Funny Thnigs

I just heard my co-workers chatting and they were talking about someones "old Jeep" and then they said they thought it was a 2000 year model. That's not old. My Jeep is a 1997 and I don't think of it is old. I still remember that new car feeling like it was yesterday.

My co-workers also say the Farmer's Almanac is predicting we'll have 50 inches more snow than last year. I'm liking the sound of that.

Fed Ex is killing me. They have a package for me which is filled with race prizes. However, the sponsor shipped it in such a way that I have to sign for it in person. Except I'm at work and not at home and they are trying to deliver it to my home (aka MadCross headquarters). When I called Fed Ex to arrange to pick it up in person they said maybe it would be available tomorrow but maybe not until Saturday. When she told me that I took a deep breath and told myself that it would all work out. Which it will.

I went to cross practice last night. I was late as I had to stop and pick up some prizes and then chit chat with our sponsor. All I have to say is that my skills are non-existent. I've never ridden my cross bike so little before the season. The elite women on Sunday better not follow me as I've completely forgotten how to ride my cross bike. And a nice field of Elite Women . . . a veritable Who's Who of the Midwest along with some awesome riders from outside our region.

I had to laugh when I read this and then this from Michigan. Why are people such haters? I laughed because they clearly are driving traffic to their blog through controversy. My website is more of a "fuzzy bunny/let's all get along/peace and love" kind of thing. I have been known to occasionally say something that upsets someone but not too often (or so I think).

To speak to some of the issues though . . . . moving up to Elite isn't easy for men or women. Should people who get lapped get prize money? The reality is that sometimes the course has a lot to do with whether you are lapped or not as shorter courses will lead to more of that. I think we should be encouraging people making that leap (and especially in places where the Cat 3 women have to race with the Cat 1/2). The year I won money in Michigan I was not lapped either day by the lead woman. However, that same year in Ohio I was lapped right at the end before the finish and I did win money. Mitch is a good guy though and I don't think he was upset that he had to give me $40 and I don't think it broke his budget that one lapped elite woman won money. And for the record if (when) I get lapped at the race on Sunday and still make the top 25 I'm going to pay myself the prize money and I'm not going to feel bad about doing it.

I hope that the Michigan UCI races do not go away. They were my first elite races ever so I have a soft spot for them. However, it's not easy being a promoter and putting on UCI races are a huge risk and I wouldn't certainly understand if the promoter decides he doesn't want to do it anymore. And it isn't easy getting sponsors as it's a lot of hard work and a lot of rejection. It's also not easy getting "big" names to the Midwest. I feel immensely lucky that we are having the race we are with the competitors that we have. However, if we want the Midwest to have top riders then I think we need our own UCI races so local riders can race at home sometimes. I also think we need to expose people to top level racing so they can perhaps decide to pursue that level of racing themselves. And frankly it's just fun to have lots of people come here and experience our racing scene and see that it's really good racing even if we don't have the huge numbers of the coasts.

Okay, off my soapbox and back to work!!! So much to do . . . .

(Does the proceeding paragraphs count as controversial???)