The Internet of Bikes: Dick Williamson Time Trial (Maine Time Trial Series Race #5)

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The Dick Williamson Time Trial is a 13.6 mile point to point time trial held on Route 4 just outside of  Auburn, Maine. It is the fifth race in the Maine Time Trial Series. The course features flat to gently rolling terrain, strong winds and a long and quite steep hill at mile eight. Temperatures were in the low 50s and conditions were wet, windy and cold. About 30 riders started the race. Frame and Wheel tracked the race with an Android smartphone and marks some features of the course in the labels above. Total duration is 34 minutes (including the parking lot repeats), total distance is 14 miles, average moving speed is 25 miles per hour, maximum speed is 40 miles per hour, maximum elevation is 375 feet, total elevation gain is 452 feet and maximum grade is 9 percent.

Frame and Wheel is required to be "present and sober" back home by late morning and thus decides to park the car at the finish and ride the 13.6 miles to the start. This serves as the warm up for the race and allows Frame and Wheel to skip the 40 minute warm down ride that most riders are required to do in order to get back to the start. The warm up ride is wet and cold and blustery and there is a lot of traffic heading into Auburn. Surprisingly, it seems to be just as effective as the more rigorous rituals conducted on the trainer.  Frame and Wheel arrives with ten minutes to spare.

Frame and Wheel sets off and gets up to speed. The rain has stopped but the road is still wet. There is a tailwind on some sections and the terrain has a series of mild downhills. Frame and Wheel gets caught on the wrong side of a short stretch of rumble strip and is forced to ride the strip for a moment in order to get to open road. There are some cracks in the pavement and debris on the road here and there. Frame and Wheel concentrates on form and keeps an eye on the road and the terrain. 

Frame and Wheel is able to push a big gear on the sections where there is a flat or mild downhill and a tailwind. Streams of traffic racing up Route 4 seem to help too. The RPMs are low but gradually increasing. The legs protest, but the heart rate drops. Frame and Wheel soon encounters the only dog in New England that is off its leash and in the vicinity of a bike race. The creature miraculously bounds across Route 4 and cheerily investigates the rider ahead. Frame and Wheel senses that this dog is not an interceptor. Ears perked, the dog sees Frame and Wheel bearing down, but it remains still and off the shoulder. Fortunately, the creature is more intent on enjoying an illicit holiday than chasing bikes on Route 4. 

Frame and Wheel attacks out of the saddle the hill at mile eight. It goes on for half a mile, but there is a big downhill afterwards that allows for some recovery. Frame and Wheel is still not certain that this technique is any faster than staying in the saddle with higher RPMs, but has seen it done with great effect at other time trials. The final four miles of the course are flat and rolling and they are the hardest part of the race. The mind believes that the race will end soon because obstacles like the hill at mile eight usually occur towards the end of the race. Not the case on this course. Frame and Wheel makes one last effort out of the saddle at the line. This time Frame and Wheel can tell that some time was gained. The race is over. Frame and Wheel completes the course with a time of 28:43 which is fast enough to win the coveted apple pies prepared by Amber Waterman (Unfortunately, Frame and Wheel is unable to attend the award ceremony, but hopes that the organizers helped themselves). Frame and Wheel is relieved that the warm down ride can be avoided because on this day the warm down ride will not be very pleasant. Frame and Wheel thanks the Maine Cycling Club for putting on this event and taking the trouble to provide electronic timing and fine tasting prizes, and congratulates all the participants for turning up on such a cold day to race a very tough course.