Off to the races!

Tomorrow is a Big Deal. Our intrepid Bilenky Tandem team is heading into the wilds of the Lehigh Valley (and, more troubling, its surrounding mountains) to ride in the grueling but polite Rapha Gentlman's Race.

Here is a video about it. No one connected with this race ever gets dirty.

Bob's spent the past few days putting together three racing machines from all the random tandems we have lying around. I went on a short spin on one yesterday. Bob is not a scary captain at all (but then, all the other guys I've ridden with have been TERRIFYING captains, so maybe Bob is just less terrifying.)

Another team member visited yesterday, the inimitable Sally Poliwoda of Sturdy Girl Cycling. She founded Sturdy Girl, which is Philadelphia's premier women's cycling club, back in 2003. She's been riding for 20 years, specializing in long distance.

Here she is, trying to convince a skeptical Bob that we are In It To Win It.

Also joining the team is Pat Engleman,

We hope he doesn't try to get this rad on a tandem.

And Michelle Lee:

We retrofitted her Serotta!

Here's a quote from her website: 

.... I can beat you up a hill in my big chainring, but I've got a problem with gravity-aided motion. That means you'll probably choke on the fumes of my smouldering brakes as you pass me on the way down...

And Caroline Gaynor:

Even her kit is carbon fiber?

"She has also been competing in triathlons for over 10 years and stair climbing (Empire State Building) races since 2007.  This summer, Caroline raced as a guide for a blind athlete in Ironman Lake Placid, having been given only five weeks to prepare. She and her athlete were the first blind female athlete/female guide pair to ever complete an Ironman triathlon..."

And finally Brian Gatens who is so mysterious that we don't even have a photo of him, but the internet hints at Ironman triathlons, fancy races, and possible James Bond-like urbanity. Hopefully he will become visible by the start line.

If you're staying in Philly this weekend you should come out for the Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby and watch me ride through a mudpit (Kensington KNOWS mud.) Look for the angry possum.

Have a great weekend, and GO TEAM BILENKY!

Isis
BCW