On my way to Mt-there-wasn't-any-Snow-yet Sunday evening, I was happy to catch most of the second half of the Steelers game on the radio. Yes, from about 50 miles south of Albany to Bennington, Vermont I had not just one AM radio station but 3 that were flirting in and out of coverage - just enough to catch most plays on either Westwood One or the Steelers network or the Ravens gameday broadcast.
I was, of course, reminded of the other two times where Steelers games and AM radio graced a long drive. Once, driving east to Baltimore in a moving truck, listening to the station that seriously lasted like 300 miles in the midwest.
Before that, though, a long time ago, AM fuzziness was linked with another important ski trip - my journey from Pittsburgh to Vail when I moved to Colorado. The little Geo I had at the time got okay coverage and I strained to hear the plays of a game at Cleveland. Much to my dismay, as I was leaving Ohio and the range of the Cleveland fanbase, the game went into overtime. I frantically scanned the radio for live coverage to no avail and discovered during recaps later that the Steelers won it, by a field goal in overtime.
Again on Sunday I was, in some ways, embarking on another new adventure in ski teaching. I made the PSIA-E Development Team in March, so I was headed to Vermont for Ed Staff training with our peers and coaches and uniform pickup, among other things. Sunday - Steelers at Baltimore. Without Polamalu. Without Big Ben. I cursed at the refs, yelled at the Ravens, cheered for my black and gold, but agh, the game went to overtime as I was nearing Vermont. Unlike last time, though, I got to listen to OT - perhaps they'd eke out another OT win? Alas, my good dejavu vibes didn't work. Even awesome work by the defense couldn't save us - Dixon threw an interception and we lost by a field goal.
Showing posts with label pittsburgh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pittsburgh. Show all posts
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Slow...
I'm officially almost 2 weeks overdue with a race report from the Tacchino race on November 8. I'm not the only one.
Although yes, I have good excuses - lots of stuff to keep up with at work coupled with a women's cycling seminar series that I'm organizing and a weekend in Pittsburgh have meant I haven't had a lot of time for blogging lately.
But really, I've been avoiding writing this one. I am disappointed in how I did, despite putting together a rather mistake-free race. After going to Tacchino with hopes to win it, I was thoroughly spanked by 4 other women who were well ahead of me by the 2nd lap. I also got lapped for the first time this year by the winner of the elite race. I was not with it enough to know for sure that this was what happened, but Bill, Shawn, and a few others in the pit figured out that's what I was asking them as I rode by (Thanks guys!). Luckily, my brain was still working enough to know to sprint at the finish and hold my position.
The race itself was fun. I was second onto the grass from the start, but watched Allyson fly by and off the front about halfway into the lap. The woman who had the hole shot went straight through the tape on a sharp turn, so I was second for a bit. Until I hit some pavement and a few ladies went flying by. Despite the fact that I was getting crushed more than I'd hoped or expected to, it was better than sitting at home, drinking beer and watching the Steelers. Luckily, the Steelers played on Monday night, so I got to sit at the bar, drink beer, and watch the Steelers anyway.
For pretty much 4 out of 5 laps, Christine sat on my wheel - I kept attacking on the roadie sections to keep her there but it hurt. She was losing some time on the downhills, making it up on the uphills, but for some reason the one really steep uphill was a place that I got her every time. I owe it to a summer of passing the guys on the uphills at mountain bike races, I guess. It was fun to race that close with someone - often we're so spread out that you really don't have to think about how to keep someone from passing you at the barriers, where to take a line so they can't go inside and take the position, etc.
It was an amazing day to be outside, hanging out at a bike race with friends. We had a team tent (with preferred parking, 'team' dogs that were wandering off and begging for sausages, lots and lots of cookies, and general good cheer to go with the heckling. And Coppi put together great prize bags, even for 5th place. Thanks for a great race!
Although yes, I have good excuses - lots of stuff to keep up with at work coupled with a women's cycling seminar series that I'm organizing and a weekend in Pittsburgh have meant I haven't had a lot of time for blogging lately.
But really, I've been avoiding writing this one. I am disappointed in how I did, despite putting together a rather mistake-free race. After going to Tacchino with hopes to win it, I was thoroughly spanked by 4 other women who were well ahead of me by the 2nd lap. I also got lapped for the first time this year by the winner of the elite race. I was not with it enough to know for sure that this was what happened, but Bill, Shawn, and a few others in the pit figured out that's what I was asking them as I rode by (Thanks guys!). Luckily, my brain was still working enough to know to sprint at the finish and hold my position.
The race itself was fun. I was second onto the grass from the start, but watched Allyson fly by and off the front about halfway into the lap. The woman who had the hole shot went straight through the tape on a sharp turn, so I was second for a bit. Until I hit some pavement and a few ladies went flying by. Despite the fact that I was getting crushed more than I'd hoped or expected to, it was better than sitting at home, drinking beer and watching the Steelers. Luckily, the Steelers played on Monday night, so I got to sit at the bar, drink beer, and watch the Steelers anyway.
For pretty much 4 out of 5 laps, Christine sat on my wheel - I kept attacking on the roadie sections to keep her there but it hurt. She was losing some time on the downhills, making it up on the uphills, but for some reason the one really steep uphill was a place that I got her every time. I owe it to a summer of passing the guys on the uphills at mountain bike races, I guess. It was fun to race that close with someone - often we're so spread out that you really don't have to think about how to keep someone from passing you at the barriers, where to take a line so they can't go inside and take the position, etc.
It was an amazing day to be outside, hanging out at a bike race with friends. We had a team tent (with preferred parking, 'team' dogs that were wandering off and begging for sausages, lots and lots of cookies, and general good cheer to go with the heckling. And Coppi put together great prize bags, even for 5th place. Thanks for a great race!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
You can take the girl outta Pittsburgh...
You can take the girl outta Pittsburgh, but you can't take the Pittsburgh outta the girl...
Why is it that I can't be bothered to keep up with the Pens during the regular season (hockey, for those of you from Ohio), but when it comes to the playoffs, I'm addicted. Not so much as I am to Steelers football. The offseason is pretty slim pickings on the four or so sites I routinely check NFL news on. Do you really think I care if Brett Favre had surgery, is coming back to play for the Vikings, or does charity work in Alabama for the rest of his life?
This year, I've been enjoying the Pens playoff games old-school style. I use the internet to listen to the Pittsburgh Radio Network on my laptop. If we weren't so cheap, we'd have cable and be able to watch the games. But, as I said, I only follow hockey in the springtime. And then we'd have to watch more bad tv to make the cable worth it. It's nice when the Pens play until June... makes football season seem closer.
Tonight, I'll get to watch them try to extend the series to game 7 - if we have power, that is. Apparently the weather conspired against me to make sure that I didn't get to try the Tuesday night Mock Time Trial ride. Nickel sized hail with 65 mile an hour gusts - no ride for me.
Go Pens!!
Why is it that I can't be bothered to keep up with the Pens during the regular season (hockey, for those of you from Ohio), but when it comes to the playoffs, I'm addicted. Not so much as I am to Steelers football. The offseason is pretty slim pickings on the four or so sites I routinely check NFL news on. Do you really think I care if Brett Favre had surgery, is coming back to play for the Vikings, or does charity work in Alabama for the rest of his life?
This year, I've been enjoying the Pens playoff games old-school style. I use the internet to listen to the Pittsburgh Radio Network on my laptop. If we weren't so cheap, we'd have cable and be able to watch the games. But, as I said, I only follow hockey in the springtime. And then we'd have to watch more bad tv to make the cable worth it. It's nice when the Pens play until June... makes football season seem closer.
Tonight, I'll get to watch them try to extend the series to game 7 - if we have power, that is. Apparently the weather conspired against me to make sure that I didn't get to try the Tuesday night Mock Time Trial ride. Nickel sized hail with 65 mile an hour gusts - no ride for me.
Go Pens!!
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