mt nittany wheel works
on my morning ride into work from Mount Pleasant a few zip codes south just past Dupont yet not quite Foggy Bottom I saw a truck, well an early model SUV, not sure what we called them before the term SUV was officially coined
not a pick up truck but a larger car with truck like features.... a 4X4.... or an pre SUV SUV
a macho station wagon that gets driven in the snow a couple of times a year... well... in the grass roots bicycle mecca sort of way State College, PA more than likely a little more than a few times... not sure... they may have a real winter there in State College
(not my ride into work today....
today is saturday....
normally I do not work on saturday...
today I worked...
today I drove into work...
I do not usually drive to work
today I am sick
I am sick and and the car just seemed to make more sense on this cold saturday morning)
it is my very short ride into work
as Zip Codes are not much an accurate measure of miles but maybe a better measure of population, but what do I know what is the ruleing for starting and stopping a ZIp Code...
either way.... it is just a few random zip codes away... definitely the same area code
but in this area it is often 202, 301, or even 703 and don't be shocked about the 410s either
so, I had passed the same truck parked in the same place several days in a row
it is one of those late 80s Broncos or Jimmys, not sure, as I am not really a car buff
in any case
this old truck with its bicycle roof rack attracted my attention
most cars with roof racks gather at least a moments attention
if it is one of those saffari roof racks I wonder "why?"
if I see a kayak on a roof rack I am reminded of my desire to learn to paddle
to use that kayak that I own and never learned to use
snowboard and ski racks evote a similar emotion.... a sort of yearning
this year I managed to sneak in a few local dc in my back yard cross country ski adventures
if we are lucky Dean and I will be sledding monday and I may have the petzel and the skiis
there was a time when a roof rack meant that there was a chance that the driver of that car was less likely than other driver's to run over a cyclist
those days are long gone
I have been buzzed by people with their bike on top of their car coming back from a ride
when passing the truck I glanced at the back end of the truck and saw the Mt. Nittany Wheel Works Logo sticker
a very large sticker taking up nearly the whole rear window
then after a closer pass at another time while walking the dogs past this same truck in the same spot I saw the PA tags
all this left me wondering....
is this Eric Roman's truck?
I think I saw him some time ago rolling down the city streets in courier gear
are the winters slow at the shop sending him down to the winter for some messenger work
or
maybe Eric just likes to keep that "messenger edge"
there is most certainly a style of riding that could flatter his racing
money in the pocket and a little more speed off the line acquired from some "urban intervals?"
then I think finally...
maybe it is just some guy with a sticker on the back of his truck
a riddle that could easily be solved with a note or the truck or an email to Eric Roman
a riddle that may never be solved
a riddle that may not be that interesting
Mt. Nittany Wheel Works
Eric Roman
SSWC
and
a story from Eric Roman on the 12 Hours of Lodi Farms
a course that I have raced a handful of times
raced it last year on my rigid Karate Monkey single in an effort to answer to myself the question of the Speed of the Single Speed vs. the Speed of a Geared Bike.... can it be equal
(on that weekend of racing I felt that I was not disadvantaged by having just one gear and no front suspension, but on a different course with more climbs and less roller coaster.... I like my gears!)
I am also very amused by the people who chose to permanantly keep a rear mounting trunk or hatch back mounting bike rack on their car
sure they may be on their way to pick up a friend and their bike
but
more than likely they are just idiots
there are plenty more potential variables and explanations
I am bored, not that bored
on my morning ride into work from Mount Pleasant a few zip codes south just past Dupont yet not quite Foggy Bottom I saw a truck, well an early model SUV, not sure what we called them before the term SUV was officially coined
not a pick up truck but a larger car with truck like features.... a 4X4.... or an pre SUV SUV
a macho station wagon that gets driven in the snow a couple of times a year... well... in the grass roots bicycle mecca sort of way State College, PA more than likely a little more than a few times... not sure... they may have a real winter there in State College
(not my ride into work today....
today is saturday....
normally I do not work on saturday...
today I worked...
today I drove into work...
I do not usually drive to work
today I am sick
I am sick and and the car just seemed to make more sense on this cold saturday morning)
it is my very short ride into work
as Zip Codes are not much an accurate measure of miles but maybe a better measure of population, but what do I know what is the ruleing for starting and stopping a ZIp Code...
either way.... it is just a few random zip codes away... definitely the same area code
but in this area it is often 202, 301, or even 703 and don't be shocked about the 410s either
so, I had passed the same truck parked in the same place several days in a row
it is one of those late 80s Broncos or Jimmys, not sure, as I am not really a car buff
in any case
this old truck with its bicycle roof rack attracted my attention
most cars with roof racks gather at least a moments attention
if it is one of those saffari roof racks I wonder "why?"
if I see a kayak on a roof rack I am reminded of my desire to learn to paddle
to use that kayak that I own and never learned to use
snowboard and ski racks evote a similar emotion.... a sort of yearning
this year I managed to sneak in a few local dc in my back yard cross country ski adventures
if we are lucky Dean and I will be sledding monday and I may have the petzel and the skiis
there was a time when a roof rack meant that there was a chance that the driver of that car was less likely than other driver's to run over a cyclist
those days are long gone
I have been buzzed by people with their bike on top of their car coming back from a ride
when passing the truck I glanced at the back end of the truck and saw the Mt. Nittany Wheel Works Logo sticker
a very large sticker taking up nearly the whole rear window
then after a closer pass at another time while walking the dogs past this same truck in the same spot I saw the PA tags
all this left me wondering....
is this Eric Roman's truck?
I think I saw him some time ago rolling down the city streets in courier gear
are the winters slow at the shop sending him down to the winter for some messenger work
or
maybe Eric just likes to keep that "messenger edge"
there is most certainly a style of riding that could flatter his racing
money in the pocket and a little more speed off the line acquired from some "urban intervals?"
then I think finally...
maybe it is just some guy with a sticker on the back of his truck
a riddle that could easily be solved with a note or the truck or an email to Eric Roman
a riddle that may never be solved
a riddle that may not be that interesting
Mt. Nittany Wheel Works
Eric Roman
SSWC
and
a story from Eric Roman on the 12 Hours of Lodi Farms
a course that I have raced a handful of times
raced it last year on my rigid Karate Monkey single in an effort to answer to myself the question of the Speed of the Single Speed vs. the Speed of a Geared Bike.... can it be equal
(on that weekend of racing I felt that I was not disadvantaged by having just one gear and no front suspension, but on a different course with more climbs and less roller coaster.... I like my gears!)
I am also very amused by the people who chose to permanantly keep a rear mounting trunk or hatch back mounting bike rack on their car
sure they may be on their way to pick up a friend and their bike
but
more than likely they are just idiots
there are plenty more potential variables and explanations
I am bored, not that bored