Okay, I'm starting to process this whole cycling doping thing. I'm hoping that Ivan Basso can pull out of it and turn out to be clean. (Hey, give me a break . . . even I'm allowed to drop my cynical attitude every once in a while. I want the guy to be clean, damn it.)
However, while Jan Ullrich has been implicated I think they are focusing on the wrong thing. I don't know if Ulle's involved in blood doping, but the dude's got to be on something if he thinks his hair looks good this way.
He does have a history of recreational drug use.
Friday, June 30, 2006
Ouch
This hurts. My tour favorite is out for the most dubious of dubious reasons. I feel as though the last year of following his training, plans and successes up the mountains of Italy have been a big fat lie.
Worse, I've come to admire his DS, Bjarne Riis quite a bit. And yet, I believe, if something like this can go on under his nose then his hands aren't exactly clean either.
I found this out when I returned from my morning ride and, I think, have had some time to process it as I got cleaned up and washed my shorts in the sink.
Heroes come and go and they are rarely the men of steel we want them to be. We project some sort of purity on our heroes, and those we admire, because we want to see in them something we see in ourselves. While I may not have been able to hold Lance Armstrong's wheel up a tough mountain climb, I know that if I were in the situation I would have killed myself trying. Hell, today when I was following some poor guy up a hill and hanging onto his wheel before he left me in his dust I felt good. Partially because I did it and partially because it surprised the hell out of him.
Anyway, it's not about the rides. It rarely is. It's about the race, the human story. To see the grit and determination on the faces of riders who are giving it their all. The look of surprise and joy on a rider's face as he crosses the line at Courchevel before the giant a few seconds behind him. It's about Bernard Hinault riding with blood streaming down his face, or in a blizzard and Greg LeMond with a pound of lead in his body and 8 seconds in the bag, or Fignon laying on the Champs-Élysées having lost the Tour in the last moments of the race. History may show that those men were dirty--cycling's been dirty since the first tour when riders were throwing tacks on the road to cause flats on their rivals--but there was a spirit in their moments of glory.
There's a beauty in the ebb and flow of a bike race and there's drama in the way a complex story unfolds throughout a three-week race. I think it's the narrative of cycling I enjoy.
And still, that's not why I ride. I'll never ride that fast, that far or in Europe. I'll always be a pedal masher who refuses to wear a pro kit because he doesn't feel he deserves to. I ride because there's a moment where you cross over. Your muscles stop hurting and suddenly you feel good, you can push harder, go faster and find the outer limits of what you thought you could do. I ride because the air smells good in the morning and I like the sound of my bike as I cruise along. I ride because I like wiping road grit off my legs on wet mornings. I ride because, no matter where I'm going, it's always about the part in the middle and not the last few minutes when I sit up and get off the bike.
Better yet, I think former World Champion Mario Cippolini put it best:
"The life of a rider is filled with the small things: the perfume of the vegetation, the odor of the wet asphalt, the pollen."
I'll never wear a yellow jersey--or win any race, for that matter--nor will I ever meet any of the greats of the sport. But every morning I smell wet pavement and the ever-changing fragrancece of the places I ride from season to season.
We may ride up the same hill, you in your car and I on my bike, but when I get to the top I'll look around, take a nice deep breath into my lungs and think, "I just did that! I finally climbed that hill under my own power! My legs hurt, my lungs are screaming and I nearly red-lined toward the top, but I did it."
And I'll take a moment to think about what that means to me before I say, "I bet I can do it faster tomorrow."
Worse, I've come to admire his DS, Bjarne Riis quite a bit. And yet, I believe, if something like this can go on under his nose then his hands aren't exactly clean either.
I found this out when I returned from my morning ride and, I think, have had some time to process it as I got cleaned up and washed my shorts in the sink.
Heroes come and go and they are rarely the men of steel we want them to be. We project some sort of purity on our heroes, and those we admire, because we want to see in them something we see in ourselves. While I may not have been able to hold Lance Armstrong's wheel up a tough mountain climb, I know that if I were in the situation I would have killed myself trying. Hell, today when I was following some poor guy up a hill and hanging onto his wheel before he left me in his dust I felt good. Partially because I did it and partially because it surprised the hell out of him.
Anyway, it's not about the rides. It rarely is. It's about the race, the human story. To see the grit and determination on the faces of riders who are giving it their all. The look of surprise and joy on a rider's face as he crosses the line at Courchevel before the giant a few seconds behind him. It's about Bernard Hinault riding with blood streaming down his face, or in a blizzard and Greg LeMond with a pound of lead in his body and 8 seconds in the bag, or Fignon laying on the Champs-Élysées having lost the Tour in the last moments of the race. History may show that those men were dirty--cycling's been dirty since the first tour when riders were throwing tacks on the road to cause flats on their rivals--but there was a spirit in their moments of glory.
There's a beauty in the ebb and flow of a bike race and there's drama in the way a complex story unfolds throughout a three-week race. I think it's the narrative of cycling I enjoy.
And still, that's not why I ride. I'll never ride that fast, that far or in Europe. I'll always be a pedal masher who refuses to wear a pro kit because he doesn't feel he deserves to. I ride because there's a moment where you cross over. Your muscles stop hurting and suddenly you feel good, you can push harder, go faster and find the outer limits of what you thought you could do. I ride because the air smells good in the morning and I like the sound of my bike as I cruise along. I ride because I like wiping road grit off my legs on wet mornings. I ride because, no matter where I'm going, it's always about the part in the middle and not the last few minutes when I sit up and get off the bike.
Better yet, I think former World Champion Mario Cippolini put it best:
"The life of a rider is filled with the small things: the perfume of the vegetation, the odor of the wet asphalt, the pollen."
I'll never wear a yellow jersey--or win any race, for that matter--nor will I ever meet any of the greats of the sport. But every morning I smell wet pavement and the ever-changing fragrancece of the places I ride from season to season.
We may ride up the same hill, you in your car and I on my bike, but when I get to the top I'll look around, take a nice deep breath into my lungs and think, "I just did that! I finally climbed that hill under my own power! My legs hurt, my lungs are screaming and I nearly red-lined toward the top, but I did it."
And I'll take a moment to think about what that means to me before I say, "I bet I can do it faster tomorrow."
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Feeling Groovy?
What started out as a compilation of some obscure soul songs for my brother turned into a mess of good-feeling summer grooves, blues jams, soul-crushing soul and the Tijuana Brass. And that Patto song, which is what Wilco plays when they take the stage, is as incredible as it is obscure.
1. Galt MacDermott - Coffee Cold (3:20)
2. Bettye LaVette - You'll Never Change (2:48)
3. The Mar-Keys - Candy (2:47)
4. Howlin' Wolf - Spoonful (2:43)
5. Professor Longhair - In the Night (2:32)
6. The Come Ons - Whatcha Got? (2:46)
7. Yo La Tengo - Be Thankful For What You Got (4:58)
8. Bill Doggett - Honky Tonk (2:52)
9. Hamilton Bohannon - Singing A Song For My Mother (6:27)
10. Eddie Floyd - Bring It On Home To Me (2:32)
11. The Now Time Delegation - Raise Your Hand (2:17)
12. The Mar-Keys - Tighten Up (2:08)
13. Roy Hines - I Can't Live (3:27)
14. Nic Armstrong & The Thieves - I Can't Stand It (2:30)
15. Brenton Wood - Me and You (2:37)
16. Cannonball Adderley - Walk Tall (5:13)
17. The Famous Flames - Who Am I (2:46)
18. Jimi Hendrix Experience - Spanish Castle Magic (3:05)
19. Davell Crawford - Gather By The River (3:40)
20. Those Legendary Shack Shakers - The Kentucky Song (3:06)
21. The Meters - Fire on the Bayou (4:06)
22. Big Joe Turner - Nighttime Is The Right Time (3:02)
23. Koko Taylor - Wang Dang Doodle (3:01)
24. Calexico - Corona (3:21)
25. Lightnin' Hopkins - Rocky Mountain Blues (3:54)
26. Joe Henry - Jesus's Son (2:36)
27. Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers - Chitlins Con Carne (4:40)
28. Kelly Joe Phelps - Love Me Baby Blues (4:41)
29. Vicki Anderson - Tears of Joy (2:27)
30. Otis Redding - Louie Louie (2:07)
31. Art Jerry Miller - Finger Lickin' Good (2:39)
32. Ted Hawkins - North To Alaska (2:20)
33. John Lee Hooker - Goin To Louisiana (4:40)
34. Bob Dylan - Wigwam (3:08)
35. Mose Allison - The Seventh Son (2:39)
36. Jimi Hendrix - Who Knows (9:34)
37. The Overton Berry Trio - Hey Jude (5:35)
38. Elvis Costello & The Attractions - That Day Is Done [with The Fairfield Four] (5:11)
39. The Come Ons - It's Alright (2:57)
40. Bobby Bennett and the Dynamics - Soul Jerk (Part 1) (2:26)
41. Mississipi John Hurt - Slidin' Delta (2:57)
42. Wilson Pickett - Mama Told Me (Not to Come) (2:40)
43. Booker T. & the MG's - Let's Go (2:21)
44. Louis Jordan - Louisville Lodge Meeting (3:31)
45. The Bar-Kays - Sang And Dance (2:59)
46. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band - I Shall Not Be Moved (4:58)
47. Soul Swingers - Brighter Tomorrow (2:52)
48. Savoy Brown - Louisiana Blues (9:01)
49. Muddy Waters - Louisiana Blues (2:52)
50. Leadbelly - Looky, Looky Yonder/Black Betty/Yellow Women's Doorbells (3:08)
51. Raw Soul w/Dorsey - Leave My Beat Alone (2:45)
52. Otis Taylor - My Soul's in Louisiana (3:35)
53. Chuck Berry - Oh Louisiana (4:29)
54. Billy Brooks - Forty Days (6:16)
55. Joe Haywood - Warm and Tender Love (2:45)
56. Greyhounds - Yeah Yeah Yeah (3:33)
57. Joe Henry - Curt Flood (3:49)
58. James Brown - Let's Make It (2:28)
59. The Mar-Keys - Settle Down (2:10)
60. Delaney & Bonnie - Hard To Say Goodbye (2:30)
61. Bob Marley - Could You Be Loved (3:54)
62. Yo La Tengo - Little Eyes (4:20)
63. Tex Williams & the Western Caravan - Smoke, Smoke, Smoke (That Cigarette) (2:54)
64. Ballin'jack - Found A Child (2:50)
65. Isaac Scott - Help (3:20)
66. Mojo Blues Band - Louisiana Boogie (4:29)
67. King Floyd - Woman Don't Go Astray (2:27)
68. The Ink Spots - I Understand (Just How You Feel) (3:32)
69. Joe Henry - Nico Lost One Small Buddha (3:23)
70. Red and the Red Hots - Oh, Look-a There, Ain't She Pretty (2:22)
71. The Come Ons - Hip Check! (2:14)
72. William Devaughn - Be Thankful for What You Got (7:12)
73. Junior Parker - Mystery Train (2:24)
74. A. Graham & The Moment Band - Glorious (3:46)
75. Ann Peebles - Somebody's On Your Case (2:24)
76. Irma Thomas - Back Water Blues (3:31)
77. Rufus Thomas - Funky Robot (4:25)
78. Etta James - Sunday Kind Of Love (3:18)
79. Jeanne And The Darlings - It's Unbelievable (How You Control My Soul) (2:15)
80. Wilson Pickett - Hey Jude (4:07)
81. Shuggie Otis - Strawberry Letter 23 (3:58)
82. The Mar-Keys - Saucy (2:38)
83. Scott Walker - 30 Century Man (1:29)
84. The Civil Tones - Soul Bucket (2:36)
85. Bettye LaVette - Let Me Down Easy (3:10)
86. Kelly Hogan - No Bobby Don't (3:18)
87. The Ramrods - Soul Express Pt. 1 (2:08)
88. Steppenwolf - The Ostrich (5:43)
89. Smiley Lewis - I Hear You Knockin` (2:44)
90. Donny Hathaway - Jealous Guy (3:10)
91. Rufus Thomas - The Memphis Train (2:31)
92. Chuck Jackson - I Wake Up Crying (2:17)
93. Delaney & Bonnie - It's Been A Long Time Coming (2:17)
94. Bill Deal & The Rhondels - I've Been Hurt (2:25)
95. Judy Clay - Bed Of Roses (2:43)
96. Herb Alpert - Girls On the Rocks (2:54)
97. Bill Doggett - Honky Tonk (part 2) (2:37)
98. The Zutons - Don't Ever Think (Too Much)... (2:42)
99. Yo La Tengo - Let's Save Tony Orlando's House (4:59)
100. Janis Joplin - One Good Man (4:09)
101. The Now Time Delegation - Keep On Pushin' (2:31)
102. Earl Hooker - Hold On (2:53)
103. Patto - The Man (6:10)
104. Al Green - I Want to Hold Your Hand (Beatles) (2:20)
1. Galt MacDermott - Coffee Cold (3:20)
2. Bettye LaVette - You'll Never Change (2:48)
3. The Mar-Keys - Candy (2:47)
4. Howlin' Wolf - Spoonful (2:43)
5. Professor Longhair - In the Night (2:32)
6. The Come Ons - Whatcha Got? (2:46)
7. Yo La Tengo - Be Thankful For What You Got (4:58)
8. Bill Doggett - Honky Tonk (2:52)
9. Hamilton Bohannon - Singing A Song For My Mother (6:27)
10. Eddie Floyd - Bring It On Home To Me (2:32)
11. The Now Time Delegation - Raise Your Hand (2:17)
12. The Mar-Keys - Tighten Up (2:08)
13. Roy Hines - I Can't Live (3:27)
14. Nic Armstrong & The Thieves - I Can't Stand It (2:30)
15. Brenton Wood - Me and You (2:37)
16. Cannonball Adderley - Walk Tall (5:13)
17. The Famous Flames - Who Am I (2:46)
18. Jimi Hendrix Experience - Spanish Castle Magic (3:05)
19. Davell Crawford - Gather By The River (3:40)
20. Those Legendary Shack Shakers - The Kentucky Song (3:06)
21. The Meters - Fire on the Bayou (4:06)
22. Big Joe Turner - Nighttime Is The Right Time (3:02)
23. Koko Taylor - Wang Dang Doodle (3:01)
24. Calexico - Corona (3:21)
25. Lightnin' Hopkins - Rocky Mountain Blues (3:54)
26. Joe Henry - Jesus's Son (2:36)
27. Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers - Chitlins Con Carne (4:40)
28. Kelly Joe Phelps - Love Me Baby Blues (4:41)
29. Vicki Anderson - Tears of Joy (2:27)
30. Otis Redding - Louie Louie (2:07)
31. Art Jerry Miller - Finger Lickin' Good (2:39)
32. Ted Hawkins - North To Alaska (2:20)
33. John Lee Hooker - Goin To Louisiana (4:40)
34. Bob Dylan - Wigwam (3:08)
35. Mose Allison - The Seventh Son (2:39)
36. Jimi Hendrix - Who Knows (9:34)
37. The Overton Berry Trio - Hey Jude (5:35)
38. Elvis Costello & The Attractions - That Day Is Done [with The Fairfield Four] (5:11)
39. The Come Ons - It's Alright (2:57)
40. Bobby Bennett and the Dynamics - Soul Jerk (Part 1) (2:26)
41. Mississipi John Hurt - Slidin' Delta (2:57)
42. Wilson Pickett - Mama Told Me (Not to Come) (2:40)
43. Booker T. & the MG's - Let's Go (2:21)
44. Louis Jordan - Louisville Lodge Meeting (3:31)
45. The Bar-Kays - Sang And Dance (2:59)
46. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band - I Shall Not Be Moved (4:58)
47. Soul Swingers - Brighter Tomorrow (2:52)
48. Savoy Brown - Louisiana Blues (9:01)
49. Muddy Waters - Louisiana Blues (2:52)
50. Leadbelly - Looky, Looky Yonder/Black Betty/Yellow Women's Doorbells (3:08)
51. Raw Soul w/Dorsey - Leave My Beat Alone (2:45)
52. Otis Taylor - My Soul's in Louisiana (3:35)
53. Chuck Berry - Oh Louisiana (4:29)
54. Billy Brooks - Forty Days (6:16)
55. Joe Haywood - Warm and Tender Love (2:45)
56. Greyhounds - Yeah Yeah Yeah (3:33)
57. Joe Henry - Curt Flood (3:49)
58. James Brown - Let's Make It (2:28)
59. The Mar-Keys - Settle Down (2:10)
60. Delaney & Bonnie - Hard To Say Goodbye (2:30)
61. Bob Marley - Could You Be Loved (3:54)
62. Yo La Tengo - Little Eyes (4:20)
63. Tex Williams & the Western Caravan - Smoke, Smoke, Smoke (That Cigarette) (2:54)
64. Ballin'jack - Found A Child (2:50)
65. Isaac Scott - Help (3:20)
66. Mojo Blues Band - Louisiana Boogie (4:29)
67. King Floyd - Woman Don't Go Astray (2:27)
68. The Ink Spots - I Understand (Just How You Feel) (3:32)
69. Joe Henry - Nico Lost One Small Buddha (3:23)
70. Red and the Red Hots - Oh, Look-a There, Ain't She Pretty (2:22)
71. The Come Ons - Hip Check! (2:14)
72. William Devaughn - Be Thankful for What You Got (7:12)
73. Junior Parker - Mystery Train (2:24)
74. A. Graham & The Moment Band - Glorious (3:46)
75. Ann Peebles - Somebody's On Your Case (2:24)
76. Irma Thomas - Back Water Blues (3:31)
77. Rufus Thomas - Funky Robot (4:25)
78. Etta James - Sunday Kind Of Love (3:18)
79. Jeanne And The Darlings - It's Unbelievable (How You Control My Soul) (2:15)
80. Wilson Pickett - Hey Jude (4:07)
81. Shuggie Otis - Strawberry Letter 23 (3:58)
82. The Mar-Keys - Saucy (2:38)
83. Scott Walker - 30 Century Man (1:29)
84. The Civil Tones - Soul Bucket (2:36)
85. Bettye LaVette - Let Me Down Easy (3:10)
86. Kelly Hogan - No Bobby Don't (3:18)
87. The Ramrods - Soul Express Pt. 1 (2:08)
88. Steppenwolf - The Ostrich (5:43)
89. Smiley Lewis - I Hear You Knockin` (2:44)
90. Donny Hathaway - Jealous Guy (3:10)
91. Rufus Thomas - The Memphis Train (2:31)
92. Chuck Jackson - I Wake Up Crying (2:17)
93. Delaney & Bonnie - It's Been A Long Time Coming (2:17)
94. Bill Deal & The Rhondels - I've Been Hurt (2:25)
95. Judy Clay - Bed Of Roses (2:43)
96. Herb Alpert - Girls On the Rocks (2:54)
97. Bill Doggett - Honky Tonk (part 2) (2:37)
98. The Zutons - Don't Ever Think (Too Much)... (2:42)
99. Yo La Tengo - Let's Save Tony Orlando's House (4:59)
100. Janis Joplin - One Good Man (4:09)
101. The Now Time Delegation - Keep On Pushin' (2:31)
102. Earl Hooker - Hold On (2:53)
103. Patto - The Man (6:10)
104. Al Green - I Want to Hold Your Hand (Beatles) (2:20)
Monday, June 26, 2006
Conflicted
Six days a week I get up and am on my bike by 7:30 so that I can shower and get on with the day before lunch. Because I work, Saturday is my scheduled "big ride" where I do my most miles at my biggest effort. Depending on where I am in my schedule, I'm gone from 2 to 4 hours.
There are other benefits to going at this time. Little traffic, fewer idiots (I'm sorry, complain all you want about speeding cyclists, but rollerbladers wearing headphones and not aware of anything going on around them and dog walkers who don't control their dogs are the world's greatest menances), and it's cooler. Plus, as the summer goes on, between 10 and 6 the "hey won't it be fun to ride my bike but not follow traffic laws" riders come out. I have no problem with these riders except, well, they tend to be dangerous and don't follow any sort of logic. Once, while climbing a curvy hill (at 17 mph, I'm very proud to say) I encountered a string of them riding on the wrong side, coming around a blind curve. They are lucky no one, including me, was hurt.
But this week I have a problem. The Tour de France starts. It starts at 7:30 a.m. with a live pre-show followed by live coverage of the prologue which will last until roughly 12:30.
So, the conundrum is . . . do I ride and watch the coverage on Tivo when I get home or do I watch and ride when traffic is heavier?
And, honestly, this is a conundrum all month. All the coverage starts around the same time I hit the road. If I get up and leave earlier, I won't see the family before they go off to their daily activities. I suppose I can do what I've always done and just have OLN on all day while I work and try my best to stay away from cycling sites.
But this year there's an open field. It has the potential to be an amazingly exciting race where anyone could end up the winner. And once they hit the mountains it'll get really exciting.
So, what to do? Ride or watch people ride? Hmmm.
There are other benefits to going at this time. Little traffic, fewer idiots (I'm sorry, complain all you want about speeding cyclists, but rollerbladers wearing headphones and not aware of anything going on around them and dog walkers who don't control their dogs are the world's greatest menances), and it's cooler. Plus, as the summer goes on, between 10 and 6 the "hey won't it be fun to ride my bike but not follow traffic laws" riders come out. I have no problem with these riders except, well, they tend to be dangerous and don't follow any sort of logic. Once, while climbing a curvy hill (at 17 mph, I'm very proud to say) I encountered a string of them riding on the wrong side, coming around a blind curve. They are lucky no one, including me, was hurt.
But this week I have a problem. The Tour de France starts. It starts at 7:30 a.m. with a live pre-show followed by live coverage of the prologue which will last until roughly 12:30.
So, the conundrum is . . . do I ride and watch the coverage on Tivo when I get home or do I watch and ride when traffic is heavier?
And, honestly, this is a conundrum all month. All the coverage starts around the same time I hit the road. If I get up and leave earlier, I won't see the family before they go off to their daily activities. I suppose I can do what I've always done and just have OLN on all day while I work and try my best to stay away from cycling sites.
But this year there's an open field. It has the potential to be an amazingly exciting race where anyone could end up the winner. And once they hit the mountains it'll get really exciting.
So, what to do? Ride or watch people ride? Hmmm.
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Lemon-Headed
Wow. Um. I was going to post about the Tour de France starting in one week, but now I have to say how much I love public access television and city council meetings.
Apparently, David Thompson is angry about ice arenas, rogue helicopters and (this is his quote, not mine) "Lemon-headed pussies". All this and boy scouts too! (Blame Boing Boing).
UPDATE--I just realized that in my vast stores I have the world's greatest theme song for this guy:
Soul Coughing - Unmarked Helicopters
Of course, I can't leave the Lemonheads out of this:
Lemonheads - Mrs. Robinson
Lemonheads - Live Forever (Oasis Cover)
Apparently, David Thompson is angry about ice arenas, rogue helicopters and (this is his quote, not mine) "Lemon-headed pussies". All this and boy scouts too! (Blame Boing Boing).
UPDATE--I just realized that in my vast stores I have the world's greatest theme song for this guy:
Soul Coughing - Unmarked Helicopters
Of course, I can't leave the Lemonheads out of this:
Lemonheads - Mrs. Robinson
Lemonheads - Live Forever (Oasis Cover)
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Moonshiner
Seemed like an appropriate song for some people and the way they spend their summers.
Uncle Tupelo - Moonshiner
Bob Dylan - Moonshiner
Cat Power - Moonshiner
Uncle Tupelo - Moonshiner
Bob Dylan - Moonshiner
Cat Power - Moonshiner
Transmission From the Satellite Heart
.. .----. -- -... . .... .. -. -.. --- -. -- .- -. -.-- - .... .. -. --. ... .-.-.- .. .----. .-.. .-.. --. . - -... .- -.-. -.- - --- - .... --- ... . --- ..-. -.-- --- ..- .-- .... --- -. . . -.. --. . - - .. -. --. -... .- -.-. -.- - --- .-.-.- ..-. --- .-. - .... . .-. . -.-. --- .-. -.. --..-- .-- .... -.-- - .... . .... . .-.. .-.. -.. .. -.. -.-- --- ..- - .- -.- . - .... . - .. -- . - --- -.. . -.-. --- -.. . - .... .. ... ..--.. .- .-. . -.-- --- ..- .. -. ... .- -. . ..--.. .. .-- .-. --- - . .. - .. -. -- --- .-. ... . -.-. --- -.. . .-.-.- -.-- --- ..- .----. .-. . .. -. ... .- -. . .-.-.-
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)