Yesterday was the Van Dessel Crit in Waynesboro. Waynesboro is a wonderful town, with a rich history of outdoorsiness. (is that a word?) I've done some cool races there, running, tris and crits. The community is always super supportive. Thanks to the Van Dessel Team for bringing bike racing back to this cool town!
Unfortunately for me, different courses for different horses. This course is not for me. It goes up, then up, then turns left, and goes up, and turns left again to go up AGAIN. Then you get the cool screaming downhill, a turn to a flat stretch and then you get to do it all over again.
At least we raced at 6 pm. By then the clouds were coming in, the wind was picking up and the heat was dissipating some. All of us were cameling up... drinking as much as we could pre-race as the carnage in the early races was generally due to dehydration.
J ran a 10k in Fredericksburg in her usual blistering fashion, so I knew that she wasn't going to have a lot in the tank. Sharon officiated all day. And me, like I said, not my kind of course. I made it around... just barely, and at least can say that I got a good, hard work out in as Rachel and crew lapped me out there!
It was good to watch our friends at Natures Path completely control and dominate the men's 1-3 race. If you wanted to explain team tactics to someone, that was the race to watch. Good show guys!
We rolled in at home after 10 pm, and this is going to be a very sleepy day.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
I've love dogs... but....
It really is dog owners that SUCK! Just the bad dog owners.
A year ago I had a talk with a RICH lady down the street from me. I was having to out sprint her dog on almost a daily basis, and the dog was getting peeved that it wasn't getting to bite me. And the dog was getting smarter... and laying in wait. Nice thing about riding at the same time of day... it puts the smart dogs on a schedule. Dogs love schedules.
So I stopped and talked to her one day. The whole time I was talking to her I had to use the bike as a shield to keep said dog from making me into a Scoobysnack. She admitted to me that she KNEW the dog was going after cyclists, but she didn't like keeping the dog penned up.
Well, after about 15 minutes of listening to this crap I told her what I did for a living. I told her that she was on notice, that failing to do anything about this situation was the definition of gross negligence, and that if I got bit, or heard of anyone else getting bit, that I'd do everything I could to make sure that she payed for it.
That seemed to have gotten her attention. The dog "disappeared." I thought that maybe she took it to animal control, or locked it up, or something.
He's back. I was out tooling around this morning doing an easy 30 before Waynesboro tomorrow. The pollen is so thick out here that I couldn't sprint if my life depended on it anyway... So of course, as I rode by her house, the dog jumped out of the brush and missed me by about an inch, I swerved, almost crashed and if there had been a car coming the other way... I'd be dead. So I'm screaming BAD DOG!!! BAD DOG!!! and I know the lady heard me and didn't do anything.
I'm waiting for animal control to call me back. This is going to be over. Today. Dogs I can deal with. Bad owners...
A year ago I had a talk with a RICH lady down the street from me. I was having to out sprint her dog on almost a daily basis, and the dog was getting peeved that it wasn't getting to bite me. And the dog was getting smarter... and laying in wait. Nice thing about riding at the same time of day... it puts the smart dogs on a schedule. Dogs love schedules.
So I stopped and talked to her one day. The whole time I was talking to her I had to use the bike as a shield to keep said dog from making me into a Scoobysnack. She admitted to me that she KNEW the dog was going after cyclists, but she didn't like keeping the dog penned up.
Well, after about 15 minutes of listening to this crap I told her what I did for a living. I told her that she was on notice, that failing to do anything about this situation was the definition of gross negligence, and that if I got bit, or heard of anyone else getting bit, that I'd do everything I could to make sure that she payed for it.
That seemed to have gotten her attention. The dog "disappeared." I thought that maybe she took it to animal control, or locked it up, or something.
He's back. I was out tooling around this morning doing an easy 30 before Waynesboro tomorrow. The pollen is so thick out here that I couldn't sprint if my life depended on it anyway... So of course, as I rode by her house, the dog jumped out of the brush and missed me by about an inch, I swerved, almost crashed and if there had been a car coming the other way... I'd be dead. So I'm screaming BAD DOG!!! BAD DOG!!! and I know the lady heard me and didn't do anything.
I'm waiting for animal control to call me back. This is going to be over. Today. Dogs I can deal with. Bad owners...
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Go George!
George is now sitting at #13 in the country... moving on up! As much as I love having him out with Gina, and as much as he LOVES her, I sure do miss my running buddy.
He's in Delaware this weekend... Maine next weekend. I swear that dog is traveling more than me these days.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Oh MY GAWD
Oh, man, oh, man, oh, man
Sharon just called and we're going to FRANCE! She WON THE GRAND PRIZE at the AMGEN Tour of California, and we're going to France for the last week of the Tour d'France, airfare, hotel, meals, VIP, FRONT ROW...
OH MY GAWD!!
Life is GOOD!!!!
Sharon just called and we're going to FRANCE! She WON THE GRAND PRIZE at the AMGEN Tour of California, and we're going to France for the last week of the Tour d'France, airfare, hotel, meals, VIP, FRONT ROW...
OH MY GAWD!!
Life is GOOD!!!!
Get em before they get you...
There is something to be said for just blowing up the bad guys. I'd imagine that it has a real deterrent effect, especially when I keep hearing these funny reports about how Somali women are flocking to Mogadishu to marry pirates. Maybe if the odds of them actually coming back with $$ are changed a bit, the pirates will think twice about attacking ships.
No really... just maybe...
Oh, well. It has been Navy kind of weather every night so far. Monday it was thunderstorms and tornadoes. Last night it was hail and thunderstorms. I know that it hailed at my house earlier today, but I BELIEVE that God is going to let me ride outside tonight. I need my fix, really, really bad...
Sunday, April 19, 2009
The weekend in review...
Saturday was a good day. J came over and rode at O'Dark Thirty with me so that we could get to the club picnic. After a few miles of snuffling, gagging, spitting and other nastiness I looked down at my tires... which were formerly black. Today, pollen yellow-green. Pollen, its just evil.
The picnic though, was grand. Our friends at Fiorucci hosted us at their plant in Colonial Heights. While Cliff and I were waiting for Carey to show up, turkeys flew over our head... in a business park. Carey later told me that they occasionally get bobcats in the compound. Too cool.
Gregg and Sandee arranged a group photo shoot and video for the Fiorucci website. I'm sure it will be up later in the season so go take a look. Fiorucci is not only a great company to work with, but they have great products as well. Give 'em a try. As usual, they will be donating prize bags of their wonderful products for the State Time trial. So plan on being fast that day, those bags are worth about $25 each.
Saturday night I went out to buy tomato plants for the garden. Oh, man! Someone has figured out that the country is in a recession and everyone is going to be planting gardens this year. The cost of plants is thru the roof. I got pissed and went to a small farmers market and bought my plants. If Home Depot and Lowes are going to jack up their prices, I'll just take my business elsewhere. So there... pffft....
Sunday was the Casey Auto Crit... but run backwards this year. The course was both safer and faster in this direction, so good call JRVS.
I must be getting a bad rep... when the officials meet you on the line and ask you where your inhaler is... you got a problem. The pollen was knee deep and there was lovely wisteria growing and blooming all along the course. I knew I was in trouble... and so did the officials. Lucky for me I carry a pot of Vicks in the truck. I smeared so much of it on my face that no pollen was going to enter these lungs. of course I was living in fear that I'd forget and wipe my nose or something, but you gotta do what you gotta do.
How'd it go? The Rostello girls just rocked. 4 laps to go, we were all up front, organizing the train, and being safe. J lead us out and took 5th, I was 1rst 40+ and Col. Sweatsalot was 2nd cat 4. You gotta love it when a plan comes to fruition. This was after J had gotten run off the course not once, but twice by the same rider. Not cool.
I do have a world's record to hand out... to the rider in our race who gave us five different reasons she didn't win. The question is... are the five reasons cumulative... or does one supersede the others. The five reasons were given over a span of about an hour... and when the next one was given, the preceding one was apparently forgotten. I'm sure that if we had hung around a few minutes longer there would have been a 6th and 7th reason... maybe more. By now I'm sure that there was a solar flare that disrupted the electrical charge of the earth or something. Keep 'em coming, it's highly amusing. We do give bonus points for creativity... so keep trying...
And congrats to Gregg... I got a call when I was out planting green beans... 8th in the big cat 4 field, and wisely rode AHEAD of the two crashes. There is a reason why the top pros ride at the front of the peloton.
And BEST WISHES and SUPER SPEEDY RECOVERY to Wes King. Wes, you are NOT the Natures Path guy that we expect to see kissing asphalt. J and I were on the side road and let the ambulance onto the course for the crash. We had no idea it was for you. Take the drugs, don't worry, be happy.
And the biggest hugs and congrats to our adopted team mate Eli Hunt and her hubby Roger. Preggers! Man, are we happy for you both. Roger, I would have kissed you, but the Vicks on my face, just gross, you know?
The picnic though, was grand. Our friends at Fiorucci hosted us at their plant in Colonial Heights. While Cliff and I were waiting for Carey to show up, turkeys flew over our head... in a business park. Carey later told me that they occasionally get bobcats in the compound. Too cool.
Gregg and Sandee arranged a group photo shoot and video for the Fiorucci website. I'm sure it will be up later in the season so go take a look. Fiorucci is not only a great company to work with, but they have great products as well. Give 'em a try. As usual, they will be donating prize bags of their wonderful products for the State Time trial. So plan on being fast that day, those bags are worth about $25 each.
Saturday night I went out to buy tomato plants for the garden. Oh, man! Someone has figured out that the country is in a recession and everyone is going to be planting gardens this year. The cost of plants is thru the roof. I got pissed and went to a small farmers market and bought my plants. If Home Depot and Lowes are going to jack up their prices, I'll just take my business elsewhere. So there... pffft....
Sunday was the Casey Auto Crit... but run backwards this year. The course was both safer and faster in this direction, so good call JRVS.
I must be getting a bad rep... when the officials meet you on the line and ask you where your inhaler is... you got a problem. The pollen was knee deep and there was lovely wisteria growing and blooming all along the course. I knew I was in trouble... and so did the officials. Lucky for me I carry a pot of Vicks in the truck. I smeared so much of it on my face that no pollen was going to enter these lungs. of course I was living in fear that I'd forget and wipe my nose or something, but you gotta do what you gotta do.
How'd it go? The Rostello girls just rocked. 4 laps to go, we were all up front, organizing the train, and being safe. J lead us out and took 5th, I was 1rst 40+ and Col. Sweatsalot was 2nd cat 4. You gotta love it when a plan comes to fruition. This was after J had gotten run off the course not once, but twice by the same rider. Not cool.
I do have a world's record to hand out... to the rider in our race who gave us five different reasons she didn't win. The question is... are the five reasons cumulative... or does one supersede the others. The five reasons were given over a span of about an hour... and when the next one was given, the preceding one was apparently forgotten. I'm sure that if we had hung around a few minutes longer there would have been a 6th and 7th reason... maybe more. By now I'm sure that there was a solar flare that disrupted the electrical charge of the earth or something. Keep 'em coming, it's highly amusing. We do give bonus points for creativity... so keep trying...
And congrats to Gregg... I got a call when I was out planting green beans... 8th in the big cat 4 field, and wisely rode AHEAD of the two crashes. There is a reason why the top pros ride at the front of the peloton.
And BEST WISHES and SUPER SPEEDY RECOVERY to Wes King. Wes, you are NOT the Natures Path guy that we expect to see kissing asphalt. J and I were on the side road and let the ambulance onto the course for the crash. We had no idea it was for you. Take the drugs, don't worry, be happy.
And the biggest hugs and congrats to our adopted team mate Eli Hunt and her hubby Roger. Preggers! Man, are we happy for you both. Roger, I would have kissed you, but the Vicks on my face, just gross, you know?
Friday, April 17, 2009
Suit Happy?
There has been some interesting discussion on the MABRA list about what clubs have to do to put on a "fun" event. It sounds easy, and heck the bike couriers and scofflaws do "Slaughterama" and other races all the time. All those races are "unofficial", have no police, no permits and from what I've seen, are generally dangerous as hell.
But you never hear about law suits from those events. I say little wonder, most of those people have nothing to get in a suit. If they were sued, they would either just declare bankruptcy or not pay a judgment. There really is something to be said about blood, turnips, and all that.
Lots of us though have houses, cars, real jobs, and stuff. For us, getting sued can have some real meat to it. And you'd be surprised at what you can be sued for. And you'd be surprised at how hard it can be to get out of a suit. And you might be surprised that your home owners carrier wont cover you for some things. Like racing... but that's up to you to look at your own insurance policy.
The people who think that they cant be sued in an under the table event... that only the cyclist involved in a crash would be sued... Uh, you are probably wrong. The more people invited to the party, the greater the opportunity for the plaintiff to recover. So if you have any of your little fingers in the event, you can be sued. Heck, even if you don't have any of your little fingers in the event, you may be able to be sued. If they can keep you in a suit is another matter, but you wouldn't care because suits have a nasty habit of taking over your life.
And while we're at it... remember that cyclists who get hit by negligent drivers sue those drivers. Sometimes. Sometimes they win. Sometimes they loose. Its just fair that if cyclists are negligent and cause bad accidents to innocent drivers that those same drivers get to sue the cyclist. And if you are a promoter who puts on an unsafe event, sanctioned or otherwise, that puts the public at risk... well, its just fair that you get it, too.
So when we as promoters are putting on an event... safety is always job one. Down the road is a fair event, etc... and in the top five, you better be thinking about what can happen if you aren't putting on a safe event. And that includes club rides, training rides, and anything else.
There are plenty of attorneys who race bikes. When in doubt ask one. And anytime you want to be regaled with stories of incredible suits, just ask me...
But you never hear about law suits from those events. I say little wonder, most of those people have nothing to get in a suit. If they were sued, they would either just declare bankruptcy or not pay a judgment. There really is something to be said about blood, turnips, and all that.
Lots of us though have houses, cars, real jobs, and stuff. For us, getting sued can have some real meat to it. And you'd be surprised at what you can be sued for. And you'd be surprised at how hard it can be to get out of a suit. And you might be surprised that your home owners carrier wont cover you for some things. Like racing... but that's up to you to look at your own insurance policy.
The people who think that they cant be sued in an under the table event... that only the cyclist involved in a crash would be sued... Uh, you are probably wrong. The more people invited to the party, the greater the opportunity for the plaintiff to recover. So if you have any of your little fingers in the event, you can be sued. Heck, even if you don't have any of your little fingers in the event, you may be able to be sued. If they can keep you in a suit is another matter, but you wouldn't care because suits have a nasty habit of taking over your life.
And while we're at it... remember that cyclists who get hit by negligent drivers sue those drivers. Sometimes. Sometimes they win. Sometimes they loose. Its just fair that if cyclists are negligent and cause bad accidents to innocent drivers that those same drivers get to sue the cyclist. And if you are a promoter who puts on an unsafe event, sanctioned or otherwise, that puts the public at risk... well, its just fair that you get it, too.
So when we as promoters are putting on an event... safety is always job one. Down the road is a fair event, etc... and in the top five, you better be thinking about what can happen if you aren't putting on a safe event. And that includes club rides, training rides, and anything else.
There are plenty of attorneys who race bikes. When in doubt ask one. And anytime you want to be regaled with stories of incredible suits, just ask me...
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