Close Calls & All
I had a close call yesterday as I drove down I-40 East. I was pushing the outer limits of my gasoline tank and just being plain stubborn about stopping to fill it up. I am an Exxon guy and there just aren't that many conveniently located throughout the Nashville area. So I'm driving past Old Hickory about to go through Mt. Juliet when things start sputtering. Oh hell no, oh hell yeah, go, come on baby, don't give out on me, just two more miles, come on! That's right, I was talking my car through it and encouraging it to just get me to the exit. Ridiculous.
Now in the back of my mind I know I'll be OK because my bike was on my rack. So I'm thinking, whatever, I'll ride to the gas station and back if I need to. Then I think that may not be so easy with a couple of broken elbows, carrying a gas can full of gas, down a super windy and dangerous interstate! Geesh, I'm a grown man.
I downshifted into the easy third gear and eased up a bit, and as I drove on the shoulder I began to gain momentum. The sputtering kept up but it was consistent, and I was able to maintain about 35 mph for a little over two miles. I finally get off at Mt. Juliet Rd and with all of the construction the traffic was a little crowded on the ramp. Here I am sitting still and my car is literally sputtering, the gas station is not 100 meters away, and it looks like I will run out of gas in a section blocked off with barriers on both sides. To top it off there's a dump truck behind me.
Wouldn't you know it, the car ahead of won't go out into the open lane because it's wanting to cross several lanes of traffic. Sweet, I am boxed in! So here I am, sitting, sputtering, cursing out loud and thinking well this is it. This is what you get dummy, and this is from a guy who always fills his tank instead of nickel and diming it. Ahh, finally, the car ahead goes while my luck continues straight into the Mapco station. I made it. What a relief!
Have any of you ever literally ran out or come close like this? Now that I think about it I did run out completely once when I was in high school. My girlfriend's dad had to bail me out with some gas, but fortunately it was not even a half-mile from their house. He wasn't a fan of me before this, so imagine what he's thinking since I was on my way over to pick up his daughter.
All the more reason to just ride my bike more right?
Speaking of bikes, how about I throw in some topics of interest.....
Kenyan Runners
I am a big Malcolm Gladwell fan, and after reading this blog I'm excited to know he's working on a new book that is almost complete. He's the author of Blink and Tipping Point, both of which are excellent books I highly recommend. In this particular blog post he talks about the talent pool of runners in Kenya and hockey players in Canada. Both dominate their respective sports, have a much larger talent pool they pool from, but also train significantly more. I think the same argument could probably be said of Europeans and cycling compared to the US. There's something to be said for training your ass off above and beyond what anyone else is doing, but usually this turns into a mental battle as opposed to physical. One must be hungry enough to achieve high goals.
Slipstream visits the wind tunnel
I don't feel so bad now knowing I have yet to do this myself. Dave Zabriskie is arguably the best time-trialist in the world, and this was his first time in a wind tunnel? With the signings Slipstream has had over the last few months they've got to be one of the most exciting teams to watch for 2008.
Winter Meetings Blog
Did you know the Major League Baseball's annual winter meetings are being held here in Nashville at the Opryland Hotel? All of the big ESPN baseball announcers and writers are at this meeting and blogging about what they're being told. Pretty good information is being shared, and if you want to see or possibly meet some big names in the game then I'd say go walk around the hotel.
The Premier Women's Racing Series for 2008
For all the ladies, in case you weren't aware there's going to be a Southeast women's series in 2008. There aren't many details yet, but keep an eye out.
Next Finalists from ESPN
Taylor Phinney should be included in this at some point in the near future.
Bo Knows
So true. Imagine if Bo knew bike racing. See Bo in a sprint finish or on the track. See Bo not take performance enhancing drugs and proceed to pummel over his competition. See Bo breaking a carbon frame over his knee.
Now in the back of my mind I know I'll be OK because my bike was on my rack. So I'm thinking, whatever, I'll ride to the gas station and back if I need to. Then I think that may not be so easy with a couple of broken elbows, carrying a gas can full of gas, down a super windy and dangerous interstate! Geesh, I'm a grown man.
I downshifted into the easy third gear and eased up a bit, and as I drove on the shoulder I began to gain momentum. The sputtering kept up but it was consistent, and I was able to maintain about 35 mph for a little over two miles. I finally get off at Mt. Juliet Rd and with all of the construction the traffic was a little crowded on the ramp. Here I am sitting still and my car is literally sputtering, the gas station is not 100 meters away, and it looks like I will run out of gas in a section blocked off with barriers on both sides. To top it off there's a dump truck behind me.
Wouldn't you know it, the car ahead of won't go out into the open lane because it's wanting to cross several lanes of traffic. Sweet, I am boxed in! So here I am, sitting, sputtering, cursing out loud and thinking well this is it. This is what you get dummy, and this is from a guy who always fills his tank instead of nickel and diming it. Ahh, finally, the car ahead goes while my luck continues straight into the Mapco station. I made it. What a relief!
Have any of you ever literally ran out or come close like this? Now that I think about it I did run out completely once when I was in high school. My girlfriend's dad had to bail me out with some gas, but fortunately it was not even a half-mile from their house. He wasn't a fan of me before this, so imagine what he's thinking since I was on my way over to pick up his daughter.
All the more reason to just ride my bike more right?
Speaking of bikes, how about I throw in some topics of interest.....
Kenyan Runners
I am a big Malcolm Gladwell fan, and after reading this blog I'm excited to know he's working on a new book that is almost complete. He's the author of Blink and Tipping Point, both of which are excellent books I highly recommend. In this particular blog post he talks about the talent pool of runners in Kenya and hockey players in Canada. Both dominate their respective sports, have a much larger talent pool they pool from, but also train significantly more. I think the same argument could probably be said of Europeans and cycling compared to the US. There's something to be said for training your ass off above and beyond what anyone else is doing, but usually this turns into a mental battle as opposed to physical. One must be hungry enough to achieve high goals.
Slipstream visits the wind tunnel
I don't feel so bad now knowing I have yet to do this myself. Dave Zabriskie is arguably the best time-trialist in the world, and this was his first time in a wind tunnel? With the signings Slipstream has had over the last few months they've got to be one of the most exciting teams to watch for 2008.
Winter Meetings Blog
Did you know the Major League Baseball's annual winter meetings are being held here in Nashville at the Opryland Hotel? All of the big ESPN baseball announcers and writers are at this meeting and blogging about what they're being told. Pretty good information is being shared, and if you want to see or possibly meet some big names in the game then I'd say go walk around the hotel.
The Premier Women's Racing Series for 2008
For all the ladies, in case you weren't aware there's going to be a Southeast women's series in 2008. There aren't many details yet, but keep an eye out.
Next Finalists from ESPN
Taylor Phinney should be included in this at some point in the near future.
Bo Knows
So true. Imagine if Bo knew bike racing. See Bo in a sprint finish or on the track. See Bo not take performance enhancing drugs and proceed to pummel over his competition. See Bo breaking a carbon frame over his knee.
posted by NashvilleCyclist.com at 12/05/2007 09:22:00 AM
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