It’s Friday night on one of the coldest nights of the year. I happen to be sitting at the top of a mountain overlooking
downtown Roanoke, under a giant man made neon star. It’s around 10PM. I am surrounded by about 40 other creatures sitting on very small and sometimes dangerous looking bike’s. I see Nacho Libre, a few zombies, a bumble bee, superman, the governor of Roanoke, Wonder woman, and even a T-rex. Nope, it’s not a strange dream. The creatures and I are all waiting for the start of the monthly Starbomb in downtown Roanoke. We have the usual safety briefing and then the flag drops.
All creatures great and small get on their children’s bikes, over sized big wheels and wheeled creations that could be best described as a “Franken-Bikes” and head down the hill as fast as they can pedal. Pretty soon we all file into line and start to gain speed. Lots of headlamps and duck taped flashlights keep the road ahead clear as we barrel down the road. I am lucky enough to be riding a bike that us at WA like to refer to as the “Golden Boy”. Chris “the T-rex” is behind me on a bike known as the “Sea star”. As we keep gaining speed the road and all the blackness around become a blur. As I gain speed, all the creatures I saw at the top of the mountain fall behind as I pedal to gain even more speed. I push to the front of the pack and I see an older lady on a child’s bike. She had to be at least 80 years old. She is leading the monster race down the mountain. As I speed up this old lady gets on the go pedal and starts to pull away! I decide that no old lady is going to beat me down the mountain, so I tuck in as close as I can and keep the pedals moving. I am reminded of my good friend Marc Dufour a well known and respected road cyclist. He said the key to any cycle victory is “Spin to Win” with that mantra in my head I start to increase the revolutions. I start to close the gap on granny. We pas a few cars going up the mountain and continue onto the main street that heads to an intersection that marks the finish line. Granny is relentless in her quest for victory but I will not be beat! I decide if I am going to pass I need to make my move. I tuck in behind her and decrease my wind resistance and engage the slingshot maneuver made famous by a personal hero “Ricky Bobby”. 
Once engaged there is no turning back. With the flash bulbs going off and the cheers of spectators and angry drivers honking because the intersection is blocked I cross the finish line. I won. As I slow and throw up the #1 with my left hand, Granny pulls up beside me to congratulate me. It is now that I notice that “Granny” is actually my friend Hunt. It was a great race to go down in starbomb history. Of course starbomb is not about who wins, who loses or how you go down the mountain. Starbomb is just for fun, it’s a place for all the bike junkies, Hipsters and anyone who has a sense of adventure to meet up, have a good time and share an experience. With everyone down safe, we ride the streets of Roanoke. Cheers come in from every direction, waves, and camera flashes follow us wherever we go. It might sound strange but as a new year starts Starbomb has helped me decide on my new years resolution.
We are all caught up in our lives, we have deadlines for work, bills, kids, and so many other things that take up our
precious time. My new years resolution is to slow down and enjoy the moments that I am not spending stressing about work, or anything else in my life. With a baby on the way and more stress approaching I need to get myself in check before the sleepless nights and poopy diapers start showing up. Starbomb is one of those small things in life that to some people seem so pointless. But to us Hipsters, bike nuts and adventurers it is a chance to slip into another world and relax. So whatever your new years resolution is, try and take time out for the small things. weather it be watching the sun set, sleeping in or riding sketchy bikes down a mountain.
As always, Ride or Die.
Dano
