Spin

Recently, Jeff, Corey, Butch and I were sitting at Yia Yia's and talking about Chris Eatough, Craig Gordon and last year's 24hr "Worlds." (In fact, Butch even blogged about it.)

At one point, we started talking about the film "24 Solo" and how it would portray the Gordon's victory. The skeptics (Jeff and I) commented that we felt the spin would be "this is what it takes to beat Eatough." It's a truth that can be embellished to make second place almost look more noble and Gordon a bit more insane. A snippet from the updated trailer is Gordon in the hospital commenting about how he couldn't pull away from Chris.

That's not to take anything away from either guy. It's more of a comment on what happens when you stand behind the view finder and the perspective you take with you when you get there. (including the knowledge of who is paying for the film.)

I am really looking forward to the film. It would be interesting to take someone who doesn't race endurance races or someone who doesn't competitively cycle. After all, I was called (as I am sure many of you were) a lunatic for riding to work in negative temps this week. What would a "non-racer" think of Gordan's win and how will the presentation affect their conclusions regarding 24hr racing, not to mention Eatough and Gordon?

How's that for thinking too much?

Team Over-Analysis signing off.

Simple is Never Simple Enough

Simplify. We spent the weekend finalizing the move to the new Casa de Cronin over the weekend. I thought we kept things fairly minimal but clearly we do not. After three trips to the city mission for donations and a call to the trash man regarding our endless bags of crap, I felt ridiculous. It was good to purge, but still an example of how many "things" you can accumulate for no reason.

I also missed three days of riding, which just fades my mood even further. Back tomorrow with a vengence. I have a flying Canadian on my tail.

"i want to be stereotyped
i want to be classified
i want to be a clone
i want a suburban home
suburban home
suburban home
suburban home
i want to be a statistic
i want to be masochistic
i want to be a clone
i want a suburban home
suburban home
suburban home
suburban home
i don't want no dead beat pad
i want a house just like mom and dad"

Reeking of Genius

DeviantArt.com

By Kris Wilson.

Slow and Low...

... that is the tempo.

Perhaps it's due to starting out my day by riding to the shop and taking the long route with the wind chill at -7 or perhaps it's because it's Friday or better still, maybe it's just me, but I have been a half step behind all day.

Case in point. I see on the TransIowa page that Jesse is listed in the Open class. So, as I am emailing with him about the new BKB kits, I ask why he's running gears and it takes a bit of back and forth for me to catch on that he's still rolling one gear. He simply signed on for open. "Why segregate?" Why indeed.
----
Donations are something I take pretty seriously, though I try to keep it somewhat personal or community oriented when possible. Something stuck me today. A comparison. For me, it's a polar opposite, but I know you could argue differently.

One man failed a drug test, has a large contract but would like assistance. It's impossible to know the truth. I won't pretend to or hazard a guess. But, I will not donate. Floyd.

The other qualifies for CX Worlds. Is likely racing on a small contract and a love of the sport. His governing body isn't footing the bill to get him there so he'd like a little help. To me, this is meaningful. I'm in. Tristan.

That probably should have been two posts. See? Slow.

IF Redux

It's about that time.

Fix Me

On Sunday, Corey felt that my booties were due to be replaced. You be the judge. (I wonder why I get accused of wearing gear into the ground?)

In case you're wondering about the Post Title, Yes, I have been listening to Black Flag.

Hand Me That Axe

I sent my registration in for the Lumberjack today. I love that area of Michigan and am really looking forward to racing there. We have stayed in Onekama, which is just a half hour north of Manistee, for a week nearly every year for 10 years. I've always ridden solo and certainly never raced.

I'm feeling optimistic about 07 and it's off to a great start. A lot of good people are already going to Ouachita and my prediction is TransIowa sees weather just brutal enough for a handful of finishers and more epic stories than you can read safely at work.

I am thinking about adding another 24hr race to the schedule, but am unsure of which one. Suggestions?

The only thing I am not feeling good about right now is the Ohio State Buckeyes. Come On, Godfrey!!! WTF?

Assorted Sidebar: The Snob says Screw the BCS. Boise State should be National Champs.

Six Hours of Wind

Started the day at 6am with Mr. Avey. We started out on gravel but the wind and cold pushed us back toward town where we did a little dance with several patches of black ice before heading back. 8am Jeff rolls to a Triathlon clinic and I meet Corey, Wills and MG for windly gravel love out to Brached Oak and back. Corey and I ended the day at Meadowlark for a coffee just as Marc and the Lincoln Plating crew headed out for a ride. We laughed at the fact that it looked like we would be joining them when we had already been out for six and four hours respectively. That's actually not a bad plan as the Sunday rides get even longer.

Good day. Six hours in saddle. Dog tired. Sleep required. Hopefully a good night's sleep will also equal a descent post.

Beholder

"Sugar, he's going down swinging"

My construction avoidance commute takes me by a new coffee shop called the "Tin Cup." Several weeks ago I had noticed a lovely Vanilla frame outside its doors. Today I paid more attention and noticed they have bikes hanging from the ceiling inside. Any locals been inside this place or know its story? Seems like it might be a good place to grab an espresso.

Speaking of Vanilla, Molly Cameron is currently in Europe racing cross against the Belgium elite. His posts are good reads if you have the time to visit (and since you're bored enough to be here, I know you do.)

Editorial Note: I can't read, apparently. The coffee shop is called simply, "The Cup."

High and Dry

The holidays are over and I couldn't be happier about it. Some people like the change of pace the holidays bring, but I like my humdrum life and am happy to get back to it.

I did take my mtb to Indiana over the holidays. 50s and 60s. Wool Jersey. No cars but a lot of free-ranging dogs. One little mutt followed me for over 5 miles. I kept waiting for him to hit that unknown turnaround point all dogs seem to find, but I don't think the little man had one. He had worked up a good lather and his short legs had problems keeping up on the downhills, but he hammered back on when things flattened out. I thought he would make it the entire distance back to my brother-in-laws. Unfortunately for the little guy, we encountered a pack of six dogs laying in the middle of a gravel section and the game was up. I hope the pup had left something in the gas tank because the pack followed him into the woods when he scampered off.

Paddy says June in Manitoba is beautiful.

... And to All a Good Night

Early to Rise

Early to a Rockstar energy drink.

Killed some time on the bike with Mr. Avey this morning. As usual, the conversation excelled and spawned the Swiss Army Knife comment, "Just read a Kafka novel and shut the fuck up." That one's got multiple uses, (at least in the mock arguments I invent in my mind.)

In less surly news, it's fun reading how many Friends of Snobbery seem to have some product behind them this year, even if the news has only been hinted at so far. Congrats everyone.

Finalized my shopping for Mrs. Snob yesterday and the last store I entered was playing the Pixies instead a Christmas music. I had to thank them warmly before I left, but they said people had actually been complaining about it five minutes earlier.

How can you not love shopping to the music of the band who gave you SurferRosa?

Ikea Home Nesting Instinct

I am a victim, but not of the Ikea type.

Spent most of the evening trying to get the new house organized. Funny how that started with organizing cycling clothing, gear, and trying to decide if the shop is in the basement or the garage. (Basement won after little thought.)

Gary Salutes the BKB.

Dan Jansen Reviews beer (per Joe.)

2007 Year of the Beer

Two down. TransIowa and Ouachita are booked and confirmed for 2007. Friends, Bloggers, countrymen also seem to be confirming left and right. I've said it before and I will say it again. 2007 is the year of post-race smiles and tilting a few back with friends. Gnawing of teeth and grinding of flesh to be followed by laughs and tales of divergent paths.

I'm not excited yet, but I am smiling.

I Heart Headwinds

Just under five hours of ride time.

Welcome to Elmwood, NE.

We're All In

Per G-Ted on the TI blog:

"... we wanted to err to the side of having the lottery than not, but........it looks as though we do not have to have the lottery! Yes, that means you all got in. We are still processesing the roster info at this time and we will have it posted up as soon as we possibly can. Stay tuned and congratulations."

Game On.

Trick Question

Perhaps by winning the lottery?

I sent only one postcard. Mistake? We shall see.

Paddy says if his name is pulled, he's coming. Can you win your own preem? If so, I suspect he'll share.

CreepyFriendly sent a card. MW sent something early. (I never know what blog to link to with MW.)

Who else has applied? Anyone else just through out one card?

Knowing my luck, there are 101 cards and I am the runt dalmation who'll get left at the side of the road.

Tagged.

I was wondering if this would work its way to me and Syd has apparently taken care of it. Six interesting things about the Snob that most people don't know (but yet I am willing to blog about.)

1. One of my degrees is in Creative Writing, but while I often think of things to write about, I rarely write. For a short period of time, I sent submissions to McSweeney's. After getting a few efforts to their "Open Letters" section glowingly reviewed but rejected, I sent a submission to the "Letters" section and they took it and only made one major edit. (If you do a find on page for 'Cronin,' you can see it.) I haven't submitted anything else anywhere since.

2. I suffer from a ridiculous duality of both not caring what people think and occassionally taking things far to personally, even if it's pointless. For example, if someone were to say behind my back, "Don't talk to him. He's the enemy." You will have likely just earned yourself an enemy who's happy to assume that role for you, even if I don't really know you in the first place and you may have been joking anyway.

3. I am adopted and my biological mother is currently in an aslyum.

4. The two fictional movie characters I identify with most are both played by Matt Damon, which creeps me out a little.

5. I am a hypocrite when it comes to forgiveness. I believe that most people lack the strength to truly forgive and I have a hard time forgiving them for that.

6. When I lived in Chicago, I would occassionally hustle people on DePaul's campus by playing them in basketball for money. One of the standout lines from those days was some guy on the sidelines yelling out, "He Dan Marjele'd (sp?) that MotherFucker!! He Dan Marjele'd that MotherFucker!!" after a little 5'9" white kid went up over a much taller guy for the score and game ender.

There are lots of people I would love to know more about, but I am not going to tag them. The way this is going, it will happen anyway.