El Grande, being (ahem) gravitationally challenged, rarely participates in the Sport of Kings. Organizers grew tired of the frantic phone calls from the National Earthquake Information Center in Colorado.
The inaugural RenoCross took place last night. Alas, neither I, the Mud Stud nor the Old Guy Who Gets Fat in Winter was in attendance.
Yes, it’s that time of year again.
There doesn’t seem to be much in the way of coverage out there at 8 a.m. New Mexico time, though cxmagazine.com has a brief report, results and pix.
My colleague Steve Frothingham had contemplated doing the Wheelers & Dealers race, but his new duties may have kept him in the Show Daily office. The Fake News never sleeps, and it rarely pins on a number.
El Grande did, from time to time. But it usually got swallowed by a roll, crease or fold, and even if he finished none of the judges could see it and thus he never got his just deserts.
Sometimes he didn’t even get beered.
• Next: Relax.
Tags: cyclocross, Fat Guy, Interbike, Interbike 2018, Interbike Marketweek Reno-Tahoe Powered by Northstar California Resort, Mud Stud, RenoCross
Mad Blog Media 
September 20, 2018 at 8:25 am |
Good day for Cross up here. Plenty of mud…
September 20, 2018 at 8:29 am |
You too? Christ, it’s been pissing down here since about 3:30 p.m. yesterday.
I know, I know, desert, no complaints about rain, etc., et al., and so on and so forth. But I’m definitely regretting my decision to run yesterday instead of riding.
September 20, 2018 at 11:18 am |
We were supposed to get heavy rain yesterday and last night. We ended up with a 1/10 of an inch, and then we sent the rest to you. My tandem riding friends are in Santa Fe this week on a tour, a deluxe tour. They are doing the 84 mile Enchanted Circle loop today. When told it would be raining this morning for the start, they said we are originally from Oregon so no worries. If you see them Khal, they will be on a yellow Co-Motion and their names are Bob and Michelle.
September 20, 2018 at 2:56 pm |
Since I’m in the biz, can you explain what you mean by “on a tour, a deluxe tour.”? The bike tour/travel industry doesn’t really have any hard and fast rules on descriptions so I’m wondering – in the same way I wonder when someone says “fully supported tour” which I’ve found can be anything from a just a luggage truck that hauls your stuff to the next lodging all the way to some that’ll even push you up the steep hills and ask if you’d like still or sparkling water in your bottle!
September 20, 2018 at 3:06 pm |
I did one “fully supported” Adventure Cycling Association tour, the Southern Arizona Road Adventure. That was pretty sweet.
ACA determined the routes, shuttled our crap from stop to stop, and fed/watered/sagged us. All we had to do was ride the bikes, eat, set up/break down our tents, and sleep.
At a couple of the stops the tent-phobic could arrange more comfortable lodging, too. Bisbee was a particularly nice spot for camping, but as I recall a few folks opted for hotel rooms.
September 20, 2018 at 5:08 pm |
Sorry Larry. What I was trying to convey is that it was a very expensive tour. They asked if I would like to go, and this style tour is not their usual fare. When I learned the cost was around $3K per person for the week, I declined. It involved first class inns and gourmet meals with many additional side trips like a river rafting trip with a naturalist guide. If I want to ride around Santa Fe, I will buy a map, and then show up at Khal’s front door asking if I can crash on the sofa. He would probably let me unless I brought Patrick with me.
September 21, 2018 at 7:21 am |
Thanks – always good to know what someone out there thinks about these terms. Based on that, all of our point-to-point tours in Italy are deluxe and expensive. Our clients are the types who want all the surprises to be the good kind..and are happy to pay enough to ensure that is the case, though they tell us with other operations they didn’t always feel they got what they’d paid for!
Now our Piedmont Cycling Resort concept provides “first-class” (4-star) accommodation but lets the client determine how much (if any) of the gourmet meals or side trips they desire and wish to pay for.
We now have a “Gourmet” meal package and “Pro” package option where we’ll wash your bike daily, do your cycling laundry and even arrange for someone to rub your tired legs.
September 21, 2018 at 10:36 am |
Good morning Larry. My tandem ridings buds decided to treat themselves to a really nice tour, and from the emails I got from them, they were totally satisfied. I also like no surprises, and if I was going to come to Italy to ride, it would be with you guys. I have a emergency nest egg, and I am really reluctant to tap it unless I have to. We are pretty frugal which allowed me to retire at 55. It was worth it, and still is.
September 20, 2018 at 2:00 pm |
Ah, well, that explains it, then. Webfeet from Oregon riding a bike made in Eugene around the Enchanted Circle. That’s more effective than a rain dance or even cloud-seeding.
September 20, 2018 at 5:09 pm |
Word. It is their fault. I’ll let them know.
September 21, 2018 at 7:14 am |
The local blat says we got an inch out of that daylong rain. That ain’t bad. I wonder whether it was a one-off, or whether it’s a hint that Al Niño is gonna be paying us a visit this fall and winter.
September 21, 2018 at 7:35 am |
I saw what you did there. Good stuff! Good chance he will visit this winter.
https://www.climate.gov/enso