american hardcore

this looks sick
american hardcore
I think that I will see this in the theaters

the process

the whole photo thing is a process

it is an awkward process at times

the moving shots do not work
the small point and shoot does not always capture the picture
and well
not everyone is always excited to have their picture taken

the metaphor of fishing is a fitting one

so often I head out with the camera looking to capture a shot
I see a cyclist in the distance
too far to capture
so I walk onward
another cyclist also too far

sometimes I come back with something
sometimes I end up empty handed

sometimes there is a perfect subject just out of reach
like a fish jumping at the other side of the lake
taunting me

today was a day where I pretty much came up with nothing

I took lots of blurry indoor shots
I took lots of blurry outdoor shots while moving on the bike

I approached a number of cyclists only to be shot down

nothing
absolutely nothing

Tesco Vee

Tesco Vee at MySpace

Tesco Vee mixes music and comedy the way that Dread Zepplin mixes Reaggae and Zepplin

okay....
I am not a music review sort of guy
which is a bitch
as I want to write an article about the Ditty Bops for SPOKES

City Bikes Adams Morgan

in the repair warehouse of City Bikes Adams Morgan
just drifted through for a second before lunch today with citybikesmike
snapped a shot of the mechanic
a good dude
an excellent mechanic
his name slips me

Big Wheel Bikes in Georgetown

Big Wheel Bikes in Georgetown
had the pleasure of running into Mike Sendar
Mike is a character
he is definitely part of the DC cycling culture
even if he himself is not a cyclist
the shops he owns
and
the people he has employed have been a colorful contribution to the dc cycling culture

the warehouse space down the alley is now nothing but a memory

traffic calming.... sidewalk road thinning... and bike lane

so...
this morning I was able to step away from work to attend the "walk through" on my block where the various measures for traffic calming were discussed

there were all sorts of people there
various people from the DC Metropolitian Police
an assortment of people from DDOT
our ANC representative
our Councilmember and some people from his office
some residences from our block
(including a former ANC member and a guy that rides his bike to his World Bank job where he does urban planning)
Eric from WABA
and
Mike from City Bikes

it was a good meeting
the traffic could not have displayed the issues better if we had hired an assortment of Hollywood stuntmen to drive up and down the block at excessive speed
every other car running the red light
all cars speeding

the discussion was very positive
everyone was on the same page
all had one goal in mind.... slowing traffic
everyone agreed that to slow traffic it would take a cumulative effort
it pleased me greatly that the notion that thinning the road with a sidewalk would make things more dangerous
which axed that plan.... whoooo hooo!
the bike lane became the focus of the discussion as it would be the easiest and least expensive initial effort
but
it was understood that the bike lane alone would not get the desired results
so.... a survey is to be taken of speeding traffic to decide if speed tables would be an option
and
the application for a red light and speeding camera was also put into motion

mission accomplished

okay....
nothing has been done
but
the ball is rolling
my voice has been heard
now it is time to see action

I was greatly appreciative that everyone showed up
especially the people representing the bicycle perspective
as I did not want to be the only helmet head ranting about cyclists on Park Road

rise above

henry rollins
henry rollins' page
black flag

emails with frank and other this morning have me thinking

I need to set up a turntable and listen to some old records

I think that some of the music off this album will help me get through the day
and maybe through a cross race or two

franks' blog
franks myspace page
frank's shop's myspace page

when I was a teen ager I saw Henry Rollins do his Spoken Word thing a number of times at DC SPACE
it was like a punk rock boyscout jamboree

now Henry is famous for being famous

who would think that so much could happen in 20 minutes

my commute to work is short
I wish I could extend it and get in a pre-work ride
but.... with helping the boys get dressed, making sure that they have eaten, walking the dog, and brushing my teeth
well... I am barely making it into work on time
so... I make a mad dash across town on the bike


some mornings I miss the second cup of coffee
other morning I miss brushing my teeth

heading out the alley behind my house there is almost always a car speeding up the block behind me
no matter what the distance
when I pull out
even if they are two hundred yards away they are gunning for my rear wheel
when I make a stop at the four way intersection it is not uncommon for the speeding car behind me to edge past me
to roll through the stop sign and make the turn while I wait for car traffic to give me my right of way

even with eye contact...
it is not always a guarantee that cars will let me take my turn

I continue on my path
again being tailgated
again being passed fast and close
cars speed past me
only to be passed again

when going up a short climb cars pass dangerously into oncoming traffic
I appreciate them passing with safe distance
but I hope that they are anticipating the car traffic in front of them
once back in front of me
they roll through the set of Stop Signs
a speed bump is in place
cars slow for the speed bump but never stop for the sign
it may be more dangerous with the speed bump
as drivers are more focused on the speed bump than pedestrian traffic
by this point there is a good amount of pedestrian traffic trying to walk their way to work, for coffee, the metro, or the area's toddler parks

then I squeeze by the cars lined up using the bike lane as a right turn lane
always looking for parked cars with soon to be opened doors
or an anxious or aggressive driver looking to change lanes
through the light I always have to be careful
there are spots where car drivers try to "juke" the system to bypass the red
they often try to do a turn and an illegal turn
like it were any more legal or safe than running the light in front of them
they may save a few seconds but... one day there will be an accident... only a matter of time
hope no-one gets hurt

green lights just like red lights are viewed as yield signs

more cat and mouse

still just minutes into a multi-minute cross town commute
more cars doing illegal and dangerous things
I make a light only to dodge a line of cars behind me all running the red light sneaking through the light
from the left turn only lane to go straight even without the light...
the illegal and dangerous
ignoring of the left turn lane was part of their intention
this is their commuter route every day
each and every day this set of car commuter make these same set of obnoxious and dangerous moves
the same people everyday putting all sorts of people at risk... including themselves

down the hill into the home stretch
always more left turning traffic wanting to be in the right hand lane
taxi cab drivers being the worst offewndors
these guys never thinking a second further into the future
I think that all the fumes have brought these cab drivers down to a level of severe profound
I try to be sympathetic
it is bad enough that they lack enough vertebrae in their next to turn their head to the side to check to see if it is clear
but for them to be mentally deficient
well... I try to be compasionate
maybe euthanasia is in order

a few more blocks more
more combat in traffic
the lights in my favor do not make things any more safe
I try to glide through like a ghost never asking anyone to slow down or speed up on my account I am thankful when someone slows or stops to give me the right of way
but.... I tend to anticipate the worst
my trajectory is not ballaistic
my motion is always under accessment for modification

a right turn signal on a car in front of me does not mean that they are turning right
I have learned to pay closer attention to the driver's body postition than their indicator lights where are they looking? where are their hands on the wheel?
what are they watching on the dvd player?
do they text message on their phone or do they have a blackberry?
these are all taken into account with each and every car that I approach

yes... I too am taking risks
it is risky for me to follow the laws it is risky for me to break the laws
my being on a bicycle rather within a Chevy Suburban is a risk
my efforts are defensive
no one is concerned for my well being but me
the chaos is not organized chaos
the system that people have selected is not working
the madness only gets madder
there needs to be an evolution
maybe a revolution
this may take some thinking
remember the revolution will not be motorized

that andy singer cartoon was stolen from an Italian Blog

gossip stuff...

lance armstrong chasing paris hilton?
who is the negative influence?
bill clinton or mathew what's his name?

okay....
maybe the golden boy in yellow was never the squeaky clean milk drinking pat boone that he appeared to be

some good mud slinging here

thesuperficial.com
or
www.gawker.com

honestly... if it were not for celebrity gossip
I would not know who any of these people are
they should be happy that their names are being dragged through the mud

stole this

.




stole this from here
williumbillium.wordpress.com

then there is this film from 1944 floating around
not sure who to credit
but you can credit me

change of seasons

with the change of seasons comes
a change of gear
a change of bike
another shot with small wheels

bike lanes

some new yorkers respond to the addition of 200 miles of bike lanes in new york city

dc could use some forward thinking on the cycling issue

wouldnt be wonderful if some of the two lane roads were closed to car traffic during rush hour

I do not see it happening
but there needs to be some forward thinking on this
city planners need to get more creative

there are some places that could be enriched culturely if cars were taken out of the equation

how much parking would really be lost if the EASTERN MARKET were closed to traffic on weekends
sure.... maybe 20 spaces
but... what could be gained in foot traffic and longer stays as well as community interaction
well.... it makes sense to me

the walking malls of Burlington and Boulder were designed by the same person
dc could use a similar effort

the block of bethesda ave in bethesda right on the capitol crescent trail could also do well to close itself to car traffic on weekends
imagine
there could be more foot traffic
there would be more commerce from the more relaxed window shopping opportuities
imagine... getting a bagel dog at what once was What's a Bagel with everything, yes onions and relish, then strutting across the street to look at scratched records and moldy books at Second Story Books

an old friend out on his bike

headed down mount pleasant street

train wreck

jackass
it is a train wreck
very tough to look away

my take
it is fine when they mess with themselves
but when they mess with people of other cultures or animals
it loses its appeal
then again
some of that stuff really cracks me up

traded up for some bigger wheels

some pics with his other wheels... the small wheels

traffic calming efforts and best intentions

my blood is already starting to boil
I am trying to brace myself for the worst
I fear that I stand alone in my understanding of this situation

all of my efforts to gather some attention to the speeding traffic on my street may very well backfire

over all sorts of emails...
there was some talk of this
there was some talk of that
there was the modification of a stop light at the top of the hill

there was talk of a study
I said give me a bike path
the insignificant expense of some paint on the road
lets do something now
as the study will take time

for a second it sounded like they were going to act on my request
then I heard otherwise
there was talk of a sidewalk being added to the other side of the street

initially I was over joyed
the thinner road sounded like a good plan
in other neighborhoods I have witnessed that the thinner roads force cars to slow down to avoid a head on collision
but these measures would not work on a road with a double yellow line in the center
the amount of road thinning that would need to be done would have all sorts of negative backlash

I fear that the thinning of the road will make the road more dangerous for all users of the road...
parking the cars will be more difficult
cars will have to stop and wait for the cars to fully get into their spaces
aggressive and irrate traffic will cross the double line heading into on coming traffic
car doors will be at risk when opened
car drivers will be pinned against their cars as they walk up or down the block to their cars
it seems that the wider road had its hidden advantages
as unintentional as they were

the double parking of UPS trucks, Postal vehicles, people picking up and dropping off friends, or whatever would block the road causing congestion
as well as the dangerous crossing of the double yellow line

the thinner road would force the cyclist to block traffic behind them
both headed down the hill
and definitely headed up the hill
a road that is already dangerous for the high volume of bicycle traffic will become more dangerous
road rage will increase
and I will tell you... road rage is already at a volatile level

here it falls back to the logic of the bike lane
the simple cost effective request of a bike lane
a bike lane not just for bicycle purpose

what would the bike lane do?
the bike lane would give the illusion of thinner road
the effort for cars to stay within the parameters of the center lane and the bike lane would cause drivers to slow down
it would also keep the drivers in control
rather than swimming freely in an undefined space
the bike path itself would create a no mans land where pedestrians could stand as they work their way across the street (with anticipation and respect for oncoming cyclists in the bike path)
the bike path would allow for the parked cars to open their doors (when clear of oncoming cyclists in the bike path)
and the bike path would create a safer experience for the cyclists that use this road for their commute or their work outs
yes, the bike path would be in the "door zone"
but
the cyclist is already riding to the right of traffic and trying to stay aware of opening car doors
so this has not changed

what frustrates me...
I do not see that any of my neighbors see my vision
the importance of the cyclist's rights and the cyclist safety goes unseen
the forward thinking of the dangers of the thinning road go unanticipated and unseen

there is some agreement
there is movement towards some action
and
there is discussion
all of this is important
but... the view must be all encompassing
the cyclist's future on this road is as important as the cars

the one thing that has been learned through the discussions is that the calming of traffic will not be achieve through just one effort
the issueing of tickets is a failed effort
as the issueing of tickets does not change behavior
we all know that the speeder speeds away after getting the ticket only to speed more once out of view of the officer

there needs to be a combination of efforts
the sidewalk is an unlikely prospect
the sidewalk on National Park land would be an improvement
but not if the sidewalk takes up any of the road space
that road space is vital to the fluid movement of traffic
the high volume of bicycle traffic can not go unnoticed
the bicyclist voices can not go unheard

I am counting on Eric Gilland of WABA and Jim Sebastian of DDOT to be able to see forward enough and to be persuasive enough to aid others to see the need to take the bicycle traffic into account
tomorrow is the formal "walk through"
I am coming home from work for this meeting
I hope it goes well
I hope that it does not frustrate me more
I hope that what is resolved is best for all
the neighborhood as well as the passing traffic.... passing traffic which includes bicycles

I WANT TO SEE MAPS
I WANT TO SEE MODELS
I WANT TO SEE THEM PAINT A PICTURE OF THE FUTURE

I AM NOT SOLD ON THIS SIDEWALK THINNING EFFORT
A SIDEWALK YES
AN ACTUALLY THINNER ROAD?
NO.

a poetic gwadzilla archive for a fallen rider

in addition to the road changes there needs to be an education
adults are behaving like children
and the children are... well... pushing the parameters of their parents
if the parents are bad drivers now
the next generations will only be worse
who is failing to anticipate this?

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS!

cigarette manners from japan

link here
some great graphics
and some funny common sense stuff

lojack for married people...

the remember ring
supposed to heat up the day before the anniversary...

I have a similar ring
it stings and burns if I even walk past the front enterance of a strip club

man that ring was hurting me when I was in Vegas last year
but
it keeps me honest!

amealia...

snapping a few shots as I rolled into work

this morning as I rolled into work I stalled at a red light along side of a fellow bicycle commuter
I asked if I could snap a few shots
she asked if I was gwadzilla
I fumbled with my camera that was in my pocket

it turns out I know her and her boyfriend electronically

they moved to DC some time after Katrina devistated the New Orleans and their lives

the shots were taken on the move
I tried to manipulate the camera with one hand
as we each tried to get to work by 9am

here is her myspace page
slug hunter

and her boyfriend's page as well
teecourt

trying to find a link to their blog where they tell about their personal experience with Katerina

sure... I saw it on the news
but I did not experience it

an article in today's Washington Post
Strays and the Samaritan

tough yet good night

not to drag on about it
I went for an hour ride
lisa walked brutus when I got home
I played with the boys
we were in the tent
messing with legos
all sorts of stuff... managed to avoid the televisiona
though I was wanting to watch avatar

the ride was good
short but good
the time with the kids was awesome
we had a meerkat thing happening

kerry litka has some great cyclocross lists

kerry litka has a two great lists
measuring the reasons to race or not to race cyclocross in the new england region

man...
that picture has me thinking
booth girls
booth girls
booth girls

man
I wish I were going to Interbike!
yes I am old and married
but
booth girls

my nose is raw

I have a cold
not a bad cold
but
I have a cold

my head is stuffed up
my nose is running
I am not feeling one hundred percent
I have a cold

the one thing greater than the risk of flats in a cross season
is getting a cold in cross season

life, work, and the world are against me trying to train
there is life which includes a wife, a dog, and two kids...
and all that goes with it
there is work... showing up early and staying late
okay... trying to be on time and frequently having to stay late
then the change of season with shorter days
it is tough to get out and ride

long rides have never been my thing
short attention span and short rides
that is my style
those are my options

as it turns out my short commute with a short extension is usually all that I have time for
trying to make the best of my short time and short rides
no I am not so intense to train hard
but... I do try to get something out of the riding that I enjoy

some people do wind sprints others do hill climbs
okay... it is more analytical than that in this day and age
but I am not that analytical
I am just riding

but I know that the various types of riding may offer different types of training
so I rode through the city
did what I call... urban wind sprints....

that is riding around town and going with the flow
stopping and slowing when traffic allows
then sprinting to speed only to have to stop or slow in a block, two, or four.....
then to take the speed from nothing to something

then.... shortly after the guy yelling, "there is a sidewalk" I took it to the sidewalk
well, actually I took it to the singletrack path beated into the earth on this small urban park on Capitol Hill
did several loops around the park
aware and cautious of dogs, runners, people headed home, and whatever
then did a few variations of this short loop with greater confidence
trying to see how the bike feels
never doing anything that would qualify as "cornering"

after a few loops I glanced at my watch and took it back to the streets
more trying to get a groove with traffic and the lights
a good exercise for getting in touch with my almost new Specialized Tri Cross bike
good to get in touch with my cross bike before my first cyclocross race of the season this weekend in baltimore

very excited about fighting the desire to quit

currently wondering if this Jagermeister is going to help my cold
it tastes like cough medicine
will it help my cold?

enough on this rant
I am lost
not sure if this came full circle

"that's enough now
I an tired of singing"
where is that quote from?
someone other than my brother
okay... I will settle on my brother
anyone? anyone? ferris? ferris bueller?

no wheelies with that load

Starbucks Store Locator and Store Delocator

an awesome GWADZILLA ARCHIVE

The DELOCATOR

amazing
in just over a year I have earned roughly 20 more Starbucks in my five mile radius!

it amazed me on my road trip to Pittsburgh all the tall signs for Starbucks with drive thrus
we love our coffee
we need our caffiene

Ronald McHummer

make your own sign
get your message out

it bums me out how much my kids focus on the happy meal

on road trips they see the golden arches and start claiming that they are hungry

they do not want the food
they only want the toys

okay... they do like the chicken nuggets

oh... I have never taken my children to Mc Donald's
although I am a certified junk food junkie
I stopped eating Micky D's years ago
not for health reasons
just because I liked it too much

yummmmm.... big mac...

biggest loser club

ah
the biggest loser club
this has nothing to do with segways or hummers
although those individuals are instant winners in my mind

this has to do with fat people trying to get skinny
biggest loser club

not the best camera for night shots

lights

get lights to see and be seen

mount vernon trail

mount vernon trail/virginia side/looking over the potomac at the mall in washington dc

conn ave at dupont

respect.... mutual respect

respect
so much about what is wrong with traffic has to do with respect
people fail to respect others

car drivers do not respect other car drivers
car drivers do not respect pedestrian or bicycle traffic

for some reason car drivers become different people behind the wheel than they would be at work or at home
they become quite selfish
and
they often fail to empathize for others on the road

to start the change
we need to make a change

I try to be more concious of my actions when behind the wheel
I try to treat others how I would like to be treated
sure I like to beat the next car off the line
win pole position
pass the ineffiecient and ignorant drivers
but.... this is done at no one's expense and without breaking the law
effeciency... not high speed

as a cyclist I am very concious of other cyclists on the road
I know where to anticipate them
and
when I encounter a cyclist I often exhaggerate my safe behavior
treating the cyclist how I would like to be treated
giving the cyclist the space that I would like to be given
setting an example for the cars following behind me

this set of actions transfers to runners, joggers, walkers, and people moving about the streets
I am always looking ahead to the intersection expecting the people to step off the curb
when I approach a point where the bike path intersects with the road
I slow and give the people crossing the right of way
as I know how dangerous it can be to cross at these sections of road

it takes nothing for the car driver to slow, stop, and go
the seconds of waiting for someone to pass can be made up on the next straight away
running down the pregnant mom in the cross walk does not get me their any more quickly
nor does it give me any joy

my point...
cyclist need to think about cyclists not just when on the bike
but also when in the car
the same goes for runners, rowers, or whatever
if each subculture showed respect for everyone in their own subculture
then extended that respect to other similar subcultures
well... the roads would improve incrementally
it is a simple "pay it forward concept"
so simple

now how do we get this message out?

city calming\traffic calming... trying to see all sides

the speed of traffic on my street is out of control

drivers running red lights
drivers ignoring the speed limit
drivers showing no care or concern for pedestrians in the street

the double yellow line means nothing
people swerve around parking cars or pedestrians across the street like they are seeking the checkered flag in a NASCAR event

failing to understand that it is effieciency not top speed that will get them their the quickest

since things have gotten so out of control I have started to work with some people in the city to try and slow the traffic on my street
my voice is being heard
but
I do not think they hear what I am saying

like so many
the people in power think that they know best
even the people not in power
the people closer to the people in power
they think that they know best

the issue of speed
became an issue of the red light at the top of the hill
they made an expensive modification to the stop light at the top of the hill
I tried to tell them that it was not an issue of seeing or not seeing the traffic signal
I tried to tell them that people were running the red light with no concern
but... they thought they knew best
they made an expensive modification that has done nothing to change behavior

occassionally I see metropolitian police officers issueing tickets
oddly.... these tickets are not at the high volume times
the people who are commuting on this route and running the light each and every day are not the ones being caught
giving a ticket to the tourist in a rental car passing through one evening
well... that will not change behavior
the behavior that needs to be modified is that of the car commuter who willfully speeds through the neighborhood and intentionally runs the red right turn arrow each and everyday
yes... every day

being a cyclist
knowing that this is a heavily trafficked route for cyclists I offered the notion of adding a bike lane
I took measurements of the road
gave them a logical breakdown
even told them some ways to make the bike lane more effective in some places
for a second it sounded like they heard me
but...
somehow my utterance of using a bike lane to give the illusion of thinning the road has taken things a few steps further

the people at the top have decided that thinning the road may be a good idea
the talk of adding a sidewalk on the other side of the street to thin the road is under consideration
at first glance I was excited about this idea
then after some more thought I doubted that this effort would would in fact make things more safe

in the current situation it is tough enough for car drivers to park, open their car door, or pull out of their space
if the roads were more thin then well
it would become more difficult for the residents to park, open their car door, or pull out of their space
as this is a heavily trafficked area... each parking car or pulling out car would cause some back up
the frequent double parking UPS truck, US Postal Service vehicle, or obnoxious double parking asshole would block up the road worse than ever before

all of this before even taking into consideration of the volume of bicycle traffic that uses this road
right now as wide as this road is
it is still very dangerous for bicyclist to use this road
if the road were more thin
well...
the bicycle would be forced to ride in "the door zone"
while still blocking the flow of traffic behind them
the commuter car traffic is already angry and aggressive to the bicycle traffic
thinning the roads would only increase the danger to the cyclist

thinning the road with a sidewalk is not forward thinking

adding bike lanes is not only the least expensive alteration
but also the wisest

what people need to understand
if the bike lanes do not give the desired results
then the sidewalk plan could be re-considered
but
it the sidewalk plan goes into effect
well... after things get more dangerous I doubt that there would be any reversing of the road thinning

there is a formal walk through this week to discuss the possibility of the sidewalk
I have gotten in touch with some folks at the DDOT and WABA
they will attend the walk through and hopefully bring in an alternate perspective

WABA
DDOT Bicycle Page

DC is not that different from the rest of the country
the country as a whole needs to rethink the whole traffic concept
this is a country that claims to have an obessity epidemic and a fuel crisis
these helpless people are lined up at the McDonald's drive through in their SUVs getting a snack before they go home for dinner

we need to make our communities more bicycle and pedestrian friendly
we as individuals need to be more bicycle and pedestrian friendly

loser

segways are for losers
on the urban sidewalk pisses me off

one time there was some joker on the towpath along the C&O Canal riding along in my blindspot on one of those
or something similar
it was cutting into my good time

bedlam bags at myspace

bedlam bags @ myspace

charm city... found it... not that it was ever lost

www.charmcitycycling.com

cyclocross is around the corner

cyclocross is around the corner
actually, cyclocross is here

www.midatlanticcross
marba.org

what is the official site for Charm City?

meg's page

newenglandcross.com

the motorcycle boy reigns

rumble fish
a classic film
never read the book
never read the outsiders either
think I was too old to bother when I finally was introduced to the book
that and... I never read as much as I should
reading is something I am certain to try and turn my children onto
as much as I enjoy to read... I do not prioritize it enough and it does not always come easy to me

the thought of rumble fish is not so much about reading
but had me thinking about siblings

laurence fishburne was awesome in this film
but not as hot as diane lane
okay... laurence is cool and diane is hot

go get your own pictures of diane lane

rumble fish on wikipedia
rumble fish gives an audio audio branding
it never occurred to me that such a service/business would exist
but then again everything exists
you can pay someone to hang your christmas lights
pumpkins may start coming precarved

our generations jacques cousteau

steve irwin was this generations jacques cousteau

jacques cousteau at wikipedia

steve irwin at animal planet
the stingray not the classic schwinn bike

as a father I think that it would be fair to say that I see a fair amount of Animal Planet
not that we watch that much television
well... I watch a fair amount of television
my boys watch more dvds and videos and some television
a moderate amount
everything in moderation

with the passing of steve irwin becomes another opportunity to talk about death
the extra attention to steve irwin brings the whole topic of life and conservation to the surface
my boys have questions... all sorts of questions
it amazes me the depth of their questions and their depth of understanding

the world will miss steve irwin
there will never be another like him

on my mac

it is not funny how poorly my page displays on my mac in Internet Explorer

building a better mousetrap

building a better mousetrap...
isn't that our goal?

so often when the storm rolls in the umbrellas come out
by the time the clouds blow away
the streets are littered with umbrellas
like urban tumble weeds these bent and broken umbrellas blow down the sidewalks, into the gutters, only to find themselves in the woods or the streams to be picked up by some tree-hugger on their day off
building a better umbrella

got this from treehugger.com
got the treehugger link from conversations with mud

yes... it is all cumulative time well spent

today before we left the pittsburgh area we went from the inlaws to the cousins
it is great to get the cousins together
dean and grant love to hang with their cousins
it is great to see the cousins together
the pittsburgh and dc cousins do not get together enough

we did not have the whole day for hanging out
but we had a good chunk
there was no planned agenda for the day
just hanging out on a lazy sunday after an over scheduled saturday
we arrived and the kids were psyched
when the kids seemed occupied with just seeing each other I snuck out on the bike

was able to get out for a minute or so under an hour
a minute or so under an hour is not that long on the bike
it is a minute or so under an hour more than not getting on the bike at all
and a minute or so under an hour in the south hills area outside of pittsburgh is just enough time to let you know why it is called the south hills

was on the specialized tri cross with the new matching back and front panaracer cinder cross
the psi was set a tad low for the road
but not so squishy that I was squirelly
went and rode up and down some short steep hills in the suburban country side
I would give some specifics of where I was
but am not even sure if where I was is close enough in to qualify as the south hills
there were lots of playing fields and a paved bike trail
near the paved bike trails were some small interconnectors of dirt
some single track and some wider packed earth
all seemed kosher for the bike
the bike handled well in the soft stuff
although I never got wild or fast
never tested the cornering
still getting a feel for the bike and the body
it is hard to get hypoxic riding alone

watched the watch
estimated my road return and sampled what i could
had intended for forty five minutes
as per usual I was a few minutes late
which took me to that just under an hour measure

got back and jumped back into street clothes and out of lycra kook clothes
the boys were amped
everyone was looking for day two of our super sessions of stuck in the mud and kick the can
not sure which was a better work out...
me out climbing the hills on the bike
or
me being it for the full duration to each and every game of stuck in the mud and kick the can
as I like to say...
life is cumulative
it all adds up
all the good
all the bad
chasing the kids, walking the dog, riding the bike
it all adds up

my boys are still talking about kennywood and stuck in the mud

a better map of kennywood
already trying to get a better attack on the full park next year
in a year grant will be taller
so will dean....
our options and our interests expand

but I will admit
on top of the joys of seeing my boys get such a thrill out of these various rides
I also get a thrill out of these various rides
there were not many rides sans kids
but I did sneak onto the THUNDERBOLT while the family snacked on some cheese fries
it was the only way to keep me from eating them all myself

this photo has a little story...

grant's first trip to kennywood

the family spent the day at kennywood
we arrived late
we stayed late
I am an idiot and should be asleep

grant was a natural
ate cotton candy, rode kiddie rides, rode adult roller coasters, played games, and ate corn dogs
it did not take any effort to get him to ride the 100 year old wooden roller coasters
he rode the rack rabbit several times
the line was not such an easy experience
the lines were not particularly long
but two and a half year olds are not much for waiting around

that shot with momma lisa is a tad misleading
we are actually riding some hundred year old turtles
that is the thunderbold behind them
neither dean or grant are tall enough for the thunderbolt

kennywood rocks
I wonder when dirt rag day at kennywood is?

kennywood
dirt rag

in our over eight hours of kennywood
we did not ride all the rides
nor did we eat all the funnel cake and corn dogs that we wanted
we should have bought a weekend pass
fresh dirt from dirt rag magazine about tyler "dopey" hamilton

jamis nova/jamis bikes/city bikes/city bikes mike

a good bike
a good company
a good shop
and
good people

just got some good news from citybikesmike
jamis is sending me a replacement frame for my cracked nova

that is awesome news
jamis is going to warranty my old jamis nova cross bike
loved that bike
am totally psyched
will build up the new frame and fork with some of the old but mostly new parts
already had a good number of parts that I was meaning to put on the old nova
will just swap them out at the build of the new nova
SWEET!
that rocks
it is good to have a company, a shop, and a person helping you out and hooking you up

JAMIS BIKES ROCK
CITY BIKES DC ROCKS
CITYBIKESMIKE ROCKS

jamis nova
citybikesmike blogs about 2007 jamis bikes
citycikesmike blogs about chris eatough