Red Zinger/Coors Classic - I was there...

I came across this gem in a box of bike parts that I have been hauling around the country for the last 28 years. The Red Zinger bike race used to make it's annual pilgrimage through Vail, CO, when I lived there in the '80's. The race then became the Coors Classic. The race made household names out of riders like Davis Phinney, Berhard Hinault, Jeannie Longo and Greg LeMond and the 7-11 Team. Maybe that little bit of exposure to professional cycling is all it took to plant the seed? I would like to think it did.

Looks like Greg LeMond sitting third wheel?
Image by Dave Seifert courtesy of Velocity: The Seattle Cycling Blog

Au revoir le Tour de France

After three weeks of fantastic racing this year's TDF has come to an end. I was able to watch every stage this year and enjoyed every moment. For me, it was inspiring and I am a little bummed it's now over, like Christmas. The best part about the race ending is I can now step away from the media and television surrounding this event and get back to my normal routing. What a circus!
Check out the link for some amazing photos from this year's tour. I am already looking forward to 2010!

PHOTOS:

2009 Maillot Jaune road race

This Saturday in Fenton, Michigan. I love the anticipation of trying something totally new all within reaching distance of my comfort zone. New venues, new tactics and disciplines (Road vs. XC). Rain is in the forecast. More later...

EVENT FLYER

UPDATE:
Great race. Great venue. The weather held out and the course was anything but easy. I got dropped on the 2nd lap and my race quickly became an individual Time Trial. I reeled in a few riders and felt good to the end. The Greyhound team represented well and it was a perfect day for a race. Good time for sure.



RESULTS:

2009 Mohican 100 pint glass

YEA, it finally came in the mail. This glass was supposed to be awaiting me upon the completion of the Mohican 100. The glass was supposed to contain some tasty Great Lakes ale. Imagine the disappointment I felt when the people manning the finish line stated they were out of glasses. They said they would mail them to me. Right. So I go my way in search of a beer. Whaaaa? All of the micro brew had been drunk and I was relegated to 1 bottle of Bud before all of the beer ran out. This event has two divisions; the 60 mile and 100. For obvious reasons most entrants sign up for the 60 mile and are primarily the first to get to the beer. If I ride this event in the future I need to ride faster if I plan to drink free beer. At least I was able to walk away with the t-shirt. My suggestion would be to include the glass with the race packet. No biggie. I am over it, right?

Stage 15 -Alberto Contador in the Yellow Jersey

Great stage today finishing in the Alps. The GC has been re-shuffled.

2009 Tour de France Live Video, TV, Route, Results, Photos, Teams, Preview, and Latest Updates

2009 Tour de France Live Video, TV, Route, Results, Photos, Teams, Preview, and Latest Updates

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2009 Tour de France update

Stage 13 is in the books. The theme lately has been that of the breakaway. Either the breakaway has succeeded in staying away up to the finish or the peloton reels them in near the line to set up their sprinter (like Mark Cavendish) for the win. Today the breakaway stayed away and it was Heinrich Haussler who came away with his first tour win. There was no shakeup of the overall GC (General Classification).
General Classification after Stage 13:

Stage 14 on Saturday. A look at the stage profile:

Nike commercial

Great video/commercial.

2009 Tour de France

Simply stated, I love watching this event. Versus is covering the event and I start my day with the start of the stage while I get ready for a ride. I go out for 2+ hours and return in time to see the finish while I get ready for work. Awesomeness.

Versus also has live streaming.
Life is good.

Utility bikes are cool, aren't they?

I have always enjoyed the idea of a bicycle being used for purposes other than transportation, fitness and speed. When traveling the Alaskan Highway in 1985 I periodically came across touring cyclists who were loaded down to the gills with their BOB trailers and often thought about how cool it would be to try it out. Utility bikes are kinda cool. Unless of course, you are stuck in the mud in Tibet...


Anyway, there is a bike for sale in the apartment complex I am currently living at that has caught my eye.


I try to rationalize how owning this bike would enhance my world. The possibilities are seemingly endless. Cruising the boardwalk or mega-bike-event with iced beer on-board. The reality of owning this behemoth outweigh my irrational impulses. Sure, it would be really cool to have this as a project bike and I can dream of all kinds of cool paint schemes for the cooler box. This "bike" is bigger than my car or apartment and I currently have nowhere to keep it and this may be the final straw in the balance between marriage and bicycles. So sad...
Worksman Cycles

broke my pedal...

Yesterday I was 15 miles into a back road ride when I noticed my left foot was not clipped into my Crank Brothers eggbeater pedal. The inner wing was broken which makes the entire pedal no-workie. Upon closer inspection it looks like it may have been weakened by a rock strike sometime in early Spring. I have discovered that whenever an issue arises with just about any product my first move is to go online and check for warranty information. Crank Brothers has a easy, uncluttered website with good basic information. I emailed Crank Brother about the situation and received a reply in less than 30 minutes. I have mailed back the pedals (they want both) and we will now see how they handle this seemingly simple fix.

UPDATE:
After a few email's regarding the progress of the repair, Crank Brothers assured me it would be taken care of. I received the pedals on July 27. They repaired the pedal which most likely took more time. It's all good and I am happy to have it taken care of. Good job Crank Brothers!