Back in the day

Kirksville Missouri is a funny place. Even though I lived there without spending more than 2 weeks outside its confines between 1975 and 1990, I never really figured it out. It isn't really Iowa, and yet it is not really like any other place in Missouri. Its colder than any other place in Missouri, and at one time there was a thriving ski resort there. It has one of the best colleges and medical schools in the Midwest, and yet you really would be hard pressed to peg it as a "college town."

Also, strangely enough, a few excellent cyclists have passed through Kirksville. Pulled there by athletic scholarships at Truman or medical school at KCOM, or a tenure track professorship, there was never really a cycling "scene" like we have in Columbia. More just people who by happenstance ended up there.

One person in particular stands out as someone who lived there for a few years and ended up becoming one of the best mountain biker/road racers in the Bay Area. (He won the Lemurian Classic twice, for instance). After spending a miserable year on the Truman State soccer team, he ended up packing his bags for San Francisco and a completely different life on the west coast. You could tell that he had just phenomenal talent. And this guy is still a real heavy hitter out there, as far as I can tell. Michael ran into him in 2000 at the cyclocross world championships, both were spectating, that's the last time I talked to him--on his British girlfriend's cellphone. We all rode the crap out of our bikes in the summer of 1987.

Last week, the family went up to the Kirksville area for a weekend "getaway," renting a cabin at Thousand Hills State Park, and hanging out with some good friends, one of whom goes to KCOM. 90 miles away from the town, I still puzzle about Kirksville--not really sure what makes it tick. However, I find it a relaxing getaway destination, especially that beautiful state park in the photos above. Call me crazy. You can never really leave the place where you grew up, though, --at least in a metaphorical sense.

Back in the day

Kirksville Missouri is a funny place. Even though I lived there without spending more than 2 weeks outside its confines between 1975 and 1990, I never really figured it out. It isn't really Iowa, and yet it is not really like any other place in Missouri. Its colder than any other place in Missouri, and at one time there was a thriving ski resort there. It has one of the best colleges and medical schools in the Midwest, and yet you really would be hard pressed to peg it as a "college town."

Also, strangely enough, a few excellent cyclists have passed through Kirksville. Pulled there by athletic scholarships at Truman or medical school at KCOM, or a tenure track professorship, there was never really a cycling "scene" like we have in Columbia. More just people who by happenstance ended up there.

One person in particular stands out as someone who lived there for a few years and ended up becoming one of the best mountain biker/road racers in the Bay Area. (He won the Lemurian Classic twice, for instance). After spending a miserable year on the Truman State soccer team, he ended up packing his bags for San Francisco and a completely different life on the west coast. You could tell that he had just phenomenal talent. And this guy is still a real heavy hitter out there, as far as I can tell. Michael ran into him in 2000 at the cyclocross world championships, both were spectating, that's the last time I talked to him--on his British girlfriend's cellphone. We all rode the crap out of our bikes in the summer of 1987.

Last week, the family went up to the Kirksville area for a weekend "getaway," renting a cabin at Thousand Hills State Park, and hanging out with some good friends, one of whom goes to KCOM. 90 miles away from the town, I still puzzle about Kirksville--not really sure what makes it tick. However, I find it a relaxing getaway destination, especially that beautiful state park in the photos above. Call me crazy. You can never really leave the place where you grew up, though, --at least in a metaphorical sense.

Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?

Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?

3/15/07

I got off work early yesterday, and Michael, who is visiting for a few days over his Spring Break, and I did our famous “Wilton Ride.” The route is basic Ashland, but veers to the right instead of the left at MM. We head to Wilton and then hit the trail there for about 9 or 10 miles. The trail is usually in awesome shape, and I’ve never minded riding my road bike on it anyway since it opens so many options around here. It turns into a 50 miler. We both bonked near the end. It was my third time on a bike, period, this year. Time to get rolling again.

We saw Ethan and Nolan down Woody Proctor road, and also some guy with a USA cycling sticker on the back of his SUV who appeared to be taking photos for the future Tour of Missouri route. In fact, I’m almost positive this is what he was doing. What a great finish that will be.

All in all, it was a great ride. Michael and I were even discussing jumping in a few crits. We talked of the old days when he rode for Indiana University. I can’t believe that was almost 10 years ago.

3/15/07

I got off work early yesterday, and Michael, who is visiting for a few days over his Spring Break, and I did our famous “Wilton Ride.” The route is basic Ashland, but veers to the right instead of the left at MM. We head to Wilton and then hit the trail there for about 9 or 10 miles. The trail is usually in awesome shape, and I’ve never minded riding my road bike on it anyway since it opens so many options around here. It turns into a 50 miler. We both bonked near the end. It was my third time on a bike, period, this year. Time to get rolling again.

We saw Ethan and Nolan down Woody Proctor road, and also some guy with a USA cycling sticker on the back of his SUV who appeared to be taking photos for the future Tour of Missouri route. In fact, I’m almost positive this is what he was doing. What a great finish that will be.

All in all, it was a great ride. Michael and I were even discussing jumping in a few crits. We talked of the old days when he rode for Indiana University. I can’t believe that was almost 10 years ago.

Who knows, though?

The above mechanism is deceptively simple. Maybe I will race on the road again. Heck, maybe I'll even go up to Snake Alley. I just installed a motor in my bottom bracket. To you, this might look like a bottom bracket from a1989 Nishiki. Little do you know that it houses a tiny motor. When it looks like I'm riding hard, I will actually be soft pedaling.

Who knows, though?

The above mechanism is deceptively simple. Maybe I will race on the road again. Heck, maybe I'll even go up to Snake Alley. I just installed a motor in my bottom bracket. To you, this might look like a bottom bracket from a1989 Nishiki. Little do you know that it houses a tiny motor. When it looks like I'm riding hard, I will actually be soft pedaling.

Props to Tater

Even though I’ve pretty much quit bicycle road racing for good, I’d like to give props to an old buddy of mine who keeps the flame from the 1980s burning. I met Tater back at Truman State in 1988—since then he’s steadily progressed to become one of the best cyclists in Iowa. He just got 5th at Froze Toes, and he is going to be a super fast Cat. 2. Good job, Tater!

Props to Tater

Even though I’ve pretty much quit bicycle road racing for good, I’d like to give props to an old buddy of mine who keeps the flame from the 1980s burning. I met Tater back at Truman State in 1988—since then he’s steadily progressed to become one of the best cyclists in Iowa. He just got 5th at Froze Toes, and he is going to be a super fast Cat. 2. Good job, Tater!

Rant # 2

You know what's retarded? Junior gear restrictions. They were really bad in the 80s, I think I was required to ride a 49-15 top gear as an "Intermediate" junior. The older juniors were required to ride a 53-15.

That's about the same as the USCF limitation of 52-14, however. I just don't get it. It made things that much more difficult as a junior as you had to order special equipment or totally rig a cog set that didn't shift worth a shit. I hope that they sell 14-25 cassettes these days. We had to thread on cogs that sometimes were purchased from several different places. Smooth shifting indeed.

Most juniors train on senior gears. And there is part of this rule where juniors who enter senior races have to ride junior gears? That is completely silly. I mean, there are talented, national class juniors out there who could probably win Cat. 3 or Cat 1-2 races but because they are restricted to a 52-14, and sprinting against guys in a 53-11 or 12, they are going to get stomped. How many times do you find yourself shifting into the 13 or even the 12 in a crit? Especially near the end? I know it happened all the time on flat courses. And you are spinning your ass off if you don't have the proper gears. That happened to me in a crit in Des Moines as a junior. It was hard to keep up with Scott Mercer in the cat 3-4 race in an 86 inch gear.

Rant # 2

You know what's retarded? Junior gear restrictions. They were really bad in the 80s, I think I was required to ride a 49-15 top gear as an "Intermediate" junior. The older juniors were required to ride a 53-15.

That's about the same as the USCF limitation of 52-14, however. I just don't get it. It made things that much more difficult as a junior as you had to order special equipment or totally rig a cog set that didn't shift worth a shit. I hope that they sell 14-25 cassettes these days. We had to thread on cogs that sometimes were purchased from several different places. Smooth shifting indeed.

Most juniors train on senior gears. And there is part of this rule where juniors who enter senior races have to ride junior gears? That is completely silly. I mean, there are talented, national class juniors out there who could probably win Cat. 3 or Cat 1-2 races but because they are restricted to a 52-14, and sprinting against guys in a 53-11 or 12, they are going to get stomped. How many times do you find yourself shifting into the 13 or even the 12 in a crit? Especially near the end? I know it happened all the time on flat courses. And you are spinning your ass off if you don't have the proper gears. That happened to me in a crit in Des Moines as a junior. It was hard to keep up with Scott Mercer in the cat 3-4 race in an 86 inch gear.