MailBag: An Excellent Waste Of Time
This was a busy week for our MailBag editor as more than one letter flooded in. So in celebration and appreciation of our devoted fans for actually taking time to share their thoughts, how can we not pass on a nice mix recent writings – so make sure the boss isn’t around click in…
Skoal Promotion Girls in Daily Distractions
Are they HOT? No Doubt! If those “promotion girls” (Skoal) are from a bike race then I am so disappointed with the promoters of the event. What’s next, a Marlboro chic in cutoff jeans and “wife beater” t-shirt?
I am a devoted Daily Distractions reader and those women may be the hottest you have ever featured. Having said that, clearly (hopefully) they are from some auto racing event and belong on NASCAR.com. The day we start promoting the use of cigarettes and alcohol openly in our sport will be a very sad day. Cigarettes and alcohol account for so many health related costs, injuries and death in our society and have no place (nor association) with the sport of cycling. Please be careful as you stand at the top of that very slippery slope. Shouldn’t the photos on the Pez Site have something to do with cycling? Hey, even a professional rider’s girlfriend makes perfect sense to me.
Absolutely love the site. Keep up the great work.
Respectfully submitted,
– David – N. Carolina (that’s right, Birthplace of Stock Car Racing), USA
Disgruntled Fan
Dear Pez, I can’t let this go! Richard Pestes’ (or is that PEST?) article about
climbing the Finestre and watching the penultimate stage of the Giro was great, but the idiot actually took part in the race! Who the hell does he
think he is? A racer? What would happen if all the tifosi decided to do the same thing? There is no excuse for such misguided arrogance. Unless he can figure out the difference between being a competitor and being a spectator, get him off the roads of Italy, and off the web site. (And if he IS ‘Pez’, then there’s absolutely no excuse for his actions!). This isn’t a misguided rambling – this guy has crossed the WRONG line!
– Rob Robertson – A very disgruntled Pez fan.
Hi Rob – Thanks for reading and thanks for the note. I’m the “idiot” who was on the Finestre, although I didn’t actually take part in the race as you think. I do not condone nor encourage anyone to get into an active race situation, which is why I waited until most of the race had passed by before I got back on the course. I was never closer than 100m to any riders, and if I was, I pulled over and got off the course. Most of the racers had passed by and the race was very broken up by the time I started riding – with gaps of several minutes between riders, the team cars had all gone through, and I was not the first person to get back on course. Additionally, my media credentials actually allowed me to be on course anyway. I hope that clears up your misunderstanding – and thanks again
for reading. – Pez.
New Wonder Lube
A few nights ago my wife and I were committing “the act” on the floor in front of the other love of my life, my bike. Shortly thereafter I decided to go for a ride. It had been some time since I properly lubricated my chain, and I was disappointed to find the bottle of chain lube empty. Because I am a proper East Tennessee redneck, I improvised. I used KY Brand personal lubricant, the kind that creates a slight warming sensation. I must report, this a great substitute lubricant. My chain and cogs hum quietly, and my shifting is smooth as silk. The problem is KY is very water soluble, yesterday I rode in the rain and it all washed off. Please tell the others, of this significant cycling discovery.
– Sam
Now this is the kind of useful advice you just can’t find on other sites… am I right? – Pez.
PEZ In Bicycling Mag
You gotta be kidding – Bicycling Magazine is home to articles such as “You too can have legs like Lance in two weeks and here’s how” or, even worse, a section called the “Style Guy”. If I were trying to build the image of my website as a “go to” site for knowledgeable and informed cyclists, the last link I’d want to have would be a superficial rag like Bicycle Magazine. Try hooking up with Cycle Sport, Velo News, or Procycling. Now I realize that these magazines also maintain their own websites and will probably reject your overtures but having no link to a magazine would be better IMHO then a link to this magazine! It’s the literary equivalent of “The National Inquirer”.
– Jay Richolson
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Way to go! Pez is on page 41 talking about the fate of Domestiques who have left Armstrong’s side. It’s nice to see you in a national publication…keep up the great work!
– Jeff Alexander
I’m a big believer in gaining exposure to cyclists any way we can, and if it’s through a collaboration with another publication that attracts a slightly different cycling enthusiast than us – even better. The readers that like our style will stick around. Bicycling mag appeals to a different core reader than us, but there’s no reason a person can’t read us both, so when they asked me to write the story, I was flattered and eager to encourage a few of their readers to ask “what the hell is PezCycling” and click on over. – Pez
PEZ GIRO Coverage
Absolutely terrific coverage of the Giro man! Even if I couldn’t be there it was good to see it through your eyes. You killed every other web site with your anecdotal reports from the road!!
– Ed Kurzenski
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I very much enjoyed your Giro coverage. Your trivals, stories and pics were great. I have ridden in the area and I think you got it right. I also have enjoyed the recent features by Rook Campbell. Good work.
– Jim Loree, Ventura, CA, USA
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Now that’s what I call reporting! Thanks for making us feel closer than this damn laptop. The pics of the food and espresso killed me. Pure Envy isn’t always bad.
– Angel
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I’m writing from the dark gloomy days of a Masters Student in the UK. Its coursework deadline time and although the weather outside isn’t the best I just want to get away from my computer and go out training. Alas I have been doing that and the work has slipped, so I’m in for an epic ‘tour of typing’ for the next day or so.
Pez, you make days like this more bearable. With your daily distractions sending me off into a dream world and your race reports and behind the scenes interviews doing the same. You guys definitely offer a different style of reporting, its refreshing and more often that not gives you that little bit of inspiration to make you go out and train that little bit harder. So thanks Pez, keep it up.
Ride safe,
– Andrew Macfarlane.
Wow – this is truly a reward you don’t get from every job – and it’s much appreciated! As my Giro trip gets sorted and settles into my memory, it’s becoming better by the day. I’m still pretty tired – sleeping 9 hours a night and ready for more – but I guess that what happens when your days go from 7:00 – midnite, including travel, riding, chasing the race, writing stories, and navigating the local customs. I think Bon Jovi said it best: “rock when you’re alive, and sleep when you’re dead.” My intention was to share the essence of the Giro d’Italia – it’s such a great race, in a great country – excellent riding – super tough climbs – unbeatable food and drink – and some of the friendliest people (not to mention best looking!) you’ll meet. Like the Tour, the Giro is a race unto itself – that really should be experienced by any cyclist. So get over there! –Pez
Thanks again to everyone for reading!
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