In Conclusion . . .

The Portsmouth Criterium, on Sunday, September 21st, pretty much marks the end of the road racing season, at least in New England. After that, cyclists have to look other ways to pursue their athletic endeavors in the off-season.

From what I've seen, there are three schools of thought here:

1. Cyclo-cross. Cyclo-cross is just like road/criterium racing, but with mud and beer and no semblence of team tactics. So pretty much exactly like category five road racing.
2. Cross-training. In New Hampshire, the predominant winter sport is definitely skiing (or snowboarding). Personally I don't see the point in alpine skiing. You spend about half the time on the lift and end up getting way too drunk. Then on the way down you just sort of stand there and say "wee!" I much prefer nordic skiing. They don't have nordic snowboarding, though. Maybe I'll invent it.
   
3. Transitioning. If you have a periodized your training plan for the year, then you have a couple weeks of "Transition." That's the at the end of the season, after the last race, and lasts until the starting baseline of training begins again, some time in winter, depending on when you plan to do most of your racing. Take this in-between time to just relax.
   

Though it looks fun, I'm not terrifically interested in Cyclo-cross. If last winter was any indicator of what this coming winter will be like, then we're sure to have an abundance of snow, so cross-country skiing should be no problem. But this transitioning thing, I think there might be something to it. The way I figure it, the fatter and more out-of-shape you get in the winter, the more style points you get if you can get your game back by summer.

So there you have it. I am going to do my utmost to get as out of shape as I possibly can, starting on the first day of autumn, and then see if I can make it back to the best form of my life by next July.