Missin’ you
November 20, 2015 § 9 Comments
Dear E.A.:
I miss you. Remember the first time we met, on the NPR? You were wearing a backpack and I called you “Backpack Boy.” You were one of three people then who would hammer like a fuggin’ monster, then still bake everyone in the sprunt.
Then a few weeks later you shed the backpack and started showing up in that ugly OTR kit. Only I couldn’t make fun of it because I couldn’t talk hanging onto your wheel.
After a few months I learned your name. Dude, you were the best addition to cycling in the South Bay since coffee. It wasn’t long after that that you started showing up for Cat 4 races, all of which you won, and then Cat 3 races, and the epic rivalry with Prez began.
Except you smeared him like a bug on the windshield of a Ferrari and catted up to 2, then 1. Dude, everybody wanted to be your friend then. Even though you doubled in fitness and speed every month you still talked to me. Remember how we became friends? Or rather, how I tried to be friends with you and you tolerated me?
Then when we were teammates it was super awesome. We never raced together because I was still a Cat 5 after thirty years, but we wore the same jersey and I told everyone I knew you and that we were teammates.
And that doesn’t even begin to get into that epic ride to Mandeville where you called your wife at the top and left a message except your phone wasn’t working and you didn’t know that and you bonked on the way home and I had to carry you across the handlebars and when we got home it was dark and your wife was, um, how shall we say this, “displeased,” and I hurried home and pretended it wasn’t my fault.
Man! The awesome times we had! Remember when I borrowed your truck that morning for an hour or so and returned it at midnight with that little character ding in the grill and the thing with the axle? (I have no idea how it happened.) Then there was the time I showed up on the way home from work and you gave me a ride home that sixteen or eighteen times or so and fed me dinner, too, and beer.
And what about the good times with Smasher? And Boozy P.? And how we’d spend most of your savings for your daughter’s college fund at bike races? And that epic trip to Bend where you drove for 30 hours in the F-1 Prius while Smasher and I drank beer and slept? You are an awesome driver!!
So it’s with heavy heart that I think about your absence. I know you have a family and a job and all that junk and you’re rebuilding your house from the slab and work is really busy and you don’t have a bike anymore and the team folded but think of all the great times!!
Anyway, Smasher has pretty much moved back to the South Bay and Boozy P. went on a bike ride last Saturday and I need to borrow fifty bucks. Whattya say? Flog ride next week, or NPR?
Miss you like the sister I never had!
END
————————
For $2.99 per month you can subscribe to this blog, and contribute to the “Bring Back E.A. Kickstarter Fund.” Click here and select the “subscribe” link in the upper right-hand corner. Thank you!
Cycling in the South Bay 
We all have a E.A.
I know …
I kind of feel like E.A………………only much slower.
We’re all much slower.
I think he is taking time off to try to level the playing field again. How about a go fund me site to buy him a set of wheels to ride? I will pitch in the first $ .50 as long as they are heavy.
I will match your .50 and raise you .10.
Ah ~ man love, love it! Waaaaaay back in the day, when I used to ride, NPR, I remember a time when EA and his (other bestie) Josh were Soft pedaling a lap (off season rest week.) For one part of one lap I hung right behind them! I was STOKED! I was pedaling my fastest, out of breadth, working as hard as I could… I do, quite literally, however, remember listening to them casually discussed their calendars, and I am pretty sure at one point their each pulled out their phones to pencil something in. 😝 . EA is/was one of the nicest badasses in the SouthBay. Thanks for writing
I hate being out breadth!!!
Legitimate contender to ‘the Charon’…goodness…