARRRRGGGGHHHHH!
WHen I did IMAZ in 2007 I was worried about getting a flat from all the thorns I was told were on the far sides of the roads! But it was a zoo indeed. 3 loops makes it a tough bike course to ride safely and to not at least inadvertently draft.
In watching the crowded bike course for the second time, it made me wnder why they dont just continue the bike out another 17ish miles further on the beeline and make it a two loop affair...
I think it has something to do with an Indian casino or trash dump (no, really) that the reservation doesn't want to restrict access to the day of the race? Dunno, I've only driven parts of the Beeline, accessing it on race day from the side roads on the west side of the road or from the top of the course, at the turn around.