Climbing and Size

I 've often heard the refrain 'I'm too big to be a climber'. This is too simplistic, since it doesn't take into consideration the field you're riding against. For example, I'm sure I can find a 6'5", 200 lb guy that can beat all the regional Category 3's and 4's, so I don't think that those guys can use that reasoning.

On the other hand, there is no 6'5", 200 lb guy that can beat all the very small guys that win on the world moutain stages. So if you're riding the Tour then you could say 'I'm too big to be a climber'.

So you're left with the continuum in the middle. Where in that continuum can the excuse no longer be used. I think that even the regional p1/2 races aren't fast enough to exclude big guys. How big is Barry Wicks for example, anyone know? He won Pescadero in '07 when I raced the p1/2s. Now Pescadero is not a pure climber's race by any means, but still, that guy is big. Nate English is not a small guys either and he kills the climbs. How big is Nate?

Best of times, worst of times

Not often that in one weekend one gets in the worst possible 3 man break, and the best possible 3 man break.

On Saturday, it was me and two Webcor riders (Bucholtz and Rand).  I should have been able to hang on for 2nd, but they attacked me in the last lap a couple of times and could only get 3rd.  I felt pressure to work until the last two laps because if they attacked me earlier I could have been dropped back to the group.  Bucholtz was riding strong and I know just the two of them could have stayed away.

On Sunday, it was me and two of my own (Brian and Eric) in a break.  Doesn't even matter what order we finished there.

FUI - it's not illegal but not a good idea either.

My fb Status Update on Friday night read: "The Compound says screw Madera".  Not particularly comprehensible, or sensible.  I was at Sean's playing poker and drinking wine along with Mary and Mel. We were saying how happy we were to be there instead of stuck out in some valley hotel doing the stage race.

Some sour grapes, perhaps, cause we do like to race.  But we were a couple of glasses or bottles in by that point and consequently quite confident in our choice.

We got a late start and an even later finish.  We were playing with pennies and bicycle parts.  I'm sure we were scrambling the rules by the end of the night.  I got the worthless plot.  Next time we're playing for money.  And maybe with real chips too.  The booze part should remain the same.

Somehow got out to the HOP ride the next day.  Got a headache out in the crosswind section on N Livermore but it dissipated before the gas station.  Other than that I was OK, and even felt fast.  A nap and some zoning out and I was back in action for the evening.

John gets 2nd today!

John gets 2nd today!

Team Ride on Saturday

It's time for one of the drives down to Fresno!  Should be fun actually.  Weather is good, get some team photos.

Need a photo of all the 595's stacked up together.  Oooh, shouldn't use the phrase 'stacked up'.  Parked together sounds better.

fb a blogbuster?

My blog has a been a bust of late.  I'm going to blame fb.  Facebook has it's blogging aspect to it, I think most would agree.  You can blog 140 characters at a time in your Status Update for example.  You can do your photos etc.  

In fact it has just enough blogging to have killed my blog.  But the blog does something more.  It's an unadulterated, verbose, diatribe with any apps, or news feeds.  I'm going to be sure to keep this up.

Not too much to report on the cycling front.  Merco was fun in the p1/2's.  120 miles of fast fun.  Did it in 4 hrs and about 20 min.  Rock Racing won in a bunch sprint.

I hadn't been in a race with a bunch of follow vehicles that would come around us to support the break when it had enough of a gap.  More gratifying was bringing the break back enough that they had to come back off.  I could see Jordi in his CalGiant mobile on the side of the road.  Nice... That was worth the pain right there.

More to come....

My Son, the Theater major

Film major, Theater major, same thing right?