Posted By Hot Habanero on 01/26/2022 12:27 PM
Ben - where in Maine was that race? There was an epic one that ran for many years around Buckfield and Hebron Maine. Those climbs are beastly!
It ran along 201 from the Quebec border, through Jackman, Binghamton (as I recall, 1/2 way prime), Skowhegan and smaller road through that 12 miles of hills, up a longer climb to high ground, then a 3 mile roll into Waterville.
No one hill was killer but I bet the total was 5000' or more. Long climb out of Jackman, a series of smaller ones hitting another every time we left the Kennebec River, bigger one to climb out to higher ground, then a break for maybe 30 miles, building climb to Skowhegan, a left turn from downtown up a 2 mile leg breaker starting the 12 miles.
I rode the race in 1976 as my first open race. Poured. Slow race. Everyone stuck together. Next year was sunny, perfect temp, 120 rider field (quite a few good Canadians) and fast! Never slowed down. Everyone that made the Skowhegan cut finished under John Howard's old record. Next rider was 10 minutes back. (I knew that when I looked over my shoulder 1/2 way up the breaker climb; wondering how far I could drift and stay with the leaders - if I didn't split the group. Next rider behind was 25 yards back and slipping fast! The wheel I was on was going to beat that guy by a ton. I had a choice. Hardest anything I have ever done. Was wasted the next 48 hours.)
|