You are correct Mr. Burgundy!

So the first Tuesday ride went off last night.  50-ish rolled out of the spot, and made it to 12th. Street.  One moment, Dan and I were solidly in the back, chatting about his impending move for the Summer, rolling at 30kmh.  The next moment, we're full gas, passing SCE&G at 50kmh...

The middle section was a nice tempo.  The front group went up both climbs together, and made the turn onto 302 together.  From then on, it was every man, and one woman, for him/herself.  The run into S. Congaree was blistering.  All I know is that the pull up the left side at 60kmh did, in fact, sting a bit.  Ford and Timmy said they appreciated it though, so it's all good!

It was a good ride.  Fast, steady, and fun.  The efforts felt strangely good. 
I'd planned to turn the Contour on when we hit 302, but it just didn't happen.  Reaching down near a wheel spinning at 50kmh to flip it on just seemed like something rooted in poor decision making skills.

Let's talk about pro cycling for a moment :



So everyone is pissing and moaning about the CLIMB on the 6th stage at Tirreno.  27-30% is crazy...sure.  Euro-dogs got off and walked...sure.  Some abandoned the race b/c of it...sure.  So what?
The same thing happens EVERY year at the climb of The Koppenberg during Flanders.  No one so much as opens their mouth. 
Rule 5 people...Rule 5!
And this whole "Phinney is a Hero" thing?  Seriously?  Phinney missed the time cut, and got eliminated, period. 
Why?  Because he got dropped.  When the majority of the gruppetto decided to climb off their bikes, get in the warm team cars, and head back to the house/bus/hotel for a hot shower and a nap, Phinney continued on.  Riding alone...in the rain...for 4 hours...and missing the time cut.  Sorry, that's not heroic.  That's just stupid.  It's an invitation for injury and/or illness.
The masses cried as one, "Let him back in..."  Nope.  The officials rightly said, "You missa the time cut, you outta the race..."!  Even Phinney himself tweeted that rules are rules.  His tweet made the masses cry out even more loudly that he's a hero...
STFU!
You know what's heroic?  Boonen attacking with 50km to go last year at Roubaix.  Cancellara laying it all out in _____________ (insert race here).  Tchmil smashing the big gear thru the mud and headwind, being chased by Museeuw on the cobbles of Northern France in 1994. 
A certain racer from right here in town, who has a disability, but owns more National Championships, and World Championship medals than all of us combined.  THAT shit is heroic!
Missing a time cut because one got dropped, and rode alone?  Nope.  That falls on the stupid side of the hard/stupid line.

Oh, and as if it's a surprise, Andy Schleck quit Tirreno on the 6th stage.  Jesus, that guy is a fecking Fabrege egg.  Either that, or he's the epitome of what doping does for a mediocre racer.  Maybe you CAN make a donkey into a race horse.  And I'm not equating Schleck to a donkey, as that's an affront to donkeys...

Yep...everyone talked about Phinney and Schleck, and forgot that this guy 

paperboy-ed the climb, turned himself inside out, drove the winning move, and won the stage.  Maybe not heroic, but definitely HARD, and badass.  Milan- San Remo should be interesting...



Time to get the day going.  A trip to Renick is up first this morning...then a nap.  Yes...a nap.  Don't hate...