Avaricious randonneurs.

On Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:44:03 -0800, thirty-six wrote:

On 19 Nov, 12:46, Stephen Bauman wrote:
On Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:36:57 -0800, thirty-six wrote:
Why do it if all you get for your troubles is a paper certificate?

In these troubled economic times, it's something one can add to one's
resume. :=)

There were cheering crowds along the route, when I rode PBP in 1979. It
was the closest I ever came to experiencing the ego trip that athletes
must experience. It's the endorphin rush.

There was one sense of reality. I stayed a week in Paris for r&r after
PBP. I visited a bike shop on the fashionable Avenue de la Grande Armee
and told the proprietress about my exploit. She inquired about how much
money I received. "Nothing", I replied. What about press coverage?
Again, I replied, "nothing". Her reaction was: pas d'argent, pas de
presse; monsieur, vous etes fou!

The pain and suffering are forgotten in the intervening years. The
sense of achievement remains.

Did you think, before the event, that it was a substitute for racing?

No. That's why I was surprised by the spectators.

The deal with racing is that only one person wins.

Anyone who completes a brevet is a "winner". For the sloggers like
myself, my accomplishment is not diminished by others also completing the
ride. PBP is tough enough so that finishing it merits respect.

Stephen Bauman

On 19 Nov, 15:59, Stephen Bauman wrote:
On Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:44:03 -0800, thirty-six wrote:
On 19 Nov, 12:46, Stephen Bauman wrote:
On Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:36:57 -0800, thirty-six wrote:
Why do it if all you get for your troubles is a paper certificate?

In these troubled economic times, it's something one can add to one's
resume. :=)

There were cheering crowds along the route, when I rode PBP in 1979. It
was the closest I ever came to experiencing the ego trip that athletes
must experience. It's the endorphin rush.

There was one sense of reality. I stayed a week in Paris for r&r after
PBP. I visited a bike shop on the fashionable Avenue de la Grande Armee
and told the proprietress about my exploit. She inquired about how much
money I received. "Nothing", I replied. What about press coverage?
Again, I replied, "nothing". Her reaction was: pas d'argent, pas de
presse; monsieur, vous etes fou!

The pain and suffering are forgotten in the intervening years. The
sense of achievement remains.

Did you think, before the event, that it was a substitute for racing?

No. That's why I was surprised by the spectators.

The deal with racing is that only one person wins.

Anyone who completes a brevet is a "winner". For the sloggers like
myself, my accomplishment is not diminished by others also completing the
ride. PBP is tough enough so that finishing it merits respect.


Do you think the ride is 'better' because it is an organised ride as a
opposed to you doing the same ride as part of a small group of friends
without being overlooked?

On Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:10:59 -0800, thirty-six wrote:

snip

Do you think the ride is 'better' because it is an organised ride as a
opposed to you doing the same ride as part of a small group of friends
without being overlooked?

One can combine both by having a small group of friends take part in an
organized ride.

There's a lot going for an organized ride like PBP. You will not get
those cheering crowds along the way, if you're riding with only a small
group of friends. It's also easier to embellish one's performance,
without a group of neutral officials stamping your route card at the
controls.

Stephen Bauman

On 19 Nov, 21:59, Jobst Brandt wrote:


They way you describe that, it sounds like a search for merit badges
and recognition by spectators. *It fits well with the local rides with
visibly high priced equipment and garish clothing. *Why ride bike in
the first place? *Maybe that is the appropriate riddle.

To get here and there in an enjoyable low stress manner. Although i
do sometimes take a ride to go off-road purely for the fun of it.
That's something I've done since about eight years old but hav not
analysed why it is fun, it just is and I'm happy leaving it that way.
No steenkin badges for me.

On Nov 19, 3:59*pm, Jobst Brandt wrote:
Stephen Bauman wrote:
Do you think the ride is 'better' because it is an organised ride
as a opposed to you doing the same ride as part of a small group of
friends without being overlooked?
One can combine both by having a small group of friends take part in
an organized ride.
There's a lot going for an organized ride like PBP. *You will not
get those cheering crowds along the way, if you're riding with only
a small group of friends. *It's also easier to embellish one's
performance, without a group of neutral officials stamping your
route card at the controls.

They way you describe that, it sounds like a search for merit badges
and recognition by spectators. *It fits well with the local rides with
visibly high priced equipment and garish clothing. *Why ride bike in
the first place? *Maybe that is the appropriate riddle.

Jobst Brandt

http://www.rusa.org/medalphotos.html
Looks like some mighty fine hardware to me.

On Nov 20, 12:44*pm, Mike A Schwab wrote:


http://www.rusa.org/medalphotos.html
Looks like some mighty fine hardware to me.

I don't begrudge this reason for taking on a challenge.

I first got really enthusiastic about adult cycling in 1973, but at
that time, I couldn't understand how anyone could ride even 30 miles
at a stretch. I was in very good cardiovascular shape, but I couldn't
do even moderate distance comfortably.

Then my wife and I signed on to the "Presidential Sports Award," a
program in which you were given a logbook to track your consistent
participation in your sport. For the cycling badge and certificate,
IIRC, you needed to rack up 600 miles in 4(?) months, but you could
count no more than 12 miles per day. The intent was regular activity,
not weekend-warrior extremes.

By the time I got the badge, I was a competent cyclist. I could
easily do longer rides, and I soon did my first century and my first
bike tours. Having that goal and reaching it literally opened up a
world to me.

- Frank Krygowski

In article ,
thirty-six writes:
Why do it if all you get for your troubles is a paper certificate?

Life is fraught with all kinds of bs.

So when we get to choose our own bs,
life is good. Or at least, a little better
than it would have been without the choice.

One might as well ask: "Why aren't all cyclists
track sprinters?"

Actually, if I had my life to live over again,
I'd be right in there, on the banked hardwood
track, and loving every moment of it, and
probably encouraging fellow riders along.
'Cuz that's what sportsmanship & gamesmanship
is all about.

It's not about what you get; it's about
what you give.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

On 22 Nov, 08:20, (Tom Keats) wrote:

It's not about what you get; it's about
what you give.


And what would that be?

In article ,
thirty-six writes:
On 22 Nov, 08:20, (Tom Keats) wrote:

It's not about what you get; it's about
what you give.


And what would that be?

Irreplaceable, precious time out of one's life.


cheers,
Tom














--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

On 23 Nov, 02:07, (Tom Keats) wrote:
In article ,
* * * * thirty-six writes:

On 22 Nov, 08:20, (Tom Keats) wrote:

It's not about what you get; it's about
what you give.

And what would that be?

Irreplaceable, precious time out of one's life.

good reminder, bye.