Wednesday, May 14th, 2008
David Millar’s bad luck and subsequent response at the Giro today reminded of the old skateboarding phenomenon of focusingskateboard decks(ie snapping them out of frustration with an elusive trick).
I’m only surprised he didn’t crush his frame like an empty beer can instead of merely tossing it over a guard rail. He’s english though. Those people know restraint.
Correction: David Millar is a scot. So that bike really should be no more…
Tuesday, May 13th, 2008
For persepctive, here are some things that are younger then John McCain.
Tuesday, May 13th, 2008
I can usually get to the Drives from work by the time the pack is starting lap two. Last week I was in a B ride. By that, I mean it was a good pace but nothing ridiculous.
This week, I got brave. I decided to jump on whatever came around first. The A ride pack came thru right as I got to East Falls bridge.
Mistake #1: I jumped in maybe 6th or 7th wheel.
Mistake #2: I closed a few gaps that opened up.
Mistake #3: Not immediately going to the back of the pack.
I lasted until maybe 3 angels(2-3 miles). I gave up before I exploded. But it was not good.
I tooled around the loop until another pack of 9-10 dudes came by. I hoped on and did a lap and a half with them. 24-26mph. Much more what I had in mind. Hard, but not impossible.
For me anyway.
I took 4th in the sprint.
Monday, May 12th, 2008
Dumb stuff of the day:
Friday, May 9th, 2008
Traffic on I-476 was moving, but slowly this morning. Maybe 45-55 MPH, instead of the customary 65-70mph. This was probably for the best. It was still raining. There was mist and spray everywhere.
The 18 wheeler in the middle lane was like a 20 ton fog machine. For a time, It looked like no one wanted to move thru its wake. Certainly not the 2 or 3 cars in front of me. I was ok with that.
It gave me time to consider my crash from yesterday. I was considering how all my bicycle crashes so have been accidents unrelated to racing: ie an oil slick going down a hill during a century that took my bike out from underneath me, a patch of sand that sent me over my bars at a charity ride, a loose water bottle on a sunday base ride, and most recently, consideration for a mother goose.
I’ve been lucky.
This is where my head is as we(the cars in front of me and myself) get clear of the 18 wheeled fog machine. I guess my foot was not so heavy because the lead cars disappear into the mist.
And then I see a black honda civic. Its moving from the right lane into the center lane. I watch it begin to hydroplane perpendicular to traffic. Time slows down. It crosses into the center lane. The car continues its rotation, water jetting out from its tires.
I moved onto the shoulder as the car continues spinning. As I pass it, I look over to see the passenger and driver both with their hands up in the air. The car is facing oncoming traffic. The have come to a complete stop.
My first thought is to stop and help. And then I remember that I am moving down an interstate at 40-50 mph, and that it is rush hour, and that to do so would be to court a Blues Brothers level car pile up event on top of me.
I’m off the shoulder in a few seconds, happy to be clear. I don’t immediately hear the sound of metal crunching and glass shattering. And then I realize that my heart is racing and I can barely breath.
I checked 1060 when I got to work. No reports of a big pile up. So maybe everyone came away ok.