Rants on Cycling and on Life: Photos of people and bicycles that pass in front of my camera
9.30.2012
The Diamond Derby is many things to many people
more on this later
I could say plenty of this
but what is funny
the Diamond Derby is something different depending on your perspective
I am wearing many hats at this event
so I get to experience the Diamond Derby in a number of ways
like an outside consultant
they ask me if I like it
and I say yes
then they move on
there are really many people putting a great deal into design and planning
I am invited in to set up and run the kid race at The Diamond Derby
it is a fun project to be a part of
even if my cog is only a small part
it is a pleasure to be a part of this human powered machine
riding a leisurely pace from DC to NOVA
I can not say any more on this
as I lack insight into this perspective
as I have not see the event from that perspective
there are costumes and there are funky bikes
some people are excited to test ride the course
other go straight for the bar
some people register for some of the race events
others hang out and cheer and heckle
there really are a full spectrum of perspectives
there is a kid event... a "just for fun" race...
many children are with parents who are racing
but a strong number of the families are at the event to spectate and to have their kids race... mainly to bring their kids to an event that they can participate in
the kids totally dig the event
the event has great energy and the kids are fueled by it
it is even cooler to race your bicycle in a parking garage
and significantly safer too
the carfreeness of it all really allows for the riders to test the turns
and
the turns will test you
but... I am part of the Diamond Derby crew as the kid course race director...
which means I design the course and head the activities on race day
well... as well as any parent can or tries to
the... the main course race designers have made an abbreviated version of the adult course that the kid get to ride
there is a parade lap with the kids so they have an idea of what they are getting int
then there is a race
then broken down from there after that
while the littler kids did a number of laps on the small course
all participants were given a red backpack goodie bag courtesy of Bike Arlington!
I think there was a water bottle along with some crayons and a coloring book... I have one right here... I should scope it out
but really... that is the focus of the day for me
to set up the race and to have my kids race
then everything after that is gravy
which gives me the position of participant observation
not a director of activities
not a documentarian of activities
I have the experience as racer in two of the races
I raced in the relay and then the 4X
being competitive in each
our relay team DCMTB (which could have been named better... maybe DCMTB and a bunch of messengers?)... our relay team got second overall
and
in the 4X event I worked very hard to get 3rd place
the lounge
although I did not watch the race from the lounge
there were people looking pretty casual on the couches
there were definitely a good number of ways to experience the diamond derby
enough on this post
I will add some images and enjoy the day before the sun sets
RESULTS
Peach.
The princess' name in the Mario game is Peach
ironically... that is Tim's nickname as well
Tim part of the Mario and Luigi team at the Diamond Derby
goto the Gwadzilla FACEBOOK page
more images there
find it... then like it
it is only now that I see what she is painting on the road...
that is funny...
I have seen this image a dozen times
never realized what the letters on the road spell
Liz Hatch
the folks from Revolution Cycles had some representation at the Diamond Derby...
my younger son Grant
perhaps the youngest competitor in the Open Class
a race with a messenger manifest where points are scored on an activity scavenger hunt
my boys Dean and Grant enjoyed the race
but I do not think they bothered to hand in their manifests to have their points tallied
more Diamond Derby Photos on the Revolution Cycles FACEBOOK page
okay... I like junk food... and my boys like treats
moderation...
everything in moderation
we do not eat Micky D's everyday
but if we are trying to make time on a road trip
well... those salt sticks and soda hit the spot
but in moderation
my kids eat their vegetables and of course their fruits
my wife makes sure that those things around and that those things are making it to the table at meals
me... I forget sometimes
that is not how my brain is wired
chips and such...
my kids eat em
which is a bummer... because that means that there are chips in the house
I have a hard time to manage portion control when eating chips
ice cream can be hard too
my kids help to improve my diet
because it is important for me to have them eat right
which helps me to eat right
because I need to feed by example
if I want my kids to eat a banana
I usually start eating a banana
which is easy... I like bananas
and if my kids don't want a banana?
sometimes I make them eat a banana
we put gas in our car
we need to fuel our human engines
okay.... on with a frozen pizza for lunch
maybe not the best
but there were some good things on the table at breakfast
everything in moderation
we do not eat Micky D's everyday
but if we are trying to make time on a road trip
well... those salt sticks and soda hit the spot
but in moderation
my kids eat their vegetables and of course their fruits
my wife makes sure that those things around and that those things are making it to the table at meals
me... I forget sometimes
that is not how my brain is wired
chips and such...
my kids eat em
which is a bummer... because that means that there are chips in the house
I have a hard time to manage portion control when eating chips
ice cream can be hard too
my kids help to improve my diet
because it is important for me to have them eat right
which helps me to eat right
because I need to feed by example
if I want my kids to eat a banana
I usually start eating a banana
which is easy... I like bananas
and if my kids don't want a banana?
sometimes I make them eat a banana
we put gas in our car
we need to fuel our human engines
okay.... on with a frozen pizza for lunch
maybe not the best
but there were some good things on the table at breakfast
I ate bacon before bacon was cool.
not only do I eat baconI over eat bacon
and
I over eat bacon often
I think it is genetic
there have been days where there was some bacon in not just breakfast, but also lunch, and dinner in the same day
and some of those days have had back to back days of bacon in every meal
and of course yes!
bacon makes a great snack
9.28.2012
I bet he feels safer... this is why guns for home protection are such a good idea.
Man Kills Masked Boy.... find out it is his own son!
guns for sport?
sure
guns for home protection?
an accident waiting to happen.
I am not really a cat person... but have considered trying to host an outdoor cat to deal with the alley rats
snagged from Riding Pretty
I like the notion of the roaming cat... well... I like it and I don't
cat owners are always so proud of their cut little cats and the presents that they bring
but I am not so sure that I like the idea of cats killing birds, chipmunks, flying squirrels, and whatnot
sure... rats
but I do not think you can train a cat to discriminate
we have one cat that lives out back that hunts the fish in my small backyard fishpond
I moved away from the high dollar Koi
it that cat wants Sushi it can go elsewhere
I have degraded to the 29 cent feeder fish
there is an APP for that!
Mountain Bike Trails for iPhone
I am old school
I just ride and get lost
when in West Virginia last weekend we did pretty well asking a local and then "winging it"
rode some of the CVI Trails one day and then a loop on the Dobbin House trails the next day
get kids on mountain bikes...
Saturday October 6ths NATIONAL GET A KID ON A MOUNTAIN BIKE DAY!
there are groups getting more kids on mountain bikes (and bikes in general)
http://bikeportland.org/
there are groups getting more kids on mountain bikes (and bikes in general)
http://bikeportland.org/
US Capitol... another beautiful building in my hometown
ABC: Date Stamp
"I get sales talk from sales assistants"
"I get sales talk from sales assistants"
worse than that...
I get Cop Speak from Cops!
I get Cop Speak from Cops!
this was an interesting encounter...
I was rolling around town and thought I would snap a shot of the US Capitol in all of its architectural splendor
so I stalled for a second on the bike with my camera slung around my neck
in a matter of seconds my lens was extended, the lens cap was off, and I had all but pushed the button to activate the electronic shutter when this female police officer started barking at me
in a gruff less than polite tone she told me not to obstruct the path of traffic
so I obliged... I was on the road, but there was a double yellow line on the road at my feet that marked off a small pocket of no man's land
so.. I lifted my bike and moved 8 inches to my right
thus... responding to the officer's demand and moving myself out of the path of moving traffic
traffic that at this moment was no where in site
the area was blocked off
it looked like some political dignitary was about to load or unload
I just wanted to take my photo and get on with my day
this Capitol Hill Police officer kept barking at me even after I moved out of the way of the yet to be visible approaching traffic
she was not satisfied... she continued with her barking
I told her that I would be done already and on my way
that her talking to me had kept me here longer than I had intended
needless to say... in the police to citizen conversation... there is not meant to be a conversation
the police officer likes to talk more than they like to listen
I get this... this is nothing new to me
but I beg the question...
did this Capitol Hill Police officer treat me differently because I am on a bicycle than she would have if I were in a car?
if I were a tourist in my car and I stopped to take a photo would she come on as strong?
would there be an "excuse me sir..." tagged onto the front of her approach?
do police officers treat people differently on bike than they do to people in cars?
I think that they do... and I do not like it
I think there is something about the bicycle that makes people think that you are either a child or a second class citizen
not sure why... but this is something I have come to experience
and you...
do you feel that police treat you differently on the bike than when you are in the car?
needless to say... I snapped my photo and then got on my way
I had enough with her conversation
and I did not want things to escalate any further than they already had
I do not think I can finish my bagel egg and cheese breakfast sandwich now...
Bagel Foreheads a New Trend in Japan
http://mashable.com
watch the video
need to see it to believe it
zits...
bee stings...
poison ivy...
I have had swelling on my head... it is not pretty
and neither is this!
http://mashable.com
watch the video
need to see it to believe it
zits...
bee stings...
poison ivy...
I have had swelling on my head... it is not pretty
and neither is this!
9.27.2012
I think I remember this from The White Shadow...
or was it an episode of Chips?
but really... I have no idea what this is
but it looks FUCKING COOL!
is that on the ellipse behind the white house?
is this a lemans start?
what is the event?
who are these racers?
and of course...
who won?
and... where are they now?
Jenny Gold on NPR
so...
the other day I am driving my car listening to some NPR
when I hear this woman... Jenny Gold
when I hear this woman... Jenny Gold
I remember when Jenny Gold was an intern at my place of work
Brooke Shields... I am not certain that is her in the photo below
is that really Brooke Shields with HR of Bad Brains?
although it was considered their "pop" album
I still love Bad Brains I AGAINST I
young Brooke telling the youth not to smoke
"don't be a dragon lady"
then... someone got a snap of a still beautiful Brooke Shields on a bike
Brooke Shields
previous mention of Brooke on the Gwadzilla Page
previous mention of Brooke on the Gwadzilla Page
yes... ran into... almost literally ran into Brooke Shields poaching some trails on her mountain bike
people on all sorts of bikes...
old bikes... new bikes... ill fitting bikes
it would be great if people were to liberate their old bikes
give their old bikes away
give their old bikes a second home
programs like BIKES FOR THE WORLD are great
but really
we could do well to donate locally
get people out of cars
get people out of buses
get people on bikes
yes chris... I did bitch about my back
but no... there is nothing wrong with my back
I am just old
thanks for reading
and
glad to see you kicking ass on the bike
More acorns dropping than usual?
every year there are cicadas
but... there is also the cycle of the 17 Year Cicada
I wonder... are the Oaks going through something similar with their acorns?
there certainly seem to be more acorns dropping than usual this year
I recall several years back... not 17 years ago... but a handful of years ago
there were enough acorns that the kids on the block filled up a plastic bucket large enough to hold a keg with acorns
which has me thinking... the Oak trees must run a 3 or 5 year cycle of MASS PRODUCTION
yesterday I was on my back deck with a broom sweeping up the acorns
as I swept more fell
some fell close
one or two even hit me
it was as if I was being pelted with acorns
as I swept I heard a voice over the fence
it was my neighbor Paul
Paul said... "ya know what you should do? you should wait... the acorns are going to fall for another three weeks..."
to Paul I replied... "I know... but I am crazier than you think...:"
Paul- "no you're not... I know you are crazy"
I went on to explain to Paul that I planned on taking the acorns down to the woods at the end of the block
the broken ones and the whole ones
I figure that some of these seeds could serve us better is they were in the woods rather than on my back deck
so...
I marched down to the woods with the dog at my side
I marched down to the woods with the dog at my side
conscious the whole time that my actions were quasi suspect
as I understand that it is wrong to dump in the woods... even if it is your yard clippings
why? it is organic... because... if everyone were to drop their yard clippings in the woods then the woods would look more like a dump than a National Park
so... I brought this large bag of acorns to the end of the block and just dumped them out
no... I did not walk like Johnny Appleseed and toss a handful to each side
I simply dropped the whole mass in an area just past the end of the alley
thinking... these acorns could grown into a tree... feed the squirrels... or break down into soil
any and all better than them being bagged and hauled off to a landfill
Cicadas on the Gwadzilla Page
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