From Bill Laudien (Lancaster Twp Manager who has been communicating with the Rapho Twp Managers who want us out).
It looks like we should be good for tomorrow. Here's my short term solution.
There are about 45 guys who have been riding in the first group and 25 in the second group. The last 15 guy in the first group do nothing but hang on until the final lap. Beside stroking one's ego, I'm not sure what that accomplishes.
I suggest a simple rule - If you're a cat 4 or 5, you MUST race in the second group until you finish in the top 2. If you are a cat 4 who thinks that you're above that...that you're too good for the second group...you're not.
Wanna prove me wrong, race in the second group, get your top 2 and move along. If you can't get top 2, then you're right where you belong. This will make the second group faster, it will allow those guys just hanging on to actually race their bikes, and it will reduce the size of the groups to a manageable one.
I'm asking those of you who are 4s and 5s to do this voluntarily. I'm asking those of you who are 1s, 2s, and 3's to police this. Tell your friends and teammates who you know are 4's to go back. In this case, peer pressure is a good thing. This isn't to insult any one or belittle anyone's abilities. This is simply to create a safe situation that will allow all of us to have a venue to race.
I’d like to add a few points:
1. We need to STOP at the first turn (Esbenshade Rd), it should be #1 priority when we approach that intersection, It should be in everyone’s head we’re stopping so there’s no confusion. If there is a car at the intersection, we shouldn’t even roll into the shoulder.
2. if for some reason the group gets split by a car at the stop sign, the front group should slow down, let the car clear the front group to avoid a cluster with a car being amongst the group. Most times when a split occurs because we didn’t stop, the front group continues at full throttle, there’s a car behind them while the second group is chasing behind the car, We may all be in control, but the scene does not look good.
3. STAY to the right of the road and 2 abreast, at times we’re 3-4-5 abreast when we can be doing the same thing at 2 abreast.
4. AT the Second turn, stop swinging into the left lane to make that turn. It’s not necessary. More often than not, there’s a car behind us and a car approaching us at this turn. It does not look good when we take up that road.
5. The front 10 or so positions are steering and driving the pack, it’s up to these positions to dictate what’s happening to the rest of the pack, so keep that in mind when you are up there…see #1-#4. 6. When warming up, we should ride 2 abreast, in the direction of training ride, clockwise. Often times we have groups of guys riding in opposite directions with cars trying to get thru.
