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
Saturday, August 16, 2008
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!
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