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Rants on Cycling and on Life: Photos of people and bicycles that pass in front of my camera
10.30.2009
Memorial Service for Leo
Leo's Memorial Service is Monday, November 2nd, at 4:00 pm sharp at the Little Chapel at St. Alban's High school, on the grounds of the Washington Cathedral at Mass Ave and Wisconisn Ave NW.
10.29.2009
boy shot while riding his bike...
a bad joke?
a rite of passage for a wanna be tough guy?
17 year old shot while riding his bike in front of his house
http://abclocal.go.com/
a rite of passage for a wanna be tough guy?
17 year old shot while riding his bike in front of his house
http://abclocal.go.com/
the list of the best... the list of the worst!
in the CHICAGO SUN TIMES
a reporter lists the BEST AND WORST THINGS ABOUT COMMUTING BY BICYCLE!
www.suntimes.com
a reporter lists the BEST AND WORST THINGS ABOUT COMMUTING BY BICYCLE!
www.suntimes.com
Little and Little....
I wanted to mention to her that she was in an illogical gearsmall in the front
small in the back
middle and middle would be more comfortable for her and the bike
I got too much shit to do...
I need to do all sorts of shitcatching up with Urban Velo is on that list
not too high up
as there is real life shit to do
like get a beer after I put the kids to bed
URBAN VELO
http://urbanvelo.org/
thanks Deb!
Deb point out the SHOUT OUT to GWADZILLA on COMMUTE BY BIKE
http://commutebybike.com
this stuff really looks more like WASHCYCLE territory...
http://washcycle.typepad.com/
BONUS! they covered it
a few years back...
a few years ago... or at least a few seasonI snapped a shot of this man playing an instrument in Dupont Circle
although I may not have a photographic memory
I do have a memory for remembering people in my photographs
he had the same bike... which is not old
he appears to be the same age
The Communicator
The Armed Forces Retirement Home's newsletter; The Communicator; has a blurb about the DCCX cyclocross event that was hosted on their grounds
thanks again to the Armed Forces Retirement Home for being so generous as to let DCMTB host DCCX on their beautiful grounds
THE COMMUNICATOR
http://www.afrh. gov/afrh/ news/newslet/ newslet_1009comm unicator. pdf
thanks again to the Armed Forces Retirement Home for being so generous as to let DCMTB host DCCX on their beautiful grounds
THE COMMUNICATOR
http://www.afrh. gov/afrh/ news/newslet/ newslet_1009comm unicator. pdf
these are not PHOTOS OF WOMEN RACING AT DCCX
photos from the women's race at DCCX?scroll down and around... but these are not them!
DC-ChiX!
not here.
Madonna brings them electricity... maybe she could give them bikes too?
Madonna Promises light for Malawian villageMadonna in AP
and Madonna's new music
www.madonna.com
maybe Madonna could get them bicycles too
bikes... bikes... bikes
and then some cargo bikes
and then some bikes for fun
the kids could use some bikes
the guy tom goes one for one on his shoes
TOM SHOES!
www.tomsshoes.com
what if Specialized or Kona did that with bikes?
take a walk at lunch... I do not need to be a doctor to recommend this
take a walk at lunch...I do not need to be a doctor to recommend this
I promise... it will be good for your health
unless you get hit by a car
yesterday I walked over to Pedro and Vinny's for a burrito
it is a tad out of my sphere but I am a fast walker
unfortunately for me there were not really any bicycles passing in front of the camera
while at P&V's sidewalk burrito cafe I considered getting some of Pedro and Vinny's Hot Sauce
I should have done it...
I am low on hot sauce
Pedro and Vinny's
maybe I should place an order with Jimmy...
Speedy 44 on myspace
10.28.2009
biking in style... MS RIDE CYCLING CHIC!
this woman rode the MS 150 mile ride in style!dressed more for a tea party than a long day on the bike
on CNN
www.cnn.com
this story is everywhere
also in the Examiner and the Huffington Post
Multiple Proud Moments at the Lil Belgians at DCCX
this weekend past I had multiple proud moments at the Lil' Belgian's race at DCCXof course I was proud that my children participated
of course I was proud of their efforts
it is not always easy to get kids to get involved in the action
just like adults... the kids feel pressure and race anxiety
there are times when the kids buckle under the pressure and opt out of the game
not on this day...
both Dean and Grant rode the course that their father had designed the day proir
both Dean and Grant joined in race that their father was coordinating
both Dean and Grant took advantage of the opportunities in front of them
the boys pre-rode the course for a good long while with a variety of friends
helmets and bikes were shared
it was figured out how kids of different ages could borrow helmets and or bikes
then there was the race!
Dean and Grant left it on the course
both Dean and Grant collapsed after completion of their races
Grant placing a strong fourth in his six and under category... of which he is five
while Dean dominated the smaller 8 year old category
immediately after the 8 year olds raced Dean went ahead and "catted up" and raced in the 8+ group
giving him a back to back race experience
other children also lined up with additional categories
it made me proud to see my boys race around this miniature cyclocross course
it made me proud to see my boys cheer each other on during the other's race
placement was not important
the Lil Belgians is one of those "everybody wins" events
before each event I boasted how each participant would receive a gold medal
a gold medal and a goodie bag
not for placement... but for participation
when the racing was over the children gathered around a DCMTB Volunteer and was given a small bag of Halloween candy and cycling medal
only one problem... we ran out of medals
not everyone had received a metal
a cluster of parents gathered around the DCMTB volunteer who was stymied by the shortage of medals situation
there was a request for the medal around my neck
I gave the honest response that I was going to give this medal to my older son who had not yet received a medal
I stepped away and mouthed to myself... who do they think I am? Ghandi?
in my mind I feared that my eight year old son Dean would be upset that he was not rewarded for his efforts
I was certain that my older son Dean would be jealous that his younger brother Grant got a medal but he did not
I walked over to a fatigued Dean and gave him his medal
he draped it around his neck and gazed into the metallic relief of a cyclist crossing the line with crowds cheering on each side
some time passed and I was approached by another parent
the father of an older boy who had not received a medal
I spoke with the father about the shortage of medals and the absence of an immediate resolve
there was a request to order more and to have a medal sent
this all seemed a little over the top to me for an event that was not for profit
during this time Dean came to my side
Dean over heard the situation and pulled the medal from around his neck and offered up his medal to the child who had not received one
I told Dean not to bother but to keep the medal as I felt he had earned it
once again my son made me proud
I was inspired by this gesture
later I regretted shutting down his efforts
looking back I see that I should have let him give up his medal
even if l had apprehension about his reaction later that day
in the end I gathered some DCCX Cowbells and gave them to some of the kids who did not get medals
next year I will make sure we have enough medals for each participant
and also
next time my son wants to express his altruistic nature... I will not shut him down
Registration is up for THE CAPITAL CROSS CLASSIC!
The Capital Cross Classic is part of the MAC Series
www.midatlanticcross.com
REGISTRATION IS OPEN!
let the scrum begin!
ride a mile in my saddle...
last night on my short direct ride home I made a detour down 17th Street
sure enough... it was a wet rainy Tuesday before Halloween and people were gathering for the annual HIGH HEEL RACES up 17th Street by the Fox and Hound
I had the camera but I did not have the desire to hang around in the rain
it had been a long work day and I just wanted to get home to my family
so I migrated the short distance
up 17th Street the wrong way on the closed street... over to New Hampshire... then onto 16th at U Street!
there were a few bodies on the sidewalk
so rather than buzz the people with their umbrellas on the sidewalk I raced ahead of traffic on the road
the timing combined with a parked car and a left turning car clustered cars at the base of the hill while I shot past Malcolm X Park without any car interaction
the road planed off and I stayed to the street
a car in the right hand lane ahead would work as another wonderful pick
the light turned green and I shot ahead in an effort less than a sprint
behind me I could feel the vibrations of a Metro Bus
long before the parked car the Metro Bus passed me fast and close
definitely within three feet
the bus went around the parked car and then took the right hand lane
aggravated I went around the bus on the left and took the right lane in front of the bus
on the flat the bus rushed to my rear wheel
like a fool running with the bulls I moved forward with danger nipping at my heels
safety was ahead as there were a few passengers at the next Metro Stop that would call for the bus to slow then stop
sure enough... the bus stopped to discharge passengers
through the light at Columbia Road I stopped on the curb
considering pulling out my camera
even considering pulling a bottle out of the trash can and hurling it through the windshield
waiting on the curb I stood their with my heart racing after being buzzed on the pass then tailgated at speed
the bus stopped and the door opened
a perfect opportunity for a photograph or a glass bottle to the face
I did neither... I did not even cuss
instead I asked
"are you a professional? is it professional to pass so class and so fast?"
the driver gave polite responses and denial
I stuck to it clean and polite telling him he passed me within three feet and followed me dangerously close
again telling him that these actions were far from professional
the doors closed an the bus pulled away... three feet away in the line of traffic that always collects at this part of the road at this time of day
if we could get the Metro Bus drivers to travel the street on bicycle then they would see the impact of their actions
he felt no wrong... while I am sure that he was feeling some sort of competitiveness
his action had intent of some sort
there was a dangerous dance between his large vehicle and me and my bike
I got home alive... aggravated and alive
I had worked late and it was getting late
dinner had already been eaten
the boy joined me to walk the dog in the rain with flashlights in the woods
when we got home we carved pumpkins
the goodness of my night erased the ugliness of my day
sure enough... it was a wet rainy Tuesday before Halloween and people were gathering for the annual HIGH HEEL RACES up 17th Street by the Fox and Hound
I had the camera but I did not have the desire to hang around in the rain
it had been a long work day and I just wanted to get home to my family
so I migrated the short distance
up 17th Street the wrong way on the closed street... over to New Hampshire... then onto 16th at U Street!
there were a few bodies on the sidewalk
so rather than buzz the people with their umbrellas on the sidewalk I raced ahead of traffic on the road
the timing combined with a parked car and a left turning car clustered cars at the base of the hill while I shot past Malcolm X Park without any car interaction
the road planed off and I stayed to the street
a car in the right hand lane ahead would work as another wonderful pick
the light turned green and I shot ahead in an effort less than a sprint
behind me I could feel the vibrations of a Metro Bus
long before the parked car the Metro Bus passed me fast and close
definitely within three feet
the bus went around the parked car and then took the right hand lane
aggravated I went around the bus on the left and took the right lane in front of the bus
on the flat the bus rushed to my rear wheel
like a fool running with the bulls I moved forward with danger nipping at my heels
safety was ahead as there were a few passengers at the next Metro Stop that would call for the bus to slow then stop
sure enough... the bus stopped to discharge passengers
through the light at Columbia Road I stopped on the curb
considering pulling out my camera
even considering pulling a bottle out of the trash can and hurling it through the windshield
waiting on the curb I stood their with my heart racing after being buzzed on the pass then tailgated at speed
the bus stopped and the door opened
a perfect opportunity for a photograph or a glass bottle to the face
I did neither... I did not even cuss
instead I asked
"are you a professional? is it professional to pass so class and so fast?"
the driver gave polite responses and denial
I stuck to it clean and polite telling him he passed me within three feet and followed me dangerously close
again telling him that these actions were far from professional
the doors closed an the bus pulled away... three feet away in the line of traffic that always collects at this part of the road at this time of day
if we could get the Metro Bus drivers to travel the street on bicycle then they would see the impact of their actions
he felt no wrong... while I am sure that he was feeling some sort of competitiveness
his action had intent of some sort
there was a dangerous dance between his large vehicle and me and my bike
I got home alive... aggravated and alive
I had worked late and it was getting late
dinner had already been eaten
the boy joined me to walk the dog in the rain with flashlights in the woods
when we got home we carved pumpkins
the goodness of my night erased the ugliness of my day
10.27.2009
GWADZILLA SAYS WHAT!?!?!??!?
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GWADZILLA SAYS "WHAT?!?!!??!"
Cross Hairs Dot Com on youtube
(link working now... worth a second... it may make you laugh)
Cross Hairs Dot Com on youtube
(link working now... worth a second... it may make you laugh)
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Bike Share Program... WORKSMAN CYCLES
100 Worksman Cycles for Princeton EmployeesBIKE SHARING! AWESOME
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com
in college we did a rogue version of this
too bad we did not do it on a higher level
the race for second place at DCCX....
Arley races alone off the front... trailing racers fight for the following positions!
DC' HIGH HEEL RACES!
Photos from the High Heel Races in DCnot my photos... although I rolled past there on my way home
www.brightestyoungthings.com
bummer that it has rained for the past many years on the Tuesday before Halloween
yet somehow... the moisture does not dampen the competitor's spirits!
more photos here
www.washingtoncitypaper.com
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