Chris' Big Trip

One of the great perks of my job as the Special Projects Cooridinator at our college is traveling to France each fall to interview new students entering our spring Poli Sci program. Back in 2003, I figured out that I could take my bike with me and meet a whole new group of people and explore France by bike in between assignments.

One of the clubs I've ridden with over the years is the Houilles club. I met Jean-Manuel several years ago while waiting in the forest near St. Germain for another training group I'd met the year before. Standing in the rain, disappointed that I'd missed them, a group of blue and yellow jerseys came by. I tagged on to the back of the group, the ugly duckling in my orange and red Free Flight jersey and did my best to slaughter the French language. Soon one of the club's English speakers rotated next to me and my friendship with Jean-Manuel was born.

This year I'm lucky enough to be able to plan my visit to allow three organized rides with the club. The first will be a new one for me, Versailles-Chambord, a 216k randonnee south to the beautiful hunting castle of Francois the 1st in Chambord.

Also on the docket is the 150k De Selle en Selle randonnee from Maisons-Laffitte to Chantilly and back, the two premier equestrian centers of France (the first built by Louis XIV's ill-fated minister of the treasury and the second the home of Chantilly whipped cream).

Stay tuned.

Bicycle Repairman

Talking with a friend the other day, I was surprised he'd never seen the 'Bicycle Repairman' Monty Python sketch. Doubly surprised because he's a bike shop owner as well. Perhaps this dates me a bit; only riders 'of a certain age' might be familiar with it.

The video brings back a flood of memories for me. I first saw it in 1980 when I was hired by King Cyclery in Milwaukee as a 16yr old bike mechanic trainee. Jim King, the shop's owner, had a bunch of shirts made with BR emblazoned in the familiar Superman crest on the chest. For me, it was the start of a long relationship with bicycles.

Friends day out

Few things are more enjoyable for me than riding with my wife and some good friends. We met at the Dubuque shop in the morning, sun shining, air drying out a bit and headed west on a familiar run to Epworth.

The pace was a comfortable spin, more of a recovery ride pace for Mike and I, but going up Humke Rd's climb is always an effort, especially at the beginning of a ride. Our group, my wife and I, Mike and his wife Molly, and our good riding friend Tammy, rode along in various formations. Sunday morning traffic was light and most folks still had a sermon echoing in their brains, so maybe that made them a bit more tolerant and understanding of bicycles on the road.

In Epworth we turned north to climb up to Bankston and then ride east on Park Hollow Rd. Park Hollow snakes it's way between the forested hills, cutting through farms, meandering with a stream. It occurred to me that this would be one place I would want to show a cyclist from another country; this is world class cycling. About five miles on this road was a gift and then we paid for it with the steep climb up to Highway 52. On to Sherill and then the high road downhill to Dubuque.

Coffee, smoothies and a sandwich at the Cafe Mana Java and life is good.

The Largest Collection of Ronald McDonald Art in the World

or how I spent my two days at the Downer's Grove National Criterium Championships.

First thing, Hotwire is a really cool way to stay in four star hotels for the price of a room in a Days Inn. I use it all of the time and haven't been disappointed yet. So for the Downer's Grove weekend, I went to Hotwire to get a room for Saturday night and, voila, a four star room, complete with marble floor bathrooms and a scenic, park-like atmosphere, on the McDonald Campus in Oak Brook. Two thing about Hotwire: first, there's no turning back; second, you have to get to the hotel early to get the best room. If you, say, wait until your evening race is finished and take in part of the men's pro race at 7pm, then your reservation will tumble down from that king-sized bed to a queen and down to two doubles.

Ok, so a 6'6" vegetarian is sleeping with the corporate leaders of McDonalds on a bed he hasn't been able to fit on since he was in fifth grade.

One more observation about the hotel. This has to be the largest collection of what appears to be serious attempts at art, using McDonalds as a theme, in the world. I didn't realize this until after the race Sunday morning when I was strolling the halls of the hotel trying to find the whirlpool. I walked past a dozen paintings, oils and watercolors, not really focusing on them (key to subliminal advertising), but pleased that there was original artwork everywhere, when an absolutely astounding piece caught my eye. There was an oil painting of three people in medieval garb in front of a stained glass church window with the Golden Arches in the leaded glass. If the artist wanted to disturb the viewer physically and spiritually at the same time, he or she succeeded.

Then I noticed that everyone of the paintings on each floor, hanging between each room, somehow had a McDonald's theme. A hole at St. Andrews golf course, a beautiful cloud formation and lush greens? That's Ronald putting. A bucolic American fishing scene, with some children fishing at the end of the pier? Those aren't regular lunch bags next to them; focus a little more and notice the iconic white bags with golden arches.

The jacuzzi was out of order and it was definitely time to check out.

And the racing. Saturday night's Men's 3/4 was a large field of over a hundred riders and, for the most part a good race. I bumped (literally) into Triple XXX riders and was reminded why I wanted to upgrade to 3's last year. One fellow even pushed me out of the way, from behind and yelled at me. I told him to do something to himself and was scolded by his teammates and told to 'ride my bike.' My reaction should have been to lean against the push, putting him and his fellows on pavement, but it was an indication that my head wasn't into the racing. I rode smart and stayed in the first ten wheels or so, but, as my English friend Geoff would say, I was a 'no-hoper'. I got shelled with about five laps to go and pulled off.

Ditto for the 3's race on Sunday morning. After Saturday's race, all kinds of thinking happened. Not enough sleep, bad warm up, bad nutrition, etc., etc. When it happened again on Sunday, at the same point in the race, I realized I just wasn't fit enough. 'Not enough miles' as Geoff would say. Too many races and not enough time to work on the base again after the Super Week debacle.

One good thing was connecting with folks I've grown to consider my friends, and meet some new people. And, in the end, that's what this riding/racing thing is all about. Transcending results and performance, it's about people doing something they love with other people. Results are nice, though...