Sunday, October 21, 2007

SS, MB, BMW & OTB

I'm trying all the cat's I can till I decide which one I suck less at. Today was SS. Back in the day, we had to braze our own canti-bosses on road bikes and dig through bike catelogs like porn to find tubulars for cross.

Today I realized how different things are and how old I am. Like the last time I saw VH at Portland Meadows and realized Sammy in football pants at our age wasn't cool anymore. That was in 93. Like I posted earlier, I gave up on the El-C and got the newest car I've ever owned with heated seats and a CD player. I also bought an i-pod earlier this fall and now have a blog and spend way too much time on the internet. I've gone through more change since starting Cross this year than I have in a very long time. This time however it's technology not inner struggles. I'm just realizing how much of a curmudgeon I really am.

Getting back on track, I set up the old Motobecane for SS. Maybe cuz I miss the El-C, but I had a hoot polishing it up and putting the old simplex gear in the box polished and clean, toe clips and all. Then I roll out past Trojan for Rainier today and see dude's debating weather to ride the Tufo's, Griffo's, Dugausts or whatever the hell other tubulars they have for their SINGLE SPEEDs while leaning against an Audi and MBz. I should have known when I read about how cool CX was in Outside Mag a while back that this is what it would come to.

Anyway, I stood tall at the start and rode a race I was proud of on a bike that is about the only positive connection to my youth I have. These kids on carbon bikes won't feel what I remember on a 531 frame 30 years from now. Carbon has no soul. Ti? I gave up on Lotto when I quit alot of things. I ride what I got and am proud of who I am.

On the other hand driving out I was feelin a bit introspective. I got the good vibes from dudes and ladies at the race. I drove home with a smile and a warm posterior listening to a mix of good rock and roll my daughter burned for me and singin along to Best of Both Worlds.

On another note I've changed my training. Seems people don't like me runnin laps at Glenodeer with a bike on my shoulder. Besides, I'm still tired from the hunt to be totally honest. I cut the jogs to simple run ups and am spending more time on the bike. Can collecting has been huge. I thought it would just be a way to pass the time on long rides. Gas ain't cheap and for 5 cents a pop, people don't get how to save money from one thing to pay for another. This week I did a can ride twice, raced and drove to friggin Rainier on money from other peoples litter and still had $2 left over.

Astoria? Dress like a freak? Don't we do that in spandex at every race?

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Horny's hideout

Kidney punch, Kidney punch, Kidney punch!!!

That's about how the Horny Hide Out felt. That bumpy section was like a bar fight. Funniest part of all was that the farm or resort or whatever you want to call it looked to me like Arkansas church camp from when I was a kid. I read the www.crosscrusade.com forums and hear all the talk about it being a mtn bike course or this or that but all I know is that I'm a better man for racing up that stinkin hill 5 times when everyone esle did 6 or 7 times.


As far as sandbaggers go, I hope to be one someday. I heard a story once about Bob Roll being asked to do a D.A.R.E. presentation and he said something like, "are you kidding? Drugs saved my life!" That's about how I feel towards sandbaggers. They can set the pace and old farts like me have to follow. It's only gonna make me stronger. They'll get bored and move on, I'll just get tougher or keel over and die, but either way, it's my $20, my race and my nearly puking when it's all over so what do I care?

Monday, October 8, 2007

In the Crosshairs of Opportunity

Like I said in my last post, I rode the Alpenrose course Friday. I've been to watch that one a few times and have my favorite years and favorite course change ups out there. I was fired up, rested and ready to ROCK. Then it started to go all limp on me...

...first, I stop by River City to get some Assos cream and the tall kid tells me some guy named Shrek bought it all. By all I mean the whole effin case and what was on the shelf. At first I was bustin up, Seriously? I asked, Theres a guy who races bikes named Shrek? Then I was just pissed. WTF? What's one dude need with that much crotch cream?

Then...

I get home and find out my girlfriends brother whose been living with us "for a month or two" for almost a friggin year got a DUI. Hmmm, on a Friday at a job where he gets paid cash...go figure. Didn't he move in because my sobriety was "inspirational"? Either a dude's all in or not. And if he aint he's only lyin to himself. The good news was he had a deer tag and Saturday was opening day. Know what I'm saying?

Long story short, it's dusk on Saturday and guess what. I friggin bag one. But like I said, it was dusk. I knew there was no racin for me on Sunday morning. So instead I got a freezer full of meat, girlfriends free loadin backslidin bro out of the house and next week is the Horny Hide Out.

CROSS and deer season EFFIN RULE.

Friday, October 5, 2007

More Cleaning than Training

Here is the run down of the last week:

Friday- shelled out for a 06 PT Cruiser. It's no El-C but heated seats and a CD player are pretty nice

Sunday-My name is Mud. No kidding. So much mud so few skills! That was a crazy day of racing. Battle at Barlow nothin' try BATTER at Barlow.

Monday-could hardly move I was so sore

Tuesday through THursday- wash race clothes, clean out new car covered with mud, wash race clothes, clean bike, wash race clothes, replace all cables and housing on bike, wash clothes AGAIN!

Today- I finally feal rested enough to train. It chaps me when people train hard because "It's Wednesday and thats waht Vervecken does on Wednesdays." Bull crap. Train hard when your not tired anymore. SO today is it for me. I'll likely drive over to the dairy, ride the course, wash the bike AGAIN, then get ready for SUnday.

-CROSS EFFEN RULES