Avaricious randonneurs.
thirty-six
Paul O
> Why do it if all you get for your troubles is a paper certificate?
>
is written on?
--
Paul D Oosterhout
I work for SAIC (but I don't speak for SAIC)
Norman
> Why do it if all you get for your troubles is a paper certificate?
You would prefer something with a bit more extrinsic
value? Some nice potato latkes, perhaps? Maybe
a squirrel-themed cupcake?
thirty-six
> thirty-six wrote, On 11/17/2009 2:36 PM:> Why do it if all you get for your troubles is a paper certificate?
>
> Are you suggesting that the certificate is not worth the paper that it
> is written on?
As long as that paper will burn.
Jeremy Parker
"thirty-six" <thirt...@live.co.uk> wrote in message
news:5c53ccc9-63a4-4389...@n35g2000yqm.googlegroups.com...
> Why do it if all you get for your troubles is a paper certificate?
If you have to ask the question, you will never know the answer
Jeremy Parker
Ron Wallenfang
> Why do it if all you get for your troubles is a paper certificate?
Why do what?
thirty-six
take the risk of embarrassment for not completing, oh the shame.
Joy Beeson
<thirt...@live.co.uk> wrote:
> Why do it if all you get for your troubles is a paper certificate?
Randonneurs get a certificate?
--
Joy Beeson
joy beeson at comcast dot net
Stephen Bauman
> Why do it if all you get for your troubles is a paper certificate?
In these troubled economic times, it's something one can add to one's
resume. :=)
There were cheering crowds along the route, when I rode PBP in 1979. It
was the closest I ever came to experiencing the ego trip that athletes
must experience. It's the endorphin rush.
There was one sense of reality. I stayed a week in Paris for r&r after
PBP. I visited a bike shop on the fashionable Avenue de la Grande Armee
and told the proprietress about my exploit. She inquired about how much
money I received. "Nothing", I replied. What about press coverage? Again,
I replied, "nothing". Her reaction was: pas d'argent, pas de presse;
monsieur, vous etes fou!
The pain and suffering are forgotten in the intervening years. The sense
of achievement remains.
Stephen Bauman
thirty-six
Did you think, before the event, that it was a substitute for racing?
Stephen Bauman
No. That's why I was surprised by the spectators.
The deal with racing is that only one person wins.
Anyone who completes a brevet is a "winner". For the sloggers like
myself, my accomplishment is not diminished by others also completing the
ride. PBP is tough enough so that finishing it merits respect.
Stephen Bauman
thirty-six
Do you think the ride is 'better' because it is an organised ride as a
opposed to you doing the same ride as part of a small group of friends
without being overlooked?
Stephen Bauman
<snip>
>>
> Do you think the ride is 'better' because it is an organised ride as a
> opposed to you doing the same ride as part of a small group of friends
> without being overlooked?
One can combine both by having a small group of friends take part in an
organized ride.
There's a lot going for an organized ride like PBP. You will not get
those cheering crowds along the way, if you're riding with only a small
group of friends. It's also easier to embellish one's performance,
without a group of neutral officials stamping your route card at the
controls.
Stephen Bauman
Jobst Brandt
>> Do you think the ride is 'better' because it is an organised ride
>> as a opposed to you doing the same ride as part of a small group of
>> friends without being overlooked?
> One can combine both by having a small group of friends take part in
> an organized ride.
> There's a lot going for an organized ride like PBP. You will not
> get those cheering crowds along the way, if you're riding with only
> a small group of friends. It's also easier to embellish one's
> performance, without a group of neutral officials stamping your
> route card at the controls.
They way you describe that, it sounds like a search for merit badges
and recognition by spectators. It fits well with the local rides with
visibly high priced equipment and garish clothing. Why ride bike in
the first place? Maybe that is the appropriate riddle.
Jobst Brandt
thirty-six
>
> They way you describe that, it sounds like a search for merit badges
> and recognition by spectators. It fits well with the local rides with
> visibly high priced equipment and garish clothing. Why ride bike in
> the first place? Maybe that is the appropriate riddle.
To get here and there in an enjoyable low stress manner. Although i
do sometimes take a ride to go off-road purely for the fun of it.
That's something I've done since about eight years old but hav not
analysed why it is fun, it just is and I'm happy leaving it that way.
No steenkin badges for me.
Mike A Schwab
http://www.rusa.org/medalphotos.html
Looks like some mighty fine hardware to me.
Frank Krygowski
>
>
> http://www.rusa.org/medalphotos.html
> Looks like some mighty fine hardware to me.
I don't begrudge this reason for taking on a challenge.
I first got really enthusiastic about adult cycling in 1973, but at
that time, I couldn't understand how anyone could ride even 30 miles
at a stretch. I was in very good cardiovascular shape, but I couldn't
do even moderate distance comfortably.
Then my wife and I signed on to the "Presidential Sports Award," a
program in which you were given a logbook to track your consistent
participation in your sport. For the cycling badge and certificate,
IIRC, you needed to rack up 600 miles in 4(?) months, but you could
count no more than 12 miles per day. The intent was regular activity,
not weekend-warrior extremes.
By the time I got the badge, I was a competent cyclist. I could
easily do longer rides, and I soon did my first century and my first
bike tours. Having that goal and reaching it literally opened up a
world to me.
- Frank Krygowski
Tom Keats
thirty-six <thirt...@live.co.uk> writes:
> Why do it if all you get for your troubles is a paper certificate?
Life is fraught with all kinds of bs.
So when we get to choose our own bs,
life is good. Or at least, a little better
than it would have been without the choice.
One might as well ask: "Why aren't all cyclists
track sprinters?"
Actually, if I had my life to live over again,
I'd be right in there, on the banked hardwood
track, and loving every moment of it, and
probably encouraging fellow riders along.
'Cuz that's what sportsmanship & gamesmanship
is all about.
It's not about what you get; it's about
what you give.
cheers,
Tom
--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca
thirty-six
> It's not about what you get; it's about
> what you give.
>
And what would that be?
Tom Keats
Irreplaceable, precious time out of one's life.
thirty-six
> In article <e1d363e3-8d83-41f9-b136-252bc26e1...@o10g2000yqa.googlegroups.com>,
> thirty-six <thirty-...@live.co.uk> writes:
>
> > On 22 Nov, 08:20, tkeats2...@hotmail.com (Tom Keats) wrote:
>
> >> It's not about what you get; it's about
> >> what you give.
>
> > And what would that be?
>
> Irreplaceable, precious time out of one's life.
good reminder, bye.