USADA Witch hunt

It is alleged that Kayle Leogrande of Rock Racing filed suit in LA County Superior Court charging that USADA planned to test his "B" urine sample after his "A" sample from a 2007 late summer race tested negative for performance-enhancing drugs.

Speaking with Associated Press, USADA general counsel Bill Bock called the anonymous lawsuit "utterly frivolous and morally bankrupt," adding, "What are they seeking to hide?"

Utterly frivolous & morally bankrupt? I'd be careful what you choose to utter, those words may come back to haunt you Mr. General Counsel.

My question to Mr. Bock would be, what are you trying to prove? The "A" sample already proved negative, even if the "B" sample came back positive what then, there is no "C" sample? And you need two to tango; just like Lance's "B" sample from the 1999 TdF sample being tested years after the fact - even the UCI and Dick Pound at the WADA after all was said & done ultimately agreed that despite whatever personal suspicions they may have there was officially nothing that could be done.

Mr. Leogrande may be guilty as sin for taking drugs or may be clean as an angel on a sugar high; but the USADA cannot try to prove anything in an illicit fashion - they must use appropriate protocol or the whole process is in shambles - which some may say it already is.

Upon further review - as far as I can tell WADA's Dick Pound stuck to his guns in Lance's apparent 6 positive EPO results from the 1999 Tdf (ironically by the same lab that Floyd had trouble with in his case), though the UCI told him what to do with it, ending their statement that, "It is essential that WADA act swiftly and definitively to establish that conduct of this type will not be tolerated."

8 months...

...to go 'till the big day.

Summit the Sun - Climb for Kids is certainly my main focus for the year. As my endurance rides get longer and I get stronger I think that'll also help with my racing program. With the 3 youngest grins demanding a lot of my attention I may be somewhat limited to my frequency out racing this season, but I plan to support my teammies whenever I get the chance.


Sponsorship solicitation for Summit the Sun is coming along - no big news there yet, but I'm confident that the advantage of both the marketing potential along with the benefits of a generous tax-deductible donation will make it attractive to groups to align themselves with the event by mid-to- late Spring. Time will tell.

Job opening

Stupid driver of the day award
This guy & I were minding our own business, chatting up a storm on small claims court, tort reform and chocolate torts, riding westbound on River Road in Fife when a trash-hauler trailer pulls out right in front of us making a left turn. Slowing & swerving toward the right I still managed to get in the way of trash dudes rear wheels, as the rear trailer wasn't on the same track as the front tractor. While I was in the scree of the intersection and at almost a standstill the trailers left rear tire nipped my left foot & banged into my rear wheel, fortunately a relatively slow speed.

To the guys credit he stops right away at our yelling & hollering. Though his first words proved why he hauls garbage for a living - he started trash talking right away. "I didn't see you guys, why were you in the middle of the road?" So that's your apology? Not,"Are you OK? Can I do anything for you? How's your bike?" No, he's being defensively offensive. Never admitting anything wrong, he's basically blaming me for getting in his way and that's why I got hit. We didn't give way to him pulling out in front of us - yeah that's good logic.

Cops arrive get every one's story, sort through the hysteria, and end up issuing a citation to Rubbish-man for failure to yield ("But I stopped!") - now you to can apply for his job.

Rock On

Up in Malibu, where a couple of Range Rovers, or a Lamborghini, Ferrari, Maserati, is the norm. Where German imports (S Class Mercedes AMG's, Turbo Porsche's, or 700 series BMW's) are the everyday drivers like imported Japanese cars in my neighborhood.

Just after 4PM yesterday at my ride turnaround at Malibu Bluff Park, across the street from exclusive Pepperdine U, who comes jamming by, but the 20-something guys from Rock Racing in a swift double-paceline. Trailing them was a black Cadillac Escalade with wheel racks on the roof. Could not tell if Cipo' was on one of the Scott's or not, but definitely a disciplined group.

Stupid Driver of the Day award goes to the lady on her cell as she obliviously drifted toward me pressing me toward the line of parked cars on Lincoln Blvd. She nearly jumped out of her thin skin as I banged her right passenger door; which as an afterthought could've caused her to actually make things worse had she overreacted & swerved into me - but she didn't.

Teammies

First team ride of the year with actual teammates. Rode out of Irwin's on 40th in lower Wallingford at 9AM and went south along Lake WA over the I-90 bridge and then out to east of nowhere.

Street names like May Valley, Issaquah-Hobart, Cedar Grove, a couple 200 numbered roads, Petrovitsky came & went in unfamiliar fashion, before returning to friendly territory in Kent & Renton.

Ride was in the high 30's (perhaps hitting 40 in a few spots) and mostly dry except toward the later 15-20 minutes where the skies finally opened up.

My PowerTap had the ride data just shy of 75 miles in just over 4 hours, averaging 17.4 mph, with an average watt reading of only 180 (what that's all?) and 2721 estimated calories burned.

Jamie continues to ride stellar and Chad was rock solid as well despite his working 90+ hours a week. Post-ride burrito was consumed handily. Legs were definitely challenged today and felt comfortably tired. Tomorrow another solo long (& perhaps hilly) day in sunny LA.

Six weeks until Mason Lake #1.

Where's my Delorean?

I just read that he is publishing his 2nd memoir. Here is a guy who's over 3 years my junior writing another book about his terrific life. What could've happened in six years since his first book? I'm so far behind.

Checkmate

What I didn't predict - Bobby Fischer (should a grown man ever be named Bobby?) died yesterday. The often tormented and predictably odd behavior that frequently afflicts genius chess grandmasters who are utterly bored & seemingly can't be bothered by the illogical behavior of the mere mortals that must inhabit the planet with them. One commentator said there was one constant through his life -- his "running battle with the rest of the human race".

As demonstrated by other notable former world chess champions on their reaction to his death, these guys think on a different level:

Garry Kasparov hailed Fischer as a pioneer of professional chess. "We have lost a great individual. He was always alone ... But while alone he demonstrated that a human being is capable of reaching new heights. We have lost a great warrior, we have lost a great mind."

On the other hand Boris Spassky, who now lives in Paris, was less eloquent on the subject of Fischer. Asked by Reuters for his reaction, he said: "It's bad luck for you. Bobby Fischer is dead," then hung up.