All in the Family

Joining a cycling club or team is a rite of passage for the fledgling cyclist. You have the choice of joining some clubs by just signing up and paying a small fee and then buying their kit, proving to the world that you ride for a team. Other teams are semi-selective and you get nominated by a current team member. Some of the elite teams ask, or invite you to be a part of their team.

I joined a small first time team, with a single bike shop as the sponsor, a little over a year ago. My wife knew one of the founding members and so I had my "in".

I had no idea at the time, but I didn't join a team or a club. I became a member of a family. We don't have a Mom or a Dad, but we do have Moms and Dads. There is a Godfather, an el Jefe, a Brown Bear, the infamous la Verde, and a Doc or three. We have "Workers" and "Winners", but no losers. We function as a family and we have our problems, but what family doesn't?

When I pull on the bib straps and zip up the jersey for a ride or a race, it is not for the sponsor on my kit. (Although they are very important). It is for my family. We ride and race together, but we also are there for each other off the bike.

We are leaving to go to Colorado to ride. It's not a race, it is for fun. We tell everyone we are going for "training", but we know the truth. Will we gain some fitness, sure, what we are doing is pretty much like the summer trips you went on with your family.

I was very disappointed when Frank crashed out of the Tour, because I love to see him ride, but more importantly I love to see Andy and Frank work together selflessly. They get so excited when the other wins. I see that with my team, I mean family. When someone gets a podium or does well we are ecstatic for them, as they would be for us. We are not driven by results, we do what we do because we have fun doing it. Together