Time for new shorts

It's time for new shorts when...
1) your title sponsor drops out...
Or
2) ...your answer is "yes"...words of wisdom from ZsaZsa...
Ask me. I'll tell you. A lot of you people ask me the same darn question. "Hon, how long can I wear my favorite cycling shorts? When is it time to buy a new pair?" Well, now, I'm no medical person so I won't even pretend to know what sorts of wildlife might start breeding inside that lycra after even one days usage. So I can't council you on that. And I don't know squat about the effects of all that pressure on your nicety-nicies down there once the shammy's all used up and dead. And if I was into fashion, which, again, I ain't, I might say "Sweets, you done worn them shorts one butt time too many." And if I had my way no man's parcel would be cooped up in such a highly protrudinashus manner. No siree. But you ask me, so I feel obliged to tell you. I say any time is a good, fine time to take the clippers to those shiny little black diapers you all like to squeeze your behinds into. But somehow my intuition tells me that's not quite the answer you're after. Okay then listen up, now, because I'm tired of repeating myself. Here's what you need to do. Put the dang things on. Go find yourself a mirror (or a person who don't lie) and some good strong sunlight. Now bend over and ask yourself, or your friend: "Can you see crack?" There's your answer. Until next time, don't spit in the wind.

Memorial Day 2006

Eve Ueltzen, May 1999
I raced with Eve at a race called Hiddenbrooke circuit race in 1998. We had a pretty good size field of 21 women in the 3/4s which was good back then. There was a big hill in the race, and I was dropped along with Eve. During the race when it was just us two, she started signing a song “I love the mountains; I love the shinny skies etc…” She also had this unique way of descending where she tucked her hand over her back, like a speed skater. I’ve tried it, and it was not very comfortable or fast, for me. I remember how weird it seemed that the next year she was out on her bike and was killed by a drunk driver. I still remember the song. When I am racing and dropped on hills, I most always remember the tune, but I never sing it.

Cecy Krone, September 1999
I raced with Cecy at the Burlingame Crit a few months before she was killed by a drunk driver. I had won a pair of running shorts and a cycling undershirt. The shorts were small little things that runners wear and that I would never wear. I asked Cecy if she wanted them. She didn’t but she said her niece would like them so I gave them to her. I kept the undershirt, and I still wear it. I often think of Cecy when I put it on.

Nicole Rinehardt, September 2000
I first saw Nicole descending on Tunnel Road: sitting up and zipping up her Saturn jacket. My thoughts “she’s good, she must be a pro.” I met her a few months later on Tunnel when my friend Joe introduced her to me. She seemed like a nice woman. That year, there was a BMC triple crown for women. Nicole had won two of the three races. The weekend of Nicole’s death, Zsa Zsa and I had just flown in from Hawaii, and I couldn’t wait to look on cyclingnews to see if Nicole had won the final race. It was shocking to get the call from Zsa Zsa that Nicole had crashed and died in the race.

Clay Mankin, November 2005
I bought my first racing bike from Clay. It was a green Serotta named “Beryl” after Beryl Burton. After Clay died of a heart attack while riding his bike, I thought of him a lot and was bothered by his death. I’m still not sure why I was so bothered, maybe because he was leaving behind a 4 year old son, maybe because Clay had a personality that touched people he met in a strong but subtle way. Or maybe, because it was just weird to think how life can seem so perfect and in place and then over so fast.

Memories of Kern
1997 thru 2006
...more to come...
not all of these trophies are mine...some are Erika's(1st places)

No wins yet...

Quote of the day, Jens Voight, on www.cyclingnews.com:

Giro Stage 19
Said Voigt: "I was always sitting on the back of the attack, but I couldn't win today because I didn't work at all. You can only win if you are the strongest and it wouldn't have been right if I did."

My fellow Kazakh what have they done to you. Less than 2 months to go and no team sponsor for the Big Show.

2005, Paris. Touring and watching parts of the Tour de France. Zsa Zsa and I found the TdF "caravan" at our hotel and could not resist taking this photo in the KOM truck.