Commutations: Shock in Vancouver and Awe(some!) in Boston

I was slightly euphoric on my pedal to work this morning, delighting in the afterglow of the Stanley Cup returning to Boston after we let the rest of the league borrow it for 39 years (they were supposed to return it earlier, but they wouldn't...so we had to go get it!). 

It was truly awesome that they could pull it off - a team with one great line, a roster of tough and hardworking defenseman, and a 37-year-old goalie who lost the manual on netminding and so created his own spastic version.  Heart trumped skill in these finals, and proved once again why hockey has such a primal appeal.

But I was conflicted by the shocking sight of sourpuss fans in Vancouver destroying their own city.  Now I must admit that I don't know much about Vancouver other than it's said that at some times of year, you can be sunning on the beach and then 45 minutes later be carving turns down snowy slopes.  And if that wasn't enough to make you want to move there today, there are, of course, the legendary mountain bike trails, reportedly etched in the north shore woods by Norco the Greek god of mountain biking. 

Vancouver sounds like heaven to me.  So why would its own residents want to destroy it?  As I'm typing, I'm sure some psychologist is prepping notes to go on CNN to explain why, but if I were to sum it up, I think I'd surmise that it's because they're a bunch of assholes.  They took their cue from their whiny team of floppers.  I can't imagine Toronto or Montreal fans acting like that.  And, of course, Boston fans know better (plus they know that the Boston police are not to be f-cked with).  I bet the Bruins couldn't wait to get out of there and get back to Beantown. 

So those thoughts bounced around my helmet for about 30 minutes - which is about how long it took to ride on the road that led to the trails that led back onto the road and then back to some more trails -- the new-to-me stash with its fairly flat profile and wide winders with firm berms.  Had the race bike this morning - Stumpy HT 29er with 34/18 gearing.  These trails were made for intervals, and I did a loop that allowed for 4 sets of 4 minutes each.  Having had some easier commutes this week on the rigid Karate Monkey, it felt good to go fast again, even though I was feeling the deep hurt after having also done some weight workouts this week.

Finished up and hit the road again to get to work and arrived just before Mike on his Felt and from across the parking lot he pumped his fist into the air a la Bender in Breakfast Club, and the Bruins glee returned.  The fires on Vancouver's streets will die out long before the glow of euphoria from this victory fades from New England's collective smiles.  And as the B's were winning, Josh Beckett was finishing up a one-hit gem of a shutout for the first-place Red Sox.  So I'm guessing the Sox might be taking the torch from the B's in, oh, about 3 months.  Going to be an awesome summer.