Paul's Cycling Team - 2006

Boyd Piebenga

Ah I can remember it like it was yesterday.  I was about to turn 21 uhm, 14 and finally developed the balance needed to graduate from my tricycle. Actually truth is, beef prices were up, the old man was feeling generous, so I got a BMX. Viper.  Oh she was a beauty, 40 pounds of galvanized steel muscle-bike.  First big test of endurance was to retrieve Viper from the bottom of the creek having jumped it off the bank.  20 years later, I still haven’t learned (see photo)

 
I drew first mud when some shady character gave me a mountain bike on my way home from the pub one night. Handling suffered somewhat after we bent the fork doubling my super-sized buddy on the handlebars, but we had so much fun, that I decided to buy my own, having handed the bike back to it’s rightful owner.
 
A month later I won my first ever race, and got delusions of grandeur which were quickly shattered when Dave Wiens (remember him old timers) lined up beside me in my next race, and handed my ass to me on a platter, with sauce.
 
I competed several years in the New Zealand national mountain biking series, but without the help of EPO the best I could manage was 7th (and yes, there are more than 8 people in NZ!!).  I also did a lot of Multisport, basically an off-road triathlon
 
My OE (Overseas Experience) started in ’95 with a year in South America.  Biking took a back seat to cheap drugs and chicas for a while, but I did manage to get a few great rides in including the "Worlds most dangerous road” in Bolivia and a killer descent down a volcano in Ecuador.

 
Over the next 8 years I managed to visit a good chunk of the world on a budget lower than Papua New Guinea’s GDP. Between trips I based myself in Europe and did a lot of road riding.  I did several Gran Fondos including the Maratona dles Dolomites, Gran Fondo Campagnolo and la Marmotte. I think I even managed to break into the top 1000 in one of them. 
 
I came to Oregon in 2002 ostensibly for a job, but essentially for the riding.  I rode Alpine trail for the first time that year, and heard a malicious rumor that some crazy bastards rode the same course 3 times as part of “the Puff”.  Appropriate, given the guy who came up with that idea must have smoked a doobie the size of a Douglas fir.  Shortly afterwards I hooked up with the Disciples of Dirt and next year, there I was at the start line. I managed to finish, although I haven’t been back since…
 
I dabbled in a bit of road racing this past year, which was really fun apart from having to put up with all those Hutches pricks (just kidding!!) I did my first ever Stage race, the Colombia Plateau, which was a blast.

 
Now for the formalities:
 
Results.
 
2005
 
Cherry Pie 2nd Cat 3/4
Silverton Road Race 1st Cat 4
Colombia Plateau Stage win and 3rd overall Cat 4
Fastest time Cat 4 Eugene HC
Upgraded to Cat 3. Bugger!!
Did Bunchgrass without throwing my bike
Brought food with me for the first time ever on a ride.
Won my first Thursday nighter (no one else turned up)
 
2004
 
5th Cascade Creampuff.
2nd Eugene Hillclimb series Cat 4.
Did the Thursday nighter without getting dropped.

 
 
Goals.
 
I guess my goal this year should be to upgrade to Cat 2, but I’d like to enjoy Cat 3 for a while first.
I think I’ll probably give the Puff another try this year, depending on the course.
Do some more road races.
Try something different, like a Half Ironman, or Trailrunning race.
Not get kicked out of the country for overstaying.
 
Reasons for riding.
 
1 It’s fun.
2 It feels good to be fit.
3 I’d be a grumpy(er) bugger if I didn’t
4 Guilt-free boozing afterwards
5 Gives my girlfriend a break from me (and the Postman a chance to visit)
6 Beats sitting at the computer writing about it
7 It good for the environment (although the sweat from Shuman’s brow has caused the odd landslide)
 
Reasons not to ride.
 
1 It hurts.
2 Keeps me poor.

 
 
Words of Wisdom.
 
 “I don’t think you understand.  My country did not send me to Mexico City to start the race, they sent me to finish the race”.
 
John Akhwari of Tanzania who, bloodied and bandaged, finished last in the Marathon in the 1968 Mexico Olympics.
 
Napoleon Dynamite: What kind of bike do you have?
Pedro: It's a sledgehammer.
Napoleon Dynamite: Dang! You got shocks, pegs... lucky! You ever take it off any sweet jumps?
Napoleon Dynamite: [Cut to Pedro jumping] You got like three feet of air that time.