Look what LoToJa finishers got for their $180 and 206 miles this year:
(photo stolen from Zeph.)
I expect to see these hangers displayed in car windows around the valley as they supplant the ubiquitous stickers.
The hanger made of bike parts is unique and well-made, but not much of a keepsake. Do you invite your friends to the closet to view it?
It could be worse. At one of the ICup races (Draper?) instead of a T-shirt or socks they gave out a square of cloth (hanky?) with the ICup logo on it, and back in 2007 at Sherwood Hills they gave out a 2x2 foot square of cloth with the course and sponsor logos printed on it. Left the racers puzzled - what was it and what should I do with it? Most became grease rags.
I was glad to see the LoToJa leg stamp was small and subtle:
(Photo stolen from Rick.)
Evidently guys with flashlights were checking for leg stamps in the dark before the start. Dang, missed my change to be thrown out of LoToJa and get a misdemean.
Plenty of good LoToJa stories from the blogs / forums / etc. It's a worthy race/ride and my hats off to all the participants and volunteers. Just because I'm the LoToJa curmudgeon doesn't mean I don't respect or appreciate the effort it takes to train for and attempt this course. I just like to poke fun at LoToJa. Everyone needs a hobbie, right?
The End
2 years ago
8 comments:
Don't worry, everyone got their sticker as well. Heck those suckers give us the sticker before we even did the ride. I think I am going to sneak into your garage and put mine on your car.
The breadth and depth of your curmudgeonliness knows no bounds. I'd love to see what else you could come up with if you spent ten hours or so racing across three states with a bunch of lemmings on a course set by a band of dimwitted mafiaesque racketeers. Should we count you in for next year? If not, after JZ gets done, I'll put my sticker on your other car.
Sorry if this seems a bit rude. Not my intent. I'm just in a bad mood about that stupid hanger. I'd much rather have another medal to put in a dark place in my closet or to hang unnoticed in my garage. Because I'm only in this for the schwag.
BTW, I liked the clever title of your post. But shouldn't hangup have been plural? I know it is for me.
JZ - Putting it on my car would waste a perfectly good LoToJa sticker. You know I'd have to "alter" it, thus boosting my curmudgeonliness.
SBJ - From your comments I sense a disturbance in the LoToJa force. Am I drawing you over to the dark side? Give in to your misgivings, let your schwag disappointment make you strong. I'm like the Emperor. I wonder if I can shoot electricity from my fingers?
Good call on the plural - change made.
hey, we got a t-shirt, too. And some free samples of DZNuts.
Oh, we also got lots of Red Bull, bananas and swedish fish at the feed zones.
and my tramp stamp, err leg stamp, washed right off with a little scrubbing.. But they did give me two of them because the lady with the stamp didn't know the difference between left and right.
As for the hanger, I think it's kind of cool. I'd miuch rather have it than another medal I'll never wear.
As much as some people like to hate on LOTOJA, they do a good job. I never once felt worried about cars on the road, never worried about if the course was marked and never had to stress out over anything but the actual miles.
Aside from allowing people the option to transfer registrations -- not sell them -- and giving out the stickers before the race, I've got few qualms with LOTOJA.
I'll be back again because I like the event.
Yeah, I'm with SBJ, i race for the swag, that is it, I mean, hours of training, riding, thousands of bucks on bikes and equip and the like all so i can get a t-shirt, that i will only use as a bike rag.
I actually would prefer a hanger, as i am utilitarian, and that damned 5 dollar plaque I have received the last 3 years for the Icup champeensip can't do anything for me. At least the hanky could.
I now understand their insidious plan - as I was checking out my awesome left calf this morning (something I do most mornings), lo and behold I had a LoToJa insignia tan line. Sneaky!
StupidBike - I've long suspected that's why you race. I'd like to see your trophy room one of these day with the plaques on the walls and T-shirts hanging neatly in protective plastic bags.
Here's a goofy idea: an awards bonfire. Bring all the awards you don't care about and burn them up as we roast hot dogs and marshmallows and talk about our best and worst races.
JZ - That is insidious. The LoToJa calf tan is the new sticker. If you can keep that tan shadow until next year you can just paint it in and sneak into LoToJa.
Post a Comment