Something Different

   So I did something I'd never done before while I vacation - I rode on a velodrome.  For those unfamiliar with a velodrome - it's a banked, oval bike track.  Think of a NASCAR track, but for bikes.  Being from a cycling family, I've been familiar with velodromes since childhood.  My dad grew up in Kenosha, Wisconsin, home of the oldest operating velodrome in the US (http://www.333m.com/).  My dad and brother would sometimes ride on it when we would go visit, but I never did.  Why?  It's SCARY!   Track bikes are different from standard road bikes in two distinct ways: 1) They have a fixed-gear, which means no freewheel and no coasting - you have a keep pedaling at all times.  2) No brakes.  Yes, you heard me, no brakes.  So if you're riding behind someone and they get squirrelly, you can't stop or even coast to slow down.  Then take that bike and put it on a track with steep, banked turns...well, I think you can see why my childhood self wasn't so keen on trying it out.  

  But my fear of velodromes kind of went away when I went to the Master's Track World Championships to watch my dad race last October.  While still a little scary, riding on a velodrome looked really fun and I mentioned as much to my dad.  So when I was home visiting them last week, Dad and I took a little road-trip to Trexlertown, PA - home of the Valley Preferred Cycling Center and the closest velodrome to the DC-area (about 4 hours away).  

   This velodrome has a cool history in that it was created by Bob Rodale, publisher of Bicycling Magazine.  If you're a history / cycling geek like me, check out this link http://www.thevelodrome.com/about-us/history/ for a bit more about Bob and the history of the track.

   We arrived at the track around 10:00am.  Being that it was a Tuesday, overcast and only about 50 degrees, my dad and I were the only riders at the track.  Which was fine with me because the last thing I wanted to do was crash out another rider.  The first thing I noticed about the velodrome were the grandstands on both sides of the track.  GRANDSTANDS!  As in places where people can sit to watch bike races.  Yes, the velodrome in Portugal had grandstands, but that's in Europe.   The US hasn't embraced cycling as a spectator sport in over 100 years.  

  

   On race day, all the riders set up in the pit area, which is in the middle of the velodrome.  Here they can work on their bikes and warm-up before their races.

   

    After bundling-up against the cold, it was finally time to ride.  Every track has a flat apron on the bottom of the track where riders can just cruise.  I spent a few minutes there getting used to my dad's practice track bike, which I was riding for the day.  As I stated previously, this was a fixed-gear bike, but  since it was his practice bike- he had a rear brake on it.  While I lose coolness points for having a brake, I was happy to have it as insurance that I wouldn't crash into something for the lack of being able to stop.  

   There are three lines on the track: black, red and blue.  While they mean something specific for races, I was only using them as a guide as to how high I was on the track.  The higher you are, the steeper it is.  When I first got on the track, I pretty much lived between the black and red lines, which isn't that steep at all.  It's a freaky thing to have the road beneath you slant though.  Takes some getting used to.  I kept feeling like I was going to slide down the track.  But slowly I started to creep closer to the red line, and finally past it.  Then once I got comfortable there, I creeped closer to the blue line and finally got past it.  I was surprised at how quickly I was able to adapt to riding on the track.  I figured it'd take me several trips to the track to get me above the blue line.  I eventually got up enough courage to ride up by the "rails" which is up at the very top of the track.   Now THAT was scary.  I just kept thinking "just keep pedaling, just keep pedaling" over and over while riding up there.  I didn't know what was worse, the thought of sliding down the track or busting through the signage that lined the top of it.  Fortunately, I didn't do either.

(I'm above the blue line!!)

 I did want to try one thing while I was in Trexlertown.  I'd seen racers in Portugal ride WAY up at the top, and then swoop down to the bottom of the track to pick up momentum.  Now THAT looked fun.  I figured since we were the only two in the track, I may as well try it.  After making sure Dad wasn't anywhere near me, I rode up by the rails through the turn and then just flew down to the lower part of the track in the straightaway.  It was so cool and very fast!!  Unfortunately, it was then I forgot that I couldn't coast and jammed my legs when I stopped pedaling, but no biggie.  I did the swoop maneuver a few more times before going home.  

(My dad on the track.  He rocks.)

  It was a great day.