BORROWED

Trawling the Blogs to find info on Cycling and Disabled Sport I occasionally come on some great ideas. Just about all the Photos I post are the result of others efforts and perhaps they also owe thanks to other sites, whatever their source I hope that the thanks I offer is reward enough. I have a “digital camera which I got through eBay several years ago and at present it will not work on vista home premium which I use, it appears to have been made in the east. Perhaps it had a dvd , I don’t recall using this but the white folded pamphlet came within the “aqua green coloured box with the camera and supposedly can be used as PC camera also. Whatever anyone can do to locate the replacement Cd info would be appreciated!

Cycling tips is a Blog I occasionally look at and they recently observed a Blog on SBS Cycling Central and related that item in the body of their Blog but added a really good set of photos which create the essence of the story in a way that would be hard to surpass.







Having viewed these photos you like me will understand how patient the normal motorist has to be to cope with the daily trauma of traffic snarls. In past years I enjoyed living in the inner west suburbs of Sydney and where possible would drive west for my early appointments or made sure I was parked in Darlinghurst/East Sydney before 8am enjoying a coffee in those places that the “Movers & Shakers” used to enjoy. I wonder if “No Names” coffee shop is still run by the same family. First went there in 1967 when upstairs was a queue on the stairs and $3 was the usual charge for a surprisingly filling meal with byo facilities, those were the days!

On moving to the North Shore I would be at North Sydney Pool before 6am in the Winter and Lane Cove Pool in the Summer with the result that I was at the North Pylon before 7.10am to avoid the start of the “parking station syndrome”. Breakfast on Thursdays was the “Swap Meeting in the Hilton” where like minded were able to network and hear “motivational speakers on a variety of subjects”. The internet indicates these meetings continue in a number of locations and whilst I no longer keep in touch since 2000 often wonder about some of those who attended in my time there. Like everything time moves on and so too with the Daily Crawl to work. Any reasonable person with a fixed starting time at their workplace knows to the minute how much time to allocate so as to arrive on schedule each day of the week as each day has varying traffic conditions.

Why is it then that these “reasonable people” become “merchants of terror” when they find themselves behind a cyclist? People get behind the wheel in various moods and “strap on a personality” which is entirely different to that in the house or workplace, is the only conclusion that I can come up with. In Europe driving in France & Italy you will find the car behind “tailgating” so close that they could sit in your back seat but rarely will they pass on your “inside” but overtake they will even if only to slam on the brakes for the next lights. But when they get behind a cyclist they will patiently wait for a “Safe point” to pass and will Not Hammer their horn to let you know of their attitude.

Vuelta Espana 2001 in Barcelona I had been riding the rest day with the Race Teams and as we headed back to the “T-Mobile Team Hotel” we were overtaken by this Spanish mini car and out hopped a little fat bloke with a tyre lever in his hand shouting out
“Whatever”.
.

One of the guys asked “Sprecken zie deutsch” and that and the laughter deflated him and he slunk back to his “tin can” and took off. So the point is that whoever or wherever you are you can expect to find “an inferior ego that has to vent their Stupidity”! A story in another Blog illustrates the situation that occurred at the Athens Olympic to Michael Rich, even though there was ample evidence to lock up the Greek Mongrel nobody was willing to take the time to pursue the action needed to gain a result.

Police action these days needs several sets of eyes to remove the suspicion of collusion, you are reporting an “idiot” because you don’t like the colour of his car? Or you are in a bad mood with nothing better to do than kick your heels in the Court Waiting Room so as to “Give Evidence” about for the Court a “trivial incident that had not led to death and is thus of little merit in their time table”!
We all read reports of “rapists” being let off so it should come as no surprise to hear of a “motorist being let free of a conviction for damaging a cyclist and subsequently reappearing for the same offence. This happens all the time with drink drivers, let off the first time with a fine and perhaps a ban then reappearing after with same condition only an injury or death added to the circumstances being related in court.

Several Blogsites have appeared in recent years which are carrying “Video evidence” of incidents which the Police choose not to use but the day will come when this added to other evidence will cause the convictions to be passed down. Over the years as I ride I have found myself being forced around a corner by a vehicle which has come alongside and turned with no consideration for my welfare, fortunately there has not been a curb to bring me to a sudden stop. Gestures have not resulted in the driver stopping and it is possible the action was deliberate on some occasions.

Some Blogs advocate giving a friendly piece of advice to erring cyclists after catching them after they run the stop sign or red lights, but unless you are thick skinned it is a waste of breath. Gesturing your thanks to a motorist again can be provocative as this can be taken by some as provocation with an unintended result. Best to say thanks if you catch up at the next lights or in traffic but by that time they will have already forgotten the incident.

Paul Crake was the unlucky victim of a crash in the Tour in New Zealand but there are many others who are wilfully injured or killed by driver negligence!

The courts seem to think that a small fine and a limited driving ban suffices to resolve the outcome. This is as much a nonsense as giving a drink driver the benefit of the doubt when up in front of the bench. Loss of life is permanent and the offender in many cases is contrite as far as the exit door where life returns to normal. Pity about the Parentless family who have lost their way of life, or the childless parents who doted on the lost child. Too little thought is given to the relatives of the victim, compensation even of large sums are worthless compared to the space left in their lives.

Many “Disabled” are victims of accident and time and again I come across lone “Handbikers” pursuing their form of cycling, some get along quite quickly so it surprises me why they do not get invited to participate in group weekend rides, they would enjoy socialising now just as much as when they were “normal” before their accident. Perhaps it would be a great idea if clubs made more of an effort to invite these people to join in and same applies to the Tandem riders as I can tell you some are difficult to keep pace with when they are on the flat.



With the Paralympics fast approaching and in the northern hemisphere spring also now is the time to make the offers of participation. Who knows you may find yourself cheering these same people as they compete at the 2012 Paralympics in London.

In closing it is sad to view the loss of an athlete in any sport but what are the qualifications required for entry into some of these dangerous sports. Eddie the Eagle was race skiing then moved across to Ski Jumping but is there a junior level of competition for the Luge where the participants get years of experience. Skiing & Cycling amongst other sports have a variety of lower levels of competition that you have to progress through. I could not imagine lying on what amounts to a tray doing about 150kph with my feet in front let alone head first in the “Skeletons"!Scary Sports!

WINTER PARALYMPICS

This coming week we will see the Opening Ceremony of the 21st Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver which as far as I am concerned is a dress rehearsal for the more important event which is the Paralympic Games that are scheduled to start on 12th March and run until 21st March 2010 . Each of these events require dedication from the participants as some are new to their event but the majority have competed in previous events with or without medal success.

For all the athletes participating at each of the separate events
“It is not whether you win or lose, it is about how you play the game”!

Generally speaking all the athletes attending these events have been preparing all their lives in the most part for the events in which they are competing ! Some exceptional athletes started out training for the Olympic discipline but find themselves through accident or illness competing in the Paralympic Event of the same discipline! This is why I feel like others, that these athletes deserve more recognition for their efforts, they have overcome the adversities that life has imposed on them and still triumphed!





In the Zillertal , Austria near where I live there is a Wheelchair user, a very quiet friendly person who grew up and won many ski championships in the Tyrol. In 1993 a fall from a chair lift tower changed his life choices and also his marital situation as at first the new life style was not to his liking and had an influence on his home life and those around him. After a period of adjustment he was in the Austrian Paralympic Ski Team at Nagano Winter Paralympics 1998 where he won recognition and a Silver Medal for his country. World Championships followed as did the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Paralympics and even more medals and recognition. He is now married once again to a fellow “Wheelie” and although retired from competition continues in Ski Sport training other “Wheelies” investing his efforts in the future Paralympics athletes . My belief is that his life is richer than most of ours even though we have full use of our faculties.

At Torino 2006 Winter Olympics as a Volunteer I had access to a variety of venues and one afternoon I went to the “Long Skate venue” and saw the Dutch win a medal. On the way in I helped a couple of people including two ladies from the USA one of whom was in a wheelchair. This took me into a reserved area that was set aside for “Wheelchair Access”. Through the afternoon I learned that Loren was new to skiing and was a first time competitor at the Paralympics. She was a quiet shy young lady and her companion from the USA committee did most of the talking. Weeks later I would see Loren at Sestriere both before and after she won several Gold Paralympic Medals, even with all the publicity and success she remained just as unremarkable.





In 1998 I was at Solden for the World Cup Ski Season Opening and as I had the time and contact arranged to set up the bike in the foyer of the Tourism Office and do a “24hr Rollathon” to raise money for the “Behinderten(disabled ) Ski Teams” this was when I first met Andy of the Zillertal and Michael and Gerd from the Deutschland Paralympic Team. We set up 3 Tacx trainers and rolled the wheels and raised a sum of money which went to the Austria Paralympic although there was a prior split arranged.





Both Gerd and Michael rode mountain bikes so they had them available to join with me in this event but Andy a user of the Handbike was not able to join in although he was well known to many of those passing through the foyer. After several hours I was left to entertain the passing parade and continued through the night. The next morning we moved up the mountain to the VIP tent entrance where the fund raising effort continued. I had done something like this at the World Road Races at Valkenberg the previous month but this was a lot more successful result. Many times since I have had the opportunity to meet up with these remarkable individuals who are a credit to their National Teams and will be at Whistler.





Michael Milton the Aussie Paralympic Ski Star from amongst other Winter Paralympic Games has been “World Athlete of the YEAR” is also a Paralympic Cycle Road Racer having competed at Beijing in 2008. My first meeting with him was in Centennial Park at Sydney 2000 where he was a volunteer , since then be has completed many cycle adventures. In Athens at the 2004 Summer Paralympic I briefly met Liz Sauvage with her mother at the stadium, she also did an outstanding job for Australia and was once named the “Australian of the year” in the New Years Honours List.

This character is also a "Hand Biker" whom i met at the 2006 Torino Paralympic Games French Dinner and unexpectedly on the route of the 2008 Tour de France. He was in his Hand bike as the route climbed ove 2700m from France to Cuneo in Italy. i have been a guest in his home in Seez near Bourg St Maurice but was unable to find him in the area last year as i arrived from the Martgny etappe.




This section is about a website which works with "Disability" and highlights some of the experiences that wheelchair users experience on a daily basis www.wheelchairpride.com his is a website I enjoy reading and the blog adds value to my knowledge of life.

One of the recent posts talks of "Tyler Walker" who i may have met briefly with the other USA Paralympians at the Torino 2006 Paralympic Games around the Sestriere Chair lift where i had occasion to greet so many of these successful Athletes.


You can read more about Tyler on his website www.tylerwalker.org
Tyler, if you read this, I wish you the best of luck in the Paralympics 2010.

Since writing this blog i visited Andy Schiestl and showed him Tyler's blog and as he watched the video section he pointed out some of the Paralympian Athletes that he had competed against in his ski race career. Really interesting how life evolves from visiting a Blogsite.

Perhaps you will find the subsequent articles from www.wheelchairpride.com of interest!

MY 2010 PROJECT IS AIMED AT ASSISTING THESE FINE ATHLETES TO ENJOY EVENTS SUCH AS THE “TOUR DE FRANCE” IN THE SAME WAY THAT WE DO !!

THERE IS STILL TIME TO JOIN US BUT TRAINING NEEDS TO START PROMPTLY

FATCYCLIST and BLOGGING

THE CYCLIST ON THE ROAD ALONGSIDE LANCE IS KNOWN AS FATTY!

he has raised $136000 for two charities in a little over two days.




THE $US1million "SKIPPYS LEGACY " still available to establish the "PARRABUDDY FOUNDATION".

In the past months I have been looking at a variety of Cycling Blogs to gain an insight as to what people are saying and enjoying.

People return to interesting and action packed blogs. I hope what I am offering will prove entertaining and worth visiting regularly. During 12 seasons of riding the routes of the various cycle tours that I have chosen I have met interesting and entertaining individuals throughout Europe. My primary objective has always been to motivate others to help “Disabled /Paralympic sport” in their own way. Each individual has their own perspective on how they can contribute to their community.

Returning to the blogs I am following, the outstanding example is “Fat Cyclist”. this guy has had a rough time these past couple of years with personal tragedy in his family. He has risen above the grief and continued to work at helping others.

Two weeks ago he sent a humorous letter to Johan Bruyneel which I picked up on Twitter and then went to @fat cyclist and to his Blog/fatcyclist.com. I will let you read and enjoy at your leisure as repeating here will not do the story justice. I watched the thrilling action with amazement! Fatty as he is known by his followers met the challenge thrust on him with an adroit skill few possess. It is an envious situation that “Fatty” found himself in as a result of the help of his team. “Fatty” motivated an instant result by his generosity and the lives of his followers, the beneficuaries of his fundraisings and the onlookers such as myself have been enriched as a result! Johan Bruyneel has risen to the occasion also in the way he received Fatty and arranging a range of “goodies” in addition to what Fatty had anticipated.

I have met many members of the “ Radio Shack Team” in their previous teams and his first report of the Saturday evening bears out my good opinion of them all. Nevertheless I envy the opportunity he had to go one on one in their space.When on the tours I have met the cyclists and their support staff in a variety of locations and generally they have been preparing for the upcoming days work.

Occasions have arisen when I have been able to have a reasonably relaxed chat. Chris horner at the “tour de Suisse invited me into the team Pullman he was curious about what I was about ,how I got around and where I stayed. As I was leaving I said “remember when you are standing on the podium tonight say “aider handisport” as this is the French speaking area of Switzerland, he laughed. Later that evening at the hostel I saw the last 25kms on tv and was able to see the TV interview after. Chris was not good with his French and certainly forgot what I predicted he should say! When I saw him the next day he was laughing as I congratulated him and asked if I thought he had enough on his plate trying to remember to mention his sponsors let alone speak in French!

Being on hand at the finish of an etappe can be a real thrill particularly when an aussie is on the podium, lots of people take the time to offer congratulations and ask what the particular rider is like up close and personable. Knowing my way around the back area I am generally able to get into a position to voice my approval of their success on the same day. A particular case was Dave Mc kenzie in the Girod’italia some years ago. I had finished the etappe and arrived in the finish area near the large TV screen. When it became apparent that dave was out front I got out the aussie flag as he went through the finish area for the first circuit. Some locals saw this and invited me up to their balcony to join their party. Plenty of time for food,drink and sign language, of course the flag was on the railings and then the cameras were focused on the party . Before leaving the finish area Dave acknowledged the group much to their pleasure.

I then excused myself and went looking for the “doping control” shook hands with dave , collected a team cap which he autographed and went back to the hosts of the party, who were thrilled with the souvenir. Later that evening in another town that was the next days start I found that I was staying in the same hotel as the Giro motorcycle route checkers. They were very complimentary about the result buying wine to celebrate the occasion.

I try to put something back into cycling as I get around. At this years Giro d’italia I was passing out “Livestrong wristbands to people I came across in wheelchairs, some I handed out, some I whizzed out as I raced past with a call of “Aiuto Disabili”.Livestrong had a party of volunteers giving out the wristbands at the start and finish areas but even though I asked them to pay attention to the “disabled “ as they drove the route it was not always easy for them to be prepared to slow down and hand out an item. A couple of times people have come up to me and told me of seeing me doing this on previous days, goes to show how many people follow the tours in their own way.

The Caravan vehicles at the “Giro d’italia “ are not as numerous as the “Tour de France” but they are more friendly and more approachable both at the start and at the finish. There is also the sponsors villages at both ends which are accessable for the general public.In past years particularly on the flat I have found as they pass me they passed out food and water to keep me going. In the towns they slow so it is not as easy to make my way through, particularly when they are stationary. Many of the workers are ski instructors in the winter as I am so this helps the connection particularly those who work with “disabled sport”.a lot of the workers return year after year so it is a pleasure to see them as it helps make a favourable connection.

When I was at Torino 2006 Winter Olympic I was waiting the passing of the “Olympic torch” a car came to a screeching halt and I found myself in a bear hug with one of the “Giro staff”. He arranged for me to run with the “torchbearers” for a period, which did my feet no good as I was wearing steel cap boots and my “Dryasabone coat” with the aussie flag hanging off my shoulders. About 10km later after their rest stop I hobbled off back to my friends appartment. Through these guys I was invited into “Casa Italia” once again.

On the first Sunday evening at “Casa Italia” I was introduced to “Sergio “ the Major of Torino. On arriving back at the appartment Ricardo, my host mentioned that Sergio’s office had been in the front of his building for a number of years. When I mentioned on another occasion this story to Sergio he immediately named Ricardo and arranged for him and Giovanna his wife to be guests on the final evening. Before leaving Torino I was introduced to the “Mayor of Vancouver, Sam Sullivan”, he was in his motorised wheelchair entertaining the public on the handover of the “Paralympic flag”.

In 2005 I was cycling into Torino and saw an Aussie team cycle jersey ahead in the traffic so I chased him down through the traffic. When we got talking it was Ricardo who had been given the shirt, as the story progressed I finished up with an invitation to overnight in his apartment. He fed me and took me to a party where I met some of his mates in a typical Italian party.

Next morning he rode with me towards Navarro on my way to Milano and the conclusion of that “Giro”. As we parted he extended the invitation to stay during the “Olympic period”. between times I had him visit in Kaprun where I was skiing and wintering that year.Last year he was on the Petit St Bernard pass but we missed each other in the crowds and I was pushing to get to Bourg St Maurice before road closures. That day I had to be in Bourg to try and catch up with Alain a Paralympics cross country skier whom I had not seen since the previous year when he handbiked up the major climb on the route to Cuneo. Again no luck with the crowds so I had to cycle to Albertville, chamonix and Martiney to collect the car which had been abandoned by the driver.

In the years of riding these tours I have found that transport is more of a hassle than value. Rarely have I been able to rely on a driver for more than a few days since noone is prepared to commit to the full 4 w/ends. 10 tdf transport free were really so much easier to enjoy. The first tdf in 1998 I was supported to some extent by an Englishman who wanted me to return to Pau when the repair job to the bearings that he half did on the cheap failed. I continued through to Albertville before I saw him again, subsequently I saw him in Pontalier.

He later dumped some of my gear in the campsite there, the valuables I am still awaiting as the problem happened in France the Sheffield police were not interested. Each time I have seen him since he decamps before the police arrive. During the 2004 Vuelta I had my Athens Olympic shirt lifted by the Frenchman with the megaphone. Whilst in the shower he substituted the shirt with a toilet roll, he also does a bunk whenever he sees me after I had the polizei to the Verona youth hostel during the world champs.

Over the years I have been invited into so many homes to eat or to sleep and as said before I do try to email, write or keep in touch. Sometimes it is frustrating to get close to their home and find that time has run out due to not riding at strong enough pace but on other occasions a landmark flashes past that gives you deja vue. To all those kind people out there once again my heart felt thanks.

Another ramble down memory lane closing for the moment!