Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Burn Baby Burn

Burned my old shorts after Saturday's 300K. Yep. Cranked up Jimi and got down with some lighter fluid. "Let Me Stand Next to Your Fire" will forever hold new meaning for me. Probably for my wife and my neighbors too.

It started with a sickening feeling only a few hours into our 300K, just past Snow Camp. My hinny was not happy. Lantiseptic is my choice for every ride longer than the commute, but that morning- I simply rolled out the door without it. "Got you covered," my buddy Lin reassured me. "I have plenty of Bag Balm." Instant relief at the first controle. But something still wasn't right.

As the day went on, it became apparent that the chamois' stitching was getting too cozy with my cheeks. Never had a problem there before, but I sure had one now. A heavy downpour doused us 10 miles from l'arrivée and suddenly, things got much worse. The stinging was so bad I thought about DNF'ing right then and there. I still finished, but the next day, my wife took a look and scared me with an "Eeeewwwwww!" She's a burn nurse. If she's freaked out, it's time to say "buh-bye" to these bibs.

I'm not going to mention who made them. To be fair, they've been pretty good up until now. I think I just held onto them too long. My advice? Unless you want to do a firewalk across your old shorts one day- learn to let them go. Before you get burned.

2 comments:

Felkerino said...

No wonder you tore off the front after Siler City. I gotta get out some of my oldest shorts and see if this new, legal advantage can work for me too, before it makes the cover of Bicyling.

Ed Felker

Cap'n said...

No Lantiseptic!!!!! I can't believe what I'm reading. Newbie--understandable. Ancien--unforgivable.
Put a couple of packets in every bag you own. You'll thank me in the morning.