Ode to Berthoud

The bag with 3 extra spokes, 2 spare tubes, a multi-tool, a tube of sunscreen, a tube of Crest, a folding toothbrush, 1 toothpick.

One spoke wrench, 3 tire-irons, 1 derailleur cable.

A 4-pack of AA batteries, 13 zipties, a cellphone, a change of socks, long-fingered gloves.

A cue sheet, a ferry ticket.

Three newspaper bags—bags within a bag.

One pair of black arm warmers and a faded Red Sox cap. A vest.

The bag that whispered words of comfort in the darkest hours of PBP.

The bag that sags in the corners from the weight and worry of a dozen brevets.

The bag that flat-out lied, said the next control was just around the corner.

The bag that challenged the crew to a county line sprint. And lost.

The bag that cursed the cold rain.

The bag that knew I would finish when I thought I could not.

The bag packed and ready for the 300k.

Left behind on the kitchen table.

And never needed.

—Mike Dayton

Dog Laws

Dogs are a regular nuisance on several rides we do in eastern N.C. I've had a friend taken down by one and several near collisions myself.

What can be done? Not much. Most of us resort to a bit of interval training, sprinting past and out of harms way.

Last week, a case from the N.C. Court of Appeals alerted me to a potential legal stategy: the use of the dangerous dog law.

Here's the case:

www.aoc.state.nc.us/www/public/coa/opinions/2007/unpub/060502-1.htm

And here's a PDF of the law:

www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/vet/pdf/NCGSdogs.pdf

In a nutshell, if a dog has vicious or aggressive tendencies, you can ask county animal control officials to have the dog declared a "dangerous dog."

The dog's owner then has a heightened duty to keep the animal on his property and properly restrain it.

If a dangerous dog attacks a person and causes physical injuries requiring medical treatment of more than $100, the owner can be charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor. And the owner faces strict liablity for any injuries or property damage the dog causes to a person and his or her property (i.e., cyclist and bike).

The statute has one application that could apply to cyclists out on the road. The statute covers dogs that approach "a person when not on the owner's property in a vicious or terrorizing manner in an apparent attitude of attack."

Most dogs are simply in it for the chase. But some I've faced off against fall squarely under the statute.

There are administrative hoops that you have to jump through to get a dog declared dangerous, and my guess is few cyclists would go to all that trouble, but clubs with established routes might.



Meantime, there's nothing dangerous about this dog: Elsie, aka "The Schmootz."

Lake Loop -- First Ride of the Year

Ah, the Lake Loop: a 208K lollipop route with an out-and-back from north Raleigh to Oxford, and an 80-mile loop around Kerr Lake, known as Buggs Island Lake in Virginia. The local crowd is starting to wear out the pavement -- we've done the circuit five times in as many months.

The photo shows Kerr Dam. We cross it at about 50 miles.

A hardy crew gathered as usual at Stony Hill Fire Station on New Light Rd. No huddling from the cold in the pre-dawn gray: temperatures were in the high 50s at the start and climbed into the 70s by 2 p.m.

Five made the start -- Me, JoeRay, Danno, Jerry and John from Charlotte, the birthday boy who was honored with a high dollar lunch at the Clarksville Burger King. As for the two no-shows, one lost his nerve at the thought of a 130-miler so early in the riding season. The other apparently lost his alarm clock.

We hit out around 5 after the hour. A bank of clouds that dumped a river the night before retreated to the east as the sun hit the horizon. The roads stayed wet until the early afternoon, and most were coated with a coarse grit. It was like riding behind a sand truck. The entire crew, fenderless, was filthy by the time we reached the halfway point.

For the first 65 miles, or the halfway point in Boydton, the wind was like a good friend. The kind of guy who shows with ribeye steaks and beer, compliments the wife, pets the dog and tells amusing stories and funny jokes.

In the second 65 miles that same friend turns ugly, burns a hole in your favorite leather chair, throws up on your living room rug. Says your dog has bad breath and fleas. Insults the wife.

And so it goes on a ride where you head northeast on a day with a strong southeast flow, then turn and pay the piper on the way home.

We managed 19.9 for the first 60 miles, with a few stretches of 25 mph. Total ride time was 17.7. You do the math. I'm still a little tired.

Of New Years Resolutions

Resolved: to get in shape. Progress: none.

Miles to date: 10.