What’s wrong with us all

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Kent Peterson may not know what is wrong with him, or even what that something is. Just that he is different. Different is as different does. He’s signing on for the Tour Divide in 2010.

I first read about him, in his own words and in other’s, when he rode in 2005. I posted a link to his write-up on this site back then, and again just a few days ago. Definitely worth your time.

I wish him well. For whatever may be “wrong” with Kent, is wrong with us all.

I haven’t been following this event, really, at all until today. Pretty damn cool web presence though – I’ve got to give ’em that. You could lose a half hour there quick. I just did. And then some.

Check out the leaderboard. Now, before you get your panties up in a bunch telling me the race is over because one dude already finished, let me say this: There may well be eight million stories in the Naked City, but there are half as many worth hearing at the back of the pack. If there is one thing I know, is this simple truth.

You can listen to phone calls in the competitors here: tourdivide.org/blog2009. A few I thought interesting were, in no particular order, as follows: Chris Plesko, who is on a single speed. There are a couple people from Arizona, neither of whom I know, put there giving it the business: Deanna Adams (Prescott, AZ), who is riding it fixed, and Brad Mattingly (Flagstaff, AZ). Jill Homer, who blogs at Arctic Glass (we’ve linked her for years off this site), is in there as well. Pretty emotional phone call from yesterday, one of her compatriots was injured in an accident and was in an ambulance when she came up on it. I wouldn’t wish a moment like that on anyone.

I can’t imagine I’d ever “race” something like that. But I sure would like to “finish”.

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