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Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
"No, really!"

My Favorite Bit of Paper Cup Philosophy

The Way I See It #76

The irony of commitment is that it's deeply liberating - in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Godspeed - Wind at Your Back, Wings on Your Wheels

Here's a challenge and an invitation to anyone who may read my blog this weekend. It's official! The cycling racing season has opened. The cyclist is driving toward the first and most grueling race of the year in inglorious weather conditions. He is old and he is admirable, having worked liked a man possessed to start this season exponentially better prepared than for last season. He tells his story best, in his own words on his own blog, so I won't belabor the details. As he rolls toward Boulevard, an idea occurred to me.

I believe the readers, followers and commenters who visit my pink bus are each gifted with words, brains, humor and good hearts. I'd like you to help me out with some words. This man deserves a party! Let's cobble a poem or a cheer or a prayer ~ whatever it turns out to be ~ to rah! the man to the finish line.

I'm putting out the first two lines. We need a title and a couple of lines from anyone who will play. Please simply drop your lines into comments and I'll gather and post them as received. For those interested, he starts the race at 1:00 p.m. PST on Saturday, February 6th. He'll be finished by 5:00 p.m., all things being equal. Check the race flyer in the link. This one is not for the faint of heart and was completed in snow last year.

Here it is, quite likely complete now, but if anyone would like to add a verse, please do that in the comments.

THE CHARGE OF THE BIKE BRIGADE
(Title courtesy of Kirk Jusko)

Esteemed gods of the velocipede, [Leslie]
Guide the man and his mighty steed [Leslie]
And thrust him to an early lead. [Erin O'Brien]

Blunt the pins [Bloomsbury]
So they won't tear [Bloomsbury]
The fine rain jacket he plans to wear. [Benson]

May the rains be gone [A1 Carpet Care home dudes]
And the winds be light
To help him in his mighty fight.

Against wet chill [Leslie]
Lend embrocation.
Provide the man with his salvation.

When he meets his foes, [Sluggo]

Whether old or new,
Remind the man what he can do.


In the long, steep climbs [David]
May he have no peer,
Leaving others to suffer bringing up the rear.

Smooth his way so [Virginia Woolf]
Each technical descent [Virginia Woolf]
Is cause for pride and not lament. [Dylan]

The Badger launches another year, [WheelDancer]
Rain shoes spinning on his good wheels.
The field cowers, deep in fear
By day's end they'll know how defeat feels.


To the finish line, [SOMH]
Safe and sound,
There to find awards abound.

Awards are nice, but he'll want a squeeze. [Doozyanner]
Limes will say, "Will you shower please?"
"Then we'll go to celebrate
Your glorious finish on this red letter date!"


He placed his foot upon the pedal [Kirk Jusko]
And told himself, "I'll win that medal!"
The wheels, they will turn,
The rubber, it will burn.
"I'll ride my bike so damn fast,
That every racer whom I pass,
When they realize they have no chance,
Will wonder if my first name's Lance!"


When all the race is said and done,
[Rachel Fenton]
there's always a latecomer,
one whose wheels cuss last across that line
and though no one remains to cheer him
his praises are sung in hearts he cannot hear
even if he could see them
in the rain and snow and wind
one heart sings more loudly than the loss
one victory cannot be won because it's given.

Prologue from a true, ordained
Dudeist Priest:

67 miles he'll count, when all is said and done.
First to the finish, safe and sound, when all is said and done.
"You know what to do" she'll say, when all is said and done.
Ride on Badger, ride on.
For the half a million miles you'll count, when all is said and done.
When I'm dreaming, I will be the man who's riding behind you.


In my ears right now: Sorry to confess it, folks, it's still "Hallelujah" by the Norwegian choir of young male angels.

Something that charmed me: The notion of asking others to ring in as co-writers of some piece of tribute.


29 comments:

  1. Erin, I thank you so much for participating! He'll appreciate it, too.

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  2. to the finish line,
    safe and sound,
    there to find awards abound!

    great idea!

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  3. @ SOMH ~ Thanks so much for contributing. I hope a number of people will ring in.

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  4. 67 miles he'll count
    when all is said and done.
    first to the finish, safe and sound(somh)
    when all is said and done
    "You know what to do" she'll say
    when all is said and done
    Ride on Badger, ride on
    for the half a million miles you'll count
    when all is said and done.

    When I'm dreaming
    I will be the man
    who's riding behind you(proclaimers)

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  5. Way to go, Badger! Don't leave any on the road! Here's my contribution to the poem:

    Awards are nice, but he'll want a squeeze.
    Limes will say, "Will you shower please? Then we'll go to celebrate
    Your glorious finish on this red letter date!"

    WV--cosiesse: Cosiesse the fastest rider of all!

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  6. @ My dear Tag and Doozyanner ~ I felt I could plan on you to play. I just didn't know I'd nearly bleed to death. I can tell you, I've read it all to him. I can tell you, he choked up AND laughed as I sobbed.

    Love you both!

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  7. Another panel for the poetic tapestry:

    The Badger launches another year
    Rain shoes spinning on his good wheels
    The field cowers, deep in fear
    By days end they'll know how defeat feels

    WV - micangn; Micangn can that dude climb!

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  8. @ WD ~ you're the best! He's reading these verses as I drop them into the blog. What fun!

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  9. @ The Readers ~ Mother Badger chimed in on e-mails last night to root for the Badger and to chastise me for calling him "old". We dished about that for awhile and then each of use made an observation. I spoke of looking at the other cyclists at the races. In that context, the Badger IS old . . . and kicking the pants off of men 20-25 years younger than he is. Mother Badger observed that she thought she was old at 60 but "I realize that it was still peak time as he is proving now."

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  10. UPDATE ~ Saturday, 2/6/2010 ~ 9:45 a.m.

    He's in for it as to weather. Here's the hour by hour forecast. He goes off at 1:00 and should be done before 5:00. This morning offered up dense fog and almost 0% visibility. That has lifted except at the very top. Hey, it's better than this moment last year when it was snowing and sticking to the ground!

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  11. Um, sorry for logging in so late. Is this poem completed?

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  12. @ Kirk ~ Please join us! There is room for an infinite number of verses, and it still needs a title. I'm glad you popped up, Kirk.

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  13. How's this for a title? The Charge of the Bike Brigade.

    Here's a verse that can go anywhere:

    He placed his foot upon the pedal
    And told himself, "I'll win that medal,
    The wheels they will turn
    The rubber it will burn,
    I'll ride my bike so damn fast,
    That every racer whom I pass,
    When they realize they have no chance
    Will wonder if my first name's Lance!"

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  14. @ Kirk ~ You are brilliant! I mean that. VERY well done, Kirk. I am so happy you rang in. He's riding right now in really bad conditions. He won't hear your verse until tonight, but I know he'll love it.

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  15. @ All the Readers ~ I hope everyone realizes there was a ghost writer involved in the verses attributed to my pets, Dylan, Virginia Woolf, Bloomsbury and Benson. ;~}

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  16. Sorry I missed this! Bloody hell - here's a belated line:

    When all the race is said and done,
    there's always a latecomer,
    one whose wheels cuss last across that line
    and though no one remains to cheer him
    his praises are sung in hearts he cannot hear
    even if he could see them
    in the rain and snow and wind
    one heart sings more loudly than the loss
    one victory cannot be won because it's given.

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  17. @ Rachel ~ How very beautiful! He will LOVE this, as do I. Dear one, it is not belated, but very welcomed.

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  18. Oh, phewsh, it is here after all! It seemed to disappear along with this whole post earlier today - left me most confused! I am not losing my marbles - thank you. Awe "dear one" that's much the lovliest thing I've been called.

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  19. Thank you for the kind words, Les.

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  20. @ Everyone ~ The reason the post kept disappearing and reappearing is that I edited it every time someone dropped in more verse. It has become such an html code nightmare, I hope never to open it again! It's pretty much being held together with spit and a string. But what a lovely tribute and a fun project.

    As we've e-mailed and talked on the phone this morning while he makes his way home, I've said more than once, "Your poem is a thing of great beauty." He knows that it is, but he hasn't yet been able to fully savor it. His internet connection was so sketchy in Boulevard, he didn't once have an uninterrupted few minutes to take it all in. I've read it to him piecemeal (as verses arrived) and in full, but I think when he parks himself at the computer he is going to be overwhelmed. And I am sure we will be reading his own words here shortly.

    I plan to print the poem on good paper and frame it for him. More racing weekend good cycling juju to add to the other talismans.

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  21. @ Rachel ~ You ARE a dear one. I thought to say so.

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  22. @ Kirk ~ I'm tremendously glad to know you.

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  23. To all of you who contributed to this: Thank you so much. It's one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me. I'm sorry if I let anyone down by bailing out after two laps (45 miles), but I was soaked to the bone and it was cold. I'll make it up with the rest of my season. Thank you all once again.

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  24. @ The Badger ~ Aw, Badge, you still don't get it. You didn't let ANYONE down. I've seen comments to say folks wouldn't have left the motel. I've read your words that men were already peeling off after 15 miles. I heard and I SAW what that epic ride did to you. Don't be bad to yourself. Be as good to yourself as we feel good about you.

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  25. What a very nice collaboration. Thank You Leslie for bringing us together.
    Badger, Leslie is absolutely correct. What matters to me is your safety. If conditions had been better we know that you would have finished well. Take 'er easy

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  26. @ Tag ~ I'm being serious here, not funny. I so enjoyed the collaboration, it so touched me, I can't stop talking about it. The home dudes keep asking me every morning to read the poem again. "Who wrote that part? Whose words are those?" I'm trying to think of other similar exercises. I felt like I got to know everyone just a little bit better while also cheering the Badger on. The creativity and spirit of good cheer are remarkable!

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  27. 45 miles? In that kind of weather I wouldn't have made 45 inces.

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  28. @ Kirk ~ nor me! If it intrigues you, Kirk, you might want to pull up some of my past posts with the label "races". I am not a cyclist. I won't ever be. I don't even want to be. I've been fortunate to be the "wind at his back" not more than 12 feet behind him in a car for 60+ miles. Cyclists get a tip of the hat from me. What they do with their bodies and their bikes is absolutely incredible.

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