Monday, July 26, 2004

I caught the end of le tour france on cable. I have to admit that cycling is truly a beautiful event. Watching the waving motions of the peloton is truly hypnotic.

I've always seen cycling as a lone wolf sort of sport. It is a challenge against one's self. I enjoy being way out on an empty country road cycling by myself grooving with nature. I never really understood why there were teams, or why people bothered competing.

Quite frankly, in recent years, I've been extremely turned off by the Utah Mountain Cylcling scene (iMoab.com) which is into this extreme "tear up the desert" free falls down the face of cliffs. Yes, mountain bikes can do as much damage to the wilderness as a jeep...or a stick of dynamite. I tend to limit my mountain biking to roads. Trail ride does too much damage to a trail. The mountain bike is the best way to experience canyonlands or the swell...but there's enough roads already in existence. I don't need to carve a new one with my fat tires.

Anyway, seeing, a well formed peleton is rejuvenating. I can now understand why cyclists go through all the hassles of the professional racing circuits to build up the skills ncessary to ride in such a formation. The race itself forms a work of art. If I were to try and ride in such a formation, I would twist the wrong way and knock everybody down. They other cyclists would get reall upset.

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