Whew! This Bike Show thing is kind of a bitch when you get right down to it, y'know? By the time we all re-convened @ the end of the day Thursday it was all we could do to ride the escalator up a floor to our fav Mexican joint, re-load and limp over to out hotel to retrieve our bags and catch a taxi f or the airport.
I know.................you're bleeding for me right now, huh? I appreciate that, I really do.
On Wed I had several appointments but managed to get around the show a bit as well. Co-Motion's tandems looked great - not a lot new there really - and I checked out a buncha new stuff from Terry, Salsa, Surly and a bunch more that frankly escape me @ the moment. The big thing was the 'Cross Vegas rcae that night. Rumours were all over the show that His Lanceness was gonna make the scene and race but we were skeptical to say the least. We had the major hook-up through our friends @ Quality Bike Products and Lazer Helmets......we caught a ride in the Lazer bus, all neoned out and stocked w/ Belgian beer and pizza(I don't think it was Belgian pizza). They kitted us out w/ a sweet Lazer polo shirt, cap and cowbell and let us loose on the race. The Women's race was wild....Katie Compton slayed all on the grassy-n-wicked-fast course. By then the announcers had whipped the enormous crowd into a frenzy w/ his regular Lance Status Reports. ("He's in the airport!" "He's en route!" "He's here at the venue!!!!!"
And so he was............all kitted out in LiveStrong and on a nondescript red Trek. He held his own....considering this was the most stacked field EVER in a North American 'Cross Race. Ryan Trebon gapped Tim Johnson on the last lap to win and L.A. was 20th or so. The whole cowbell-ringin', beer swillin', taco eatin' scene was a stone blast!!!!! You shoulda been there!
Thursday was more meetings, more shitty Expo food and more walkin' the endless aisles. I met w/ Seven MajorDomo Rob Vandermark, the Felt guys, Pearl Izumi, an interesting new little clothing company called Panache, Sidi, CycleOps and a ton more. Stuff that made an impression?
Sidis new prices. (Ouch!)
Felt's tri bikes (Nice!)
QR's too. (")
All the new stuff @ QBP. (Salsa, Surly, Assos, Civia....tons more)
Easton wheels.
Blackburn lights.
Giro's gloves.
Lazer's new $110 helmet.........................and a bunch more. Stop in the shop, we'll have the stuff to show you!
So...I was home for a whole 36 hours, then I headed to Chicago for the JDRF Coaching Meeting. It's a quickie.....I'll leave for home late tomorrow afternoon......and then I'm really looking forward to getting back into the flow around the shop and back on the bike. Death Valley is 3 weeks away.................and I CANNOT WAIT!!!!!!!!! DV is one of my fav weekends of the entire season and it can't come soon enough.
So.....gotta go. The red-eye flight Thursday night, workin' all day Friday, giggin' last night and comin' here today is catching up w/ me.
Hope all is well in your world...............things are great in mine!
Oh yeah...KP would want me to tell you that the new VCC Hoodies are awesome and that they were all her idea. (Truth)
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Interbike Report - Demo Daze, Part Dos
Hello again and greetings again from the weirdest city in the whole US of A. Here's a list of things that I learned today, our 2nd day out @ the Outdoor Demo Day in Boulder City NV.....
The "Tour de Lake Mead" kicked my ass! Also know as the "Hangover Ride", the "TdLM" has become a staple of the show. You line yourself up a road bike on Monday, (I had a dandy C-Dale Synapse) get your butt outta the sack @ 5:30 Tuesday morn, work yourself out to Bootleg Canyon, grab your bike and line up w/ about 200 other bleary-eyed showfolk. When the nice officer rolls out w/ his lights blazing (Police escort - gotta love it!) you head down Route 93 bound for a lovely scenic turnout on the shore of Lake Mead.
Here's the thing......it's 95% downhill from start to finish. And a large percentage of that 95% is WAY downhill! 40mph downhill. Ridin' the brakes once in awhile kinda downhill.
And we all know what THAT means, yes? Yep......let's just say that it takes me a helluva lot longer to do the return leg and leave it at that. Okay?
Shimano's new electronic Dura Ace drivetrain is pretty dang cool! Coming from a guy that doesn't use Shimano, doesn't like electronic anything and for that matter hardly ever shifts......that oughta carry some weight! If they actually get that stuff to market it's gonna be pretty dang cool. The battery only weighs 70 grams (and that's the TOTAL weight diff 'tween mechanical and electronic groups), is good for 1000+ miles and the front der. trims itself as you shift in the back. Pretty dang cool.
I rode the new Dura-Ace non-electronic stuff too......I like the new shape of the hoods and the hidden cables a la Campy and SRAM.
Salsa's new Pistola steel frame is sweet........Tru Temper tubing, nice and light. Still...I think for similar $ you could get a Gunnar, although I won't know that for sure 'til tomorrow. (Or whenever I get by their booth)
It's my fault that Ross isn't riding much. (www.rossschueller.blogspot.com) 'Tis a heavy burden to be sure!
I just don't like carbon bikes!!! I rode a sweet Look, and an even sweeter Felt (assuming that $ = sweetness) They look kinda different, one can assume that the designers had different goals and/or philosophies and.......they felt pretty much alike to me. Just like pretty much every other CF frame I've ever ridden. A decent tool for the job but not anything I'd ever find myself passionate about. (Olde Farte Rant Mode off)
The buffet @Harrah's kicks the buffet @ The Imperial Palace's ASS!!!!! Take my word on this one, it's not even a contest. (And that's before you get to the chocolate fountain!)
I think that's about it......I only had the legs to ride until about 2:00, then I "de-kitted" and walked around takin' pix and scorin' schwag 'til we all headed back about 4:00. Tomorrow the show proper begins....I have 4 appointments, which seems like a lot for a guy that was determined to adopt an "appointment-phobic" attitude prior to the show. Hopefully I won't be sittin' on that plane Thursday night brooding over the stuff I didn't get to see @ the show. We're goin' to the 'cross race after the show tomorrow night so it'll be a l-o-n-g day. If there's no post tomorrow night that's why.
Later, MC
The "Tour de Lake Mead" kicked my ass! Also know as the "Hangover Ride", the "TdLM" has become a staple of the show. You line yourself up a road bike on Monday, (I had a dandy C-Dale Synapse) get your butt outta the sack @ 5:30 Tuesday morn, work yourself out to Bootleg Canyon, grab your bike and line up w/ about 200 other bleary-eyed showfolk. When the nice officer rolls out w/ his lights blazing (Police escort - gotta love it!) you head down Route 93 bound for a lovely scenic turnout on the shore of Lake Mead.
Here's the thing......it's 95% downhill from start to finish. And a large percentage of that 95% is WAY downhill! 40mph downhill. Ridin' the brakes once in awhile kinda downhill.
And we all know what THAT means, yes? Yep......let's just say that it takes me a helluva lot longer to do the return leg and leave it at that. Okay?
Shimano's new electronic Dura Ace drivetrain is pretty dang cool! Coming from a guy that doesn't use Shimano, doesn't like electronic anything and for that matter hardly ever shifts......that oughta carry some weight! If they actually get that stuff to market it's gonna be pretty dang cool. The battery only weighs 70 grams (and that's the TOTAL weight diff 'tween mechanical and electronic groups), is good for 1000+ miles and the front der. trims itself as you shift in the back. Pretty dang cool.
I rode the new Dura-Ace non-electronic stuff too......I like the new shape of the hoods and the hidden cables a la Campy and SRAM.
Salsa's new Pistola steel frame is sweet........Tru Temper tubing, nice and light. Still...I think for similar $ you could get a Gunnar, although I won't know that for sure 'til tomorrow. (Or whenever I get by their booth)
It's my fault that Ross isn't riding much. (www.rossschueller.blogspot.com) 'Tis a heavy burden to be sure!
I just don't like carbon bikes!!! I rode a sweet Look, and an even sweeter Felt (assuming that $ = sweetness) They look kinda different, one can assume that the designers had different goals and/or philosophies and.......they felt pretty much alike to me. Just like pretty much every other CF frame I've ever ridden. A decent tool for the job but not anything I'd ever find myself passionate about. (Olde Farte Rant Mode off)
The buffet @Harrah's kicks the buffet @ The Imperial Palace's ASS!!!!! Take my word on this one, it's not even a contest. (And that's before you get to the chocolate fountain!)
I think that's about it......I only had the legs to ride until about 2:00, then I "de-kitted" and walked around takin' pix and scorin' schwag 'til we all headed back about 4:00. Tomorrow the show proper begins....I have 4 appointments, which seems like a lot for a guy that was determined to adopt an "appointment-phobic" attitude prior to the show. Hopefully I won't be sittin' on that plane Thursday night brooding over the stuff I didn't get to see @ the show. We're goin' to the 'cross race after the show tomorrow night so it'll be a l-o-n-g day. If there's no post tomorrow night that's why.
Later, MC
Monday, September 22, 2008
Demo Daze, Part Uno
So....in no particular order heres some stuff I learned today while riding 8 different mountainbikes on the twisty, dusty, rocky challenging singletrack of Bootleg Canyon outside of Las Vegas:
Every bike had a Shimano drivetrain. That's a huge shift! (No pun intended, really!) The trend over the past 3 years has been more and more SRAM stuff, at Shimano's expense. Not sure what it means but out of all three of us riding all day, only Ted had a bike w/ SRAM, and only the one.
I really like Hayes brakes. Actually.....I only really like the levers, 'cuz they feel good and have super-easy-to-adjust reach for my stubby digits. I don't really like any hydraulic brake over another - gimme cables!
I love riding in the desert! Okay...I knew that and have known it for 20+ years. Still......I frickin' love it!
After riding just about every state-of-the-art full sus design - Ellesworth, Ibis, Titus, Santa Cruz, etc - I really think that Cannondale has it knocked. The Rize I took to Moab and Fruita was every bit the bike all those fancy-ass ones are, for way less $. The Ellesworth Truth remains my 1st choice if you're buying.......but if it's my money on the table I'll be on a C-Dale Scapel, Rush or Rize.
I'm still 100% conflicted about the whole 29"/26" thing. I rode a Felt 29'r that claims to be the lightest on the market - it felt good. (The evening resounds w/ puns!) Then I ride the 26 version and like dit just as much. I rode Tony Ellesworth's personal ride....a pink 29'r Evolve......and it was fine. In fact.....I didn't even realize 'twas a big-wheeler 'til I was almost done /w a lap. (What does THAT mean, pray tell?) I rode a C-Dale 29'r and dug it, but more 'cuz it was a hardtail than any othr reason. (I had just done a lap on the much ballyhooed Ibis Mojo full-sus and it made me feel like I was shot and worn out for the day). So.......who knows? Not me, that's for damnsure.
Tomorrow is Demo Day #2.......Greg (who just arrived-fresh from finishing 11th in his age group @ the National Tri race in Portland), Aaron, Rick and I are gonna do the Tour of Lake Mead (aka "the hangover ride") first thing in the am, then I wanna ride some road and 'cross bikes. On Wed the Expo opens, then we go watch the huge "Cross Vegas Race then another day @ the show, then the huge crit, then we fly home to open the shop on Friday morning. We have a ton to get done in the next 3 days.........I'll try and keep you posted!
Later!
Every bike had a Shimano drivetrain. That's a huge shift! (No pun intended, really!) The trend over the past 3 years has been more and more SRAM stuff, at Shimano's expense. Not sure what it means but out of all three of us riding all day, only Ted had a bike w/ SRAM, and only the one.
I really like Hayes brakes. Actually.....I only really like the levers, 'cuz they feel good and have super-easy-to-adjust reach for my stubby digits. I don't really like any hydraulic brake over another - gimme cables!
I love riding in the desert! Okay...I knew that and have known it for 20+ years. Still......I frickin' love it!
After riding just about every state-of-the-art full sus design - Ellesworth, Ibis, Titus, Santa Cruz, etc - I really think that Cannondale has it knocked. The Rize I took to Moab and Fruita was every bit the bike all those fancy-ass ones are, for way less $. The Ellesworth Truth remains my 1st choice if you're buying.......but if it's my money on the table I'll be on a C-Dale Scapel, Rush or Rize.
I'm still 100% conflicted about the whole 29"/26" thing. I rode a Felt 29'r that claims to be the lightest on the market - it felt good. (The evening resounds w/ puns!) Then I ride the 26 version and like dit just as much. I rode Tony Ellesworth's personal ride....a pink 29'r Evolve......and it was fine. In fact.....I didn't even realize 'twas a big-wheeler 'til I was almost done /w a lap. (What does THAT mean, pray tell?) I rode a C-Dale 29'r and dug it, but more 'cuz it was a hardtail than any othr reason. (I had just done a lap on the much ballyhooed Ibis Mojo full-sus and it made me feel like I was shot and worn out for the day). So.......who knows? Not me, that's for damnsure.
Tomorrow is Demo Day #2.......Greg (who just arrived-fresh from finishing 11th in his age group @ the National Tri race in Portland), Aaron, Rick and I are gonna do the Tour of Lake Mead (aka "the hangover ride") first thing in the am, then I wanna ride some road and 'cross bikes. On Wed the Expo opens, then we go watch the huge "Cross Vegas Race then another day @ the show, then the huge crit, then we fly home to open the shop on Friday morning. We have a ton to get done in the next 3 days.........I'll try and keep you posted!
Later!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Vegas Baby!
That's what Ted says every time someone says the name of this town out loud. It's not annoying yet........but we just got here.
"Here" is the 2008 Interbike Show. Ted, Aaron and I got in a few hours ago, accompanied by our old buddy Rick "Snake" Plite, a.k.a. "Mr. KissCross". Greg gets here tomorrow night, fresh from his 11th place finish @ the National Age Group Tri in Portland yesterday.
"Here" is the 2008 Interbike Show. Ted, Aaron and I got in a few hours ago, accompanied by our old buddy Rick "Snake" Plite, a.k.a. "Mr. KissCross". Greg gets here tomorrow night, fresh from his 11th place finish @ the National Age Group Tri in Portland yesterday.
Agenda is to ride our asses off tomorrow @ the Demo in Boulder City a 30 minute drive from here. We have a buncha bikes and brands that we wanna check out on the tight-n-dusty trails of Bootleg Canyon. Tuesday is the Tour de Lake Mead and more test-riding, then the actual show kicks off 1st thing Wed morn. We'll be posting pics (hopefully!) and words here and on Ted's Blog as well so stay tuned!
Monday, September 08, 2008
I'll take that fixxie for 150 please!
and that's pretty much what I did. Saturday was O.D.R.A.M, aka the "One Day Ride Across Michigan and one of my favorite days of the summer. What's not to dig? You get up early (way early!), catch the Velo Ventures bus up to Montague, mount the lights, pull on your arm warmers and vest and start riding east. 150 miles later you're at the Bay City State Park. In between you rode your bike, met the VeloVentures Support Truck every 25 miles, ate way too many Golden Oreos, hit the lunch stop @ the church and ate homemade chicken soup and generally had a blast.
I rode my trusty fixxie all the way. I had my C-Dale in the trailer "just in case" but never needed it.
What a great ride! I strongly suggest you put it on your calendar for 2009 and beyond!
So that was Saturday. Sunday I went up to Cedar Springs w/ J2, Heather -n-Brian for a JDRF Ride. Can't say that my legs felf all that great...but I got by. That's my new thing, I guess.......no riding throughout the week due to travel-n-such so I gotta make it up on the weekends w/ 200+ miles.
Off to Whitefish again on Wednesday, for Round 4 of the big JDRF Traveling Circus. After this one there's "just" Interbike, the 2 Day Coach's Meeting in Chicago and Death Valley be fore I can put my travel gear away for a bit.
'Cross season is looming................not that I feel even remotely ready for it. Hell...as of right-damn-now I don't even have a bike - I loaned my Gunnar to a member of the Death Valley Team - so I'm not sure what I'd even race on. Not that it'd matter.
I had a chance to reflect on the season as we were rollin' towards Bay City on Saturday.......Fisk Knob, Moab/Fruita, Grattan, Sonoma, Lumberjack, Asheville, Holland 100, Whitefish, all the shop rides, all the Crazy Bastard rides.......man! How'd I get so lucky?
Don't tell anyone, okay?
MC Hammered
I rode my trusty fixxie all the way. I had my C-Dale in the trailer "just in case" but never needed it.
What a great ride! I strongly suggest you put it on your calendar for 2009 and beyond!
So that was Saturday. Sunday I went up to Cedar Springs w/ J2, Heather -n-Brian for a JDRF Ride. Can't say that my legs felf all that great...but I got by. That's my new thing, I guess.......no riding throughout the week due to travel-n-such so I gotta make it up on the weekends w/ 200+ miles.
Off to Whitefish again on Wednesday, for Round 4 of the big JDRF Traveling Circus. After this one there's "just" Interbike, the 2 Day Coach's Meeting in Chicago and Death Valley be fore I can put my travel gear away for a bit.
'Cross season is looming................not that I feel even remotely ready for it. Hell...as of right-damn-now I don't even have a bike - I loaned my Gunnar to a member of the Death Valley Team - so I'm not sure what I'd even race on. Not that it'd matter.
I had a chance to reflect on the season as we were rollin' towards Bay City on Saturday.......Fisk Knob, Moab/Fruita, Grattan, Sonoma, Lumberjack, Asheville, Holland 100, Whitefish, all the shop rides, all the Crazy Bastard rides.......man! How'd I get so lucky?
Don't tell anyone, okay?
MC Hammered
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Ouch!
So.....started 'cross training in earnest this morning. In this context "cross training" has a dual meaning - it involves other-than-bike stuff and it's designed to get me ready for cyclo-cross. Thus.........'cross training.
Basically for this chubby old dude it means haulin' my bulk up and down that flight of 170 stairs in Sanctuary Woods on 66th. It's about a 25 minute ride from home, then I jump off of "Ugly", my fixxie commuter and jog to the stairs, run up, try and run the 1 mile loop of trail @ the top of the dune and run back to my bike. It's not a pretty sight. I was somewhat pleasantly surprised to find myself @ the top w/out stopping (I had my head down counting steps) but I wasn't able to run the entire loop up top. My left Achilles tightened up in the way back up the the top and I got kinda freaked, despite the fact that my right one ruptured w/out any warning almost 6 years ago so I ran down the staris to Ugly and cooled down by riding home.
Assuming that my body holds up - and there's no real reason for optimisim in that regard - I'd like to add a little running into the mix. I have a lot of bike-less travel coming up (Whitefish and the bike show) and I always envy runners since all they gotta do is bring shoes and shorts. I'm gonna try but like I said.............no reason to count on it.
ODRAM this Saturday and a JDRF ride on Sunday so I oughta get my mileage back up to where it belongs easy enough. Assuming that my Sofa King gets back from MT in time I plan on using it Saturday - I think I can do 156 miles fixed but there's only one way to find out, y'know?
Back to MT on Wed, this time to work as part of the 'Route Crew" which means everything from shoping for bananas to marking the roads to pickin' up trash afterwards. Should be interesting. It'll be good to see everyone again...I miss 'em already!
Ride and Rock on!
MC
Basically for this chubby old dude it means haulin' my bulk up and down that flight of 170 stairs in Sanctuary Woods on 66th. It's about a 25 minute ride from home, then I jump off of "Ugly", my fixxie commuter and jog to the stairs, run up, try and run the 1 mile loop of trail @ the top of the dune and run back to my bike. It's not a pretty sight. I was somewhat pleasantly surprised to find myself @ the top w/out stopping (I had my head down counting steps) but I wasn't able to run the entire loop up top. My left Achilles tightened up in the way back up the the top and I got kinda freaked, despite the fact that my right one ruptured w/out any warning almost 6 years ago so I ran down the staris to Ugly and cooled down by riding home.
Assuming that my body holds up - and there's no real reason for optimisim in that regard - I'd like to add a little running into the mix. I have a lot of bike-less travel coming up (Whitefish and the bike show) and I always envy runners since all they gotta do is bring shoes and shorts. I'm gonna try but like I said.............no reason to count on it.
ODRAM this Saturday and a JDRF ride on Sunday so I oughta get my mileage back up to where it belongs easy enough. Assuming that my Sofa King gets back from MT in time I plan on using it Saturday - I think I can do 156 miles fixed but there's only one way to find out, y'know?
Back to MT on Wed, this time to work as part of the 'Route Crew" which means everything from shoping for bananas to marking the roads to pickin' up trash afterwards. Should be interesting. It'll be good to see everyone again...I miss 'em already!
Ride and Rock on!
MC
Monday, September 01, 2008
"Turn out the lights.....the party's over"
Thank you Dandy Don! (Don't get that?.........Guess I'm showin' my age!")
It's kinda like bein' in the circus.......the tents are comin' down, the riders are homeward bound, I said my goodbyes (more like "see you in a coupla weeks") to Trish-n-Aly and I'm outta here in a couple hours. The Bike Room is back to being 'The Glacier Room", a sterile, boring conference room w/ those adjustable walls. Hell..........for the last week it's kinda been the heart of the Ride, the one place staff, riders and family could hang out, connect and shoot the bull. That might have been the high point of the Glacier Room's whole life, 'cuz the Bike Room will be back in the old location next time.
Time to go home, see my other family(s). Lin and Sam are en route from NY as we speak, gonna meet me @ the airport. Katie Jo's holdin' down the fort @ home w/ the dawgs. Ted's on his way home from Brian Head UT and the rest of the shopfolk are enjoying their day off and coming to terms w/ the whole "end of summer" thing, hopefully. I'm anxious to get ODRAM done, then focus on the next trip out here, then Interbike. September will be full-n-fine!
Later, gotta pack and all that crap.
MC
It's kinda like bein' in the circus.......the tents are comin' down, the riders are homeward bound, I said my goodbyes (more like "see you in a coupla weeks") to Trish-n-Aly and I'm outta here in a couple hours. The Bike Room is back to being 'The Glacier Room", a sterile, boring conference room w/ those adjustable walls. Hell..........for the last week it's kinda been the heart of the Ride, the one place staff, riders and family could hang out, connect and shoot the bull. That might have been the high point of the Glacier Room's whole life, 'cuz the Bike Room will be back in the old location next time.
Time to go home, see my other family(s). Lin and Sam are en route from NY as we speak, gonna meet me @ the airport. Katie Jo's holdin' down the fort @ home w/ the dawgs. Ted's on his way home from Brian Head UT and the rest of the shopfolk are enjoying their day off and coming to terms w/ the whole "end of summer" thing, hopefully. I'm anxious to get ODRAM done, then focus on the next trip out here, then Interbike. September will be full-n-fine!
Later, gotta pack and all that crap.
MC
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Whitefish Wrap up.
So..............Sunday night. Time to go home, my work here is done. I've ridden a total of 25 miles while I've been here.......slept hardly any at all, eaten WAY too much and pretty much set my 'cross season back in any and every way I can.
So what?
The Ride was awesome. 3 for 3 this season so far. Great weather, riders, stories...you name it - we had it!
Just in case you ever get asked to be the Bike Room Guy for a JDRF Ride...here's an idea of what you're getting into:
Tuesday - Fly to Whitefish (or wherever). Check out the room, unload the truck if need be. Eat too much. Get a decent night's sleep. (For the last time!)
Wednesday - Set the Bike Room up......start assembling the DHL-shipped bikes that have arrived. Stress about the 16-19 bikes that are late and in the clutches of the morons @ DHL. Grab lunch on the run,get a quick ride in, dinner downtown, start figuring out where you're gonna get the rear wheel you need for that C-Dale that got smashed, get as many bikes assembled as possible. Eat too much. Go to bed late......midnight or so.
Thursday - Riders are arriving through out the day so the job shifts from 100% Wrench Dude to Wrench Dude/Bike Consultant/Host/Coach/Bike Fitter/Personal Shopper. Get the rest of the bikes ready, except for the 4 still missing from DickHeadLosers, eat too much, sleep too little.
Friday - Get up early to help get bikes ready for the "tune up ride". Pump tires, help riders find bottles etc. Weather the storm of post-ride complaints, need for adjustments, etc. Work on bikes all day, installing recently purchased computers, H2O cages, clipless pedals and the like. Basically stay in the Bike Room from about 8AM 'til midnight. Somehow find time to eat too much.
Saturday...Ride Day - Up @ 4:45, breakfast @ 5:00. In the Bike Room by 6:00, help riders get rolling 'til Ride Start @ 7:00, pack SAG van w/ tools, stand, spares and hit the road by 7:15. Patrol the Star Meadow route 'til about 10:30, then to the Whitefish Lake loop......fix 7 flats, a tight chain link, a loose saddle, etc. Haul the Glimmer Twins around for a bit, show them the course, co-ordinate Coaches and riders, etc. Come off route @ 4:30 to get a couple rental bikes back to the local shop, then spend some time hangin' around the finish line and wishing that you were a coach and out on the road where you belong. Sort bikes, head to the dinner then back to the room until midnight.Load the truck. Eat too much.
Sunday - try to sleep in but be foiled by your damn internal-set-to-Eastern-Time body clock. Too much breakfast, the into the room. Truck is gone so "only" 24 bikes to deal with. Start packin' them @ 9:00 or so........takes about 25 minutes per. Break for lunch downtown, then do some more. Run downtown on t-shirt run, then back at it. More bike packing all afternoon nd into the evening. Abandon plans to get a ride in. Finish the last bike @ 8:30, pack up tools, stands etc and load into storage unit. Fend off many offers for drinks and such from grateful riders (too tired). Quick dinner, (eat too much.) then back to room to bask in the feeling of being done and homeward bound. Post blog, read e-mail, take shower, plan to sleep in. All in all......a great, if tiring, week!
It'll be good to be home, good to check out the shop, good to trade tales w/ Ted, who's been wrenching for the Kenda/Titus team in Utah all weekend. I'll be back here for Ride #4 in 10 days.
Can't wait!
So what?
The Ride was awesome. 3 for 3 this season so far. Great weather, riders, stories...you name it - we had it!
Just in case you ever get asked to be the Bike Room Guy for a JDRF Ride...here's an idea of what you're getting into:
Tuesday - Fly to Whitefish (or wherever). Check out the room, unload the truck if need be. Eat too much. Get a decent night's sleep. (For the last time!)
Wednesday - Set the Bike Room up......start assembling the DHL-shipped bikes that have arrived. Stress about the 16-19 bikes that are late and in the clutches of the morons @ DHL. Grab lunch on the run,get a quick ride in, dinner downtown, start figuring out where you're gonna get the rear wheel you need for that C-Dale that got smashed, get as many bikes assembled as possible. Eat too much. Go to bed late......midnight or so.
Thursday - Riders are arriving through out the day so the job shifts from 100% Wrench Dude to Wrench Dude/Bike Consultant/Host/Coach/Bike Fitter/Personal Shopper. Get the rest of the bikes ready, except for the 4 still missing from DickHeadLosers, eat too much, sleep too little.
Friday - Get up early to help get bikes ready for the "tune up ride". Pump tires, help riders find bottles etc. Weather the storm of post-ride complaints, need for adjustments, etc. Work on bikes all day, installing recently purchased computers, H2O cages, clipless pedals and the like. Basically stay in the Bike Room from about 8AM 'til midnight. Somehow find time to eat too much.
Saturday...Ride Day - Up @ 4:45, breakfast @ 5:00. In the Bike Room by 6:00, help riders get rolling 'til Ride Start @ 7:00, pack SAG van w/ tools, stand, spares and hit the road by 7:15. Patrol the Star Meadow route 'til about 10:30, then to the Whitefish Lake loop......fix 7 flats, a tight chain link, a loose saddle, etc. Haul the Glimmer Twins around for a bit, show them the course, co-ordinate Coaches and riders, etc. Come off route @ 4:30 to get a couple rental bikes back to the local shop, then spend some time hangin' around the finish line and wishing that you were a coach and out on the road where you belong. Sort bikes, head to the dinner then back to the room until midnight.Load the truck. Eat too much.
Sunday - try to sleep in but be foiled by your damn internal-set-to-Eastern-Time body clock. Too much breakfast, the into the room. Truck is gone so "only" 24 bikes to deal with. Start packin' them @ 9:00 or so........takes about 25 minutes per. Break for lunch downtown, then do some more. Run downtown on t-shirt run, then back at it. More bike packing all afternoon nd into the evening. Abandon plans to get a ride in. Finish the last bike @ 8:30, pack up tools, stands etc and load into storage unit. Fend off many offers for drinks and such from grateful riders (too tired). Quick dinner, (eat too much.) then back to room to bask in the feeling of being done and homeward bound. Post blog, read e-mail, take shower, plan to sleep in. All in all......a great, if tiring, week!
It'll be good to be home, good to check out the shop, good to trade tales w/ Ted, who's been wrenching for the Kenda/Titus team in Utah all weekend. I'll be back here for Ride #4 in 10 days.
Can't wait!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
JDRF Ride, Take 3
So. Whitefish MT again. 4th time in the last 3 seasons. I'll be back here in 2 weeks too. This time I have my "Bike Room Guy" hat on....which means that 'tween now and friday morning I have 150 bikes to get ready for the weekend. It's not as full-tilt-boogie-crazy as that sounds since a decent majority of them are packed in the trailer of that semi that's sittin' in the parking lot and will just need a gentle goin' over. (Hopefully!)
There are a bunch en route via DHL, FedEx and such and they'll need more work.
The Ride is Saturday, then I'll have until Monday noon to reverse all the work and get them headed off back to wherever it is that their riders hail from.
It's awesome here at the edge of the Rockies-it's cold enough after dark that we needed fleece jackets just to sit around the "fire" pit behind the lodge. (It's a bunch of gas jets surrounded by a pile of big rocks.) I brought some cool temp riding gear but I'm gonna give it a while to warm up before I head out for a spin.
I can't wait to tap into the whole JDRF Vibe that keeps me comin' back for more.....I reckon that'll start to be more apparent as more staff and riders arrive over the next 2 days. I love being involved in this program and as long as they keep asking me...........I'm in!
I'll keep you posted! MC
There are a bunch en route via DHL, FedEx and such and they'll need more work.
The Ride is Saturday, then I'll have until Monday noon to reverse all the work and get them headed off back to wherever it is that their riders hail from.
It's awesome here at the edge of the Rockies-it's cold enough after dark that we needed fleece jackets just to sit around the "fire" pit behind the lodge. (It's a bunch of gas jets surrounded by a pile of big rocks.) I brought some cool temp riding gear but I'm gonna give it a while to warm up before I head out for a spin.
I can't wait to tap into the whole JDRF Vibe that keeps me comin' back for more.....I reckon that'll start to be more apparent as more staff and riders arrive over the next 2 days. I love being involved in this program and as long as they keep asking me...........I'm in!
I'll keep you posted! MC
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Damn! Did it again!
When am I ever gonna learn? The LAST time I included a list in a blog post (and I guar-an-damn-tee it WILL be the last time!) I left someone out and then I had to post an apology. Now - the fact that said apology gave me an opportunity to take a gratuitis shot at Billy Joel eased the pain somewhat but still....................it was still an apology.
So. With that said allow me to state, with all appropriate humbleness and shame, that Da've Pa've was ALSO amongst the fallen after our little pavement-kissin' party @ Grattan last Wednesday.
That's D-A-'-V-E P-A-'-V-E.
Aka Dave Page, soon to be ex-Velo Citizen, Grand Valley student of no small aclaim, bartender of distinction @ the Lakeshore's coolest brewery (You can tell 'cuz they like to have Last Call play there).
Yep.......THAT Da've Pa've.
He of the fast hair, smooth pedal stroke and lightning black Cannondale.
He of the goats.
He of the "married to Linda".
He of the "Lives on the MNR route".
Yep. THAT guy!
He was there. Racing. In a VCC jersey. There, at Grattan. On August 20, 2008. I saw him myself. Right there next to me in the peloton. Not at the back. Not off the back. Off the front for a bit, as a matter of fact. Yep, 'twas him.
Allow me to be perfectly clear and on the record. He was there.
I missed him.
'Twas my bad.
No more lists.
Billy Joel still sucks and "We didn't start the Fire" is a crap song.
There, I feel better.
MC Listmeister
So. With that said allow me to state, with all appropriate humbleness and shame, that Da've Pa've was ALSO amongst the fallen after our little pavement-kissin' party @ Grattan last Wednesday.
That's D-A-'-V-E P-A-'-V-E.
Aka Dave Page, soon to be ex-Velo Citizen, Grand Valley student of no small aclaim, bartender of distinction @ the Lakeshore's coolest brewery (You can tell 'cuz they like to have Last Call play there).
Yep.......THAT Da've Pa've.
He of the fast hair, smooth pedal stroke and lightning black Cannondale.
He of the goats.
He of the "married to Linda".
He of the "Lives on the MNR route".
Yep. THAT guy!
He was there. Racing. In a VCC jersey. There, at Grattan. On August 20, 2008. I saw him myself. Right there next to me in the peloton. Not at the back. Not off the back. Off the front for a bit, as a matter of fact. Yep, 'twas him.
Allow me to be perfectly clear and on the record. He was there.
I missed him.
'Twas my bad.
No more lists.
Billy Joel still sucks and "We didn't start the Fire" is a crap song.
There, I feel better.
MC Listmeister
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Well...I shoulda been "that guy"!
So..........last race of the year (for me at least) @ Grattan last night. We had a great turn-out and the peloton was fairly shining w/ VCC jerseys - A-ron, Greg, Ross, Bull, Aaron and I were all flyin' the colors along side our MCC Brothas M2, C-Rad, Bob, Tom and Tator. It was a beatiful night and I was having a ball.
That's where today's lesson comes in. (Alas)
There was a new guy in the field............he was kinda squirrely, like first time riders tento be. I figure that's part of the deal and if I wanna avoid new riders I need to man up, ride faster and race in the "A" class, y'know? You see a guy like that, you make a "note to self" about keeping your distance and you deal w/ it.
But.............w/ 3 laps to go I notice that his handlebars were so loose in his stem that he was movin' his bars up nd down and back and forth as we blasted around the track at speeds of up to 30 mph.
"Sub-optimal" as my friends @ Seven Cycles might say.
So..........did I say anything to our errant hero? Did I put my "Elder Statesman" hat on over my helmet and politely-yet-firmly convince him to retire before he killed himself (or worse yet...me!)?
I did not.
I pussed out. I didn't want to be "that guy", y'know? I thought that we only had 2 laps to go, I was having fun, he was having fun...what the hell, right?
Wrong. WAY wrong. Custer was this wrong. The captain of the Titanic was this wrong. 'Cuz w/ one lap to go and the whole damn pack thundering down the mainstraight w/ a tailwind and the bit between our teeth Mr Loose Bars crashed his brains out and started the biggest pile-up I've seen for awhile. I thought I was gonna get out of it for a sec......I was on the brakes big time and was a-l-m-o-s-t stopped @ the edge of the carnage when 2-3 dudes piled into me from behind. When the dust settled I was all tangled up w/ Tom and his arm was pretty much crammed into and through my front wheel. (There's blood and chunks of his arm on the spokes.......it's cool and gross.)
Final tally - at least 3 ruined front wheels, including mine, The instigator's bike is totaled and the local med guys used a lotta gauze and tape. Coulda been worse............way worse. No one went to the E-room and bike parts can be replaced.
Still................next time it occurs to me to be "that guy"........you can bet that I will be!
Oh well.............now it's 'cross season! Can't wait!
Off to MT this tuesday for JDRF Ride #3 . I shipped my fixxie out there so I can ride in the mornings so I don't loose the fine-tuned edge that I have oh-so-carefully honed my fitness into. (We'll pause here for all my riding buddies to recover from their laughing fits. Okay now? All right then.)
Hard to believe that summer's almost gone. KW and I were talkin' about that very thing on the ride this morning. The older we get the faster time goes by. Is that gonna always be the case? Hell...at this rate 10 years from now a whole damn year will slip by while I'm shaving my legs!
That can't be good.
That's where today's lesson comes in. (Alas)
There was a new guy in the field............he was kinda squirrely, like first time riders tento be. I figure that's part of the deal and if I wanna avoid new riders I need to man up, ride faster and race in the "A" class, y'know? You see a guy like that, you make a "note to self" about keeping your distance and you deal w/ it.
But.............w/ 3 laps to go I notice that his handlebars were so loose in his stem that he was movin' his bars up nd down and back and forth as we blasted around the track at speeds of up to 30 mph.
"Sub-optimal" as my friends @ Seven Cycles might say.
So..........did I say anything to our errant hero? Did I put my "Elder Statesman" hat on over my helmet and politely-yet-firmly convince him to retire before he killed himself (or worse yet...me!)?
I did not.
I pussed out. I didn't want to be "that guy", y'know? I thought that we only had 2 laps to go, I was having fun, he was having fun...what the hell, right?
Wrong. WAY wrong. Custer was this wrong. The captain of the Titanic was this wrong. 'Cuz w/ one lap to go and the whole damn pack thundering down the mainstraight w/ a tailwind and the bit between our teeth Mr Loose Bars crashed his brains out and started the biggest pile-up I've seen for awhile. I thought I was gonna get out of it for a sec......I was on the brakes big time and was a-l-m-o-s-t stopped @ the edge of the carnage when 2-3 dudes piled into me from behind. When the dust settled I was all tangled up w/ Tom and his arm was pretty much crammed into and through my front wheel. (There's blood and chunks of his arm on the spokes.......it's cool and gross.)
Final tally - at least 3 ruined front wheels, including mine, The instigator's bike is totaled and the local med guys used a lotta gauze and tape. Coulda been worse............way worse. No one went to the E-room and bike parts can be replaced.
Still................next time it occurs to me to be "that guy"........you can bet that I will be!
Oh well.............now it's 'cross season! Can't wait!
Off to MT this tuesday for JDRF Ride #3 . I shipped my fixxie out there so I can ride in the mornings so I don't loose the fine-tuned edge that I have oh-so-carefully honed my fitness into. (We'll pause here for all my riding buddies to recover from their laughing fits. Okay now? All right then.)
Hard to believe that summer's almost gone. KW and I were talkin' about that very thing on the ride this morning. The older we get the faster time goes by. Is that gonna always be the case? Hell...at this rate 10 years from now a whole damn year will slip by while I'm shaving my legs!
That can't be good.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Catchin' up!
Man...........this blogger gig is more work than it looks! It sems like oit was just a coupla days ago that I was postin' up from my hotel room in Asheville on the eve of the big ride and here 'tis a wek later and I'm off the back yet again!
Dang!
The buzz from the Asheville experience is just b-a-r-e-l-y startin' to wear off........I'm so proud of the Team and what we have going here in West Mich that it's easy to forget that it's been only 3 short (but way full!) years since the whole long strange trip began. I'm off to Whitefish to run the Tech Support for the next JDRF Ride in 9 days, then home on Labor Day, back to MT a week later for Ride #4, home or a week, then to LV for the bike show w/ Ted, Aaron and Greg, then home for 2 weeks then Death Valley!
So much for maintaining any fitness for the 'cross season!
The shop is kinda crazy busy too. Ted's been gone on vacation, as well as Saandy so the rest of us have been hangin' on for dear life. School starts soon so that means new schedules for KP, Matt and Sandy and Da've's last day as a Velo-Cit is 8/26. What a drag! Still....he'll be around and I'll see him @ the Saugatuck Pub for sure.
I'm excited to get the Fun-Raiser Ride sereis started again - I miss having them every month. We'll hafta wait 'til October though....no open dates in September!
'Cross season is right around the corner.....I gotta decide what I'm gonna ride! My Gunnar's on loan to one of my JDRF riders 'til a week after Death Valley so I'll need to figure that out. I gotta jones for a Salsa Chili Con Crosso or mebbe a Redline. We'll see.
I hope this weather holds..............it's been off-the-hook bee-you-ti-ful all week and I'm not even close to sick of it!
Ride on!
MC
Dang!
The buzz from the Asheville experience is just b-a-r-e-l-y startin' to wear off........I'm so proud of the Team and what we have going here in West Mich that it's easy to forget that it's been only 3 short (but way full!) years since the whole long strange trip began. I'm off to Whitefish to run the Tech Support for the next JDRF Ride in 9 days, then home on Labor Day, back to MT a week later for Ride #4, home or a week, then to LV for the bike show w/ Ted, Aaron and Greg, then home for 2 weeks then Death Valley!
So much for maintaining any fitness for the 'cross season!
The shop is kinda crazy busy too. Ted's been gone on vacation, as well as Saandy so the rest of us have been hangin' on for dear life. School starts soon so that means new schedules for KP, Matt and Sandy and Da've's last day as a Velo-Cit is 8/26. What a drag! Still....he'll be around and I'll see him @ the Saugatuck Pub for sure.
I'm excited to get the Fun-Raiser Ride sereis started again - I miss having them every month. We'll hafta wait 'til October though....no open dates in September!
'Cross season is right around the corner.....I gotta decide what I'm gonna ride! My Gunnar's on loan to one of my JDRF riders 'til a week after Death Valley so I'll need to figure that out. I gotta jones for a Salsa Chili Con Crosso or mebbe a Redline. We'll see.
I hope this weather holds..............it's been off-the-hook bee-you-ti-ful all week and I'm not even close to sick of it!
Ride on!
MC
Thursday, August 07, 2008
ASHEVILLE REPORT, DAY 1
The drive down was a huge drag.........I'm not exactly a pro @ driving the shop truck w/ that big-as trailer on it and it was kinda nerve-wracking. I missed our 1st exit like a damn fool and while looking for a good place to turn around I managed to get in a little fender bender in Niles. What a lame move....there's nothing I hate more than pulling a dumbass move when there's no way I can think of to blame it on someone else!
Still.......on we pressed, w/ thoughts of how much worse it could've been giving some scant support. The rest if the trip was only an improvement in the sense that we avoided any more accidents......lots of traffic, lots of construction, lots of stress. The fact that I enjoyed it despite all that is a testament to just how much I like hangin' w/ Lin........we really oughta do that more often.
We hit town about 8:30 last night, had pizza @ the Mellow Mushroom w/ Trish and Aly (aka the JDRF "Glimmer Twins") and called it a night. Today we spent working on unloading the bikes, getting the door posters ready for the riders and in general helping the staff get ready for the arrival of the riders. That's happening as I type........w/ most of the West Michigan folks within a few hours,
Tomorrow I have to get ready to lead the pre and post-ride Dinner presentations and run several meetings. I guess the work will start then!
It'd take a far better scribe than this one to describe the feelings that being @ one of these rides gives me...........every time I come to one I'm reminded of how powerful a thing this can be and I am so glad to to be allowed to be a part of it.
I'll try and post a report tomorrow night, otherwise it'll hafta wait 'til after the ride on Saturday.
Stay tuned!
Still.......on we pressed, w/ thoughts of how much worse it could've been giving some scant support. The rest if the trip was only an improvement in the sense that we avoided any more accidents......lots of traffic, lots of construction, lots of stress. The fact that I enjoyed it despite all that is a testament to just how much I like hangin' w/ Lin........we really oughta do that more often.
We hit town about 8:30 last night, had pizza @ the Mellow Mushroom w/ Trish and Aly (aka the JDRF "Glimmer Twins") and called it a night. Today we spent working on unloading the bikes, getting the door posters ready for the riders and in general helping the staff get ready for the arrival of the riders. That's happening as I type........w/ most of the West Michigan folks within a few hours,
Tomorrow I have to get ready to lead the pre and post-ride Dinner presentations and run several meetings. I guess the work will start then!
It'd take a far better scribe than this one to describe the feelings that being @ one of these rides gives me...........every time I come to one I'm reminded of how powerful a thing this can be and I am so glad to to be allowed to be a part of it.
I'll try and post a report tomorrow night, otherwise it'll hafta wait 'til after the ride on Saturday.
Stay tuned!
Saturday, August 02, 2008
el Flop-o grande'
So...got my ass dropped @ Grattan this week. Dropped! That hasn't happened in awhile......since my "comeback" from the ruptured Achilles a few years back.
Sigh.
How do you go from finishing in the top 10 or top 5 all month to doing the "ride of shame" past the spectators in one short week? Well...........lemme tell ya - I'm pretty sure it was a nifty combination of chutzpah, carelessness and general fatigue. It was supposed to be a Big Night - we had 6 or 7 VCC jerseys out there, it was the first time ever for Greg and Aaron, I was gonna bag it after Juoy to get ready for 'cross and I wanted to go out w/ a bang.
More like a whimper.
The pace was hot, if kinda erratic. I spent more time than usual up near the front, expecting there to be the constant breakaway attempts that made the last race so volatile and I got kinda gassed w/ about 6 laps to go. I had done an extra-viscious workout w/ Jess and John that morning and my legs were kinda dead anyways, so that didn't help. There was a split (I guess) and I was kinda hangin' on the rear of the lead group for dear life and when I sat up to drift back and take a break........there was no one there. Oops. I looked around and the pack was up the road 30 yards and I couldn't chase back into the wind.
Game over.
So.....now I'm gonna hafta go out there again this month, dang it. No way I'm wrappin' it up on a pitiful showing like that. 'Cross prep will hafta wait.
Rats.
Other than that.............things are crazy still. Ted's over in Wisconsin w/ Danielle @ Nationals, Asheville is next week, the shop's still nuts..............Yee-Hah!
Gotta get to it............see ya later,
MC
Sigh.
How do you go from finishing in the top 10 or top 5 all month to doing the "ride of shame" past the spectators in one short week? Well...........lemme tell ya - I'm pretty sure it was a nifty combination of chutzpah, carelessness and general fatigue. It was supposed to be a Big Night - we had 6 or 7 VCC jerseys out there, it was the first time ever for Greg and Aaron, I was gonna bag it after Juoy to get ready for 'cross and I wanted to go out w/ a bang.
More like a whimper.
The pace was hot, if kinda erratic. I spent more time than usual up near the front, expecting there to be the constant breakaway attempts that made the last race so volatile and I got kinda gassed w/ about 6 laps to go. I had done an extra-viscious workout w/ Jess and John that morning and my legs were kinda dead anyways, so that didn't help. There was a split (I guess) and I was kinda hangin' on the rear of the lead group for dear life and when I sat up to drift back and take a break........there was no one there. Oops. I looked around and the pack was up the road 30 yards and I couldn't chase back into the wind.
Game over.
So.....now I'm gonna hafta go out there again this month, dang it. No way I'm wrappin' it up on a pitiful showing like that. 'Cross prep will hafta wait.
Rats.
Other than that.............things are crazy still. Ted's over in Wisconsin w/ Danielle @ Nationals, Asheville is next week, the shop's still nuts..............Yee-Hah!
Gotta get to it............see ya later,
MC
Monday, July 21, 2008
GLAD THAT'S OVER WITH!
I don't mean that in a negative sense, at least not exactly. The last coupla weeks have been crazy busy even by my semi-twisted standards as the Holland Hundred approached, we had a JDRF fund-raiser attached to it, we had 3 band gigs and the shop was swamped w/ work while Ted and Matt were outta town. Lotsa meetings, lotsa details, lotsa e-mails and phone calls and running around.
Whew!
Somewhere in all that I managed to get the first-but-by-no-means-last "Dawn Patrol Century" off the ground too. 2-3 weeks ago I mentioned to Greg and Aaron that if we were willing to get outta bed before dawn we could try and get 75 miles in some Friday and then join the Bagel Ride to finish up a pre-workday century. Yeah...I gotta learn to just shut up once in awhile, y'know? But there we were - 6 morons lit up and rollin' south @ 4:45 am last Friday. Greg, Aaron, KP, Ross, Chad and myself w/ a full moon and lotsa deer as our only companions. We rode the 67 mile loop of the HH, then joined a big (by weekday morning ride standards) group back @ the shop for another 25 miles. I had 95 when we pulled back into town and not being a slave to the little black box on my handlebars I was perfectly content to be halfway through my first bagel when Greg and Aaron rolled up after riding around downtown making sure that they had both done their 1st ever century.
'Twas a hoot.
Saturday was the Holland Hundred, so little sleep for Mrs Clark's favorite son..........I was @ the park @ 5:40am and stayed there (w/ the exception of a quick SAG run) 'til about 4:30. The rain was a huge drag......but we still had 1200+ riders and that's prety dang cool. The comments about the ride, the route, the organization and the park were pretty good...at least as far as I know. I have lots of ideas for '09! After stopping by the JDRF Post Ride Bash @ New Holland it was home to change and load the band gear and then off to the Saugatuck Brewery to play 3 sets. The crowd was great, especially considering that Barry could use a little more climate control down there @ this point. (Translation - it was hot as hell in there!).
Hoot # 2.
After a little sleep I headed up to Montague Sunday mornin' w/ J2 and Ross for the JDRF Ride. We did 46 hilly miles on some way-cool roads up thataway and then hung out by the pool. I was the judge of the salsa contest (good work if you can get it!) and although no one else knew it...I considered myslef the judge of all the desserts as well, and proceeded accordingly. (Burp)
All in all................a helluva weekend!
Now it's Monday. The HH is in the rear-view, Ted's on his way home.....things might just mellow a tad. I'll be in Asheville in 3 weeks @ the next JDRF Ride, then Montana, then it's September and that means the Bike Show and then Death Valley. Good Lord, I better get to it!
Next time............."Rants per Week - what's a reasonable number?"
MC
Whew!
Somewhere in all that I managed to get the first-but-by-no-means-last "Dawn Patrol Century" off the ground too. 2-3 weeks ago I mentioned to Greg and Aaron that if we were willing to get outta bed before dawn we could try and get 75 miles in some Friday and then join the Bagel Ride to finish up a pre-workday century. Yeah...I gotta learn to just shut up once in awhile, y'know? But there we were - 6 morons lit up and rollin' south @ 4:45 am last Friday. Greg, Aaron, KP, Ross, Chad and myself w/ a full moon and lotsa deer as our only companions. We rode the 67 mile loop of the HH, then joined a big (by weekday morning ride standards) group back @ the shop for another 25 miles. I had 95 when we pulled back into town and not being a slave to the little black box on my handlebars I was perfectly content to be halfway through my first bagel when Greg and Aaron rolled up after riding around downtown making sure that they had both done their 1st ever century.
'Twas a hoot.
Saturday was the Holland Hundred, so little sleep for Mrs Clark's favorite son..........I was @ the park @ 5:40am and stayed there (w/ the exception of a quick SAG run) 'til about 4:30. The rain was a huge drag......but we still had 1200+ riders and that's prety dang cool. The comments about the ride, the route, the organization and the park were pretty good...at least as far as I know. I have lots of ideas for '09! After stopping by the JDRF Post Ride Bash @ New Holland it was home to change and load the band gear and then off to the Saugatuck Brewery to play 3 sets. The crowd was great, especially considering that Barry could use a little more climate control down there @ this point. (Translation - it was hot as hell in there!).
Hoot # 2.
After a little sleep I headed up to Montague Sunday mornin' w/ J2 and Ross for the JDRF Ride. We did 46 hilly miles on some way-cool roads up thataway and then hung out by the pool. I was the judge of the salsa contest (good work if you can get it!) and although no one else knew it...I considered myslef the judge of all the desserts as well, and proceeded accordingly. (Burp)
All in all................a helluva weekend!
Now it's Monday. The HH is in the rear-view, Ted's on his way home.....things might just mellow a tad. I'll be in Asheville in 3 weeks @ the next JDRF Ride, then Montana, then it's September and that means the Bike Show and then Death Valley. Good Lord, I better get to it!
Next time............."Rants per Week - what's a reasonable number?"
MC
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
The Two Rookies
So...there were at least 2 brand-spankin'-new riders in our race @ Grattan tonight. (It was fun, it rained, I felt fine. That's another story, not as good as this one) It was very interesting watching the 2 of them deal w/ their first Grattan experience.........and it got me to thinking.
One guy - let's call him the "Guy in Pink" (Not the actual color of his jersey) was a COMPLETE menace! I watched him terrify everyone in the pack as he wobbled and lurched all over the track. Now......my intention IS NOT to 'dis the Guy in Pink - it musta been kinda freaky for him, out there w/ 50 other racers blasting around tight haripin turns @ 25-28 mph, haulin' ass down the back stretch @ 30+, etc. Grattan may be billed as a "Training Race Series" but it ain't exactly easy. He was strong too, our Guy in Pink, strong enough to be towards the front of the group which gave him many chances to scare the bejesus outta everyone several times.
The other guy couldn't have been more different. Let's call him....oh, I don't know......"Ross". (Not his actual name). Ross looked like he'd done this a million times. I was proud of him....he was smooth, held his line in the corners, looked and rode like a seasoned vet. Even when that dude sorta leaned into him in that S-curve and he was caught 'tween 2 riders he just dealt w/ it. Most guys - even non-rookies - woulda gibbered and screamed and then would've had to pull off the track to scrap out their shorts. Assuming that they lived.
Not our man "Ross". (Not his real name)
Here's my point. ( You were hoping I had one, and would get to it, yes?) Good ol' Ross-not-his-name is one of "our" guys. Shucks, odds are that if you read this crap you've ridden w/ him, maybe even lots. He has "grown up" as a cyclist wrapped in the arms of the cycling community that is centered here in Holland and.......if I may be so bold......here at the shop. He's been brought up right. He's learned how to be a rider, a safe one, a good one, hell...even a kind of fast one, and he's learned that by riding w/ all of us. Whatever you wanna call this extended Velo City / MCC / JDRF / HUP United / Crazy Bastard family of riders that semi-calls Velo City home is who "Ross" (Not his real name) learned from. We did good, we taught him well and he did us proud.
It makes me feel good and I sure wish that Guy in Pink (not his actual jersey color) had ben lucky enough to meet folks like "Ross" did. I'd feel a lot better having to share the track w/ him then!
Ride (and rock) on!
MC
One guy - let's call him the "Guy in Pink" (Not the actual color of his jersey) was a COMPLETE menace! I watched him terrify everyone in the pack as he wobbled and lurched all over the track. Now......my intention IS NOT to 'dis the Guy in Pink - it musta been kinda freaky for him, out there w/ 50 other racers blasting around tight haripin turns @ 25-28 mph, haulin' ass down the back stretch @ 30+, etc. Grattan may be billed as a "Training Race Series" but it ain't exactly easy. He was strong too, our Guy in Pink, strong enough to be towards the front of the group which gave him many chances to scare the bejesus outta everyone several times.
The other guy couldn't have been more different. Let's call him....oh, I don't know......"Ross". (Not his actual name). Ross looked like he'd done this a million times. I was proud of him....he was smooth, held his line in the corners, looked and rode like a seasoned vet. Even when that dude sorta leaned into him in that S-curve and he was caught 'tween 2 riders he just dealt w/ it. Most guys - even non-rookies - woulda gibbered and screamed and then would've had to pull off the track to scrap out their shorts. Assuming that they lived.
Not our man "Ross". (Not his real name)
Here's my point. ( You were hoping I had one, and would get to it, yes?) Good ol' Ross-not-his-name is one of "our" guys. Shucks, odds are that if you read this crap you've ridden w/ him, maybe even lots. He has "grown up" as a cyclist wrapped in the arms of the cycling community that is centered here in Holland and.......if I may be so bold......here at the shop. He's been brought up right. He's learned how to be a rider, a safe one, a good one, hell...even a kind of fast one, and he's learned that by riding w/ all of us. Whatever you wanna call this extended Velo City / MCC / JDRF / HUP United / Crazy Bastard family of riders that semi-calls Velo City home is who "Ross" (Not his real name) learned from. We did good, we taught him well and he did us proud.
It makes me feel good and I sure wish that Guy in Pink (not his actual jersey color) had ben lucky enough to meet folks like "Ross" did. I'd feel a lot better having to share the track w/ him then!
Ride (and rock) on!
MC
Monday, July 14, 2008
Cool Ride w/ a Weird Side-Story
Feeling kinda weird about our ride before the ride yesterday and it's turning a great day into a sort of strange one.............................
Here's the deal - 8 or 9 of us met here @ the shop @ 7:30 to ride down to S-tuck, pick up B. and H. and get some miles before joining the "official" ride preceding the 'Yoga for Cyclists' class that H. was teaching. After dealin' w/ not 1 but 2 mechanicals before we even left the shop we were all rollin' west down a very quiet 8th street. As we coasted past the cop shop (well...some of us coasted) I see a guy on a recumbent comin the wrong way up the street. (It's a one-way) Not only is he riding up a one-way street - he's goin' curb to curb, slaloming up the street like a 9 year old on a Sting-Ray.
I almost said something to him for riding up a one-way.....noy sure why I didn't.
Then he does a big 180 and stars riding w/ us. Well...not WITH us exactly, but ahead of us, behind us, alongside us, etc. It was kinda weird, none of us knowing him, him being on a 'bent, you name it. Hell - he stayed w/ us all the way to Fennville! ('bout 30 miles). Hung on too, mostly.
I felt bad 'cuz I never chatted him up. That's not like me and I'm not sure what the deal was. It's not becuase he was on a 'bent I don't think. K.O. on the JDRF team rides one and he's plenty cool. I think it's 'cuz when I first saw him he was pulling that dumb-ass move and I'm so damn sick and tired of seeing other riders pulling one dick move or the next...all of them making it tougher for the rest of us.
I know.......that's not you. You behave, right? Me too. It's those other guys, I know that. Except................is it? Can you say that for damnsure? I hope so, 'cuz if you can't you're part of the problem just like our 'bent buddy. Oh sure.........riding huge "S" curves up a one way street is "worse" than jumpin' a 4 way stop or cuttin' onto a sidewalk to beat a train.
Except it's not.
You're either playin' it straight, or you're not as far as I can see.
I know it's hard sometimes. I know that it's inconvienent to hafta sit @ a red light when there's no one in sight or go 4 blocks outta your way 'cuz of the one way streets. So what? It's the rules and it's the only way that we are ever gonna be able to stake our claim to roads that are rightfully as much ours as anyone elses.
Think about it at least, okay?
(Full disclosure Department - Yes, I jumped the stop sigh @ 24th and Country Club for the sole reason of grabbin' the City Limit sign. Guilty as charged / Guilty as Hell. I could tell it was clear from everyone else's body language but still..........a numb nuts move on my part and I'll cop to it.)
Holland Hundred this Saturday! It's gonna be HUGE! We have over 750 registered and we're expecting that many more as day-off registers. Good Lord! See you there!
MC
Here's the deal - 8 or 9 of us met here @ the shop @ 7:30 to ride down to S-tuck, pick up B. and H. and get some miles before joining the "official" ride preceding the 'Yoga for Cyclists' class that H. was teaching. After dealin' w/ not 1 but 2 mechanicals before we even left the shop we were all rollin' west down a very quiet 8th street. As we coasted past the cop shop (well...some of us coasted) I see a guy on a recumbent comin the wrong way up the street. (It's a one-way) Not only is he riding up a one-way street - he's goin' curb to curb, slaloming up the street like a 9 year old on a Sting-Ray.
I almost said something to him for riding up a one-way.....noy sure why I didn't.
Then he does a big 180 and stars riding w/ us. Well...not WITH us exactly, but ahead of us, behind us, alongside us, etc. It was kinda weird, none of us knowing him, him being on a 'bent, you name it. Hell - he stayed w/ us all the way to Fennville! ('bout 30 miles). Hung on too, mostly.
I felt bad 'cuz I never chatted him up. That's not like me and I'm not sure what the deal was. It's not becuase he was on a 'bent I don't think. K.O. on the JDRF team rides one and he's plenty cool. I think it's 'cuz when I first saw him he was pulling that dumb-ass move and I'm so damn sick and tired of seeing other riders pulling one dick move or the next...all of them making it tougher for the rest of us.
I know.......that's not you. You behave, right? Me too. It's those other guys, I know that. Except................is it? Can you say that for damnsure? I hope so, 'cuz if you can't you're part of the problem just like our 'bent buddy. Oh sure.........riding huge "S" curves up a one way street is "worse" than jumpin' a 4 way stop or cuttin' onto a sidewalk to beat a train.
Except it's not.
You're either playin' it straight, or you're not as far as I can see.
I know it's hard sometimes. I know that it's inconvienent to hafta sit @ a red light when there's no one in sight or go 4 blocks outta your way 'cuz of the one way streets. So what? It's the rules and it's the only way that we are ever gonna be able to stake our claim to roads that are rightfully as much ours as anyone elses.
Think about it at least, okay?
(Full disclosure Department - Yes, I jumped the stop sigh @ 24th and Country Club for the sole reason of grabbin' the City Limit sign. Guilty as charged / Guilty as Hell. I could tell it was clear from everyone else's body language but still..........a numb nuts move on my part and I'll cop to it.)
Holland Hundred this Saturday! It's gonna be HUGE! We have over 750 registered and we're expecting that many more as day-off registers. Good Lord! See you there!
MC
Sunday, July 06, 2008
"Spokes in the wheel.........."
4 of us went down to ride @ Fort Custer on the 4th. Aside from getting caught by the World's Longest Running Race through Richland on the way there and inadvertantly becoming part of the Richland Independance Day Parade on the way home....one thing has stuck in my mind.
As you top out on that tough little switchback climb on the Green Loop you are greeting w/ a lovely memorial stone. I don't know who "Erin" was but she must've had some friends to whom she meant quite a bit. The quote on the face of the stone has stayed w/ me - "Friends are spokes in the wheel of life". I like that. A LOT. It makes me think of why I ride at all and how little riding I'd do w/out the friends and buds I have to share it with. (Hint - not very damn much!)
I figured out about 30 years ago that all the things that I spend my time doing are all for the same reason......to hang w/ folks that I dig. I don't ride alone hardly ever. I would not be a solo musicial if the band broke up. I'd never take a job (like being a sales rep) where I was alone a lot. Don't like it much. Never have. Now - that might mean that I need to like myself more......I guess I'm cool w/ that. Besides - kinda late, ain't it?
So..............thanks for bein' a spoke in my wheel, that's all I'm sayin'.
Bike Life is great, by the way. The shop is full-tilt-boogie-crazy-madness ROCKIN', the Holland Hundred is 2 weeks away(!!!!!!!) and there's a JDRF ride nearly every weekend. 5 weeks from rignt now I'll be finishing up my first-ever stint as Acting Head Coach @ a JDRF Ride down in Asheville. (Way nervous about that!) 2 band gigs this week, lots of milesthis weekend.......it's all good. Ted's off to his Big Time Pro Wrench gig on Wed.....damn, I hope his toolbox gets here from Sonoma tomorrow!
Phew!
I hope you are having a great season.............see you on (or off!) the road!
As you top out on that tough little switchback climb on the Green Loop you are greeting w/ a lovely memorial stone. I don't know who "Erin" was but she must've had some friends to whom she meant quite a bit. The quote on the face of the stone has stayed w/ me - "Friends are spokes in the wheel of life". I like that. A LOT. It makes me think of why I ride at all and how little riding I'd do w/out the friends and buds I have to share it with. (Hint - not very damn much!)
I figured out about 30 years ago that all the things that I spend my time doing are all for the same reason......to hang w/ folks that I dig. I don't ride alone hardly ever. I would not be a solo musicial if the band broke up. I'd never take a job (like being a sales rep) where I was alone a lot. Don't like it much. Never have. Now - that might mean that I need to like myself more......I guess I'm cool w/ that. Besides - kinda late, ain't it?
So..............thanks for bein' a spoke in my wheel, that's all I'm sayin'.
Bike Life is great, by the way. The shop is full-tilt-boogie-crazy-madness ROCKIN', the Holland Hundred is 2 weeks away(!!!!!!!) and there's a JDRF ride nearly every weekend. 5 weeks from rignt now I'll be finishing up my first-ever stint as Acting Head Coach @ a JDRF Ride down in Asheville. (Way nervous about that!) 2 band gigs this week, lots of milesthis weekend.......it's all good. Ted's off to his Big Time Pro Wrench gig on Wed.....damn, I hope his toolbox gets here from Sonoma tomorrow!
Phew!
I hope you are having a great season.............see you on (or off!) the road!
Friday, June 27, 2008
GREETINGS FROM SMOKY SONOMA CA!!!
Yep, who woulda thunk it? I don't know what seems more unlikely...that I'm sitting here in the Bike Room @ the JDRF Sonoma Ride to Cure bloggin' away on my laptop (!!!!!) OR that I'm here in the capacity of Head Mechanic. As long as all you guys keep quiet for another 24 hours I think I can get outta here w/out blowin' my cover!
I've been here since Wed afternoon. It's a small ride - only about 70 riders - so the workload has been more than manageable. The weather is awesome, except for the constant haze from the 1000 or so forest fires said to ragin' out of control as close as 50 miles from right 'chere. It's been great to get a dose of what makes theses rides and this organization so special to me............the folks, the enthusiasm for the cause........the whole enchilada. I've never been to the early rides and I've met quite a few folks that I might not have ever met if I hadn't come out.
Back home our Team is getting ready for Asheville and Death Valley. I'm getting lotsa kudos out here for the size, passion and reputation of the West Michigan Team.......like it's cuz of me! When people ask me how and why our Team grew so much I have to admit that I have no idea........a weird combination of luck, timing and personalities. It never seems to be a satisfactory answer for them but it's the best I have.
I'll be driving a Sag Wagon tomorrow, so I'll get to see the course and the area. So far I've seen the bit from the S.F. airport to here, the Bike Room, the dining room and the 10 miles up to the closest bike shop. By all reports the course oughta be awesome.
This ride is gonna go down in history as the ride w/ the largest Support/Rider ratio in the history of cycling! There are 7 Sag Wagons, 6 Coaches, a Med van, an ambulance, 7 food stops, 3 cops and a ton of other volunteers and staff to watch over 70 riders! Hell....in the event of a terrorist attack we could literally sag everyone off of the course at once! The reason for the excess is that this is rehersal for the next 4 Rides and we have a new Ride Co-Ordinator and he's working out the kinks.
Okay....almost dinnertime. I have all the bikes ready, I'll just hafta get here @ 5:30 to get all the tirs topped off and everything else ready for tomorrow. It's been great but it'll be great to get home Sunday night too.
Tlak to you later, gotta go!
MC
I've been here since Wed afternoon. It's a small ride - only about 70 riders - so the workload has been more than manageable. The weather is awesome, except for the constant haze from the 1000 or so forest fires said to ragin' out of control as close as 50 miles from right 'chere. It's been great to get a dose of what makes theses rides and this organization so special to me............the folks, the enthusiasm for the cause........the whole enchilada. I've never been to the early rides and I've met quite a few folks that I might not have ever met if I hadn't come out.
Back home our Team is getting ready for Asheville and Death Valley. I'm getting lotsa kudos out here for the size, passion and reputation of the West Michigan Team.......like it's cuz of me! When people ask me how and why our Team grew so much I have to admit that I have no idea........a weird combination of luck, timing and personalities. It never seems to be a satisfactory answer for them but it's the best I have.
I'll be driving a Sag Wagon tomorrow, so I'll get to see the course and the area. So far I've seen the bit from the S.F. airport to here, the Bike Room, the dining room and the 10 miles up to the closest bike shop. By all reports the course oughta be awesome.
This ride is gonna go down in history as the ride w/ the largest Support/Rider ratio in the history of cycling! There are 7 Sag Wagons, 6 Coaches, a Med van, an ambulance, 7 food stops, 3 cops and a ton of other volunteers and staff to watch over 70 riders! Hell....in the event of a terrorist attack we could literally sag everyone off of the course at once! The reason for the excess is that this is rehersal for the next 4 Rides and we have a new Ride Co-Ordinator and he's working out the kinks.
Okay....almost dinnertime. I have all the bikes ready, I'll just hafta get here @ 5:30 to get all the tirs topped off and everything else ready for tomorrow. It's been great but it'll be great to get home Sunday night too.
Tlak to you later, gotta go!
MC
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
On the subject of waving..........
.............at each other as cyclists, by the way. Not @ ball games or from parade floats or whilst signing off on TV programs.
I was just reading long-time bud and bike-writing-hero Maynard Hershon's post on this subject and ....well.....here we are! His comments (and you really oughta go read them, like right now. I'll wait) were to the effect that he's always waved and for years has kind of keep track of who did and did not return said waves. That habit, which he referred to as "keeping tabs" has become a scab that he was unable to resist picking at and has affected his enjoyment of this fine sport that we love. So....his new plan is to continue w/ the waving but to quit keeping tab.
Now...as someone who, like M.H. has always waved at fellow riders and who has been heard to remark on the White pine Trail that "the next jackass that doesn't wave is gonna get chased down and put into the weeds" this notion of Maynard's kinda resonated w/ me. Why DO I wave? Why do I give a crap whether THEY wave back?
I'm not sure. I wave 'cuz back-in-the-day there just weren't all that many of us, y'know? Chances are if you passed another rider around here in the 70's you knew him or her and would run into them again soon. (And they'd ask - "Hey, din'cha see me on South Shore yesterday?). It was a fellowship thing. Nowdays - not so much. I did my part and lead the club ride last week and there were 5-6 guys I'd never seen before.
Lotsa riders these days...that's my point.
I could go into the different "types" of riders and how their catagory affects their likihood to wave back.........but somehow I don't see how that's gonna lead to less fragmentation and more brother/sisterhood.......so I'll fight the temptation. I'm gonna go w/ Maynard's theory that those that don't wave back just never learned that you're supposed to. They're not rude, aloof, arrogant, clueless or too self-important.......it's just never occurred to them.
Still............I DO wonder why at least as many motorcyclists wave at me as other riders. Why should they feel a kinship w/ a chubby olde farte in lycra that other riders do not? Is the whole "we're on 2 wheels and they're on 4" thing so strong?
I wave back, but I feel a little silly.
Speaking of waving back and feeling silly...............there's the whole "Jeep Thing" too. When I drive I'm likely to be trundling around in an old Jeep Wrangler, (to which I have alluded earlier if you are keeping score). It's safe to say that my reasons for choosing such a fundementally silly vehicle are for the most part "un-Jeep-like" and like the sticker says "It IS a Jeep thing and I DON'T understand" but the other Jeepfolk can't tell that at a glance so they wave.
All of them.
Every time.
And every time I wave back. And my wife smirks. How can I NOT wave back? After doing all this bitching about riders that don't?! So......Jeep guy that I'm not I still do the little "head nod and 2 fingers off the steering wheel thing" and trundle off along my way, content in the knowledge that whoever I just waved at will not and has not given much if any thought to this whole topic.
Good for them.
Still...........as cyclists I think that we should wave and aknowledge one another. Why not? What harm could it do? (Assuming you can do it w/out swerving into a pothole or fellow rider, that is? And if you can't..............you should practice! Maybe on your trainer or rollers.
Besides...I promised Maynard that I would keep waving.
So...if I see you on the road I'm gonna wave. If you wave back - great. If you choose not to....well.....not-so-great but okay. Your call.
Editorial Mode - off.
Otherwise BikeLife is full and grand - I'm off to Sonoma CA first thig tomorrow to spend the rest of the week as the Head Tech for the 1st JDRF Ride of the season. I'm looking forward to driving sag on Saturday - it'll be the only chance I have to see the area since otherwise I'll be buried in the Bike Room 24-7. Our local team is doing great and the Asheville Ride is only about 8 weeks away! Then it's on to Death Valley in October.
The shop is crazy busy and it shows no signs of slowin' down. Next month Ted goes easy for 10 days to be the Head Wrench for the Kenda/Titus team @ 2 big pro races. He's excited and scared and that's a good place to be! Shop rides are rocking - folks are riding bikes - life is good.
Speakin' of rocking..............last night my band crashed the party down @ the just-opened Saugatuck Brewery and held an impromptu rehearsal/performance to make sure that we were the first band to ever play there. "Twas a hoot and it's gonna be a sweet place to hang! 'Tis already, for that matter!
July brings the Holland Hundred, lotsa other rides and a buncha cool stuff! Can't wait!
I was just reading long-time bud and bike-writing-hero Maynard Hershon's post on this subject and ....well.....here we are! His comments (and you really oughta go read them, like right now. I'll wait) were to the effect that he's always waved and for years has kind of keep track of who did and did not return said waves. That habit, which he referred to as "keeping tabs" has become a scab that he was unable to resist picking at and has affected his enjoyment of this fine sport that we love. So....his new plan is to continue w/ the waving but to quit keeping tab.
Now...as someone who, like M.H. has always waved at fellow riders and who has been heard to remark on the White pine Trail that "the next jackass that doesn't wave is gonna get chased down and put into the weeds" this notion of Maynard's kinda resonated w/ me. Why DO I wave? Why do I give a crap whether THEY wave back?
I'm not sure. I wave 'cuz back-in-the-day there just weren't all that many of us, y'know? Chances are if you passed another rider around here in the 70's you knew him or her and would run into them again soon. (And they'd ask - "Hey, din'cha see me on South Shore yesterday?). It was a fellowship thing. Nowdays - not so much. I did my part and lead the club ride last week and there were 5-6 guys I'd never seen before.
Lotsa riders these days...that's my point.
I could go into the different "types" of riders and how their catagory affects their likihood to wave back.........but somehow I don't see how that's gonna lead to less fragmentation and more brother/sisterhood.......so I'll fight the temptation. I'm gonna go w/ Maynard's theory that those that don't wave back just never learned that you're supposed to. They're not rude, aloof, arrogant, clueless or too self-important.......it's just never occurred to them.
Still............I DO wonder why at least as many motorcyclists wave at me as other riders. Why should they feel a kinship w/ a chubby olde farte in lycra that other riders do not? Is the whole "we're on 2 wheels and they're on 4" thing so strong?
I wave back, but I feel a little silly.
Speaking of waving back and feeling silly...............there's the whole "Jeep Thing" too. When I drive I'm likely to be trundling around in an old Jeep Wrangler, (to which I have alluded earlier if you are keeping score). It's safe to say that my reasons for choosing such a fundementally silly vehicle are for the most part "un-Jeep-like" and like the sticker says "It IS a Jeep thing and I DON'T understand" but the other Jeepfolk can't tell that at a glance so they wave.
All of them.
Every time.
And every time I wave back. And my wife smirks. How can I NOT wave back? After doing all this bitching about riders that don't?! So......Jeep guy that I'm not I still do the little "head nod and 2 fingers off the steering wheel thing" and trundle off along my way, content in the knowledge that whoever I just waved at will not and has not given much if any thought to this whole topic.
Good for them.
Still...........as cyclists I think that we should wave and aknowledge one another. Why not? What harm could it do? (Assuming you can do it w/out swerving into a pothole or fellow rider, that is? And if you can't..............you should practice! Maybe on your trainer or rollers.
Besides...I promised Maynard that I would keep waving.
So...if I see you on the road I'm gonna wave. If you wave back - great. If you choose not to....well.....not-so-great but okay. Your call.
Editorial Mode - off.
Otherwise BikeLife is full and grand - I'm off to Sonoma CA first thig tomorrow to spend the rest of the week as the Head Tech for the 1st JDRF Ride of the season. I'm looking forward to driving sag on Saturday - it'll be the only chance I have to see the area since otherwise I'll be buried in the Bike Room 24-7. Our local team is doing great and the Asheville Ride is only about 8 weeks away! Then it's on to Death Valley in October.
The shop is crazy busy and it shows no signs of slowin' down. Next month Ted goes easy for 10 days to be the Head Wrench for the Kenda/Titus team @ 2 big pro races. He's excited and scared and that's a good place to be! Shop rides are rocking - folks are riding bikes - life is good.
Speakin' of rocking..............last night my band crashed the party down @ the just-opened Saugatuck Brewery and held an impromptu rehearsal/performance to make sure that we were the first band to ever play there. "Twas a hoot and it's gonna be a sweet place to hang! 'Tis already, for that matter!
July brings the Holland Hundred, lotsa other rides and a buncha cool stuff! Can't wait!
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