Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Bobke and Bob

Nicknames are interesting creatures. Some are bestowed upon us with love and adoration, i.e., waterbug (thanks mom). Others are thrown at us with spit and venom (too many to recount here). And then some attach themselves to us like remora. Remora are those parasitic fish that affix themselves to a host shark or whale, thus earning the name sharksucker or whalesucker.

I think I may have coined a new term for the wheelsuckers out there. Yeah, she's a remora.

Lord knows I sucked the wheel of Christine Wehlburg (nickname~CW) my whole first year as a Cat 4 because
  1. CW was a larger fish than I;
  2. CW was a steadier wheel than I; and
  3. My lofty goal for my first season was to work hard enough to be able to stay with CW.

Out of that host/feeder relationship, I aqcuired the nickname, Periscope.

i.e., when the larger fish has a good 6 inches of height on you as CW does on me when riding, you cannot see the road in front of you, unless you sit up and periscope over. Thus my non-aero bike nickname was born. And true to form, I am taking a peri-view position over Janet Olney above. All clear ahead!
Now last year when I had the privilege of riding for Route 1 Velo, I picked up another nickname. Badger. I think my finishing-face as I won my first Cat 4 race at Tysons explains that moniker.

So where does the nickname Bob come from?
In short, my college field hockey coach also taught kindergarten. Thus she spoke to her collegiate players just as she spoke to her 4-yr olds. One day a teammate noticed that every start list or scrimmage line-up listed me as Robbin-Bobbin. That nickname later shortened to Bobbin and then Bob. Yikes. When lacrosse season hit, it was discovered that I had this uncharacteristic "head bob" thing I did before making a shot on goal. (I called it a fake shot.) Thus, Bob stuck with me throughout my college years.
That's a recent pic of Bobke and Bob in the photo to the right. I asked Bobke to squeeze into a CycleLife vest. He made a comment about his chest being too big.

I found that very funny. Wendy just laughed because we have a cue worked out for that. I tell a joke. She laughs.

Race report? Oh yeah. The ladies of Team CycleLife hung with Bob Roll at the 2nd Annual Tour de Millersburg Stage Race in PA this past weekend. Awesome venue. Incredible town support. Major shout out and thanks to the promoter (Shane in orange on right), the volunteers and citizens of Millersburg, and of course, Bobke.
For more info on the weekend, Wendy has also posted a blog about the racing this past weekend and some of the frustrations that come with this sport we love.
I guess I should add I picked up another nickname during the RR. "Peloton Patrol." Aww yeah. I saw a girl with plenty of gauze wrapped around her elbows trying to sneak up in the gravel and grass beside Beth Mason without giving as much as a "heads up." I let her know that alerting Beth to her presence might be a safer move before spinning out in gravel. Ironic that a rider donning a kit called "Sturdy Girl" is wrapped in gauze--suggesting she is not all that sturdy. Regardless, Beth is a smart and gracious rider and would have moved left a bit, or moved right and closed down the move. Either way, my commentary to the rider was pure self-preservation. I was behind Beth and moves like Sturdy Girl's were more than my comfort-level would allow. I like the skin I have right now. I'd like to keep it. Sturdy Girl that was your first warning. Next race, I'll be issuing tickets.
Peloton Patrol Out. Roger that.

1 comment:

Chickin said...

Janet kinda looks like a badger in that photo too. This post is too funny!