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Tobin Behling TMBRA Board Member
Joined: 01 May 2003 Posts: 3183 Location: Texas
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Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 9:40 pm GMT +0000 Post subject: Billy Pond |
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Is Billy Pond gone?
Thanks,
Tobin |
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The Bike Doc 250+
Joined: 08 May 2003 Posts: 1398 Location: Corpus Christi and Warda, Texas
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Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 11:12 am GMT +0000 Post subject: |
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Yes! Bummer! But we have Turkey Tank, Dear Park and Medock Tank as well as The Ford (creek crossing), so there are still plenty of places for Billy Kurtz to crash into and reclaim his name sake!
Thanks, _________________ Paul K. Nolan, MD
AKA: The Bike Doc |
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Anonymous Guest
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Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 7:05 pm GMT +0000 Post subject: "The" pond |
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You know Doc, I have at least 2-3 people every year come up and ask me about The pond. No doubt they have heard some incarnation of what took place that day. Who knows what percentage of the tale they know is accurate or not, but regardless I will always hold a special spot in my heart for the Ranch and The Pond. I was sorry to hear last week it was no longer a part of the race. It's always humbling to have to tell that story each time. No doubt I need that from time to time. Look forward to seeing you and Susan this spring, pond or no pond.
oh, and by the way - I'll do my best NOT to give you any cause to rename another section of your trail! |
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The Bike Doc 250+
Joined: 08 May 2003 Posts: 1398 Location: Corpus Christi and Warda, Texas
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Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 6:23 pm GMT +0000 Post subject: |
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Thanks, Billy, for the memories! Hopefully, you will not give cause to rename any of the other ponds. If it is any consolation, there was another rider who performed an unplanned bike wash in said pond. That time, someone was nearby with camera in hand for prosperity. It made it on the cover of one of the local bike club rags out of Houston. Had there been a video of your escapade, it would have made it in Americas Funniest Home Video.
We're looking forward to seeing you at the ranch this spring. _________________ Paul K. Nolan, MD
AKA: The Bike Doc |
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Sweet Tooth 100+
Joined: 03 May 2006 Posts: 234 Location: San Antonio
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Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 1:50 pm GMT +0000 Post subject: |
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Storytime! Storytime! |
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The Bike Doc 250+
Joined: 08 May 2003 Posts: 1398 Location: Corpus Christi and Warda, Texas
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Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 6:00 pm GMT +0000 Post subject: |
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I shall spare Billy the embarrassment of having to retell the tail. Billy was a junior expert in tight competition for the state championship series. The other junior with whom he was neck and neck with in the points chase was one up on Billy when they approached the then named Lilly Pond during the Warda Race. Billy decided to try a different line to get the pass on his competitor. Billy clipped a root and it sent him sailing into the drink. He and bike landed in about 6 feet of water. It took Billy three dives to find his bike in the murky water, thus the renaming of “Lilly Pond” to “Billy Pond”! Billy had to settle for second that day and the points difference left him holding the runner's up trophy at the end of the season.
Now I can't leave Billy in a lurch with this tail without telling another one that shows the kind of comeback character he has. At a different Junior expert race in Warda, Billy came hammering off the start when his chain let go. He took a saw tooth buzz cut from the free spinning chainring into his right calve. He fixed his chain got back on the bike leaving a blood spattered trail behind him. In the finest Ned Overend style and sheer gut determination I have ever seen, he went from dead last to win that race. He had to miss the awards ceremony because he was in the ER getting his leg stitched up.
If you have not had the chance to meet Billy and his family, you have missed out on meeting some of the nicest folks you could possibly meet. _________________ Paul K. Nolan, MD
AKA: The Bike Doc |
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Anonymous Guest
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Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 8:58 am GMT +0000 Post subject: |
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Good morning Doc - I hadn't checked back since I responded to Tobin, so seeing your account of the lilly pond "fiasco" was a good reminder. Now that the story is on the forum it sounds like it will stay alive for quite a while, much to my chagrin. Humility can be a hard pill to swallow.
Thanks for the good memories out at the Ranch. There are countless good stories of mine and others to be told regarding racing exploits at Warda. It's been a great racing venue for a long time. I'm sorry to hear of the forced changes but happy to read that racing will continue on. The chaninring incident you recall is accurate and I have the scar to prove it. I appreciate the kind words for the family. Mom and dad still ask about you and Susan and how the Ranch is doing. Hopefully they can make the trip up this spring to see the racing action again. |
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