Two Newest Members Take 3rd & 4th

Pink pride has been claimed by two of our newest members as Ali Y and Sara B took third and fourth, respectively, at
the second gravel race of the Iowa Spring Classic Series at Colfax.

With Spring winds making the long hill climb almost unbearable, the race officials shortened the race by one lap, much to the surprise of both Ali and Sara. Ali had one more surge left in her and was positioning to take the lead on the final lap but had to settle for third. She will have to wait for the final race at Grinnell in two weeks to show what she can bring to the table.

Our finest coach, Dave, raced in the top twenty but more impressive was his drive to ride his bike to the race, do the race and ride back to Des Moines.
Dave is currently prepping for the Trans-Iowa race where he will attempt to ride across the state (330 miles) near the end of April.



Your Roving Race Reporter,

Luann

Picture credits to Julie G and Dave M

Spring Classic Gravel Race at Hills

Mother nature must be on vacation as she failed to pull out the typically cold, blustery, sometime snowy, weather for this opening round of the 2012 road race series! Not that anyone complained. The bikers took to the gravel near Iowa City for a test of guts and gumption.

The nice weather pulled some of the top riders out of the woodwork for this early test. The women's race was all open category (meaning the beginners raced with the experts). But VeloRosa was not put off by this. Kim H hung on strongly with the leaders to take 4th in what was one of the fastest races for this venue in the last several years. Joann S worked with Kim and then continued the chase to take 8th and Megan K followed up with an 11th place showing.

What a great showing for the first race of the season.

On the Men's side, Jason S took 14th in the 4/5 race. He continues to develop into a fine racer as he enters his second season after a late start in 2011. Tobin B suffered deflated expectations when his tire went flat at the sound of the starter gun. Coincidence or was the gun loaded????

Looking forward to the results from the Colfax race this Saturday.

Your Roving Race Reporter,

Luann

MONDAY NIGHT RIDES

Spring graced VeloRosa with temps in the high 70s for the first Monday night ride. A sizable group of ladies (and our three favorite guys) showed up for the inaugural ride for the 2012 road training.

Do you need to be a racer to attend? Not at all. This is all about learning to ride with others which leads to LOVING to ride (even more than you do right now). No matter what your current skill level, come out and join us. Everyone will learn something.

The key to getting stronger is to ride more. With it still being relatively new in the season, most everyone is shaking off the dust. Start now and grow stronger with everyone else.

We will be staying in the park for next several weeks before taking our newly-honed skills to the roadway. You will be learning to ride with others in a double-pace line (picutred at right) or eschelon. You will become a stronger rider this way.

Give it a try: Monday, 5:30 p.m. at Pal Joey's near 63rd and Grand. Just show up and ride.

Your Roving Race Reporter,

Luann

Pink Takes Two of Top Three at CIRREM

Even though it has been a comparatively mild winter, it still has been plenty cold to be out riding on the gravel. Consider that an average ride is three hours. That commitment paid off as Joann Schmidt placed second followed by in Dee Mable third. This dynamic duo showed that hundreds of hours if bike time was well worth it.

As nature seems to have a great sense of humor, the promised 45 degree weather and dry gravel that was forecast turned out to be ice-covered gravel and below-freezing temps for the start. If you have never enjoyed the pleasure of riding gravel near The Cumming Tap, trust me the hill goes straight up at angles that more than challenges you. However the same steepness greets you on the way down. Add in ice and you have a lung-busting climb followed by a harrowing, luge-like decent......times 10. The good thing is that the other hills are less challenging in a funny sort of way.

Congrats to Joann and Dee for starting off the VeloRosa season in prime fashion!

AWESOME NEW KITS

You've asked about? You've dreamt about it! You've even fantasized about how you would look in it. Because you belong, you can now order this awesome kit. This is THE kit for 2012. Others are going to be staring, gawking, falling off their bikes when you cruise by in the VeloRosa team kit.

The short sleeve jersey is light weight with plenty of ventilation. You know that Iowa summers are hot, hot, hot.

When the weather cools or you are out after dark, put on the long sleeve jersey. This heavier weight jacket is perfect for chilly mornings or evenings. In the winter layer under it and stay warm. You can ever wear it out as a jacket for a night on the town.

The shorts are some of the most comfortable that you will own. The new design is sleek and stylish. The sleeveless jersey is great on the single-track trails or for not having biker tan-lines on your arms. Hey, the short tan-line is enough of a tag!

After you ride, slip into the newly designed T. It is perfect with your bike shorts for a casual ride or with jeans or shorts for that cool beverage that you know you will be enjoying. Also available are sweatshirts, hats, arm warmers and yoga-style pants.

GUYS, don't you worry, men's styles are available for many of the items. You know that you ROCK THE PINK too!

These kits were designed by our most talented teammate, Kim H. A team could not ask for a better design that represents the passion that flows through this team. See note below for her co-hort in design.

Order now as the window closes on January 29. This is your only time this year to order. Here is site address: http://pinkbikerchicks.blogspot.com/

Your Roving Race Reporter (and now fashion guru),

Luann

NOTE FROM KIM: I just wanted to thank my friend and fellow artist, Greta Songe, for collaborating with me on this project. I met Greta a few years ago on RAGBRAI. She rides for Team Stream who are supported by a cool Airstream trailer as they travel across the state. Among her other endeavors, Greta enjoys designing fabrics and I asked her to create the "thorn pattern" that is used on the arm/leg of the kit. Her direction was to come up with something that was "graceful yet threatening"... much like the women of VeloRosa!:) Her design completely hit the mark and I really love the flair it adds to the kits! Here is a link to her spoonflower page where you can view (and I believe purchase) her beautiful fabrics! THANKS AGAIN, GRETA!!!!


http://www.spoonflower.com/profiles/gsonge

Velorosa Holiday Party

Pizza, Drinks, Door Prizes & More!!

When: Saturday, January 14th, 2012

Where: Orlando's-4337 Park Ave, DM

Time: 6pm-8pm

RSVP-Joann at schmjj12@hotmail.com

IT WAS REALLY SPOOKY OUT THERE

Another haunting weekend of biking has come and gone. Yes, it was time for Spooky Cross. The Pink ladies donned costumes and hit the dirt. If you like hills, these races are for you.

Saturday's race through the town looked innocent enough. A few gravely turns and you are out of site. Through the woods, over the road, a sharp right then reveals a hill. Take your lowest gear and grind through it. You had heard about the hills and think, "Girl, they were right!" A little downhill and around the curve to the barriers. Yep, it is not cross without barriers. You hop over them and get ready to remount. But WAIT!!! No! THIS is the hill they meant. Holy Mackerel. You resign yourself to run up it. OK maybe walk up it. But pushing your bike, the heckling stings. Where are the cheers of encouragement? Ha! Not at this point. You legs quiver and your lungs burn. At last to the top.
Hop on and take off. Great to ride again. A few turns and then straight down hill. Don't take out any more markers (thank goodness they are plastic). A few rollers, some gravel, another set of barriers, a field and back to the main road. Where these crowds do cheer, ring cowbells and offer you a 'Cold Hamm's'. Yes, this is day one of Spooky Cross at Living History Farms.



If you are game enough, come back on Sunday. Oh, the venue is the same but the course has transitioned. If you ever thought a county road was a bumpy and rough ride, we scoff at you! Ride through harvested fields, full of mud plods, loose gravel, tight turns. There is water but a nice crossing; if you can ride the narrow bridge and goes up in sections and then drops you back on the trail. Tool around the farm and enjoy the view.
Some hills, grassy section, a few barriers, let go on the steep down hill so that you can make it up the next rise. Take a few tight turns, head down a worn, rutted, loose dirt road with a right right and let the real fun begin.



Really? You ask. You cannot see it coming but gear down and start to climb. The road is not nice. Deeply rutted, loose dirt and gravel. Long grass to grab your derailleur. OK, you made it across the road and turn to see THE HILL. Long, narrow, rutted, deep gravel, leaves, loose dirt and as steep as they come. At least here the fans cheer, cow bells ring, Halloween candy is offered,
as is a hot pepper. Whatever it takes to get up the dang hill. You can spin, stand and climb, pray as only the strongest legs get up that hill. But the cheers are well worth it. A few turns and some mulchy rollers. One more set of barriers and you are back to the gravel and one lap is done. Enjoy the next 5,6 or 8 additional laps!

Yes, this is Spooky Cross!

Your Roving Race Reporter,

Luann

Most photo credits to Dave Mable; Megan K; Joann S; Kim H; Aryn F; Lee all posed for these photos! :)