State of the art

a great Pontification!

The season for me starts in a couple of days, I'm headed into it with a different head on my shoulders.
A couple of pounds over-way-in-weight.
and an insecure feeling about my state of conditioning.
I'm lucky to have to have some good heckling from Kelly Cline to drive me in the right direction.


I still get a rush almost everyday I drive to work, everyday is a  new job.  I like the rush.
I've been busy traveling a bit more, which is a bonus.
Life's been casting its reality, as family care, aging comes into a bigger role.

I have an "A" bike that needs to be dialed in, a "b" bike a nursing along.

That nervousness, the bit of extra energy, that snake nest, hissing,...

Goals?

top 10's would be grand,  bundling that rumbling energy, twisting it positive, and make something out of it.    To smile, suck it up, and live.   To not bog down.

Rain for racing, this weekend?  In mind my; is to take all the body punches, head shots, and when my eyes roll back a bit into my head,  as I gasp trying to grasp any air there is,
To not let the wheel I am chasing to gap me, to get away.
....and it's with a sly smile, that with a bit of confidence, wry squinting, chortling laugh, and strong legs,
that soon I'll be putting the screws to you!

Onward, without a choice, a new season is upon me!

Cheers my friends.  dlowe

                                     a  call for a tow on a hot day,  a breakdown on the way to Richmond, to work

                                              set up day at Granogue

                                                     the hill never looks big in a picture

                         and the course/races, never falls short, in providing beauty,or suffering.

                                               

the clinic

as we were walking back to the car with the barriers,
I think Kelly said "yua, know, cross people are good people"
"they are" I said,
"but maybe it's a learnt thing"
to me on of the best part of this sport, is learning.
we make good racers, we make us better people.
cross is silly, a gangly defined sport of make shift courses, hazards, and a Magnificently glorious short period of intense efforts.  I've seen tears, big happy teethe smiles.
numb toes and tomato red hot sweaty faces.
To do one race is grand, to do two dozen in a season is normal.

                                          photo: M. Avery


this free cx clinic has been going on now 20 years.   I came to cx late, I missed the roots, the beginings of the sport in this area.   But.    I've always tried to listen hard, and with quite
attention.


The group split into skill levels.

we did off camber, cornering, starts, barriers, all the stuff,

I always go away with the feeling that everyone wants me to be the best racer,
they give me their secrets,
correct my form, and nit comb my carry,
I don't know, I sorta get the feeling like all else in this queer sport,
that they want me to do my best to Crush them,
to be an unconventional,  a syncopation clean riding machine,  a fearsome, formidable opponent, ...
almost... a,
undefeatable  Opponent.
to bring out the most best in them,
that in the end, that all I want, is not to beat everyone, or to be 1st,
but to be the best at the worst of times.
at my best of conditions.

Cheers,  dlowe

Toe in.

a couple of  flavor of philly dlowe cx  riding day pictures. 

The water is cold, I dip just the tips of my toes in. It is chilly. I ease in.  

Riding in wet grass, chatting with my allies.  Getting ready to follow Reuther around. 

I wipe the thin dirt off the braking track of the rims, and behold, the squeal is gone. 

I wipe out, washing out the front tire, and I know as the bike slides out,

that someone is going to follow soon, and Joey P. is coming down on me. 

We're up, I apologize, nothings busted, and no bruises.  We chase back on, I apologize again. 

August, practice.  The first one was good. heavy. We are real lucky around this area.  The talent is deep, competitive, comitted in all the good ways.  Practices fan out from downtown phila.

to Reading, Delaware, I'd be piggly happy, rolling up to these practices, and join 'em. 

The blood is full of Carbon, glue, toe spikes, and a calm vigor. 

and I figure whatever the race attendance are, growing or shrinking, that cx runs about the same in all our veins. 

I've already got a room booked in Baltimore for Charm City. 

and a bit nervous to face the Queen Granogue. 

I'm glad to have this love.  real lucky.  

and the lolly gaggy time of water ice, and explorations, snapping pics of philly,

changes to sets of :30's.

Cheers Cyclocross Racers!
dlowe