Post by gpickle on Jun 29, 2006 22:21:47 GMT -5
I just recieved this over the news wires and thought I would share. Make of it what you will.
from the Marengo Sun-Times:
6/28/06
Seven time winner of the Tour de France bicycle race, Lance Armstrong, was sighted on what appeared to be another of his patented training and reconnaissance rides in the hills west of Marengo, Iowa, preparing for his upcoming first Ragbrai ride, according to Harold Schaffer, a local farmer with fields adjacent to this year's route.
"I was out tilling and generally checking on things when I saw this guy ride by, all intense and in a hurry." explained Schaffer. "By the high cadence and old Motorola kit I knew it must be Lance. I've seen him go by several times since then. He appeared to be experimenting with gears on the climbs leading to Marengo. I've seen a lot of Ragbrai's decided on these hills."
According to Schaffer, Armstrong was attempting to master the cross-chain combinations made popular by thousands of Ragbrai riders over the years, but still relatively unknown in the European professional peleton. "From what I could see, he was trying to make the 39x12 work without the grinding noise, but everyone knows that the sound of your drive train being shredded is just part of the deal on Ragbrai. You can't get rid of the noise, you just have to cover up the sound."
Schaffer noted that the first time he saw Armstrong ride by, the recently retired rider was using small earphones that were probably unable to drown out the sound of grinding gears, but that in later training runs he was towing a large stereo system on a modified trailer behind his bicycle. "That guy learns quick." said Schaffer. "Of course, the fact that he was playing the Macarena ten years too late is excusable, considering that he is a Ragbrai rookie. Chalk it up to inexperience."
When asked if he would be watching this year's Ragbrai roll past his farm, Schaffer replied, "I used to watch 'em all, ever since I was a little kid. My dad brought me out to see my first Ragbrai back in 1921. Of course, that was during prohibition and the riders didn't have as much fun as they do now. You can only put up with so much lemonade and iced tea. Lately, due to all the drug scandals, I've lost interest in cycling. I've been watching World Cup Soccer instead."
gpickle
from the Marengo Sun-Times:
6/28/06
Seven time winner of the Tour de France bicycle race, Lance Armstrong, was sighted on what appeared to be another of his patented training and reconnaissance rides in the hills west of Marengo, Iowa, preparing for his upcoming first Ragbrai ride, according to Harold Schaffer, a local farmer with fields adjacent to this year's route.
"I was out tilling and generally checking on things when I saw this guy ride by, all intense and in a hurry." explained Schaffer. "By the high cadence and old Motorola kit I knew it must be Lance. I've seen him go by several times since then. He appeared to be experimenting with gears on the climbs leading to Marengo. I've seen a lot of Ragbrai's decided on these hills."
According to Schaffer, Armstrong was attempting to master the cross-chain combinations made popular by thousands of Ragbrai riders over the years, but still relatively unknown in the European professional peleton. "From what I could see, he was trying to make the 39x12 work without the grinding noise, but everyone knows that the sound of your drive train being shredded is just part of the deal on Ragbrai. You can't get rid of the noise, you just have to cover up the sound."
Schaffer noted that the first time he saw Armstrong ride by, the recently retired rider was using small earphones that were probably unable to drown out the sound of grinding gears, but that in later training runs he was towing a large stereo system on a modified trailer behind his bicycle. "That guy learns quick." said Schaffer. "Of course, the fact that he was playing the Macarena ten years too late is excusable, considering that he is a Ragbrai rookie. Chalk it up to inexperience."
When asked if he would be watching this year's Ragbrai roll past his farm, Schaffer replied, "I used to watch 'em all, ever since I was a little kid. My dad brought me out to see my first Ragbrai back in 1921. Of course, that was during prohibition and the riders didn't have as much fun as they do now. You can only put up with so much lemonade and iced tea. Lately, due to all the drug scandals, I've lost interest in cycling. I've been watching World Cup Soccer instead."
gpickle