Magdaddy

so, it was a do nothing day. The various coach's of my cycling teammates call it a rest day. Since I pretty much started out the season being the slowest on the team, and kinda ending up in the same spot...I thought, what the hell.

In my defense, I'm surrounded by freaks. Guys with absolute physical advantages, guys with absolute mental advantages, guys who do an Ironman with a sub 3 hour running portion for christ sake. I'm pretty sure they asked me to be on the team because I'm funny. Not funny strange, but funny ha, ha(I hope)

Anyway, cyclocross season starts next weekend...so yesterday we did a ride with a few team members. The usual "I had a power test this morning, so I'll be slow" type of comments prevailed pre ride. We did an extremely hilly 40 mile course, lots of 10-13% grades with MAYBE a 7-8 minute rest between...average climb time about the same 7-10 minutes each.

Needless to say, I was cooked post ride. It's always great to ride with folks much stronger than you, the same feelings like in a race-gotta catch that wheel, gotta close that gap, etc.

So, today was a rest day for me. This is very unusual behavior for me, since I'm not smart enough to "train" properly...silly me, I still think I'll get faster by riding more.

Anyway, my rest day included shopping for tomorrow's picinic, over eating at breakfast, then lunch...then going for ice cream with my daughter mid afternoon. This is where the 993 content comes in....

So, Large Mexican Sundae in hand(vanilla ice cream w/spanish peanuts, and chocolate sauce-my daughter ALWAYS gets the cherry)sitting on the small picinic table aside the place. A family pulls in with an early 90's faux wood panelled Chrysler Minvan. Out pours some of the best Americana sans Nascar wear that you have ever seen. That minivan must have had the "patented" third row seating...see occupent description below.

Father and younger son/brother in somewhat matching grey button shirt-dingy black jeans-wife driving sporting a kalediscope of color(35-50 lbs overweight who hasn't purschased a new wardrobe in decades-like the van), early teenage son with a beautiful set of "C" cups...easily 100 lbs overweight with the classic pigeon toe untied sneaker shuffle that NEVER cesses to amaze me. Add to that a very young girl, maybe 5-6 years old, don't even want to speculate the genetics there...

Then the mismatched couple, a relitively young maybe 17 year old couple-very skinny young boy, and a relitively pretty girl...although on her way to obesitity by the pouch she was already developing.

Anyway, the aforementioned family played mini golf. The challenging 9 hole course is a spirited 100 foot scuffle from the ice cream entrance. I watched the 17 year old scrawny boy walking toward the course, inadvertently drop his ball. Naturally it was directly in front of my C4S.

He immediately tried to retrieve his wayward ball-before it rolled downhill into the road mind you, with his putter. Unfortunately my car was in the way. That didn't stop him from banging the club off the lower spoiler 2-3 times before the ball rolled away. He then just walked gingerly alnog the driver side, bent over and picked up the ball. The entire family, was seemingly unmoved by the entire encounter.

I turned to my 10 year old daughter in disbelief kinda of "did that kid just hit Misty(her name for the car)with his golf club?"..."only the bottom" she said.

Well, truer ownership experiences may never occour really. I continued to enjoy my sundae-although I do feel I was shorted on the chocolate sauce this time around...like sex, even a bad ice cream sundae is still good.

The husband in the family seated next to us-who drove in at the same time we did...turned to me and said" you handled that better than I would have, I would have wrapped that club around that kids head"

I said, "well, it's just a car, and it's just another example of lack of respect. Besides, look at the family...what chance does that kid have. Ya plant corn, ya get corn"

One of my favorite sayings by the way.

Anyway, absolutely no damage done to the car, and another precious father/daughter moment with the car.

IXLR8

So would I. They don't realize the care and time some of us put into our cars.

Ed Burdell

You demonstrated extraordinary poise and set a good example for your daughter.

Years ago, I was at my son's little league practice, where the team was playing catch in the area immediately behind the fields...and in front of the parking lot, where my months-old-new-to-me 993 sat, unsuspecting. Sure enough, an errant throw caused the ball to bounce off the pavement and ricochet off the driver's side rocker panel. I believe I may have said "It's just a car" as well - perhaps all of us Porschephiles turn philosophical in the face of imminent (or actual) damage to our mechanical beloveds.

IXLR8

I always liked this one. BTW Joe, the one of the left looks just like my Italian girlfriend.

goofballdeluxe

Obesity and lack of respect usually go hand in hand: if you don't respect yourself, you're less likely to respect others.

You story is a sad, but common, tale about the lack of respect in our modern American society, alas.

NC TRACKRAT

The difference between "ciao" and "chow"!

luv2race

Unbelievable and you handled that situation well, confronting them probably would only end with your blood pressure even higher and nothing resolved.

About 6 weeks ago I arrived at a dinner meeting early. I decided to sit in my car while I waited for my clients to arrive. One party had an evening flight so we had an early dinner planned. As I sat in a mostly empty parking lot to a rather large restaurant doing emails a car pulled in to a spot right next to me. Now consider I am in a parking lot that has oh maybe 150 or so spots and I intentionally did not park in front of the door.

Anyway this car pulls up and the driver (a not very young woman) is talking to her passenger and she flings her door open and then proceeds to kick it open the rest of the way until the door literally slams in to my door. I was sitting in my black 550 Bimmer, not listed below but a fun work car, and my car has slightly tinted windows so they obviously did not see me in the car. I powered the window down and the woman kind of gasped and then looked at her door
leaning in to my door and then apologized. She then got back in her car and left the restaurant. It was very obvious that this woman couldn't care less that she was damaging someone else's property as I watched the entire process in utter amazement. She only cared when she realized I was in the car then her entire demeanor changed.

She was a short and large woman. She could have easily gotten out of her car without kicking her door open in to my car but clearly that maneuver made it easier for her and based on all of the paint chipped off of her door I would say this was pretty SOP for her.

IXLR8

Oh, that is slick and quick...damn good!!!

mooty

my hats off to you!!
i would have used my driver on the kids head....

95C4VanIsle

I think you have more patience than I and I applaud your actions. You definitely set a good example for your daughter and that goes a long, long, long ways.

I can't say what I would have done in the same circumstances.

MarkD

great story Joe!
and great example for your daughter

993polartip

Enjoyed reading your "rest day" story from the 993 experience and especially the part bout your cycling. You ride with Ironmen who do a sub 3 hour marathon??
Wow you must be an elite cyclist. I also dabble in cycling and triathlons. Though no where near that level.

My current rides: seven axiom ti for road and cervelo p4 for tri.

Glad to hear of a fellow cyclist and 993 enthusiast.

cheers!

DJF1

Classic stereotyping. THAT is sad.

993 770

He did say usually... I tend to think goofball gets the short end of the stick around here... Just being a goofball!

Magdaddy

ooh, I more than imagine your at or above my personal level. I'm on a team with some elite's, not one of them. There is no standardized coaching on the Team, we have a training sponsor but still have to pay for the services if we choose. Actually, our bike shop sponsor has a Level 2 coach who specializes in Tri training, and a Teammate is also certified.

He is the sub 3 hour dude, always at the top of any race. In the top 5 of any Leadville qualifier, etc. I believe there are 3-5 Team members qualified and hoping to get a spot at Leadville this year.

I have no interest in any Tri event. I suffer thru enough running during cyclocross season. I'm just mid pack fill having a great time, although every once in a while I get a great result. I bagged a first in class 50+ Sport in the last mtb race of the season. Very small field due to course difficulity and weather, but a win is still a win.