Tuesday, August 11, 2009

ORE TO SHORE 09

Mike Anderson in the news: ARTICLE

JASON LUMMIS Garmin 305 data from the race: GARMIN






Good Luck Knuckles!

Mike Anderson 2nd, Jason Lummis 6th, John Meyers 11th, and Joberon 24th.
Scott Quiring (along w/Ken Blakey-Shell) got 1st place in the Men's Tandem division.
BRIAN MATTER WON !


John, Greg 'Kuhncappie-Chappy' Kuhn (5th place), & Joe catch'n their breath after the race:
photo from Land Lueck:
The competition was huge this year sans the Simonster and Jesse Lalonde. Wisco had at least 6 guys who could win it and Minn. studs Doug Swanson/ Jeff Hall made this stop #1 of the Midwest Triple Crown a fast/furious day....

Mike Phillips grabbed the hole shot from the start and the pace was fast. Jason Lummis took a quick flyer to see if anyone was willing to go, but no. Mike Anderson jumped on the first dirt on the RxR tracks and gapped the field, to be chased down quickly. Up and over the luge climb and the lead group was about 10-15 until the pace slowed and it grew to about 40 into Ispheming. The Eppens ramped it up and Tristan Schouten kept the pace high. Jason Lummis grabbed the better line on the old sandy RxR bed and pushed the pace again. Mike Anderson jumped off the front and Brian Matter bridged........The race changed shortly after this as the 1st chase group missed a turn leaving Lummis, the Eppens and another wisco rider Ted Hanes going the correct way (white chaulk lines and well marked course, guess you gotta think while racing)...... Soon it was just Lummis and Ted trading pulls for the 20 miles. Jason was having a rear tire issue with about 18 miles to go, it was losing air slowly, With about 13 to go a group containing Hall, Swanson, Marko, Mike P and MICHIGAN Greg Khun roilled up to Jason and Ted. Jeff caught a stick is rear deraillure and stopped. Jason stopped shortly after to air up his flat rear tire, jumped back on and chased for the next 8 miles. Jason caught Jeff Hall, then Ted and finally Marko as they neared the finish line for 6th.......more to come soon !


Mike Anderson report:
The 2009 Ore to Shore was a pretty eventful and exciting weekend. Rolled into town friday afternoon and was going to follow the usual pre-race plan of riding the last 10 miles or so of the course. Got saddled up and headed out on my dialed in Quiring rocket ship. I made it about 5 miles or so onto the course when my rear derailuer destroyed it self along with my one piece steel hanger, rendering my bike unrideable and my frame unuseable. I was pretty bummed as I walked out the woods, I called up Lummis and told him my deal. Lucky for me he had his spare Quiring on stand by, so after a couple hours of swapping parts we came up with a soild ride that was pretty close to my same position. I was pretty confident with the bike after a little ride on it, steel rigid forks and v-brakes make for one fast machine.

Onto the race...

Did a solid warm up with the crew and it was race time. On the start line I saw my seatpost had slipped down a little, I adjusted it up and cranked it down, not thinking anything of it. Typical O2S start as we hammered down the pavement and onto the dirt, I took the nice smooth line along the railroad tracks and no one followed me. Ended up with a solid gap letting me ride nice and easy until the luge climb, lead the group up the climb and let someone else take over at the top, but no one wanted to pull. We rode really easy through Ishpeming with a huge group. Lummis lifted the pace before the power line hills and strung out the group, I took over at the hills and kept the pace nice and high. Ended up with a gap, Brian Matter bridged across and the race was set. Before misery hill i noticed my seatpost was slipping down, by the time we got onto the pavement it was down about 4 inches. I didnt have a wrench and wasnt sure if i should stop and get one and let Brian go. I either could try to hang onto Brian for the rest of race and probably get 2nd pretty easily. Or stop adjust it and have to race the other guys for 2nd place. I decided to tough it out and try to ride it the rest of the way. I told Brian what my plan was and said he had a 25 mile TT to do if he wanted to win. After about 25 miles of mostly standing up my legs were pretty sore, but I was able to hang on for 2nd place, 2 seconds behind Brian. I think he would have been pretty tough to beat even if i didnt have any problems. He led the last half of the race and we were still 5 minutes up on 3rd place.

The race turned out pretty good considering all the problems, and was happy with the result. 3rd place last year, 2nd place this year. A huge thanks to Lummis for letting me race his bike, I would have been done for without him. Thanks to all the sponsors for the great equipment. Next up a journey into foreign country for some WORS racing and then Chequemegon.



Post race report:
Everybody LOVES Free Beer Tickets!

The Party @ Up Front and Company was a blast the band rocked the racers drank and free swag was given out ! Thank you Bells Brewery for always making these huge events even more special. BIG THANK you to Larry Bell, Jim Parks and Jason Reicherts for always being supportive of our team...
More appreciation for sponsoring help:
STANS NO TUBES the best wheels for 29ers
OAKLEY keeping our vision clear as we rip thru the dirt
CRANKBROTHERS pedals, skewers and headsets
GEAX tires roll fast and grip well
LOUIS GARNEAU great clothing, helmets and shoes
Alferd E Bikes shop support
ABERDEEN BIKE shop support

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