When the stars align...
There are times in life when everything comes together. Everything is perfect. Set up just right. Some analogies come to mind like "setting the ball up on the 'T'". Or perhaps for baseball fans, how the moment Bill Buckner let that infamous ball roll through his legs , it set up jokes for more than 2 decades between Mets and Sox fans.
Such is my current situation. And like any crusty east coaster, I just had to turn the screws to another crusty east coaster.
So my mom is cleaning out boxes in her house back east and came across some old Mountain Bike magazines from the mid 90's. She sent a few of 'em on out along with the kids Halloween goodies. Flipping through then was amazing to re-read all these old articles. I remembered so many of them! Mountain biking was HUGE in the 90's. The money was there and the racing was top notch. In fact, the racing was pre-dominantly a US affair with all the talent like Cadel, Rune and others choosing the States to race than Europe.
And then I flip the page and my Westmalle shot directly out of my nose. An uncontrollable and maniacal laughter erupted from the depths of my gut.
But let me set the stage a little more. Moving to Boulder in 2004, I was amazed at this town and its collection of Olympians and professional athletes. As an example, at my first Wednesday Worlds, I show up, all wet nosed waiting like a lost puppy behind this coffee shop as I was told by friends who had heard of the 'cross ride. Who shows up but Travis, Gully a gaggle of hardened pros and yours truly. D'oh. But, it made me faster...
One of those guys was this tall quiet dude, Pete Webber. We developed a friendship over the years and with each year, the onion unpeeled itself to allow me to learn about this amazingly smart and driven character from an awesome family and growing an equally awesome family of his own. And he was fast...and still is. Pete's given me such great advice over the years and our countless hours of training rides, fun rides and beer drinking escapades.
So with all that history under our belt, and the fact I've seen Pete throw up from swilling too many adult beverages, I feel compelled....no responsible....to provide you a glimpse into this PRO's past.
Behold! Pete's glory moment in all of its homo-erotic grandeur.
Get some Pete.
Pete's six-pack and full-body wax pose aside, the same 1997 issue of Mountain Bike yet again provides Pete some air coverage (Jeeze, Pete, you like had a name or something back then). Pete speaks of this thing called 'watts' and using it for training....
Webber, I'll let the picture above be forgotten as you are still my hero. Truly.