The Dybo Memoirs #2: More Food

Long before Ray ever had two beautiful children and a loving supportive wife, he was just a guy with a bike and a dream.

Take a walk with me as we travel way back to when it all started.


Did I ever tell you about the time I met Melissa’s parents for the first time? I had just finished racing what was called “The Big Mack Attack”, which was a 160-mile team time trial to the Mackinac Bridge. The race started and I tell you what, we were freaking flying man. When we hit the first hill, a choir of beeps started sounding frantically. It was the sounds of everyone’s heart rate monitors blowing up! I told everyone to freaking chuck those HRMs to the side of the road, because we were going to freaking fly no matter how elevated our heart rates were!

After the race I was beat and drove straight to Melissa’s parents to meet them for the first time and have dinner. I was freaking starving man. They were serving corned beef and cabbage and I just recently started eating meat after coming off a long-term vegetarian stint. Dinner was served and I tell you what, at the time it tasted better than anything I had ever eaten before…niiiice. I was so hungry from the race that I just kept shoveling as much as I could into my mouth without much conversation. Everyone at the table was finished eating and dessert was served, but I just kept eating seconds, thirds, and fourths. When everyone finished dessert, they cleaned up the table and kitchen except for my area. I just sat there and ate and ate more and more corned beef and cabbage. After awhile, everyone sat down in the living room to relax, but I just stayed at the table eating and eating.

I’m not sure what Melissa’s parents first impression of me was, but I tell you what…that corned beef and cabbage was the best freaking meal I ever ate!

State Championships: From the Midwest to the West Coast, A Chance at Sweet Redemption

Let’s start the report off with Mr. Smith who is currently on hiatus in San Diego. Yesterday he raced the California State Crit Championships and rolled in at a respectable 7th place. In a post race interview with Smith, he responded, “I got pinched in the sprint, the race was tough but Cali has got nothing on the MiScene”. Congrats to Allen, helmets off.

Onto the illustrious distance enhanced Michigan State Road Championships report. I went into the day hungry for a result and stoked that the promoters had increased the distance to 102 miles this year, which was in my favor.

Unlike the race trend of an early successful break that has been established so far this season, and despite my early-on active aggression, no breaks were sticking until around mile 70.
I had three goals for the day:
1. Maintain the team’s 2nd place overall standing and/or increase it.
2. Defend Danny Klein’s lead in the individual point series.
3. Crack a good result myself.

When the first winning break went we had Danny up the road as well as Corey Dubrish. It was great situation, and I was pleased with the probability of its success. However, Danny was unable to maintain his position in the break and fell back to the field. In the meantime, several other teams managed to bridge to the break but we were unable to send anyone else up. Feeling that I had a lot left in the tank, I attacked at the beginning of the 5th lap. Looking back, I was pleased to see I put significant distance on the field and my teammate Cruise was bridging to me to join the bridge effort to the front break. After about 15 minutes of turning ourselves inside out, we managed to make contact with the front break. However, we quickly learned that 4 riders had broken away from the front group and we were not represented up the road. With about twenty miles left in the race, I knew I had my work cut out for me if a podium spot was going to be a reality, so I started to drive the break with the hopes that some other riders would join forces to catch the 4 leading riders.

Sometimes, things just don’t work out the way you hope them to. As we turned the corner to roll past the start/finish line and begin our last lap, the clouds instantly turned black and we became engulfed in a torrential downpour causing us to virtually quit racing a roll onward in what is best described as “survival mode”. As we neared the line, sirens rang and we realized the race was being called early due to severe inclement weather. Our group sprinted for the line half-heartedly as if to roll after a city limit sign in the last 50 feet of a friendly group ride. Fearing a crash, I simply rolled through the line without contest.

Overall, I was disappointed we were unable to finish the full race distance and duke it...out but that’s racing. We still managed to fulfill two of the three goals.

Top WSC Finishers:
7th Corey Dubrish
10th Cruise Bogedin
13th Tim Finkel

I.C.B.M. How will you celebrate?

Seven years ago, some friends of mine who reside in Minneapolis started this little phenomenon. Since then, I.C.B.M. has been sweeping the nation and turning people onto to the glorious existence of aluminum contained oat soda. The question is, how will our scene celebrate it this season? I’m thinking a midweek SS MTB group ride/race with a predetermined mandatory consumption list or a kickball tournament at Kenwood Park. If you have any ideas, please let your voice be heard!

Coasting into summer vacation!

I usually don’t use this blog as a forum to showcase any other aspects of my life outside of cycling. However, in tune with Kelley P’s latest post, most recently I so was proud of what my students and I created as an end of the year Physics project that I was compelled to share.

As the school year ends, many teachers are struggling to stay focused and motivated to do anything of academic benefit short of a final exam. Our year-end wrap up has manifested into designing and constructing a fully functional roller coaster. This task elicited students to apply the laws and principles of forces and motion they learned throughout the year. I must say, I was quite pleased with the final product. Most importantly, this project gave me motivation to drag myself out of bed at 5:30 every morning with vacation right around the corner.

Kickball Eve

It's hard to believe we are already on the eve of the 2008 kickball season. I’m going to have to take a strong dosage of Nyquil tonight or there is no way I will get any sleep! This year the Sex Panthers have retired the one hit wonder title and adopted the fervent Road House-Swayze inspired name of Double Deuce. However, I will not be covering the game reports this season. For all things Double Deuce and kickball related, consult here.

The pressure is on! Who will crack?

The best part of the 10,000 mile challenge is that every time you pedal your machine, you're participating in the stage of a race...so essentially, I'm always racing. How will it all end? The tension is so thick you can't even slice it with a ginzu!

Epic Adventure

“Goonies never die!” Ever since I was a kid, when I rolled out my door on my trusty two-wheeler, I dreamed of embarking on an epic adventure. Aspirations of pirate ships, hidden treasure, catching frogs and other creatures, and the possibility of discovering Al Capones hideouts were always on my mind.

As an adult, I still aspire for these epic adventures. I love riding my bike. My girlfriend recently said that every time she watches me roll away for a ride it reminds her of a puppy that is so excited to get out of the house and go outside to play/run/walk. I thought that analogy was quite appropriate.

Racing has always simply been a bi-product of my intense propensity for riding my bike. Most of all rides are based around preparation for races. However, what do you do on a weekend that is absent of any races on the schedule? The answer is S.L.M.R (Stupid Long Mile Rides). S.L.M.R.=Epic Adventure=Fun!

So as the sun rose Saturday morning I looked out the window with that “puppy” look in my eye as I anticipated a day of uninterrupted MTB fun.

The usual suspects met at Einstein in Troy for some pre-ride fuel. In attendance; DK, Cruise, Alanso Smith, and The German.
Although the weather was sketchy at times, we seemed to avoid any inclement situations. As the day rolled on and the miles piled up, so did the chemical shot of endorphins making us feel the extreme elation that only a S.L.M.R. ride can make you feel.

The route- Royal Oak to Einstein in Troy to Pontiac Lake Trails to Milford Trails to Island Lake Trails to back home with a God sent tailwind as a reward.

Total Mileage: 138
Total Ride Time: 9hrs 5min.