A loss
And still I ride. I give in to the thrill and to the fun, risks to myself and others notwithstanding. After all, if I wanted a life without risk I'd live in Naperville. I'd order my meat well-done and...
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A return
I'm back, sort of. Ordinarily today's road race at Alpine Valley would have been my favorite of Superweek. But after two uncharacteristically challenging group rides last week -- getting dropped when...
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A boost
Were I in proper fitness, Tuesday's race through the rolling roads of the Whitnall Park botanical gardens is another one that should have been up my alley. (I got fifth here in April.) Happily, early...
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A drop
I told Sandy and Sarah that if they wanted to see me in Sunday's criterium in Evanson, they'd better be there in the first 20 minutes of the 40-mile race. I didn't expect to last much longer than...
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A babble
I know barely enough Spanish to order a plate of carne asada, and unlike Europe, Venezuela is not a country that makes allowances for American ignorance. Fortunately Ellen is fluent and makes enormous...
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A check
People ask how the clavicle is. The clavicle is fine, I tell them, it's the rest of the body that has gone to shit. I've been back on the bike for five weeks now, equal to the time I was off it, but I...
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A withdrawal
Standing at the start line, I knew this was a test. The lesson from Snake Alley was that it was OK to pull out if I didn't feel right. And here I was, not feeling right. I'd practiced on the Downers...
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A triathlon
On the last day of my trip, I spent three hours wandering through Caracas, killing time before it was time to go to the airport. Gazing across the city from a small hill, I saw in the distance what...
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A plane
After spending a week at home with my family, I have come to speculate that the joys of being a happy 3-year-old, and the joys of being around a happy 3-year-old, could very well be the reason God...
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A hit-and-run
Jeff was on the phone to 911 and battling bad cell reception. "What was the license plate?" he asked me. "Foxtrot, echo, 'S' as in Sam, 4-3-3." "Say it again?" "Foxtrot, echo -- What's 'S'?" "Sierra,"...
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A leap
After two years of spectating I finally did my first cyclocross races Sunday. My goals were modest: Don't hurt anyone, finish in the top half. Everything I knew about cross I'd learned from watching a...
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A catch-up
I'm not gone, just busy. News you've been breathlessly awaiting: » We hosted a Halloween party. Ellen was a corked bat, I the Black Sox scandal. Howard Hughes, Bob's Big Boy and disgraced NASA...
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A reindeer
Randy says to always throw your bike when you practice your sprint. With that advice in mind, I encourage people to throw whenever they cross the finish line, no matter where they finish, because you...
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