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Tuesday, May 15

Good reason to vomit

Before I get to more important matters, let me direct your attention to this:


I can't believe this is World Cup racing. It looks like the course has been set up for a kid's race. I think I read that four cross/dual slalom went the way of the Palmer and is no longer an option at the UCI level. Something about how expensive the courses were getting to build and whatnot. But this? I'd rather see them bring back old school NORBA style slalom courses down the side of a grassy ski hill with a couple jumps built out of hay bales.

"Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

Someone's gonna get a rainbow jersey at this new "discipline."

Just communicating in a verbal manner...

Last Friday, I started trying to get my head around the month of May. Somehow I thought I had a weekend off between the Pisgah Eleventy-one and the Trans-Sylvania Epic. I was wrong. That will be the last time I let Mike Piazza schedule my races while consulting the Dirt Diva calendar.

It's crunch time. The tapering has begun. No more Torpedo's. Time for Summerfest. Not an easy step for me, especially given my love for all things submarinical. I'm gonna have to knuckle down and take care of some business, like right now.

Posts might be short for awhile.... well, at least short for me. Lots of things that have gone ignored and misplaced need attention and locating.

As a reminder to you folks that are about to get all awesome soon...

I've been lax lately.

This tube/CO2/tire lever has been strapped to my bike ever since I built it up almost two months ago. It's a good idea to make sure things are nice and tight once and awhile (instead of ignoring it for months), and before a big race you should go ahead and pump your tube up a little to make sure everything is kosher. Even if you tape your tube to your bike, keep it in a saddle bag, or toss it in your Camelbak, it will give you some piece of mind to know it's ready to go when you need it.

Eeeeshh. A patched tube as my main race equipment? When did that happen? I'm thinking I've been a victim of foul play... on second thought, that's the tube I flatted at the Tour de Burg last year. Guess it wasn't a bad idea to take a quick look. That slice of tube is the rubber sleeve I put around the tube for a little bit of extra protection for my lightweight thin walled spare.

Overcautious? Perhaps, but if I've learned one thing from Jeff Goldblum, it's that "life finds a way..."



That and don't get into your matter transfer device with a flying insect unless you wanna have crazy bug sex with a young Geena Davis and vomit on your food for digestive purposes.

"I'm sorry, that's disgusting."

My drop bag equipment needs prepped as well.

It's a start.

It's not much of a start, but a start nonetheless.

BTW: Crunched for time and stressed out, I opted for not only the laundry option at TSE, I also bought the food (for the first time ever). No more staring through the windows of the dining hall watching everybody fill their pie holes with burritos and all manner of glorious food.

I'm gonna eat so much that I can't even keep down a wafer thin mint.


6 comments:

BIGWORM said...

Where was that slalom photo taken? I swear it looks like the bowl at M.O.E.. The Jay Syrmanskie special in Ellijay, GA.

I 2nd the tube check. Flatted at Cohutta, and found my tube had been fowled by too long under seat. Another racer gave me a tube, and it had 2 holes in it as well, from too long in the hydration pack. Check thrice, patch nonce!

dicky said...

Stole the image from SORBA.org, and it did in fact say something about MOE.

Anonymous said...

That Eliminator thing is a joke. Why not just drop the pretense altogether and have them stand on top of a wall, drop their bikes and whichever one hits the ground first is the race winner and gets the rainbow stripes.

DogShot said...

Yikes. I read every day but have never commented. That WC vid forced me too, like 12 hours later 'cause I couldn't get it out of my head. I am guessing Kelly, Fisher, Cunningham and the boys didn't have that in mind back in the day. What is even more rich is how the women's race winner talks about how technical the course is. Sheesh.

ssjohn said...

Going through the drive through at McDonalds takes longer than that "race". It could have easily been ridden on a cross bike.

Next time I bet they cover the whole course in astro-turf.

pv said...

Bitchen dueling-ridgid Retro Wednesday pic Rich!

Jersey pockets work pretty good fur tubes, never had one rash up in there. Nor in a fat wool sock and toe-strap, but I digress (again).

Poked a BIG hole in my rear Wolverine Saturday after a killer loop a mile from home. Juuust made it- wop-wop-wop...dint have to use up a tube or a boot, woot! Was covered in Stan's boogers though. If I'da been on a 29'r, the hole would have been huger, no? "...Thank Heaven, for lil wheels!..."