The Official DMF Bicycle Thread

[Monster Dave]

So I'm not really sure where to put this comment, but this past weekend we rode in the annual El Tour de Tucson bicycle race here in sunny AZ.

It was a really challenging race this year thanks to a cold front that blew in from the west creating extremely windy riding conditions. All day we struggled with a 30mph wind which seemed to be nearly at all points in our face!! Why is it that the wind is rarely working in your favor??

Over all it turned out to be a decent race. I came in 1,430th out of the 4800 racers who raced the 109 mile route - so I didn't perform too badly, but my average speed took a serious hit thanks to the windy conditions.

My sweetie rode the 66 mile route because she's been working so much that she hasn't had a whole lot of time to train, but she really did a great job and finished very strong! 

The best part of the whole weekend though was that we spent yesterday evening at a party hanging out with Greg LeMond. It was fantastic - if you've never met him, he's really amazingly kind and interested in just talking with you. We had a great time! 

I must admit though that the high point of the evening though came when he and I did 3 rounds of celebratory tequila shots!

What a memory!!


...though after having other drinks, I'm dealing with a pretty massive headache this morning!!  ....but it was TOTALLY worth it!! 

[gh0stie]

Congrats on the awesome finish! too bad about the Lemond thing though

[Monster Dave]

Congrats on the awesome finish!

Thanks! 

too bad about the Lemond thing though

?? Not a fan?

[gh0stie]

?? Not a fan?

lol, didn't you read my Lance exchange a few pages back?

Not going to derail your race report though....any cool stories from the ride itself? ride solo or with a pack? crashes? close calls? idiot behavior?

I've done quite a few rally rides and it always seems to bring out teh best as well as some of the oddest things you've ever seen on a bicycle......like the chubby guy in the purple tri shorts from a few years ago (have a pic somewhere)

or the guy from 6yrs ago in the Full US Postal kit and Team Edition Trek TT bike (complete with Disc wheels) who everyone thought was a pro

[Monster Dave]

No I must have missed that (but later I'll dig back through the pages and see what you're refering too).

Thanks for being polite! 

This years event was pretty outstanding. It was the second largest race out of the 28 years that it's been running. There were just over 8,200 cyclists divided over the various distances.

I saw the aftermath of several accidents, but (fortunately) avoided being in any myself. From what I heard only 2 people were taken away to a hospital! That's an awesome level of safety considering the mass number of cyclists. I saw several bikes pretty banged up and one poor guys front wheel was nearly completely bent over on itself.

There were lots of flat tires this year - again fortunately I missed out on that joy!!

I tried riding with other guys, but the problem was that either the guys that I'd be riding with were wearing out and riding slower than I was or were really riding a lot harder and faster than me so I rode mostly alone into the 30mph wind!!

[Monster Dave]

Ghostie,

So I checked a few pages back and didn't see you say anything negative about LeMond but did see that you're an Armstrong fan. Does that mean that you're only an Armstrong fan? I'm a fan of all those guys. I actually don't think that there's any that I really don't like...

...we'll maybe Contador. But that's because I think he's a weee bit pompous for having a translator and not able to speak any English.

I'm a little out of the loop on politics between racers/teams from years back if it's got anything to do with it.

[gh0stie]

Ghostie,

So I checked a few pages back and didn't see you say anything negative about LeMond but did see that you're an Armstrong fan. Does that mean that you're only an Armstrong fan? I'm a fan of all those guys. I actually don't think that there's any that I really don't like...

...we'll maybe Contador. But that's because I think he's a weee bit pompous for having a translator and not able to speak any English.

I'm a little out of the loop on politics between racers/teams from years back if it's got anything to do with it.

I'm an Armstrong fan, and since one of his most vocal critics is Lemond, I can't stand the guy by default....I generally respect all past cycling pros, it just ticks me off that he continues to be such a tool towards Lance.

Yes, I don't like Contador either...ever since he pulled that crap on Lance in the Tour last year

I guess you can say any enemies of Lance is an enemy of mine, now that I think about it

[Monster Dave]

ok! Now I get it!

See...I'm really out of the loop on their connection and history. For us it was "hey, this is a 3x TDF Champion and we get to hang out with him....saaweeet!"

We met Lance briefly last year, and it was a really awesome experience for me personally, but it was by no means the same situation or set of circumstances.

Ultimately, to do what they do is amazing and (politics aside) they make up the foundation of modern cycling. If they can't play nice together then that's their issue.

Greg treated us with kindness, respect, and dignity - and he didn't have to - he wanted to. We spent 3 hours sitting outside at a small party talking around a fire and drinking a few shots of tequila. It was just fantastic.

[gh0stie]

ok! Now I get it!

See...I'm really out of the loop on their connection and history. For us it was "hey, this is a 3x TDF Champion and we get to hang out with him....saaweeet!"

We met Lance briefly last year, and it was a neat experience but by no means the same.

Ultimately, to do what they do is amazing and (politics aside) they make up the foundation of cycling modern. If they can't play nice together then that's there issue. LeMond treated us with kindness, respect, and dignity - and he didn't have to - he wanted to.

So the time we spent with him was fantastic.

no doubt, I was really just taking a light hearted jab

[Monster Dave]

no doubt, I was really just taking a light hearted jab

No worries! 

[stateprez]

20 million Livestrong bracelets=

(Vanity tail number with Tour record and initials is additional.)

[gh0stie]

bad a$$!!!

although I would have personally painted the entire bird yellow....just to needle all the naysayers even more (so you can see it from the skies every time he flies by)

oops did I just use the word "needle" in a Lance related post.....scratch that, it might show up as a Headline tomorrow

"LANCE ADMITS TO DOPING, HIS OWN FAN SAID IT, SO IT MUST BE TRUE!!!!"

Followed by a link to this thread......

[gh0stie]

btw, what contributions have YOU made towards Cancer research & advocacy? (or any other other disease for that matter?)

That's what I thought

[stateprez]

btw, what contributions have YOU made towards Cancer research & advocacy? (or any other other disease for that matter?)

That's what I thought

I've done a charity ride annually for 5 years benefiting the Brain Tumor Fund and Livestrong.  Our team raised close to 60k last year, and I rode 220 miles in 24 hours for my supporters.

My step dad, who rode this event with me before being sidelined with brain cancer, lost his 2-1/2 year fight 2 weeks ago.   My mother and I have set up a fund in his name, and donated tissue samples for clinical studies.  My mother has also survived breast cancer...twice.

I wholeheartedly support the cause, just not it's idol.

[DW]

Well, to bring it back from hero worship/hatred, we had unseasonably warm weather here today.  74 for a high! 

I didn't get to MTB any, but that doesn't mean the Titus didn't get a workout.  I chased my girls around the driveway, played the role of bad guy running from the cops (them chasing me frantically on their bikes/scooters/push cars/feet), and then had several races from one end of the driveway into the garage.  Of course, the girls (3&5 yrs) got to win a few, but I made them work for it.  We did handicapped starts where I was at the road and had to race the long way around the house, the 5yr old was half way down the driveway, and the littlest was close to the garage.  It was a lot of fun trying to dodge them both on my bike in a limited area. 

Sometimes a bike is just about being a kid again.   My neighbors are probably now convinced that I am special in a short bus sort of way...