Tradition

Distorted Bike Image

First things first, I need to lose weight. 145 is where I am, 135 is where I need to be. It is so easy to get comfortable with extra, which would be fine if I weren't trying to climb mountains and hang with fast people.

I took sort of a poll. I declared that I needed to lose weight to 10 people and took note of responses. Not one of them put up a fight. The most poignant remark: I am glad you have made this choice. The most diplomatic: Your body fat is what matters. The most telling: silence. . . !

I am not exactly trying to fit into a bikini, but the goal is to get myself comfortably into a size 8 Speedo that is sitting in the drawer. It should be noted that I have not weighed 135 since the 1980's.

Like so many others, I checked radar pre-dawn on Saturday morning. There was indication that the Laskin Conte's ride would be incubated from the nasty rain band moving from the south. I drank coffee with my teammate/neighbor Chad and his adorable baby, then pushed out of the house at 8am to be there in time for the 2nd of 3 legs of the Conte's ride.

The drive there revealed a different reality than the radar. Lightening, heavy rain, radio telling me to watch for tornadoes. I started shifting focus away from riding to documenting riders that I knew would be out for the first loop.

I say this all the time because it continues to amaze me: the Conte's ride has started every single Saturday--by my best judgment--since 1993. People have started this ride in treacherous conditions. They don't know why they are doing it. It is at the core of what it means to be alive, a contagion that says, "must ride today." It is called Distorted Bike Image (DBI).



DBI infects different riders every time the weather is extreme. The bike looks larger than it really is, taking on an importance above all reason. Once rider has satisfied bike with Conte's ride, the brain builds up the cells necessary to combat the urge which occurs only once in each individual. One can then get up Saturday morning, peak out the window, take note the storm, return to bed. A certain weatherman is the only known person to have been infected with DBI more than once.

I found the ride (hardy group of 5) as I drove backwards on the 1st loop course.



I regret to say I knew only one name, Brad (right). I see he did not bring his. . . "other" bike that is so famous. I guess the Cannondale is his rain bike.

Fine work, gents. You carried that drenched torch well.

Accessories Storage

Susan has been vacationing in Japan for three weeks. In her absence, I have pulled some dog duty over her house. Sunday I was wandering about, trying to decide what to do since there was no one there to talk to. It occurred to me that I have known Susan for 14 years and have never inspected her medicine cabinet. I opened it and zeroed in on the lip balm.

Wow, 2 things of lip balm on the same shelf, as if that was its place in the house. Imagine, rushing off to a ride and knowing just where to reach for the lip balm.








At my house, I keep my lip balm (mostly) in a kitchen drawer and rarely can I find it. I have probably 6 tubes floating around the house but usually can't put my hands on even one when pushing off for a ride.













I moved on to inspect Susan's sock drawer where I found cycling socks resting comfortably, all paired up and ready to go.












I contemplated the many rummages through my own "sock" drawer as I am trying to get out the door for a ride. . . . scattered, one black, another red, no grounding of the other. . . .tossed, no reflection of self. . . . Tell me these drawers are not the template of a sick mind.











Next up, I opened Susan's kitchen pantry where I found her water bottles. It appeared organized, but every time I reached in there to grab for detergent or a trash bag, I'd hit a water bottle and it would fall out.

I store bottles in the fridge door. Much better method since in cabinets and on shelves the weightless plastic always fall over. No need to fill with water since that lends to plastic absorption in the water as it sits.