The Cavemen cometh. .

So Fatty's blog has had me thinking. First off I don't really like what Lisa's friend said (you'll have to go to Fatty's blog and read it for yourself). Anyway, no woman should ever say anything to the effect of "have to ride with us girls". That makes it sound like we are all slow and could never keep up with a man and should be home scrubbing pots or painting our nails or something. I know some really damn fast women that a lot of men would be lucky to hang with- not have to hang with. The implication that you are a slow, fat, out of shape man to be riding with women is insulting to us women!!

Outside of that comment Fatty's post was great. I'm glad that he is man enough to admit there is a neandrathal in there that makes him want to catch women on bikes if only for the sole purpose of clubbing them and taking them back to his cave.

But that begs the question of what is the protocol? Not that I pass alot of men nor am I suddenly going to start going slower so I don't pass you. But do you want me to smile and say hi? comment on the weather? or just pretend like I didn't see you there suffering?

And maybe I'm a bit of a chick neandrathal because I like to chase just to see if I can hang. . . and even better if I can pass.

Along those same lines I once dated a guy (it has been known to happen) that was a cyclist (supposedly a track racer from somewhere East). We had a few dinner dates then decided to ride Emigration. At first I wondered why he was letting me take the lead. Then I realized he couldn't hang. . . at all! Then I didn't know what to do. Is it more insulting to ride really slow with him while he's gasping? Go ahead and then stop and wait? I chose to ride easy but I still dropped him. I asked all of the women that were passing me if they'd seen him and what they thought I should do. Needless to say that was our last date. I guess a real man wouldn't have cared but since then I've tried to only date guys faster than me.

So the neandrathal thing brings me around to RMR. I suspect that a bit of this caveman clubbing stuff was going on a couple of weeks ago when there was a 20 man and one woman pile up in C flight. My teammate Kara was feeling good and still in the race with 3 laps to go. She followed another teammate off the front. The remainder of the field put the hammer down to chase and the result was a big mess! Was this a neandrathal reaction? Given the previous week's comments of "ma'am can you please get out of the way?" I'm kind of thinking so. You know, if you don't like being behind a girl in a race, don't let it happen.

Even sweet little Alisha Welch has dealt with comments like "OMG, you're a girl!" as she passes men in hill climb races. I guess it is good that her hubby is still faster than her up the hills. . . but only a little. One day she just may beat him. I'll be watching for Dave standing on the side of the road beating his bare chest and throwing leaves!