GamJams.net: Go, Racing!

List Lurker: 10-28-11

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...

For the Virginia Cycling Association, messages just didn't pop up as folks began hibernating:

• Even the races are hibernating: the Virginia Beach Wheelmen announced that the Bennett's Creek Cyclocross race would be cancelled this year; it will return next year, but registration isn't open yet.
• But if you want to race in a cool place this weekend, you'll want to hit up the Urban Cross at IX over in Charlottesville.  Registration is still open and they even do race-day registration for the latest of the late to the party.  So get out there and party with these dudes!

For MABRA, the pace of message traffic was equally slow, as if to say "winter is really coming again":

• The big race this weekend is Kinder 'Kross out in Severna Park, MD.  Space is limited but there's plenty of it (and there's race day registration).  So get out there and earn some points in this series (whichever one it is since we've all pretty much lost track).
• There was yet another call for a "huge grassroots movement" to stop some sort of nonsense among Republican lawmakers.  I'm all for it.  Let's occupy the list-serve this week and see if we can really bring it to its knees.  Sure, we could march on Washington, but it's going to be cold and it's really more of a "hit the rollers" weekend.  Perhaps we could occupy a 'cross race instead?
• For all clubs that host races, don't forget that MABRA reimburses some of the cost of moto-ref insurance and timing services (for TT's).  If you've not gotten your big pile of money back, drop the MABRA Treasurer a line and say "where's my big pile of money?"
• This week the list-serve said "good-bye" to Sonny4114.  He's been a loyal follower since March, 2008 when he offered praise for a great Snowball Crit down in Virginia Beach.  Completely spent from the effort, he hasn't posted since and this week he finally said "no mas."  The list is a darker place without Sonny (who just got sunnier day by day) but our community is so passionate that every time a poster falls by the wayside, there are two more ready to take up the cause!

Got any new interpretations, re-interpretations, or mis-interpretations?  Send them to me so I can take a little delight in my dark, lonely world.

--

Gus Grissom races for The November Bicycles CX Experience, teaches History and Latin at Flint Hill School in Vienna, and writes a dissertation in his spare time.  He compiles this column strictly for fortune and glory.

 

 

 

List Lurker: 10-14-11

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.

For the Virginia Cycling Association there was nothing funny, just business:

• And the top item of business is the VCA Annual Meeting for scheduling, rules changes, and such items.  It's being held at Endorphin Fitness on November 20th at 9:30.  Here's all sorts of directions.  Now if you want links to all the forms you use to propose rule changes and scheduling issues, you'll have to go here.  I suggest we make these kits mandatory in every race.  Other thoughts?
• The Town of Luray in the Valley of Page is at it again: Luray Caverns CX!  Registration opens this Sunday at 8:00 p.m. in the evening.  You'll want to go to the registration sites early (don't worry, it's BikeReg.) and check out the categories and times because they aren't the same as the ones in all twenty dozen of the various 'cross series we've got going on right now.
• There were about 12 e-mails about wearing IPods and other music devices during races and while riding around the venues dodging cars and such.  Some were for it, others against, most just thought "that's weird.  Who would do that?"  So how about we just follow the rules and keep it simple: if it goes in your ear, take it out when you are riding your bike.  Otherwise, something nasty is likely to happen to you.
• The VACX Series is heating up.  Scores are posted here and you can take our pick of which series you will contest based on which one you've done the best in so far.

For MABRA, it was a little more funny business:

• Joe Dombrowski is selling some 'cross bikes!  Seriously.  This guy is going to be a superstar someday with his own JoeStrong campaign or something and you can own one or two of his bikes like right now!  Imagine the feeling of power you'll get when you straddle his saddle and experience a junk-to-junk-by-proxy brush with greatness.  If you want one of his bikes, drop him a line.  They are fast; I've seen them.
• For all the clubs out there, it's time to reserve a weekend during which to host your epic corporate park crit.  Check out the draft calendar here and start sorting out the dates amonsgst yourselves.  Seriously, it's sort of up to you to wrangle it out and do that thing where you compromise with another team.  Drop Jim Patton a line if you can't play nice with others.  Some dates, like Easter Sunday, have already been nailed down.
• You know how "all" the 'cross races open their registration at 8:00 p.m. on Sundays?  Well, not the Capital Cross Classic!  It opens at 7:30 p.m. in the evening on Sunday.  So check out and get ready to click like the wind a little earlier than usual if you want the hot spot for the hole shot. 

Got any new interpretations, re-interpretations, or mis-interpretations?  Send them to me so I can take a little delight in my dark, lonely world.

--

Gus Grissom races for Team GamJams Racing, teaches History at Flint Hill School in Vienna, and writes a dissertation in his spare time.  He compiles this column strictly for fortune and glory.

 

List Lurker: 10-07-11

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...

For the Virginia Cycling Association, the buzz was about a few upcoming races and goods for sale:

• Okay, it's not a race, but the Shockoe Joe Espresso Ride is back!  You can be friends with this whole event on The Facebook or you can just be ready to roll from Shockoe Espresso every Saturday at 9:30.
• What is a race is the Richmond Festival of Cross and it's happening this weekend.  You'll want to touch base with the promotor and make sure you can still get a great horrible spot on the grid for all the hot racing action your wheels can stand.
• There was a nice sales pitch from one Virginian willing to part with their Higher Peak Altitude Systems, one of those funky devices that cuts off your oxygen while you sleep so it's like you are climbing Mt. Everest in your pajamas.  Apparently you go faster if you learn to need less oxygen or something; the science scares me.  The response from Col. Leary was pretty brutal when she invited all of Virginia to join her in Afghanistan for some government-funded high altitude training. Dang. It takes some nerve to lord it over the rest of us poor cyclists who don't have the chance to enjoy the training environment in Afghanistan but instead have to suffer through a normal winter of base miles without the whole getting-shot-at thing going on around us. Way to show off your good fortune, Colonel, you lucky dog...  (and be safe, please!  We wants our Stoney Creek Time Trial back on the schedule!)

For Virginia, it was a week of unique announcements:

• The BAR Standings are nearly final.  I didn't win; neither did you.  Move on.  There's nothing to see here...
• One of the "go to" rides of MABRA's off-season is now officially a "no go to" ride.  The Sunday morning Bicycle Place ride out of Silver Spring is not happening this year.  Apparently it was an issue of too many complaints about cyclists blowing off the traffic laws and generally wreaking havoc in Montgomery County.  But since we're the good guys, I'll assume it's actually just "the man" keeping us down.  So it was announced as "DOA" this week.  I think what they meant was "DOSOWOST" (Dead On Start Of Winter Off Season Training) but you get the drift.  It is no more; it has expired and shuffled off its mortal coil.  It is an ex-ride.
• Speaking of cyclists as the good guys who would never blow through stop signs or simulate races on public streets which are not closed for such purposes and should be shared with pedestrians and other legal users of said streets, a great video or two was posted of the hot not-racing-but-actually-following-the-law-in-a-civilized-manner action down at Haynes' Pointe Velodrome.  So if you want to know why folks love us so dang much, watch this video; we're saints!  Seriously, we're the good guys who obey all the traffic laws (except at :07 into the video...) What I love about helmet cams is that they are surely never, ever to be used as evidence in court of law.  Who would do that?  Not the Park Police or anything...
• While we're on videos, Garner Woodall gave into his urge and posted another XTraNormal video about psy-chu-lo-cross.  I didn't watch it myself; these things can kiss my butt.  But he's passionate about them and passion should be rewarded.
• Finally, ABRA wants MABRA to set aside a couple of dates: Saturday, March 31st for the Morgantown Road Race and Saturday, May 26th for the Tour of Tucker County.  Mr. JRPetsko Petsko just wants MABRA not to schedule stuff on the schedule so we can drive over the mountain to ABRA and ride back up them!  Good races are held out there; so, MABRA, be nice to ABRA with this request, okay?

Got any new interpretations, re-interpretations, or mis-interpretations?  Send them to me so I can take a little delight in my dark, lonely world.

--

Gus Grissom races for Team GamJams Racing, teaches History at Flint Hill School in Vienna, and writes a dissertation in his spare time.  He compiles this column strictly for fortune and glory.

 

List Lurker: 09-30-11

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...

For the Virginia Cycling Association, there were some opportunities to enter the muddy fray:

• The Fat Frogs are hosting Frogs on the Farm out in Chesapeake, VA this Sunday, October 2nd.  Fields are still small so your chances of a hole shot are still high.  Get out into the fall weather and ride amphibiously, using both legs equally well.
• Roanoke and Starlight Bicycles plays host to the Freakout at Fallon on October 22nd of next month.  They have a "$40K Gear Junkie Treasure Hunt."  I'm not sure what that is, but if $40K means $40,000 dollars, it might be time to make that trip to Roanoke you've always been talking about.
• The "feel-good of the year" came out this week in the Richmond Magazine.  They ran a story about the community outreach efforts of Richmond Pro Cycling (you know they are pro because their name has pro in it!) and it's efforts to help youths pedal their way out of bad life situations.  Read this article; you'll feel better about humanity's future.

For MABRA, I can't lie.  It was a confusing week:

• As if there aren't enough cyclocross series and championships out there, it was announced that there will be a MABRA BAR for cyclocross this year.  Categories will be "the usual" with the possible inclusion of "40+, Right-handed, GamJams List Lurkers who wear bifocals from time to time."  Details will follow soon but every race might be part of this and the results will only calculate your best 10 races.  So do well every time you race, but try to do really well at least 10 times.
• A new category was created for Cyclocrossers as Bill Schieken was credited with a 7th place finish in the Category 5 for Tacchino.  Yes, it might be time to upgrade.  But it also might be time to harass a promoter or something...  Or, maybe blame it on the race announcer?
• Speaking of harassing a promoter, the results from Tacchino brought out the best in some folks as "Allyson" brought it to the MABRA's attention that she "lapped Brancheau and was only a few riders back from Bill Wheeler."  If so, she asked, why was she listed as DNF?  She finished, dammit!  Gotta love that "reply to all" feature.  And, for the record, Brancheau claims to be a "slow Cat 3" who was chicked but not lapped.  Let's get that straight at least!
• It would seem that Allyson actually cracked the secret promoters tried to keep to themselves: when you promote a race, as a reward for months of work, you are granted omniscience.  Not only can you tell which portajohn is running low on poop tickets and where the best five remaining parking spots are, you have complete consciousness of all riders in all races at all times.  You know what each person's grid position was, how many people they've passed, how often they've been passed, who they trained harder than, what each of their lap times was at Granogue last year - EVERYTHING.  The strangest thing is that all you perceive is color; beautiful, vibrant, glorious color.  Nearly blinding, but oh the color!
• In other news, everyone is reminded that the protest period extends 15:00 after results are posted.  Perhaps we should "reply to all" with "thank you, Mr. Promoter Man.  I brought it to the official's attention in the protest period and they cleared it all up.  Great race!  Great venue!  See you next year!"

Got any new interpretations, re-interpretations, or mis-interpretations?  Send them to me so I can take a little delight in my dark, lonely world.

--

Gus Grissom races for Team GamJams Racing, teaches History at Flint Hill School in Vienna, and writes a dissertation in his spare time.  He compiles this column strictly for fortune and glory.

 

 

List Lurker: 09-22-11

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...

For the Virginia Cycling Association, there was some big (and long) news this week:

• The long news is that the Virginia Ultra Distance Bicycle Championship is open for registration.  So if you have a few hours to kill -- 6 or 12 to be specific -- just register and head on over to Suffolk, VA next weekend to get your fix.  It's only $30, so the cost/minute is pretty much in your favor.
• While you're going long, why not go dirty as well and hit up the William and Mary Mountain Bike Classic this weekend?  It's not just for boozy college kids; boozy adult-kids can sign up as well. Give it a shot.  What's the worse that can happen?  You get beat by some college coeds and have to party with them later?
• Finally, the big news this week was the announcement that Richmond will host the World Championships in 2015.  By now, I'm guessing everyone knows about this; so I'll just say "mark your calendars now."  2015 will be here in only like 1,463 days or so.  Time to start putting in the base miles.

 As for MABRA, the news was less big and long, more loud and annoying...

• Joe Jefferson started the week off with some race promotion.  He's got a 'cross race going on at Fort Ritchie.  The charity cause is Breast Cancer, which is fitting considering all the Agent Orange.  Regardless, he wanted everyone to know that one reason to do this race was the "resigned course" [sic].  So either the course has lots of great new signs on it or it's completely given up and can't take it no more.  Still, I think you should register in case it's about new signs...
• Speaking of shameless plugs, apparently Squadra Coppi has some sponsors.  How can I tell?  Because every e-mail we see from them is an ad for somebody giving big money to their club for something (probably to get free advertising on the list-serve).  This week it was all about the Therapy-Tape that they are going to give everyone at the Tacchino Cyclocross.  So, if you haven't already, get registered and ask for -- nay, demand! -- free schwag.  This team is rolling in sponsor dough... (Oh, and they like to eat at their Eye-talian joint sponsor as well.  Join them for happy hour this week or the next or the next...)
• With registrations, of course, you don't want to ignore the DCCX, scheduled for October 23rd.  Registration opens up this Sunday at, like 9:15 or something (I sort of forget.  You should too...).  So you'll want to be ready to register so you get a good spot on the grid and have a hope of beating me to the hole-shot.
• Finally, MABRA did catch up with the news about Richmond hosting the World Championships in 2015.  When the news initially broke we got the headline "HOLY COW" from Cub Reporter Sean Yeager.  A mere twenty-four hours after the news broke, Almost-Cub Reporter Jeff Anderson caught wind of it and thought "I bet I'm the only one who knows this.  Better make uh announcement!"  So we got "pretty exciting news" from him almost in the nick of time.  First off, "HOLY COW" always trumps "pretty exciting."  But, more importantly, if it's been a day since the initial story, perhaps assume that the Twitters and Facespaces have already broken the news for you...

Got any new interpretations, re-interpretations, or mis-interpretations?  Send them to me so I can take a little delight in my dark, lonely world.

--

Gus Grissom races for Team GamJams Racing, teaches History at Flint Hill School in Vienna, and writes a dissertation in his spare time.  He compiles this column strictly for fortune and glory.

 

List Lurker: 09-09-11

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 was leaning forward into the fall season:

• Fall season, of course, means cyclocross and a new registration opened up this week for Frogs On The Farm out in Chesapeake VA.  Not to put to fine a point on it, but the Fat Frogs are putting on lots of categories and lots of races, so get hopping and get in one (sorry, that bad schtick just snuck out somehow).
• The Residential Ruckus, however, is less amphibian and more street sprint'ian.  It's your last chance to race on the road for a while, so you may want to make the drive out to Suffolk this weekend while you still can.
• Oh, and if you are a Virginia Beach team, you have been personally called out by Keith Johnson who says (basically) "we came to your silly little race(s), now you must come to our Residential Ruckus with a Huffy Toss and Street Sprints since it has a prize list and -- apparantly -- yours did not."  So if you are a Virginia Beach team, you've been warned.  If you don't race this weekend, Keith has quite the bee in his bonnet and is not going to be at your race next year.  No use crying!  It's a done deal.

For MABRA, it was a wet week that included a flashback from the early road season:

• You may ask "who watches over you?"  Well, DC Mountain Bike has been taking the road season by storm this year and now they are ready to watch over you and teach you how to take the 'cross season in style.  Check out their list of cyclocross workshops, including one for women only, and let the guys who have been winning all year show you how it's done.
• Seems like just months ago we were getting races cancelled every week and bemoaning the fate of the sport.  Well, get ready to bemoan some more: the LoCo X was going to provide a good test of your early season form; now it will be a late season test of your ability to suffer in the cold.  The promoter assured MABRA that this was more like the original post-WWI sport that the Belgians had in mind anyways.  So get ready to wait to get ready and then get really ready to race this WWI-style event.
• One race that is still on is the Tacchino Cyclocross on September 25th.  The promoter has promised warmer weather, cooler beer, more fun and suffering, and less not-fun and pleasant feelings (it's a weird cyclocross thing).  They want you to not only come out to their race, but also "build a little birdhouse in your soul" for the Tacchino.  Yes, it's a odd reference, but they might, in fact, be giants if this race is as good as they promise. 

Got any new interpretations, re-interpretations, or mis-interpretations?  Send them to me so I can take a little delight in my dark, lonely world.

--

Gus Grissom races for Team GamJams Racing, teaches History at Flint Hill School in Vienna, and writes a dissertation in his spare time.  He compiles this column strictly for fortune and glory.

 

List Lurker: 09-02-11

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 week was pretty calm for the Virginia Cycling Association:

• If you are a woman and interested in cyclocross, the Third Annual Women's Cyclocross Clinic is the place you'll want to be next week.  It was rescheduled for the 10th of September to avoid all the basic hurricane-yness of Irene last week.  You'll find everyone at The Carillon in Richmond, VA ready to hit the dirt running towards the goal of you winning.
• Bill Henderson skype'd in from Switzerland to let us know that the BAR is (almost) updated.  Give it a minute and then check it out right here.  I said wait!  Not yet.  Okay, now.
• Speaking of the BAR, the last event on the VA road calendar is the Residential Ruckus.  They'll be raising said ruckus down in Suffolk next weekend, September 10th, and you can still get in on the action.  Just register and race; you'll wish you did that "one last race" in a few months when hurricanes are replaced by snow. 

For MABRA, it was a week of ups, downs, youngs and olds:

• One big up goes to the BAR Administrator for updating (again!) the BAR.  You don't have to wait for this one; just click here and revel in your glory.
• One big down was that the All Hallows Cross was cancelled because it wasn't feasible to be held.  No details were given, but regrets were felt all around.  Sorry, folks, you can't race in costume this year.
• Another big up was felt from around the world as MABRA's own, Joe Dombrowski, won his first Euro race!  Check out a good article here and get a glimpse of how fast Joe is here.  When you see him, tell him "Gus says you're fast."  He'll believe you.
• Of course, another downer was that "the man" shut down some event known as "Guerrila Cross."  Evidently a group of scofflaws were practicing their cyclocross anarchy where they shouldn't've been practicing and they got shut down.  Sucks that law stuff does.  Fortunately for law-abiding citizens everywhere there are folks like Greg Abbott who admits "the man" enforced the law and immediately asked "any ideas for a new location (in which to violate the law)?"  Atta'boy Abbott, making winning friends and influencing authorities so cyclists everywhere will be loved and protected...
• Finally, speaking of things that were up but are now down, there was a new one-of-these threads as someone posted an article mourning the "death of the group ride."  Yes, it brought out all the ol' geezers to reminisce about the good ol' days when they rode with down-tube shifters and leather "skid lids" while serving their apprenticeship in the (faux) Pro peleton.  I read this article and couldn't help but notice that one "lesson learned" from these oldies but (no longer) fast-ies was that apparently they all learned "to take [their] cycling shorts off immediately after every ride."  What kind of creepy old men were your riding with?  Us young guys, we may hammer too much for you, but we just get a beer afterwards.  Nobody never says nothing to me about taking my shorts off...

Got any new interpretations, re-interpretations, or mis-interpretations?  Send them to me so I can take a little delight in my dark, lonely world.

--

Gus Grissom races for Team GamJams Racing, teaches History at Flint Hill School in Vienna, and writes a dissertation in his spare time.  He compiles this column strictly for fortune and glory.

 

List Lurker: 08-26-11

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 was too busy buying emergency supplies to post much:

• But one emergency supply they couldn't buy was an indoor cyclocross training facility.  That's why this weekend's Women's Cyclocross Clinic, hosted by River City Women's Racing, has been postponed to September 10th.  Sorry folks, cyclocross is mostly an all-weather sport, but the park grounds are not hurricane-proof and they won't need any cyclists' help getting torn up this weekend.
• Registration is still open for the Rocktown Cyclocross Festival on October 16th.  If you act fast, you can still get a front-row spot in every category for the racing in Harrisonburg, VA.  As the promoter notes, the venue is only about two hours from DC, but a good cyclist should be able to shave 15-20 minutes off that with no problem.

 MABRA was less focused on hurricane prep and more focused on posting things:

• It became official this week: The Turkey Day has been cancelled.  For those of you just honing your form to a razor-sharp peak, relax.  Your season just ended.
• Some HTC-Columbia bib-shorts were found in the porta-potty at the Dawg Days Circuit Race. Andrew Steele noted that "this is too special... it's like the jokes write themselves."  No, Andrew, they don't.  I generally write them and I've got nothing.  This whole thread had potential but it went down the crapper after you refused to squeeze out even one little joke.  This thread stinks and I wipe my hands of it.
• Want to get your fast on at the MABRA Track Championships?  You can still register for the omnium scheduled for September 17th.  An alternate plan, of course, would be not to register but just complain to the list about how much you would really want to drive up there for just one event like the Flying 200M but the registration fee is simply too high to justify your time commitment.  I mean why shouldn't the promoter let folks do whatever they want?  "That's the way they do it in the Southeast Region!"  Another plan, of course, when you don't like the way the promoter is running a race is just promote your own dang race!"  But, you don't and you won't.  That's too much like work...
• Due to the signs and portents, the Claymont Classic, scheduled for this Sunday, has been canceled.  Like the other folks peaking for Turkey Day, your season just ended.

Got any new interpretations, re-interpretations, or mis-interpretations?  Send them to me so I can take a little delight in my dark, lonely world.

--

Gus Grissom races for Team GamJams Racing, teaches History at Flint Hill School in Vienna, and writes a dissertation in his spare time.  He compiles this column strictly for fortune and glory.

 

List Lurker: 08-19-11

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 wrapped up their championships and started looking towards 'cross:

• But, according to "The Veloist" there was a "blip" on the local news station about the Chesapeake Criterium.  You can find the "blip" by going here, logging in and looking up the news for August 17th.  But, if you just want to see "the blip," you can just click here.
• Now if you want a real challenge, you'll want to check out the Devil's Backbone Mountain Cross on August 27th.  It's got about 66 (or 49) miles of mountain roads of the dirt and gravel persuasion to get your long-distance 'cross fix for the year.  So sign up and HTF-Up.  This guy has already predicted a win; make him prove it. 
• The last race in the VCA BAR Series will be the Residential Ruckus on September 10th.  The race will not only feature the race, but also the "Street Sprints" (day-of registration only).  So if you're still going fast this year, get down there and steal some sprint points.

For MABRA the season just keeps rolling along:

• The MABRA BAR was not (yep, you read that right!) updated this week since the administrator was out of town.  How dare he take a break just as I'm unleashing my thunder!  Still, you can check out the standings here and imagine how many places you've moved up in the meantime.
• Want a season-opener for Cyclocross?  Check out the LoCo X at Morven Park on September 10th.  The promoters promise that they are not following all the rules and you can expect a little anarchy in terms of natural barriers, non-standard categories and WWI-Style barriers (whatever that means...).  I say go for it: let's all organize some anarchy.
• There was one question about "the Turkey Day."  Is it on?  Is it off?  Is it really called "the Turkey Day?"  MABRA was left to wait and wonder...  Anyone with information, should contact someone immediately and get the rumor started.
• There was another cyclocross series announced this week.  For those counting at home, this makes somewhere between five and thirteen series in which you can feel like a real winner.  But this one does seem legit since it's got its own website.  So check out the Sportif Coaching Group Cross Cup Series and see if it's just the niche you've been looking for to win your own three and a half minutes of fame.

Got any new interpretations, re-interpretations, or mis-interpretations?  Send them to me so I can take a little delight in my dark, lonely world.

--

Gus Grissom races for Team GamJams Racing, teaches History at Flint Hill School in Vienna, and writes a dissertation in his spare time.  He compiles this column strictly for fortune and glory.

 

List Lurker: 08-05-11

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 was having a pretty good week on several fronts:

• The best news of the week (unless you happen to be "Warren Dean Davis") is that charges have finally been pressed in the "tacks in the Va. Beach bike lanes" case.  Yes, they have the guy, served him with 33 counts of being a jack**s and let him go on bond so he can continue to wear his wife-beater shirts a little while longer.  Read the story here and enjoy a little victory for cyclists in our region!  
• You can now register for the Bay Country Century, scheduled for Saturday, September 3rd.  If you don't want to go 100 miles, just register for the under-card events and still enjoy the "easy to read cue sheets" and bike mechanics on site to keep you rolling.
• All the Virginia buzz this week was about some mayor in Lithuania who posted a video of himself crushing a car with a Soviet-era armored personnel carrier because he wants to keep the bike lanes clear.  Sure, we all cheer, punch the air and do the donkey kicks in celebration.  But I don't think tanks in the street are always that funny...  I guess this one is okay, but just don't get crazy Mr. Mayor!

MABRA was rolling right along, pretty pleased with itself and spreading joy among the people:

• That goes double for Jared Nieters who called us all "honey" and just wants us to be happy and healthy with some on-line drugstore (or he got his e-mail hacked).  Thanks, Jared!  We love you too, honey!
• You ready for 'cross season?  It's time.  Check out Greg Abbott's non-anonymous posting about this secret 'cross practice but don't tell anyone about it; it's very hush-hush, unaffiliated and guerilla-style.  I'm surprised Abbott even attached his name to this one.  But you'll want to get a life and get a 'cross bike and get a hole shot as soon as you can.
• Unless I'm mistaken (and I'm not), this Sunday will be the first "race to register" for 'cross season.  Registration for the Charm City Cross Weekend, September 17-18, opens this Sunday at 8:05 p.m.  You'll want to be at a computer, finger on the mouse right at that moment (but not before!) so you can get the coveted front row spot (right beside me!).
• Finally, the Highway to Heaven registration is still open.  There's a new bonus: $50 to the fastest man and woman to climb that hill plus the jersey you win and the other prize money you win for going fast uphill. Compact cranks be damned; full speed ahead! 

Got any new interpretations, re-interpretations, or mis-interpretations?  Send them to me so I can take a little delight in my dark, lonely world.

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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.