|   out-f'ing-standing! | Stick
May 30, 2003 6:00 AM | | Excellent writing, and great job at the race. Thanks for that! I've got to try the 24 hr thing this year. |
| beautifully done, I got | ol-crank®
May 30, 2003 6:13 AM | | butterflies before the race started and felt letdown, when the race was over. Thanks for sharing. |
| beautifully done, I got | konajay
May 30, 2003 6:30 AM | | awsome!! only problem is I have to wait 2 months befor my 24 and you have me all reved up and ready to go now... thanx |
| Great story! | Mary Ann
May 30, 2003 8:17 AM | | If you don't write for a living, Joe, you sure could. Great story. Congrats! |
| Awe shucks...Thanks. Question for you (or other gals) | Joe Steel
May 30, 2003 11:51 AM | | When I wrote the part about being passed by a woman, I was a little concerned about offending someone. I don't know if I can explain this well, but I'll give it a try.
While I was trying to compliment the female sex, I thought one might interpret that as an assumption (on my part) that the female sex is weaker. As, "why would you take note of a woman passing you and feel differently about it than if it were a man passing you?"
Do you know what I mean? Any comments?
I don't know why I thought about this so much, but I do know that in this day and age with such an emphasis on diversity, sexual harassment, equality, etc. I'm afraid to compliment a woman. Sometimes I even have to evaluate if I'll open a door for a woman. Weird huh?
Anyway.....Thanks for reading and thanks for the kind comment!
{8^)
Joe |
| Not to worry | Spike
May 30, 2003 12:09 PM | | As a gal, I can say that I personally was not in the least bit offended by that part of your writeup. Now, the rest of it... just kidding! Thanks for the good read.
Spike |
| I can count on you... | Joe Steel
May 30, 2003 1:04 PM | | for a good jab! Ha...
Thanks:-)
Joe |
| Not in the least... | Mary Ann
May 30, 2003 1:37 PM | | It made me laugh, as a matter of fact. Your personality and intentions came through in your writing. I was on your side wishing she wasn't that fast. ;-)
Actually it reminded me of an incident that happened to me about 5 years ago at the half-way mark of a 100 km charity road ride. I had sprained my knee skiing in early March, and two months later I wasn't fully recovered. My fitness was getting better but I wasn't at my normal fitness for this annual event.
Anyway, at time I remember being mentally crushed when a much bigger woman on a mountain bike passed me ascending a hill. God love my friend Tom when he said, "Well what do you expect, she's got fresh legs" referring to the fact that we had just begun to encounter the riders who were just beginning the 25 km ride. While his words helped, I was pretty much humbled by the experience.
Anyway, I don't think there's anything remotely sexist in your having a wish to be faster/fitter than someone smaller than you. No worries there!
Mary Ann |
| Nope. | Pirate Girl
May 30, 2003 2:04 PM | | Geez, you're sensitive. ;-) I think your compliment to the female riders was expressed in your writing. Especially when you wrote: "These women are fantastic athletes. Surpassing the abilities of many of the men, while maintaining (even enhancing) their beauty and femininity. I have two daughters that I hope will observe and emulate the strength, effort, and dedication that the women here portray." How can anyone take offense with a statement like that? :-)
Good luck in the contest!
P-) |
| no offense taken.... | Gnarly1
May 30, 2003 3:22 PM | | ...I especially like the fact that you are hoping for your daughters to be able to emulate women who are strong and feminine. Please give them every opportunity to do whatever it is that their heart desires! |
| Very nice. Thanks for writing..... (nm) | Rev Bubba
May 30, 2003 8:26 AM | | nm |
| Umm, Wow? Trying to find the proper adjectives | wg
May 30, 2003 9:09 AM | | and I come up short. Great story, it paint a wonderful picture of the event.
Thanks
Werner |
| WOW! | Titan
May 30, 2003 9:23 AM | | I've never done a 24-hr race, and even when I've contemplated it, I didn't "get" the team concept and always thought I'd just go solo. But halfway through reading this, I was already selecting my teammates for some future event that I must now sell them on.
That was some of the best MTB writing I've seen yet! |
| Oh yea! That was good. nm | Fast Eddy
May 30, 2003 9:24 AM | | |
| The author in action. | parkmeister
May 30, 2003 10:08 AM | | Great job riding and writing! |
| Here comes the sun... | parkmeister
May 30, 2003 10:21 AM | | Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it's all right
Little darlin' it's been a long cold lonely winter
Little darlin' it feels like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it's all right
Little darlin' the smiles returning to their faces
Little darlin' it seems like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it's all right
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Little darlin' I feel the ice is slowly meltin'
Little darlin' it seems like years since it's been clear
Here come the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it's all right
Here come the sun, here comes the sun
It's all right, it's all right
(George Harrison) |
| Killer story--great writing and great team work!! [nm] | Todder
May 30, 2003 10:54 AM | | |
| Thanks for the kind words folks.....{:^P | Joe Steel
May 30, 2003 11:26 AM | | and thanks for taking the time to read it! (I know it's long). |
| this is why I surf here.... | Gnarly1
May 30, 2003 3:31 PM | | ...to read stories of folks having really great adventures with mountain bikes!
That story took me back to my one and only 24 Hour Race. With the one exception that one of those really fast, strong women riders was on my team. You should've seen the train of men following LittleB -- they couldn't quite muster the energy to pass her! |
| Are you sure that you're not a writer?.... | michigantammy
May 30, 2003 8:38 PM | | Very nice essay and fabulous job in racing! I'm impressed!
Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing.
Tammy |
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