Wednesday, March 12, 2008

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.

2 comments:

Drew Jameson said...

Nice blog Steve! Made me think about getting back in the saddle again.....then reality hit me.

Drew

Carriage Works said...

Great Blog...I still have my MC (Midwest Cyclery) jersey just like the one DMC has on in the Photo!!! Ahh Good Times, maybe I will wear it this weekend at the Blue Springs ABA National!

Bob Van Vliet
Brigade, Shady since 1980!