Crank Update:  The response to Crank – World Cycling Blog Honors has been fantastic.  A lot of great cycling blogs have had their fans come out in numbers to make sure they become one of the top 5 nominated blogs and move on to the voting round.  We’ve also been introduced to some incredible blogs as well.  We are so happy and fortunate that we could be a part of this exciting event.  Once the Crank Directory goes up, it’s going to be a great thing for cycling blogs.

There is one week left to nominate your favorite cycling blog in one of four categories.  Nominations are over on May 21st when the voting for the top dog cycling blogs begins.  Crank It Up.  Check out www.cranklisted.com for more information.

The Warrior

Back around 2005, I felt like I had gotten myself into the groove of being a road biker and I started to venture out on longer and longer rides.  This was around the time I was living in Austin, Texas and with great cycling roads and the aura of cycling glory oozing all around me it was the perfect time to take it to the next level.

c/o Lori Greig

I started out by making Friday’s my “Big Ride” day.  Thursday night I would gather my gear, load my bike in the van (yeah, we actually drove a mini van for a period of time and I just gotta start erasing that memory) and on Friday morning I would be ready to start riding right after dropping my wife off at work.  I would liken it to a ritual, and even now I can still feel the warrior type atmosphere I created when I think about it.

Just before taking off on the ride, my next warrior move would be to wrap a bandanna around my head….not to catch sweat, but to show myself that this would not be just an ordinary ride.  I would only use the bandanna on Friday’s.  It was my day to be a cycling warrior.  Each and every Friday that I went out there, I would have one incredible ride.  Coincidence?

We watch these football players and fighters with their tribal marking and pre-event rituals and I absolutely see the purpose for all of this.  Sure the black lines below their eyes may help with the glare of the lights….but I know that they put it there more so to bring out the warrior within.  It’s the same thing for pro riders. The outfits, the glasses, and all the accessories may assist their riding performance, but it does so much more.  It brings them to a better place in their mind….and we all know that is a big chunk of the battle.

When I switched to a new helmet in 2007, the bandanna didn’t quite fit as well as it did before so I gave it up.  In my riding today, I may not have the same pre-ride rituals and tribal markings as I did in the past….but the warrior still remains.

Do you bring out the warrior for certain rides?  What is your ritual?