You Can't Ride With Me

A few weeks ago Wes King was on one of the "slower" fast rides with me. I was kind of hanging out, keeping an eye on my girls, and Wes was just hanging out. We got to talking and after a few close calls he looked at me and said that he wasn't sure if it was safer to ride with the "slower" folks or the fast guys. I agree. Truth is, the faster guys usually have really good bike skills, but on occasion, the lack of oxygen gets to them and "stuff" happens. The slower fast people tend to just have natural talent, but no skills. I'd say that on occasion its six of one, or half dozen of another as to which ride is more likely to have crashes.

I'd rather race any day. I know almost everyone I race with, and trust almost all of them. I've been known to go up and have what I affectionately call the "Karen Talk" with people who I think are not going to be safe. Face it, despite an unfortunate crash earlier this Spring, most of the women's races down here are very safe. We know what's important. And when you have broken as many things as I have, you really know how much it sucks to spend a Summer laid up in a cast, or worse.

So this morning I had to tell yet another bunch of guys that I wouldn't ride with them. I'm sure they think I'm a bitch. I am. Born and bred. Growing up in the military we were taught to stand up and fess up. I'm a bitch, there I said it. Some of you guys take really stupid, unnecessary risks. Some of the really stupid stuff you do can get me hurt. Since I really hate being laid up, and make a terrible patient, (ask anyone who knows me...), if I think you are going to continue said dumb behaviour, you can just go off without me.

My friend Sharon dug up this really cool 10 page guide to pace line riding and gave it to me to distribute. If you want a copy, let me know. If you find one on your windshield after a ride, its because I love you. Really. We can all use a little help now and again.

Me I need help weeding the garden. So if anyone wants to help me, show up in loose clothing with good gloves. When the tomatoes, squash, green beans, beets, peppers and other veggies come in, I'll share. Promise.

Ya'll be good out there, ya hear?

Check out the Rostello BOYS!

From this weeks Richmond.com! Mighty handsome, guys, mighty handsome!

http://www.richmond.com/sports-leisure/article.aspx?articleId=24375&p=1

Katherine goes to China

Ok, so I'm living someone else's dream vicariously. But aren't you pulling for Katherine to make it? Don't you really want to know about those 6' tall Chinese women cyclists? And could you race after eating stir fry beef for breakfast?

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=olympianpart12

Hope Springs A Kernel

Thats the phrase that I got from Boston Legal last night as I was laying in bed wishing that my gut rot would go away. By 3 am I finally got to sleep, and today, let me tell you, I'm shot.

I knew last night before the fast ride that I was not feeling great. It was some kind of humid, and the storm clouds were brewing, but like an idiot, I pushed off to join the pack. By mile 5 I was having serious doubts. A few miles later I was having trouble bridging gaps, and after the first big hill I would have been shelled off the back if big Kevin hadn't waited for me.

Thanks Kevin. What I really needed was a PUSH! Or a shot to the head...

By the time we got to the Vontay Hill my guts were rolling. I got shelled some kind of bad. Which would have been the end of the story except that J and Cliff decided to come back for me to prolong my agony. Have you ever ridden with someone who can ride faster than you when you are ready to hurl? You can't ride their speed, but they think you can ride faster than you are, and the effort just makes those tummy juices flow. Then the misery of the situation hits you, and you just wish that either you would die, or they would... God I love J and Cliff. I wanted them to leave me for dead in the worst kind of way.

We finally got back. I think the last 5 miles must have taken a few days at least. It was funny, I could ride about 18 mph alone, but couldn't handle 22 in the paceline, even with no wind and on the flat.

We headed off to Jason's Deli and I had them make me a grilled cheese- sick people food. I swear that little sandwich kept growing on the plate and I left part of it and the soup mostly uneaten. That is definitely not like me.

Tonight is the first of the women's rides of the summer that I lead. I had better get into a better situation before 6 tonight or its going to be another rough go. Maybe someone will take mercy on me tonight and just kick me in the ditch!

Thank God for long weekends

Well this is day two of three of the long weekend. Between the high gas prices, and work problems, I decided to stay home. Yeah, home except for going into work awhile yesterday. I should have taken one of my dogs with me. It was too quiet in there. Like a Stephen King novel quiet.

Cliff came over this morning to get me out of the funk and we decided to ride west, young(ok, old) girl. Pretty much straight out Rt 250 towards C'ville on some of the prettiest and hilliest roads around. It was just what I needed. Hill therapy. Or, suffer therapy. 70 miles of that and I think I'm back on the straight and narrow. Add a head wind the whole way out and you have a perfect storm of helpfulness for a bad attitude. We went thru Gum Springs, Hadensville, Shannon Hill, Ferncliffe, Town of Louisa, Cuckoo, Shelfar, Inez, crap I forget the rest.

I can tell you that the menu at Obregato(?) in the Town of Louisa looks wonderful. If I had had a few more bucks on me I think I could have convinced Cliff to stop to eat. I'm not sure if they would have let us stinky cyclists in, but I'm pretty good at begging. That looks like a place we'll have to go back to.

Not so much the Everyday Cafe'/gas station. Cliff went in to get us a coke while I guarded the bikes. You hate to judge a book by its cover, but there are some mighty strange lookin' folks out there in Louisa. How such a beautiful town ended up with such a group is beyond me.

And how can Cliff convince dogs to go home so easily is also beyond me. Two big black dogs came charging at us at one point, and without raising his voice he just told them, "go on home, ya'll, go home." They looked at each other abashedly, and turned around, heads down and headed back. Its like magic. I was gearing up for a sprint- up hill.

So I'm tired, gearing up to grill some teriyaki pork tenderloins with a mighty nice Merlot for a chaser. I guess my attitude is improving, and maybe by the time I finish mowing, weed eating, pruning, and all the other chores tomorrow I'll be happy to go back to work.

Parts and Pieces

J affectionately calls me Princess Butt. Sorry, its just the way it is. Some of us are a wee bit more sensitive than others.

This morning I'm out riding with Cliff and the guys and you know how sometimes your chamois just wrinkles a tiny little bit? Yeah, like a Skoal commercial... " A little between the cheek and gum." Except with bike shorts its just not very nice. (not that I can imagine a chaw of tobacco being very nice, either.) I must have looked like a total spaz on the bike trying to get that little fold to stop pinching the hell out of my more sensitive parts. It's going to be a Badger Balm kind of night.

Trust me, I know all about keeping the area in shape. The whole de-forestation, wet ones, out of the shorts, and I have about 3 different home cooked chamois cream recipes. After you have to get a saddle sore cut out in the operating room you really learn that you don't want to repeat the procedure.

Tomorrow had better be a better ride. With gas prices so high, it looks like I'll be riding from home instead of RFK. I hope everyone there has a fab ride, and that everyone keeps the rubber side down. RFK is a great race, I just cant swing the gas!

Work Happens

I normally get off work about 4:30. Most days I have to carry the cell phone "just in case." With a slew of dogs at home, I absolutely need to have my super domestique, Cliff. Last night was a perfect case in point.

This is the end of the quarter and things absolutely, positively have to get done. Top it off with our quarterly results meeting that normally ends at 4:30, and you have some serious rushing. Making it worse, the meeting didn't end at 4:30, it ended at 5. My fast ride leaves at 5:50. To get there, I have to drive 30 miles home, get the stuff together, get on the road and drive another 20 miles. Do the math...

Cliff had my dogs out, the van loaded with my stuff, including shorts, shoes, jersey, helmet etc... It was great to literally jump out of my truck, run to the van, and get dressed as we were zipping down the road. We got to the park just as our group left...

So we rushed to get out and down the road to race to catch group 3. I did my best Michael Jackson imitation with one glove. When we caught up to everyone I had to beg for 40 seconds to go pee. Yes, I really can pee that fast. We girls learn quick that when you have to drop your drawers to go fast.

Special thanks to the guys who broke with the pack so that I could get a hard effort in. Big Mark, you da man. Putting Mark on the front was a "just push play" move. He asked what I wanted, and went up and hammered the group into submission. You gotta love him. Except for a few of the nastier hills on the 2 ride, I think I got my work out in. I hate those hills anyway.

Happy weekend everyone. Be safe.