Pink Gals Master Bluff Creek Tri

Congrats to all of the pink that rocked the Olympic Tri course at Bluff Creek. Aryn lead all out of the water and added a strong bike (2nd best time overall) and run. For all of us that have been riding with Aryn, a strong bike is not a surprise. She finished 4th overall and won her age group. An awesome first race and start to the 2011 season.

Competing in her first Olympic Tri, Jane showed that hours of bricks can make one very successful. Even thought she found the 54 degree water chilling she used all of her pink strength to survive and get to the disciplines that she is more fond: biking and running. Congrats Jane!

Michelle also tackled this tough course. She blew away her time from last year. In addition to a strong race, she showed pink love and kept newbie Jane calm and ready to race!

Your Roving Race Reporter,

Luann

Dee and Dave Whip Almonzo

Dave has pretty high standards on when he will ride. There are very few reasons that he won't get on the bike, solo or tandem, and tear it up. He had held a pretty strong line on the position that he will ride when it is cold; and when it is raining; but not when it is cold AND raining. Well he can toss that one out but apparently only if you toss in a half inch of facial mud!

Dee and Dave rode in some awful spring conditions to knock out 100 miles of gravel roads. Welcome to Almonzo where it costs nothing to enter but can tear your heart, soul, and guts out. Tide may be able to solve all stains on TV but it could not touch Dave's kit.

Being true students of biking, they used the time on the bike to show that drafting works. Dee stayed tucked nicely behind Dave and she clearly has 20% less mud on her.

As Dave summed it up on his FB: ‎42 degrees. strong NW wind, endless hills (endless), mud, fresh gravel, rain, rain, rain, mud, hills, wind, rain, mud, hills, soft gravel, mud, hills (leg-breaking), rain, cold, wind. Oh, and a flat.

Congrats to both Dee and Dave on this momentous accomplishment.

Your Roving (but clean) Race Reporter,

Luann

VeloRosa Riders Place 2, 3 at Zealous Race

The rains held off to allow for cool but drier race conditions. Megan continued her early season prowess by placing 2nd at the Zealous Road Race in Des Moines.

Melinda opened her road race season with a solid 3rd place finish in the same race. The tough course may have kicked rear end, but she kept pedaling away.

Congrats to both Pink Ladies!!

Your Roving Race Reporter,

Luann

ARTCRANK Opens This Thursday

ARTCRANK opens this Thursday at 7:00 p.m. at the Des Moines Social Club located in the Kirkwood Hotel (4th and Walnut). This is the ultimate poster party for bikers of all types. The are original, bike-inspired pieces of art from many local artists.

Admission is free and all posters are $30

ARTCRANK Des Moines 2011 is presented by Des Moines Bike Collective, a nonprofit organization that promotes cycling as a viable transportation alternative and advocates for making Des Moines and the surrounding metro area more bike-friendly.

Full Schedule:
Thursday May 19
7:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Friday May 20
5:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Saturday May 21
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
7:00 PM – 10:00 PM


Luann

Race Like a Girl THIS Thursday

Yes, the series is back. Thanks to all of the ladies that love to ride, RLG will not fade away. The race is held at Union Park in Des Moines and starts at 5:30 p.m. This is the best $10 you can spend on a Thursday night. You do need a license and one-day ones are available for sale (also $10, I think).

Everyone should give this a try. It is a short course road race. There are usually 3 races for each group. They are rather short races with 6-8 laps. You can ride one or all three.

Bring a lawn chair, some beverages, a little food. Come to watch or ride; bring the kids. There is a rocking kids race with rising superstars like Reed who wants to ride a full lap. Kids get a free cookie from Baby Boomer Cafe. There is no fee for the kids race.

Your Roving Race Reporter,

Luann

Pink Riders Super Fast at Elkhart TT

The winds finally calmed down and the rains held off so that VeloRosa could race time trials this last Thursday.

Aryn lead the team with a 20:38 for the 12K race. She earned 2nd in the Eddie Merckx division while Melinda took 4th with a 22:56. Julie G put down a 22:09 for 5th in the Women's Masters.

Ride on, Pink Ladies, ride on!!!

Your Roving Race Reporter,

Luann

Pink Goes 2, 4 at Squaw Creek

Megan road an awesome race to take 2nd at the Squaw Creek Crit on her birthday last Saturday. The race started on a steep hill and had many tight turns. Megan held up front with the Cat 1/2/3/ gals through the winding course.
The Mercy team worked hard as a group and Megan could have been wearing light blue. She rocked the pink right in the midst of that sea of blue!

Lee held on to take 4th in the same race.

Lee continued to show that a year's worth of experience is the best medicine for improving at the Cat 4 level.

Your Roving Race Reporter,

Luann