1988 - 1992

The next year I got a Guerciotti, I won a number of races and the 1989 Tour of Kansas City as a Cat-4, after that year I totaled it in a head-on with a truck. I used to time myself over a course that I progressively rode faster and faster. 100% of the time I always slowed down before this blind corner, but today I was determined to smash the record and ended up smashing myself. The fork and down-tube buckled making my bike un- rideable. In an attempt to escape I fell again. It’s not like this would be my first chase . . . Did I mention I was also a member of the "BMX Brigade"? . . .

(Notice Dennis wearing a Midwest Cyclery Jersey )
www.23mag.com/gens/dmc.htm

. . . What I didn’t know is that I had a concussion and soon I was seeing double tunnel vision. I guess someone seen it and called the ambulance who soon carted me off soon enough.
After the crash I got a Concord SLX.

(This is me at the MO State TT. 1hr, 0min, 33sec . . . Oh so close!)

This was before Veltec-Boyer could import them, but PDM was a Dutch team and since the owners were Dutch and had some strings they could pull I got one Jorg Muller’s backup Concord/PDM frame sets. I had the only frame with a number braze-on.

I qualified to be a cat-3 early that year, then got 2nd at the Stage race in Fayetteville AK, now famed Joe Martin. . . . We just called it "Fayettnom" back then. Not long after I qualified to be a cat-2, despite all the warning from people who said I need to stay where I was for the season, then start next season as a Cat-2 I went up anyway. A lot of the races around here at the time were cat1/2/3 so what’s new? but the bigger races are cat1/2. This was the year I got an invivtation to go to the training camp in Colorado. After spending 2 weeks at the training I was burned out when I got back to Kansas City. I pretty much didn’t want to see a bicycle again. Well maybe just ride one. Soon as I got back I had Steve Kraly build me a custom frame out of columbus multi-shape tubing with all suntour superbe pro. I think the best group ever made was the Suntour Superbe Pro. Nothing felt smoother or worked better. The shifting performance was miles ahead of campy's.

The problem was I lived by the motto, the best training for racing is racing, so I never had an easy day, just some days that were longer than others. My friends told me I’d burn out, and the coaches in Colorado told me I would. One of the coaches spoke Dutch and said something to the effect . . . "Do you know what’s wrong with cyclist is that they are addicted to pain, but I’m the prescription" . . . So I had to win the climbs to the top of all the passes? . . . I think he was PO’d, well I think he was right . . . well about the part about me burning out.

Obviously at the time my aim was to acquire one of those Cat-1 licenses. I asked the Pro’s and nobody had one. Everybody's read Cat-2. I found it odd nobody had one, than the answer to the question was "Who Cares?". I guess Davis Phinney is Davis Phinney where his card says Cat-1 , or Cat-2.

When I got back to make myself feel better I guess I bought a LeMond TVT with C-Record and the new ergo levers. Too bad I don't have a picture of that bike.