Big Bikes

My Church

Some folks go to church, I go to the Water Tower in Arlington. What others describe as a "religious experience" I find as I descend down the inbound side of Route 2 in a thunderstorm with The Stooges "Gimme Danger" blaring in my ears. No drug, no delusion, no...nothing could make me feel that good.

     I didn't feel so good though as I finished my last repeat and dropped down Park Ave. to the bike path. My body was convulsing in shivers, my arms covered in goose bumps, knees a deep shade of purple, I was in serious trouble...if I wasn't ten minutes from home, a hot shower, and some take out hot and sour soup from East Asia I would have gone more than mildly hypothermic. As it was Miriam had to take my gloves off and remove all the various items from pockets while I stood there with my hands formed into useless white claws and my legs buckling. When you do stuff this painful and stupid in training, races seem like jumping in a ball pit at Burger King. 

Think riding a single speed is simple? Not for this guy. Don't know how many pieces of paper I have lying around with gear calculations scribbled on them, don't know how many hours I've spent replaying courses in my mind, pondering whether I would gear up or gear down next time. Having a freehub style system is key, messing around with freewheels is no fun for anyone. They cost more than cogs, they aren't as well sealed, and they seize on and often require brute force and hammers to get them off. If you're going to have one gear it better be the right one. 

The above photo is from the EFTA site. It's allegedly from The Horror at Harding Hill race in Sunapee, NH in 2006. It's not really, it's from 2002, it was taken by my 

(Ex)Uncle Paul Webb. That is 2002 Thom P. right there, all 172 or so pounds of him, about 20 more pounds than I carry today. To my left is Paul Simoes and a little behind him is another legend, Kenny Shardlow. Those guys kicked my ass so much back then it wasn't even funny. You know what is really funny? The bizarre "comments" underneath the photo, I think that site needs some sort of filter on it, yikes, be afraid.