Seriously, it’s not really K-Hound season yet in North Carolina, is it? It’s still way too early. Not to mention all the recent impediments and distractions: summer heat wave, daily thunderstorms, and steady diet of obligatory Le Tour broadcasts.
I mean, has anybody really had a chance to circle a quarter of the globe since 1 January 2012? Which is what the K-Hound Award really signifies, putting 10,000 kilometers in a calendar year into perspective! We still have over five months to go, for goodness sakes!
On the other hand, we all knew it was going to happen. We just didn’t know when Mike would make it happen. He just made it happen so soon.
Consequently, we had to cancel the brass band and podium girls ordered for what we thought would be next week’s surprise, blow-out, gala celebration.
You see, five days ago—Tuesday—Mike Hogan still needed 500 kms in order to eclipse 10,000 RUSA kms for the year, thereby qualifying for the prestigious “K-Hound Award.” I thought, “No way was it going to happen this week with the daily threat of thunderstorms.”
But I’d forgotten one important point: the kid grew up in England where they only have a couple of sunshiny days a year. I think he packs a brolly somewhere inside one of his bike tubes. Sorta like Mary Poppins. Which may not be a good example, except that she is English, afterall.
Keeping us guessing as to which would be the momentous day, Mike begins his sneak attack by riding Tuesday and then four of the next five days, including today.
I get dizzy reading his ride itinerary for that period with turnaround controls the first day in Bunn, the next day in Dunn, then Dunn again, before Bunn again, and finally Dunn.
In truth, due to the impending rainy forecast, I don’t know whether I would have ridden today. I’m glad Mike provided a great reason. The cajoling helped, too. In fact, he made it a point to tell me all about the previous day’s ride and the superb breakfast he and Sridhar enjoyed in Bunn. With pictures.
In retrospect, I wish it had rained a little on today’s qualifying ride, so that I might have learned where Mike hides his brolly. Although ready with the camera, I missed its placement in the pre-dawn bike-prep this morning.
On behalf of all of your riding companions, congratulations, Mike, on your first of many K-Hound Awards! I hope to accompany you often.
Note to local randonneurs: if you get the chance, ride with Mike on his RUSA permanent and populaires to Chapel Hill and to Bunn.
Let’s ride!
1 comment:
Chapeau Mike!
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