Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Make Money Riding Your Bike!

My old man forwarded this article to me the other day. He knows I'm looking to supplement my income, but I don't think he was suggesting I try this particular method. I can't imagine the ride quality on those weed-stuffed tires was very good, but it couldn't have been worse than armadillos. It seems crazy to me that you'd put your life on the line for $1300 worth of dope, but what are the odds the border guards are going to check your tires? Pretty slim... unless you look like this.

In other news Pat McCarty is going to join the Yahoo! Cycling Team roster for the Redlands Bicycle Classic and Sea Otter Classic (cyclingnews article). McCarty has a wealth of experience and seems jazzed to show us young pups the tricks of the trade. Our management has been looking for someone to fill this role, and despite a ton of inquiries from big name riders they were holding out for someone who was not only super talented, but also willing to help out and mentor. I'm ecstatic to have a rider of this caliber around. We've got a wealth of young talent, but I think having someone like McCarty to help lead the team is going to be invaluable. Personally, I know I can always dig just a little deeper and find that extra gear when a teammate I respect and trust needs me to. That's why team time trials have always been some of my favorite races. And that dates all the way back to my first year cycling when I would turn myself inside out for Ueyn and we'd smash things up in Men's Bs TTTs. Man... good times. He's probably already dropped me in that photo, and his frightening speed may be causing Daniel to wet his pants. Its unclear.

Snelling is coming up this Saturday and its my first real race of the year. I'm still miles and miles from being in real race shape, but this will be the first time this season when I can cut loose and give 'er. I'm stoked. Snelling should also have a lot of riders and I'm anxious to see how we Yahoos do when we don't have half the field. I have high hopes. Snelling is 78 mile (or thereabouts) road race with bad pavement over rolling terrain and it can be a little dull. But if the winds are howling or the rain starts to fall then people can get a taste for blood and it becomes a miserable, guttered sufferfest. My favorite kind of race! In anticipation of something along those lines I'm off to do my first local race ride in the pouring rain. Should be a blasty!

1 comment:

U. Block said...

Thanks for the kind words, Ryan. Truth is, it was *you* crushing me in those TTT's. Though I guess a sign of a good TTT is everybody thinking every other rider was the strongest. It means we were all at our limit.

Those were good times -- what a fun year! The TTT's on that borrowed Cervelo and the UN Reno circuit race (did they call that a crit?) are very fond memories of mine.