Rain sucks.

2 weeks of grey skies, no riding (outside that is, just the trainer).
Then it got worse. Came home Sunday night from my mom's on Mother's Day dinner opened the door down to the basement, and saw toys, papers, clothes floating in 14" of water.
We had things we cared about in Rubbermaid containers, but the disturbing thing was that it floated them and then they tipped over, spilling all the family pictures, hierlooms, etc. into our new pool.
We had a family room and an office down there.
I guess we were lucky, in that we only lost all the stuff that was down there, and didn't lose everything like some people around the area.
I know that last thing on my mind should be bikes, considering all the things we did lose, but my trainer is ruined, the bikes were in water over the hubs and BB for about 8 hours.

Still, rain sucks.

3 rides...

Did three rides this past week, all in different states, with different terrain.

All 3 were small venues, but I was on the bike, I am loving the Karate Monkey.

Rigid singlespeed for me.

Boston Lot Lake - Lebanon, NH
Killer climb to start, fun singletrack and doubletrack.





Lincoln Woods - Lincoln, RI
Lotsa doubletrack, some singletrack, some crazy freeride lines that I opted out of, and some really cool rock areas.





Spruce Creek - New Smyrna Beach, FL
These must be brand new trails, they weren't here a year ago. Very impressive, someone put alot of time into these. All narrow singletrack, typical Florida riding, roots, patches of soft sand to keep you honest, twisting and turning the whole time. The palms do a great job of hiding whatever it is you scares as you barrel along, did see a 4 foot black snake, 2 armidillo's, the rest I could hear but not see. Very fun for a place that is otherwise becoming overdeveloped or just jeep roads.

Check out the stir.....

...I caused by posting the message below on the Mountain Bike review forum.

*link*

I even got an ex-Pro freestyler.

Biking Roots (BMX)

This is random, but I was looking through some old pictures yesterday, and came across a pic of my 1986 Diamond Back Super Viper. This is what I consider my first "real" bike. I had others, mostly Huffy or Columbia, but this was the first with a free wheel, dia compe brakes, tioga tires, etc. It was chrome and black, I thought it was a bad a$$ bike. I wanted to be just like Pistol Pete Luncarevich, or Harry Leary, more of the racing types, than the freestylers, although I thought they were cool, I just didn't have the skills. (Think Eddy Fiola and Mike Dominez). Flashing through my head were images of riding to the rope swing during the summer, lake jumping off my neighbors dock (before I knew what rust was), building jumps and a small figure 8 track in my friends yard, racing at the local BMX races, riding 10 miles on the road to get there because my mom wouldn't take me. Last night I was thinking how much fun I had on that bike and that I haven't been into anything else besides bicycles and riding them ever since.
Then today, I walk into my LBS, and there is a 2006 Diamond Back Super Viper.
Now I am wondering if this is destiny, although I am not sure that a 6'3" 215lb 31 year old would really be able to ride one, but maybe my 6yo daughter would like it?
I am pretty happy with my Surly Karate Monkey (SS Rigid).
I think I have gone full circle, as I went from the Super Viper to a mtn bike(&road bike), then added suspension to the front of my mtn bikes, to a full suspension, back to a HT with suspension fork, to full rigid one speed bike.
Just wanted to share this, and see if anyone else has similiar roots out there.
Thanks for reading.
Dan

My other favorite way to "waste" time

Doing this.

Harpoon IPA and oatmeal raisin cookies

That's what I had a craving for after today's ride.
Must be something about "Spring" time and road bike rides.
So I went out for a road ride today and it was colder than I thought, I usually overdress, but I was cold, had too big of a lunch, headwind, sun never seemed to warm me up.
Ooh, is my rear brake rubbing on the rim, robbing me of power?
Look down, dang, it's not.
How about air in my tires, are they low?
Front-nope.
Rear, crap! Why does it feel like I am towing a boat anchor?!!!

Then I turned on Drinkwater road, and I felt refreshed.
I don't know if it was the wind changing directions, I finally warmed up enough, or what, but I was starting to feel good about this ride.
Felt the need to put the hands on the drops and just crank out some circles. Lifting up on the upstroke and simultaneously pushing down on the other foot.
I felt like a weapon, a weapon that needed Harpoon IPA and oatmeal raisin cookies for fuel!
What a great reward.

The Partridge Family

AOF's version.

No child left behind.

That's what my wife told me, when I asked why my 5 year old daughter who has been able to read and write for about a year, started writing words like it was from a ebonics textbook. She actually was spoken to about writing words the correct way and not writing just how they sound.
I can't help but hear the afternoon kindergarten teacher say to the class:
"May I have your attention class, it appears that some of you aren't following this lesson's instructions, we aren't writing words as your parents taught you, we are writing words so that the slow kids in class learn to write words the wrong way, just to add to the confusion, and further help their demise integrating into society."
WTF!!!
Funny thing is, I just got done talking to someone who was thinking of moving to my town, and telling them how good the school system is.
The only thing I can hope is that 1st grade is a little better.
Do the make kids stay back in kindergarten?
Oh, wait, no child left behind--> Pass'em, it'll cost the school district more to keep them back.
It will definately be cheaper to enroll them in un-employment in 15 years because their rez-oo-may has all the-eez spel-in er-oars!
So, like everything in America nowadays, we cater to the dumb, and/or lazy.
Yay!

/rant

Check back soon for my thoughts on the lack of responsibility we (Americans in general) cater too!

Dan-Solo

I ride alone.
Well, lately it's been alone.
I have been traveling more with my new job, and feel alone.
But it isn't a bad alone, on the contrary, I believe that it is good for me.
It gives me a chance to focus on work, and sort of a reset.
It put's events in my life in perspective.
And, because I relate everything in my life to bike riding, some of the best rides I have been on are when it is me, one gear, and one tire width trail.
Perfect.


"I never found a companion that was so companionable as solitude."
-Henry David Thoreau

Yeknom Etarak Ylrus

I gots me a noo bi-see-kul!

A Surly Karate Monkey.

Here is a report of the first few rides:
Overall it was a good ride, I have my 26" gearing right now 32x18, and I thought I would be killing myself, but it really wasn't that bad. I did notice a few climbs that I am usually able to make I couldn't, who knows what's to blame for that though.
I felt very comfortable on the bike as far as position, standover, etc.
That being said, I tried a few things that I have never done before (going over a few rocks, etc.) and did make it.

The rigid fork was a little hand numbing by the end of the 2 hours, first time on a rigid fork in 10 years. It really showed its positive attributes while climbing, that side of it is great. No "First time humping on a waterbed" as PAW would say. Going the other way (longer descents) made me want just a few inches of travel.

The funny thing about the bike, which is a 22" frame, is it looks like everyone elses (size 19" and smaller) bike as far as proportional frame to the wheels. I met a guy and a girl from Hanover, NH out there (Ft Rock), they asked for directions to the tunnel, he accused me of being crazy to be riding a SS, then he saw a rigid fork, and was up in arms about that. He and his wife were riding Blur's. He then said I must be a young college kid, wait til I hit my 30's and 40's (Ha! I'm 31) but he didn't even realize it had big wheels.

Un-believable

Mohammed Cartoon

[sarcasm]
How could a sane political cartoonist, draw a picture of a man from ~1500 years ago, wearing a head dress that resembles a bomb. As this religious figures followers are some of the most understanding and tolerant people in the world. To attack these people by drawing a picture, that is just ubsurd.
Why, they should ignore it if they don't like it.
How dare someone have a different opinion and not believe in their god, or a god at all.

Below is this awful visual kick in these peoples faces.


[/sarcasm]




Your friendly Infidel
AOF

My problem

I am addicted to riding my bicycle.
Problem is, recently I haven't been able to do it as much as I like.
Whether it be work or renovating my bathroom, I haven't been out since the day after Thanksgiving.
Before that it was about 3 weeks. I was riding 3-4 times a week.
See were I am going here?

I just have to keep reminding myself, that in the grand scheme of things, this is just a small problem, but, hey, that's why we have blogs right?

So people can vent and crab about stuff.

Well this is my part.

Here is me on my last ride.

Gotta love New England

This past Saturday (Ocotber 29th) it was snowing, now granted, it didn't stick, simply melting when it hit the ground, but still, it was cold enough that the falling percipitation froze.
Fast forward less than 24 hours, and it was sunny and seventy two degrees.
Today is November first, and though I am not too thrilled with it being dark before 5pm, I got out on the bike today to enjoy the Indian summer weather. Not sure how long it will last, but I'm going to enjoy it.
The trees seemed to be at their peak in my neck of the woods, almost surreal, I've lived here most of my life, but until you live other places, you don't appreciate what we have here.

Single Speed bicycles

In a word, they rule.
A simple statement for a simple bicycle.
Less parts to go wrong with.
Get on and ride, no worries about being in the right gear, as single speeds are always in the RIGHT gear.
Derailluers suck!

I recently converted my 2004 Gary Fisher Cake 2 dlx (5 inch of travel front and rear) to a single speed. The bike originally came with 27 combinations of speeds, but I found I don't shift that much.


I actually haven't ridden this bike since I converted my old 1997 Trek 8900 hardtail to a single speed as an experiment in Nov. '04. I was just going to try it.
Well, I liked it so much in the snow, that after my road riding episode (the wet spring months here in NH), I am lusting after a dedicated SS, and getting rid of my other bikes.


more too follow.......

5th ammendment-recent voting-related story

Funny story

I don't see this as liberal or conservative, just dumb.

Serves the Un-American bastard right.

I'm ready to book my room.

Hit by car on National Bike to Work day

I live in Exeter, NH, and work in Acton, MA, 53 miles away.
I did it by bicycle yesterday, May 20, and on the return trip home, it happened.

Here is how it went down, as best that I can remember.

Coming down a slight hill on 125N in North Andover around 5pm, picture lotsa cars as there are stores all along this section, a champagne colored Lexus SUV coming from the opposite direction starts to pull in front of me as I'm doing about 28mph, I grab the brakes and the woman driving sees me at the last second and stops in the middle of the road, I coast by. Whew!!
45 seconds later, I'm now doing about 24mph, de ja vu, I see a woman with no blinker on, in the opposite lane, in a black Lincoln Continental start turning to go into a Bank, the entrance is about 25 feet in front of me, she isn't looking at me, just the entrance, I grab the brakes,
Yell "HEY!!!!!!!", and the speed along with the sand on the side of the road send the back tire sliding underneath me to the right, I unclip, put my left foot down and slide into the side of the car. Boom!
I don't know how I stayed upright, but my left shoulder ended up hockey checking her passenger side pillar.

I move away from the car which has now stopped and start cursing like I was back in the Navy, looking the bike over, as nothing hurts on me, adrenaline is pumping, start thinking about my two kids, and thankful that I'm not hurt.
The bars and the fork are going in the opposite direction, the elderly woman, about 5 ft, 90pounds, gets out and says "What happend?", "Why did you hit my car?"

I want to start blasting this woman with every derogatory remark I can think of, instead, I say "You hit me."
"I was coming down the road and you turned right into me."

Her"I looked and I didn't see any cars, you must've been going fast."

"I was going about 25."

"Well are you OK?" There is a change in her voice, from defensive to caring.

"I think so, my bike looks OK." I spin the front wheel, it is still true.

I'm shaking my head, and she looks at her car, there is a large scratch on her quarter panel, and a couple of dents there and on the front door as well.
I'm thinking that is going to cost alot to repair, probably on fixed income, start thinking about my grandmother...who is just as capable as making a dumb mistake like this. She didn't mean to do this.

She says"I'm sorry, are you sure you are OK?"

"Yeah, I'm OK, just watch out for people on bike please!"

"OK"

She gets back in her car and parks......I'm done talking with her.


From the time I yelled HEY, a fellow bicyclist saw the whole thing, comes over to me and asks if the wheels are true.
I discover that my back tire has a bald spot all the way down to the tube. He offers to take me to a local shop to get a new tire.
I throw the bike in his van, and we go to a shop in Andover, get a new tire put on, and it turns out this guy is headed up to Maine to work on a cottage he has up there.
So he give me a ride to the first exit in NH on 95 and I ride home from there. Along the ride I'm running the whole incident in my head, could I have done something different? Should I have gotten all her information? Got the police involved? I felt I did the right thing, I wasn't hurt, my bike was fine, her car would need some work. I asked the guy what he would have done as we sit in the Friday afternoon 495 traffic headed north.
He agrees, it was the right thing to do, just walk away, for the same reasons as above.

Big thanks to Charlie at the bike shop in Andover, and especially to David M(?) of Andover for the much needed help.

Needless to say, I don't know when I'll do the 53 mile commute to Acton again.

-Dan

On the bench of the 2004 World Series Champions.

Can the U.S. be oil free by 2050?

Can the U.S. be oil free by 2050?
MSN Money link related to this
We could be free faster than that, I mean I can take a picture and e-mail it with my cellular phone.
WTF!!!!

Red Sox win 3rd game of the season!

Red Sox win 3rd game of the season!

They lost the first two to the Evil empire, but yesterday was great.

Mariano Rivera blew a save, gave up 5 runs, no help from A-Rod who bobbled what could have been the game ending double play, and got booh-ed by the ever faithful New York fans as he was relieved.

Ha Ha Ha

It's still way too early and we are down a game, but really for me the season doesn't start until the first pitch is thrown in Fenway.

159 games to go........

The world could use.....

....... more people like Mr. MacCready

Follow the link to a webpage on Mr. Paul MacCready

He was behind the designing and building of the human powered plane that flew across the English channel. Interesting read.

Spring is finally here in New England

Got out at lunch and did a road ride today, even though all I had with me was my cold weather gear (long sleeve jersey and pants)I was a little over dressed, but it was great to be out and not freezing.
I ended up taking my gloves off and stuffing them in my jersey pocket.
I'm going down a hill and as I get close to the bottom I get passed by a car and it slows down about 50ft in front of me, I can see a hand pop out of the window and the passenger window starts to roll down.
Here is the dialogue:
Driver:"Hi."
Me:"Hi."
Driver:"You lost your glove back there."
Me:"Oh, thanks"
Driver:"No problem."

I felt like such a 'tard.

Interested readings on Iraq-insiders view

I was pointed to 2 Iraqi blogs today, interesting, check them out:

Imad Khadduri- I don't agree with everything he has here, but...it provides an interesting point of view for me, the "dumb American" as he calls all 300 million of us.

"Free Iraq blog"


Riverbend, a Iraqi female whose blog comes accross as humorous in some spots.

"Baghdad Burning blog"

Chopper bike

riding the chopper bike

Here is a pic of me riding a chopper bike I made out of a few old bikes. No sense in sending them to the dump, and I get to travel on a new bike and not have to buy (ever increasing in price) gas!

When will we cut our losses and develope ways to cut our reliance on foriegners oil.