Barry Roubaix signals the official start of spring for many riders. The largest gravel road race within a stone’s throw of Battle Creek is a local favorite. Race day weather could not have been better and riders were treated with glimpses of the long awaited sunshine.
Matt, Nikki and Katie all raced the 22 miler. Matt finished 20 out of 73 in his age group and spent his time post-race at the after party and the after-after party for food and beverages at a Hastings staple, The Walldorff Brewpub.
Katie and Nikki lined up in the 2nd to last wave of the day with the women’s 22 miler group. It was Nikki’s first experience being on the racing side of the fence, after being a spectator at the event for many years. The two decided early on they would most likely stick together, and that they did. While it may not have been racing speed, the hills were no joke and the effort was there. Katie had a minor bike fiasco which put her on a “single speed” for about 3/4 of the ride and the poor guy helping her lost a contact in the dirt. Nikki may have needed to take a quick bathroom break at THE ONLY port-a-john on the course. Or maybe it was just a reason to rest the legs after the mountain climbing (but really, when you gotta pee, you gotta pee).
The best advice for the newcomer that was offered, “You WILL walk, just get off your bike and get back on at the top and keep going. It happens to the best of us.” The best of us may be better off staying away from the three sisters. You know what they say about them.
All-in-all it was a great day to ride a bike.
