Henry Abel
A big thank you to the SEVENTEEN tandem teams that came to the LifeSource Salem-Fairview Circuit Race last weekend! That was the biggest tandem turnout that I've seen in recent years outside of the Co-Motion Tandem Race, and a sure sign that the tandem racing is getting bigger and better here in Oregon. That was an all new event, and I'd love to hear your feedback on it. Thank you for coming!
This weekend is the Firecracker Tandem TT and the Tandem Criterium! Amy and I will be riding and working at the NW Tandem Rally in BC, so will miss it - but it sounds like everybody else is going! I wish we could do both.
Also - think about joining us for the tandem track pursuit on July 25th! You can do it on your road tandem and it's truly one of the more unique things that you'll ever do on your tandem. Scroll down and check it out...
Links and details are below and at NWTandemRacing.com
TT: FIRECRACKER TANDEM TT, July 4 - Peoria, OR
The Peoria course (near Corvallis) is a totally flat 40k course. Typically there's a headwind one way - and sometimes both ways! This out and back course has a wide turnaround so it works great for tandems.
http://www.obra.org/flyers/2009/firecracker_crit_tt.html
ROAD: FIRECRACKER TANDEM CRIT, July 5 - Eugene, OR
This weekend of tandem races continues with a tandem criterium in the same industrial park used by the Co-Motion Tandem Stage Race criterium. The wide, D-shaped course is flat and smooth - and about as safe a tandem crit course as you could ask for.
http://www.obra.org/flyers/2009/firecracker_crit_tt.html
TT: RACE ACROSS OREGON, July 11-13 - Hood River, OR
The 2009 Race Across Oregon route travels 527 miles from The Best Western Hood River Inn through eastern Oregon and finishes at Cooper Spur Ski Area. The tandem class already has some teams registered.
http://www.raceacrossoregon.com/rao_main/rao-route
TRACK: ALPENROSE TANDEM PURSUIT, July 25 - Portland, OR
Alpenrose Velodrome offers this one tandem race a year. They will be offering a tandem pursuit when they run the team pursuits. The start time will be around noon. At Alpenrose they do a 3K for the tandems. Only two tandems on the track at a time - one tandem starts at each side and they race for time. If you'd like to try tandem racing on the track you can use your regular road tandem for this event. You simply pick one gear and stay in it for the entire race. You haven't had fun on a tandem until you've ridden one on a track.
http://www.obra.org/track/index.html
Cheers,
Henry Abel
henry@webcyclery.com
NWTandemRacing.com