Sometimes watching cycling gives me the proverbial chills up the spine. Other times I feel like I'm watching a greased manatee trying to climb a flight of steps.I realize that what is poetry in motion for some people is idiocy in motion for others. And I understand that this differs from person to person. So instead of saying "this is beautiful and that is stupid," I'll simply say there are some things I get, and some things I just don't. Here are some examples, thanks to the dubious miracle of youtube:
Something I Get:
The drama and excitement of crashes in the heat of road-racing competition.
Something I Don't:
Crashing intentionally at a big, smelly block party.
Something I Get:
The fluidity, power, and speed of a well-drilled team pursuit.
Something I Don't:
The fatuous pointlessness of fixed-gear skidding.
Something I Get:
The fluid transitions, grace, and intensity of cyclocross.
Something I Don't:
The leisurely, awkward transitions of triathlons.
