Race Across the Sky Finisher!

Congratulations to Andre who had a super result in the Leadville Trail 100 Mountain bike race in August. Here are some pictures from the race - let's remeber who he was racing against - look in the top photo - the guy in the Radio Shack jersey!

WGaS Paceline w/ sag vehicle

New WGaS Kit Logo ???

Grayslake Cycling Classic

Way to go, Bob! Cat5 Winner!


John in the 50+ Masters

The Physics of Cycling - Wheel Rotation

High School Photo Winner - Blurry Spokes

Chippo's Wheel Got Nailed

An Evening with Chris Horner

Some of us enjoyed hearing stories from the TDF from the top American finisher - Radio Shack's Chris Horner. Here is Fast Freddy exchanging some training tips with Chris.

Typical Ride up the "Russian"

Usual morning ride up the "Russian" with the 'ton - watch out for the sheep!

Fast Ride This Morning

Great turnout. Great ride.

Soldiers Ride-Memorial Park-Evanston

Soldiers Ride

Wounded Warrior Project Soldiers Ride-WGaS

Email Funnies

Pablo:

"Ok Ladies:

It was not raining that hard today - Maybe tomorrow we will have some girls out for the ladies ride if the weather is nicer?
Glad to see BT and Chippo from the South.

HTFU"

1Adam12:

"Maybe you need to be more sensitive to those of us that just had our hair and nails done."

Happy Memorial Day!

To all that have given their life for our freedom; to all that have served or are serving to protect our freedom - thank you!

WGaS Legend

Financial News

Somali Pirates Say They Are Subsidiary of Goldman Sachs

Could Make Prosecution Difficult, Experts Say


NORFOLK, VIRGINIA – Eleven indicted Somali pirates dropped a bombshell in a U.S. court today, revealing that their entire piracy operation is a subsidiary of banking giant Goldman Sachs.

There was an audible gasp in the courtroom when the leader of the pirates announced, “We are doing God’s work. We work for Lloyd Blankfein.”

The pirate, who said he earned a bonus of $48 million last year, elaborated on the nature of the Somalis’ work for Goldman, explaining that the pirates forcibly attacked ships that Goldman had already shorted.

“We were functioning as investment bankers, only every day was casual Friday,” the pirate said.

The pirate acknowledged that they merged their operations with Goldman in late 2008 to take advantage of the more relaxed regulations governing bankers as opposed to pirates, “plus to get our share of the bailout money.”

In the aftermath of the shocking revelations, government prosecutors were scrambling to see if they still had a case against the Somali pirates, who would now be treated as bankers in the eyes of the law.

“There are lots of laws that could bring these guys down if they were, in fact, pirates,” one government source said. “But if they’re bankers, our hands are tied.”

Associated Press

Greetings From Tucson

Sunday Ride

Last Sunday. Opening day with WGaS kits. A great start to a great season!

WGaS Cannondale Super Six

WGaS Team Bike

By laws

52.1 Rider Categories

Riders of the WGaS Gruppetto shall be classified into the following categories:

Cat 1-those riders who have been part of the group for over two (2) seasons and ride no less than three (3) times per week on average with the WGaS group during the prime season - "prime season" being defined as May 1 through September 30

Cat 2-those riders who have been part of the group for over two (2) seasons or ride at least three (3) times per week on average with the WGaS group during the prime season

Cat 3-those riders who have been part of the group for less than (2) seasons or ride less than three (3) times per week on average with the WGaS group during the prime season

Guest rider-any rider not possessing a WGaS kit

53.2 Rights of riders by category

Cat 1-all rights and privileges including, but not limited to:

1) emailing the full WGaS group

2) suggesting ride times and routes

3) granting permission for a rider to join a specific ride as a "guest rider" -refer to guest rider-related bylaws

4) commenting on other rider of any category

5) calling out paceline structure

(ie: rotating/2-by/counter clockwise/et al)

Cat 2- all of the same as a Cat 1 member; however, a Cat 1 may

overrule the Cat 2

Cat 3- none of the above rights and may be sanctioned for improper use or attempting to exercise any of the rights of a Cat 1 or 2 member

Guest rider-refer to the bylaws pertaining to a guest rider

By laws

13.1-Mechanicals

In the event that a rider encounters a mechanical difficulty he is to promptly announce it and raise an arm high up to alert other riders in the peloton. Simultaneously the rider should pull to the right out of the pace line (unless it is a 2-wide pace line, in which the rider should pull to the outside of his line of riders) to avoid impeding other riders.

Mechanicals are considered in the event of a malfunction, including an actual equipment breakdown, such as chain drop, broken wheel, broken spoke, flat, loss of an item previously on the bike (ie:light/computer/water bottle/rider). This list is not meant to be inclusive.

13.2 Flats

Riders who incur a flat are responsible for repairing said flat. Each rider is required to have as part of their ride equipment the following items:

1) replacement tube (or tire if riding sew-ups)

2) air source (pump or an air gun with at least 2 canisters

3) tire levers

In the event a rider is not properly equipped, it as at the discretion of the companion rider(s) as to whether or not they will offer necessary assistance via loaning such items

In the event a rider is supplied with any required items, said recipient shall promptly repay the donor and be required to pay reasonable penance to be deemed appropriate by the donor.

13.2-Mechanical events-Miscellaneous

Riders are expected to maintain -or have maintained by others-their equipment and are expected to be able to perform basic on the road repairs.

Such repairs include:

1) replacing an inner tube

2) adjusting the brakes

3) rehanging a dropped chain

In the event of multiple mechanicals or the rider not being properly equipped, or not being able to self-repair basic failures, the companion rider(s) have the option of assisting or leaving behind said rider

Mt Lemmon in Mid March

Why we wear helmets

Training for Tuscon

This is a little window into my double secret training routine.

A Brief Interlude

Who's got big enough ones to go to Tucson

How long until Tucson?

Tucson here we come !!!

Winter Riding

While on vacation, Rex had to be taken to the Doggie Hospital (he's fine). While I was waiting, I read a Calvin and Hobbes book and found this. So I had to snap a cameraphone picture for the blog.

Video of The Bone

Props to Andre.

Post Ride Conversation #4

Sunday Comics

(click here to see a bigger size)

Route Map from Sunday

The Bone as seen, post-ride, from Andre's GPS.

Post Ride Conversation #3

Post Ride Conversation #2

How Global Warming Might Affect Cycling.

WGaS Oldie But Goodie

Post Ride Conversation

Autumn Ride on the DPR Trail

Turkey Day 2009 CX Ride

St. Charles Cross Race Video

From last Sunday's race...

CROSS from Paul Michna on Vimeo.

Team Car #2?

Carpenterville Cross Race

A couple of pics from the race on Sunday from "Hold Your Line"

Whose Team Car is This?

Happy Birthday BT

You're not getting older, you're getting better cycling equipment.

Caption Contest #3

Tooting My Horn

Sat DPRT Ride

Chilly start - 33 degrees but we warmed up as we got passed Old School - BT, Chip, Bill Hatch, AC, Big John and Barb W and myself had a nice ride up to Gurnee and back. A little spicey on the way back home after Independence Grove but a lovely morning. Tucci and Freddy joined us for coffee as they did solo rides - The Professional on the trail and Fa(s)t Freddy on the road. Don't you love Lake Forest Starbucks ..... not! (that is another story)

We took a long look at the bridge at 120 - still very slick so be careful! I did notice the sign above - a bit small when you are riding 20+ mph.

Hope to see you out this week ... weather permitting.

DeKalb Cyclocross

The cyclocross race in DeKalb yesterday was, as usual, a fun one. A tough course with off camber steep turns made even more challenging by the previous days rain. I raced Masters 40+ and am certain that I came in ahead of at least one other racer. I started with about 50 others, so it was a very big field. Here's a shot of me climbing a short steep stretch:



I stayed for the next two races and grabbed a few photos. Here's one of Bill in his first cyclocross race, looking fast:



And one showing his barrier crossing technique:



There were other creative ways to get over the barriers:



And here's my favorite team kit from the race:



More pictures of the race where these came from.

Team Car?

Seen this morning. Did someone order a Team Car?



Enlargement.

Movie Night!

Race Across the Sky



The only question is Lincolnshire or Evanston?

Outa my Way!

Running was clearly the best way up this hill!

Riding on the Front

Today we had a minor accident - but it could have been much worse. As we were heading south on St. Johns just turning onto Lambert Tree Road (road on North Side of Ravina) there was a plate covering a loosely filled trench. I was on the front with Vitaly, we were not going too fast as today was a recovery Friday. As we turned (I may have taken the turn a bit too tight/too sharp an angle) I saw the plate and yelled, making a short quick turn to get out of the way of the plate. Frank who was behind me, was not so lucky - as he turned to miss the plate, his wheel gave way in the loose dirt/gravel fill in the trench and went down. I believe his hip and shoulder took most of the impact but his helmet did hit the ground. He got up and had a few scrapes and probably will be pretty sore tomorrow.

Since I was on the front, I feel responsible for not guiding the 'ton around the obstacle. I was told that the plate was not there yesterday. So the morale of this post? Roadwork, darkness and ever changing road conditions make riding at the front a very important and a task and one that should not be taken lightly. It seems that the darker the mornings become, the harder and harder it is to see the pot holes and the rougher the rides have become ... let's just be careful out there .....

Frank - I hope you are feeling better!

Pablo

Test Your Awareness : Whodunnit?