Week 3 (But actually 2) Philly Phlyer

Philly Phlyer 3/21-22 Race Report

A cold snowstorm on Friday threatened the races, but we at Penn State pushed on despite the accumulating snow. Saturday morning was welcomed with sunshine and warmth, melting the snow and made for a wet Team Time Trial.  The teams showed arrived in high spirits and put everything out on the road.  The course had a couple of fast descents and short punchy climbs finishing at the Smith Memorial Arch in Philly.  Staging was hectic as the nearby Please Touch Museum was having an event, leaving racers dodging cars in their warm up laps.

Saturday Time Trial: 13 mile TTT

Men’s D: Matt Mckenzie, Jose Aguilar, Ryan Dahl and Paul Girgis

The D team raced in one of their first team events, while they were not the fastest on the day, they learned a lot about racing and pacing as a team.

Men’s C: Sam Carroll, Zach Newcome, and Connor McManus

The group showed up at the start line down one teammate.  They soldered on and finished strong getting 6^th out of 12 teams racing.

Men's B: James Read, Drew David, and Mitch Ernst

Mitch put his all into the TTT but was dropped six miles into the race.  James and Drew drove on and finished third.  However, their pace was so strong they were accidentally scored in the Men's A's field at fourth.

Men’s A: Joe Halo, Brett Wachtendorf, Greg Ratzell, and Matt Waller

Penn State took 3^rd, just four seconds off of second place.  The team worked well together, although Joe found himself disconnected towards the end of the race.

Full results: http://velocityresults.com/results/549/eccc-week-2-philly-phlyer-tt-philadelphia-pa

Saturday Road Race: The Schuykill Scramble

The road race added on a mild climb into the circuit used in the TTT.  The climb was preceded by a 180 degree bend that forced the pack to almost come to a halt and sprint up the climb.

Men’s D: Matt Mckenzie, Jose Aguilar, Connor McManus and Paul Girgis
Distance: 20 miles

Jose, Matt, Connor and Paul lined up together. A mix of abilities left little of what could be called a peloton today.  Paul finished 9^th after a very hard effort fighting the wind.  Connor and Matt each made a few friends on the road and worked together to fight to the line.  Jose came over the line with a smile on his face as he is just getting the taste of what makes racing so much fun.

Women’s C: Sarah Rutledge
Distance: 20 miles

These women are fast!  A number of strong girls showed up to drive the pace.  Sarah maintained contact for most of the race but finished just shy a couple of minutes of the main field.  She still finished 18^th out of 28 riders.

Men’s C: Zach Newcome, Mitch Ernst, Sam Carroll and Charlie Li
Distance: 26 miles

A massive field, 63 starters on the day.  Short and fast, Charlie and Sam both fell off the pace but finished closely behind the pack.  Mitch had a great day, Winning 4^th in the sprint.  Zach was right in the sprint as well but was taken out by a crash that happened ahead of him.  Fortunately, he and his new Specialized bike (Thank you to our sponsors, The Bicycle Shop and Specialized) survived the crash.

Men’s B: Drew David and James Read
Distance: 32 miles

Drew and James found themselves in a similar position to last week, unable to get away, they stayed strong in the field and sprinted for 9^th and 13^th in a very fast field.

Penn State-Lehigh Valley Mention Women’s A: Monica Volk
Distance: 32 miles

Monica Volk of Penn State Lehigh Valley will be joining the University Park Campus next year.  She won the collegiate race, finishing second behind a non-collegiate rider.

Men’s A: Sean McIntyre, Wes Kline, Greg Ratzell, Kevin Bernstein, Joe Halo, Brett Wachtendorf and Matt Waller
Distance: 46 miles

A Penn State team of 7 riders was determined to get in the breakaway.  Attacks started from the gun.  By the second lap in Kevin was in a break with 3 other riders chasing down a solo man up the road.  They had about 30 seconds on the field but Kevin went down in the 180 degree bend, getting back up with just enough time to rejoin the field.  The break was caught soon after.  The pace stayed high until Brett got off the front solo with more than 3 laps to go.  Sean, Wes, Greg, Kevin, Joe, and Matt followed attacks and blocked to keep Brett far away from the field.  Brett stayed away and won the day.  Joe and Matt flatted and did not make it to the finish.  Back behind, Kevin set a high pace into the finish to keep the pack together.  Wes, Greg, and Sean picked up 8^th, 9^th and 11^th, respectively, for Penn State in the field sprint.

Full results : http://velocityresults.com/results/550/eccc-week-2-philly-phlyer-tt-philadelphia-rr

Sunday Criterium: Temple University Criterium

The mild warmth of Saturday turned into a biting cold wind on Sunday.  The buildings of Temple University’s campus blocked some wind but cast shadows all day, keeping everyone shivering.  The course turned into a wind tunnel with strong headwinds and tailwinds that caused large fluctuations in speed that burned up everyone’s legs.  A mile long course with two sets of train tracks, potholes and the occasional glass on the road.  This day was not going to be easy.  Pedestrians meandered on the course throughout the day as Temple University was having a visiting day for prospective student.

Men’s D: Matt Mckenzie, Jose Aguilar and Connor McManus
Distance: 30 mins

The coldest race, as it was the earliest on the day.  Jose and Connor rode their limit today, while fast, it wasn’t fast enough to stay with the field.  Jose was pulled but Connor made teammates with other teams to get to the line before the field did.  Matt is showing good form and finished in contact with the lead breakaway.

Women’s C: Sarah Rutledge
Distance: 40 mins

The field was small today, only 12 riders.  Not a whole lot of opportunity to hide from the howling wind.  Sarah fell off the pace but worked with a fellow rider to keep the pack from closing down, finishing her race on the same lap as the leaders.

Men’s C: Zach Newcome, Mitch Ernst, Sam Carroll and Charlie Li
Distance: 40 mins

The pace ramped up quickly and Sam and Charlie lost touch, unfortunately tour groups crossing the road held up Sam and cut his chase short.  Mitch was sitting strong and ready to go in the final sprint, but a rider in front of him decided to lie down.  Mitch swerved to avoid it but was unable to.  Zach avoided the crash, pedaled hard and found a slot in the top 10.

Penn State-Lehigh Valley Mention Women’s A: Monica Volk
Distance: 50 mins

A shout out again to Monica, as she sweeped every prime sprint, was involved in breakaways and won the finishing sprint to the finish.

Men’s A: Sean McIntyre, Wes Kline, Greg Ratzell, Kevin Bernstein, Joe Halo, Brett Wachtendorf and Matt Waller
Distance: 60 mins

The pace started off quick from the gun.  Monica of Lehigh Valley decided to race with the Men’s A after winning her race, but the effort was so quick that she was only able to stay in contact for two laps.  Wes, Greg, Brett, Sean and Matt all were able to stay near the front of the pack.  Kevin was near the back all day, but held on.  Joe did his best but was off the back halfway through the race.  Greg found his legs today and flew off the front near the end of the race, quickly dispatching his breakaway buddy to chase down the lone leader solo.  He was unable to bridge but casually snagged second place.  Wes was involved in a crash in the finishing sprint.  The remaining 5 finished in the pack.

Full Results: http://velocityresults.com/results/551/eccc-week-2-philly-phlyer-crit-philadelphia-pa

Penn State moves up the standings!  The team showed up strong this week and got a very convincing win in the Men’s A road race.  Now 7^th overall, and 5^th in D1.

Next week is a further drive, out to Boston.  Despite this we hope that as many of you that can will represent the Nittany Lions and show our pride.  We are hopeful for some warmer weather in Boston.  See you out at the races!

Race report by Kevin Bernstein

Photography by Ginny Tory

Week one was snowed out and week two was a weathery mess!

Race report
March 14th 2015 :

Saturday at Columbia:  A day in Belgium.  A choppy, pothole lined road overshadowed by cold rain tested the resolve of the racers.  A four mile circuit with slight elevation change made for a fast race.  Races went for 40 minutes (Men’s D) to 90 minutes (Men’s A), any longer and the racers would have gone hypothermic.  Dirt covered every racer’s face as they came home over the finish line.  The Penn State team stood strong, made efforts at getting away from the pack but the lions were ultimately destined to finish with the field.

Men’s A: Brett, Joe and Kevin all finished with the field.

Men’s B: Drew and James finished at the top of the field with a 6^th and 8^th place respectively.

Men’s C: Nolan finished at the front of the field with 7^th place.

Men’s D: While not in the field, Connor was not far behind.  15^th out of 30 finishers is a testament to how hard the day was.

Full Results: http://velocityresults.com/results/546/eccc-week-1-columbia-rr-nyack-ny


March 15th 2015:

Sunday at Rutgers: The conditions eased slightly on Sunday.  The cold rain was replaced with a cold wind.  The uphill was a wind tunnel, where the strong riders had a chance to prove their abilities. The Criterium course had three turns, two of which were high speed corners over rough road.   The day was characterized by breakaways and packs unwilling to chase.  Many fields found themselves lapped.

Men’s A: Joe won an early mid-race sprint, however the effort proved too much and found himself off the back.  Kevin and Brett finished together in the field after the breakaway lapped the field.

Men’s B: James and Drew were unable to turn on the afterburners as they found their path impeded by other racers.  They finished safely in the pack.

Men’s C: The Men’s C field stayed together for the entire race, no breakaways today.  Nolan finished in the pack and Charlie Li lost touch with the field but chased hard.

Women’s C/D: Sarah put up a strong showing in a field with some very strong women.  Sarah worked with a group of 3 other riders to finish just a lap behind the breakaway.

Men’s D:  Bad luck for Connor.  He got to the start line and the row ahead of him fell over when the race started.  The lead row jumped away while Connor waited for the people ahead of him to get up.  Connor chased hard for 25 minutes and almost caught the pack, but the race was over before he could get back in touch with the group.

Full Results: http://velocityresults.com/results/547/eccc-week-1-rutgers-criterium-piscataway-nj

Coming up:

Philly Phlyer March 21^st-22^nd.  The Pennsylvania State University Cycling team hopes to show up with even more numbers and turn the pack finishes into wins.  We will be riding throughout the week to put some speed into our legs.  See you at the races!


Written by Kevin Bernstein,

Breathing new life into an old giant

What's up everybody?! 

My name is Andrew Artz and I arrived at University Park in 2012, just one year after our Penn State Cycling blog went silent.  For one reason or another it's stayed that way, but even though some things have changed much of what makes our club the baddest and best in all of the Northeast has remained the same!  Our club has been around for over forty years and I want to see it thrive over the next forty.

Look for this blog to contain race recaps, periodic items about cycling, and whatever else we deem to be "for the good of the club." 

Andrew "Sarge" Artz
Junior, RPTM

A guest post on safety!

Hey guys,

As a lot of you are probably new to the club (and maybe new to the sport), we thought it would be a good idea to do a post on safe road riding. The good folks at Estey & Bomberger LLC (a law firm specializing in bicycle accidents) were kind enough to write up a post on proper bicycle safety. Some of it is pretty basic, but there is good stuff in there for everyone, so read up!

Bicycle safety

Not only is bicycle riding a wonderful way to exercise, it is also great for the environment. If you choose to ride your bike to work, you can also save money on gas and other expenses associated with driving. Using a bicycle for your main form of transportation has many positives associated with it, but it can also be dangerous if you do not use safety precautions. Just as there are ways to stay safer in a car, like air bags, and using a seat belt, there are many ways you can help keep yourself safe on your bicycle.

Prepare

· One of the most important safety tips for riding a bicycle is to be sure that the bicycle is properly adjusted for you. Your owner’s manual will have specific directions for you, but you should be able to stand over the top tube of the bike.

· Check your bicycle before you ride it; every time. You should always make sure that your bicycle is in top condition before you ride. Check the air level in the tires, make sure the brakes are working properly, and make sure that everything is tightly together, with no loose screws or wobbly parts.

· Wear proper safety gear. A helmet should be worn at all times while riding a bike to help protect your head in case of a crash, but the type of clothing you wear is also important, in order to help prevent accidents. In the day time, you should always wear bright clothing, and if you choose to ride at night, reflective clothing or gear is a must, along with a headlight. The best way to prevent a collision is to be as visible as possible.

Be Alert

· Make sure you are aware of any construction or other obstacles that may be on your route. If possible, do not travel through construction areas at all.

· Always be aware of vehicles, whether they are parked or traveling in the same direction as you. You must be aware of the cars around you because it is likely they are not aware of you. Pay attention to parked cars, and look out for doors opening, or pedestrians in the area.

· Always travel in the direction of traffic on the right side of the road, and in the bicycle lane if there is one.

· Obey all traffic laws, including stopping at stop signs and red lights. Most accidents between bicyclists and cars occur at intersections because the bicyclist was not seen.

Know the Law

· A bicycle is considered a vehicle, and as such, is subject to the same rights and restrictions on the road as any other vehicle, when applicable. This does include no riding under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

· There are special provisions for riding a bicycle at night, which include having a headlight, a red rear reflector, white or yellow reflectors on the pedals, and there are laws providing for the visibility of said lights and reflectors.

Riding a bicycle for a commute or just for fun and exercise is a wonderful choice for the environment and for your overall health. It is important that you keep your bicycle in good working condition, and ride safely. Be aware of your surroundings and use precaution at intersections. Although wearing a helmet won’t prevent a collision or an accident, it will do a lot to protect your head and brain should such an accident occur. Broken bones heal, but some brain injuries are permanent, or even deadly. If you or a loved one have been injured in a bicycle accident contact an accident lawyer to help you gain compensation for your injuries. And remember when riding use your best judgment and ride safe.

I always hate this part.

Some people choose to stick their nose in their books from the first day of college and never look up until the day they walk across the stage, shake the dean's hand, and receive their diploma. Some party their asses off and eventually flunk out, or at least come really damn close to it. And there are others who only associate with a small group of people throughout college, usually the same people they hung out with throughout high school.

Well, thankfully, I'm none of the above.

Four years ago, I came to Penn State as a transfer student from community college. Although I knew a good number of people here at main campus, I figured it wouldn't hurt to find something to get involved in. You know, something to keep me physically active, something to stave off the evil 'freshman-15' that latches on to your midsection during your first year of classes and sticks with you for the rest of your life unless you stay fit through college.

During one of my many trips through the Hub that first week of classes, I stopped by to check out the involvement fair that was going on in Alumni Hall. Someone dressed in a Penn State Cycling jersey managed to coerce me into putting my name down on an e-mail list after I showed a bit of interest in the club... and well, four years later, here I am, writing what will probably be one of my last entries for this here blog.

On my first group ride, I somehow managed to drag my 40 pound clydesdale of a mountain bike to the top of Lower Trail in Shingletown, and all the way back down. I knew nary a soul on that ride, had not ridden a bicycle in quite a few years, and my bike was neither light nor comfortable, especially not on a rocky, rutted, root-covered trail like Lower Trail. That ride hurt. Hell, I was ready to give up before I even hit the trail. Still, people cheered me on and got me through that ride and back to campus. From that moment on, though, I was hooked.

I've since pedaled thousands of miles, driven thousands more to ECCC race weekends, won myself an ECCC race, shared many laughs, exited and re-entered the atmosphere with Vanya, learned how to turn a bike wrench properly (thanks, Sparky), built my own bike from the ground up, had a few falls, shed some blood, shared some beers, and made some of the best friends I'll ever have. I will seriously miss this club, its members, and every single experience that I've had over the years.

Sure, I probably could have devoted myself entirely to my studies throughout my time here at Penn State, but where's the fun in that? After all, the time that you enjoy wasting is never wasted time at all.

So, to those sticking around for another year or more, keep the spirit going. Recruit new riders in the fall. Maintain relationships with local sponsors. Upgrade from D's, C's, or B's. Win Easterns again! Most importantly: Ride your damn bikes and keep having fun doing it.

I'll definitely show up at a few races in the future to cheer you guys on and take some photos.

Sincerely,
Your:

Webmaster
Photographer
Pace car driver
Rec-ride leader
Graphic designer
Travel coordinator
Vintage steel rider

Mid-season Update

Quite a bit has transpired since the last entry was made about proper preparations for a successful ECCC weekend. Here's a rundown:

The first weekend at Rutgers marked the opening of another ECCC road season. Despite a weather forecast that called for doom and gloom, 31 racers from Happy Valley suited up, loaded up, and descended upon central New Jersey with a ferocity unparalleled by any other team in the ECCC that weekend. When the spray settled and the points were totaled on Sunday after a very wet Men's A points race at Thompson Park in Jamesburg, NJ, Penn State Cycling stood atop the ECCC team omnium scoreboard with 209 points to second place MIT's 172.



Weekend number two was intended to be a split weekend, with Columbia University in New York City hosting a race in Manhattan on Saturday, and Stevens Institute of Technology hosting a road race on the Jersey side of the Delaware Water Gap on Sunday. Unfortunately, mother nature felt like throwing a big wrench into the plans for the weekend, with multiple inches of rain falling on the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania on Thursday and Friday.

While the weather cleared by late on Friday, the significant amounts of rainfall had led to a partial inundation of the Stevens road race course, which ran parallel to and was level with the Delaware River at certain points. Thus, it was announced at midnight on Friday that Stevens had no choice but to cancel what would have been an otherwise spectacular road race through the beautiful scenery of the Delaware Water Gap.


The deluge from the heavens was not enough to shut down the show for Columbia University's Grant's Tomb criterium event in Manhattan, where there was plenty of sunny weather and dry pavement to be found. Strong performances from Wyatt Stoup (2nd in Men's A), Lauren Shirock (2nd Women's A), Jessica Kutz (5th Women's A & multiple prime points), Kevin McGuire (Men's B), Jonathan Cochrane (solo breakway in Men's C), and the rest of the Penn State squad solidified yet another team omnium victory over MIT.

Weekend number three, at least for as long as I have been racing in the ECCC, has traditionally been occupied by the Philly Phlyer, and this year was no different. While the weather was neither wet nor warm as it has been in years past, it was reasonable and definitely prime for an awesome day of racing. Saturday began with the first TTT of the season; nearly every TTT team that Penn State fielded managed at least a 4th place finish or better that morning.


Immediately following the TTT was the infamous Schuylkill Scrambler circuit race. As usual, the strong headwinds on the river flat section served to shatter the legs of many that day, those who were able to conserve their power and work the wind to their advantage were the ones who came out on top that day. In Men's A, Wyatt Stoup took 2nd and the field sprint; Lauren Shirock and Jessica Kutz worked together to nail down 3rd and 4th place in the Women's A race; Jonathan Cochrane lit a full book of matches on the Men's B field sprint and came away with second place; Adam Capatch brought home a 3rd place in Men's C, and Matt LaMonte snagged 6th in Men's D.



The Sunday morning light revealed a new beast known as the Temple Campus Crit: a fast and unforgiving course characterized by its potholes, trolley tracks, and the occasional rogue urbanite stumbling off the curb in front of the peloton. On first impression, it made many yearn for the smooth and safe pavement of last year's Naval Yard Crit. However, aforementioned hazards aside, it still proved to be a fast and fun course that favored those with superior handling skills, flat out power, and impeccable luck.



The various teams of the ECCC had to wait with bated breath to hear about the weekend results due to an upset in the scoring of the Men's A circuit race: UPenn racer Robin Carpenter was not actually a UPenn racer, but was discovered to be a student from Swarthmore instead. When the final results were released, it was determined that Penn State had come out on top once more, beating out MIT for the third straight weekend in a row, this time by 14 points. According to professional ECCC racer and Penn State grad, Ryan Smolko, that was a groundbreaking feat. Following a quick perusal through results dating back to 1999, he proclaimed that, "Penn State had never won three consecutive weekends, until now."

The release of results to the public also revealed something else: Wyatt Stoup happened to be in contention for the yellow jersey of the ECCC.


And that brings us to ECCC weekend number four at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, who managed to jump through numerous political hoops in order to host their first race: The Tour de Troy.

Given that Penn State Cycling had brought home the big 'W' for three weekends in a row, the team set out on Friday afternoon in search of a fourth team omnium victory and the yellow jersey. Nearly two-dozen racers headed north into the Empire State. The forecast appeared brutal: clear, but cold and windy. In actuality, the race conditions proved to be downright abysmal, with temperatures dropping into the teens overnight and never cresting 34°F by midday. Wind chills were in the teens, and snowfall from the week before had left sand and gravel on much of the road surface; winds kicked the sand and dust into the eyes of numerous racers. Balaclavas, ski suits, and wind-blocking gloves were commonplace, and absolutely necessary in order to maintain mobility and stay warm throughout the race.

However, the arctic conditions were not enough to slow the blue and white steamroller from State College down. In the ITT, Wyatt Stoup (3rd Men's A), Joe Halo (2nd Men's C), Matt LaMonte (2nd Men's D) put in solid efforts that resulted in solid finishes.

The circuit race that followed the early morning ITT kicked it up a couple notches, with distances set much higher than the rest of the races in the season thus far. The entire loop was 7.5 miles long with very little shelter from the wind and enough climbing to test the legs of those crazy enough to compete; Men's A would do 7 laps, Men's B 6 laps, Men's C 5 laps, and Men's D would do 3 laps.



Wyatt Stoup, in an effort to snatch the yellow jersey, put forth a valiant effort in the circuit race, finishing 5th in the Men's A event. According to ECCC director Joe Kopena, last minute registrants managed to blow up the Men's C field to a total of 83 racers, which would normally result in a split field of C1 and C2. Unfortunately, it was deemed to be too late for a last-minute field-split as no extra pace cars could be found, and all 83 racers were released on course at once. This resulted in a large mass of inexperienced cannon fodder that was unable to negotiate small rollers successfully, popping many frustrated racers off the back of the pack as the field yo-yoed around the course. Men's C racer Adam Capatch still managed to make the most of the situation; he battled through the field and dropped the hammer on the final climb for a solo breakway that netted him a 1st place finish. In Men's D, Ian Bensco & Matt LaMonte finished in 5th and 6th, with Matt Drury in 8th.


The next day brought slightly better conditions for some, but not for all. The temperature at the start of Sunday's events was a balmy 20°F, which was enough to make one's hands go painfully numb by the end of a race. However, the winds had died down overnight and would not return until later in the afternoon, much to the dismay of those who had been tortured by the dust it kicked up the day before. Also, the course was beautiful, with wide streets and relatively smooth pavement. What had been predicted to be a technical course that would result in crashes ended up being a brutally fast one that tested the staying power of many racers.

In Men's D, Matt LaMonte led out teammate Ian Bensco to a 2nd place finish, Charlie Spanjers snagged 3rd in Men's C following the prime efforts of Andy Godish, and Mariano Garay put forth his best efforts in a messy Men's B race but was waylaid later by ongoing issues with sand in his eyes from the wind that plagued both Saturday and Sunday.



The Men's A race turned out to be the show of the day. Early on, Penn State racer Kevin McGuire jumped off the front for a solo breakway that strung out the field and prompted a sequence of breakaways that popped off regularly throughout the race. In the closing minutes, Robert Burnett from F&M managed to hang onto a solo break for several laps, however, he barely held off a hard-charging Kevin McGuire for the overall win. Not long after the first three crossed the line, the field rounded the last bend and laid eyes on the finish. At the head of the wave was the dynamic Penn State Frenchman, Arnaud Borner, with teammate and yellow-jersey contender Wyatt Stoup in tow. In an impressive display of baby-stomping power, Arnaud dropped the hammer and launched off the front, leaving the rest of the pack in his wake. At the line, Borner was edged out of the field sprint victory by a 'sketchy' racer from Queens, but still managed to hang to a 5th place finish, with Stoup 2 spots behind in 7th, and remaining Penn State A-racer Rodney Santiago in 12th.


Unfortunately, the efforts of the team were not enough to keep the winning streak afloat without any female racers to help bolster the scores of the men; a number of unfortunate events and illnesses kept many of the female contenders from Penn State home for the weekend.

While the team omnium win streak may have ended, the glory has not vacated the team; the collective efforts of Wyatt Stoup, Rodney Santiago, Kevin McGuire, and Arnaud Borner have helped push Wyatt into first place in the individual racer standings. Thus, the yellow ECCC jersey has returned home to Penn State for the first time in many years.

Photos by Zachary Repp - zacharyrepp.com

4 days to D-day - What to pack for an ECCC Weekend

4 days until Joe Kopena sends off the first rider at the Rutgers ITT. What's in your race bag?

Keep this in mind: If you are going this weekend, expect it to be cold. It might rain. It shouldn't snow, but you never know. And if it's a warm sunny day on race day, you simply managed to get really freakin' lucky.

Here are a few things that I would recommend packing for this coming weekend. Feel free to comment and make suggestions!

• USA Cycling license (or a printed authorization to ride)
• Photo ID (If at a military establishment, your college ID won't cut it. Bring your drivers license.)
• Health insurance card
• Printed copy of the race flyer. Don't miss your start time or lose the address of the race.
  
• Small first aid kit. Band aids, alcohol, peroxide, neosporin, gauze. Man up and shave your legs now or you'll be crying like a baby later when you pull those bandages off.
• Any speciality tools needed for working on your bike. We will have work stands and tools on hand for minor fixes, but if your bike needs something special... bring it.
• Helmet. When on your bike at any time at a race location do NOT forget to wear a helmet. Points can and will be docked if you are caught riding a bike without a helmet around the race site. Don't ride around the course backwards, either.
• A Penn State Cycling Jersey. This is required to race. Either buy one, or borrow one from a fellow club member.
• A pair of cycling shorts or bibs (either PSU Cycling attire, or plain black shorts will do)
• Gloves that will keep your hands warm but not hinder motion. Latex gloves work as a great insulator from the cold and the wet when worn underneath lighter gloves if you don't have a pair of waterproof or cold weather gloves.
• Baselayer material. Cotton t-shirts work just fine if you don't have Under Armor or anything similar. Remember, it's better to be a little too warm, than too cold when racing in cold weather. However, remember when cotton gets wet, it will not keep you warm. Wool or synthetic is best in this case.
• Armwarmers and legwarmers (easy to make out of a pair of black women's leggings for less than 10 bucks)
• Toe covers or booties for your shoes
• Warm clothing to wear when warming up (sweatpants, sweatshirt, jacket)
• Warm clothing to wear when not racing
• Safety pins (used for pinning race numbers on)
• Zip ties (no longer needed for holding Vanya's earth-orbiting techno-blasting Mazda together when re-entering the atmosphere, but they will be used for attaching the race number to your frame).
• Spare tubes, tires, and chain. And if you're Keith Groshans, a spare frame.
• Water bottles. And whatever you prefer to drink while riding (water, gatorade, accelerade, etc.)
• Food to snack on between races. Food is fuel. No fuel? You won't be crushing any souls. Granola bars, cereal, bagels, peanut butter and jelly, bananas, shot bloks, gummi bears, etc. They're all great. Think protein and carbs.
• Sunglasses are good. Ones with replaceable lenses, even better. Perfect for keeping the sun, wind, road grit, and rain out of your eyes.
• A towel big enough for you to wrap around you so that you may change into your chamois. Otherwise you'll be crouching behind a car door hoping that nobody sneaks a peek.
• A roll of toilet paper. Either have your own stash, or you'll be making friends with those who do. Or you could even sell it to those who don't. You just never know when the porta-johns will run out.
• A proper amount of insanity.
• Oh, and please don't forget your bike.

Other things to bring:

• Money. You will need to eat, be sure to chip in for gas money, etc.
• Sleeping bag. You just might be sleeping on a floor somewhere.
• Towel. Your host is not expected to provide you with a towel.
• Toiletries. Nor should they be expected to provide toiletries, either.