The Internet of Bikes: Pen Bay / YMCA Time Trial (Maine Time Trial #1)

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The Pen Bay / YMCA time trial is a 16 mile out and back time trial held in Rockport, Maine. It is the first time trial in the Maine Time Trial Series. The course features a rolling out bound leg, a long tough hill to the turnaround and a rolling and windy return, punctuated by some tough hills. Temperatures were in the 50s and conditions were dry, but windy. There were 45 riders in the race. 

Frame and Wheel tracked the event with an Android smartphone and added some labels so that viewers can get a sense of the terrain and the drama. Frame and Wheel recommends a look at the elevation chart in the map, as it shows quite clearly the challenging nature of this course. Total moving time was 43 minutes (includes rolling around at the start area) and total distance was 15.8 miles. Average moving speed was 22 miles per hour and maximum speed was 40 miles per hour. Maximum elevation was 185 feet and total elevation gain was 700 feet. Maximum grade was 5%.

Frame and Wheel gets up to speed and concentrates on staying aerodynamic, hanging on to the bars tightly, keeping the RPMs reasonable and remembering which gear is being used. The first mild hill saps some momentum, but Frame and Wheel is able to catch riders here. The terrain becomes flat to mildly downhill and Frame and Wheel is able to push some big gears, but it is hard to sustain. The downhill by the Christmas Tree farm offers some time for recovery. The police do a great job of keeping the intersection clear of cars and Frame and Wheel negotiates this without having to slow down. The fast descent to the river has Frame and Wheel reaching 40 miles per hour. A cross wind grabs at the disc and the deep dish front wheel.

The climb up to the turnaround is hard, but it is a great place to make up time. Frame and Wheel gets to the turnaround and is squired through by attentive marshalls who are clearly aware that simple instructions can be hard for a time trial cyclist to understand. Frame and Wheel rounds the turnaround and on the way down the hill spots time trial expert Tim Mitchell (CCB) closing fast. Frame and Wheel recovers a bit and pushes hard on the hill that passes through the intersection, and the mild incline that follows. The wind is blowing and it is becoming harder to catch and pass riders.

Frame and Wheel prepares for the decisive hill of the race: this is a climb at mile 11 that is steeper and harder than it appears, perhaps because the openness of the road and lack of perspective tricks the rider into believing that momentum from the preceding descent can be carried right over it. It is easy to misjudge and lose time here. Frame and Wheel pushes hard up this hill and is feeling the effort and the drool is beginning to flow.

The remaining section is flat to perhaps mildly uphill and it seems to go on forever. Frame and Wheel tries to accelerate wherever the terrain allows, but there are few opportunities and it is not so easy to do. Frame and Wheel keeps hoping that Route 90 Lighting, the two mile landmark, will come into view, but it never seems to materialize, and when it does Frame and Wheel does not notice. Somewhere around Tolman Pond, Tim Mitchell passes Frame and Wheel at an impressively high rate of speed. Frame and Wheel tries to prevent the gap from getting too big, but is not able to do much. The Reduced Speed Ahead sign marks the last few hundred meters of the race and Frame and Wheel makes one last effort to the line, barely able to state the race number to the official at the finish.
Frame and Wheel finishes with a time of 33:45 good enough for second place overall, but well behind a very fast time of 32:09 by Tim Mitchell. Frame and Wheel is pleased with the effort and the promise of a few bagels, which are always on offer at the end of the race. Frame and Wheel congratulates all the racers on their willingness to compete in such a difficult race and thanks the organizers for putting on a great time trial.