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Kit Cischke's Journal
Lots of Catching Up
posted by KitC at 05:28 PM on September 22, 2008
It's been more than three weeks since I sat down to type anything in this space, and it has to do with a plethora of factors: Lance Armstrong's return, a slight bit of irritation with the Tricross, lots of business that needed to be attended to now that the mountain bike racing season is over, and most of all, the simple fact that I had not been riding my bike much.
I was still commuting into work. I haven't driven into work but one day since July. This has been facilitated by having purchased a MiNewt light for commuting and night riding. I was astonished at just how bright that thing is. The day I got it, I slapped it on the mountain bike and went for a ride on some of the wider trails. Kind of fun, except for the half mile I chased a skunk down the trail! He (she? it?) kept just charging down the middle of the trail in the beam of my light, even going across bridges. Eventually, it left the trail, leaving me to my ride.
The whole Lance Armstrong return has left me conflicted. Part of me is really depressed that I'm wasting so many brain cycles on this, but another part says, "This is important to me!" When I got the VeloNews issue for early September, the Armstrong cover was quickly cut off and hung up in my office. As difficult as the logistics of Armstrong returning to pro road racing are, I can't help my excitement. Even when I start thinking about philosophical differences I have with him, I choose to focus on what we have in common. The reality is that when I was at the grocery store and saw the October issue of Men's Journal with Lance on the cover, I couldn't not buy it. My single hope for all of this is that Armstrong is truly doing this for selfless reasons and will do it right. Recently, I showed my son the VeggieTales movie "King George and the Ducky", which is a lesson in avoiding selfishness. If Armstrong really goes back to Astana and usurps a position from Levi Leipheimer or Alberto Contador, how is that being different from King George stealing duckies, even when he has so many already? And if he doesn't go back to Astana, where does he go? Who will take him? Who will ride for him? Part of Armstrong and Bruyneel's legacy is crafting a team to support a single rider -- where will he find those support riders now? I'd almost rather keep hearing about him riding in mountain bike and cyclocross races. Again, I just hope he does it right. Then I won't feel bad about the wristband I've worn for almost 4.5 years and the Livestrong polo I have on at the moment. Only two days until the press conference where almost all our questions will be answered!
My impression of Specialized suffers whenever I start thinking about Armstrong too. Sometimes it feels stupid to be so brand loyal, but I start wishing I had bought a Trek-family 'cross bike and start searching through the Trek Online store for some needed cold-weather cycling gear for 'cross season. I got to a point, especially after my third flat tire in less than three months, that I wanted to sell the Tricross and buy a new 'cross bike. The problem with that is that if you look strictly at features and ignore the text on the downtube, the Tricross is still superior to any of Trek's 'cross offerings. After a 2+ hour ride yesterday, I was reminded of what a good bike it is. I'm looking forward to 'cross season.
I did a long night ride last Friday with the new light on my normal loops at the Tech Trails. At first, I was really uncomfortable, but after a half-hour or so, I was going nearly as fast as I do during the day. You quickly get used to the limited light. No skunks this time! It felt good just to get out on the trails though. As much time as I spent prepping for 'cross, thinking about road racing and doing my own road rides, my heart is always on the dirt.
Part of the reason of buying the Tricross in the first place was for a month-long charity ride I had tentatively planned for next year. That almost certainly isn't happening any time soon, so I've been rethinking my cycling goals for next year. One of my current thoughts is to start focusing on ultra-endurance types of races. The thought is that I would spend 2009 doing the longer version of all of the U.P. races that I did this year, culminating with the 48-mile Ore to Shore, 27-mile Deer Chase and 26-mile Copper Harbor race. I'd sign up for the 6-hour solo category in the 12 Hours of Potluck. All of this would be pushing toward a goal of doing one of the NUE 100-mile races during Summer 2010. We'll see how things go over next summer, and whether I can find the time to train for these kinds of races. I was still thinking about an extended cycling tour next summer too --- a ride from Houghton down to Milwaukee.
I continue to be disappointed with Pearl Izumi's marketing department. After writing a letter earlier this year expressing disappointment in their "Happy Ass" campaign and their miltaristic campaign for cyclists to take back the road (of which the name blessedly escapes me), I was greatly displeased to open the most recent VeloNews and see a very curvaceous female form showing off some new apparel, complete with over-emphasized nipples. Almost immediately, I ripped those pages out and threw them away. I do not need my three-year-old son asking me what those kinds of things are doing in a cycling magazine. As of this point, I will no longer buy Pearl Izumi apparel, period. (And that makes me sad, because I will never have a Garmin-Chipotle jersey.)
Another disappointment comes from both Specialized and Fisher. What is the deal with the swoopy, S-shaped downtubes? Fisher destroyed the looks of the HiFi for 2009, and I haven't really liked the new StumpJumpers since they were released. I'm glad I'm not really in the market for a new bike right now, because the only thing I could bring myself to buy would be a Trek Fuel, Top or otherwise. And that's very hard for me to swallow, because I absolutely love Fishers. Not so much anymore.
Yet another disappointment from GT, which I didn't even know was possible. I already have a pretty low opinion of GT because I think their bicycles are ugly and pointless, even with the "genius" of things like i-Drive. They seem to be letting all of their pro racers go. Burry Stander and Todd Wells will be wearing the big red 'S' and Jill Kintner doesn't have a team yet. What the heck? That's only two Olympians. No wonder Brian Lopes left last year. It gets easier and easier to choose bicycles based on the idiocy displayed over time by GT, Cannondale, Cervelo and others.
Okay, enough ranting. Really, it all comes down to riding bikes, and my plan is to do that as much as possible between now and the snow flying. I shall hit the road, hit the trails and hopefully not hit the 'cross barriers. I shall ride my Fisher happily, I shall ride my Tricross happily and know I have two really great bikes. "I think it is time, it is time to climb."
categories: General
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