The problem with.......

The problem with...

women,men,cars,marriage,careers...the government, and that asshole neighbor..

Those stories best left for a Friday 15. 

Instead the real problem that we asked Henry was, the problem with road racing, after a few days of reading the article that we robbed from some other websites, it was an easy conclusion to come to.

Make it simple, 

Road racing, and the average criterium, isn’t much fun for the average cyclist. We know this right...

Why? 

It’s kinda like throwing your neighbor Carl into a F1 car against your other neighbor Tom in the same type of car and so on and so on, until everyone on your block is kitted up...

 and then walks in two other dudes that live two streets away that have been Zwifting all winter with hopes getting some good out door training in, and a possible Cat 3 up grade 

In short it ain’t much fun, Tom, and Carl can’t handle there bikes well and 175 heart sure feels different than that last Wednesday night gravel ride.

But wait it sure looked easy. 

Take in the consideration of what race promoters have to put up with and the red tape they have to jump through to just get an event on.

Let’s face it USA cycling isn’t making at any easier and hasn’t been in nearly 15 years, it’s a money losing and time lost fiasco for most. 

One of the few and most successful ways is to have a set course or venue for the events, most notable in the Michiganscene area, race car tracks. Always has been easy, to monitor, easy to set up..fairly safe for most skill levels etc...bingo no brainier..

Now for 2022 the rumor is the Infamous Waterford worlds is going to be a every week thing...

Draw back unfortunately it’s usually a weeknight gig, and only the regulars that live within 45 minutes can put time aside from, other sporting events, work commitments, family stuff, and household drudgery.

It works for some.

Just south of the Border these folks have been doing this weekly gig for Eons, and with the lack of weekend stuff, has scene an increase in attendance, drawing riders now from as far away as...gulp...........Ann Arbor. This to is a weekly thing and run on Tuesdays nights, not the perfect fit if maybe you did get a chance to do a gravel race or some other type of event on the weekend.

But there again it’s working for a few....

Someone dropped this on Henry’s desk a few days ago, it’s laughable, but it hits strangely close to home. Oh yeah sure your always are gonna have the hardcore bar tape matching the saddle steely eyed crowed, that use this as a tool for Slayering the Erick Packfils, and Justin Yankels, or to catch the almost catchable ghost by spending another pile of vacation days road tripping to Penciltucky...

 But through the grapevine of shamy talk..CJ and Jason can find just as much excitement and self fulfillment going against Ralf Warmouth that resides in Long Island on 6 am on a Friday morning than getting yelled at by the local Michigan pro on a Wednesday night. 

And the great part is CJ never has to leave his house to get his threshold fix. 

Seems simple to me..

Gonna through the word, current generation, and the word COVID out there. 

Those two have silently shaped the way many things are being done. Very few of the younger (as in experience not age) cycling generation of modern times want or has the desire to commit to the time. 

This one is simple...home town KOMS and running your local buddies into oxygen debt is a little more time obtainable, and less costly than the average gas prices that may run some folks away from driving to Chicago, or spending an entire holiday weekend in Iowa again.

This....

 

The promoters themselves are much at fault, 

I fully agree with the previous post how god dam hard it is to navigate there website, sure entry is easy as clicking pay now...they need your grip, but what about the when it’s all said and done, you ever try to check for updates or even results, it’s like standing behind that clod at the Shell station buying a handful of lottery tickets. 

Is it me or are humans more right here and want it now time.... than ever before?

I know we all have a good old fashioned life, but let’s face it, 

The road scene is basically eating itself, with all the social media posts, of angry, clenched fist, and puckered starfish’s of crit drama, and bloody mishaps, it’s no wonder the numbers are decreasing every year, the fear for the modern human of losing skin and breaking there almost un replaceable steed, isn’t is as appealing as it once was. 

And as much as we poke fun at this world, it sure is a lot more alluring than over lapping wheels and trying to get your upgrade.

But there’s still a romantic lure of the good ol days....

Haters will say its because, the world has gotten soft, and no one wants to suffer anymore, maybe thats true. Maybe some folks suffer enough in there day to day life that the thought of paying to do it again on a Saturday after noon isn't worth the time. Maybe it’s the lack of the vision and or dream of young people trying to make a living off it. 

We can conjure up all the answers, and new ideas, we applaud those that are attempting to keep alive! Without folks like Base Media, The Gratten crew, and all the volunteers, it wouldn't happen

Maybe when the world rights itself, things will balance out..

then again maybe not.

probably best to stop expecting more and appreciate the have now..

Peace fools...