Monday, February 3, 2014

You're welcome

Snake.2 report to come.  But first, let's talk about spectators at a bike race.

They are THE BEST!  Hands down, nothing is better (as a racer) than seeing someone willing to stand around in the woods (or near the woods) and cheer on strangers who ride by.  For real, it's an energy boost.  It's great.  Wonderful even!  I love it, and try to thank them as I ride by whenever I can.

Sunday I attended the Winter Short Track series as a spectator - this time I drove because my legs were a bit sore from Saturday's endeavor.  To bring more cheer and joy to the scene we decided to do doughnut and cookie handups.  I bought a bunch of both and showed up later than planned.  When I got on the scene things were pretty dead.  I also discovered that the size of cookies have shrunk since I was a kid - totally not hand up material...  so it was doughnuts only.

As the sport class went off the crowd grew and we got a couple riders to go for the doughnuts.  The crowd went NUTS every time a rider grabbed a doughnut.  Brian Bradley was the crowd favorite as he grabbed a plain and then requested a chocolate doughnut on a subsequent lap.  TWO doughnuts in one race - winner!!  Most riders didn't reach for a doughnut.  Some ignored it, some laughed, others politely declined.  It was all in good fun after all.

Then there was the guy... The one rider who couldn't appreciate the joy of doughnuts and instead smacked a doughnut out of my hand.  On the next time around the same rider AGAIN tried to smack a doughnut from my hand (this time missing).

I guess he was working really hard for his "race" and a doughnut offer was way too much of a distraction for him - cause you know, a doughnut on the side of the trail will totally screw up your pro line man.  Whatever, I figured he really wanted a doughnut so he got a doughnut soft toss on the next lap, to which a clever "Fuck You" was thrown my way.

We continued doughnut handups and people continued to participate, or not, and fun was had by all.  Would I take a doughnut if it was offered to me in a race?  Probably.  Not that I would necessarily want a doughnut... but if you are willing to come out and support us as we race, then I might as well pay my respect by enjoying the what you have to offer.  Although, as the great Sideburns once said...


I'd rather have a beer




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