City Bikes DC makes TOP 100 List
good work!
this is my shop
I recommend them!
apparently others agree

Off Season Training Tips
Tips from a fellow mountainbiking father; Ashwinearl
(today I emailed this collective for info on the weather in Charlottesville... I got a quick response back... but it turns out that he is in Blacksburg)

from Wikipedia
(try it... it is fun a parent of a teenage kid could do well to Search for terms that involve their children's interests)

Punk rock
From Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia.
Jump to: navigation, search
Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement that began
about 1976 (although precursors can be found several
years earlier), exemplified by The
Damned, The
Ramones, the Sex
Pistols, and The
Clash. The term is also used to describe subsequent
music scenes that share key characteristics with those first-generation "punks".
The term is sometimes also applied to the fashions or the irreverent "DIY" ("do it yourself") attitude associated with
this musical movement.

music...
fashion...
the counter culture

fashion has blurred over the years
it is not clear if I can put my finger on the moment things happened
but
I think that the line of distinction blurred somewhere in the mid-eighties
although it may have been a long subtle progression that started with Alice Cooper on a Slurpee cup*1 in 1977

there was a time when college rock aka alternative music was only heard on college radio and people's cassette tape playing Sony Walkman
then somewhere in the early 90's things changed
it is not clear if it was the Beastie Boys or the Red Hot Chilli Peppers
maybe it was MTV
maybe it was Lollapolossa
what caused it.... I am not sure
but somewhere in that time the music moved from the speakers in the commuter lounge to the HiFi system of the fraternity houses

first it was long hair
then it was the goat-tee*2
now it is alternative facial hair across the board
the same tribe of people that would start a fight with the "punks" or "the hippies" are now listening to much of the same music and wearing some of the same fashion

then it all changed some more...
Indy Rock went from basement recordings into the studio
Alternative Rock went from college radio stations to the mainstream boss jock stations
it all got very blurred
Punk Rock and its fashion were no longer an urban idea... but a product sold in the mall

piercings and tattoos are no longer getting an effect
most of this stuff can be seen on soccer moms and high school cheerleaders
so much of the fashion has been recycled and lost some of its bite

oddly... the counter culture kids are taking things in the opposite direction with their 80's fashion
the IZOD with the collar up, multi-colored cords, and other stuff that may have been my daily apparrell in grade school and onward
(well... no colar up as I was never that "pink and green")

as this is going no where
I will stop this here

PUBLISH AND POST
then back to work

*1- maybe his shock rock was pop all along... I don't know as I did not listen to him then and did not drink Slurpees then either... actually I had never been into a 7-11 until I was roughly 17 years old... as I was a High's Grocery Store man

*2- well.... actually the Van Dyke... the goat-tee is when there is facial hair on the chin... sans mustache.... the Van Dyke has the mustache as well as the chin coverage

iPod Video
review on CBSNEWS.com

iLove my iPod
but
lets not forget
iPODS Dirty Secret
a very fun film
there other films are worth viewing as well
perhaps the owners of the new iPod Video will download these films onto their devices

back from the bike shop
dean fighting getting dressed by my side
back from the bike shop
grant dunking his hand into the toilet while I blog
back from the bike shop
with a new bike that my wife says looks like all the others
back from the bike shop
with parts to bring my old rides back to life
back from the bike shop
where I get giddy like a child on christmas as I leave with a new bicycle at my side and a side stash of equal enchantment
back from bike shop
pleased to hear that dean wants to take a toy catalog to bed and read to himself
back from the bike shop
releaved that lisa is putting grant to bed rather than me
back from the bike shop
now down to the basement to drool over my new bike and revive some old ones

back from the bike shop
thanks to the folks at city bikes with their cycling advice and knowledgable assistance
back from the bike shop
somewhat jealous of how it appears these guys enjoy their work
back from the bike shop

.


reminder: buy cross bike and cross gear before cross season
reminder: buy winter mountainbike shoes before winter season

right now I am missing the whole Cyclocross Season due to the absence of a race worthy bike

.

Mechanical TLC*
this is not what I meant in my prior post when I made reference to "mechanical TLC"

hate when this happens
I need to fight the power of the weather psyching me out
it is vital that I approach the weekend with a positive attitude
tune my bike
pack my bags
and
prep my head as if I am racing the Panarama Paranormal this weekend

the current weather report is not positive

these things need to be taken into account
the weather will effect my decision to take my family camping as well as my plans to race
but
I must realize
backing down from racing is a point further down the road than deciding not to take the family camping

no costume yet...
but
ZOMBIES could be an easy one
most of these multi-lap relay races have me feeling like a ZOMBIE anyway!

today I need to go grab a chain and some brake pads for the Karate Monkey
it is well over due for some mechanical TLC*

my SiDi shoes
it has been too long since I wore my SiDi Shoes
from the looks of my Time Pedals in a Zip Lock bag I am figuring I have not worn my SiDi shoes since my trip to Vegas in late September lat month

these shoes are not reserved for racing
although these shoes tend to be reserved for riding on dirt
it has been too long since I have ridden on dirt
since my ride in Red Rock Canyon just outside of Vegas last month
and
the Shenandoah Mountain 100 several weeks before that
seems that my fall priorities have shoved mountainbiking under the rug or maybe onto the shelf

last night I put my pedals on my Karate Monkey single speed
this morning I put the SiDi shoes on my feet
before even rolling the Karate Monkey an inch I could sense that the air pressure was low in the front
rather than mess with a pump
then onto swapping a tube
I just grabbed my worn and tired 5 year old Jamis Nova
my everyday bike of the past many weeks
time was running late
the morning hike with the dogs had me behind schedule

currently watching the weather for this weekend
wanting to race the Panarama Paranormal with my buddy Chris
but
not sure if I am so "gung-ho" as to slog it out in the mud

last year's race report from the Panarama Paranormal

SiDi Shoes (blogless)
Time Pedals Blog
Surly Blog
and
Panarama Paranormal

.



Marla Streb writes in her BLOG about going for a ride with my fellow City Bike Mountainbike Team Member Hillary
(hillary bought the "ride" at a WABA AUCTION the money went to this charity)

cyclists...
a culture that will pay more for a product just because it is different
Bruce Gordon Stuff

no mention of Eric Roman here at PINKBIKE.com


.

friday night leading into an awesome weekend

out of work early
only a few minutes early... but early just the same
out of work

out on the bike
though the city streets of DC
through the crowded streets of Georgetown
bumper to bumper car traffic on M Street
sidewalks packed with shoppers
across Key Bridge and onto the bike path

out past the airport onto Old Town and back

across the 14th Street Bridge back into DC
back on the city streets
more bumper to bumper traffic

racing the train
dodging a bullet

over to a friend's house to buy some used wheels

for a hundred bucks I roll away with some slightly worn wheels with one broken spoke

then over to the bike shop to get a replacement spoke

the mechanic replaces the spoke and begins to true the wheel before I can cut in

turns out a six pack covers the cost of spoke and repair
guess that is better than me taking it home and not finding the time to make the repair myself

head for home

return home a few minutes late to join some friends for dinner

our kids playing with their kids

carry out menu on the table

I walk the dogs as they place an order

there is a party down the block
down the block in shifts

some stay with the kids

others go to the party down the block with the kids

at the party our friends are hosting an art show
some very cool stuff very well presented

after I stroll through the party/art showing I leave taking the artist's two son's with me

upon my return home I see that one set of toddlers have left with their parents
dinner is gone and so are they
bedtime for the weee oneees

I set up a couch pillow fort to keep the kids occupied

the lights go off

Petzel headlamps go on

the blankets seal things off turning the pillow fort into quite the little hide away

after returning the artist's son's I stay for a Burbon on the rocks

one burbon turns into two burbons

two burbons turns into too many
the clock strikes 2

I stumble down the block for a late night snack

the artist stumbles up to bed

later I learn he fell asleep with his clothes off and his glasses on

not sure if he usually sleeps with his clothes on

I suspect the glasses are usually off

the next morning comes on fast

not much sleep

lots of hang over

the boys join me to walk the dogs while lisa heads off to yoga

after our hike we go to a different neighbor's house

when it is time for me to head for yoga I leave the kids playing with the neighbor's kids

return from yoga feeling much better than before yoga

immediately from yoga I go to a fair at Dean's school

we have volunteered to work one of the booths

there are rides and games

dean is in all his glory and so am I

lots of shaking hands.... kissing babies.... and getting votes

a mayoral canidate tries shaking my hand... tries kissing my babies... and tries getting my vote

then we head back for home

there is grilling and playing out back

we eat in the club house

hot dogs all around

Roscoe steals the lion's share of brat and kiabassa

that night I go to bed at the same time as the boys

8PM

wake the next morning pleased with my decision to for the early bed time

after the usual routine of coffee, clothing the boys, and dog walking we plot our course for the day

it is our sixth wedding anniversary.... a kiss is shared

grab the family and head to Cox Farm for a Fall Festival

pumpkins and alpine slides

the battery for my new digital camera is charged

in a short time my card is filled with images of smiling children

four hours have passed and we have not ridden all the slides

nor have we done all the activities

cox farm gets my vote

we head home passing through the Wendy's drive through

kettle corn and granny smith apples had not been enough to satisfy my hunger

had lisa been driving I would have been asleep along side of Grant
Dean mimics Grant's nasal snore

we return

the grill gets fired up

more kids from neighboring houses racing up the ladder and down the slide

steaks on the grill

the kids are in bed a few minutes after 8

I consider some of the same

but there are things to do

I walk the dogs and go to the store

the day has given me a bit of a rush

on my walk I talk up various strangers

wake for the work week routine

walking the dogs

on the bike and off to work

rinse and repeat

a good weekend
there should be more weekends like this

Cox Farms