yo... thanks for the heads up!

Stevil Kinevil at ALL HAIL THE BLACK MARKET hipped me to this list
www.allhailtheblackmarket.com
thanks Stevil!

Top 50 of the most influential cycling blogs
http://extanz.com

yes... GWADZILLA is in the top 50
along with an awesome collection of links!

Greenbrier Photos from DEMONCATS

Photos from the 2010 Greenbrier Challenge by Kevin Dillard
at Demoncats.com
http://velophotos.phanfare.com

this is cool... BIKE PARKING ON THE STREET

this is cool...
it makes sense
it was only a matter of time before someone figured it out

Bike Parking on the Street!
of course...
give the bicyclists somewhere to park their bikes
especially after the revised meter system removed all the posts for people to lock their bikes

very cool!
BIKE STREET PARKING BY WABA
BIKE STREET PARKING AT WABA
WABA
http://waba.org/

Bike to Work Day... baby steps?

Bike to Work Day is approaching
http://waba.org

Bike to Work Day is many things... these may be the main two
1. Applauding ourselves for riding our bikes to work
and
2. Trying to get more people to ride their bikes to work

I would like to see a push for people to get more of people to "try" riding their bicycle to work
Bike To Work Day is the perfect day to make this effort

in the work place bicycle commuting employees could try to push the message
an appropriate email...
a BIKE TO WORK poster hung appropriately with appropriate permission
then Bike to Work literature... also with permission and approval
maybe one on one conversations with people at the water cooler

GET MORE PEOPLE ON BIKES!
this is a day that can get people on bikes

Spread the Good Word of the Bike.

BIKE TO WORK DAY in DC
REGISTER HERE

We are all SUPER MEN (and woman) on the BIKE!

ben... the guy that does the Mount Pleasant Bike Coop at the Farmer's Market in MTP Posted this on FACEBOOK

Stingray on Craig's List
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org
not vintage... repo
but still way cool

this is sad and hopeful all at the same time...

drinking that third cup of coffee... walked the dog... sent the kids off in the carpool to school... getting ready to start my day
getting moving in my morning routine
blogging... which is reading blogs... writing blogs... Internets news... Internet articles... and FACEBOOK
often multiple speed play turns in SCRABBLE... also on FACEBOOK

this morning I saw a posting on Liz Hatch's FACEBOOK page
it was not bike related and it was from CNN
the comments under the post sent me following the link

Death at 25: Blogging the end of a life
http://edition.cnn.com

and Eva's blog
65 Red Roses
thoughts on living with CF
http://65redroses.livejournal.com/

Eva died in March of 2010

sad... this morning I was thinking of Josh Bennett... Josh died of cancer earlier this year
there was a small service hosted by the family for the family
there was talk of something at the 9:30 Club
Lisa and I talked about a Sunday brunch with a small group of friends
it never happened... everyone just got back into the routine of their lives
we need to make something happen

RACE REPORT: The 2010 Greenbrier Challenge

it has been many days since Sunday's race
the events of the day and the week leading up to the race are a distant memory
I had intended getting some words down sooner
but the tasks of life interfered
perhaps I will get something down and tweak it later
lets see what comes to surface as I type

RACE REPORT: The 2010 Greenbrier Challenge
this Sunday past was the 2010 Greenbrier Challenge just outside of Frederick Maryland
this event hosted by The Potomac Velo Club brings in an impressive draw
as the Maryland State Championship this race acts as the qualifier for the Mountain Bike Nationals so people come out to race their best

the week leading into the race I was confronted with an assortment of demons
this "in between jobs" state of affairs has me off the bike more than on the bike
having a job offered me a commute... my commute may be short... but I would use the post work opportunity of being suited up and on the bike as a chance to get in a quick ride nearly every day
I am not riding every day
I am not riding much at all
this had me worried

the Sunday before Greenbrier DCMTB teammate Big Daddy Mike and I went ride at Patapsco State Park
I did not want to go... again... I was battling my demons
not riding had me worried about my fitness, my control, and my ability to chase MikeK's rear wheel
the weight of the world had me feeling such that I just wanted to crawl back into bed
MikeK lured me out to the trails

I dove out to Patapsco wishing I had forgotten my shoes or better yet my bike
but once on the bike... I was excited to be there
once on the bike... I knew I was exactly where I needed to be
the ride at Patapsco with MikeK was just what my body and mind needed
dirt is good for the soul

pushing the pedals and breaking a sweat chased away some of the demons that had been swirling about my brain
it had been months since I had ridden the Niner Rip Nine... it made perfect sense to get out on this unfamiliar machine before I tried to race it the next weekend
it was good to get out a longer than normal ride through the wide variety of terrain that exists within Rockburn and Patapsco

the day after riding at Patapsco I felt all sorts of sore
there was some intense soreness in both my wrists
I was confident that the Ergon Grips were not working for me
it was my contention that this would be the only modification I would need to make before racing the following Sunday

the week started and there was not much riding to speak of
over the DCMTB list server I heard all sorts of people verbalizing their fears of the weather for the approaching race day
I hesitated on pre-registering for the race... perhaps leaving an escape route... allowing the weather to be another excuse not to race
demons started to return
I started to become less sure about racing
on Wednesday I pulled up the PVC site... then decided to let things slide until race day

I think I got on the bike once that week... correction... I rode with my kids on three occasions
while getting out on the road only once
on top of that... I pulled a muscle playing soccer.... playing soccer with my son's U6 team
nothing serious... it really only hurts when I try to kick a soccer ball with my right foot
or when I try to run




those issues are really nothing
more attacks from the demons
sure... my quad is sore... but I am not going out to play soccer
this is a mountain bike ride... different set of muscles

it was not until Saturday that I fought back the demons and told myself that I was going to race
I told myself I was going to race no matter the weather conditions
in the basement I packed my gear and gathered my stuff
threw the bike in the stand and put some lube on the chain

with the bike ready and my bags packed I was ready to go out on the town
Lisa and I had plans to attend a school function that was being hosted in Chinatown
the night did not go too late and I did not drink too much wine
by a racer's strategy I had drank too much and stayed up too late
I felt I would be fine

the 2PM start gave me plenty of time to double check my gear the following morning
as I drove from downtown DC to Greenbrier State Park in Western Maryland I drank lots of coffee and drank lots of water
a banana and a bagel with eggs and bacon would eaten along with some Hammer Gel
I arrived at the race site with plenty of time to register, warm up, and say some hellos

there had been butterflies in my stomach and some additional anxiety about this day for pretty much the whole week
just thinking the words BIKE RACE gave me anxiety
saying the words BIKE RACE were near crippling

I had thought about my fitness and the other competitors on the line
last year a man from the mountains of West Virginia had taken the podium... I had him in my sites
I had also spoken to Timmy Koch of Gripped Films and knew that he would be fighting for the first spot... he too was in my sites
when I registered I noticed that there were going to be 12 or 13 racers
I knew this day would not be easy
it was clear that there would be a handful of people fighting for the number one slot

more to break the tension and kill time than anything else I did some warm ups on the bike
the 2PM start had the Pros and the Super Cats lining up at the same time as the Clydesdale
not the best confidence builder to have the fast and fit folks smoking past you as you warm up
sort of like peppering the goalie with hard shots low and in the corner before the big soccer game
it just does not help

time passed and I got so distracted with hellos that I did not hear the call to line up
at the line I took a slot in the front row
here I saw a familiar face... a guy named Robert who races for Joe's Bike Shop or some sorts
he is fast... he had beaten me here on this course before
I knew he was a racer to look out for... he was definitely in my sites
then I alerted both JR and Timmy Koch to watch the weeks of Robert in the blue and white jersey

there was playful banter between the big boys in the Clydesdale Class
the usual mind play... "sure you are a clydesdale? maybe I should pull out the scale?"
"you been riding? no? me neither" all that stuff

as people got their heads right I chatted over a few people with a guy from Joe's Bike Shop... Robert tried to tell me he had not been riding... then I reminded him about his boasting about all of his riding when I saw him at National Geographic for the Banff Film Festival... he laughed
in front of us they started to release the classes
our conversations all stopped
my focus returned back to me
my breathing changed along with my heart rate
with one foot clicked in I waited

there was not much talk from the official
a few words and then the information that we would go at his whistle after counting back down from five
looking at the ground I listened to the count and waited for the whistle
fighting the false start

at the sound of the whistle I pushed the pedals

around me people were sprinting fast
I tried to keep my head right
before the race I had agreed to myself to go hard, but to race my own race
not to get caught up in the actions of a jack rabbit

between the tape on the grass leading into the woods I rode just behind four or five racers in the Clydesdale Class
in the background I could hear voices cheer
familiar tones called out my name as I passed
we hit the gravel into the woods
people worked to fall into place
things happened such that people faded in behind me
at race pace I pedaled up this first hill in the middle ring

then rolling down hill at a good pace I was pleased to find myself in control of the race... or at least in the lead of the race
I started to catch people who had been released in the Single Speed Category before us
trying to race fast but smart I stayed in control
trying to not get bogged down by the racers in front of me

knowing that the only race won on the downhill is a downhill race
trying to hold my ground I picked a fast smart line through the rocks
again... finding more racers to pass early on in my race
the body felt pretty good
my breathing was heavy... but that is my way

I was pedaling hard
there was lots of work and not much pleasure
3/4 of the way through the first lap I was in the lead
pushing up the rock garden climb I saw that Robert of Joe's Bike Shop was not far behind me in his blue and white jersey
I toned things down
the first lap was taken at a healthy pace
nothing that would blow me up... but something that I had hoped would blow other people up
I thought that maybe I could pull ahead and steal the race on the first lap

NO DICE ROCK SLICE

by the wet rocky section before the new section of trail that bypasses the fisherman's lane down by the lake Roberto was right on my tail and we were talking
on the dam road we were side by side
approaching the finish I made mention of the threat of cancellation
Robert sprinted ahead to have the number one spot in the case of lightning storms causing cancellation

this was fine... I let Robert of Joe's Bike Shop take the lead
I had tried to control the race from the Number One Seat... I thought I would see if I could relax and try to control the race from the second spot
I race the next lap pretty much at Robert's pace... there may have been some cat and mouse passing
but not much... neither of us altered the pace for the other
we just changed positions to suit the sections of the course that favored the other

I finished the second lap and started the third and last lap 20 yards behind this same racer in blue and white
in my head I tried to think about where I would want to pass him
I did not want to try to start a sprint to the finish too early in the race
and
I did not want to try to start a sprint to the finish too late in the race
but when?

I stayed twenty yards in his shadow
the course had grown more familiar
fatigue outweighed familiarity
my body was starting to grow tired and it was hard to find a flow
ahead of me I saw that Robert was working just as hard to stay ahead of me as I was working to keep up with him

at the base of the second and more serious climb I made my move
in the granny gear I made a silent pass on his right
then 20 or 30 yards later I dismounted and marched up the hill
I never looked back
never knowing if Robert decided to ride at my pace on bike or march as well
all I knew... I was in the front and he was behind me
at the crest of the hill I got on the bike
in the middle ring I took the next lesser hill at a good pace
on the flat I tried to maintain a strong pace
again... never looking back... trying to focus forward
not trying to be overly concerned with anything but riding hard
on the downhill I tried to race smart
fast but not furious

a flat tire at this point in the game could take away all that I had worked for
a crash... well... a crash could do the same or more
so... I tried to float downhill in a calm calculated fashion

as I rode through the slight grade up hill rock garden I dismounted and walked where I had ridden the past two laps
it was not that I could not ride it
it just did not seem energy efficient
I feared cramping and thought that a long legged march would be a better way to travel

at the crest of the hill when I mounted back up was the first time that I really looked back
there had been a glance over the shoulder when I ended the downhill and took a left towards the rock gardens
but this was the first time I actually looked for that familiar Blue and White Joe's Bike Shop jersey
there was nothing
there was nobody
I was riding along

by this time the flats felt like climbs
I worked hard to maintain pace
there was no time to celebrate
if I go a little slower and he goes a little faster... well... you do the math
and well... what about JR... Timmy... or some of the other people on the line
any one of them may come thrusting forward with a fast lap

I pressed on
trying to maintain pace
trying to race smart

sure enough... I finally gets some speed
sure enough... I over cook that turn

tic tac toe... three laps in a row
I over cooked the same turns on every lap pretty much the same way
none of these skids to a near stop sent me to the woods
but a slower speed would have floated me through faster and more efficiently
braking so hard brought my speed down thus forcing me to use more energy that I did not have to get back up to speed

at a good pace but not a suicide pace I noodled my way through the somewhat muddy stream bed of a trail
then over the dam
at speed I took the last turn before the grass
on the grass I felt the joy of the day
the pleasure of achievement

I rolled through the finish without any recognition or any cheering
but I knew that I had won my class
seeing that there was no line at the bike wash I went straight to spray my bike down

with the bike washed I waited and watched the other Clydesdales come across the line
after the race we shared some tails of the trail along with some congratulations
it was a good day on the bike
I was pleased with my efforts

I manage not only to finish first in my class but I was able to beat back my demons
I did not give into my fears
I did not cave into the anxiety

my body was worked
I was sore... not that good sore that people talk about
just sore... a little beaten and a little tired

it was a good day

Results for the Greenbrier Challenge

Photos by Gary Ryan
Photos by Joe Foley
Photos by Kevin Dillard

I wanted to proof this... but I need to focus on getting ready for Lodi Farms!

Nice Cruiser!

SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL

a classic comic from Yehuda Moon and the Kickstand Cyclery
www.yehudamoon.com

SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL
www.saferoutesinfo.org

this morning I took the boys to school
it is becoming part of our routine... the routine may be temporary
but it is our routine now
easy enough... we drive to school and drop the bikes off
my kids and a nieghbor's kid get dropped off at school along with the bikes
after the drop off I walk the dog
then... in the afternoon for pick up... I ride to school on my bike where I unlock the boys' bikes and we ride home together

IT IS AWESOME!
we can do it... others can do it
more people should make this sort of stuff happen
hopefully my example inspires some of the other families

this morning I was pleased to see one of the parents from my kids' school out front
she was handing out reflective vests for the SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL program
kids love gear... kids love free stuff
these vests are safe and they are smart

my boys will be excited to put these on when we ride our bikes home today

I love that comment... at a school SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL meeting last year I tried to express that we are our own worst enemies
the driving behavior of the kid's parents on pick up and drop off is unexceptionable


CHECK OUT RAY LAHOOD on the taking part in some SAFE ROUTE TO SCHOOL action on Grandparents Day
www.letsmove.gov/blog

THE BIKE STATION at Union Station here in Washington DC

The Bike Station at Union Station here in Washington DC
http://www.bikestation.org/

Shop Manager and Service Manager talk shop talk at the Bike Station

Will at The Bike Station asking me if I have a memory card in my camera... razzing me for missing the shot of him a Bill Nye The Science Guy a few weeks back
tragedy.. can not replicate that moment... sorry

Will trying to find an efficient way to store the tires in their small space at The Bike Station
The Bike Station... rentals... repairs... storage... changing facilities... and some concessions
http://www.bikestation.org/

some buildings in Washington DC... with bicycles passing in front of them

Let's Move! and the notion of making Mountain Biking in Rock Creek Park Legal!

Let's Move!
and the notion of making Mountain Biking in Rock Creek Park Legal!

this morning I spent a little time with my older son Dean's third grade class
I had been invited by their teacher Mrs. Ramsey to come speak with the kids about the idea of petitioning to have the hiking and horse trails of Rock Creek Park opened to bicycles
currently the natural surface trails of Rock Creek Park are marked NO BIKES

it was a nice little informal discussion that involved a slide show of various bicycle photographs
lots of photos of my kids and other kids riding on singletrack trails
some photos of kids doing BMX tricks... even some shots of my older son Dean catching a little air... even a few shots of my younger son on the trail-a-bike

I was pleased to see how many kids ride bikes and how many of the kids live near the park and use the trails of the park
it was also exciting to see how the kids responded to all the photos of people riding their bikes on natural surfaces

in this informal discussion I tried to educate the kids about mountain biking
about how mountain biking does not necessarily involve a mountain
in fact... mountain biking is really just riding a bicycle on natural surfaces
there was talk about the differences between a road bike and road cycling and the tires of a mountain bike or a kids bike that is usually modeled after a BMX bike with fatter tires knobbies
how the natural surface trails require the fatter tire and the more rugged bicycle

there was talk about sustainability and the myth that cycling on natural surface trails tears things up
there were some photographs of me racing in mud and splashing through puddles
I explained the to children responsible riding and not riding or abusing wet trails
there was also an effort to dispel the myth that bicyclists and hikers can not get along
talking about how Dean and his family are avid hikers and dog walkers and how we love to "scramble" and do "parkour" as well as ride our bikes on natural surface trails

mountain biking is a sport that involves an ethic and a code of respect
IMBA and MORE were mentioned... as well as some lines from their code of ethics
the respect is for other trail users as well as respect for the trails
there was discussion about how all over the country mountain bikers are able to share the trails with hikers, dog walkers, and horses... why not in Rock Creek Park?

there was also discussion about urban riding and the inherent dangers of riding a bicycle in the city with all the cars
but I did not want to scare kids with that talk about "the worst case scenario"

it was a good little discussion
the seed was planted
the kids are all going to work on a "persuasive essay" on the topic of mountain biking in Rock Creek Park
hopefully they have enough background information to develop their points

in this discussion I spoke about BMX tracks, Pump Courses, and Mountain Bike Trails
it was discussed that there are no natural surface bicycle options within an hour of our house
all of our mountain bike rides necessitate that we load the bicycles in the car and have to drive an hour or more... making what could be a three hour round trip when it would be more sensible to ride the local trails

I spoke about how the city offers facilities for basketball, soccer, swimming, and ice skating but there are no bicycle options
the only options are riding on the streets or in the alleyways
all the kids understood the risk of riding their bicycles in traffic around cars

I also talked about practice and achievement
and how if someone wants to be good at something they need to practice
I asked kids how often they practice for soccer... basketball... or football
the answers were 2-3 or 5 days a week
thus showing the impracticality of having to load the bikes on the car and drive that three hour round trip to get our ride in

there was discussion of the Michelle Obama Let's Move initiative as inspired by one of the students who did a biography on her a month prior
we talked about the hula hoop and the notion of childhood obesity
the kids knew that in this LET'S MOVE initiative Michelle Obama asks that kids exercise for a minimum of 60 minutes a day
we discussed that there just is not enough time in the day to do that drive and a ride so that kids could get their exercise on the bike
but that it would be simple enough if these trails were made legal in Washington DC

I said the NO BIKES sign in Rock Creek Park is like having a chain link fence around a basketball court forbidding kids to play basketball
I said... lets take down those signs
lets make it legal to ride our bikes on the trails in Rock Creek Park
those trails are for everyone... let them be open for everyone to enjoy... even people on their bikes

I am excited to get a chance to read some of their letters to the First Lady
I am equally excited to see what sort of response we get from Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama and her Let's Move Initiative
www.letsmove.gov

Let's Move Dances well with SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL
check out there blog
www.letsmove.gov/blog

MILLION CYCLISTS

Bikes Belong AIMS TO UNITE ONE MILLION CYCLISTS
www.bikesbelong.org

New Bikes Belong campaign aims to unite one million for the future of bicycling

media release

they make it look so fun.

RickyD hosted an informal fixie ride in "the shed"

I meant to post about it... but did not
sorry... dropped the ball... meant to get the word out
looks like the word got out

lots going on
that one slipped through the crack

the videos make it look so fun
they make it look easy
they make it look fun

check it out at BIKECENTRIC
http://bikecentric.blogspot.com

the fixie is not my thing
off road fixie has never really been a consideration for
well... considered it... talked about it... plotted it... then never made it happen
as the fixie is not really my thing... so off road fixie would only make matters worse
but seeing those videos....

reconsideration.

I need to get me a tomicog
I should build a 69er with an old 26er
and set it up FIXED... I have a great bontrager rear wheel of the 26 inch variety
but of course... no 26er
http://tomicog.blogspot.com/

or course I am just talking smack

Gary Ryan has some photos from the 2010 Greenbrier Challenge

Anna Kelso at the 2010 Greenbrier Challenge
photo by Gary Ryan
www.pbase.com

Anna Kelso Blog
http://annakelso.blogspot.com/

I still want to script a report
that was a good day on the bike for me
a good start to the season

Anthill Films... pushing the limits

Anthill Films...
pushing the limits
pushing the limits of film making
pushing the limits of sports films while filming mountain bikers pushing the limits of their sport

Anthill Films
www.anthillfilms.com

watch the trailer FOLLOW ME

totally unrelated... but funny an alleged third grader from a DC Public School's list of 100 types of bitches http://andiamnotlying.com

morning coffee at Tryst... a good routine

time to rethink the bike... how can the bike fit into your world?

why walk when you can ride?
why take the bus or cab when you can take a bike?
why use your bike... when you can bike share?
don't have a bike... SMART BIKE DC could be the bike for you!
www.smartbikedc.com

don't feel like breaking a sweat walking
need to hail a cab?
maybe a pedi-cab can get you their quicker... or at least... just as quick
next time you are trying to hail a cab
make it a pedi-cab!


think you have too much stuff to carry to ride a bike?
there are all sorts of trailer options
the bob-trailer may get the job done
or better yet...
you can do your commute and leave your lock, your shoes, and a change of clothes at the office
wear casual gear on the bike... change at the office
use the dry cleaner downtown... pick up your clean gear at lunch
problem solved

there really is no excuse why you are not on a bike!

the weekend is behind us... time for the week

ah... the weekend
the weekend and its obligations
this weekend was choc full of fun and adventure

Friday came with the threat of rain
that did not dissuade me from the effort of dropping off the bikes with the boys so that we could ride bikes home from school rather than driving the car both ways
on this day Lisa joined in on the biking home action... the boys totally dug that
Lisa dug it too

then the evening came
I had obligations that kept me from attending the WABA Gala
then when my evening's event ended early... I tried to catch some of the fun at the gala
a quick change into something quasi formal and I was on my bike riding down one hill and up another to the Austrian Embassy
as I locked up my bike outside the Gala I saw a parade of people streaming out
it was awkward... awkward was what I was trying to avoid... awkward was just what I walked into

I had my hesitation about attending the WABA Gala
that is part of the reason I did not reschedule my family event for that evening
having applied for the Executive Director position at WABA had me not wanting to attend
as I did not want to enter the room as if I was in an interview situation
I want an interview... but in the interview room... not in the social situation
I wanted my approach to people I knew to be natural and unrehearsed
well... I did manage to say hello to a few people without any lobbying-like actions
but it was all a tad awkward at least for me

Saturday morning came with the usual routine of SOCCER
Lisa took Dean to his game and I left off with Grant to coach his
again... threat of rain
it was wet... but these six year olds play on astro turf so the games are only canceled in case of lightning
it was a good game... even if the other team looked like they were sponsored by a pharmaceutical company that makes growth hormones
when leaving I would swear that one of the kids from the other team was driving the car
which of course would indicate that these kids were older than six
we got creamed!

the afternoon played itself out with the usual course of action
ending with dropping the kids off at their grandma's for a sleep over so Lisa and I could attend a fundraiser for the boys' school

ah... the Eaton Auction
a good time... even if I did not win what I bid on

the night was late, but luckily the race at Greenbrier had a 2PM start which allowed for a casual morning
that race went well
it was a good day on the bike
it was a good weekend all around

things could have been played differently
all things considered they played out pretty well
ending the weekend with by winning the Clydesdale Class at Greenbrier was pretty sweet
a great start to the season
a fantastic end to a wonderful weekend

weekends should be more like this every weekend!

no news is good news...

No News is Good News...
this is an old saying that holds a great deal of truth
especially if your news alerts pertain to bikes

I run a less than sophisticated GOOGLE ALERT on the topic of BIKE
this gives me a daily feed of news related topics that contain the word BIKE
sadly... each day my GOOGLE ALERTS bring me all sorts of stories
why is this sad?
because each and every day there is a short blurb from somewhere in the country where a child has been hit and killed on the bike

these stories pain me
these stories give me grief
these stories build stress and tension
I want to stop reading these stories
I want these stories to stop
well... it is not the stories... it is the incidents I want to stop

the stories are almost always written from the perspective of a car driver
there is always a bit of a slant to it
perhaps I could become the editor of these stories before they go to print
better yet... maybe I could be the Crime Scene Investigator who asks the questions and gathers the facts

I live in the city... I ride my bike in the city... I ride my bike with my kids in the city
when riding with my two boys I try to teach them to ride safely and to expect the car traffic
but honestly... there is only so much I can do
we need car traffic to hold up their end of the bargain

if I were to ask for three simple things of car drivers it would be this
1. LOWER SPEEDS
2. COMPLETE STOPS AT STOP SIGNS AT THE STOP LINE
and
3. GREATER FOCUS ON THE TASK AT HAND (no phone... no texting... etc.)

these three simple things would have a positive ripple effect that would make the streets better for cars, pedestrians, and cyclists

is asking people to behave too much to ask?
it is not that I am asking people to live by the letter of the law
all I am asking is that they behave under the guidance of COMMON SENSE and COMMON COURTESY

if we give away greenspace... don't expect to get it back

.

www.pennenvironment.org


.

Andy Zalan at the 2010

ANDY ZALAN: okay... I will refrain from trying to type together his dossier
google him or follow my links bellow if you want any more information

the other day I saw Andy Zalan on the road side as I was rolling about town with the camera
as I made the turn jumping onto H Street towards Chinatown I caught a glimpse of AZ with camera in hand acting a bit snarky
AZ was going his best Gwadzilla imitation
or was that stalkzilla
either way... I was being mocked
mocked... and the art school photographer missed the shot

having the time I rolled onto the sidewalk altering my trajectory for a few minutes of face time with Andy Zalan

little did I know I was going to get the live and in person break down of the 2010 CMWC: Cycle Messenger World Championships

http://www.cmwcguatemala.com/

not since Destination Dublin have I seen this sort of organization in a courier event
honestly... it sounds like an impressive event
the whole gathering sounds like a fantastic opportunity that will most definitely be a phenomenal event


TEN DAYS OF MESSENGER RACING
TEN DAYS OF MESSENGER MADNESS
The CMWC September 3-13th, 2010 in Panajachel, Guatemala

check out the list of events
http://www.cmwcguatemala.com/content/cmwc-events

it was great to see AZ
it is always great to see AZ
it is inspirational to see him put these events together
I can recall him talking about this years ago when DC bid for the opportunity to host this event
the Messenger community is lucky to have someone like AZ so committed to the cause

registration is up
plan early and save a few bucks

interesting that I have not seen AZ at any of the DCMTB DCCX Events
maybe this year I can enlist him to get involved in our last races of the day
there is talk about DCCX having an absolute beginner race and also a single speed race

Gwadzilla Mention of Andy Zalan
Gwadzilla Mention of The Marcus Cook Award
Gwadzilla Mentions of AZ

it is sure taking longer to put a building there than it took to tear it down

DC Slices... I say FIVE OUT OF FIVE SLICES!

DC SLICES...
they are on FACEBOOK
they are on TWITTER
DC Slices is on the streets of DC
a rolling gourmet pizza place
http://dcslices.com/

this is an interesting age
an age of entrepreneurial boom
stuff like this is appearing all over
I love this stuff
especially when the product is good

let me tell you... THIS PIZZA IS GOOD!
I give it FIVE OUR OF FIVE SLICES!
THAT IS THE WHOLE PIE!

not only is the pizza super tastee
the experience is fast and fresh
fast and fresh and moderately cheap...
closer to cheap than expensive
that all said after realizing nothing is free or easy in this town

so... if you are stepping out for lunch and you see the DC SLICES pizza truck
give it a try

I tried it... I like it... I will seek it out again
fast... fresh... and affordable
awesome... all that on top of being super tastee?
good stuff... good deal
I will get it again

Alfonzo is glad to be back on the bike...

this reminds me... I was going to try and get him a friend's phone number
right... gotta make that happen

the bicycle is closer to the pedestrian than it is to the car... the law should reflect such

a post on former DCer turned Pittsburgher Lolly Walsh had a post on her blog that inspired this rant

Lolly's Blog
Reimagine an Urban Paradise
http://onenightlemonadestand.wordpress.com

here is the rant that is based off a comment I made on her FACEBOOK page...

I am all for distracted driver laws and I have no issue with laws about cyclists and texting
but things should be better thought out
the car is not a bicycle and the bicycle is not a car
there need to be laws that pertain to them and their differences

not to get into running a stop sign or running a red light
but if there is a thought about the potential worst case scenarios...
well... then it would be clear that their should be different penalties as they are different crimes
yes I said it... bicycles are not cars
no "ah ha!" from the car driver
the roads were not made for cars

well yes... cycling is closer to being a pedestrian than being a car
the law should reflect such
take a measure of the dangers... driving while texting... cycling while texting... walking while texting
the cycling "worst case scenario" is nearly identical to the walking while texting "worst case scenario"

that said... I would like to see people walking on the sidewalk more focused on walking than texting
BOOK EM DANO!

enforcing a texting cyclist before enforcing a texting driver is like prosecuting a BWI before a DWI
a rant for another post

control the car chaos
then ask others to stand in order
until then
we are all just running with the bulls

CONTROL THE CAR CHAOS!

my day thus far... not a bad start to the week

this is the classic post...
a post started but never finished
a post started but never proofed
without a proof... it is tough to bother to hit PUBLISH AND POST

I will give this a quick scan and throw it on the page
not sure if there is any meat to this message... but I figure it should hit the page just as well

some highlights from this post
-Monday
-flat repair clinic given to my kindergarten age son's class
-ran into Mayor Fenty and became his MVP for the day
-sore from racing my bike the day prior

here is what came off the top of my head as I drank that third cup of coffee...

here it is Monday... Monday Afternoon... okay... now it is Monday Night... as I edit time has changed... many moons have passed... this it is Wednesday... Wednesday Morning

started this post but never really got things started... hectic day
not sure if I will try to work this thing out
the moment may be gone

yes... today I was Adrian Fenty's MVP

the morning came on with that shock that Monday often delivers...
ugh! IT IS MONDAY!
everyone was a little slow out of the gate
everyone in the house was questioning if there was just one more day to the weekend

my body was sore from a day of racing my mountain bike on Sunday
while both Dean and Grant were clearly dragging from having sleep overs on both Friday and Saturday this weekend the morning arrived with a little precipitation as the boys got dressed I asked if they wanted to ride their bikes home from school
there was mention of the rain there was no hesitation...

the rain did not offer any threat in fact Dean added that he thought it was fun to get to ride his bike in the rain last week
so it was decided... the boys would ride their bikes home from school which of course meant that I needed to load the bikes into the car

in the garage I am reminded...
GRANT GOT A FLAT LAST NIGHT

one more barrier to over come
with the Honda Element packed with my kids... a kid from down the block... two bikes... and my black dog Brutus we headed across town
down the hill and then up the hill to the kid's school
to assure that Dean gets to class on time I send him off ahead
each time I give him a list of safety instructions for crossing the streets
with the flat tire we walked Grant's bike to school
I offered to take Grant's bike
Grant objected... Grant walked his bike with pride knowing that it would be fixed and he would be able to ride it home from school after I handle the flat repair

in the school I breeze through and say hello to the teachers and give high fives to a large assortment of kids... lots of high fives
then out the door with a mental list of what needs to happen
having scanned the garage for a 20 inch tube the night prior I knew that I would have to buy a new tube or patch the old one
with my fingers crossed I thought I could find what I was looking for at Target
with the dog in the car I headed for the woods
at the corner of Connecticut and Porter I saw some people campaigning for Mayor Adrian Fenty
at a closer glance I saw that one of the people in this gathering was Adrian himself
having the time I decided to stop and say hello

with all sorts of energy and enthusiasm the Fenty supporters worked to get support from passerbys
eye contact and hand shakes then a request for name and email addresses
I got some eye contact and I got a hand shake but I wanted more
I wanted to see if I could plant some seeds
I wanted to see if I could catch Fenty's attention and push for an increase in the pedestrian and bicycle safety campaigns

in between passerbys I chewed Adrian's ear
I was short and concise trying to get a simple message across...
DC A CIVIL CITY
I made mention that DC should not be "the murder capital" we should redefine the DC identity
make DC a better place... make DC Civil... make DC A CIVIL CITY


again I stepped aside and let Fenty shake hands and gather support
then when there were no passerbys.... I stepped back in and chewed his ear some more

there was mention of his father...
then a short discussion of his kids
I spoke about how I was surprised to see his dad driving his car so close to his work
Adrian defended him saying he had to take "the twins" to baseball
after asking their ages I thought... maybe they should ride their bikes to practice and if the streets are not safe enough for the kids to ride their bikes we should work to make them more safe

their mini rally was over I got my two cents in
Adrian called me over as he packed up his gear
with pride Adrian pointed out his SMART CAR and boasted about its excellent gas mileage
then the mayor invited me into his group for one more action
Adrian told me that every day after they pound the pavement they gather like a sports team in a little circle and do a short cheer
I was dubbed MVP and got to lead the cheer


ONE TWO THREE.... FENTY... FENTY... FENTY!


one last hand shake then Adrian directed me to get the email address of his campaign from woman by his side
then we were on with our day
down the hill and into the park
I parked the car at Klingle Mansion and walked the dog on The Melvin Hazen Trail
the woods are lush and green in the foreground I could hear a wide assortment of bird activity if I focused on the birds I could almost drown out the sound of leaf blowers and car horns in the distance
the hike was short there are things that need to get done
exercising the dog is not as vital as it was when he was young

with the dog still in the car I headed to Target in search of a 20 inch inner tube
with no list drawn up I focused on a few things... first the inner tube... then Mentos and 2 Liter bottles of soda
after that... anything in between is fine
BONUS! they had the tubes I was looking for
DOUBLE BONUS! SODA AND MENTOS ARE MARKED DOWN
the science fair project is not going to be that costly... just very sticky

yes... Dean and I are going to try and do something with the Mentos-Soda Bottle Fountain as his science fair project
shocked that I spent nearly 200 dollars on nothing I left for home
before I could unpack the groceries I got a call it was my wife Lisa telling me she had forgotten to put the promised chili in Dean's lunch
so I heated up some chili, filled up a thermos with chili and macaroni, and headed back to the kid's school
bringing what I needed to repair Grant's flat tire

at school I was greeted by another 100 high fives
the boys were stoked to see me
Grant was so stoked to see me that I asked his teacher if I could give an instruction on "how to fix a flat tire..."
the tutorial went well
we started off with some basic Q&A.... "who has a bike? who knows how to ride a bike? who rides a bike with training wheels? who rides a bike without training wheels?

then there was a breakdown of the bike... again some Q&A... which of course is a dangerous thing as all the children have a vital anecdote that they feel is related to the topic at hand
being the soccer coach for a number of these kids there were children who wanted to tell me about soccer...
we tried to stay on task... but we also did not want to rudely shut anyone down
the flat was repaired and the children were still well entertained from the talk about the parts of the bike and the right tool for the job

we moved to bicycle safety
there was talk about helmets
there was talk about the dangers of cars
I could have talked all day... but I needed to wind things up and do some stuff before it was time to pick them up

I was pleased with my impromptu presentation it all seemed like good preparation for Wednesday's presentation to my older son Dean's class
on Wednesday I am meeting with Dean's Class to lead an advocacy session each student in the class is going to write a letter to Michelle Obama and the MOVE IT campaign to try and get mountain biking in Rock Creek Park legal

once home I unpacked the stuff from Target and did a few things... not much time before I had to get on my bike and ride across town to ride home with the boys
the boys were nothing short of stoked to be able to get on their bikes after school
the ride home is not always direct
we often extend the ride or tool around on the bikes on the way home
the journey is the destination

that was Monday... just one day
a day among many days
the rest of the week would deliver more of the same

http://www.fentyreelect.com/
http://www.letsmove.gov/