Cycotherapy News Roundup: Some links to news, gift guides, a hiker and his dog and Shivering.
The link dump that only slightly and sometimes relates to cycling.
Happy Black Friday.
I trust the tryptophan has worn off and the embers of heated political talk have died down. Maybe you’ve participated in retail therapy today. Maybe you have jumped into the saddle to burn it all off for some cycotherapy. Maybe you’re taking it easy today, or traveling.
Whatever your situation is, I hope you’re feeling grateful for the things and people in your life.
Here are some links, a story and a poem that I hope facilitate recovery from possibly a hectic couple days.
Sincerely,
dillon.
headlines & links
New doc on Jan Ullrich
Jan Ullrich apparently opens up about his drug and alcohol abuse, as well as his doping, in a new documentary set to premier on Amazon Prime on Nov. 28. He’s given some interviews in the days leading up to the release. I don’t typically like glorifying this type of behavior, but he brings up an interesting ethical dilemma in his reasoning for using performance enhancing drugs: “For me, cheating starts when I gain an advantage. That wasn’t the case. I wanted to ensure equal opportunities.” I don’t know if I buy that. He had seven stage wins at the TDF, won once and had top finishes in a number of other races. He doesn’t think he gained an advantage over the hundreds of other cyclists? Pfffft.
Anyway. Should be a documentary worth watching.
Speaking of drugs.
Jonas Vingegaard missed a test four years ago because his doorbell wasn’t working. Seems suspicious, but it also seems like an honest mishap. He also seems to be aware of how suspicious it looks and understands why cyclists are under such scrutiny.
Some gift guides for you or your biking buddy
It’s officially that time of year. I’ll probably put a gift guide together at some point and publish it here for all us procrastinators. But for those who have already started buying, or plan to very soon, here are some guides to help. This one from New York Magazine is pretty good. And this one from Bike Radar looks solid. And this one from Esquire is OK. It’s hard buying gifts for gear-intensive hobbies. Gift cards to local bike shops are always a good bet.
feature of the week
This is a tragically wonderful story of death and survival on a Colorado peak. It’s about a man who died doing something he loved, with an animal he loved. It’s terribly sad, but I’d like to think there’s some comfort for his loved ones in the fact that he died doing something he loved to do.
Shivering: a poem
rain drops on my lips
caught dry on a walk
that chord in that song
i hear it and cry and laugh
your voice’s echo
louder today
that time we said we’d do that thing
around the world
won’t happen
it’s sad
the rain reminds me
i’m alive
like the bird
on his branch
shivering
-Dillon Carr
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Mans best friend!
Love the "catch up" bottle