Dave - Shropshire, England

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the kind words. I am happy you found the book entertaining.

The Bradley Wiggins transfer to Sky is interesting to me because so many people (in this country at least) are having a hard time with it. As a former (underpaid) pro, I really don’t have too much trouble with his desire to make more money or ride for a major team that’s based in his home country. I am not suggesting in any way that he was underpaid by his former employer, but if a guy can find a better paycheck and/or situation, and the rules make it possible for him to leave, well, good for him, I guess. I broke my contract with Transvemij (later TVM) to go to another team in the silly season of 1987/88, but it wasn’t for more money. It is certain that young Mr. Wiggins is making a deservedly large amount more than the young Mr. Parkin did, too.

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Hey there sports fans -- I am back from Portland and the Oregon Bicycle Manifest. I had a great time talking to a group of bike racing enthusiasts, drinking beer and eating waffles, even if I did contract some sort of creeping crud on the airplane. If you live in the area and haven't been able to make it to one of the OM events, get on it.

On another note, here's a little something that you should know about, if you don't already ...

The National Interscholastic Cycling Association is something that all of us who have raced, would like to race, or care about the future of American cycling should get behind. For most of us, cycling comes as a surprise gift, and once we find it (or it finds us) we are hooked. Imagine having the chance to race as a high schooler! I have been to a couple of these events in NorCal, and I am here to tell you the experience was nothing short of breathtaking. If you would like to learn more, check here. Better yet, if you would like to enjoy a nice evening for this good cause, read on and do what you can ...

BERKELEY, Calif. – The Bay Area’s cycling social event of the season, the NorCal League’s CycleFest 2009 will feature the CEO of Slipstream Sports, Jonathan Vaughters, as its special guest at its main annual fundraiser, a three-day gathering, November 6-8 in Mill Valley.

Vaughters, said, “It is an honor to be invited speak at the NorCal CycleFest. Two of the pro riders on the Garmin-Slipstream team, Lucas Euser and Steven Cozza, raced mountain bikes in the NorCal League, and so from the perspective of somebody like me, the importance of a program like NorCal’s cannot be overstated. I am delighted to support it and urge everybody reading this to add their support too. This is the future of cycling in the USA.”

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