Velovera

No Your Honor, That's a Venus not a Mach 3

Tammy Thompson, the woMAN track cyclist was caught shaving her face, it is reported.

Shocking! Not...

posted by Velovera @ 2:20 PM 4 Comments

What's Your Occupatrion?

So my Yahoo Spam guard isn't working too well and lately everyone is telling me that I won the British and Spanish Lottery and that there is a secret stash of money that went missing in Iraq and that they know where it is if I provide my name, address, occupatrion...

I respond to them and say, great thing you wrote me, I worked for the UN, do you know Dulcie Mapondera (my evil boss at the UN in Geneva)? Or, we don't need to pay for a stinking lawyer as luck for you, I am one! I know, I should probably not respond, but I figure they wasted my time, well I will make them sit in the Internet cafe in Nigeria just a little longer.

On another note, I am slowly getting over the Greeley cough I developed at the Greeley "crit" on Saturday. In my book, if it takes 5 minutes to get around a course, then it's not a crit. To very much clif note the experience, the best part of the race was the Starbucks after the race. My lungs hurt so much that my shoulders were hurting.

As for Sunday, I was so much happier on a flat and fast course. I saw that Mara Abbot and Amy Dombrowski were there and I needed to call Virg for some moral support. I was fine. I hung on and even did some chasing. In the last lap, they turned on the power as they are pros. I tried, but I was tired and came in somewhere around 12th. I was happy as I finished, I had no mechanicals and I felt pretty strong. The photo is of an adorable 17 month who kept saying "hi" and "bike race". She took a liking to Casey the dog and Cari plus Kristen's helmet.

Speaking of, Kristen endured a weekend of racing and Saturday was her first race ever and Sunday was her first crit! I was so proud of her. I slipped and missed my pedal at the start and when I got on the group, I realized that Kristen was in the front hanging with America's Dairyland girls as well as Mara and others. After three or so laps, she had enough. My first crit was an Early Bird where I raced nothing but beginner 4s. Emily got run over in that race and I thought she would never race another crit again. She recently told me she loves Crits. I am so proud!

posted by Velovera @ 5:42 PM 1 Comments

Cheese!

And to think it has taken me more than a month to upload my Tour of CA Stage 7 photos when all along I had this goodie!

posted by Velovera @ 11:58 PM 4 Comments

The Bachelor: Stupid

OK, I admit it. After coming home from the gym and cooking dinner, I found myself watching the Bachelor London. I have never been into these shows as I feel they are sorority rush all over again and just plain degrading.

BUT, how stupid do they think us viewers are? During the "rose ceremony" they kept panning on the stressed out sad looking ladies waiting to receive a rose. He chose this one lady who had some jewelry on her forehead like an Indian women and after that, they were still panning and she was still standing with all the other women but she was supposed to not be there anymore?? OK, maybe I take such things too seriously, but common. I guess I am the idiot for watching that trash.

Other Bike Ramblin's
In other BIG news, The Lion King is trying to rescind his Rock Racing contract. He wants to race MSR with Tinkoff. I don't know. Contracts are hard to get out of, and I was also hoping to see Super Mario in some more races state side. What can I say? I am selfish. Although, I do really want to see him racing MSR. I love that race!

Also, see this kid, Robert Gesink? He's going to be one strong guy to deal with in a few years. He did really well at the TOC and now he was in yellow at Paris Nice for a few days. Awesome! I still think that Cadel no matter what looks like he's taking a poop.

A mechanic from Rabobank found me. I talked to him 10 minutes at the after party. Anyway, he sent me that photo from Paris Nice. Funny...

posted by Velovera @ 9:33 AM 0 Comments

Starting to feel better but not forgetting

I did a stupid thing. I read the comments on SFGate regarding the accident thinking that it would be people like me sharing stories and commenting on the accident and drivers. Instead, the comments were full of assholes going off on cyclists and how we always run lights and stop signs and what not. It was disgusting.

This article was forwarded to me and it's amazing. I hope that more drivers read it as really, they have no idea how vulnerable we are. Just a few weeks ago, I was on a large group ride. The group was taking up the entire lane and there were about 5 cars behind. Me being slow, I was with the cars. Every time I tried to pass this one SUV jerk-off, he would swerve so I would be forced to abandon my attempt to pass him. I came around to his driver's side window and slammed my fist into it, he rolled down his window and I asked him "WXY 123 (license plate), why are you trying to kill me?" and I kept asking him, over and over. His girlfriend got all scared and he apologized. I just kept yelling and telling him what a jerk and unsafe driver he was. I don't think he had any idea. I think he was pissed off and then having fun at my expense. FUCKER.

Yesterday, I road to work as my car was in the shop. It was my first outside ride since I got the news about the accident. I have to admit, it made me scared and I looked at everyone as if they would hit me. I made it safely to work, but still had some odd thoughts as I locked up my bike. You never leave for a ride and think that you may never return. I put away my dirty laundry into the laundry room before I left yesterday thinking - - at least my parents won't see my dirty underwear when they come to pack up my stuff. That's a pretty awful thought to have when you are leaving to ride to work.

Be safe out there.

posted by Velovera @ 8:32 AM 6 Comments

Unable to come up with a title.

I was going to write about my silly race with the major mechanical issue and swear a bit at the local mechanics who failed to replace my headset correctly, but I got some awful news and my race report just seems too trivial. Kristi Gough (Third Pillar) was a rising star in Bay Area cycling and today she and Matt Peterson (Roaring Mouse) were killed in Cupertino, CA. They were hit by a Santa Clara Sheriff. It's unbelievable.

I never raced Kristi as she didn't hit the scene until this season, but there was so much said about her as the one to watch. This seems so unreal.

My heart goes out to both Matt and Kristi's family and friends as well as everyone at Third Pillar and Roaring Mouse.

Labels: NCNCA, Tragedy

posted by Velovera @ 9:18 PM 0 Comments

Bruno's Surprise

I think I am going to write a book about buying a house. This is another story for another time.

I decided to come home rather than go back to work after the home inspection. In my mail box was stuffed a yellow envelope with many cycling stickers. The best one was the Pentani Bianchi sticker. My dear friend, Bruno had mailed me my belated birthday gift.

As you may or may not know, I had a pinata at my going away party. Bruno/Breego/Bridgette thought that everyone needs a pinata at a party and she went to her local pinateria to purchase my #1 pinata. I too have a pinateria right by me. In fact, it's about 4 blocks from my house and probably about the same from my new house.

Anyway... this was her present and I just about died! What humor! I took the photo to send to Bruno right away!

posted by Velovera @ 4:17 PM 2 Comments

It's Like Being in Ireland on a Sunny Day!

I went out this morning. It was 68 at Amante at 10 and there were probably 60 cyclists there! I had my arm warmers but took them off very quickly. Now, I am paying the price! My neck is even burned.

I suspect a lot of people will be very burned come Monday and it will look like Ireland the day after one sunny day (which doesn't happen too often.) Did you know that the highest per capita of skin cancer is actually in Ireland? Interesting.

posted by Velovera @ 6:17 PM 5 Comments