Escape from Granogue, DE

There is a strong racing scene up around the Northern Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania borders, and this race is the local gathering for bragging rights. Set on a private estate near the DuPont turf, Granogue is one of the best races I have ever ridden. The course, the people, the event, all top notch. The whole crew made it up for this one - Pete, Greg, Larry. Gotta get my boy Andrew back in the saddle...he's missing alot of fun.
I raced in the Single Speed class, just because I felt the need to really hurt myself I guess plus, the Blue Bike is out of commission. The 34 - 20 gear I ran was perfect for the rolling course, which had some tough little climbs, but bad for the road start as I was spun out 50 feet into the race. I'm in last place at the bottom of the first climb up to the tower.
The legs are telling me, "go go go", but we've got a long way to go so I settle into a nice rythym behind a big guy who's name I will soon learn as Fitzy. Just about every spectator we pass by along the course is cheering, "Go Fitzy"! "Get 'em Fitzy"! "Kick their asses Fitzy"! Who the hell is this guy? Turns out he's a good guy to chase because he's passing guys left and right and I'm following his lead. I start to feel like we are in a pretty good position, and up ahead I see Rutgers jerseys. That's right, the old man skipped the Vet class to line up against the college boys! I can't catch the local hero, Fitzy, until the second lap, but once I got by him, I don't see him again until the finish. There's a sprint for 10th place with a guy who has been chasing me for the last 4 miles, he says. I beat him by a wheel. My first sprint to the line and hopefully not the last, as it was intense...with legs like wet noodles and brain half fried following a big climb directly in the suns rays. I find the shade of a big oak tree and watch the start of the Pro race, with guys twice as fast as me and racing twice as long. I know they're not having twice as much fun.