Hi Ping,
I have noticed that you look a little bit like Lars Ulrich. Are you two secretly brothers, but you changed your last name because Lars was so insanely cool and awesome and a rock star and got all the chicks and traveled the world and made killer music and was in one of the best bands ever and was a little better looking than you and your parents thought he was more successful because he made more money and people mobbed him where ever he went and your parents were really proud of him, but you tried to win a Supercross Regional championship but didn't quite get it done?
Just a simple question, bro.
?,
It was a simple question. It was also one of the longest questions I’ve ever received so, you know, good job on that. Lars and I are, in fact, not related. I know that may be hard to believe since you found a photo of me from the early 1990’s that bears an eerie resemblance. But while that guy was busy drumming and doing drugs and banging out groupies and drinking and talking in that weird little accent and drinking and doing drugs and considering rehab and then doing drugs I was busting my ass trying to make a living in the sport that I love and getting married and starting a family and managing a race team and then paying my own way through paramedic school and getting my firefighting certificates so I can start a career in public service helping people. I think my parents are probably fine with what I’ve done.
PING
Ping,
Lots of guys are using road bicycles to train for racing. It seems like just about every rider uses them as part of their fitness regiment. Almost every guy I know who rides regularly have been in some kind of accident… has that happened to any racers? It surprises me that I’ve never heard anything about riders crashing on their bicycles.
RT
RT,
I would say almost every rider at the pro level bicycles as part of their program. And cycling isn’t very dangerous by itself but when you add in the unimaginable stupidity of drivers around you it becomes almost death defying. I live on the outskirts of town and I still have moments on every ride where I’m cussing out some turd who couldn’t move over and give me a couple feet as he passed by even though there was no car coming the other direction. My middle finger gets a better workout than my hamstrings most days.
Thankfully I haven’t heard of many guys getting hurt badly in a training crash. I know Johnny Omara had a big one several years back and at least three or four other riders have been hit by cars at slow speeds over the years. One thing is for sure: A skintight jersey, a pair of rubber shorts and a janky foam helmet are going to do very little to protect you if you do hit the deck hard. Let’s all keep it on two wheels, I guess.
PING
Ping,
Please continue to tell it like it is… such a refreshing change. I’ve always been impressed that you don’t fall in line with regards to political correctness. I don’t know if you ever take heat for that from your readers or supervisors but I hope it never changes. Thanks for the entertainment!
Peter Walsh
Peter,
Thanks, Pete. That is one thing that absolutely drives me nuts. I saw it summed up best by a student at Texas A&M who was asked to come up with an appropriate definition for a contemporary term. He choose political correctness and this was his definition: “Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.”
Our country is in a sad state largely because of the folks who shove political correctness down our throats. Don’t worry… I’ll keep calling it like I see it.
PING
Have a question for Ping? Send him an email at ping@racerxonline.com
