my problems with the cycling community ver. 1.0

This has been brewing for awhile and came up in conversation again today. I know I probably shouldn't care, especially when it comes to the MS150 which after all is more about raising money than bike riding but you have to at least try to ride it all. I wanna hear a "fuck yeah I'm riding it all, even if it kills me!"

This edited post was taken from an email I sent to Buddy looong time ago, but I saved a copy for days just like today.

There's a mentality that goes on in cycling that disgusts me; and it goes like this.

Kevin: dude, you doing the MS150 this year?
Dude: yea man, it'll be cool
Kevin: have you been riding? i haven't seen you at the organized training rides.
Dude: nah man, i'll just ride as far as i can and sag the rest
Kevin: huh?

Kevin: dude, you doing the HH100 this year?
Dude: yea man, it'll be cool
Kevin: have you been riding?
Dude: nah man, I’ll just ride as far as i can and sag the rest
Kevin: huh? I thought the goal was to man up and ride 100 in the heat?
Dude: we'll see

Whatever happened to commitment? Whatever happened to goals?

Now comes a KICK-ASS wife story that carries the proper attitude:
In 2005 she decides she wants to ride in the Flower Power. It's a ride that originates in Muskogee that David's a big volunteer at, and she decides she wants to ride the 62 mile version. She'd only ridden 20 miles that spring and other than that none since the previous summer. Well it's hot and the route had several climbs, one was probably a half-miler that was freaking' steep, and there was another that's probably 1.5 miles and is a monster. Now she can't make either but on the big long sustained climb she gets off the bike and starts pushing. I'm at the top chatting with David and he goes back to her and see if she wants help. (He's driving the support van.) He pulls up and asks if she wants to put her bike in and get a ride to the top. She tells him to....drum roll please...FUCK OFF!!! She tells him she committed to 62 and by god she'll do 62 without anyone’s help!!!! Yeah BABY! The ordeal damn near killer her but you see she had COMMITTED to it.

I'd have done her on the spot if she'd have let me.

My wife inspires me; these fuckers devastate me.