Newark
At the airport again – this time traveling back home from the Bahamas. I'm listening to a loud dude talking on his cell about redecorating his house. Newark airport here I am again. Last time I was here must've been about 12 years ago. "Does that mean that they want the shadow effect or do they want it painted?" says the man. That does it. Headphone activated. Anyways, 12 years ago I spent the night at this airport bandaged head to toe. I had taken a spill at the Fitchburg Classic on the 4th of July. I spent the night at the airport because the woman that was entrusted to take care of me thought it would be a good idea if she dropped me off the night before the flight so she wouldn't have to deal with traffic anymore. It was a strange night. I wanted some things from the food court but nobody was working so I took some things and left my money. A security guard came over to me and tried to give me a hard time – I just talked to him all bandaged hanging onto an overflowing luggage cart filled with bikes and duffels and finally he said, "I'm just hustling you. You see those guys down there? They need some hustling…. see you later." Morning came and I was able to check in for my flight. Someone at the counter tried to charge me for the bike. I was wearing national team clothing and a man came over and said, "You can't charge this man for his bike -- he's bled for his country, just look at him." I don't recommend this technique for getting your bike checked for free. By the time I got home, the bandages had dried up on me. I soaked them off in the tub for hours. It was a rough few months and I was just lying there at home trying to heal thinking about not continuing on with cycling, but, as always, something brings you back. This time it was Team Saturn calling me and asking if I wanted to finish out the year with them. "Ok," I said so back to training. I remember the skin tearing open with every pedal stroke. I raced the tail end of super week with them. My roommate was Frank McCormack. He taught me how to dry my clothes by wrapping them up in towel really tightly after I washed them. His only request was that when I got up to pee in the night that I sat down. I guess a standing pee would wake him up. My last race with Saturn was the Cincinnati classic. On the last stage Michael Barry and I were in the dealer car set to follow Norm Alvis when Barry looks over at me and says, "Can you drive? I don't have my glasses." Ok. I got behind Norm and then his reverse lights came on and I overreacted a bit. I threw my car in reverse and floored it hitting the marquee sign of the hotel. It almost fell on the car. Norm came over and kicked the car – and said, "See, they don't dent." I still drove it to the race and Barry wanted me to pull over the whole time – it did sound like the wheels were going to fall off but we didn't have far to go. Telling the Saturn dealer that I crashed his car was kind of a bummer. We tried to win the race and make up for it. Norm was away solo and he raised his arms a lap early got caught and lost, ooopps. I didn't ride for Saturn the next year.
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Monday, February 4, 2008
