another shot of skandar

from my wiser older brother...

this is from my wiser older brother...

the answer to an age old question-

would he walk or would he run?

a must view for all who what the answers to the mystery of the universe

cyclocross advice from simon

cyclocross advice from simon

simon's blog
simon's book

cold, wet, clanking cowbells, and crashes

Velo News on the US CYCLOCROSS GRAN PRIX FINALS

GO KATIE!
GO GEORGIA!

GO BARRY WICKS!

respect... we are all brothers on the bike

respect
we are all brothers on the bike

today messengers all around washington dc are going to show their respect for one of their own
a veteran of the streets died last week
he died at home not at work
today there will be messengers dressed in camouflage in memory of derwin

who was derwin?
why did derwin wear camouflage each day at work?
did derwin wear camouflage when not at work?
was derwin ever in the military?

what was up with derwin and "the mummy bike?"
for years derwin rode his bicycles covered in masking tape... why?

derwin was an avid reader
what was he reading?
what books was he buying at second story books?

why did derwin die so young?

rest in peace derwin

derwin
you were a part of the city scape
your presence will be missed

rest in peace derwin
derwin's death was not bicycle related
but his life was

rodney king in the news

rodney king is in the news
it is never good for rodney when he is in the news

rodney's world...
I wonder what happens that the press does not catch wind with

from Associated Press

not feeling much like words right now

not feeling much like words right now
still tapped out from this cold

the weekend is almost here and I need to start plotting my approach
if this cold does not disappear than racing just does not make sense
I could consider riding with this cough and this could
but I would be kidding myself to try and race

did not have time for a ride after work today
so I just rode straight home and walked the dog
in the woods I found a phone in the leaves
then found the owner
after that I went to unload christmas trees at my older son's school
it was fun to hang out and help out

a good karma night
a good feeling
not the same good feeling I get from riding
a good feeling just the same

what is vanderkitten?

vanderkitten
vanderkitten blog
and of course
vanderkitten @ myspace

ran into chito on my way into work

ran into chito on my way into work
actually had to chase him down
had he known I was chasing him I am certain I would not have caught him

an unusual commute

an unusual commute
www.kitsapsun.com

a graphic geographic image

nikolas shiller

unique commuter gear

back from a long holiday

skandar is back
back from a long holiday
back from representing dc at the messenger world championships in dublin

Single Speed Outlaw

bank robber escapes on bike

Single Speed Outlaw?

beats

NY TIMES ARTICLE

a ride to consider...

gaptrail.org
this is a ride to consider
should it happen in the spring or should it happen in the fall?

the canal in a day is a trip I have been considering
I did it once a few years ago
it was miserable
it rained and I failed to travel light

next time get dropped off with a bike
ride light with food and liquids
plan to refuel along the way
ride light without camping gear

the pittsburgh to dc ride would b more of a camping trip in stages
unless of course... I could plan it with a tea house route

moderation... everything in moderation

moderation...
everything in moderation
sometimes enough is enough
sometimes ideas go too far

watching this HBO documentary on the co-founder of PETA; Ingrid Newkirk
I AM AN ANIMAL

the notion of being vegetarian is one level
then vegan is another
health or not wanting to eat animals
I can understand all of that
I can understand being against furs
even not wanting people to use leather

then things go too far
as in the case of the use of animals in science
the use of animals in medical testing is vital

I am not positive
I recall hearing that Ingrid is diabetic
using medicine that was derived from research that involved animal testing
which well... throws all of her extreme ideas into a level of hypocrisy

her belief that people should not have pets is absurd
domesticated pets are our companions
dogs and cats are part of the human family

bull fights? cockfights? these things are up for debate
but the house cat or the hunting dog
well... some of these ideas are just ideas created to be consistent

this lady is a freak

good comes from her extreme actions
as there are times we must seek the extreme to achieve the mean
but she is a freak
an extreme freak
not seeking the mean
she is seeking the extreme
the freaky extreme

more power to her
but I think she is a freak
a circus sideshow freak
it may be more about the attention

the documentary makes this point
and it rings true

the documentary never calls Ingrid a freak
but just as Ingrid likes to let the images speak for her ideas
I think the images make it clear
this lady is a freak

Ms. Highlander?

Ms. Highlander?
Is there only one?

what are the numbers? who is holding the current count?

who at the census bureau keeps track of the number of female bicycle messengers in the district?

with kim taking some steps towards a new career
then with a few of the other fixed gear felines taking their lives down the path of motherhood
how many woman bicycle messengers are there in washington dc?

with meredith working in the office
saw mary on a scooter in my hood... have not seen her downtown on a bike
who else is there?
could marcia be the only women representing?

still dragging...

I am still dragging...
still coughing
still hacking
still spitting up phlegm
still battling this cold

I am starting to feel better
a little better
tonight I felt well enough to go for a short post work ride
pushed it a little harder than casual
but definitely did not push it
cause I was feeling it with degree to which I extended it

riding when sick is not always the best medicine
to over extend myself could make me more sick
to go another day without breaking a sweat on the bike left me at risk of going insane

so I rode
left out of work wishing the batteries in my blinking lights were not dead
so that when I yell at the drivers around me I can ask with greater question as to how they can not see me
but they see me
I make myself seen

when the traffic is backed up I split the lanes
when traffic is flowing
I flow with it and I take the full lane

so tonight I did a quick fifty minutes on the bike
just enough to break a sweat
just enough to know how weak I really am

got out and played Superman racing the train
got out and played Hemingway running with the bulls

it was good to get out on the bike
it is also good to get off the bike
there are other things stealing my focus
the time away from the bike only aids to make me appreciate the time on the bike that much more

just found out I need to do some stuff at work on Sunday morning
looks like racing the Capital Cross Classic is not an option
unless... unless
unless I get in and am able to knock my stuff out
then rush out to Reston with the bike on the car and my gear on my body
leap out of the car and onto the bike
but none of that is a consideration if I am not feeling 100 percent by Saturday
cross kicks my ass bad enough
one lap makes me want to quit when I am feeling healthy
one lap at race pace feeling like I am feeling now... well... not to say that it would kill me
but it would definitely make me feel like dying

activity on the streets

I enjoy the activity on the streets in the urban setting

as much as I may hate people
there is something about them

Ahearne Single Speed

Jeff formerly of WABA is in Gradual School which has put him in the situation of great need a need for beer money so he is forced to sell his beloved Ahearne Single Speed Jeff's bike on Craig's List DC Ahearne Cycles of Portland which reminds me... I have a great shot of jeff on this machine at dccx I will have to dig that up

tastes like chicken

here it is the holiday season
when that sweet old aunt of yours wants to buy a chicken for a family in nicaragua
or when that smelly old second cousin wants to have a mass said in your favor

personally... if you want to give a gift to me
MAKE IT FIT!

ask them to give a gift in your favor for a charity that represents your interests

WABA
IMBA
MORE

I have nothing against feeding the poor
in fact I am very supportive of such causes
but if your gift is for me and with me in mind maybe you could support a cause that speaks me

if you do not want to donate to the listed causes above there are many others that would work internationally or would be directed towards the poor or less privileged

trips for kids
bikes for the world

as for the mass said in my honor...
well, that is a different story
I believe in the power of positive thinking
yet I am cynical enough to think that that money going to the church is going towards the AC bill or the pastor's next carton of cigarettes

just a thought now that I have pissed some people off I am going to get back to work

death at a young age

a pro mountain biker from colorado dies at 40
www.bicycleretailer.com

mike janelle's blog

I did not know him yet I am saddened by his death

devil bikes rule!

hell for bitches
devil bikes rule!

www.tourteufel.de

stole this from here
sweetnourishingbikes.blogspot.com

stopped by the discussion about traffic in mount pleasant

stopped by the discussion about traffic in mount pleasant

had not felt as if I had the energy for such a gathering
but I figured that I could multi-task
so I walked up to Lamont Cleaners to drop off a suit to be dry cleaned for a holiday party
then popped into the Mount Pleasant Library for the meeting
never intending to stay for the full duration

I arrived a few minutes late which of course was pretty much on time
as things were just on the verge of getting started
all the chairs were filled so I stood in the doorway at the back of the room
as time passed others arrived late behind me

it was a gathering of the usual suspects
Council member Jim Graham was there as well as some folks from the neighborhood ANC
the topic was traffic
but it was not entirely clear what was being discussed
there was some Target bashing
but I did not by the bite
as I have seen some of those barking shopping at COSTCO

a Target in the neighborhood will reduce traffic
even if that traffic is the elimination the need to drive to northern Virginia to shop at everyone's favorite box store

I did not stay that long... but I stayed long enough

in my stay I had seen that there were a good number of people present to represent my views
there were people who are parents
I saw people I knew were parents who had arrived on bicycle
as well as cyclists who live in group houses
there were an assortment of familiar faces that I recognized from walking my dog
so I figured I could best serve the world by returning home to my family

this was just one of many preliminary meetings on the topic
unlike several other of these meetings the bicycle was mentioned
I was shocked when the DDOT representative spoke so confidently about how supportive DDOT is about cycling in Washington
because I have always seen cycling as an after thought in the DC Master Plan
then again
maybe I am displacing the actions of the DC drivers upon the thought of DDOT
either way

much of the discussion was to block the notion of the creation of Mount Pleasant Main Street into a ONE WAY STREET
there were restaurant and store owners there in objection
very few seem to think this is a good idea
I am taking the stand... we do not need dramatic change... we just need to enforce some laws and control some behaviors
with a few minor tweeks

some shots of derwin from last winter

derwin

yes... Bell Boy... we are all bell boys

Quadrophenia movie trailer
Quadrophenia on the Wiki page

I currently lack the energy of the passion to try and dig into this rant
lyrics here

Bell Boy! I got to keep running now.
Bell Boy! Keep my lip buttoned down.
Bell Boy! Carry this baggage out.
Bell Boy! Always running at someone's heel.
You know how I feel, always running at someone's heel.

in so many all of us are just "bell boys"
I know I am

Bell Boy video on YOUTUBE
not clips from the movie, some videos pieced together by some Quadrophenia fans
fun to watch while listening to the tunes

gwadzilla archive where I brought up the topic of bell boy

Zeke's got a preview of the course in KC

Zeke's got a preview of the course in KC

the bike source blog

more on Zeke's main page

yes... for some this is cross season
while for me
this is cold and flu season

hope I recover enough to put in a solid effort at the Capital Cross Classic
an effort without practice and without training is one thing
an effort crippled by bronchitis is another

Capital Cross Classic!

one less car

ONE LESS CAR has ONE MORE T-SHIRT

word on the street...

today as I strolled down the block snapping photos on my lunch break I ran into a familiar face
we caught up on the Thanksgiving Day past
in our conversation the topic of Derwin came to surface
it saddened me to hear that Derwin had died some time last week

this is a shot of Derwin from a few years ago...
he was one of the first messengers that I photographed...

Derwin was always polite and respectful
we did not talk much
but he always shared a hello as he passed me on the streets

Rest In Peace Derwin
Rest In Peace

I have heard that this Friday people will be showing their love and respect for Derwin by wearing their camouflage gear

Helmets... something to be thankful for

CNN's John Roberts was in a bicycle accident on Thanksgiving Day this week past
words on this can be found on the Huffington Report

unrelated image found here...
www.ulstermuseum.org

pretty in pink...

pink is passe'

the ladies have taken back their pink
pink is no longer punk
pink is no longer unusual or counter culture
pink is once again the color for the ladies

pink singles speeds...
pink fixies...
pink jerseys...
these things are once again for the ladies

Pedal Pushers Pink Press

driven and ridden dvds

driven and ridden.com

Mount Pleasant Traffic Study Meeting Tonight

Mount Pleasant Traffic Study Meeting tonight/Tuesday at the the Mount Pleasant Library
6:30-8:30

there are all sorts of radical ideas

let me introduce a radical idea
STOP DRIVING LIKE FRICKING ASSHOLES!
so much of the problem with traffic in the neighborhood is caused by people who live in this neighborhood

control the chaos then take it from there

THE SECRET... Pedros and Vinny's goes south

one day I was the only person in line at the burrito stand on the sidewalk at 15th and K Street...

15th and K? Vermont and K?
either way...
not the one at 17th/Conn. and K

in the short exchange while purchasing a large burrito, black and tan (mix black beans/refried beans), with a standard tortilla, guacamole, fresh salsa, and a mixture of fresh mango sauce with a dash of fire there was mention of THE SECRET
the exchanges with the sole proprietor of Pedro and Vinny's burrito cart can often go the way of the soup nazi
you need to know what you want and you need to know how to order it
but... if there are a few spare seconds you can break through the ice and have a pleasant exchange with the man making the burritos
this was one of those days
there was mention of his eminent departure and a vague mention of a business plan
part of that business plan was inspiration and motivation derived from THE SECRET

I am sad to announce that Pedro and Vinny's is now closed
not for the season... but for good
it seems that the owner of this sidewalk goldmine has headed south to pursue greater ambitions
I am not sure what those ambitions are
but... I do know from speaking with the man in the stand that the inspiration derived from THE SECRET is part of the equation

Pedro and Vinny's!
THE SECRET

I better just watch this clip
the loop of music is creeping me out
good luck with chasing your dreams
DC will miss you and your burritos!

the music of THE SECRET sort of sounds like the music from THE BRIDGE
THE BRIDGE

Wiki: The Secret
Wiki: The Bridge

Maxa Claus

Maxa Claus

Max threw on the Santa suit for a local commercial for Conte's Bicycle Shop

photos from Brad of Urban Velo

brad from urban velo has a photo page

www.randomprecisionphoto.com

home sick...

I am home sick...
not home sick
but I am at home sick

called in sick
not that fake call so that I can spend one more day at the beach or go riding in the woods
sick
sick for real
real sick

sore throat/fever chills/and an over all soreness in my spine that makes me ask, "did anyone get the number of that cab?"

want to play with some images
but lack the energy

watching Big Daddy with Adam Sandler
not a bad handbook for parenting
did I mention that I am sick?
I am not thinking straight

Adam Sandler just spoke of the days before McDonald's breakfast
I recall the day that the Egg McMuffin expanded to the breakfast biscuit option
I was in high school at the time
a bunch of us cut class and got breakfast
it was a big day
I did not cut class often
there were times that called for such measures

more photos from the International Velvet show
I guess I felt that percussion section did not get enough attention in my images
so... here are a few more shots from International Velvet at Iota

I am sort of one of those guys...

in the film adaptation of James Dickey's Deliverance 70's super hunk Burt Reynolds drives around in the lead of a convoy of cars headed on a canoe trip
he does not know where he is going yet he has selected himself as the leader

I hate to admit it
sometimes... that is how I roll

this weekend as others watched the second of three football games on thanksgiving day I sat at the kid;s table and toyed with my somewhat broken digital camera
I had seen some stuff on how to turn a basic digital camera into an infrared camera
the instructions were easy enough
yet I went free form
watched the online tutorial
read a page on the subject
then ignored all the tips and tricks and just did it on my own

yes... I just wung it!
wung? past tense of wing
as in... to wing it

the cloudy day did not allow for the dramatic images I was looking for

will toy with this old camera and its modified lens later this week
hopefully my results are better than what I achieved thus far

oh... but the Burt Reynolds character is right... sometimes you do need to lose yourself to find yourself

and this spot with the old barn and shack
images from last year on my blog
the same archive linked to below with the images from the Dirt Rag HQ

the children's museum...

ah...
the children's museum
I must say... I love the children's museum
the children's museum... where a kid can be a kid
I know that that is the slogan for Chuck-E-Cheese
but I am stealing it
as I am confident that it applies better hear

never been to a Chuck-E-Cheese
but I have heard that they could fax you the pizza
and that the threat of germs is only out weighed by the threat of small children demanding more quarters

MORE QUARTERS!

one day I will go to Chuck-E-Cheese
than I will have more ammunition to explain my avoidance response

I do love pizza and video games
yet somehow I fear the land of Chuck-E-Cheese

it was a year ago on this day that I went from the Children's Museum to the Dirt Rag HQ
where I traded my woolie in for the correct size
while getting a tour from Brad formerly of Dirt Rag currently of Urban Velo

scroll down the gwadzilla archive to see images from that day
gwadzilla.blogspot.com