The Question Mark Guy-
living in the city you get to see all types
there is one character that I see around from time to time
the Question Mark Guy
I see him at Tryst getting coffee
I see him on late night tv in informercials trying to sell his book
there are other times when I see him ziping around town in his question mark covered Mini Cooper
then there are times like today when I see him rolling around town in some flashy clothes with his equally excentricly dressed female friend riding on the back on a scooter
the question mark guy wearing a a question mark covered helmet
while his passenger on the back weards no helmet at all
thus allowing her spikey hair to match well to her mini-skirt dress covered with Anarchy symbols in a very '77 Punk sort of way

I must admit.... I like his style and I do like FREE
but
I have my doubts about his book getting me anything at all

his book

International Walk to School Day-
web link
sure this is not possible for everyone
but
everyone should be conscious of their activity or perhaps their inactivity
the No Child Left Behind program has cut the physical education budget
taking gym down to one day a week
amazing that our government can sit back idly
while we are in a fat person large car crisis...
we need to take blame for our own behavior
or in some cases
we need to take blame for our lack of behavior

Gwadzilla Archive about International Walk to School Week last year

away from the bike
away from reality
when in the grocery store I like many others kill my time in the express lane by reading the headlines in the tabloids
this information entertains me like a train wreck
there are so many sites on the internet that carry this information
gotta love the fluff!

What Would Tyler Durden Do?

and

Hollywood Rag

and this for those that are a tad more cerebral.... FishBowlDC

sadly
there are so many people out there that take this stuff seriously
who really cares who Ben Affleck is dating today?
(okay.... I do want to know where he got his hair piece)

oh
and never forget The Superficial

wow....
all I can say is... wow!
okay...
anyone who knows me and many that don't
knows enough that I can not keep a long story short
and it takes a great deal to leave me tongue tied

here is an amazing resource for BICYCLE BLOG LISTINGS

bikeblogs.blogs.com

and again I say....
WOW!

a place to go to and to return again!

VEGAS BABY!
reaching out for information

headed to Vegas
not for Interbike... for a bachelor party
yes... wish I could stay for Interbike, but there are those wonderful anchors of job and family calling me back east
tempting as it may be... it is not an option

while in Vegas I plan on doing some mountainbiking
only riding one day
one day devoted to riding
what is the ONE trail I MUST ride?
what is the BEST company that offeres a tour/shuttle package?
need to book fast as I am sure there are not so many choices in the XL size bike options

scanning the shelves for the Dirt Rag that had the 411 on Vegas
but of course
I set it aside where I could find it
should find it the weekend that I start helping Dean pack for college

any other MUST DOs while in VEGAS?
not bike.... stuff.....
like the best place to get free hot dogs?
or the seedier side of Vegas
the casino with the friendlies slots... I said slots
and the bars with the stiffest drinks.... drinks!
gutter brain!

just so you know.....
I have a no Hard Rock Cafe rule.... not unlike my no Titanic the movie rule
it is nothing personal
it is just a rule
no plan to break these rules either

Fall Project: A Fixed Gear
years prior I have done the fixed gear thing
the bikes passed in and out of my life with little event
well
I think that the fixed geared bike entered my life with great enthusiasm
then exited my life due to great fear....
as I did not alter my riding style in urban traffic
thus nearly killing myself

now I am headed down this road again
here I am again getting ready to do a little game of musical bikes
it is always good to keep the same trails fresh by riding a different rig

on top of all that I got a few pointers from a fast friend
while out riding with NCVC's Wonderbread I got the hint
I was pushing the pedals while he was spinning
he strokes were circular and strong
my strokes were (and are) ugle mashing of the pedals (moving me slower with greater effort)
in this ride Wonderbread spoke of the fixed gear and gave a subtle clue that the fixie would aid in my learning to spin
so...
I kept my eyes and ears open
a few weeks later... my friend Bennet happened to have a monster size old 70's style road frame
it is a little crusty
but nothing that a little sandpaper grit, a can of spray paint, and a little elbow grease can not remedy

now I need to dig around for some parts for this rig
well
that and purchase a fixed rear wheel

time to seek out some information and advice on gearing
it is out there.....
feel free to share links or info on good gearing, crank length, etc....

The Flip Side of the Coin....
an isolated incident
a case of friendly fire
an "accident"
a sad event
something to be careful about

not only do you need to be careful and protect yourself

we as cyclists need to be considerate of others
there is a list of special cases that deserve special care and additional space
old ladies
pregnant ladies
people with small children
small children
everyone deserves their space and right to tranquility
buzzing past someone by inches is not cool and clearly not safe
(I admit I like to cruise through the city fast.... what appears to be close to a pedestrian is often more than a handlebar's width away... if a car passed me with a hood's width between us.... that would make me happy, but most cars buzz past me more closely than I would buzz a pedestrian on foot)

(this information was shared with me from my friend at ETJB)

now if I can just get the car driver's to be more sympathetic of the human element to the person on the bicycle

Daily Candy and AnnieLou
DC Daily Candy*
and
AnnieLou


*who wouldn't want some Daily Candy?

Car Free Day
I think I may want to print a few of these out
curious if this is appropriate to hang somewhere in the work place
guess there are a few bulletin boards in the building for such things
guess that is my option or else everyone would be putting up signs trying to give away a box of kittens
mark your calendars
Car Free Day on September 22nd
snagged this off Gundog's site

other fun stuff on the C.I.C.L.E. site

Another Soldier Down-

cyclist dies

watch your back
keep the rubber side down

cars are coffins

Bicycle Blog Coop-
seldom do I blog there
but
I blogged there today
bikecentric
definitely an interesting collection of bicycle propelled characters

the cycling dude-
here are two things from the cycling dude
-a link about the shortest bike lane in the world
(I think we need to pull out a tape measurer as I think that Adams Morgan in DC may rival for this record with their short strip of bike lane)

-the cycling dude is lending his aid to cyclists that were effected by Hurrican Katrina

WABA-
The Washington Area Bike Association is associated with a bike program called Bikes to the World
the bicycle can be the most sensible form of transport in many situations
as commuters, as transport of cargo, as transport of people, and of course as recreation and fitness
(working bikes does something similar with bicycle donations)

DC's Chain Reaction in DC-
Chain Reaction part of the Shaw Eco Village educates the less fortunate about bicycle riding, bicycle safety, and bicycle maintenance
they also have programs to put bicycles into the hands of those who would not normally be able to afford them

The Rebuilding of New Orleans-
there are two different arguements....
there are those that are sympathetic and believe that New Orleans is these people's homes.... and this area should be rebuilt so they can once again be at home in New Orleans

then there are those that believe that these people should be relocated and build their homes elsewhere
(where I do not know... local to New Orleans? where?)

it is my feeling that there could be some good in either way that these new homes are built

I am no City Planner... heck... I have never even played SIM CITY
but
this could be a chance to build a mini-utopia
or at least a lower income mini-utopia
since most of these people do not own cars the new village could be built so that everything is bicycle accessible
there could be an urban center where people shop, go to the mailbox, and work
the community where people would live would be close enough for most people to ride
there would be another public transportation option for those that are unable to ride (or do not desire to ride)
there could be pedi-cabs/rickshaws and other bikes that can carry people or cargo
(work bikes, baskets and modifications to bikes)
this is just one idea that should exist among many so that this story could have some happy endings
this whole tradgedy could have some new beginnings for people
this could be a skip in the record that aids some people in escaping the poverty cycle (hate using the word cycle in that way)
but
for things to get better
there needs to be some thoughtful planning

throwing up a shanty town where a shanty town once existed is a thoughtless solution
building a working village in the same place could work with some changes

Sunday Morning....
no cross practice at Tilden for me.... too busy with the kids
back from a hike on the Melvin Hazen with the dogs, Dean, our young neighbor Isiah
stomach filled with donuts and pastries from Heller's bakery on Mount Pleasant Street
the Washington Post has had positive cycling related articles on the past many Sunday's
Al Gore did something.... we should all be able to do something.... if everyone does something... there will be change for the better

today is September Eleventh
the combination of those words means something different now than they once did
we all know where we all where on the morning of September Eleventh four years ago
right now here in Washington DC the flags are at half mast
there is an overlap of reasons to mourn
there is the death of an old man who happened to be a Justice on the Supreme Court
then there is the tradgedy due to Hurrican Katrina in the south
and
there is the anniversary of the attacks on this country that took place four years ago today
I do not know much about the rules of flags being at half mast
but
it seems that the flags have been at half mast more over the last few years
then I can recall during my whole life prior

with all the madness in the world I think we should all take a second
close our eyes
and just breathe
breathe without tension
breathe without anxiety
just breathe
worrying about the state of the world does not do anything but raise your heart rate
if we want change
we need to do something

recall the president?
get out to vote in the future?
maybe someone needs to become a politician themselves?

in addition to breathing.... I blog
I feel a little better now
although the tension and anxiety return when I open my eyes