Incentive.
What motivates you? Why do you put the time and effort and money into racing, or riding? What is there to gain? Fame? Fortune? Fitness? Does the traditional carrot and stick incentive apply to bike riding? Or backcountry skiing? Or… anything at all? Perhaps not (h/t Dave). Perhaps we are more motivated by meaning, passion, and […]
Guide to the Divide
The world’s toughest bike race is not in France. So claim the riders of the Tour Divide. 2,700 miles. 200,000 vertical. 2 Countries. 4 States. Unsupported. It’s big. And remote and beautiful and for me, way out of the realm of possibility—for now. Each year that possibility becomes reality for a few more riders. This […]
The Cannibal
Every sport has an athlete that is its undisputed ‘best ever’. Mostly, anyway. While many will argue, debate, and discuss who those athletes are, there are never more than a few names in the conversation. And even then, when overall domination is the topic, any disagreement is usually semantic. For example, Babe Ruth was the […]
Win Any Race
Imagine this: You awake one morning to find a man standing next to your bed. Maybe he looks like Don Cheadle, and calls himself Cash. He offers you something—a glimpse, but even better. He tells you to pick a bike race—any bike race—to ride in. And not only that, but he promises that as part […]
Firsts
You always remember your first. The first day of school. The first kiss. The first day without training wheels. Or that first heartbreak, when she let you know that “we should just be friends.” First tracks. The first baseball game. I was 10. August 6, 1988. Baltimore, Maryland. Orioles versus Brewers. The rain fell in […]
Unrace One.
The banter was light as we waited for other riders to arrive. “Is Fatty coming?” “Said he was.” “Aaron is on his way.” “Hope he brought his legs.” “Did you bring yours?” “You’ll find out.” We rolled out casually, a pace that lasted at least 100 meters. The moment we passed the pay station the […]
The Unraces
I’m not a roadie. I’ve never done a traditional road race with breakaways, a peleton, and insufferable snobs telling me to pull more often*. The closest I have come to anything resembling a road race is LOTOJA. I rode that once, in 2004. And while I realize that technically it is a race, the group […]
