Frame and Wheel joins Ron Bourgoin, Neil Fitch and Eric Weinrich of the OA / Cyclemania Masters Cycling Team in the 40 plus category at the 2012 Tour of the Battenkill otherwise known as “The Hell of the North”. Temperatures are in the mid 50s at the start and conditions are dry. One hundred and twenty one riders line up for the 62 mile route that features steep climbs, dirt roads and the bucolic scenery of upstate New York.
This year the peleton stays together over the climbs on Perry Hill Road, Juniper Swamp Road and Cemetery Road. The dirt sections on Cheese Factory Road and Wright Road become the features of the race. The sand is deep in places, the rocks are big and the dust at times obscures the lead car and portions of the field. The crack of rocks ricocheting off of carbon and expletives penetrate the roar of shaking bicycles and their riders. Frame and Wheel switches religions at least three times and struggles to get to and stay at the front of the field. Riders are fishtailing in sections; some riders lose momentum completely and come to an abrupt stop. Remarkably, there are no bad crashes. Frame and Wheel follows the advice of cyclocross guru John Grenier: keep the RPMs low and stay seated.
Somewhere towards the end of Wright Road, a break of five riders suddenly forms including Thomas Francis, (Wheelwroks Racing), Jacob Hacker, Ted Michaels (Evolution Cycling Club), Dan Staffo (Handlebars Cycling Company) and Frame and Wheel. There is a 30 second gap and the five work together to maintain it through to Stage Road. Thomas Francis and Frame and Wheel struggle to keep up on the this final climb and lose time. On the final flat section, however, the two work together and close to within meters on the three other riders who are absorbed in the traditional game of cat and mouse. At the 1K mark that game ends abruptly when the three see that they are about to be joined by two more riders; the three keep their gap. Jacob Hacker wins the day, followed by Ted Michaels and Dan Staffo. Frame and Wheel crosses the line in fourth place with Thomas Francis seconds behind.
The race is much more challenging for Frame and Wheel this year. In previous years, Frame and Wheel has the luxury of being in small and early breakaways, primarily the result of Joe Bean Road. This year Frame and Wheel must endure riding in a large pack, frequent accelerations and the stress and trauma of riding blindly over very rough dirt roads. Thus, Frame and Wheel is very pleased with the result and congratulates Ron, Neil and Eric on their results. Most importantly, team mates and competitors have come through relatively unscathed; the Austro-Daimler Superleicht has also survived its first race. Frame and Wheel purchases a bottle of Battenkill Valley Creamery Chocolate Milk and heads for home.
