Way to Go Eduardo
Gary Gottlieb
LSR,
I would like to be the first to welcome our newest member Eduardo. Eduardo demonstrated a can do attitude and pulled off his first 200K today in Willow Park. Eduardo is from Brazil and lived for a bit in Chicago (my home town) before just moving to Texas. Prior to this ride his longest ride was the North Shore Century in Chi-Town. There is one thing about Illinois and especially that area, IT IS FLAT. Eduardo’s friends foolishly told him Texas is flat. He soon found out otherwise.
When we hit our first hard hills on Old Airport Road Eduardo had his doubts and figured he was in over his head. Dan, Pam, Rani, Vickie, Super Newbie Charlie (fully recovered from his 8:35 Old Dennis) and I rode with Eduardo all the way to Glen Rose. In Glen Rose the group split because Vickie, and Charlie did not have lights. So us three hammered back to Willow Park and finished at 4pm. We enjoyed some great roads and even better hills and a Parker County first – Tail Wind! We all got our cards signed and I tucked them away in Dan’s truck.
Since the day was still young I decided to ride back out there and find Eduardo’s group. I got to repeat some of my favorite after work training hills on Old Airport Road again. When I finally saw the group they were at the bottom of the toughest hill out there. The girls were in front and Dan was behind Eduardo “coaching” him up that beast of a hill. Soon that hill was over and it was nothing but rollers to the finish. Eduardo was ecstatic that he was in the home stretch of his hardest and longest ride of his life. He was all joy as he hollered out in his deep Spanish voice. He had conquered the hills of Willow Park and was looking forward to doing rides in Austin and Houston. As for me, I was glad I had some “extra miles”.
Afterwards we all went to the world famous Rail Head BBQ and feasted, I mean we really really pigged out. Eduardo was really grateful for our patience and coaching (his finishing time was really not that bad – a little over 10 hours). He proclaimed “In my country we always repay gratitude and treat those who treat us well”. Eduardo had earlier pulled the waitress aside and arranged to pay our dinner for the whole group.
Way to go Eduardo – you are a first class act. Thank you.
Gary Gottlieb
By the way there is a little Sunday recovery ride in Weatherford at 7am. With a 60% chance of rain we’ll put the Pool in Poolville.
Ron Alexander
Congratulations Eduardo.
As a side note - a 10 hour 200k being described as “really not that bad” makes me a bit nervous about my plan to head south from Kansas for the January 1 200k.
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Gary Gottlieb
When I said “really not that bad” I meant that as a compliment. Eduardo really picked up the pace on the return, because we were at the half way point at around 6 hours into the ride. Mother Nature gave us a nice push back too.
Please come out and join us. We have a large group and a variety of paces. I have done many 8 hour 200Ks and I have done plenty of 12 hour ones too. It’s all good!
Gary G.
RanI Freeman
I second that; Way to go Edurado! Someone told him that this area is flat...must have been the ex-girl friend.
A big high-five to Dan and Pam for coaching this guy in. Dan would tell him to "lock and load" on the down hills, "push, push, push!!!", "You can coast on the down hills!". Then he'd catch up with Pam and I and Pam would tell him, "No coasting!!!", "You need momentum for the next hill!!!". Seriously, though, these two worked wonders to help him in before dark. It would not have happened otherwise.
Eduardo told me early in the ride that he was so thankful to be out of Chicago. He had spent one winter there after leaving the warmth of Brazil, and said it was the most miserable winter of his life-"Thank God that I am here in Texas now!" On the last ten mile stretch he jokingly yelled out, "I wish that I had never left Chicago!". He never lost his spirit and sense of humor.
Welcom to the club Edurado.
Rani Freeman
From: gary.p....@me.com
To: talk...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [LSR] Way to Go Eduardo
Pam Wright
Nah, I'm with Gary on this....the "not bad" was because Dan, Rani and I were scared we weren't going to make it back (with Eduardo intact) before dark, so the 10hrs was a bonus! We pushed and cajoled and trooper that he is, usually!!!! Eduardo would try and dig out just a little more in response.
We certainly weren't always sweet and nurturing and still he really understood we were beating him mercilessly for his own good! Plus, he really had the right attitude to make it happen. You could see his face say "crap, you people should leave me alone" and 5 seconds later it didn't say that at all and he was digging in a little more. Talk about leaving it all on the road? This man did!
We kinda took unofficial turns prodding and beating Eduardo, so it was fun to hear him and Dan catching up and Dan coaching with a "Eduardo you gonna let those girls beat you? You better get after it and beat those girls." I'm still learning how to offer a draft instead of just taking, so I really tried to keep up with him and take some wind on those times he had a head of steam built up, but even my big ol' bike and I gave up on a couple of downhills and that's saying something!
Somehow afterwards his smile and hobbly walk made it all worthwhile. Our overall goal became finishing before dark and he did that. He did it with grace, smile and a genuine happiness at his accomplishment.
An on to Railhead (verrrrry different from this girl's Montgomery St "original" Railhead BTW) Poor man....Gary, Dan and I ordered salads with ours, so Eduardo was a crumbling (yet VERY graceful, smiling and positive) rando begging for food. Our waitress was the coolest and slipped him a plate so he could hightail it to the veggie bar in secret!!!
Eduardo, it was a pleasure to push, pull, prod, prompt and ride with you. You demonstrated a great can-do, will-do, did-do attitude and I hope LSR sees more of you in the future.
Pam Wright --- On Sat, 11/28/09, Gary Gottlieb <gary.p....@me.com> wrote: |
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Eduardo Mendes
bike club in Chicago but, I have to say that I never found the
camaraderie there that I found here at LSR. When I fell behind for the
first time, I told to myself "oh well...one more ride solo." And all
of a sudden, I see Dan biking towards me. Few miles later, I had the
worst leg cramps ever and had no medicine with me. Being very honest,
I had no idea what to have for leg cramps. Anyway, if it wasn't for
your guys, I've would never made it. Special thanks to Rani, Pam and
Dan. And to Gary(the nazi rider). Gary, you scare the crap out of me
with how much you ride.
See you guys soon.
-Eduardo.
On Nov 29, 5:06 pm, Pam Wright <texaspamri...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Nah, I'm with Gary on this....the "not bad" was because Dan, Rani and I were scared we weren't going to make it back (with Eduardo intact) before dark, so the 10hrs was a bonus! We pushed and cajoled and trooper that he is, usually!!!! Eduardo would try and dig out just a little more in response.
>
> We certainly weren't always sweet and nurturing and still he really understood we were beating him mercilessly for his own good! Plus, he really had the right attitude to make it happen. You could see his face say "crap, you people should leave me alone" and 5 seconds later it didn't say that at all and he was digging in a little more. Talk about leaving it all on the road? This man did!
>
> We kinda took unofficial turns prodding and beating Eduardo, so it was fun to hear him and Dan catching up and Dan coaching with a "Eduardo you gonna let those girls beat you? You better get after it and beat those girls." I'm still learning how to offer a draft instead of just taking, so I really tried to keep up with him and take some wind on those times he had a head of steam built up, but even my big ol' bike and I gave up on a couple of downhills and that's saying something!
>
> Somehow afterwards his smile and hobbly walk made it all worthwhile. Our overall goal became finishing before dark and he did that. He did it with grace, smile and a genuine happiness at his accomplishment.
>
> An on to Railhead (verrrrry different from this girl's Montgomery St "original" Railhead BTW) Poor man....Gary, Dan and I ordered salads with ours, so Eduardo was a crumbling (yet VERY graceful, smiling and positive) rando begging for food. Our waitress was the coolest and slipped him a plate so he could hightail it to the veggie bar in secret!!!
>
> Eduardo, it was a pleasure to push, pull, prod, prompt and ride with you. You demonstrated a great can-do, will-do, did-do attitude and I hope LSR sees more of you in the future.
>
> Pam Wright
>
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