|
I RODE IN COLD WEATHER AND DIDN'T DIE Good God if I read another lame assed diary entry about how riding in cold weather makes your nose run and feet cold but it worth it because you can always eat extra donuts because it's the off season, I'm going to vomit. OF COURSE IT'S COLD…IT'S WINTER! WE KNOW! RIDING IN THE COLD ISN'T AS MUCH FUN AS RIDING IN WARM SUNSHINE…WE KNOW! Spare us the allegories on toughness and life and what the Belgians do. Most of the Belgians are in South Africa right now anyway. Only the dipshits without good contracts stick around to train on sloppy, slick, muddy cobbles this time of year. There, I've said it for both Rev. Billy and me. IF YOU'RE FROM ILLINOIS DON'T COMPETE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. DOING SO CAN ONLY LEAD TO EMBARRASMENT AND DISAPPOINTMENT. Happy New Year. Indeed, unless you are a follower of the Fighting Illini, who with much fanfare under the watchful eye of the entire football viewing nation literally and figuratively, dropped the New Year's ball at the Rose Bowl. The last time the Illini found their way to Pasadena was 1984. They played UCLA that year and lost in a similarly shameful and embarrassing manner 45-9. It was just as ugly 24 years ago as it was yesterday. The local orange clad fandom and sports reporters (idiots all for the most part) were predictably calling for an upset and expecting an Illini "V" over the men of Troy. People are hopelessly optimistic to the point of delusion when it comes to supporting the home team and religion so it should be no surprise that the Jan 2 edition of the Champaign-Urbana News Gazette will once again push the violence in Pakistan and Kenya to a half page in Section D with the want ads while 8 pages of sections A and B are devoted to dissecting the reasons and manner in which Illinois was destroyed by USC on the football field despite the fact that Illinois' middle line backer subsists on a diet of olive oil and raw eggs and gets voice messages from God himself. The waste of newsprint and printing ink could be boiled down to this. Southern Cal has faster, stronger players. Which segues nicely into the real reason for my initial 2008 trip to the Feed(Zone). I will be, at the end of January, venturing out to Southern California to race my bicycle against grown men from Southern California who put quite simply are in possession of more talent than I. This will not stop me from optimistically looking forward to and training hard for the Boulevard Road Race and the Red Trolley Criterium in San Diego County on February 2nd and 3rd. The problem is, just like the Illini discovered in their Rose Bowl preparations; covering the plays and formations of Southern Cal against the scout team is quite different from facing the real deal in live action. Scout team players rarely possess the speed and strength of Southern Cal. Likewise, I on my spin bike and trainer cannot simulate the speed and terrain of Southern California and its bike racers. My only hope is that I don't lose 49-17. BIGGER,
FASTER, STRONGER As with any New Year, change is in the air. Many of you readers may have heard a rumor that the mighty Delta Faucet Cycling Team was disbanding. Not so. Oh no, kiddies we have expanded and gotten stronger! Our new title sponsor is Lucas Oil, who besides sponsoring our cycling team, also owns the naming rights to the new Indianapolis Colts football stadium. Aside from securing new funding, we have added several formidable riders to our roster. Here is a brief run down. I am doing this to give other teams the opportunity to know what to expect in 2008 and to train perhaps just a bit harder for the upcoming season. Either that or to decide perhaps bowling might be a good way to satisfy the Jones for competition. The following list is by no means exhaustive in the description of our palmares and is listed alphabetically so as to avoid the appearance of differentiation based on strength. Steve
Broglio - Illinois - Former West Virginia Go Mart and Jittery
Joe's rider. Rolleur All said, our road team has four (4) category one (1) riders and eight (8) category two (2) racers. In other words, the five (5) rider Indy team looking for Cat three (3) racers isn't us. We share over 20 state championships, 4 national championships and more than 15 national championship podium places. So I ask you…When the attacks begin who you gonna mark? In addition to Lucas Oil Other key sponsors for the team are Refinery
Fitness and Banquet facility Wear plenty of clothing and eat lots of donuts, Druber
|