Interbike: Celebrity Sightings

While I was down at Interbike this year (as I do every time I'm there.) I'm was always on the look out for the cycling elite. You know, the people that can either ride, write, or talk about cycling a whole lot better than I can. Or all of the above for that matter. And I was pretty damn successful this year. So I figured I would put them up here as a tasty little hors d'oevre to the main course. Which in my mind is all the pretty pretty bike porn that is so readily available to touch and fondle at the show. So without further ado....

Geoff Kabush. Canadian and mountain bike bad ass was nice enough to let me interrupt his conversation and take a picture with him. He was a real swell guy and very friendly. Which I believe is a requirement to be Canadian. If you're not. They take you out behind the wood shed and beat you. Allegedly....




George, myself and a blurry J in Orange.

Big George Hincapie. He did his level best to ignore my stalker like tendencies at the BMC booth. But after some cajoling (Didn't know I knew such big words did you?) by my wife and J they told me to be assertive and just interrupt. So I did. And he was nice enough to oblige. Best smelling guy I've ever been around too...

Levi Leipheimer was the one guy I stood in line to get a picture with. He was quite elusive. Like some sort of  fox or honey badger. But after standing in line for quite a while I got my chance to say "hey" like a dork and have my pic taken. He was very gracious with is time and a really nice guy. And not as short as I had originally thought....

The one, the only, Rich "Dicky" Dillen. I have read his blog as well as his articles in Dirt Rag Magazine (Subscribe if you don't already. You won't regret it.) for a very long time (Far more witty, funny and well written than my blog will ever be.).  So when I read on his blog that he was going to be at the show I did my level best to keep an eye out for him. And lady luck was on my side because he passed by me. And I yelled "Dicky!" which probably scared him and everyone else in that particular aisle. It was really cool to meet him in person. Very nice fella and was totally pumped that he mentioned me in his latest blog entry! Thanks Dicky, your swell. I don't care what they say...

This is Jacques Boyer. For those of you who don't know who he is, shame on you. This is the first American to ever race the Tour de France. I believe it was in 1981. But don't quote me on that. He did it the hard way. On his own with European teams. Tough as a coffin nail this guy.  He also is the driving force behind Team Rwanda which is helping to expose talented young Rwandan athletes to professional cycling. Great guy and a great cause...

Last, but certainly not least is Mike Creed. This guy is fucking hilarious. He is a professional cyclist who rides for Kelly Benefit Strategies Team.  And if you haven't please go listen to his moonlighting exploits either on NY Velocity or District Cycling Podcast (Which is my personal favorite.) do yourself a favor and go listen now. I can wait.... See I told you!  Also, he is famous for tweets on @Michael_Creed. So hook up with that shizz as well. 

So that was the massive roster of the cool kats that I met at Interbike this year. And one resounding thing occurred to me while I was having these pictures taken and while I was putting this post together. And that is...

Damn, I'm fat!

Holy crap. Look at these guys! I feel like Chunk doing the "truffle shuffle". I'm going to need to start doing on the air diet really soon.

Thanks for reading!

Rubber side down,

Big E