It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World

You thinking about going to MA? You need more info on how to get there and race times? Check out Mad Anthony details right here.

It's almost here - one our favorites from last year, Mad Anthony made it's way back onto the calendar thank goodness, and it's coming our way again this coming Saturday. If you've done it before you don't need to have your arm twisted to return. If you haven't done, well you need to. Here's a good look at last year's Mad-Fun on last year's course. I'm so hoping they stay with this course layout. It was fun to drive with great views. Keep an eye-out - everyone that wants to can join us for a East Side-West-Side cyclocross get-together at Traffic Jam (restaurant/bar), following the race on Saturday. We had fun doing this last year, and it should be bigger and better than ever this year.

Ride the course with Adam McIntyre in another of his great videos from last year. This was made back in the day when there were people in front of Adam to watch and not just an empty course unrolling in front of him - except for Bob.

While you are enjoying your Mad Anthony this year, I think you should take a moment to remember one of the people who had a big role in planting the seed and making this race a reality - Joe Lekovish. Joe won't be here as he's taking a cycling vacation, that is well deserved after all he's done for cycling and racing here in Michigan. Let's give Joe a tip of the hat, or a beer, or something like that. Well done Joe - enjoy your time-off with family and the real world. We'll be waiting for you when you get tired of all that and decide to come back.

Here's Joe Lekovish, one those responsible for Mad Anthony taking a little time off with his family this year. Yeah you could say he's let himself go a little, but what the hell, he deserves it after all he's done for Michigan Cycling.

Here's Joe the way you remember him. He was making some kind of executive decision here, I'm sure.

Speaking of taking some time off, I decided this week to revisit the ride that was once known has the Crazy Bastard Ride (which will resume as normal in the week preceding ICE MAN). While Tomas Wolfe says that you can't go home again ...

... there is nowhere written, even in this classic, about not being able to go back to your old ride and tagging along as a passenger. In fact it was quite enjoyable to just sit in and not worry about who was running through stop signs (actually it was controlled) and who was going off the back (who cares, but it looked like George was collecting the tattered tail-enders). So I could just push on the cranks and keep and eye out for big-old 29-wheels being sawed like they were in the hands of drunk lumber jacks taking down a tree (or were they trying to take down me? Not on purpose of course).

Yeah this is kinda of the same action you'll see when one of the strongmen in the group starts his 29er Sprint. Only instead of sweat flying it's gravel.

As I said, sitting in was fun ... and amazingly easy since the suction of about 50-knuckleheads was enough to pull you right along. At one point I thought that my rear derailleur was hanging up because I just couldn't spin any faster. Well no, it was broken, there were just no more chain inches to give. I've discovered the limitations of a 46x11 and this is apparently it ...

Think is the top speed for a dirt road ride ever, for me. I thought my dirt road bike would only go this fast if I fell out of a tree.

The ride reminded me a little of Grattan, only without the ambulances. After it got dark riding along in the flying pack didn't take as much physical effort as it did the ability to turn yourself over to another higher power - in this case a surging group charging toward a sub 2-hour performance at ICE MAN. After awhile I checked out and rode home, picking up orphans and the lost and lingering along the way. As I look back on it, fondly, the ride that night was a little like the movie that this post is named for - this is a dramatic re-enactment of the ride for your viewing pleasure.

It was also pointed out to me that going back to your old ride to see what was going on was like driving by your ex-girl friend's house to see who's banging her. And you know what you get when you do that.

Montage of all your Ex's letting you know what they think of you and how much they miss you.

So I'll leave it up to you. Vote on what I should do from now on:

(A) Stay Away
(B) Ride
(C) Shoot myself in the face
(D) None of the above

Wait the totals are already in ...

and the vote is ...

Nun of the above. Yeah, she's glad to see me too, isn't she?