List Lurker: 08-20-10

While you were busy hitting the delete key, I was busy living vicariously as a lonely list-lurker.  Here's what you missed on the regional cycling list-serves...

The Virginia Cycling Association had quite a lot to say this week:

• River City Women's Racing and Alan North America are hosting the Second Annual Women's Cyclocross Clinic and Skills Share at 9:00 a.m. on August 29th.  It's free to everyone with a license and one-day licenses will be available.  It will be held at The Carillon in Richmond.  You need to contact the promoter for information or to reserve your space.
• If you won a state championship medal in the hill climb or the road race events, it's officially "last call."  If you want your medal -- and let's be honest, you know you do so you can wear it around your house to impress your kids -- you need to contact the VACA Permit King and coordinate pickup or shipping.  He'll be at the State Championship TT this weekend if that works for you.  You can get your medal and then wear it during the TT!  Talk about So Pro...
• For all you 'cross junkies, Mark Junkermann is putting on the "Sorry, Honey, I Gotta Work Late" Wednesday Night 'Cross Series.  It'll run on Wednesday evenings between September 8th and 22nd. You can register for the sweet suffering here and get flowers for your wife here.  It helps reduce the "not-so-sweet suffering."
• Speaking of 'cross racing, Mill Mountain in Roanoke will be the site of some ghoulish experiments: the Freakout at Fallon.  The locals will be looking for 'cross racers every Saturday during October for some old school training races and paranormal experiments.  Sign up.  The truth is out there.
• One promoter needs to borrow about 40 hay bales for an upcoming race.  Another poster reminded him of the obvious: straw bales are cheaper (as every cyclist who feeds his own cattle knows!).  So if you have two or forty hay bales gathering dust around your service course, drop the promoter a line.  Most likely he'll accept straw bales.  So go ahead an drop him a line if that's all you have.

MABRA, as usual, posted like a mighty wind...

• Remember how the Ride Sally Ride Criterium became Rain Stormy Rain a while back?  Well, the promoter wanted to let everyone know that all the refunds for races that were not held have been sent out.  Pre-reg.com even refunded service charges on these races.  Even with these refunds, the team was able to donate $350 to the Wounded Warrior Project and wants to say "thank you" for everyone's understanding.  If you have not received your refund, however, contact the promoter and say "I want my two dollars!"
• Ryan Simpson won the Chesapeake Criterium 30+ race this past weekend.  His prize was a ping-pong table.  Ryan is very upset but his anger doesn't seem to have riled the MABRA'inians all that much.  Seems when you have a blog called "The Flying Midget" no one really cares how mad you are.  It's not so effective to say "Me Angry!  Me Smash Ping-Pong Ball!" when you are The Flying Midget.  It just sort of comes out like "we represent the lollypop guild, blah, blah, follow the yellow brick road..."
• MABRA's getting 'cross crazy as well.  If you want a real experience and can get the weekend hall-pass, check out the Guns, Grits, and Gravel 'Cross Clinic at the Lost River Barn on August 28-29th.  They've got some top-shelf talent coming in to help you get in position for some wins this fall. And they are promising an "authentic WV activity."  Don't know what this means, but I will assume it's also top shelf. Check it out and go get your fix.
• Finally, the Social Advocacy Cyclist of the Week has to be Fabrizio Roman.  There was some call from some folks living somewhere nearby to hold a peaceful protest against someone else who wanted to do something that they didn't like.  Or maybe they wanted these things to happen.  I didn't really understand because of all the fear-mongering.  All I know is that I was inspired by Fabsroman's commitment to social justice as he admitted that even though he has plans with his wife that day and is a little too lazy to check out other options, he is still willing to think about "drafting an e-mail" and sending it out to as many people as necessary.  Truly an example of the "tree of liberty being watered by the blood of patriots."  Fabsroman is basically Gandhi with a G'Mail address.  So, for your willingness to give up what is most dear in the service of others, Mr. Roman, you are MABRA's Social Advocacy Cyclist of the Week.

Got any comments, interpretations, re-interpretations, or mis-interprations?  Send them to me; I've got nothing better to do than to sit in my darkened room and live vicariously as a list-lurker...

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Gus Grissom races for Team GamJams Racing, teaches Greek and Latin at DeMatha Catholic High School, and writes a dissertation in his spare time.  He compiles this column strictly for fortune and glory.