"New sh%# has come to light."

Dear Matthew Freeman,

The following request to change your NORBA category has been approved and processed by USA Cycling.
Member: Matthew Freeman
License: Cross Country Racer
Request to change category from Semipro to Pro

Anyone got an EPO hook up? Kidding, of course. Although I won’t be so far off the back of the Pro field if I had a few extra red blood cells. Still kidding. I guess my near top 10 finishes at Schweitzer & Brian Head & my 7th STXC at Mammoth convinced someone at USA Cycling. That & James tells me that they called Longo as a character witness. Thanks Larry. I owe you drinks.

Frankly, until last night, I didn’t know how I felt about this upgrade. Ironically, it’s a humbling turn of events. I mean, at least as a Semi-pro, I had a chance, but now I have no chance in hell. Then I talked to James last night & he shot some adrenaline into me with his words of encouragement. “Dude, you’re a professional athlete now! That’s awesome. You should be happy.” If anything at all, at least Ryder will be able to say that his Dad competed against Olympians, World Champions, Tour contenders & maybe even Armstrong, who I’d be willing to bet will show his face at a NORBA Nat’l when the boredom of retirement sets in. Possibly the best part of this whole deal is that at the NCS races, I won’t have to race on Fridays anymore. That alone is incentive enough to upgrade.

I guess now I should start weighing all my food, sleeping in an altitude tent, (or at the very least sleeping up in Big Bear for a week leading up to an event), riding the trainer for 5-hour stint, hire a massage therapist & invest in some syringes. Still kidding.


Random…
Nathan bought a condo in Grand Terrace, but instead of taking up residence in GT, he’s decided to take on the role of a slumlord. He’ll stay in Muscoy & rent the condo out. Consider it an investment.

Warning: If you consider yourself moderately intelligent, don’t even bother reading this: My coworkers go crazy over this dude. I can’t figure out if he is serious or if it’s all a fruity European joke. Anyway, here it is and you didn’t read about Gunther here, if you know what I mean.

No Warning needed here. Although you may not see this atrocity in our area much, that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening all over the United States. It kind of makes you wonder just how “Free” the “Land of the Free” really is. Help!


Things I See On the Way to Work


Cage Park is on Main Street in Highgrove. At one time the once flourishing park was home to singing birds, bunny rabbits & squirrels. Legend has it that contaminants from the K&N Chrome Shop & local power plant forced its closure. Now the only birds at Cage Park are crows, the bunny rabbits have 2 heads & the squirrels carry rabies instead of acorns. Yet, as I pedal by the barricaded grounds on my way to work, my obsession with what now resides on the other side of the fence grows stronger every day. I'm haunted by Cage Park, but like a teenage girl in a Friday the 13th horror flick, I am undaunted by its threatening state & may soon go explore.

The ridiculousness that is vanity license plates entertain me (with disgust) while on my way to work. Here's one to be proud of.

Hey, Hey, Hey!