Catching Up

It's only been 12 days since Hell of Hunterdon. Lost in the blur of the post ride cheer and Easter candy crash and burn,  I realized I never posted the link to the photos my wife took of the day. I dropped the ball on this one, BIG TIME.

http://abigailthomasphotography.smugmug.com/Sports/Cycling/HOH2013

Thanks again, babe. You made a great day even better. We're looking forward to seeing you up the road in the weeks to come (we've got some BIG days planned, for sure)

Rapha NE Gentlemen's Race

There are 10 spots available for this year's Rapha North East Gentlemen's Race. I just threw the Hilltop Bicycles/Allez Endurance hat/helmet into the ring. I have no idea how many applicants there are. There are no rules or standards for entry. You need to put together a team, fill out the application and write a brief essay (it's been a while since I've had to write an essay...like almost 20 years, I think) based upon the following thought:



"This year's race will be in the area where George Washington famously crossed the Delaware River during the Battle of Trenton. He once said "it is better to be alone than in bad company." Agree? Disagree? Please explain."


This is what I came up with...


I think we’re always alone, in some sense, when we’re on the bike. I don’t know that anyone ever sees the road the same way. Ask the six of us to describe the ride, the day, a stretch of gravel, and I’m fairly certain you’ll get 6 different answers.

On the other hand, I don’t think we’re ever alone on the bike. There is always the bike. On most days, there is no better companion. History tells us that General Washington had a favorite horse, Nelson, upon whom he received the British surrender at Yorktown. I can imagine that even during the darkest, coldest moments of the Revolution, as long as General Washington was with Nelson, he never felt truly alone.

The company we keep makes all the difference. I would indeed rather be alone than in bad company. The days are hard enough already. The struggles beyond the bike can be so overwhelming. We are working so hard to find something. To find a balance in our lives. Our families. Our careers. Our loves. A poor choice of companions can corrupt the purest intentions. Their presence alone is an illness, another struggle to overcome.

Proper companions elevate us. The group finds the best in each individual. That unique quality is brought to the fore, and when added together with the bests of the bunch, the whole becomes so much greater than the sum of its parts. I am grateful to have found such company in my life. It is a blessing, and I am honored to be a part of it.