Summer of Chopper

Memorial day weekend can only mean one thing, the beginning of another rite of Summer. The Summer of Chopper. Each summer I attempt to pack in as many things as possible that have nothing to do with cycling, diet, stretching or sits up. Because lets face it nobody ever wanted to hear how many sit ups you can do !

This weekend I was lucky enough to spend time with family in Boston. We had a few get togethers on Yawkey Way. We were treated to a walk off home run in the bottom of 9th on Saturday. Go Sox !

This year Fenway Park turned 100 years old. Thankfully it missed the wrecking ball or the 1980s remodel that so many stadiums went through. I have not been as lucky.

Since it was Wicam I decided to take a trip to the Cape on Sunday. Provincetown or P Town as its better known was hosting Women's Weekend. The ratio was 40 women to every man on the cape. The problem is these women have no use for a stud like JT. It was nice to share the appreciation of women in cycling across the country.

No more Mommy Jeans !

This last weekend we saw the Amgen Tour of California roll through the local area. Always exciting when I get a chance to see my fellow cyclist in their civilian outfits. A high end road cyclist always maintains that level of fashion that the most recent team kit provides but once off the bike. Hello Mommy jeans and Mid thigh length shorts and the requisite Tour of Palm springs pit stained 2007 finisher shirt.

The real fashion horror of the high end world of club cyclist are the choices some of the women are still apparently forced to make. Gentleman its not 1978 and title IV has long been passed. Nobodies wife, Twinkies or girlfriend should be wearing their old kits, jerseys or god forbid shorts. In honor of WICAM lets all loose the Mommy Jeans and the hand me downs. I am pretty sure Vanderkitten makes a club jersey. Meow !

Look Ma No Hands

The Wicam rider of the year competition continues to heat up faster than the weather. This last weekend at Raincross found two of the more popular WICAM riders battling up the dreaded 4 % climb that lasts 3/4 of a mile.

After the split just for good measure the two girls threw themselves onto the ground during a touch up with some wheels to show how truly tuff they really are. Wicam a tradition unlike any other.

Happy Mothers Day

This year Mother's day fell appropriately in the same month that we enjoy and celebrate Wicam. Here at the Team Redlands unofficial blog we want to thank all the Mom's that raised you and the Mom's who are now raising your kids. A mothers work is never done especially when she raises a cyclist.

Happy Mothers Day.

Tacos or Dana Point ?

This weekend offers some close to home big time racing at the Dana Point Grand Prix. This weekend also features a invitation to Laguna Beach and a party that features a Taco Bar. That took me about 3 seconds to make up my mind as to which event I was going to participate.

Hopefully I will wake up from my Taco Bar induced coma in time to watch some of our locals race the street of Dana Point. Good luck and light your Taco's !

Pull thru or Pull out !

The summer training rides are in full swing here in Redlands. The Tuesday night world championships, Criterium practice on Thursdays and the always entertaining Raincross ride.

With the return of these rides we see a renewed sense of faith, camaraderie, fellowship and friendship. New beginnings and hope. As sense that all mankind's troubles are just going away. We see the latest mentor relationships blossom between master and student. Some fresh faces on new carbon. I can only call myself proud to be associated with this renewal each year.

Here are just a few examples of the wonderment I have seen from my unbearable Fizik saddle so far this summer.

Crit practice has been going on for 3 weeks. We have had 3 language violations, a guy not pull thru. a water bottle thrown at a 3.95 per hour factory worker trying to get home to his kids and a possible attempted murder.

Tuesday nights have seen a guy not pull thru, a unauthorized film crew taking pictures without a signed release a junior pass on the right hand side and a illegal bike change for the 3rd lap.

On the Raincross ride a rider did not pull thru. A guy threw a deuce at the meet up spot and someones mom picked them up at the coffee shop and did not give anyone else a ride home when I know for a fact their was room and juice boxes.

We can't all change our name to Metta World Peace and we cant force a guy to pull thru but for the love of god cant we all just get along its just a bike.

Fenway 100 years

Happy Birthday Fenway Park. On April 20, 1912 you played your first game. 100 years later you look to spank the Yankees just like you did 100 years ago. Happy Birthday.