Because It's Fun?

I've been told by many people that I'm crazy to think riding my bike every day for more than a few miles even remotely qualifies as fun.

So, you think I'm crazy? What about these guys? Warning: This video is probably not kid-friendly and is extremely humorous.

And, apparently, it's all true!

Until next time, ride long and keep the rubber-side down.

Money Can't Buy Love

But I guess it can buy you out of trouble.
Driver sentenced after controversial plea deal in Vail hit-and-run

I wonder if he'll be able to pay someone to do his community service and probation for him, too?

I was so hoping for a better result.

What makes me justifiably angry about this case is the fact that the defendant was handled with such kid gloves by the prosecutor. A prosecutor that has a reputation for aggressively prosecuting defendants for incidents that, according to common sense, are a lot less serious. Throw a snowball at someone at Copperhead? Prosecute. Fudge a race entry to Leadville? Prosecute. Nearly kill a cyclist with your Mercedes and you've got a s**t-ton of money? Plead him out. Read The Explainer article in the link below, it'll give you a good perspective on the whole case and the circumstances surrounding it.

This double-standard isn't supposed to exist in our justice system. I know that it does, and our courts would collapse under the sheer number of cases without plea bargains; but the prosecutor was very wrong not to take this case to trial. A trial, win or lose, would have brought attention to the issues of safe driving and how vulnerable cyclists really are out there. No matter how many cyclists ride on the roads, as is our right, a car will still outweigh a cyclist, both literally and otherwise.

Wow, don't I sound cynical.

More on this case:
The Explainer: Thoughts on Erzinger and why I won't boycott Vail
Friday's Foaming Rant: Restitution or retribution?
District attorney seeks to bar Vail victim's testimony in plea hearing

Until next time, ride long and keep the rubber-side down.

Tipping the Scales of Justice

If a tree falls in the forest and no one's around to hear it, does it make a sound?

Wait, that's not right.

If you take a supplement with a banned substance and the label doesn't list it, did you intentionally ingest a banned substance?

Why yes, yes you did. And here's a two-year suspension for your unintentional mistake.
Court of Arbitration for Sport reduces Flavia Olivera suspension

Perhaps justice in professional cycling does exist after all?

Until next time, ride long and keep the rubber-side down.

Evie Stevens Reloaded

I first heard about Evelyn Stevens last autumn while reading through The New York Times SPOKES blog. Then earlier this year, Bicycling Magazine published the story about her rather meteoric rise from amateur to her riding for HTC this past season. Her story sounds like something out of a fairy tale or a Hollywood movie: A young investment banker races her bike a few times, gets hooked, starts training nearly every spare minute, and eventually leaves her job to pursue The Dream.

And pursue, she has. She made some great results this season with her HTC-Columbia team. I can only think that if she continues to work and learn as she has this season, she will have an even better 2010/2011 season.
Evelyn Stevens signs two-year deal to stay with HTC

Evie, you're my hero.

Until next time, ride long and keep the rubber-side down.