Ewoud Dronkert <
[email protected]> wrote in message news:<
[email protected]>...
> On 4 May 2004 04:49:53 -0700, Joe Keenan wrote:
> >3. FRED? My email is [email protected] Always willing to
> >learn. How do you define a FRED?
>
> http://groups.google.com/[email protected]
Interesting definition by way of anecdote.
I'd suggest a couple others justifying the Fred label.
Someone who goes out and buys everything of their favorite rider
and/or team (could apply to any sport really) and believes that
automatically justifies some recognition as a master player of the
sport.
Or..
Another anecdote:
On last Sunday's group ride there final up-hill stretch where myself
and a few other riders got dropped. I know I'm not able to maintain
the pace of the group hammers so, knowing the particular grade well, I
establish a steady tempo I know can get me home quick enough, and
without unnecessary suffering. I pick up an older rider immediately
and for the most part he remains on my wheel as we approach another
pair dropped by the group. They attach to my back wheel, too and we
proceed up the grade, occasionally one or another comes up to take a
pull but fade after a few turns and I resume the position at the
front. I'm not out to drop anyone and am fine with the others
drafting, it's not a race as far as I'm concerned. Most of the
remaining miles go like this, though I find one rider did drop off
somewhere (could have taken a different route home for all I know.)
We catch up to another dropped rider about a mile to the end and he
latches on to the train, we'll call him 'F' After turning off the
main road we catch up to some of the leaders who are waiting for us
and proceed towards a last tiny hill. As we're slowly going up, 'F'
comes sprinting past everyone for the sign at the top of the hill
(once there he eased off.) It seemed utterly silly and pointless.
The older fellow I rode up with and who managed to follow the tempo
and take a few pulls was a former pro, who once won the San Bruno
Hillclimb. Definitely a classy rider, no silly stunts and no bad
words about anyone else, the kind of rider I'd prefer to be among,
rather than the last minute Hot-Dog or those who can't take a turn and
gripe about others riding. (I don't know what went on behind me, but
I guess the old pro took the best positions on my wheel to draft and
another rider didn't like it.)
