Wanna be's

A few weeks back I passed a couple of shaved-leg racer-wanna-be's at the beginning (meaning before I was even warmed up) of my commute. Now I know that racers aren't always going to blow my doors off, they're likely working their training plan and I'm not relevant. What I do know is that they are easy to spot at any speed because they are smooth and steady. These guys were neither.

They pulled onto the road about a quarter mile ahead of me and I rolled up onto the second one's wheel for a moment waiting for traffic to clear enough to pass them. When I did the second one made some snotty comment about stealing their draft.

I like encountering racers on my commute. I observe them and sometimes learn something. They are nearly always examples of road courtesy; racers know that they only get down the road by protecting their riding mates and receiving protection in return.

After passing them, the first one sort of freaked out and jumped up on his pedals and tore out down the road like he had big money on a sprint finish. It wasn't a bad effort but he looked pretty goofy when he ended up missing the turn onto the bridge. He didn't touch the floor, he just was going too fast for the U turn and rolled past it as his buddy started shouting at him to turn.

I wasn't racing them, I wasn't even warmed up but this hairy legged, oversized backpack carrying commuter passing them without even breaking a sweat must have just been too much. I had to laugh since if I had been warmed up and interested I could have given Mr. stomp-on-the-pedals a run for his money without a problem even with my loaded pack.

I just turned and proceeded over the bridge but I glanced over my shoulder several times just to watch them huffing along trying to catch me. The bridge is a little over a mile long and when I made the turn at the end I never saw them again. Now I'm not complaining about them, I just find it a bit entertaining that they made it so clear that it wasn't OK for me to pass them but then couldn't catch up to me when I wasn't even trying to out run them.

Wanna be's; gotta love 'em. At least they are out there riding...

Friday!

It's nearly Friday

Won't that be nice, really nice?

It's still Thursday now.

Thinking...

Life is full of surprises,

I always try to smile

Through the fireworks

I know it can be done

Crabby

Been off the bike for a week.

Bike trouble first,

Then some nasty upper respiratory crud

Now the work schedule won't allow it to happen until Friday.

200 miles a week to zero.

Bah.

Fight like Susan

Take a moment to send some love and support to Fatty who now has only the memory of Susan to drive one of the greatest fights against cancer ever mounted. Here's a man who whipped up a massive drive to support the fight against cancer at the same time the love of his life was slipping, inexorably into it's deadly grip. Mere mortals would have wrapped themselves in a blanket of pain and sorrow but Fatty took up what is already a record-setting fund raising effort in the fight against cancer.

Please think about joining in the fight by donating to Team Fat Cyclist.

Iliicit Sextet

We have the good fortune of a couple great jazz clubs where our fantastic local talent are showcased. The Illicit Sextet is but one example of our very deep local jazz pool and have just gotten back together after a 15 year hiatus where they all seem to have honed their skills considerably, quite amazing since they won the Minnesota Jazz Awards, Best Jazz Group in 1993.

If you are any kind of jazz fan, do yourself a favor and check them out!