Can't ask for better riding conditions in November. Ducked out of work early and rode the loop this afternoon. I caught a guy as I headed south to Prescott. I greeted him as I blew past him, and I never looked back, assuming he wouldn't accelerate to follow. I was wrong. As I entered Prescott, I asked him where he was headed. He said back north to Stillwater. I told him I was headed back to Hudson through River Falls, and he decided to join me. I'm thinking to myself, who is this guy, that's about 70 miles round trip.
He's riding an old school Columbus steel custom Kavale with downtube shifters. No helmet, and a Banesto jersey. I introduce myself, and he just gives me his first name, Pete. He tells me he used to race a long time ago. I'm thinking about our trip to France, so I ask if he's ever ridden in Europe. He tells me he rode the Vuelta in 1985. What! His name is Pete Moody. He raced for a few years in the early 80's, and then hung it up. I had heard his name somewhere before. In 1985 he rode for the Xerox team, and rode 3 stages of the Vuelta. He missed the time cut, and went home. His comment was "the shortest pro career in history".
We started chatting about some of the guys who have been around a while. Scott Flanders of course, Tim Mulrooney, Bjorn Carlson, Pat Dalton, Cleve Peterson, Mike Anderson, Eric Ringsrud, just to name a few. Turns out he was the one guy to ever take the Firehouse50 in a solo breakaway. We talked about all the races that are no longer like the Paul Bunyan (a 200 mile race around Milacs), Octoberfest, State Fair Crit, Union, etc. Pretty cool guy. Before I knew it the ride was over. It's always fun to meet new riders, especially one's with history.
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6 comments:
Pete's a great guy with awesome stories. This guy knows every road south of 94 too. He once took the flanders bros, pascal, and myself on a 160 mile death march down around Cream. The most f-ed i've ever been in my life.
Well now I feel like an idiot. I kept asking if he'd been here before, which he always replied yes. I did manage to find one new road he'd never been on.
also known for turning a sunday ride into a 12 hour death march.. but Pete's in heaven. he won the duluth SR once with pure brains.. he wasn't a dominator.. pure tactician. he's best described as old school.
if you see him again ask him why his dog is "THE coolest dog in the world"
timmer
is that the same guy who shows up on the gopher wheelmen rides sometimes?
Pete was my math teacher many years ago at Stillwater Junior High School. He would show Tour de France movies several times during the year :)
FYI Moody's dog is an Australian dingo that his second-cousin-twice-removed Phil Andersen sent him. Phil breeds them to have special preparatory powers over the fairer amongst us. It's name is Dundee - clever,uh? The breed has caused nothing but problems for Phil, though. Moody's mum is from Australia and her grandfather was Abo'. You wouldn't know it looking at him cuz' he didn't inherit the big nose nor the big brow but he got the big ______stukka! Pity the rest of you in lycra!!! Whhaddya mean he ain't got no helmut, check out that one in his shorts!!!!!
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