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Posted Jul 19, 2004
- 11,224
100 Things I Love About Bike Racing:
100. CONN DAY's Gravel Grinders ~ especially that brutal hill!
99. Getting pushed up Old Capitol by DAVE MABLE
98. Breakfast training rides to THE GROVE
97. JOHN LIESWYN's rants
96. The feeling of ASSOS CHAMOIS CREME at 5am
95. A hot cup of STARBUCKS after a 30-degree training ride with Jeremy Sievers.
94. LANE ANDERSON's penchant for gas station hot dogs on long training rides
93. Being guaranteed a FUNNY STORY whenever I ride with Rob Versteegh
92. Slipping on the SUPERMAN outfit
91. Listening to one of JOSH LUKINS crazy ideas
90. The crisp shifting of DURA ACE
89. Watching BILL RUMMY work on Campagnolo
88. My AIRBORNE Carpe Diem Titanium Cross Bike
87. Brainstorming with RANDY CATRON about how to get more people involved in the sport
86. Watching JOHN MEEHAN drive from Iowa City for a 12k time trial
85. ROSS SCHUCHART'S Elkhart TT Series ~ one of the most-loved events in the metro
84. The STILLWATER HILL in Minnesota
83. LISA VETTERLIEN racing my TREK 8000 Mountain Bike at Peterson Pits
82. Racing SUPERWEEK with Eric Lambi and Justin Hyde
81. JOHN ADAMSON's always out there
80. Flying to Paris with MANDY to watch the Tour de France
79. Taking little MADDIE to her first Memorial Weekend Bike Races
78. Watching NEWBIES get more involved and excited about the sport, like the Hantlemanns
77. Hearing DAVE LIPPOLD yell 'pull through'
76. Watching DONNY QUIXOTE become a leader
75. Telling non-racers that I'm a huge LANCE ARMSTRONG FAN, even though I'm not
74. CHRIS MAHARRY'S Sycamore TT ~ that guy knows how to get people excited!
73. My SURLY Karate Monkey 29r 1x1 with Brian Potthorff's Persian Rug
72. WRITING bikeiowa.com updates ~ Thanks Scott Sumpter!
71. Epic rides with Mandy on our Frankentandem
70. The idea of taking Maddie out for her first BURLEY ride
69. My Waterford Flame paint job
68. Running into GREG LEMOND in a downtown Des Moines bar
67. Getting an autograph from BERNARD HINAULT
66. Working at MICHAEL'S CYCLERY in college
65. Getting soaked in Nantes with TONY AND TERI STEWART
64. Listening to racer stories from STEVE TILFORD
63. TERRY BEENKEN driving to Iowa for the tiniest of races
62. Training rides with MY DAD
61. Sycamore CYCLOCROSS Video
60. My LEMOND Victoire Titanium with all the chi-chi carbon stuff
59. RACE DVDs in the winter
58. RACE AROUND NEWTON with Aric Postma, Jeff Yokiel and Wade Rinderknecht
57. WINNING the VEISHEA Criterium College B class
56. Talking to MARK GUTHART about training, racing, cool bikes and kids
55. Talking politics, arts, entertainment and bikes with MIKE HAMILTON
54. STEVE GOETZELMAN'S ponytail and sense of humor
53. Watching JUSTIN SHELDON get excited about building a custom bike
52. Hearing stories of BMX RACING from the Siebenlists
51. WATCHING juniors progress and grow into cool young adults, thanks, Keith Wells
50. Showing up on a group ride on a $125 Schwinn Circuit salvaged from JUNK
49. Watching SOCKS VENTEICHER attack again
48. Visiting the OLD MICHAEL'S CYCLERY when I was a kid
47. The TUESDAY NIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
46. Holding myself back from stopping at DONUT LAND after a TNWC
45. Stopping for a COKE on the TNWC
44. Watching LOCAL RACERS excel on the regional and national scene
43. SNOTTY RALSTON for making me think I could compete
42. Cringing as MATT GUMM does something totally stupid on his bike with disregard for personal wellbeing
41. BIKE PORN ~ magazines, internet, tv, we've got it all, baby!
40. NACHO
39. Mountainbiking in the FALL AT SCIENCE CENTER
38. JJ BAILEY dropping the hammer
37. TRAIL MAINTENANCE at Science Center with Ryan Hanser and the CITA crew.
36. Getting THIRD OVERALL at State Cyclocross on one of Rick Paulos' sick courses
35. SHARING A BOND with other riders, like riding, not racing Timmerman's State Road Race
34. THE LAUBERS, CORNELISONS and WESTS, showing that families can have fun out there, too
33. LEE and ANDREA's wedding at Old Capitol
32. The CROWD SCENE before and after a mountainbike event
31. The exhilaration of promoting a SUCCESSFULL AND SAFE RACE
30. Watching new promoters build SUCCESSFUL EVENTS like Troy Tellinghusen's 24 hour MTB
29. TELLING STORIES with other racers
28. HELPING newbies get their wings, teaching etiquette including finesse over aggressiveness
27. The UNION PARK CRITERIUMS (even though they're really track-style races).
26. The SUPPORT of my wife, daughter and families
25. All the CORNER MARSHALLS and VOLUNTEERS and their support
24. WES HARTMAN just being a nice guy
23. The GOAL of a sub-60 40k TT
22. USCF OFFICIALS are people too
21. ADAM BERGMAN becoming a pro
20. MEETING incredible people like Thad and Bruce Neil and the IORCA crew
19. MAKING LIFELONG FRIENDS
18. CAM KIRKPATRICK's Klein with the reflector bracket
17. A 52-mile breakaway with DOUG REICHARDT, PARRISH MARUGG in the Iowa Games RR
16. The GOAL of a sub-30 20k TT
15. The DREAM of racing Cross Natz
14. MEGAN ELLIOTT's stories
13. Sitting in an AMBULANCE after Rock Island Crit with Chad Vandelune
12. Road Trips for Races
11. EATING ANYTHING after an epic ride
10. SNAKE ALLEY
9. The SAN FRANCISCO GRAND PRIX with Lambis & Andersons
8. JEFF KERKOVE's Endurance Blog
7. The excitement of racing for CANNONDALE MIDWEST
6. CROSS MAFIA benefitting Crohns and Colitis in the fall.
5. BEERS with the racer-dudes afte a good workout
4. BIKE GEEKS
3. KIM WEST's take on life, love, music, coffee and racing
2. JASON MCCARTNEY going to the OLYMPICS
1. The fact this list could go on INFINITELY
Here's a challenge.
100 things that you love about our sport, our extended family.
See what you can do.
All of us have chosen to participate in bike training and racing as a hobby, a release from the stress and pressure of everyday existence.
Think about why you do it. Fitness? Glory? Friendship? Fun? Competition?
Why sweat the small stuff? Forget about it. Not worth it. Never.
The fact remains that we'll see each other again, on the road in the days, months and years that follow.
Make every ride a great one.