We could probably get a cut rate from jerzeys.com (or wherever that place Derrick conned into making the FHR jersey) to get us proper matching team kits.

I am writing you to express my dismay at Bikejerseys.com's recent sponsorship of the FHR (Fucking Hills Race) on February 25. While it makes sense that your company is actively promoting recreational cycling and broadening the appeal of cycling, I feel that adding your support to this particular event of the Point 83 Club is misguided.

The Chilly Hilly is one of Seattle’s premiere group rides, drawing over 4000 participants to a cold and wet ride around Bainbridge Island. The Cascade Bicycle Club organizes this ride and uses it as one of their largest fundraisers. Riders pay upwards of $30 for registration, rider support is excellent, the Washington State Ferries work extra hard to accommodate the crush of riders, and community groups across the Island use it for fundraising.

The Fucking Hills Race you sponsored uses all of the effort of these groups, but few riders actually donate money to Cascade and in effect run the course “for free”, taking all the advantages of this ride without giving back to the groups that are actually doing the work. While the occasional pirate rider is a fact of an event like this, an entire brigade of over 50 organized riders is classless and rude.

More importantly, thousands of riders of all abilities are out on the Chilly Hilly. Cascade has done a good job of encouraging faster riders to start earlier and to separate riders by speed so that everyone enjoys the ride. With the later start of the FHR and their not being part of the Chilly Hilly bike loading (because they have not paid to be part of the ride), these riders are throwing a wrench into this system. On this ride, you’re as likely to see families pulling trailers, newbies walking bikes up hills, and plenty of riders for whom the alley-catting free-for-all techniques of the FHR riders are not only not appropriate or respectful, but not safe. According to their own site, “it's a huge group ride and you never know who's going to run into you."

There is no way the Cascade Club can stop this club from using the Chilly Hilly to conduct this misguided race. But as a sponsor of the Fucking Hills Race, you have some influence to stop this unsafe and rude event. It is my hope that you will not lend your support to this event in the future.

Sincerely,

Knox Gardner
Seattle, WA
206 351 5759
www.bikenerd.blogspot.com

backing up what heidi said, maybe think about putting a team together in minimalistic daily riding garb (team ghetto!) and attaching bibs or something to show team unity? just throwing out ideas.

I only encountered one person claiming to represent Cascade and telling me that I was destroying everything she held dear.

Our group certainly contains a good share of assholes, why shouldn't Cascade have a healthy asshole contingent as well? Let the assholes rail; bicycle joy shall rule the day regardless.

'Kay. We've bitched about cascade enough. Let's stop pirating Langston's Team83 thread to do it! ;) We have like six other threads we can use to whine about square assholes with overdeveloped senses of right vs. wrong.

It seems like if we're gonna get a little more serious about racing, it would be a good idea to commit to doing a century every week. Maybe not a specific day of the week, but at least genuinely trying to get those rides in at least once a week. What do you guys think?

Our group certainly contains a good share of assholes, why shouldn't Cascade have a healthy asshole contingent as well? Let the assholes rail; bicycle joy shall rule the day regardless.

At the risk of re-hijacking Langston's thread, I think I'm gonna invite fuddy-duddy bikenerd to ride in the 327 Words Half-Century for FREE if he wants. And any of his Cascade buddies, too can pirate right along.

Hey, I'm a Cascade member. Does that mean I get to ride free?

If you make friends with Mr. Fuddy-Duddy, sure!

It seems like if we're gonna get a little more serious about racing, it would be a good idea to commit to doing a century every week. Maybe not a specific day of the week, but at least genuinely trying to get those rides in at least once a week. What do you guys think?

good call.
Neanderthal brutality always wins in the end.

Correct. Violence has resolved more conflicts than anything else. The contrary opinion that violence doesn't solve anything is merely wishful thinking at its worst.

What about a good doping regimen?

don't you mean supplemental nutrition? My doping regimen is entirely different that my nutritional managment. One gives me the munchies, the other makes me go faster...

If you want Langston, we could do some paceline practice, which will be important for keeping up, and really makes you feel like a team.

and it's where you get to check out the other dude's butts on your team ;)

Sounds good. When is good to get quorum? I'm unemployed, so I'm quite free.

and it's where you get to check out the other dude's butts on your team ;)

How about this weekend? I don't really want to study for finals anyways. We can talk about plans tonight. I'm thinking Lake Washington blvd for getting the mechanics of pacelines down.

Heidi, you'll only get a view of mine. Everyone else will be busy following you.