My 2011 US racing sojourn began with a bit of an uphill battle, as it were. First race on the schedule: the infamous Snake Alley. Snake Alley, located in Burlington, Iowa, was once recognized as “the crookedest street in the world.” The road was constructed in 1894 to link the downtown business district and the neighborhood shopping area of the region. Three German immigrants conceived and carried out the idea of a winding hillside street, similar to vineyard paths in France and Germany. The street was completed in 1898 and was later named for its resemblance to a snake winding its way down the hill.
Bricks were laid at an angle to allow horses better footing as they descended. Snake Alley is a one-way street, with all traffic heading downhill—except for one day each year when cyclists tackle the uphill climb.
Snake Alley is 84 m long (about a block) and has 5 switchbacks in an 18 m climb with an average gradient of 21 percent. The women’s race was twelve laps of the fifteen block course. Oh, did I mention the weather? You got it. Wet. Fortunately the bulk of the rains finished in time for my race, but wet roads always add interest to windy descents. 
Jetlagged and sleep-deprived, I lined up on the start line slightly unenthusiastic. The feeling was mediated, however, by the excitement of lining up for the first time with my ABD teammates. We lined up not quite a full team today as a change of plans meant Kristen would missing out Saturday and Sunday’s races, joining us on Monday instead. I have a hunch that Kristen, not being too keen on hills, wasn’t particularly bummed about this. Showing true dedication to the sport and the team, Jessi began her day with her high school graduation ceremony—graduating top of her class—then, still donning her graduation gown, driving the four hours to the race. She made it just in time, arriving only minutes before the start. I think she would have skipped it, but our crafty Team Manager Ebert pinned her number on a jersey so that it was all ready for her when she arrived, sending her a text enroute to quell any concerns she might have about having sufficient time to prep for the start.
The start gun blasted and off we went. Full gas. The thing about Snake Alley is that a thorough warm-up and good position off the start line are crucial to a top result. Stacy and I had a bad start and were quickly at the back of the field for the first climb up the Snake. Eventual winner and defending champion Amanda Miller (HTC Highroad) quickly disappeared from site up the windy alley before I even hit the bricks. Despite my poor start, I loved the course with the steep punchy climb and fast sweeping descent. Travel-weary, my body wasn’t quite in agreement with this assessment and I took the course at a cruisey pace. Stacy and I moved up consistently throughout the race but couldn’t regain the front riders, finishing 11th and 13th. Elena, the powerhouse that she is, broke her chain right on the start line. Sarah, not particularly enthusiastic about the steep climb, attacked off the back and did her best to limit the number of times she had to climb the alley. With no time to warm-up, Jessi took several laps to get going and, with an impressive buildup of speed during the second half of the race, worked her way up to 16th spot. For me, a bit of an abrupt start to my US racing season, by why start off slowly when you can jump right in!
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