How I Helped Fast Freddie

One of the things that I love about the Dempsey Challenge is the opportunity to get up close and personal with pros cyclists and celebrities alike.  Last year I got to ride and chat with Chris Horner who turned out to be a super cool and down to earth dude.  Last year was also when Patrick Dempsey put the moves on my woman.  He said it was an accident but all I know that that one minute they are riding side by side and the next minute he has his arm around her without first asking permission.  Maybe that'll fly in hollywood but not in these parts...

This year the cast of characters was a bit different.  No Chris Horner but Dempsey was there, of course, as was Levi Leipheimer and Tom Danielson.  I got to chat very briefly with Tommy D. and he seemed nice if not a bit on the shy side and Levi ran over my foot shortly before taking a photo with Marcy and I.  But the really cool encounter (at least for a bike geek like myself and maybe some of my readers) happened about 5 miles from the finish when Fast Freddy Rodriguez rode past me while helping a female companion finish the ride by pushing her by the lower back to help her up a small climb.  Being a whore for a good story, I took my opportunity to pull up next to Fast Freddie, placed my hand on his lower back and said to him "you looked like you could use some help"  and proceeded to "help" him up the hill while he helped the woman.  I was so into "helping" that Freddie and I almost pushed the woman directly into a tandem bike in front of us.  The whole deal almost ended in disaster but I guess that would have made an even better story...

Freddie, I know you were a bit too shy to ask a person such as myself for an autograph after such a close call but I guarantee you that if you come again next year I'd be more than happy to give you something to hang on the mantle at home.  To help you out, I'm attaching a splendid picture of myself that you can print out for me to sign.