avalonracing
07-01-2010, 08:36 PM
It was a perfect day here in Maryland... About 80ºF and low humidity. It was a hell of a change from 99ºF and high humidity like we had last week. On a day like today unless you have something that cannot be rescheduled you do what ever you have to do to get out on a ride.
My buddy, Mark and I went out about 10AM. Although it was the right weather for a century we decided to do our 40 mile loop in Howard County and save ourselves for the next 3 days of riding road and MTBing.
On a nice, shaded section of downhill I turned around to see someone coming up on us on their bike. We let the older gentleman catch up to us as we nodded and said hello. Because of the descent and a couple of corners we rode for a few minutes before we started talking.
The first thing that you couldn't miss about this guy was his helmet. It was a solid (no vents) piece of plastic that was closer to the shape of an Army helmet. But the thin plastic and milky white color made it look much more like a Tupperware bowl than a protective helmet. I was surprised to see such a weird piece of equipment on a man who was riding a carbon OCR Giant. His jersey was vintage. Just a plain blue cotton jersey that would have been mistaken for a T-Shirt had it not had the rear pockets and buttons. His shorts were lycra but they were almost turquoise in color and screamed early 90's.
As for the guy himself... He was older but he was fit. His calves were like carved melons. His back still had the V-shape and there was no spare tire or love handles to be seen. He was much more muscular than he was a thin cyclist.
Wondering if he was a racer from years ago I finally rode up next to the guy and said, "Either you ride a lot or you used to ride a hell of a lot". He said, "I'm sorry, my English is not that good. I do not understand" in a thick accent that I couldn't quite make out with the wind. I asked were he was from and he said that he was originally from Russia. I asked if he had been riding long and he said, "Not too ride much lately. I had kidney removed two months ago. April 26".
What the hell? My friend and I weren't jamming the hills or time-trialing but we were moving along and THIS guy had a kidney hacked out two months ago?
We talked a little more even though I was having a bit of trouble with his accent. He said that his name is Thomas and he had his operation a Suburban Hospital in Bethesda and that he worked with metal. He said that he lived in Olney (which by the way, was the opposite direction that we were headed so he was going to be out for a while... With one water bottle... but he seemed to know the roads quite well.)
I again inquired if he used to race. He said, "Race not for long time... About 55 years ago". What? May I ask how old you are? "I am 72 years old". What the hell?! This guy is rock hard, fit enough to hang with two also fit guys in their early 40's and had his kidney removed two months ago!!! I was floored. I knew he was older but maybe a tan 62, not a decade older than that, and definitely not for someone who just had major surgery.
We continued riding for a bit so my friend had time to ask Thomas if he was a Russian spy (nice, Mark... glad that he smiled after living through the cold war). Thomas' bike handling was great and his cadence was strong. This guy wasn't tired or slacking one bit. Before he turned off something else happened that I thought was amusing. I heard that familiar Nokia cell phone ring. Mark and I both have iPhones... Thomas reaches back into his jersey at speed. Whips out a phone his Nokia, flips it open and says "Hello". He has a conversation for 60 seconds and stows it away as deftly as he removed it without missing a single pedal stroke. Another mile down the road he said "I'm going dis way. Thank you for riding". Take care, Thomas, nice to meet you. Stay healthy.
Cycling... The greatest sport in the world and the closest thing we have to the fountain of youth.
-Robb
My buddy, Mark and I went out about 10AM. Although it was the right weather for a century we decided to do our 40 mile loop in Howard County and save ourselves for the next 3 days of riding road and MTBing.
On a nice, shaded section of downhill I turned around to see someone coming up on us on their bike. We let the older gentleman catch up to us as we nodded and said hello. Because of the descent and a couple of corners we rode for a few minutes before we started talking.
The first thing that you couldn't miss about this guy was his helmet. It was a solid (no vents) piece of plastic that was closer to the shape of an Army helmet. But the thin plastic and milky white color made it look much more like a Tupperware bowl than a protective helmet. I was surprised to see such a weird piece of equipment on a man who was riding a carbon OCR Giant. His jersey was vintage. Just a plain blue cotton jersey that would have been mistaken for a T-Shirt had it not had the rear pockets and buttons. His shorts were lycra but they were almost turquoise in color and screamed early 90's.
As for the guy himself... He was older but he was fit. His calves were like carved melons. His back still had the V-shape and there was no spare tire or love handles to be seen. He was much more muscular than he was a thin cyclist.
Wondering if he was a racer from years ago I finally rode up next to the guy and said, "Either you ride a lot or you used to ride a hell of a lot". He said, "I'm sorry, my English is not that good. I do not understand" in a thick accent that I couldn't quite make out with the wind. I asked were he was from and he said that he was originally from Russia. I asked if he had been riding long and he said, "Not too ride much lately. I had kidney removed two months ago. April 26".
What the hell? My friend and I weren't jamming the hills or time-trialing but we were moving along and THIS guy had a kidney hacked out two months ago?
We talked a little more even though I was having a bit of trouble with his accent. He said that his name is Thomas and he had his operation a Suburban Hospital in Bethesda and that he worked with metal. He said that he lived in Olney (which by the way, was the opposite direction that we were headed so he was going to be out for a while... With one water bottle... but he seemed to know the roads quite well.)
I again inquired if he used to race. He said, "Race not for long time... About 55 years ago". What? May I ask how old you are? "I am 72 years old". What the hell?! This guy is rock hard, fit enough to hang with two also fit guys in their early 40's and had his kidney removed two months ago!!! I was floored. I knew he was older but maybe a tan 62, not a decade older than that, and definitely not for someone who just had major surgery.
We continued riding for a bit so my friend had time to ask Thomas if he was a Russian spy (nice, Mark... glad that he smiled after living through the cold war). Thomas' bike handling was great and his cadence was strong. This guy wasn't tired or slacking one bit. Before he turned off something else happened that I thought was amusing. I heard that familiar Nokia cell phone ring. Mark and I both have iPhones... Thomas reaches back into his jersey at speed. Whips out a phone his Nokia, flips it open and says "Hello". He has a conversation for 60 seconds and stows it away as deftly as he removed it without missing a single pedal stroke. Another mile down the road he said "I'm going dis way. Thank you for riding". Take care, Thomas, nice to meet you. Stay healthy.
Cycling... The greatest sport in the world and the closest thing we have to the fountain of youth.
-Robb