A Cycling Greek Tragedy

Next year, Hollywood will be releasing its version of Lance Armstrong's fall from grace. Currently in post-production, the film is helmed by Stephen Frears (Philomena, The Queen) and stars Ben Foster (Lone Survivor, The Messenger) as Armstrong. While the story will no doubt focus on the drama of the doping scandal, it will also be exciting to see the re-creation of key stages of the Tour.

But before the biopic hits the silver screen, there is a fantastic documentary currently available that sheds more light into why this story is so captivating. Stop At Nothing: The Lance Armstrong Story features many key figures that include well-known names (at least within the cycling community) like Tyler Hamilton, Floyd Landis, Frankie Andreu, and Greg LeMond. Then there are other compelling interviews with Jeff Tillotson (attorney for SCA), Travis Tygart (USADA), and Emma O'Reilly (masseuse for USPS team).

One of the most memorable comments came from David Walsh of The Sunday Times, who was one of Armstrong's early detractors. Not long after Floyd Landis tested positive for testosterone and stripped of his 2006 Tour "victory", he desperately wanted to return to racing and asked former teammate Armstrong for a job. When Armstrong and his camp refused a spot to Landis, he no longer felt any loyalty to Armstrong. Walsh observed that Armstrong lacked the emotional intelligence to understand that Landis was a ticking time bomb. Had Armstrong given Landis some small, even menial, role on the team, it could have been just enough for Landis to keep his mouth shut. Alas, Landis would eventually out Armstrong and his many secrets and pile onto the mountain of suspicions around his victories.

Double-Take: Ben Foster a la Hollywood

You don't have to be a racing fan to see the draw of Lance Armstrong's tale. Take away the athlete and you still have a man whose life embodies that of a modern Greek tragedy. The rise and fall of any central character has been a Hollywood staple for as long as stories have been told. And of course, the greater the hubris, the more fantastic the tale.

After The Storm

Wapato Lake

In late October, the weather around here seems to have a split personality. Hard to believe that just the night before, the Seattle metro area was under a storm advisory, with winds reaching 60 mph. I peeked outside my window during the hight of the storm to see sideways rain and leaves hanging on for dear life. Naturally, I didn't think I would be going for a ride any time soon.

The following morning, my only plans were to run errands and work on chores at home. But throughout the day, the sun must've really wanted to make an appearance, fighting its way through the cloudy sky. By mid-afternoon, calmer winds moved the clouds along and the sun prevailed for the remainder of the day.

I saw this as a sign to take my new Rivendell Sam Hillborne for its first ride.

As I was riding through the neighborhood, I really enjoyed seeing all the leaves that had fallen the night before, now matted along the streets in all their various autumn colors. Several people were outside working on their lawns, taking advantage of however long the break in the weather would last. There was just one more more hour of daylight as I rolled into Wapato Park, but people were still out and about, enjoying the last bit of calm before the next storm rolls in. A couple sat on a bench waiting for the sunset, a family and their two small children waving at the ducks, an elderly couple walking the one mile loop around the lake. And dogs. There were lots of dogs.

I came across a narrow bridge and lost my balance about a third of the way in. I guess that's what happens when I don't ride for months at a time. I got spooked by the gaps between the planks, I thought large enough for my tires to sink into. My confidence and handling skills needs improving. Bar-end shifters will take some practice.

While I didn't see any rainbows, the pink clouds lit by the setting sun was just as amazing, especially seen reflected from the lake. I regretted not getting out earlier, but there's something beautiful in riding on a late autumn afternoon.

Begin With The End In Mind

From Port Townsend to LaPush - 130 miles

Damn it. I need a goal. Disappointed that I didn't ride much this year. No more excuses, then. I've decided to ride the Olympic Discovery Trail next year. By August. No later. Between now and then, I will plan, stay in shape, and stay motivated. Oh, and ride. of course, ride.

There was a time when I rode my share of club events: Seattle To Portland, Tour De Blast, RAMROD, RAPSody. Then stuff happened. I rode less and less. Then...you get the picture. All of those events were good times. I met people, took selfies before they were called selfies, put in lots of miles and was healthier for it.

But those events cost $. And they were crowded. Even more so now. I'd like to try one on my own. Self-supported, that is. I have no desire to camp, so I may not be saving any money. The cost of an event's registration fee will just go towards lodging. At 260 miles roundtrip, I'll need to figure out how many days to spread out the trip. Don't see myself riding all the way to the coast in one day. I could. I would rather enjoy myself, make stops along the way, visit town to town, take in the scenery.

I'll worry about the logistics later. Right now, I'm feeling excited about this goal. It is as worthy as any I've aspired to make.

An Aging Cyclist

Thea's Park, circa January 2014

Has it been a year? Oh, boy. Wish I could say that life has kept me busy (it has). Truth be told, I'm just getting older...and lazier. Can't remember the last time I went on a decent ride. My body isn't what it used to be. I'm waking up with aches and pain from sleeping too long. From sleeping! How crazy is that? Can't sit for too long, either. Have to get up every so often so my back doesn't complain. And forget about being in the heat. It's above 90 degrees today, so I opted to stay in. So sad.

I'm trying to decide if I should fight the future and stay fit through my middle-aging (You know, like the men you see in magazine articles on how to age well?) or accept the passage of time as an inevitable march to whatever awaits beyond the here and now. Okay, even I admit that's a little depressing.

It's times like this that I think about change. From Life As A House:

"Change can be so constant, you don't even feel the difference until there is one. It can be so slow that you don't even notice that your life is better or worse until it is. Or it can just blow you away, make you something different in an instant."

So what's next?

Tour De Parks 2013: Wright Park

Arguably one of the most beautiful parks in Tacoma, there's no question that it is one of the most visited. Home to the W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory, Wright Park is a 27-acre arboretum with walking and biking trails, sprayground for kids, and a pond that's well populated with ducks.

Because of the park's popularity, it regularly hosts special events throughout the year. Lawn bowling? Bring your bocce balls. Zombie tag? Get ready to survive the apocalypse. During the summer, there's always something happening each week.

Newly acquired Dragon Koi at the conservatory.

Amazon Begins

NBBJ

It was reported today in the Seattle Times that Amazon will be incorporating a two-block cycle track that will run alongside its future office buildings in downtown Seattle. Scheduled for completion in 2015, only time will tell if this is a vision of more to come or just a plan destined to fail.

Or you can scan the reader comments right now and hear from both haters and supporters.

In a nutshell, a cycle track is a bike lane that exists on the sidewalk but separated from pedestrians by a natural barrier. Obviously, wider sidewalks equals less space for motorists. I don't want to regurgitate the arguments either for or against such plans. I will say this: change is the only constant in life.

As creatures of habit, I think we have a long way to go with how we eat, how we communicate with one another, and how we travel. It wasn't so long ago when smoking was a normal part of everyday life. Today, you have to go to designated spaces to light up and still get dirty looks. I predict the same will happen with how we consume food. At some point in the future, you'll have to visit a specialty store to get Twinkies and Doritos.

And just maybe, alternative modes of mass transportation will be the norm and cities everywhere will have the infrastructure to support it. So what's the big deal about a two-block cycle track that only benefits a mere 3.5 percent of commuters?

What is an ocean but a multitude of drops?

You've been warned.

Signage at a cross-fit gym next to Defiance Bicycles in North Tacoma.