slackers like to paint themselves into a corner

License. License? USA CYCLING LICENSE?

I thought ahead... just before I left out of work I thought to check for my USA Cycling License
I pictured it in the second draw of my desk... then I was certain it was in the first
of course there was the chance it was in the basement
and of course I knew exactly where it would be in the basement if it were in the basement... NOT!

oh...
this is feeling like a blog post
this was originally a message to the DCMTB listserve

looking back on previous cyclocross races I recall this issue of the license
there is the one day and there is the license... which I guess is good for a year
I realized that Sunday I would need to present my USA Cycling License
I had to admit to myself that I did not know where my usa cycling license could be
it occurred to me that there must something I could print off as a surrogate
this had me head straight to the USA CYCLING web page
which was not only unfamiliar... the page was als0 chock full of information
short on time I decided to call the USA Cycling offices which I believe to be in Fort Collins Colorado

the phone rang... I got a recorded message... then I got a friendly human on the other side of the phone
she was friendly... not at all what I anticipated
I feared that they would not have an office staffed normal business hours
thought maybe it was a small enough operation that it is a part time gig
maybe someone would not answer because they were out riding
then there was the thought about personality
cycling officials can be as cuddly as a porcupine
which had me braced for a master and servant sort of encounter

but no
instead it was smooth and easy
it turned out that my license needed to be renewed
the woman on the phone directed me to the web page that I was already viewing
she held my hand to the MY USA CYCLING page and then where on that page and what I would have to do after I renewed my license
her tone was gentle and her grasp of the information I needed was crystal clear

this had me pulling out the credit card and printing out a document that will work until I get my actual license in the mail
SIXTY BUCKS!??!
before I bothered to do the math on the ONE DAY I thought about USA Cycling and how an organization like this needs our support to survive

it is not about me breaking even and racing enough races so that my license fee is valued something similar to the cumulative one day race fees

it was a relief
better to discover this now than at the registration table on Sunday
which of course was how things were set to play out!

it is good to be organized
well... I guess... but how would I know

TIP OF THE DAY: CHECK THE STATUS OF YOUR USA CYCLING LICENSE

and JOE FOLEY?

JOE FOLEY NEEDS TO MAKE SURE HE RENEWS HIS PASSPORT IF HE IS GOING TO RACE THE CAPE EPIC IN 2010

JOE FOLEY IS RACING THE CAPE EPIC IN 2010!