Since I wrote a race report for the team, I thought I would post it here also. Yes, this will be the second consecutive entry that can be considered a "race report" on this blog.
No, I have not been kidnapped by someone who stole my Blogger password and likes to write race reports all the time.
Yes, the "clean set of wheels" part is meant to sound ridiculous and is a reference to a phrase used by a well known bike racing announcer.
Yes, the next post will be about someting other than a "race report."
I hope.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aussie (Rob), Scott, Derek, Tom K., Brett, and myself lined up for Team Spin at the start of the “A” race at the Team Akron Valley Circuit Race, also known as the “Covered Bridge race,” on Sunday, April 17. Jane G. represented the team in the women’s field.
The A race is seven laps of a five-mile loop, the B’s and women do five laps.
The A race saw about 25 starters, including multiple riders from teams such as RGF/Cleveland Clinic, Team Lake Effect, and Stark Velo, as well as solo riders from Team Panther, Speedgoat, and a few other teams. In the A race, Aussie got away with Joe from Death Row Velo early in the first lap. They built a solid gap, which meant that the remaining Team Spin riders in the field had to cover dangerous looking moves and hope that the two breakaway riders did not get caught.
Near the middle of the race, after a tough half-Iap, I found myself in a group of five riders that managed to extract ourselves from the field. At that point, my job was to simply sit in the break and let the other riders try to bring back Aussie and Joe, who were still up the road.
We caught the breakaway with a little over one lap to go, which meant that we were now a seven-person lead group. I was not feeling very perky at that point, and I confirmed with Aussie that he still felt good.
I tried several attacks on the second half of the last lap, but they were closely followed by the vigilant group. Things were shaping up for a seven-person sprint, which is not my bag. At all. Thankfully, it is Aussie’s.
The group slowed down to a crawl in the last 2k, and I found myself with a small gap inside the last 1k. I took advantage of it and accelerated, knowing that I would either hold it to the line, or, at the very least, cause the other teams to chase me down and set up Aussie for the sprint.
At about 200m, I heard the group approach, and saw Aussie come around me. He held it to the line, and showed the rest of the breakaway riders a clean set of wheels. A win for Team Spin!
Great job to everyone who raced today.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
Tour of the Battenkill 2011
There are apparently lots of Category 2 racers in the New England area who do nothing but ride bikes all winter long.
At least that is what it felt like at around mile 50 of the race on Sunday when the wheels came off the wagon and I began limping to feed zone 2 where I happily pulled the plug and accepted a ride to the finish from the "team car."
It was still a great weekend that involved nice weather and riding bikes...things could be much worse.
It is mind boggling how much planning and legwork must go into organizing a race that includes 35 separate fields, 2,500 racers, a 100K loop that goes through several municipalities, and racers on the course from 8:40 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
I would invite the amateur racers who complain about Battenkill's payout to try to organize something similar themselves and see how much work it entails.
In fact, I can think of several less annoying ways to make a living than organizing bad ass events for unappreciative bike racers.
At least that is what it felt like at around mile 50 of the race on Sunday when the wheels came off the wagon and I began limping to feed zone 2 where I happily pulled the plug and accepted a ride to the finish from the "team car."
It was still a great weekend that involved nice weather and riding bikes...things could be much worse.
It is mind boggling how much planning and legwork must go into organizing a race that includes 35 separate fields, 2,500 racers, a 100K loop that goes through several municipalities, and racers on the course from 8:40 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
I would invite the amateur racers who complain about Battenkill's payout to try to organize something similar themselves and see how much work it entails.
In fact, I can think of several less annoying ways to make a living than organizing bad ass events for unappreciative bike racers.
Sunday, April 03, 2011
Into Eternity
On Friday, Katie and I saw Into Eternity at the Cleveland International Film Festival. It is about the construction of a massive underground cave in Finland that is supposed to (safely) hold the country's nuclear waste. It is being built to last 100,000 years, and is an extremely long and deep cave. No one working on it now will be alive to see the completion of the project.
The part of the movie I liked most was how the officials in charge of this project were so concerned about the well-being of civilization 100,000 years from now. Specifically, they talked about the challenges involved in communicating to people 100,000 years in the future about the dangers that will lie beneath the earth in that spot. Will they speak our language? How can we even begin to conceive of the proper way to communicate with these people?
I am pretty sure that a massive undertaking such as this, which takes into account the safety of people more than 3000 generations into the future, would never occur in the United States.
And that is unfortunate.
The part of the movie I liked most was how the officials in charge of this project were so concerned about the well-being of civilization 100,000 years from now. Specifically, they talked about the challenges involved in communicating to people 100,000 years in the future about the dangers that will lie beneath the earth in that spot. Will they speak our language? How can we even begin to conceive of the proper way to communicate with these people?
I am pretty sure that a massive undertaking such as this, which takes into account the safety of people more than 3000 generations into the future, would never occur in the United States.
And that is unfortunate.
Saturday, April 02, 2011
T Minus
Battenkill is eight days away.
This year I have the pleasure of doing the 82-mile Category 2 race, which includes the standard 100K loop plus an additional 18-mile loop at the beginning of the race.
I always imagined that the extra loop at the beginning was a flat to rolling stroll through the countryside taken at a conversational pace that allowed the higher level racers to talk about how much better they are than the lowly chumps who only race 100K.
Then I recently read the updated website that shows this loop consists of the first 16 miles or so of the 100K loop, after which we then head back towards town and then do the entire regular 100K loop. This means that we get to do the 18% Juniper Swamp climb at mile 11 not once, but twice.
It's good thing that I climb well for a guy with a beard.
This year I have the pleasure of doing the 82-mile Category 2 race, which includes the standard 100K loop plus an additional 18-mile loop at the beginning of the race.
I always imagined that the extra loop at the beginning was a flat to rolling stroll through the countryside taken at a conversational pace that allowed the higher level racers to talk about how much better they are than the lowly chumps who only race 100K.
Then I recently read the updated website that shows this loop consists of the first 16 miles or so of the 100K loop, after which we then head back towards town and then do the entire regular 100K loop. This means that we get to do the 18% Juniper Swamp climb at mile 11 not once, but twice.
It's good thing that I climb well for a guy with a beard.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
13 Most Beautiful . . . Songs for Andy Warhol's Screen Tests
A few years ago, the Warhol Museum commissioned musicians Dean and Britta to compose music to accompany some of Andy Warhol's "Screen Tests," which were four-minute silent films of the faces of people with whom Warhol associated in the 1960's when he worked out of the Factory studio. Dean and Britta wrote music (and in a few cases played covers) to go along with 13 of these screen tests, and also released an album and dvd as part of the project.
The whole show, including Dean and Britta and their backing band, played the Cleveland Museum of Art's Gartner Auditorium last Wednesday.
Despite not necessarily being a Dean and Britta devotee (and not really being a devotee of their past bands), I had a good feeling about this performance. I couldn't have been more right.
First, I was shocked by how many people the museum's auditorium held, and I also couldn't believe how many people attended this event. I was initially afraid that the $26+ price tag, combined with it being a Wednesday night, would result in low turnout. Instead, the place was nearly packed, and I just read that it holds almost 700 people.
As they played the songs, the movies were projected on a giant screen in the background. Dean and Britta talked about most of the movies in between songs, and gave brief summaries of the lives (and some tragic deaths) of the lesser known subjects that the show featured.
Given the nature of the event, and the fact that the screen tests of both Lou Reed and Nico were chosen to be included in the program, the entire show had an unmistakable Velvet Underground feel. Which most of the (very age diverse) crowd ate up, myself included.
The show was worth every penny, and I left with the feeling that this town still knows a good time when it sees one.
Here are a few clips of the show from other cities:
The whole show, including Dean and Britta and their backing band, played the Cleveland Museum of Art's Gartner Auditorium last Wednesday.
Despite not necessarily being a Dean and Britta devotee (and not really being a devotee of their past bands), I had a good feeling about this performance. I couldn't have been more right.
First, I was shocked by how many people the museum's auditorium held, and I also couldn't believe how many people attended this event. I was initially afraid that the $26+ price tag, combined with it being a Wednesday night, would result in low turnout. Instead, the place was nearly packed, and I just read that it holds almost 700 people.
As they played the songs, the movies were projected on a giant screen in the background. Dean and Britta talked about most of the movies in between songs, and gave brief summaries of the lives (and some tragic deaths) of the lesser known subjects that the show featured.
Given the nature of the event, and the fact that the screen tests of both Lou Reed and Nico were chosen to be included in the program, the entire show had an unmistakable Velvet Underground feel. Which most of the (very age diverse) crowd ate up, myself included.
The show was worth every penny, and I left with the feeling that this town still knows a good time when it sees one.
Here are a few clips of the show from other cities:
Friday, March 25, 2011
Just where we last left off
As of last weekend, it had been over six months since I lined up for the start of a road race. However, in many ways, it seemed like six days. The same people, the same butterflies, the same vibe.
The Malabar Farm race had a small (but strong) 1-2 field, and teammate Jason took a respectable fifth place. Sunday's Race at Deer Creek in southern Ohio was better attended, windy, and cold. Teammate Aussie Rob made the early place and rocked a third place. I lost the sprint for 10th (the last paying spot) after getting away from the field on the last lap with Katsu. Oh well.
I wish I could find a hobby less time consuming and oppressive than road racing, but the allure of beating myself into the ground with a bunch of other insane dudes week after week gets the best of me every year.
The Malabar Farm race had a small (but strong) 1-2 field, and teammate Jason took a respectable fifth place. Sunday's Race at Deer Creek in southern Ohio was better attended, windy, and cold. Teammate Aussie Rob made the early place and rocked a third place. I lost the sprint for 10th (the last paying spot) after getting away from the field on the last lap with Katsu. Oh well.
I wish I could find a hobby less time consuming and oppressive than road racing, but the allure of beating myself into the ground with a bunch of other insane dudes week after week gets the best of me every year.
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Frozen
Katie often tells me that the type of beer I enjoy is made for old men in creepy sweaters, and for hipsters who wear old man sweaters. She might be right.
But the real question is why do I always find myself paralyzed with indecision when confronted with a few shelves full of such beer. I can spend $130 in a grocery store in about 13 minutes, and then I spend 15 minutes obsessing over an $8-$10 six (or sometimes four) pack of a pretentious microbrew.
I am, however, improving. Tonight I actually bought some beer, opposed to looking at it for an extended period and then leaving the store empty handed.
I think it has has something to do with being really cheap.
Or maybe I am just wearing the wrong type of sweater.
But the real question is why do I always find myself paralyzed with indecision when confronted with a few shelves full of such beer. I can spend $130 in a grocery store in about 13 minutes, and then I spend 15 minutes obsessing over an $8-$10 six (or sometimes four) pack of a pretentious microbrew.
I am, however, improving. Tonight I actually bought some beer, opposed to looking at it for an extended period and then leaving the store empty handed.
I think it has has something to do with being really cheap.
Or maybe I am just wearing the wrong type of sweater.
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
Basketball Diaries
I was devastated when I was cut from the Holy Name High School basketball team during my freshman and sophomore years, thus ending any hoop dreams I may have had. My problem was that I thought I had more game than I actually did. In retrospect, I am glad I was cut.
As a junior, I was asked by friends to play on a (non-school related) team in a tournament open to anyone. Our team consisted of some high school team players, and some scrubs like myself.
We were immediately eliminated, and I remember playing against a team full of complete badasses. Some of them ended up playing on big-time college teams, and one of them turned out to be this guy, who scored 26 points the other night against the Dallas Mavericks. I remember trying to "guard" (if you can call it that) this 5"5' dude when he would drive the lane. Let's just say things got very ugly very quickly, as evidenced by the number of times they would block our shots, and the ball would sail 30+ feet into the roaring crowd, who were all there to see the Cleveland all-star team wreck shop against us.
As they used to say on The Wire, I'm pretty sure that, even back then, I was slower than a white man in slippers.
But I can totally beat Earl Boykins in a time trial.
Right?
As a junior, I was asked by friends to play on a (non-school related) team in a tournament open to anyone. Our team consisted of some high school team players, and some scrubs like myself.
We were immediately eliminated, and I remember playing against a team full of complete badasses. Some of them ended up playing on big-time college teams, and one of them turned out to be this guy, who scored 26 points the other night against the Dallas Mavericks. I remember trying to "guard" (if you can call it that) this 5"5' dude when he would drive the lane. Let's just say things got very ugly very quickly, as evidenced by the number of times they would block our shots, and the ball would sail 30+ feet into the roaring crowd, who were all there to see the Cleveland all-star team wreck shop against us.
As they used to say on The Wire, I'm pretty sure that, even back then, I was slower than a white man in slippers.
But I can totally beat Earl Boykins in a time trial.
Right?
Monday, January 03, 2011
How is it...
...that sometimes I am asked if I am ever going to "grow out" of bike racing?
Or that people often think it is "immature" for adults to wear band clothing?
Yet it is not immature for adults everywhere to be obsessed by, or for a metropolitan newspaper to devote 25% of its front page and a four-page pull-out section to, a perennially losing football team.
Weird.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Hypocrite
This article in Velonews talks about how the Eagle County (Colorado) District Attorney is trying to prevent the victim of a horrible car on bicycle hit and run incident from testifying at a hearing addressing a proposed plea bargain with the driver.
For those unfamiliar with the case, here is what supposedly happened:
Mercedes driving wealth fund manager hits and seriously injures doctor who was riding his bike. Driver then does a bunch of things that make it clear he knew he hit someone, yet later denies knowing he hit anyone. And then blames it on sleep apnea. And then blames it on "new car smell" (no joke). Doctor suffers serious head and spinal injuries (view photos at above link at your own risk).
After charging the driver with a felony and two misdemeanors, District Attorney Mark Hurlburt agreed to drop the felony charge in exchange for guilty pleas to the misdemeanors. Hulbert also observed that “felony convictions have some pretty serious job implications for someone in Mr. Erzinger’s profession.”
Only the driver, Martin Erzinger, knows what his thought process was that day, and what really happened. I do not blame him, nor his attorney, for mounting a vigorous legal defense. That is how the system works.
Without knowing the admissible evidence involved in the case, I also can't comment on whether the plea agreement was a good idea. Prosecutors are faced with tough choices every day, and the often ignorant and fickle public has been known to hate plea deals, but they also hate it when prosecutors go "all the way" and lose due to lack of evidence or a boneheaded jury.
If D.A. Hurlburt weighed the strengths and weaknesses of the state's case and made an informed decision based on the risks of losing, then I would have no problem with the plea deal, as distasteful as it may be. The problem is, he did not. He instead admitted that the effect of a felony on Erzinger's record helped sway his decision.
What he was saying, of course, was that he is less inclined to charge a rich businessman with a felony when compared to a common criminal. The ignorance of this statement is mind boggling in light of the obvious fact that a felony makes virtually anyone unemployable in the minds of most employers, whether the employer is an investment bank or Burger King.
Maybe armed robbers in Vail should also not be charged with felonies because, you know, how will they support their families with that on their record? Or drug dealers. Or sexual predators.
I also find this excerpt from his bio to be quite offensive, given the fact that he is spending taxpayer money to deprive the victim of this crime the chance to speak at the plea deal hearing:
As an experienced prosecutor, Mark knows it is important not to simply secure convictions, but to seek justice. He makes victims a priority and is dedicated to providing victims a strong voice in the justice system.
This might be the most disturbing and embarrassing legal story I have read in a while.
For those unfamiliar with the case, here is what supposedly happened:
Mercedes driving wealth fund manager hits and seriously injures doctor who was riding his bike. Driver then does a bunch of things that make it clear he knew he hit someone, yet later denies knowing he hit anyone. And then blames it on sleep apnea. And then blames it on "new car smell" (no joke). Doctor suffers serious head and spinal injuries (view photos at above link at your own risk).
After charging the driver with a felony and two misdemeanors, District Attorney Mark Hurlburt agreed to drop the felony charge in exchange for guilty pleas to the misdemeanors. Hulbert also observed that “felony convictions have some pretty serious job implications for someone in Mr. Erzinger’s profession.”
Only the driver, Martin Erzinger, knows what his thought process was that day, and what really happened. I do not blame him, nor his attorney, for mounting a vigorous legal defense. That is how the system works.
Without knowing the admissible evidence involved in the case, I also can't comment on whether the plea agreement was a good idea. Prosecutors are faced with tough choices every day, and the often ignorant and fickle public has been known to hate plea deals, but they also hate it when prosecutors go "all the way" and lose due to lack of evidence or a boneheaded jury.
If D.A. Hurlburt weighed the strengths and weaknesses of the state's case and made an informed decision based on the risks of losing, then I would have no problem with the plea deal, as distasteful as it may be. The problem is, he did not. He instead admitted that the effect of a felony on Erzinger's record helped sway his decision.
What he was saying, of course, was that he is less inclined to charge a rich businessman with a felony when compared to a common criminal. The ignorance of this statement is mind boggling in light of the obvious fact that a felony makes virtually anyone unemployable in the minds of most employers, whether the employer is an investment bank or Burger King.
Maybe armed robbers in Vail should also not be charged with felonies because, you know, how will they support their families with that on their record? Or drug dealers. Or sexual predators.
I also find this excerpt from his bio to be quite offensive, given the fact that he is spending taxpayer money to deprive the victim of this crime the chance to speak at the plea deal hearing:
As an experienced prosecutor, Mark knows it is important not to simply secure convictions, but to seek justice. He makes victims a priority and is dedicated to providing victims a strong voice in the justice system.
This might be the most disturbing and embarrassing legal story I have read in a while.
Monday, December 13, 2010
He's back
It has now been five weeks since Reuben's emergency bloat surgery, and about six weeks since his Addison's diagnosis. Dr. Mike has lifted all restrictions for him. His coat is back to normal, and he no longer looks like a bag of bones.
I had been taking him on walks up to two miles until the weather recently turned sour. Now it will be basement agility sessions until the grass reappears in the backyard, whenever that may be.
Five weeks ago I was driving 85 mph on I-271 on a Sunday morning, not sure if he was going to even make it to the vet hospital. Now I am doing agility with him again.
As far as I am concerned, this is all gravy.
Pretty soon, we should be back doing this at trials:
I had been taking him on walks up to two miles until the weather recently turned sour. Now it will be basement agility sessions until the grass reappears in the backyard, whenever that may be.
Five weeks ago I was driving 85 mph on I-271 on a Sunday morning, not sure if he was going to even make it to the vet hospital. Now I am doing agility with him again.
As far as I am concerned, this is all gravy.
Pretty soon, we should be back doing this at trials:
Sunday, December 12, 2010
WLC2K11
I have officially entered the WLC2K11 (Weight Loss Challenge 2011), which is a gentleman's wager amongst a few of us bike riding types. The concept is simple: We all throw some cash into the pot, and the one of us with the highest percentage of starting body weight lost after a March 1, 2011 weigh-in wins the whole pot.
My goal seems modest compared to the goals being thrown around by the others, so I suspect that I am not a favorite to win the grand prize and its accompanying fame and fortune.
However, participating does improve winter motivation, especially when the weather is putrid and riding inside sounds less than appealing.
Time to scour the library website for more movies to request for these indoor sessions.
This is shaping to up to be a long winter.
My goal seems modest compared to the goals being thrown around by the others, so I suspect that I am not a favorite to win the grand prize and its accompanying fame and fortune.
However, participating does improve winter motivation, especially when the weather is putrid and riding inside sounds less than appealing.
Time to scour the library website for more movies to request for these indoor sessions.
This is shaping to up to be a long winter.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
When we last left our hero...
...Reuben had just gotten his bark back after being diagnosed with Addison's.
Then, on Sunday morning, he started showing symptoms of bloat, or gastric torsion.
We immediately rushed him to the vet hospital where our good friend and vet Mike performed emergency surgery and saved a hound.
He is now recuperating from a very bad week.
Then, on Sunday morning, he started showing symptoms of bloat, or gastric torsion.
We immediately rushed him to the vet hospital where our good friend and vet Mike performed emergency surgery and saved a hound.
He is now recuperating from a very bad week.
Friday, November 05, 2010
Come again, hound?
Ever since we adopted Reuben four years ago, he insists on barking like crazy the second he hears the dog food hit the metal dog dish.
Before every single meal.
For over four years.
No amount of dog training could break him of this habit. Maybe it has something to do with his inherent stubbornness, which likely stems from the fact that he is genetically hardwired to bark at raccoons up in trees for as long it takes until the hunter arrives.
Needless to say, the mealtime barking got old. Real old.
Until it stopped happening last Saturday.
At which point we knew something was wrong.
On Monday our vet diagnosed him with Addison's, an adrenal gland disease that can be fatal if not diagnosed properly, but is treatable once caught. He stayed the night at the vet hospital, and we picked him up Tuesday, expecting a marked improvement. Instead, he was weak, extremely lethargic and pathetic, and did not show the improvement we had hoped for.
And still no barking at dinnertime.
Early Wednesday morning seemed no better, and another trip to the vet was inevitable. I was worried, to say the least.
Then, within hours, he perked up. He started to seem like his normal self again. So I went to the pantry, grabbed the dog food, and started to fill the dish.
"Blarp....Blarp...............................Arf arf.........Barooooooooooo......Barooooooooooooooo!!!"
We now look forward to his mealtime barking.
Every single day.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
GBV
Katie and I just got home from Oberlin where we saw Guided By Voices play on their "classic lineup" tour. Normally, when we see a show at Oberlin, the room is filled with students, about a quarter of which are young enough to theoretically be our children. Today, the crowd was filled with people who made us feel young, all there to see a band full of guys old enough to be our dad.
Nice.
The most interesting part of the night was the fact that the opening band (whose name I still don't know) played in Halloween costumes. Real costumes, not "look I'm wearing a Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses at night" type costumes. Surprisingly, that made it more difficult than I care to admit in deciding whether I liked them. I'm pretty sure that, whether we like it or not, visuals play a large role in creating an opinion about a live band you know nothing about.
Is the keyboardist female? Does the singer look like a tool? Is the bassist a 15-year old burnout?
Today I learned that these questions are indeed important.
And I learned that you can move a lot of cans of Bud Light at a GBV show when they are $2 a pop.
Nice.
The most interesting part of the night was the fact that the opening band (whose name I still don't know) played in Halloween costumes. Real costumes, not "look I'm wearing a Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses at night" type costumes. Surprisingly, that made it more difficult than I care to admit in deciding whether I liked them. I'm pretty sure that, whether we like it or not, visuals play a large role in creating an opinion about a live band you know nothing about.
Is the keyboardist female? Does the singer look like a tool? Is the bassist a 15-year old burnout?
Today I learned that these questions are indeed important.
And I learned that you can move a lot of cans of Bud Light at a GBV show when they are $2 a pop.
Friday, October 15, 2010
The kids are alright
It was neat to see so many junior riders at this weekend's UCI3 Cyclocross festival in Cincinnati. Even the ones who kicked my ass.
It was also neat to see adults taking some very young racers around the course during warmup and showing them the ropes.
I do have to admit, though, that my initial reaction to some of this "coaching" was lukewarm when it appeared that the adults involved started getting a bit serious about matters. Then I saw some really young kids riding some really expensive wheels, a topic thoroughly discussed on some recent Facebook threads.
I then compared those scenes with the kid warming up behind me on Sunday (who looked to be about 10 years old) who was yelling and carrying on the whole time because he was having so much fun just riding his (non-$2000 wheeled) bike around the course. That, my friend, is what it is all about.
I am not sure why I have such a reactionary aversion to parents and role models who take their children's bike racing so seriously. Is it any different than a parent who really gets into their kid's little league and hits ground balls to the kid who plays shortstop? Or the parent who regularly practices shots at her soccer playing, goal tending daughter?
Maybe I am a bit sensitive to this topic because so many people take the fun out of their children's sports by taking it so seriously. Or maybe because I remember being told in 4th grade football by Coach Marconi that he was going to bash our heads into the brick wall if we didn't hit the sled harder during a 90 degree practice.
This sport is pretty great, and there are already enough barriers to entry for young riders, such as affording a safe and race worthy bike. Let's encourage the kids, but not scare them away.
And, for God's sake, a 12 year old probably does not need $2000 wheels. And a $3750 cross bike is not a mid-level cross bike. Nor is a $1999 frame.
It was also neat to see adults taking some very young racers around the course during warmup and showing them the ropes.
I do have to admit, though, that my initial reaction to some of this "coaching" was lukewarm when it appeared that the adults involved started getting a bit serious about matters. Then I saw some really young kids riding some really expensive wheels, a topic thoroughly discussed on some recent Facebook threads.
I then compared those scenes with the kid warming up behind me on Sunday (who looked to be about 10 years old) who was yelling and carrying on the whole time because he was having so much fun just riding his (non-$2000 wheeled) bike around the course. That, my friend, is what it is all about.
I am not sure why I have such a reactionary aversion to parents and role models who take their children's bike racing so seriously. Is it any different than a parent who really gets into their kid's little league and hits ground balls to the kid who plays shortstop? Or the parent who regularly practices shots at her soccer playing, goal tending daughter?
Maybe I am a bit sensitive to this topic because so many people take the fun out of their children's sports by taking it so seriously. Or maybe because I remember being told in 4th grade football by Coach Marconi that he was going to bash our heads into the brick wall if we didn't hit the sled harder during a 90 degree practice.
This sport is pretty great, and there are already enough barriers to entry for young riders, such as affording a safe and race worthy bike. Let's encourage the kids, but not scare them away.
And, for God's sake, a 12 year old probably does not need $2000 wheels. And a $3750 cross bike is not a mid-level cross bike. Nor is a $1999 frame.
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
Really?
I went to this lecture yesterday at Case's law school because it seemed interesting and, let's be honest, I needed the CLE credit.
Mr. Murray, a bioethicist, is also the Chair of the Ethical Issues Review Panel for the World Anti-Doping Agency ("WADA").
The most surprising part of the evening was nothing that he said, but the reactions of some of the audience members who seemed angered and mystified that athletes "cheat" when competing.
Of all of the mysteries surrounding doping in sports (how it is done, how often, how do they avoid detection, etc.), one thing is not (or should not be) a mystery: why they do it.
Large percentages of people in major metropolitan areas allow the outcome of a Sunday sports contest to dictate their mood on Monday. We revere our professional sports heroes. Outstanding high school athletes are treated like gods in communities large and small. Winning is everything. Don't you remember, it's you vs. second place.
Oh yea, and some of these people (many of whom are otherwise totally unemployable) end up making millions of dollars playing sports for a living.
I'm not sure what's more offensive, cheating athletes or the fact that people are still shocked when they find out people do this.
Mr. Murray, a bioethicist, is also the Chair of the Ethical Issues Review Panel for the World Anti-Doping Agency ("WADA").
The most surprising part of the evening was nothing that he said, but the reactions of some of the audience members who seemed angered and mystified that athletes "cheat" when competing.
Of all of the mysteries surrounding doping in sports (how it is done, how often, how do they avoid detection, etc.), one thing is not (or should not be) a mystery: why they do it.
Large percentages of people in major metropolitan areas allow the outcome of a Sunday sports contest to dictate their mood on Monday. We revere our professional sports heroes. Outstanding high school athletes are treated like gods in communities large and small. Winning is everything. Don't you remember, it's you vs. second place.
Oh yea, and some of these people (many of whom are otherwise totally unemployable) end up making millions of dollars playing sports for a living.
I'm not sure what's more offensive, cheating athletes or the fact that people are still shocked when they find out people do this.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
Like it was 1999
A few weeks ago, I went to two (hard) rock shows in one week. And they were both on weeknights.
Not bad for a geezer.
Both shows drew a lot of the same people I would see at shows when I was in college. Same people, but with less head hair, more facial hair, and more kids.
First was Unsane and Craw at the Grog Shop. Here's a video from the Craw set that I found on Youtube. Note the band's bassist...he may look familiar to the bike racers reading this. (Hint: It's Zak):
A few days later was Shellac at the Beachland. The only video from that show is here:
Both bands have rhythm sections to die for.
And both shows reminded me why I got into music.
Not bad for a geezer.
Both shows drew a lot of the same people I would see at shows when I was in college. Same people, but with less head hair, more facial hair, and more kids.
First was Unsane and Craw at the Grog Shop. Here's a video from the Craw set that I found on Youtube. Note the band's bassist...he may look familiar to the bike racers reading this. (Hint: It's Zak):
A few days later was Shellac at the Beachland. The only video from that show is here:
Both bands have rhythm sections to die for.
And both shows reminded me why I got into music.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Plea
The driver whose vehicle struck and killed Sylvia Bingham last September pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide last Monday. Although sentencing happens in late October, her Foundation website states that the recommended sentencing will be four years. Also take a look at her parents' comments about the sentencing on that website.
I am still confused about how the positive marijuana test plays into this accident. Was he high while driving, or did he test positive for marijuana use at some point in the recent past? One would think that they had him for marijuana use during the accident, but the news stories never clarified that issue. Also, the news stories never mentioned witnesses. Were the charges (and the subsequent plea) based on witness testimony, or based on the fact that he was high? Does anyone know what really happened that day?
The answers to these questions won't bring back Ms. Bingham. But releasing this information could help us better understand this tragedy and raise public awareness of this important issue.
I am still confused about how the positive marijuana test plays into this accident. Was he high while driving, or did he test positive for marijuana use at some point in the recent past? One would think that they had him for marijuana use during the accident, but the news stories never clarified that issue. Also, the news stories never mentioned witnesses. Were the charges (and the subsequent plea) based on witness testimony, or based on the fact that he was high? Does anyone know what really happened that day?
The answers to these questions won't bring back Ms. Bingham. But releasing this information could help us better understand this tragedy and raise public awareness of this important issue.
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