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"Getting All Literary Up in Here"

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

"Getting All Literary Up in Here"

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Old 06-10-10, 03:02 PM
  #1  
umd
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"Getting All Literary Up in Here"

Found an interesting article written by an ocassional racing opponent/acquaintance of mine. It's somewhat racing-related, but also just cycling in general, and I figured some here may appreciate it.

https://www.ritteracing.com/2010/06/literary/

"Alan Zarembo is the Ritte Racing team’s most talented climber. The longer and more grueling the mountain road, the better Alan goes. Alan is also an esteemed journalist for the LA Times and runs in more, should I say, educated circles than the rest of us. What follows is an essay Alan wrote for Black Clock, the literary journal of the California Institute of the the Arts."

Enjoy, I did.
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Old 06-10-10, 03:14 PM
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"In the United States amateur bicycle races are elaborate theater productions designed to give each rider both the illusion of being a professional and at least an marginal possibility of victory. "

True? Question from a non-roadie.
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Old 06-10-10, 03:16 PM
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Wow, that was really well written and I now wonder how it would have read if I didn't relate in even the most remote way...
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Old 06-10-10, 03:19 PM
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Great Article. I especially enjoyed the last paragraph living in NYC and riding in CP. He perfectly describes that one moment of clarity.
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Old 06-10-10, 03:20 PM
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Too many great quotes (his writing really surprised me) but I love how he ended with:

"What matters is that this rider behind me is gone for good. This will be my biggest accomplishment of the day."

Also, visual imagery:

“a one-time dream in which Mark Cavendish, the world’s fastest rider in a sprint, appears at his front door as a dwarf and refuses to go for a ride with me.”
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Old 06-10-10, 03:22 PM
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Excellent essay. Thanks for posting the link.
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Old 06-10-10, 03:38 PM
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Originally Posted by tuxbailey
"In the United States amateur bicycle races are elaborate theater productions designed to give each rider both the illusion of being a professional and at least an marginal possibility of victory. "

True? Question from a non-roadie.
A bit of artistic license
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Old 06-10-10, 03:49 PM
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Interesting read. Thanks for the link, umd.
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Old 06-10-10, 04:33 PM
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I enjoyed that.
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Old 06-10-10, 05:26 PM
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Most excellent.
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Old 06-10-10, 05:48 PM
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A little too self absorbed & grandiose for my liking.

If "I" were to write about what I have a penchant for, I certainly would not let the like of I (myself) be what I can only describe.

Me, myself & I.... & all.
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Old 06-10-10, 05:50 PM
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I chuckled at this:

In Central Park, another rider is resting in my slipstream. I’m pretty sure he’s an investment banker. He’s riding a $10,000 Colnago, a fact about which I manage to muster righteous indignation even though my bicycle cost no less.
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Old 06-10-10, 06:43 PM
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Good read. Thx for posting umd.
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Old 06-10-10, 06:59 PM
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Excellent
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Old 06-10-10, 08:03 PM
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Thanks for sharing UMD- good read!
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Old 06-10-10, 08:31 PM
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Originally Posted by caloso
I chuckled at this:

In Central Park, another rider is resting in my slipstream. I’m pretty sure he’s an investment banker. He’s riding a $10,000 Colnago, a fact about which I manage to muster righteous indignation even though my bicycle cost no less.
Did he then dial it up to 400 watts ?
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Old 06-10-10, 08:47 PM
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I need to find this guy on the road and defeat him.
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Old 06-10-10, 09:06 PM
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That guy can write. Definitely not eligible for BF.

Thanks for posting.
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Old 06-10-10, 09:56 PM
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He totally "gets it."
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Old 06-10-10, 10:34 PM
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Thanks for posting the link umd

edit: "Note: A month after writing this essay, Alan Zarembo won his first race." - Nice
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Old 06-10-10, 10:39 PM
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Originally Posted by rollin
Thanks for posting the link umd

edit: "Note: A month after writing this essay, Alan Zarembo won his first race." - Nice
Yeah, he won the road stage at the Callville Bay Classic (Southern Nevada Stage Race). He said he was inspired by my 1K attack for the win at that race last year.
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Old 06-10-10, 11:11 PM
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great article.
Thanks umd.
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Old 06-10-10, 11:28 PM
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fantastic
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Old 06-11-10, 12:20 AM
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Originally Posted by tuxbailey
"In the United States amateur bicycle races are elaborate theater productions designed to give each rider both the illusion of being a professional and at least an marginal possibility of victory. "

True? Question from a non-roadie.
From the perspective of a former runner, riding in a pack definitely feels like that sometimes. Other times I just get dropped.

I liked it too.
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Old 06-11-10, 01:12 AM
  #25  
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Originally Posted by tuxbailey
"In the United States amateur bicycle races are elaborate theater productions designed to give each rider both the illusion of being a professional and at least an marginal possibility of victory. "

True? Question from a non-roadie.
Going by the smugness that emanates from some (edit/was "most") racing roadies here, I'd say it is true.

Good article, well written.

Last edited by guadzilla; 06-11-10 at 01:39 AM.
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