World's greatest college weekend

Most of you probably know the Little 500 bicycle race at Indiana University from the movie Breaking Away, wherein a scroungy group of town guys put together a team called the Cutters and won the race to the dismay of the snooty fraternity chaps. I actually rode in that race once, in 1965, as a member of the Delta Upsilon team (we didn't think of ourselves as snooty fraternity guys), but had hardly even thought about the race again until 2001, its 50th anniversary. All veteran riders were invited and there was even a special short race for those still fit enough and a sedate ride around the track for those who weren't. I skipped both, not being fit enough for the race but not willing to be an old guy toodling around the track either. In fact, I skipped the race entirely that year, just hung around the night before to hang out with my old team members.

But finally, last year, I decided to go to the race and take along my grandson Zachary. We had a good time, our team finished 6th and was hoping to do better this year. The race was this past Saturday and Zachary and I went again. (It's obviously no longer The World's Greatest College Weekend anymore, because hotel rooms are available. The Little 500 fanatics are fewer. Still, it's an enjoyable event.) Turns out our team had worked hard all year, but had some trouble during qualifications, and were way back in the 8th row in 22nd position. But they were better than that, soon made it up front to the lead pack of riders, and stayed that way until about the 170th lap (out of 200), when the lead pack of 5 pulled away. That pack of 5 ultimately sprinted together on the last lap for the finish line -- major drama. We finished a lap behind them in 6th, but a lap ahead of the 7th place team. To go from 22nd to 6th was quite an accomplishment. Reminded me of 1965 when we qualified 23rd and finished 10th.

Oh, the winners? The Cutters. No longer a fictitious team, they won for the 8th time.