slow down... I think I cheered before crossing the finishline

the traffic on my road is still an issue

all my emails to various people in various offices got things to a point where we met and had a discussion
the formal "walk through" seemed to go well
but... I failed to understand bureaucracy
somehow I was unable to read through the lines of the unseen red tape

there is not the rubber stamp for the BIKE LANES as we had discussed
well... there is agreement from all but one point

and

the thought of thinning the road with a sidewalk has not been axed
this idea from one man is still strong in this one man's mind

brutal
f-cking brutal...

I am trying to work with the system

but I am starting to thing that the retractable strip of spikes is still the best option
at least someone would be doing something

the police effort has been non-existent since the meeting

these people respond to your calls but not to your requests

BIKE LANES AND BIKE ROUTES HAVE TO BE PART OF THE PLAN!

a few minutes from work

a breath of fresh air and a few photographs

TCOURT

finally met tcourt (courtney) face to face

a different set of rules

when dealing with my children sometimes I get caught in tracks...

daddy daddy daddy....
you are breaking the rules
you always break the rules
you always eat in the family room

you said there is no eating in the family room

well... that is not true

do you eat popcorn in here when you watch a movie?

but but
you said no food in the family room

that is true
I did say that
but... what I meant is that no kids can take food in the family room
with the exceptions of maybe popcorn or chips

who cleans up a spill?
me or you?

if I spill something
I clean it up

the rule is that the kids can not have food in the family room
while the parents are permited to eat where they choose
understanding of course that they need to clean up what they spill
do you understand?

daddy daddy daddy
can I have one of your candy covered almonds?

yes you may

can I have two?

no I only have two
one for you and one for your brother

______________________________________________

or so the discussion goes
the same goes for other things... like
no bicycle riding in the street

well...
I ride my bicycle in the street
other adults ride their bicycles in the street
but the kids can not ride their bicycles in the street
except of course when crossing the street in the crosswalk with an adult at their side
always waiting for the adult to let them know it is safe to go
so... there are different rules for the kids than there are for the grown ups

but many rules are the same
many of the rules are complicated as they are always involved with exceptions

urban planning and the 1600 block of Park Road

that situation with the dc metropolitian police officer on Park Road occured while I was riding a route that intentionally took me down a city block that a member of the ANC for my neighborhood had talked about being altered to improve the flow of traffic and the safety of traffic

the proposition for this block of road is to remove parking from one side of the street and thinning the road

well...

I am not a city planner
but I hope those that plan the city are smart enough to include the bicycle into the equation
yet I fear... that the bicycle and the future of bicycling is rarely considered

the numbers of cyclist are what they are
that number will only increase as the population increases
if cycling were more safe
well... that would aid in allowing the number of cyclist to increase even more
there needs to be a way for the cities to keep the number of cars down
traffic is congested enough
you do the math of the next five years of growth
and so on
and so on

factor in cycling and it can be a positive growth together
increase the safety for cycling
along with increasing the education
that silver haired man grew up in a time where people did not view the bike as they do now
well... we need to make sure that the next generation of silver haired men does understand that bicycle has a right to the road

that said
although I am opposed to the idea of thinning a two lane road with a double yellow line in my neighborhood
I am trying to picture how this plan to thin this one way street would work
if it involved a bike lane
it could make sense
what these planners are failing to see
there is not enough room for the cyclist with the roads wide
if the roads are thinned
there will be no way for the car to pass
unless the bicycle gets out of the door zone
and into the driver's seat of that parked car
that is too far over

enough on this
I have actually been ranting when I would prefer to be eating
my older son can not fall asleep and wants my company
as he tries to sleep I work on the computer in the next room
he would hear the footsteps if I tried to leave
he would make me stay
so I stay
so I blog

constitution hall

I saw bryan ferry at constitution hall
it was the LIMBO tour
johnny marr was on guitar

too many people did not give bryan ferry a chance
in a similar way that some people never accepted the style council after the jam

they are all viable

boys and girls is perhaps one of the best make out albums of all time

bill maher is playing constitution hall tomorrow
I also saw johnny marr at warner theater with the smiths

when I am not so drunk I will read this Wikipedia piece on johnny marr

someone asked me

someone asked me
when is Bill Maher coming to Washington DC
well... it is tomorrow night
at DAR Constitution Hall

tomorrow night
tickets seemed to be available on line

I will catch it at home
after all
it is already paid for
the hbo
not the home

ah.... that new chrome smell

I like chrome bikes
years ago I remember daydreaming with a cycling buddy over a couple of beers
over many beers we talked about a cleaning process where something stripped the rust and the paint off a 50 year old bike
then another dip in a different vat
bling
chrome bike
all this was as comical as a scene from Who Framed Roger Rabbit
but it is fun to day dream
if people did not consider absurd thoughts
nothing new would be discovered

S.O.A.: Man in Blue

okay.... everything is not on the Internet
yes, there are lyrics for some SOA songs... but not all of them
looking for MAN IN BLUE
maybe I do not know the title of the song
brb... one more google

back... came up empty
empty on the lyrics saw the list of songs
it has been a good number of years.. maybe it was not SOA
anyway
here it is

see a cop coming
better move quick
he is gonna hit ya with a stick

it does not matter what you have done
you are going to suffer for his fun

man in blue comes for you
sirens red... gonna be dead

-henry garfield
SOA circa 1981

the message is different
but the disregard may be there
okay... maybe I just wanted to quote Henry Garfield and SOA
as I am really feeling those lyrics right now
I am going to hook up my turntable

an off duty police officer hit and killed a cyclist in the early am the other day
WTOP NEWS STORY

tonight I did not ride
well... I rode home
but did not extend my ride more than a few minutes
by a few minutes I mean a few hundred seconds

ran into an old friend, Clark, who I do not see very often these days
we each moved from the block where we both once lived
and well
I am old, married, and have kids
so, when I saw Clark on his Van Diesel I looped around and rode towards his place before going home

on our way we caught up
his leisure pace suited me
we talked about fixed gears
we talked about what has been going on in our lives
it was a nice mellow ride

we split at 14th and Park Road
Clark continued to his house in Columbia Heights
I took the Green Turn arrow and headed to Mount Pleasant
I thought more about how this corner had changed
but I had to stop my day dream
as a DC Police officer with the Red Light headed my way did not stop and kept on rolling

the momentum of the cruiser was not fast and fluid
but sort of slow and jerky
I tried to get an idea of the car's intention
but could not see the driver's face
as I had to focus on moving forward and getting out of the path of intersection

I understand
I am slight
my HID light is not so bright
the street lights only do so much
and there are other things to focus on other than what is on the street in front of you

so I accelerated and put myself into a safe spot

the road is wide at this section of Park Road
the traffic is wide, but one way
the activity is very urban
third world urban
more like Lima Peru or Hanoi Viet Nam than Washington DC

the cruiser rode along side of me
very close... obnoxiously close
I stayed to the right
with no intention of flashing my light on the officer I tried to catch a glimpse of the driver
not sure if I ever saw the age, sex, or race of the driver
as the car altered its behavior as my light entered its window
a little faster
than a little pinch in front of me
then straight again
then faster forward leaving me behind

the light was Red ahead
it is sort of a non-sense light
a light vital in some ways
but not so vital right now
I ran light after I slowed knowing I would have to stop at the next light 20 yards later
yes, 20 yards later
but, I wanted my behavior to be normal
it would be suspicious for me to stop at that light
I am normal and not suspicious

with the road moving to traffic parked on both sides I moved to the center of the road
waited for the light to turn Green
did not go when it was Red
partially because it was not clear
partially because that would be the stupid thing to do

the light behind me got the Green first
I felt the thrust of a fast accelerating car behind me closing the distance behind me
20 yards, 18 yards, 12 yards, 4 yards
feeling rushed I am not sure I waited for the light to turn Green
I was ready but I felt like I had to move

across 16th Street I rode just out of the door zone
perhaps obstructing the cruiser from a fast pass
I continued out of the door zone down the block
the sensation of the car's front right quarter panel made me awkward
partially due to the driver being a police officer
so I pinched over a hair
still trying to stay safe and out of the door zone
not looking to kiss an side view mirror or worse yet an opening driver's side door

a honk two cars back pushed a small car past
then the sensation of a fast approaching truck threatened me
the spidey senses were tingling
I nudged over even more
glancing over at the Chevy Suburban
the driver was looking right at me
looking smug and just for forcing me over
I know that man... a little attitude is part of his character
he lives a block away from me
he is cordial enough... but he has a little bit of an attitude

I passed the Suburban as I made a right towards my house
then finished my last few blocks home

people just do not feel that the cyclist has a right to be there
it is that simple

even the police officer who at first had nearly hit me in error
then treated me as if I had to clear the path
in some ways I do need to share the road and clear the path
but... I should not need to duck and dive out of the way
again... clearing the road like making payments on a hunk of steel makes someone the king of siam
the bigger the steal the greater the royal attitude

the officer made a mistake and was not paying good enough attention
and failed to yeild me the right of way
presuambly by accident... I was alert enough to get out of the way

but... the behavior that followed that was somewhat a matter of disregard
or at least a misunderstand of my rights to the road, my rights to space, and my need to ride where I feel safe

okay... maybe I am being a little sensative
actually the during the whole interaction I was a tad sensitive
sensitive that a police officer would drive so carelessly around a cyclist after what happened in Fairfax
what made me so sensative was realizing that there more than like was no mention of this to the officers after this happened
this was no real news to anyone but the cycling culture

no... there was no Hill Street Blues-like morning with all the offers meeting at the station in a classroom-like setting where the Seargent gives everyone a little pep talk...
there was no pep talk about being safe
or should I say there was no pep talk about being extra safe around bicycles
sure the officer was off duty
but he was a police officer
officers are not above the law
officers should set the example of the law
an officer is an officer on and off the clock

that said
officers are to follow the laws while on the clock as well as off
the speed limit and the stop sign are as much a law for a police officer as for a standard citizen

so drive by example
drive at a safe rate of speed within reasonable limits of the law
make complete stops for stop signs at the stop line
and be alert
be extra alert for cycling traffic on the road

okay officers take it to the street
lets go make dc a better place

no this little pep talk never happened
sure their may have been a morning meeting
but I doubt that the topic of the death of a cyclist by the actions of another police officer ever came to surface
nor do I think that there was any remider of an officer's need to obey traffic laws just like everyone else
no
I know that is not the case
as when I head down a two lane neighborhood street line with park cars and a dc cruiser comes my way
that cruiser plays chicken forcing me over and never budging just like every other asshole on the street

the Public Service Announcement need to be made
but not just for the public but for the professionals at work
the agency of law enforcement would be a good place to start
if they are going to enforce the law
they should know the law
and
they should obey the law

(by no means am saying that enforcing the law and obeying the law means driving 25 MPH and arresting everyone who spits on the sidewalk... but a little less chaos)

Sheba of Hub Racing

Sheba of Hub Racing
Hub Racing
Hub Racing at MYSPACE
Hub Racing is also sponsored by City Bikes

ULOCK JUSTICE

like fish jumping in the net

it is funny...
this morning I took a walk around
really did not run into anyone
approached two messengers
one messenger who I had approached before
the approach was awkward...
got shot down

then this afternoon I managed to get a few shots of various messengers
there is a simple formula
the folks from the old school are bitter and jaded with no desire to be approached or photoed
while the new breed is more willing
more approachable
and also
more understanding of the modern technologies
some folks stumble on the concept of the blog

I prefer it when it is easy

these guys did not mind having their photos taken

HONKING MAKES ME...

that cracks me up...
HONKING MAKES ME GO SLOWER!

snapped some shots of this guy before
gwadzilla archive with some great images
the image itself if you are too lazy to scroll down

some moving shots in the late afternoon

gearshift tv

gearshift tv
stolen from a reston blog exhalations

a very cool project that I think would be great if more people saw it
it starts off with a little Q&A with some bicycle commuters in DC
the T&A at the car show is nice
but I like the PSA potential the best
(play around with the functionality... you can fastforward and skip around)
((bike arlington has a few good pieces))

city planning and the bicycle

it seems that there is not enough consideration for the bicycle in our City Planning

when the City Planners sit at their board room meetings eating Chinese food at their late night think tanks I do not feel as if too many of these people are thinking about bicycles
sure, they are crunching numbers and giving estimates
but
most of future thinking has to do with the numbers of cars and the estimate of future car drivers and future car related traffic issues

most people are part of the car culture
bicycles are just not part of the thinking process of the average person

okay
sure there are some people out there working to keep the bicycle in the future plan
or are there?

maybe each and every cyclist needs to do a little something to make sure that the world becomes more bicycle friendly
with rapidly growing populations the number of cars on the road are going to increase dramatically
we need to make sure that there is enough space for bicycles on the road
get out and do something

WABA: Washington Area Bicycle Association
The Washcycle
The Washcycle reviews Washington DC's Comprehensive Bicycle Plan

get involved at some level
at community meetings involve the bicycle perspective
when there is talk about building new roads... ask... what about bike paths and bike lanes
this notion should spill over to mountain biking as well

IMBA:International Mountain Bike Association
MORE: Mid-Atlantic Off Road Enthusiasts

support the bicycle advocacy groups
become a bicycle advocate yourself
if you are too busy... send your money to the groups that protect your interests

Rails to Trails
American League of Bicyclists

and sure
there is Critical Mass
DC Critical Mass

feel free to add vital links to other information in the comment section

cross talk... weekly cyclocross Podcasts

crosstalk

weiner or winner? you choose?

wandering the web
read a great little story about the guy winning a cross race on his single speed

it is a great little story
but

I am thinking that he was right the first time
he is a weiner
not a winner

then again
cross is a weird place of very expensive bikes
the second expensive bike in the pit...
sometimes I wonder

this morning RIDERX of SINGLESPEED OUTLAW POSTED A COMMENT
that offered some additional information and a forum that posted some complaints about the business practices of iHeartBikes

apparently the socks should read
iHEART STEALING YOUR MONEY and SENDING YOU CRAPPY SHIT!

now I do not feel so bad about calling him a SANDBAGGER on his page

Bedlam Custom did not make it to Interbike... but their product did

Bedlam Custom/Bedlam Bags at MYSPACE

bikes on the move

a hazard... an obnoxious and easily remedied hazard

watching some Bill Maher stand up
I am watching it with one eye
my hands go between the keyboard and my glass
wanted to read this to see if it wants to make any sense

people are a hazard
I am not going to go into great detail and specifics about all people
and why each and every person is a hazard
right now I want to focus on the people on the bike trail
more specifically
the people on the Mount Veron trail in Northern Virginia after sunseat

yes
LIGHTS=LIFE
GET A LIGHT

as much as I love racing the traffic and running the lights
I very much enjoy the carfree routes around the city
the bike paths may not be as direct to where I want to go
but there is less need to stop and start again
so it can be a more fluid riding experience
also less stressful

the Mount Vernon trail can also be very beautiful

after work I like to stretch my short commute home to be a little longer
if I can sneak in 45 minuites to an hour forty-five minutes on the bike I am stoked
things are usually more like 59 minutes
but there are times when things get to run longer

tonight after working late I wanted to lose the day in a quick ride
so I jumped on my thirty year old Colnago that is built into a fixie and pointed down M Street toward the Key Bridge
traffic was pretty backed up
at 28th Street I increased my advantage over the cars

the fixie not being second nature to me had me weave at a mellow clip through the nearly parked cars
the traffic lights worked well for me
those lights that were not green were easy enough to split with safety and courtesy

had to stop at Wisconsin and M Street for the red and then for things to clear
at the change of the light I zipped across
it was not green for me
but it seemed like a good time to take my turn
the gap was free and easy

with traffic really backed up ahead I rode the double yellow line down the middle of the road
always cautious of the frantic U-turn or the drunken jay walker

the lights lined up red
but I kept flowing through
at 34th street I split through two cars that had the green turn arrow headed my way
the second car sped up
as if to close the gap
I was there and gone
already anticipating such a predictable aggressive move
they could have rear ended the car in front of them
I didn't see it as I was looking forward
but I didn't hear it... aw shucks
the left turning cars and trucks headed up 34th were backed up feeding into M Street

on the left hand side of Key Bridge I dipped onto the sidewalk

with flashing lights on my back and a HID light on my head
I felt that I could be seen as well as I could see

the bridge had its usual sidewalk activity
a mixture of tourist, walking business people, joggers, runners, happy couples, homeless people, college coeds, and other cyclists
any combination of the list with headphones
many of them lacking common sense
as I spun along I looked through the tall fence at my side and looked at the white marble monuments
the kennedy center
the lincoln memorial
the washington monument
a photographer had a camera on a tripod with a cable leading controling the extended exposure of the bulb setting
he must have been shooting film
this is a beautiful site
especially at sunrise or sunset

weaved cautiously and courteously through the varying traffic
turning onto the Mt Veron trail just 20 yards past the end of the bridge

not far into the trail I was already greeted by cast of idiots
young and old
all sorts of people getting their post work "thing" in without any lights
some relectors... but that depends upon the lights of others
my HID gave me fair warning of anybody or anything ahead
but... I worried about tweedle dumb and tweedle dumber having a head on with each other
it amazes me that there are not more accidents on these multiuse trails
people are jokers

the darkness and the absence of light being a huge contributing factor
but these people are still jokers in other scenarios

the ride went on without incident
I mutter joker to each and every cyclist that nearly collided into me on their lightless bikes
some cyclists with headphones
some cyclists without helmets
apparently some cyclists without brains

the street are safer as the streets have street lights and the cars illuminate the street
the bike paths are a terror without lights

sure in my youth I thought I was some sort of Vampire from the Lost Boys as I sprinted madly in the dark
never knowing what was going to appear in front of me
but now I am old and conservative
the thought of testing my reaction time is no longer that same thrill

the number of runners decreased as I split the distance to the airport and roosevelt island
wanting to go further but needing to head home I headed up the 14th street bridge
a joker with no lights came screaming down taking the corner wide almost hitting me head on
with my size and my lights I am not sure how he did not see me
I understand
not everyone looks so far ahead
not everyone thinks so far ahead

the legs were feeling a little bit of a burn at this point as I was over spinning my small geared fixie
knowing that traffic was coming up I used the last set of open path to spin the cranks

when I fed onto 15th Street things were oddly carless
well.. there were cars headed out of the city but no cars headed in
perhaps not so odd... guess that is the standard post work momentum

with the Holocaust Museum then USDA on my right I timed the light perfectly to be greeted by open road as I passed the Washington Monument on my left
the lights were red but the coast was clear
in the distance I could hear sirens
I followed the sound
then the lights of a motorcade came into view

I guaged the speed of the rapidly moving motorcade and looked at the lights
my timing was such that I would still have the green when I made the light
but
how far in front of the motorcade would I be
I increased my pace a tad
took another measure of things
there was plenty of space
I made the light long before the motorcade went straight through the intersection behind me

my pace dropped to a more comfortable pace
the frantic spinning of that low gear is not something I care to keep up too long
it is not that comfortable
nor does the bike feel as steady at that cadence

as I passed the entrance to the elipse I ran the light
a firetruck was exiting the area
but the emergency vehicle had not started to pick up speed
which gave me time to jet through
as I cleared the intersection this vehicle also added to the sound of sirens

as I passed the Department of Treasury I could hear the motorcade coming up 14th Street just one block to my side
they moved into the distance fast
the sounds added to my excitment as the sirens echoed between the buildings and down the openings of the city blocks

turned into the now closed Pennsylvania Avenue turning at Freedom Plaza for the home stretch of 16th Street
raced the cars up 16th to Mount Pleasant
took the tunnel under the circle
then passed all sorts of car traffic that was blind to me even with my bright lights
anticipated the actions of the cars around me
as they do not see me
even if I shine my white/blue light into their rear view mirror I remain invisible

weaved into neighborhood practicing track skids as I closed in on closer to my house
in the alley behind my house I used a patch of sand to alternate my skidding leg
dismounted
carried the bike into the basement
leaving the light on until the basement light was on

got out of my sweaty gear
put on some dirty clothes
yes I should shower... but i did not shower
went upstairs and joined my kids for a little Animal Planet
a great show about fish in the deep
which was exciting to the boys
all sorts of discussions of Nemo being the name of a fish in a movie
and this being the real deal
yes fish have friends
no fish can not talk

those people are a hazard
I need to be careful of the people on the trail
and the people on the street
so I can get home and hand with my family

dinner was made
the dog had been walked
helped dress the boys for bed
a little Animal Planet
then some stories before bed

not a bad night
work was work
but the time after it was pretty grand

another set of images from the repair clinic

scrooge and his cargo bike

DCBCA: DC Bicycle Courier Association
Scrooge is the 2006 National (or is that World?) Cargo Courier Champion!

DCMTB\City Bikes Hosts Bicycle Repair Clinic

October 4, 2006
DCMTB/City Bikes Mountain Bike Team hosted a basic bicycle repair clinic at the City Bikes location in Chevy Chase, Maryland

the clinic was a success
the students felt as if they learned a good deal and were excited to join in for another clinic at a future date


thanks to City Bikes for allowing us to use their space
and of course
for sponsoring the DCMTB Mountain Bike Team!

kids on cross bikes

the photos from Charm City and the Ed Sanders event are on my laptop at home

at both of these cyclocross events there have been some very interesting happenings on the race course

at Charm City the top five spots in the Killer Bs were mixed up by the action of two juniors and one woman
it was really quite an exciting race to watch
who would think that this fast and strong adult male field could get schooled by a woman and two kids?

then the following weekend at the NCVC: Ed Sanders Cyclocross Event the the men in the Killer Bs were spared the humiliation as Georgia Gould was not in the area

but they still had to contend with the intensity of 14 year old Morgan Gerlak

while need to complete an English essay before he could compete kept 15 year old Nick Bax off the course until the start of the A Race
where Nick Took 4th Place

AMAZING!
these may be names to watch in cyclings future
it is great to see these guys on the course
they attack with great intensity and amazing passion

Nick Bax Blog
not sure if Morgan keeps a web log.... but he should

janes addiction

jane's addiction.com

when I was twenty there was a random occurance

some friends of a friend were headed to LA
one of the girls could not go
although I had never met these girls
they let me fly out west on their friend's ticket

we had a blast

on that trip we saw Jane's Addiction... preNothing Shocking
tried to catch the Sugar Cubes... they were sold out
my one and only trip to LA
turned 21 on the plane flying back east

perry farrell interviews theivery corp

on that trip I tried to haggle with a vendor on the side of the road for a cow hide in black and white
not sure what I would have done with it
but it was fun to haggle
he never took my price

I am stil friends with those two girls from the trip to LA

barkers on the sidewalk

each day the trip to lunch is a meandering through an urban maze

there are panhandlers, musicians, tourist, other workers out to lunch, and in front of the many gyms downtown there are often barkers

these carnival barkers amuse me
as so many of them do not hold a fit form that is to be desired
which is odd...
as the gym is selling an idea
the idea that if you walk in those doors... you will walk out looking like a calendar model

a barber can be bald
but the folks at the gym?
most certainly your personal trainer should more fit and more tone then the average customer
the lard ass should be hidden in the back washing the sweat soaked towels

is there a helmet that goes with those shoes?

White Flint Ramp\White Flint Ditch

here is my old friend lawrence
this shot was tucked within the Skate the Crest site
this was the final incarnation of the White Flint Ramp
which was tucked onto land that was owned by who knows how....
that is how things happened back then
hidden in the woods
known through word of mouth

there was no Parks and Rec Skate Park
as
SKATEBOARDING IS A CRIME
(so is bicycling)

dave pillow has a folklore tale that I am sure he is sick of telling from this place

bells of
and this
(I did the design with Rob Myers on that CD)

skate the crest added some images

skate the crest
looks like this site has added some new images
check it out

skating was on the fringe of punk
skating was definitely punk

winter weight, over weight, my weight... the weight of the world

REM: Talk about the Passion
Heidi Klum

it is interesting
we have a society obsessed with weight, health, and fitness
every year there is a new fad diet
there is always some sort of weight loss advice book on the NY Times Best Seller List
so... with all this thought about weight... why are we so fat?

as I ride my bicycle to work I pass bus stops lined with people and people pinned in their cars
when I pass through the neighborhoods on my way to work I wonder how far these people are to their place of work
and whether or not it would be possible for them to walk rather than wait for the bus
then I remember that I work in a three story building where people wait for the elevator
an old and slow elevator that takes longer to arrive than it would take to walk to the third floor

then I pass an assortment of cars with an assortment of drivers
all sorts of cars pass me filled with all sorts of passangers....
actually none of the cars are filled... rarely does a vehicle have anyone more than the driver
I look at each and every driver as I pass them or when they pass me

as I cyclist it is important for me to anticipate the actions around me
the indicator lights are not good enough
the tilt of the head
the placement of the hands on the steering wheel
these are the things to look for
never trust a turn signal
always trust your spidey senses

within these cars there are all sorts of people
not all of them fat
but... many of them are disgustingly fat
so fat that they need to use the tilt steering wheel to get out of the car
after a snack at the nearest drive through some of these drivers need the jaws of life to free themselves from their four wheeled cage
how does that happen?
I know it is gradual...
but you would think that someone would think.... this is enough
I am too wide to see myself in the mirror
if you are three hundred pounds... the salad at lunch may help
but it may take more than that
like not putting a pound of bacon on that salad
and trying to use less than a bottle of dressing on that salad

yet... I am not so different
I love my food.... bacon and dressing
and
my weight fluctuates
I am not much for dieting
heck..
each winter I pack on the pounds
riding less and eating more puts me on a weight roller coaster
at the start of each spring I am usually closer t0 240 than 220
then by early september the compliments come
the compliments come to me in the form of insults...
"you look great... you lost so much weight"
"you are a shadow of yourself"
"I hardly recognized you... you are so thin"
thanks
but no thanks
you are not saying that I am thin
you are saying that I was really fat
well... actually I was never really fat
I was just more heavy and well... the beard adds the illusion of a few pounds as well
bearded and a few pounds heavier with a baggy sweater is different than rolling up clean shaven with a skin tight cycling shirt

what is my point?
no point
I think I just wanted to try and justify a link to the Heidi Klum site
why the REM lyrics link?
just the line....
"not everyone can carry the weight of the world"

scroll down
there are all sorts of great images from yesterdays walk around the block

oh...
the Super Model body style may be unrealistic for the average person
but
there most definitely can be a rational middle ground between Heidi Klum and Jabba the Hutt

a beater for the short commute

her photo class was working on a project involving light

it is interesting to think that modern photo classes shoot with digital cameras
are there still classes with dark rooms and the developing process
or has that gone the way of the dinosaur?

guess they teach the students how to manipulate the images with Photoshop
come to think about it
I would love to take a digital photography class!
years ago I took a Black and White photography class
I really enjoyed the time in the dark room
now that I think about it
I could use a class in Photoshop image manipulation

a new blog

ran into a guy at the Ed Sanders Cyclocross Event
his name is mark
he has a blog

great black and white images

some beautiful black and white photography with a cycling theme

always great to catch up with my old friend scotty

Yom Kippur not Heaven on the bike

Yom Kippur turns out not to be Heaven on the streets for everyone

one hundred and ninty five children treated for bicycle related injuries

another article on the Yom Kippur happenings

I like South Park

au photo student takes a second to have her picture taken

dupont: post work

squirrel is a daddy

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squirrel is a daddy

squirrel... welcome to the club!

another shot from NCVC's Ed Sanders event

matt donahue took some great shots a the Ed Sanders Cyclocross event

this is a fun picture

yes it is true
I am bigger than most cross racers...

I think that this liliputian beat me at the line

I wonder if matt got any shots of me spraying through the puddle?

speed freaks

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WIRED MAGAZINE
speed freaks

fall colors

grifter trick...

just got back from picking up lunch...

as if the by the pound buffets are not a big enough scam
when at the register there was a little confusion
first put off by the price of ten dollars and fourteen cents
distracted by the two cute asian cashiers and the artificial yet amazing asian clevage beside me in line
I tried to explain why I did not need a bag
I put my five and several one dollar bills back in my wallet
then searched my pocket for some change

unable to find any change I thought that I gave the cashier a twenty dollar bill with no change

still debating with the second cashier on why I would not need a bag for trash, picking up dog poop, or any other use
I fought the impulse of the vortex that was stealing my male attention
okay... glanced once
may have gotten caught when I glanced a second time
stayed focus on making my payment and receiving my change
then the change came
it was change for eleven dollars... from a ten and a one that sat on the register
but I thought I gave the woman a twenty

grifter trick?

oh man
I am so confused
guess it cost me ten bucks to stare down some woman's shirt
or...
they gave me the correct change
either way I am confused

were they real or were they fake... from a strictly scientific or perhaps sociological perspective of course

no matter how it breaks down...
right change or wrong change
10.14 is too much for lunch
especially for how empty my styro-foam container is
I am never going back there
unless of course that woman with the artificially enhanced clevage is headed back in there

no
not a pig
just male
okay... I may be a tad more male than some
but...
less male than others

this is a great race... the Panorama Paranormal

the panorama paranormal

gwadzilla archive of previous attacks at this event
gwadzilla paorama paranormal 2004
gwadzilla panorama paranormal 2005

scroll down
may be worth a read

as I find that some of my earlier blog stuff was more text rich

less kids then
less responsibilities

another shot from Kevin Dillard

another pic from dillard

some stuff from the POST

etjb sent me these links to The Post...

cycling in nyc... friendlier than you would think
not to mention... you get there in a new york minute!

10 great biking cities...
did you expect DC to be listed?
is cycling legal in washington dc?

homeless man uses bike as weapon...
do you think that he should get some sort of medical attention instead of "hard time?"
I am certain that there are more violent crimes occurring daily with less punishment
when I think of it...
I get run off the road by car drivers using their SUVs as a weapon
and well... they get to go home to their suburban sprawl and their satelitte dishes

a Post article on Yoga today
makes me realize I need to get back in the routine

gwadzilla link to the Jerusalem Post article about riding bikes on carless streets on Yom Kippur

some shots from dillard

some shots by kevin dillard from the ed sanders event
no postings on velophotos for the ncvc cross event
but
personally I think I am most interested in the collections from kevin dillard raw
unless the pictures are of me

velophoto.net should have them soon

Race Report: Ed Sanders Cyclocross Event

Race Report: NCVC Ed Sanders Cyclocross Event
NCVC.net
race flyer
summer is turning into fall
the drug stores have altered their seasonal isles from squirt guns and slip-n-slides to power ranger costumes and candy corn
the grocery stores have stopped putting out watermelons and are starting to stock pumpkins
the pool down the road is closed for the season and the neigborhood schools have re-opened
the change of season is effecting our lives in all sorts of ways

these season changes are effecting the cyclists in many ways
many people are already starting to hang up their bikes
burn out, cold weather, and shorter days

to the mountian biker this may be a great time to ride
peak physical and technical conditioning ontop of the wonderful mystery of sliding around on leaves
to the mountian bike racer this may seem like time to hang it up
there may be certainly elements of the previously burn out
but... for some of us mountain bikers there is a bit of a refresher for us before the lazy winter begins
CYCLOCROSS SEASON

here in the Mid-Atlantic Region we are already two races into our season
there was the Charm City event in Baltimore last week
and the NCVC Ed Sanders event in Frederick yesterday

with a little preparation I got involved and raced with the Masters 35+ crowd at both events

the Charm City event lacked certain elements of cross
the weather was just too nice
there was no need for arm warmers or knickers
the ground was dry and the earth was hard packed
the course was classic urban cross with an added sand pit for a little variety
no one complained about the beauty of the weather
people were just happy to be out racing

the weather the day for the Ed Sanders event was a little more cross appropriate
beautiful... but with just enough rain from the day prior to muck things it up
the temperature was a pleasant mix of cool and warm... with clouds gathering overhead offering a threat of rain
knickers yes
arm warmers no
the rain never came but the clouds made for a beautiful backdrop

that is enough with the weather... this is supposed to be a race report not a weather report
on with the tale

my participation at the Charm City event was less than spectacular
I rode conservatively...
in short... I rode the event more than I raced the event
since I am not the type of guy to use a heart rate monitor I can not tell you where I was performing or what my body was doing...
but I can tell you that I had enough strength and composure to wave at friends on the sidelines cheering
at times I felt like I was circling a parade route
it was a good time... but I promised myself a little more pain at the Ed Sanders event
that is not to say that I was not tired or worked after Charm City... but I was not collapsing at the finishline
sure I was sore the next day... but maybe I should have been more sore

the morning of the Ed Sanders event I tried to get my head right
which was difficult as a good part of my energy was devoted to entertaining my kids
even on the drive I found that I had to share my gatorade, trail mix, and bananas with the boys
but once the kids were running around with some other people there size I was able to focus on the race that was moments away

I had just enough time to pre-ride the course
as I rode the course I tried to get my body and mind ready for the event ahead
tried to factor in my head what it would take to go out hard and strong keeping enough in me to not be wishing to quit before the end of the first lap
avoid going full throttle and burning out
but stay strong putting out enough and holding onto enough
in the last mountain bike race of the season I set out to win... and well... was happy to finish
won the hole shot and died a few miles into the race
tried to keep that lesson in my head
try not to have a repeat performance

cross is a tough disipline... especially for a Clydesdale
not trying to hide behind my weight... but it is hard for a two hundred and thirty pound man to move about the course with this feather weight crowd
in the mud my wheels sink to the hubs
there are sections of grass that other glide over and I get absorb into
my weight pulls me wide on the turns
my wheels do not want to corner as fast as the bike risks slipping out from under me
there is a difference between the big road cyclist at 180 and me... at 230
and well
the honest fact...
I am not as fit or as fast as most of these guys

these factors make it tough

so...
it is difficult to approach an event knowing that I am entering to finish mid pack
as there is little difference in my placement if go suicidal or if I cruise around the course at a lesiurely fast group ride pace

no one likes to vomit
especially in front of their wife and kids
no one likes to get lapped
so... I try to work a balance

at the starting gun I took off fast with the pack
letting the fast and the strong lead out hard
while I scrapped with the scrubs
it was a great day for racing on an amazing course


the wife and kids were there
my wife cheered for me as I worked each lap
my kids, well, I am not sure if the were too concerned to wait and watch as daddy rode his bike around with the other old men
the laps were long which I prefer to the dizzying short courses
some good stretches of hard pack that I tried to use to catch other riders
some moist corners that were on the edge of a network of man made ponds
every turn risked a comedy of errors
to my dismay...
some riders cornered faster and more confident than myself
and my effforts on the flats...
well, those stretches of hard pack were fast sections for other riders as well
the soft and the technical gave me no advantage

all 57 riders within the Masters Category seemed comfortable enough on the bike
there was some elbowing and some grumbling
there were some cat and mouse games

with a snap of the finger the race was over just as it began
there were moment of pain, fatigue, and burning
but all that was forgotten when it all ended
it was great to have finished with my own effort
a lesson to the kids
it is not all about winning
there is a certain victory in Personal Best


after some chatting with some fellow racers and friends I joined up with my family and gathered my boys for the Lil' Belgian Cross Race
pretty much an all ages cross event
I ran the course with my older son
while my wife pushed my younger son
the moist ground and deep grass was as much an obstacle to the small children as it was to this big man
their race ended with a similar joy
but their joy was compounted by a wonderful medal
all the young racers got gold metals

NCVC put on a great event
a great event for the local cycling community
a great event for the Mid Atlantic cycling community

Kerry Litka's Top Ten Cross List
Kevin Dillard Images at Velophoto.net
the kids on the bikes

worth a read

crazy biker chick makes some sense about commuting by bicycle

city bikes mike at interbike

citybikesmike has some words about INTERBIKE

he says he left his cell phone in a cab
lets stick with that story

as the cell phone and his marriage are not covered for anything that happens while jello wrestling

that is Aden (Aiden?) from the Chevy Chase Store...
I am not sure how
but she got her finger stuck in her nose
picture also from citybikesmike

sex sells... or at least it keeps our attention for the moment

Interbike at Vegas...

cyclists from all over the country and I would guess... all over the world converged on Vegas last month for the cycling industries premiere conference, Interbike

although I have never been and more than likely will never attend I have heard that it is quite the party...
amazing demos and a lot of guys talking about bikes
to break up the sausage fest a number of the companies discovered that they could use attractive women to pull people into their booths and keep them there longer than it takes to snag a free key chain
that is where Booth Babes come into play!

somewhere out there someone has collected images of all the fantastic Booth Babes and is running an underground survey
when I find it... I will let you know
until then
here are some shots to wet your whistle
(mario is hot! I want to say otherwise... but he is hot!)

GO CLIPLESS may be the best place for BOOTH BABES

Interbike Booth Girls!

yes
that is gary fisher caught on tape with what I thought was a conservative new england hand puppet...

well, it seems that the seediness of Vegas infected this little hand puppet

check out the stills from HAND PUPPETS GONE WILD!

more on the hand puppet...

it saddens me
I just did not see her as that type of puppet
from the looks of it
everyone in the industry got their dirty hand in that little puppet

more at go clipless

not exactly a new news story on the hill...

foley in rolling stone
the oldest joke on capitol hill....

"why are there no bookmarks on capitol hill?

"because the senators and congressmen would prefer to bend over the pages"

avatar: the most recent release is a tad more violent

this month there was a fifth DVD release for the NICK SERIES AVATAR
the DVR is a great concept
the DVD lacks commercials
so... the DVD makes more sense

we now own each release so we do not need to purchase the box set

last night as we watched two episodes of Avatar I noticed things were a little more dark and perhaps a little more violent
the battles and the fights have always had their measure of violence
but
the most recent episodes seem to take it to a more adult level

my younger so left his brother's side and sat with me
I thought he just wanted to hang with daddy
but it then occurred to me that Grant may have been a little scared
later that night Grant told mommy, "next time Dean wants to watch the Avatar... I will let him watch it alone"

it is a great series
but I think it evolved into something different in these last few episodes
although... even with all of the violence there is always a message
sometimes this message is too subtle for the kids
as they are more focused with what is happening on the surface

police chase

they say...
you may be able to out run Chevrolet
but you can not out run Motorola

I wonder if he got away
Bike Chased by Cops on YOUTUBE
sent to me by Nick Daniels of the Pedal Shop
how come I have not seen Nick at any cross races yet this year?

JDATE? do you have to be jewish to play?

JDATE
as I am married I am not in the market
yet the modern age style of dating does intrigue me

here is a hungarian model plugging JDATE
jewilicious gave me the basic 411
I wonder if she is jewish?

billy joel sang about a catholic girl named virginia
she was similar to most of the girls I knew growing up
too bad there was not JDATE when I was in high school
guess we would have needed more than BASIC and PASCAL to make that happen

let me bring it back to the bike...
apparently YOM KIPPUR is a big day for kids and their bikes in Isreal
The Jerusalem Post has an article about BIKE HEAVEN on YOM KIPPUR

I recall flying kites on Catholic Holy Days
my mother was moderately strict that my brother and I observed Good Friday with reverace
so in an effort to observe the day we listened to JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
for those who don't know
Jesus Christ Superstar ROCKS!

video from Charm City

.

video from the 2006 Charm City Cyclocross event in Baltimore
video on YOUTUBE



.

some shots from NCVC's Ed Sanders Cyclocross Event

some random shots
with my family at the event I did not have much time to take pictures
was too busy keeping my two boys from falling into the ponds

another shot of the boys at the ed sanders event

NCVC hosted their annual Ed Sanders Memorial Cyclocross Event
NCVC puts on an amazing event
the course is fantastic
the draw is top notch
the day runs smoothy
the location is close to Washington DC and nothing shy of beautiful
there is stuff for the family as spectators and as children racers

all these are combining factors into what make this such a great event

there is also food
a raffle for a cannodale cross bike
and a cause
yes, a cause
the race is hosted with a greater reason than just to serve the our selfish cycling pleasures
the race is also hosted to contribute towards the Chris Sanders College Fund
Chris Sanders is the only son of the now deceased Ed Sanders
Ed Sanders died in a training accident that I do not know the specifics about
I never knew Ed, never heard of Ed till this event a few years ago

although I never knew Ed Sanders it is good to see that I am part of a community that cares about each other
Ed must have been a pretty nice guy
sorry I never got to meet him
his son Chris must be pround to know that his father's name has gone to effect so many people's lives

ncvc: lil belgian cross event

ncvc put on quite an event
there are some shots of my two boys and my brother's two boys

everyone got a medal
more than that
everyone had fun
even some of the adults

ncvc

last week charm city... this week the ncvc ed sanders event at lily pons

the boys are over my shoulder itching for some Avatar and less then interested in their bath
so this will be short...

I hurt
my whole body hurts

it was a great day out riding around in the fields with the 35+ crowd
will try to compose some thought later
but
first
stop the splashing

bye for now