Thoroughly enjoyed the Longsjo Classic 2007 bicycle race. I "rode to the race" all 4 days, watched the time trial, circuit race, road race, and downtown criteriums. And I hosted an amateur cycling team -- Kelly Benefit Strategies -- so my house was filled with bikes, bike racers, and bike race talk for 4 solid days.

This is the first time I hosted a team. I had no expectations really, so it would have been hard to be disappointed. The experience was a good one..a great one. I viewed it as an opportunity to be generous and open your house to struggling amateur racers, and a chance to see the inside of a team and add another dimension to enjoying a bicycle race. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. On the hosting, a few things really jumped out to me:

• Their age, they are just kids. I guess before their visit I was thinking more "George Hincapie". But they were all college age kids. They liked my Playstation 2.
• They eat a lot. A real lot. A breakfast they may go through a carton of eggs, stacks of pancakes, a bunch of bananas, cartons of yogurt, box of cereal, gallons of milk, gallon of juice.
• Very polite and well-mannered. Altar boys every one of them.
• They are very very fast. I've worked very hard to build up to a speed of 20.5 mph avg for 50 mile ride....they are at 26-27+ mph avg over longer distances with steeper hills.
• Some, if not most, don't have that much money...and what money they do have they spend on their bikes and on coaching.  They are all very appreciative of having a roof over their heads.
  

The whole 4 days were very enjoyable for me. But these things jump out at me as the best:

• The race watching in downtown Princeton on the road race stage. They come by nice and slow. Can enjoy a cheeseburger and soda, mingle with friends, and enjoy some great race viewing.
• An early morning ride with the coach. It's not every day you can go on a 10 mile ride with the national women's criterium champion.
• Riding home from the race one day a couple of racers passed me in their car tooting their horn at me. They slowed, and I pulled in behind them motorpacing for about 3-5 miles. When I got home one of them said something like (paraphrasing), "Dude, you were crushing it! That was 30+ mph!"
• Hearing about the race, tactics, and what happened from the racers right after the race. For example, on the downtown criterium one of the racers was in a break and finished fourth. Right after the race he stopped to chat with me. I gave him a high five and said "Great ride man! I was hoping you guys would stay away, and when you did, I thought you were going to take the race!" He was very animated obviously after a great race and gave me the rundown on what happened....just great fun to be a little more connected to the race this way.
• Two people asked me "How did you do?"...mistaking me for a racer. That made me feel good. I guess I don't look that bad. How vain!

I'm exhausted, I rode over 250 miles this week. The house has no food. But a great 4 days all in all!  Would I do it again?  Absolutely.