RR: To ride with a World Champion

[Paladin]

Well, sorta.. but let me not get ahead of myself.

My Barney class ride was tonight, and the retired Squid himself, salty
ole Commander Fred showed up, the most faithful of the group. I don't
think he's bailed in the 7 mos I've been running this ride. The slowest
and oldest, and I love him for his perseverance and let's just do it
attitude.

So I took him up the back roads to Table Rock, where there's a 60 foot
cross that's lighted and looks over the valley at night.

On the way up, we saw two different herds of deer. Hunting season is
obviously over, neeener, neener, neener they say.

Sunset over the valley was spectacular, but we turned back about 4/5's
the way up, due to the Commander out of gas, and that's fine. He's
trying hard.

So I go to our downtown YMCA and hop on a spin bike and do some pretty
gut busting intervals. Limp upstairs to hit the stacks, and hear this
huge commotion coming out of an aerobics room. Look in and it's full of
spin bikes, crowded, hot, loud and everybody's grinning and hooting
like a rodeo. They're handing out t-shirts, water bottles, and the
dude all dressed up as the mc pulls me in and says get after it, boy,
there's a bike in the back, and grab yourself a t-shirt.

I finally realize what's happening. This is the night that these
yahoos paid $75 as part of a fundraiser to spin for an hour or so with
*Kristin Armstrong*, a local roadie girl who done real good... watch
her slide show, see her many gold medals, do questions and answers. So
little ole me gets roped in and saddled up for free, and I spin my guts
out some more, sweating to lots of great 70's and 80's metal bands.

Can you call it riding with her? Sorta spinning with her and 40
others, I guess. I got to talk with her a little afterwards, tell her
how proud we are, etc., and she's probably the fittest athlete I've
ever met in person.

Then hit the weights, found the woman, swam a few laps with my girl,
then sent the woman out to order me a humungo chili burger at a local
50's joint, where they really take care of you.

Did I mention this was a great day?

CDB

 

[[email protected]]

Nice, this made for some good reading. I don't know that you can call
that riding with her, but it's about as close as you're going to get
without hitting the pavement and I'd say chatting with her afterwards
makes up for the difference.
Sounds like a great day. Whereabouts is this? 60 foot cross!! I'm
guessing it's not in my neck of the woods having grown up in MA & now
living in NH.
I'm thinking I should look into a group ride in the spring. Anyway,
good post.

Dan

On Dec 5, 11:28 pm, "Paladin" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Well, sorta.. but let me not get ahead of myself.
>
> My Barney class ride was tonight, and the retired Squid himself, salty
> ole Commander Fred showed up, the most faithful of the group. I don't
> think he's bailed in the 7 mos I've been running this ride. The slowest
> and oldest, and I love him for his perseverance and let's just do it
> attitude.
>
> So I took him up the back roads to Table Rock, where there's a 60 foot
> cross that's lighted and looks over the valley at night.
>
> On the way up, we saw two different herds of deer. Hunting season is
> obviously over, neeener, neener, neener they say.
>
> Sunset over the valley was spectacular, but we turned back about 4/5's
> the way up, due to the Commander out of gas, and that's fine. He's
> trying hard.
>
> So I go to our downtown YMCA and hop on a spin bike and do some pretty
> gut busting intervals. Limp upstairs to hit the stacks, and hear this
> huge commotion coming out of an aerobics room. Look in and it's full of
> spin bikes, crowded, hot, loud and everybody's grinning and hooting
> like a rodeo. They're handing out t-shirts, water bottles, and the
> dude all dressed up as the mc pulls me in and says get after it, boy,
> there's a bike in the back, and grab yourself a t-shirt.
>
> I finally realize what's happening. This is the night that these
> yahoos paid $75 as part of a fundraiser to spin for an hour or so with
> *Kristin Armstrong*, a local roadie girl who done real good... watch
> her slide show, see her many gold medals, do questions and answers. So
> little ole me gets roped in and saddled up for free, and I spin my guts
> out some more, sweating to lots of great 70's and 80's metal bands.
>
> Can you call it riding with her? Sorta spinning with her and 40
> others, I guess. I got to talk with her a little afterwards, tell her
> how proud we are, etc., and she's probably the fittest athlete I've
> ever met in person.
>
> Then hit the weights, found the woman, swam a few laps with my girl,
> then sent the woman out to order me a humungo chili burger at a local
> 50's joint, where they really take care of you.
>
> Did I mention this was a great day?
>
> CDB

 

[Paladin]

[email protected] wrote:
> Nice, this made for some good reading. I don't know that you can call
> that riding with her, but it's about as close as you're going to get
> without hitting the pavement and I'd say chatting with her afterwards
> makes up for the difference.
> Sounds like a great day. Whereabouts is this? 60 foot cross!! I'm
> guessing it's not in my neck of the woods having grown up in MA & now
> living in NH.
> I'm thinking I should look into a group ride in the spring. Anyway,
> good post.
>
> Dan
>
> On Dec 5, 11:28 pm, "Paladin" <[email protected]> wrote:
> > Well, sorta.. but let me not get ahead of myself.
> >
> > My Barney class ride was tonight, and the retired Squid himself, salty
> > ole Commander Fred showed up, the most faithful of the group. I don't
> > think he's bailed in the 7 mos I've been running this ride. The slowest
> > and oldest, and I love him for his perseverance and let's just do it
> > attitude.
> >
> > So I took him up the back roads to Table Rock, where there's a 60 foot
> > cross that's lighted and looks over the valley at night.
> >
> > On the way up, we saw two different herds of deer. Hunting season is
> > obviously over, neeener, neener, neener they say.
> >
> > Sunset over the valley was spectacular, but we turned back about 4/5's
> > the way up, due to the Commander out of gas, and that's fine. He's
> > trying hard.
> >
> > So I go to our downtown YMCA and hop on a spin bike and do some pretty
> > gut busting intervals. Limp upstairs to hit the stacks, and hear this
> > huge commotion coming out of an aerobics room. Look in and it's full of
> > spin bikes, crowded, hot, loud and everybody's grinning and hooting
> > like a rodeo. They're handing out t-shirts, water bottles, and the
> > dude all dressed up as the mc pulls me in and says get after it, boy,
> > there's a bike in the back, and grab yourself a t-shirt.
> >
> > I finally realize what's happening. This is the night that these
> > yahoos paid $75 as part of a fundraiser to spin for an hour or so with
> > *Kristin Armstrong*, a local roadie girl who done real good... watch
> > her slide show, see her many gold medals, do questions and answers. So
> > little ole me gets roped in and saddled up for free, and I spin my guts
> > out some more, sweating to lots of great 70's and 80's metal bands.
> >
> > Can you call it riding with her? Sorta spinning with her and 40
> > others, I guess. I got to talk with her a little afterwards, tell her
> > how proud we are, etc., and she's probably the fittest athlete I've
> > ever met in person.
> >
> > Then hit the weights, found the woman, swam a few laps with my girl,
> > then sent the woman out to order me a humungo chili burger at a local
> > 50's joint, where they really take care of you.
> >
> > Did I mention this was a great day?
> >
> > CDB

Boise. here's a tiny pictorial on the area we rode last night, and
shows the cross, and my ole loaner hardtail that just won't die:

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=48268

CDB

 

[JD]

Paladin wrote:
> Can you call it riding with her? Sorta spinning with her and 40
> others, I guess. I got to talk with her a little afterwards, tell her
> how proud we are, etc., and she's probably the fittest athlete I've
> ever met in person.


Yeah, but was she hot too? My guess is yes because of the fuss.

JD

 

[Paladin]

JD wrote:
> Paladin wrote:
> > Can you call it riding with her? Sorta spinning with her and 40
> > others, I guess. I got to talk with her a little afterwards, tell her
> > how proud we are, etc., and she's probably the fittest athlete I've
> > ever met in person.
>
>
> Yeah, but was she hot too? My guess is yes because of the fuss.
>
> JD

Hotter'n a Glock 39 sold out the back door for $100 cash... !

yeah, which reminds me of a philosophical debate with the guy I rode
with last night. Is it pretty gals who go out to run, ride, etc., or
do the activities help make them pretty... Seems the majority out there
on the trails are pretty fine, regardless of your thoughts on the
debate.

CDB

 

[Paladin]

MattB wrote:
> Paladin wrote:
> <snip>
> >
> > I finally realize what's happening. This is the night that these
> > yahoos paid $75 as part of a fundraiser to spin for an hour or so with
> > *Kristin Armstrong*, a local roadie girl who done real good... watch
> > her slide show, see her many gold medals, do questions and answers. So
> > little ole me gets roped in and saddled up for free, and I spin my guts
> > out some more, sweating to lots of great 70's and 80's metal bands.
> >
> > Can you call it riding with her? Sorta spinning with her and 40
> > others, I guess. I got to talk with her a little afterwards, tell her
> > how proud we are, etc., and she's probably the fittest athlete I've
> > ever met in person.
>
> That's pretty cool. I've only ridden with a national champion and
> Olympic bronze medalist (who are married and live here).
>
> Dave, the former National champ gets to race Lance in the next
> Leadville, which is pretty exciting! Go Dave!
>
> The XTerra Triathlon World Champ stays at my brother's house sometimes
> but I've only hung out and boozed with her. We haven't been out for a
> ride together (although my bro says I'd like her riding style, she
> apparently really gets after it on the DH, for a Tri geek).
>
> Matt

The funniest thing about the hour long spin, is she would have us
adding resisitance to the spin, and she'd be ratcheting it up to, but
she was still spinning at 150rpms no matter the resisistance, while the
rest of us were sweating and dying out there, she made it almost look
fake, until the shots of her being on the center of the podiums
receiving gold medals all over the world, then I understood why it
stayed so easy for her...

Hey, and regarding the X-Terra, we hosted an official X-terra race out
of McCall last year, put on my ole buddy Ron, and it was quite the
course.

CDB

 

[Raptor]

Paladin wrote:
> yeah, which reminds me of a philosophical debate with the guy I rode
> with last night. Is it pretty gals who go out to run, ride, etc., or
> do the activities help make them pretty... Seems the majority out there
> on the trails are pretty fine, regardless of your thoughts on the
> debate.
>
> CDB

It's simple. A toned, athletic body does much to improve one's looks.
Pretty much any fat old dog looks "not bad" if she gets in shape.

--
Lynn Wallace

If FDR fought fascism the way Bush fights terrorism, we'd all be
speaking German now.

 

[Raptor]

Paladin wrote:
> The funniest thing about the hour long spin, is she would have us
> adding resisitance to the spin, and she'd be ratcheting it up to, but
> she was still spinning at 150rpms no matter the resisistance, while the
> rest of us were sweating and dying out there, she made it almost look
> fake, until the shots of her being on the center of the podiums
> receiving gold medals all over the world, then I understood why it
> stayed so easy for her...

But did you happen to sneak a touch of the flywheel on her bike?
Granted, the typical world champion roadie can sustain 300 Watts, but
they can also fake a high cadence forever against low resistance.

--
Lynn Wallace

If FDR fought fascism the way Bush fights terrorism, we'd all be
speaking German now.

 

[MattB]

Paladin wrote:
> MattB wrote:
>
>>Paladin wrote:
>><snip>
>>
>>>I finally realize what's happening. This is the night that these
>>>yahoos paid $75 as part of a fundraiser to spin for an hour or so with
>>>*Kristin Armstrong*, a local roadie girl who done real good... watch
>>>her slide show, see her many gold medals, do questions and answers. So
>>>little ole me gets roped in and saddled up for free, and I spin my guts
>>>out some more, sweating to lots of great 70's and 80's metal bands.
>>>
>>>Can you call it riding with her? Sorta spinning with her and 40
>>>others, I guess. I got to talk with her a little afterwards, tell her
>>>how proud we are, etc., and she's probably the fittest athlete I've
>>>ever met in person.
>>
>>That's pretty cool. I've only ridden with a national champion and
>>Olympic bronze medalist (who are married and live here).
>>
>>Dave, the former National champ gets to race Lance in the next
>>Leadville, which is pretty exciting! Go Dave!
>>
>>The XTerra Triathlon World Champ stays at my brother's house sometimes
>>but I've only hung out and boozed with her. We haven't been out for a
>>ride together (although my bro says I'd like her riding style, she
>>apparently really gets after it on the DH, for a Tri geek).
>>
>>Matt
>
>
> The funniest thing about the hour long spin, is she would have us
> adding resisitance to the spin, and she'd be ratcheting it up to, but
> she was still spinning at 150rpms no matter the resisistance, while the
> rest of us were sweating and dying out there, she made it almost look
> fake, until the shots of her being on the center of the podiums
> receiving gold medals all over the world, then I understood why it
> stayed so easy for her...
>
> Hey, and regarding the X-Terra, we hosted an official X-terra race out
> of McCall last year, put on my ole buddy Ron, and it was quite the
> course.
>
> CDB
>

I think my brother and his wife might have done that race. His wife
turned pro this year and she's been out there racking up points.

My bro is also the race director for the Crested Butte XTerra which has
become pretty popular over the last couple of years.

Matt

 

[[email protected]]

Wow. That picture puts it in perspective, that thing is even bigger
than I was imagining.

Seems like a nice place to ride from the pictures. Aside from that, is
that a suspension seatpost on the hardtail?


On Dec 6, 10:12 am, "Paladin" <[email protected]> wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
> > Nice, this made for some good reading. I don't know that you can call
> > that riding with her, but it's about as close as you're going to get
> > without hitting the pavement and I'd say chatting with her afterwards
> > makes up for the difference.
> > Sounds like a great day. Whereabouts is this? 60 foot cross!! I'm
> > guessing it's not in my neck of the woods having grown up in MA & now
> > living in NH.
> > I'm thinking I should look into a group ride in the spring. Anyway,
> > good post.
>
> > Dan
>
> > On Dec 5, 11:28 pm, "Paladin" <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > Well, sorta.. but let me not get ahead of myself.
>
> > > My Barney class ride was tonight, and the retired Squid himself, salty
> > > ole Commander Fred showed up, the most faithful of the group. I don't
> > > think he's bailed in the 7 mos I've been running this ride. The slowest
> > > and oldest, and I love him for his perseverance and let's just do it
> > > attitude.
>
> > > So I took him up the back roads to Table Rock, where there's a 60 foot
> > > cross that's lighted and looks over the valley at night.
>
> > > On the way up, we saw two different herds of deer. Hunting season is
> > > obviously over, neeener, neener, neener they say.
>
> > > Sunset over the valley was spectacular, but we turned back about 4/5's
> > > the way up, due to the Commander out of gas, and that's fine. He's
> > > trying hard.
>
> > > So I go to our downtown YMCA and hop on a spin bike and do some pretty
> > > gut busting intervals. Limp upstairs to hit the stacks, and hear this
> > > huge commotion coming out of an aerobics room. Look in and it's full of
> > > spin bikes, crowded, hot, loud and everybody's grinning and hooting
> > > like a rodeo. They're handing out t-shirts, water bottles, and the
> > > dude all dressed up as the mc pulls me in and says get after it, boy,
> > > there's a bike in the back, and grab yourself a t-shirt.
>
> > > I finally realize what's happening. This is the night that these
> > > yahoos paid $75 as part of a fundraiser to spin for an hour or so with
> > > *Kristin Armstrong*, a local roadie girl who done real good... watch
> > > her slide show, see her many gold medals, do questions and answers. So
> > > little ole me gets roped in and saddled up for free, and I spin my guts
> > > out some more, sweating to lots of great 70's and 80's metal bands.
>
> > > Can you call it riding with her? Sorta spinning with her and 40
> > > others, I guess. I got to talk with her a little afterwards, tell her
> > > how proud we are, etc., and she's probably the fittest athlete I've
> > > ever met in person.
>
> > > Then hit the weights, found the woman, swam a few laps with my girl,
> > > then sent the woman out to order me a humungo chili burger at a local
> > > 50's joint, where they really take care of you.
>
> > > Did I mention this was a great day?
>
> > > CDBBoise. here's a tiny pictorial on the area we rode last night, and
> shows the cross, and my ole loaner hardtail that just won't die:
>
> http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=48268
>
> CDB- Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text -

 

[Paladin]

[email protected] wrote:
> Wow. That picture puts it in perspective, that thing is even bigger
> than I was imagining.
>
> Seems like a nice place to ride from the pictures. Aside from that, is
> that a suspension seatpost on the hardtail?

Yep, a U.S.E. xcr, works pretty well too, and takes the bite off a
short-travel hardtail.

That area's pretty cool, too. Lots of deer up there, rockchucks,
jackrabbits, foxes, even the 2-legged kinds... Pretty grand views, too.

CDB

 

[[email protected]]

No kidding. Aside from being jealous of the area (which I
unfortunately don't see myself traveling to anytime soon), I'm
intrigued by that seat post. I too ride a short travel hardtail, and
never considered suspension on the seat. The only time I've seen such
a thing is on wide cruiser seats, and that's a completely different
deal. Aside from soaking up some bumps, how does it affect the feel of
the bike? I'd be afraid it would feel spongy or loose. I suppose some
research is in order.

Dan


On Dec 7, 4:54 pm, "Paladin" <[email protected]> wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
> > Wow. That picture puts it in perspective, that thing is even bigger
> > than I was imagining.
>
> > Seems like a nice place to ride from the pictures. Aside from that, is
> > that a suspension seatpost on the hardtail?Yep, a U.S.E. xcr, works pretty well too, and takes the bite off a
> short-travel hardtail.
>
> That area's pretty cool, too. Lots of deer up there, rockchucks,
> jackrabbits, foxes, even the 2-legged kinds... Pretty grand views, too.
>
> CDB

 

[Paladin]

[email protected] wrote:
> No kidding. Aside from being jealous of the area (which I
> unfortunately don't see myself traveling to anytime soon), I'm
> intrigued by that seat post. I too ride a short travel hardtail, and
> never considered suspension on the seat. The only time I've seen such
> a thing is on wide cruiser seats, and that's a completely different
> deal. Aside from soaking up some bumps, how does it affect the feel of
> the bike? I'd be afraid it would feel spongy or loose. I suppose some
> research is in order.
>
> Dan
>
>
> On Dec 7, 4:54 pm, "Paladin" <[email protected]> wrote:
> > [email protected] wrote:
> > > Wow. That picture puts it in perspective, that thing is even bigger
> > > than I was imagining.
> >
> > > Seems like a nice place to ride from the pictures. Aside from that, is
> > > that a suspension seatpost on the hardtail?Yep, a U.S.E. xcr, works pretty well too, and takes the bite off a
> > short-travel hardtail.
> >
> > That area's pretty cool, too. Lots of deer up there, rockchucks,
> > jackrabbits, foxes, even the 2-legged kinds... Pretty grand views, too.
> >
> > CDB

No problems. When I got it about 5 or 6 yrs ago, it was considered the
best on the market. It is fairly stiff, and just takes the bite out of
unexpected seated hits that normally would be absorbed by your tailbone
or spine. I've raced on it, and put more than 1,500 miles on it all
over the western U.S. and never noticed a problem that some get with
cheaper suspension posts, like screwing up your pedal stroke, etc. But
I finally went to a truly dandy double squish for the fact that at
48yrs young, it was the right thing to do for my spine over the long
haul.

CDB