Link of the Day [10.02.08]

broderic on October 2, 2008

Lance Armstrong is going to race in the 2009 edition of Le Tour. It’s time to get ready for the showdown, when the past meets the present and the future of cycling is determined. It’s going to be exciting.

I want to be there, but on my bike.

Here’s a little tour that you can do which will follow the Tour around. It’s pretty pricey, but very easy on the legs. You average about 50 miles per day. That’s easy! of course it could be one day of 100 miles and the next of 2 miles. Either way, it sounds like fun. Maybe I have to start getting in shape.

http://www.ciclismoclassico.com/trip/110/follow_the_race_in_france/

“Do you know what a big James Caan fan I am? I mean, he’s like the real life Don Corleone.”

broderic on September 13, 2008

Link of the Day [9.13.08]

I’ve got nothing so far today, and it’s early morning. Or late at night, for those night owls.

So here’s a junk link for you to read. I haven’t read it, but the article title, “The Problem with Biking in America,” pretty much says it all.

There are many problems, the first being that we don’t take the bicycle serious as a form of transportation. We don’t think about using to commute to work or school, or to go shopping or out for the evening. It’s seen as a fitness equipment, and when was the last time we loved our fitness equipment. Hopefully, we can change our perceptions and make the bicycle a good, reliable transportation mechanism.

http://bygonebureau.com/2008/08/25/the-problem-with-biking/

(ht kottke.org)

“The Master Builder waits at the pyramids.”

broderic on September 10, 2008

"I'm going back to professional cycling. I'm going to try and win an
eighth Tour de France."Well, the rumors are true. Even CapitolSwell has posted it!That's gonna be an exciting Tour next year. I wonder how the new blood
is gonna react? I wonder if his rivals are gonna let him dictate the
pace and the tactics? Will the reigning Tour champ, Carlos Sastre,
rollover? What team will he ride on? Astana? Will they even get an
invite, and will their current team GC favorite and 2007 Tour champ,
Alberto Contador, work with Armstrong? I want to see the other teams attack Armstrong. Team Garmin-Chipotle
this is your chance to become the premiere US team. Same goes for Team
Columbia. I want to see them make him sweat. Do what he used to do to
others. I want to see him chasing desperately . I want to see him
trying to shut down breakaways. I want to see him fly. I want to see
him lose.I also want to see him win. You cannot deny it. He's been the best pro
cyclists in the last few years, a true champion who overcame a dreadful
disease, who won the Tour seven straight years, and who has been an
inspiration for all cyclists. I feel like training right along with
him.Can he win? Shit, dude, the guys Lance Armstrong.

UPDATE: Removed annoying link. Looks funny on my iPhone

“Joe, Matthew is making me see Vietnam in the foyer!”

broderic on September 9, 2008

If the rumors are true, then Lance Armstrong might race in Le Tour next year. This is the perfect way to destroy our memories of his complete dominance by coming out of a three year retirement and trying to win at one of the toughest endurance trials known to man.

It’s as if Rocky Balboa tried to make a come back… Err… It’s as if Jim Palmer tried to make a come back… Umm… Or Brett Favre… Oh.

Well, it would be a disappointment to see him in anything but the maillot jaune.

“I thought it was because of the rhythm. You know, rap-rap, rappity-tap.”

broderic on September 4, 2008

Link of the Day [9.04.08]

Every time I watch an anime about school yard crushes, there’s inevitably a scene of bike riding. You don’t see that on 90210 do you?

All over the world, people are riding bikes as a form of transportation. They go to school, work or to the store. What did they do to make it so much easier to ride a bike? Can the US change? Or are our cities, towns, and homes too inhospitable to developing a bike culture?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/30/AR2008083000632_pf.html

“Wait a minute, you didn’t know rap had words?”

broderic on September 3, 2008

Link of the Day [9.03.08]

Well, August passed by, and I’m still stuck just short of 500 miles for the year. This is worst than last year. I rode about 45 minute per outing then, but a whole lot more of them. This year, the number of times I rode is less, but I put more time in per ride. And again, like last year, my August has been a disappointment. I can only blame myself and lack of motivation caused by the fact that long rides alone suck.

So reading this excerpt of Jonathon Vaughter’s, the manager for Garmin-Chipotle (nee Team Slipstream), ride with Senator Kerry (D-Mass) during last weeks DNC, I just want to go out and cruise. It’s pretty amazing that a sitting Senator can keep up with a former pro cyclists. What’s he do and when does he get the time to ride like that? And if he’s fearless screaming down hair pin descents in the Rockies, what happened in 2004?

I know one thing: I’m in that 12mph lolly-gagging group. I have to get back to the 15 mph.

http://www.slipstreamsports.com/2008/08/29/my-un-conventional-ride

Quote of the Day [8.29.08]

broderic on August 29, 2008

“Tens of thousands who could never afford to own, feed and stable a horse, had by this bright invention enjoyed the swiftness of motion which is perhaps the most fascinating feature of material life.”

Frances Willard, “How I Learned to Ride the Bicycle”

Olympic Cycling

broderic on August 22, 2008

Here’s an athlete’s account of the men’s road race during the first day of the Olympics. I couldn’t watch it, because of the lame NBC web interface. It sure does sound exciting, riding through the scrubbed clean streets of China, being cheered by the crowds, riding up that darn hill. Wow. What I wouldn’t have given to see that race.

Link of the Day [8.22.08]

broderic on August 22, 2008

The relentless march of links of the day is overwhelming and time consuming. I can’t find things fast enough to link to, so I default to whatever was the last site I thought was interesting.

Here we have a blog about the sport of cycling. Not so much the doing, but the what and whys of things. I like reading about the sport, but sometimes I just have to go out and ride. Lately, I haven’t been doing that. I need 100 miles to make it a decent month of riding. Instead of reading about it, I should be doing it. Yet, thphtt. ;__;

http://www.podiumcafe.com/

The Olympic Cyclist

broderic on August 14, 2008

Follow one of the US cyclists as he journeys around Beijing on a bike.

The most poignant moment is at the end as he mentions that you, on your bike, with several hundred people, must socialize and interact to make the flow of people perfect. Must be fun to ride to work.