maillotpois
02-12-2006, 12:23 PM
Okay, first let it be said that I am a bike race fan. My family follows NO other sports except pro cycling. We've been to the Tour de France twice. My 9 year old daughter couldn't name 1 baseball or football player but she can tell you the names of a dozen pro cyclists and can probably identify their team for you.
So this morning, I am headed back home after an errand - I'm dressed in my full Death Ride kit because I planned to go back out immediately go for a ride. I go around a corner and there he is! Vjatcheslav Ekimov!! Leaning on his bike, fully decked out in Discovery geat, in a parking lot, clearly just waiting for some folks to start a ride.
I pulled a (legal) U-turn and went back and got his autograph. I was fairly gushy, but seriously this is a multiple Olympic medallist who, as the Grandfather of the peloton is MY age. He is SO charming, shy and HANDSOME. Something about the long blond hair and tanned face.
Of course all during my ride I thought of things I should have said to him. I should have spoken to him in Russian (while I have forgotten 99.9% of anything I learned as a Russian major I could have at least given it a shot). I should have told him how sad we were when he wasn't able to ride the Tour last year due to injury. Oh well.
Oh - and the first time I met him was during the ride which included what shall forever be known as The Best Ten Miles of My Life. It was a couple years ago, the day before the SF Grand Prix or T Mobile or whatever it was called then. I was cresting a hill in Nicasio, and a CHP Moto cop pulled up alongside me and said "You're about to be caught by the Postal TdF team!" So I flayed myself to stay with them over the hill and rode TEN MILES with them. First thing I did when I was in the bunch was call out "Hi EKI!" because I am such a goon! :D But Hincapie, Noval, Acevedo, Rubiera - all of them were there. That was an AMAZING ride!!
And this morning wasn't so bad either! ;) My husband said I was acting like our dog Russo when he gets a big stick! :p
Just had to share...
Sarah
So this morning, I am headed back home after an errand - I'm dressed in my full Death Ride kit because I planned to go back out immediately go for a ride. I go around a corner and there he is! Vjatcheslav Ekimov!! Leaning on his bike, fully decked out in Discovery geat, in a parking lot, clearly just waiting for some folks to start a ride.
I pulled a (legal) U-turn and went back and got his autograph. I was fairly gushy, but seriously this is a multiple Olympic medallist who, as the Grandfather of the peloton is MY age. He is SO charming, shy and HANDSOME. Something about the long blond hair and tanned face.
Of course all during my ride I thought of things I should have said to him. I should have spoken to him in Russian (while I have forgotten 99.9% of anything I learned as a Russian major I could have at least given it a shot). I should have told him how sad we were when he wasn't able to ride the Tour last year due to injury. Oh well.
Oh - and the first time I met him was during the ride which included what shall forever be known as The Best Ten Miles of My Life. It was a couple years ago, the day before the SF Grand Prix or T Mobile or whatever it was called then. I was cresting a hill in Nicasio, and a CHP Moto cop pulled up alongside me and said "You're about to be caught by the Postal TdF team!" So I flayed myself to stay with them over the hill and rode TEN MILES with them. First thing I did when I was in the bunch was call out "Hi EKI!" because I am such a goon! :D But Hincapie, Noval, Acevedo, Rubiera - all of them were there. That was an AMAZING ride!!
And this morning wasn't so bad either! ;) My husband said I was acting like our dog Russo when he gets a big stick! :p
Just had to share...
Sarah