Pumpkinfest

After my ride last night I flipped on PBS and watched the funniest program of the year. Up in Cooperstown, NY there is a fierce competition to see who can grow the biggest pumpkins. I was laughing so hard that I thought that I'd cry. Of course I had to call Cliff and tell him to turn it on as well.

People would baby their pumpkins, giving them milk baths to increase the chances that they wouldn't get blossom end rot and split. They had surveillance cameras set up to keep the jealous competitors from vandalizing their pumpkins, and they did shot gun patrol to keep the dreaded wood chucks and mice at bay.

Every day the farmers go out and measure the pumpkins. They weigh them, build tents for them, and mist them with all kinds of concoctions. All leading to the big day, to see who has the biggest pumpkin.

So what does this have to do with bike racing? Ok, so those people were seriously weird. Come to think about it though, so are we. While bike weight doesn't mean that much to me, I do know that Dottie weighs 14.5 lbs, and that was certainly a plus when I was writing the check for her. We all know that I'd be much better off sitting on a 16 lb bike and loosing 20 lbs, but easy is better. I have friends who keep pushing to have the lightest bike possible. They weigh the parts when they get them and complain that the manufacturer says the part weighs x when really it weighs Y. They ride on parts that they are too heavy for, and then bitch when the parts break.

I know people (me) who regularly pass up high dollar meals with vendors in order to ride. I know people who have come late to weddings (thier own) because they had a race. Sheesh, I've even snuck out of weddings to go ride.

Yep, I'm glad those weird pumpkin people are out there. I sure wouldn't want anyone to take a hard look at me!