Here's a little vid I put together about a group of us that like to ride in circles to the left.
-Matt
'A group of us run track style races around empty parking lots (hence, Ghettodrome) in New Haven, CT. Here's what goes down on an average night (minus the crashes!)...Enjoy!'
-From our friends at Ghostship Clothing
I like that. 'A group of us who like to ride in circles to the left.'
When it comes right down to it, Id say we all like to ride in circle to the left. You know, literally and figuratively speaking.
Secondly, go by and see a guy named Guy and learn why it is he likes things that are awesome.
How can you go wrong with a guy named Guy who likes things that are awesome?
Like the swellbow, for example. Thats pretty awesome.
Oh, and speaking of awesome, Ill bust this little chestnut out one more time.
I saw JP (whos leg this adornes) a couple of weeks ago, and word has actually spread to THE Scott Baio about this number and rumor
has it that hes bummed.
Although we would have thought that his holiness would have opted for the blaze orange DARYL hat, we can't fault him...check out his forward lean and proper adjustment on the FlexFit....
Here's Ryan and the 12th Son of the Lama getting down....
In other news, I had a brief meeting with El Corpo today, and aside from blablaing about god knows what...
Price point averages, quarterly earnings consumption, and a bunch of other mumbo jumbo, we talked about this here weblog thing. We both agreed that we want to see it become something more, but what exactly, nether of us knew. And then it struck me. As its been said time and time again, besides being a bicycle clothing company, Swobo is a community, a collective idea, as well as a widespread and combined set of ideals. Now I know by looking at my little spy counter that everyday there are more folks looking at this. An overwhelmingly increasing number in fact. Heres what I propose:
Just kidding.. Hear me out.
I know that you are doing cool stuff. I know that you are organizing your own Wednesday night rides, bike polo events under the Brooklyn Bridge, midnight alley cat races. There are art shows, film fests, fund raisers that youve got your younger brothers crappy punk band playing at, there are tiny bike downhill races, outlaw cross races, memorial rides, bike rodeos, derbies, or perhaps info on one of the toughest men youll ever meet finally walking again after being creamed by a car...I want you to give me the scoop. You get the picture?
Dont get me wrong. I like doing this very much, but I want to hear what you have to say. I dont want to turn this into some B.S. forum. MTBR.com has the corner on those. I want this to be your weblog as well as ours. Hell, if you already have a weblog of your own, copy and paste your goods, send it to me, and Ill link your individual pages. Get cracking folks. Our life, albeit a non bummer one, is sometimes a bit boring. I want to know about the goodness that is yours.
For example-Taken directly from Michael Greens 'Bikeblog'
BOOK SIGNING PARTY FOR NEW MESSENGER BOOK.
'Amy Bolger has been riding the streets and taking pictures for a long time. Now she has compiled her photographs of alleycats into a new book and there is a permier party, on February 16th, the day before Monster Track 8. (this is also a chance to pre-register for NYC's fix gear only race)'
-Now folks, see how easy that was?
steve@swobo.com
I spoke with Mrs. Inglis on the phone today, and she reminded me that the Handmade Bike Show is only a month away. I urge you to get your skinny behinds to this if youre in the area. Or for that matter, even if youre not.
Last year had so much eye candy I had to go home, despondently check my finances, and then I took a nap.
Really good stuff here folks. This bike here, by the way is called a Retrotec and was made by Mr.Inglis. Together, Mr and Mrs. Inglis have a combined height of 16 feet.
Also, Michael and Jessica, formerly of Spot Brand rolled through and spent a couple of days on their way to see our friend Ballbreaker get married.
Would you marry someone named Ballbreaker?
No, I wouldnt ether, despite how many times Ive kissed him, and then thrown his shoes over the fence. Im sure hell make that lucky girl very happy.
And finally I present to you one more reason to move to Portland.
Its a damn utopia I tells ya.
Minneapolis has long been known to bring damage and humiliation to the new comers, and nay sayers.
This years Stuporbowl will be no different. With ten years under its belt, its sure to cause another heaping helping of good times and fuzzy memories.
'Get your bike tuned up, grab a stick of Juicy Fruit, the Stuporbowl is gonna moooove ya....'
As long as Im meandering with no direction here, and no offense to folks with mental disabilities, but what the hell is with this retardedness?
I figure if god hates fags, then he probably hates a bunch of other stuff too.
Ive decided that it would be fun to go to one of these goofball protests with signs that say things like 'GOD HATES PANTS' and 'GOD HATES FLY FISHING'.
Ive got my poster board and markers ready.
Lastly, and as much as it pains me to say this, Myspace hath forsaken Swobo.
If by chance you have contacted us through the page in the last few days regarding sponsorship, fellowship, or ships of any kind, we are locked out due to a password snafu. Im in the process of clearing it up, but in the mean time, get ahold of us through the site, or me personal and direct at steve@swobo.com.
Like Joefish said, "90% of me hates the 10% of me that loves 90% of Myspace."
What better way to wrap up the season then with a bit of humilation and chaos?
And while were on the topic of humiliation and chaos, why dont you go by and see my old pal Dan?
Hes the most chaotic humiliation I know.
In fact, the last time I saw him was at the one speed worlds in Down Evil. In a heap. In the back of my truck. Its been a while Dan. Your mother and I are worried. Why dont you ever write anymore?
The first thing I ever stole was a chocolate football from the brand new 7-11 in my home town. The year was probably 1976.
I was scared,
it was a rush,
and all of the excitement made the chocolate taste that much better.
The last thing I stole was this image.
The thrill is gone, but the site I took if from is damn sassy.
It makes chocolate taste good too.
So, as I mentioned a few weeks ago, Ive recently reconnected with a couple of kids I used to messenger with. Well, Nat sent me a brief summery of what theyve been up to since moving onto more Euro evirons. I swear, their existence makes me realize what a boring, boring existance I lead.
'When we left our heros they were wrestling cars in the cold, wet, and quite slippery streets of Hamburg, Germany......'
'After several years of being run off the road by mullet wearing BMW drivers and Nazis in Beetles, and daily run-ins with several thousand suicidal bike path ignoring pedestrians, Heide decided it was time to enter the time honered halls of higher education, at the University of Applied Sciences Hamburg. Majoring in Vehicle Design Engineering, and N@ found a part time job at a local bike shop and made up the difference on the streets.(this soon turned into a full time wrench gig). While Heide was learning to build bigger better faster coffins, ah I mean, cars, N@ was being trained in the ancient art of European Bicycle Mechanics. (I think it was about this time that we ran into one of your Tioga/GT hooligans at the Eurobike) Anyway to make a long story short N@ spent about five years doing the wrench thing then got a position as workshop slave at Norwid a local framebuilder (www.Norwid.de). Heide in the meantime got her engineering diploma, designed the rims for the new VW Golf GTI (google it) and then got jilted by VW during the great German car company crisis. She ended up working for a sub-contracter from Airbus designing the Airbus A-380.
At some point in time, N@'s German/south African friend Olaf came up with the cockamamy plan to move back to South Africa and open up a bike shop. Since N@Heide were also fed up with the Germanburocraticsocialistbullshitassholecrap they decided it sounded like a good idea. About the same time Heide got an offer to work for Airbus in Toulouse, France for a bucket load of cash, and so "The Rosebud Project" was born.'
THE ROSEBUD PROJECT
'Heide works in France and earns money while N@ and Olaf go to Cape Town, South Africa and open a bike/framebuilding shop so everyone can get rich and retire in a cool anarchistic enviornment where everyone can do what the fuck they want as long as you bribe the right people.
That's just about everything in a nutshell.'
-Thats some tale. Its interesting for me to see whats transpired to some of the folks I was on the road with. Some are still there, battling traffic, and filing court papers on the regular. A bunch, like myself retreated to the safer confines of wrenching duties in various shops around the world, some are renowned tattoo artists, one has gone on to become a lawyer, one is an environmental designer, one is a chemical engineer, there are musicians.. the list goes on and on. Its like a perverse alumni of the damned here.
The long standing joke was when you graduate from art school, you receive a diploma, a bag and a radio.
Im glad to say it looks to me like all of the kids have done pretty well for themselves...
And then as per my usual, this-has-nothing-to-do-with-anything-moment,
here you go. If you like this like I like this, Wicked Awesome Films has a link with many more funny shorts over there in the link bar.
What? Like, you have anything better to do?
Phoenix is warm, Northern California is not, The Mafia has a new addition.
News has it that Phoenix is going to be enjoying its first ever alley cat race. If youre one of the lucky bike nerds in the area, why dont you swing by and get in on the action?
Secondly, for those of you who know what Im talking about, day 17 is now in the bag, and Ive frozen my ass off in a million different ways in the process.
Hell, I might even move to Phoenix.
And I cant forget, I have to offer this weeks WTF award. Congratulations.
Lastly, I received word that our ace homie, Catboxxx Gravestoned Overfiller just shot out a healthy baby boy this morning. I totally won the bet. Gene, youve got karma coming to you in spades.
I would like you to name him Mamby Pamby Duseldorf HIYAHH! Smith Oberpriller please. Hes gonna end up resenting you anyhow. Might as well take a pre-emptive strike.
It was a Friday just like any other Friday....and then Steve P rolls in.
After some simple small chatter, he lets loose the bomb that his grand father, the grand poo bah of Maui, was the individual who single handedly coined the phrase
"HERE TODAY....GONE TO MAUI".
Never have I been in the same company of greatness as this moment.
I have to go.
We get a lot of emails wondering where the hell our stuff comes from. Some people are concerned with the American people who are just dying to have sewing jobs (that would be sarcasm), or, we get a fair share wondering if we have wool that comes from Australia where they have mueseling practices. And for those of you who don't have "Mueselling" on the top of your mind this morning....it's when they shave the ass of the sheep during the haircut. The PETA people freak on that one....so New Zealand doesn't allow any Mueselling. They're a fairly progressive country down there.
Anyhow, the good people who knit our wool made this map of where our new (this Spring) Merino T-shirts will be coming from. These are the names of the actual farms where Swobo is born. It's our version of the Budweiser "Born on Dating" thinga ma jig. If anyone is heading down there any time soon, you get a free organic cotton T if you can send us a picture of your mug in front of any of these farms.
And lastly this, from our main man, Captain AZ:
'i have been making a courier calendar for 6 or 7 years now, and this year i used the polaroid portraits i took at the three big courier championships, the ecmc in helsinki, the naccc in philly, and the cmwc in sydney. not all of the pictures are masterpieces, but i like the project in the sense that they represent a cross-section of the global courier community who attends the championships. the polaroids also have a certain flavor that i'm really into. i'm not just the photographer, but also a participant in the event i'm at, and sometimes the drunken foolishness is apparent in my compositions and focus (or lack thereof), and i think that adds to the intimate quality of the shots. how is that for some art school bullshit? anyways, if you still want to post something about it on your bummer blog, you can include the following links to the demoncats web site where the pictures i used are up' Here, here, and here.
I dont have a proper email address for the Captain, but you can find him here.
Dont say I never gave you nothin.....
600 miles, 1000 rounds of ammo, and 300 cans of beer
So yeah, its true. Mrs. Loudass is gonna have twin girls, who by Friendly Pauls math will be 16 when we all turn 50.
Heh, Heh.......
We all met up at the Klamath River at Loudasses father in laws house which is roughly 4 yards from the Oregon boarder.
The giant Russian, JMac and I rented a van.
JMac and I both brought bikes, but J forgot his shoes, and his helmet. The Russian just brought an extra pair of pants 'in case he soiled a pair', and we drove well into the night.
Upon our arrival, we were greeted by Loudass himself, Friendly Paul, Toby, Bee, Robio Ives, The Berg, and an arsenal of assorted weaponry, including Bees potato cannon. If armageddon was going to happen, this would have been a good weekend for it.
Friendly Pauls cousin is some kind of muckety muck at Budweiser, so the call was made and they picked up more beer then we could drink. There was a bottle of whisky, and about 3 gallons of vodka in the mix as well.
This promised to be a long and painful weekend.
So the highlights are as follows:
Tons of guns. I think we shot a hole clear to Mount Shasta. I thought if anybody was gonna be shot, it would be me or Friendly Paul, cause, you know...thats how we roll. When I took one of the shot guns and exclaimed 'SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND!', blasting the box of spent shells, sending them showering through the air, I knew it was time for me to go back to the safety of inside.
I snapped Bees leg with a towel, in what can only be described as the best towel snap of my life. towel snapping
We rode on 18 degree weather, and Paul said he thought his heart was going to explode.
J attempted donuts on the rider mower.
And lastly, in two days, we ate more beige food then Ive ever eaten in my life.
I was the only one who brought anything that ever grew on a plant.
My colin will one day thank me.
All in all, I dont think we reached the level of havoc that were capable of, but when that much fire power is involved, maybe thats for the best.
Those little girls of the Loudasses are gonna have the most degenerate set of uncles any little girls could ever hope for.
What do drinking, guns, and trials have to do with one another?
Nothing other then the fact that I just spent the weekend celebrating one last gasp at freedom for Loudass, what with twin baby girls on the way.
Ill give you the low down tomorrow. The trials is just something that was in my inbox, and due to the fact that presently I cant see straight, Im just gonna leave you with this to watch.
Trust me though, when I say that 10 drunks, 300 cans of beer, and fire arms are a match made in Heaven.
Swobo is looking for a sales manager starting immediately. Check out this job description, and send an email or forever hold your peace. Swobo is an equal opportunity employer...unless your a royal pain in the ass...in which case we'll politely tell you to beat it. But we don't get many of those...
Here it is:
Job Description
Swobo is an established brand of alternative, unparalleled cycling apparel and sportswear, now introducing a line of street bikes as unique as the clothing. Both the clothing and the bikes will expand the idea of cycling beyond the traditional, limited categories of the bicycle industry. Swobo believes these traditional bicycle distribution channels are exclusive and elitest. We strive in our designs and marketing to be inclusive, and our distribution strategy will do the same.
This job requires an experienced person in sales and customer service, with a take-charge attitude and strong sales initiative. Swobo will be selling to select bicycle dealers and consumers on our web-site, so experience with web-driven sales will be a plus. This is not an entry-level position for someone trying to escape a bike shop, unless you blow us away in the interview. We currently sell via online at our own store (swobo.com), through a limited bike dealer network, and are looking to open other channels (boutique clothing, skate shops, surf shops, etc.) for our wholesale growth.
Candidate must have the ability to prioritize multiple, simultaneous tasks. He or she must have the skills and initiative to operate independently and make decisions. This is primarily a sales job, so goals must be set and accountability will be based on these goals being met. Commissions will be paid in addition to a generous base salary.
Knowledge of bicycles and the culture is almost a requirement, although we are not ruling out an exceptionally fast learner. Since you will be selling to both wholesale and retail customers, legitimacy and credibility with our customers demands a level of facility with our products and how they are used.
This job requires someone light on their feet, independent thinking, fast-moving, multi-tasking and able to make coffee. Must be able to give good phone.
CLICK HERE to send an email to the Supreme El Corpo.
Firstly, I wanted to lay a picture of the new Swobo H.Q on you.
Sky did all of the decorating. Shes a regular Martha Stewart/ Fred Sanford wonder-kin.
My desk is behind the dumpster.
Outside.
Next door.
Secondly, our man Joes fighting a tough fight. Read on and ifin you reside in the Southern part of the left coast, absolutely get in on some of the benefit rides.
There was a smashing picture of Joe on a PDF file that I woulda included, but you see, Im dumb, and I dont know how.
All the info thats fit to print can be found on the following links.
Master Kemp writes;
Let’s help Joe avoid the bummer life. This event is to support one of my friends from Jax Bicycles. Joe is one of their best mechanics, he is a great guy, and has been battling cancer for over 3 years. Apparently things aren’t going so well, and he isn’t getting the financial support from his health insurance to cover the needed treatments.
Besides this belt buckle, cyclists in Texas may soon have something to celebrate.
08:01 AM CST on Tuesday, January 9, 2007
By JOE SIMNACHER / The Dallas Morning News
Texas cyclists are again backing safe-passing legislation they hope will save lives and help prosecute careless drivers.
FILE 2004/Staff photo
Chris Phelan started the Ride of Silence to honor a local cyclist killed in a hit-and-run. A Texas group is pushing for a bill that would regulate clearance given to riders on the road. The Texas Bicycle Coalition is lobbying for a yet-to-be-filed bill that would require motorists to give bicycles 3 feet of clearance when passed by a car or light truck and 6 feet of room when a commercial vehicle goes by.
An average of 50 cyclists a year are killed on Texas roads, about 20 of whom are hit from behind by vehicles traveling the same direction, said Bud Melton of Dallas, chairman of the Texas Bicycle Coalition board of directors.
The proposed legislation would also be a starting point for prosecutors handling bicycle-car fatalities, the bill's advocates say.
"It adds teeth to a situation where you have a bicycle-motorist crash," Mr. Melton said. "It's almost always the fault of the motorist, but they get off scot-free, and there is no real law that they have to give adequate clearance to the bicyclist when they [vehicles] go past. What this sets out to do is highlight the importance of that spacing."
North Texas cyclists killed by passing vehicles in recent years include several accomplished and safe riders:
•Phyllis Hassan, 73, was killed in May 2004 near Granbury by an inattentive driver. Ms. Hassan had served on the Texas Bicycle Coalition's safety panel. The case has not been brought to trial.
Also Online
05/14/04: Riders compile a sobering list of casualties
•Larry Schwartz, 42 – who rode 26,000 miles on his bicycle in 2002 – was killed in May 2003 north of McKinney, when he was struck by the rearview mirror of a passing school bus. The bus driver was sentenced to 180 days in the county jail and five years' probation for leaving the scene of the crash. Friends founded a Ride of Silence at Dallas' White Rock Lake after his death.
•Carlos S. Rodriguez, 66 – a one-time competitive cyclist with more than 40 years of experience – was hit from behind and killed in October 1999 by a speeding driver in East Dallas. The case was considered to a Dallas County grand jury, but no charges were filed against the driver.
Robin Stallings, executive director of the Texas Bicycle Coalition, likens the proposed bicycle-passing policy to laws that place blame on motorists who rear-end other vehicles.
"We assume that if we hit the person from behind, we're liable," he said of the automotive legal precedent. "That's the equivalent what we're talking about here if you are passing a cyclist."
The liability issue might help reduce the number of motorists who intentionally buzz close by cyclists, Mr. Stallings said.
"Sometimes they get too close and they hit somebody, whether they intended to kill anybody or not," Mr. Stallings said. "But they always have a defense in front of a jury, which is 'I was just driving by and that cyclist just swerved into me.' A safe driver would already give 3 feet of clearance. It's not going to be anything new for the vast majority of drivers."
While the safe-passing rule might not represent a big change to many motorists, it would make a tremendous difference to cyclists and their families, including Ms. Hassan's son, David Hassan of Flower Mound.
"My brother and I were able to convince the Hood County DA to reopen the case because we thought there was a misinterpretation of the evidence," Mr. Hassan said.
In 2004, Ms. Hassan was riding her bicycle on the shoulder of State Highway 51 near Granbury.
"There was a 6-foot shoulder that my mother was riding on," Mr. Hassan said. "The skid marks that her tires created at impact indicated she was riding 5 feet onto that 6-foot shoulder. The driver basically had to swerve off the road in order to hit her.
"From the point where my mother should have been visible to him [the driver] was about a quarter of a mile," Mr. Hassan said. "So that indicated that he was driving a distance of a quarter of a mile without looking at the road. He [the driver] even admitted that he didn't know he hit somebody, because he said he was putting his driver's insurance card into his sun visor, so he'd taken his eyes off the road to do that."
Despite what Mr. Hassan felt was a compelling evidence for an indictment, the case was not brought to trial.
Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, plans to file the safe-passing bill this session.
In 2005, the bill came within four votes of passing. Mr. Ellis' staff expects a sister bill to be submitted in the Texas House this session.
Geno turned over some hard to reach stones and came up with this. (Yo, when you click on the link, peep the arrow in the upper left corner)
And is it just me, or was today the absolutely longest day in history?
Aloha, Johnny Papaya here(http://myspace.com/johnnypapaya), mountain biker(one speed), wannabe rock star, and of course, ultimate frisbee player...formerly from El Cerrito, Honolulu(bikehawaii.com), and now chillin' in the midwest usa.
Thought I'd send y'all a pic from my recent trip to europe...a few Scandinavian countries have really cheap rental bikes in the major cities, and the pic I've attached is from Oslo, Norway. Basically, you just pop in a few coins and ride away...then return the bike when you're finished, even if it's days or weeks later...sweet idea, wish the usa was that cool !!
Gotta run, keep up the good work on the site...peace out.
Today I got a semi-surprise visit from a gaggle of friends from the East Bay. We went on a bike ride that, from the minute we left Jordys aunt and uncles house... No, from the very second we left their house was cranked to 11.
In part this was a group of folks who Ive been riding mountain bikes with off and on pretty much since I started riding mountain bikes, and its always the same thing with these freaks. No beer stops, hardly any stops at all actually and mashing the damn pedals every inch of the way. Now Im not complaining, mind you. I think its a good thing to blow the old cobwebs out every now and again, but dammit, Janet.. do they have to ride that fast ALL OF THE TIME?
Anyhow, the whole ride was a blur, and now Im left barely able to make it up the stairs.
Ive included a photo of the unsinkable Gina Hall on account of cause she was one of the instigators of this mess, and so you know what I was up against.
Im the toughest wilted flower you know.
Oh, and this is totally beside the point, but I just got one of these.
It totally rules.
Did I say nap? I meant 'liquid nap'.
The new film by Pure Sweet Hells Brian Vernor.
For now, you folks dont get no more than this. Actually, as I previously reported, there was a bit of drinking going on at the Santa Cruz Bikes christmas party. This trailer contains about 15% more then I actually remember seeing.
Its gonna be a good one, you betcha.
Ok, so Steve Smith put out there that he was going to ride 30 straight days, at least an hour per, trainers were allowed. I was in FL on vacation and the idea seemed interesting, especially since my first day back at work would be the 1st of Dec. Why not go for the whole month. Kind of like advent with a little bit of lent thrown in for penance. Here goes...
12/1: The usual commute is going way slower than normal given that I haven’t touched a bike in nearly a month. What the hell was I thinking?
12/2: Starting to feel a cold coming on. Should I ride or not. Fuck it, I am not going to kill off a challenge on the second day. If I get really sick as a result, well at least I didn’t puss out in the early stages. Went for a short ride and rode slow, added a little mileage in the end to ensure I hit the hour. This is going to be a long month.
12/3: First trainer day. I had forgotten how much a full hour on a trainer sucks. Sweat dripping off of everything, loss of sensation where you really never want to have a loss of sensation, absolute monotony and boredom. Steve, I’m already starting to hate you.
12/4: So I find out this morning that Steve has already bailed on the challenge. Always knew he was a pussy. Today was one of those days we really only get in the winter. Clear blue skies, no wind down Crissy Field and I could see clear to the Farallons. Even with conditions like that, 7 people passed me on the bridge and not a one responded to my hello. What gives?
12/5: Ok the last two days I have had the wiggles and the doodlebops stuck in my head respectively. For those of you who know what I mean, you feel my pain. For those who don’t, remember birth control is the only way to guarantee you never feel this pain.
12/6: People were friendly today. Nice change. I now know that Mike has been conned by Steve to try this 30 day gig too. And he supposedly used me to help convince him. Bastard, he will rot in hell one day, of course so will I, but that’s a story for a different day.
12/7: The day that will live in infamy, ok so I’m Hawaiian and this date will always be Pearl Harbor day for me. Legs getting rubbery, not sure when the last time was that I went 7 straight days. Likely over 5 years ago. Tomorrow marks _ of the way when I cross the bridge.
12/8: First rain day. No too bad, but brought the bike without fenders. The nice thing about rainy days is that I always feel fast, mainly because no one else is out to make me feel slow. Tomorrow’s schedule means it’s a trainer day, yippee
12/9: Well, the trainer hell didn’t truly start until 45 minutes in. That’s 10 minutes better than last time. Plus, the Ipod shuffled through to Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner from Warren Zevon. Brought me right back to the shop in Sebastopol working along side Bill Janssen and Mike Bohn. That’s where all this cycling madness really took hold.
12/10: Two trainer days in a row. I realize that most people look at the weekend as a time to get out. For me, I commute on the bike all week and the weekends, and well, life gets in the way sometimes. Kinda odd, but that’s life married to a musician. Today’s Ipod moment was a song from Midnight Oil’s album “Red Sails in the Sunset”. Brought me right back to the trip to Scottsdale in the asphixiator with Mike commenting on the fact that I actually had a copy of their first album in by collection of tapes. Strange how certain things jump out.
12/11: Well, I had to stay home and help fill in as my wife deals with a nagging back injury. That means more trainer time…Whoo hoo!. I must have tried to talk myself out of the full hour for 45 minutes of the ride. Can’t wait to ride tomorrow, rain or shine, anything but that damn trainer.
12/12: The rain was nice and heavy all day until I got on the bike. By then it had turned to a drizzle and frankly was not as much fun as a full on rainstorm would have been. What a difference having a bike with fenders makes. No road grime to deal with. Only saw a handful of others out on the bike today and almost all were clearly cat 2 type semi pro roadies. Tomorrow is a telecommute day again, hopefully I can get wet rather than stay still for my ride.
12/13: I’m starting to feel stronger. Maybe just an illusion, but who cares, I like the feeling. I’ve been riding somewhat seriously (those who know me, quit laughing) for almost 15 years and never once thought about my water bottle. I found myself today thinking about e-coli as I rode past cows in the rain. I mean the runoff has got to go somewhere, right?
12/14: That feeling of fitness; absolutely an illusion. Also, the one thing I kind of feared has reared it’s ugly head. Bag balm time!
12/15: Half way to 30. It was another one of those days in the winter where the visibility was perfect. I have to catch myself periodically and not take for granted the amazing place I call home. My commute takes me through some truly stunning scenery. Not a bad way to get home.
12/16: Okay, that was, as a waitress once said, “colder than a witch’s tit”. Mid 30’s when I left and barely in the 40’s when I got back. Thank God I am one fat man. I am officially more that half way done with the month. This is going to be long.
12/17: What a difference a day makes. Can anyone say that without singing? Anyway, mid 50’s today, really nice and clear. I forgot to mention the deer I saw yesterday. I must have spooked it when I came around the corner and she took off along side me with a 5’ barbwire fence between us. Never actually saw it run, just bounce then, with one perfect leap, right over the fence and up the hill on the other side. It’s nice to live near the country.
12/18: I keep hoping that all this riding will make me “strong like bull” but I only keep feeling the same, slow. I guess there’s something to be said for being able to keep up the rides everyday but right now, all I try to do is enjoy the scenery and survive. With Christmas around the corner, I’m starting to really look forward to New Year’s when this whole thing ends I get to eat all the little pig in a blankets that I want and keep the beer flowing all day long. TV DAY!!!!!!
12/19: Not much to report. I did see Gary Fisher out for a ride on the Sausalito bike path.
12/20: Trainer day. It was a little easier than most. I guess a few days away from the torture device helps. Now all I’ve got to figure out is how to squeeze my rides in on the 24th and 25th and this challenge seems makeable.
12/21: Finally, a good steady rain ride all the way from start to finish. Not another soul out on the roads for huge stretches of the city. Everything was great on the warmth side of things until I tired to unload my car at home after removing a few of the soaked outer layers. I suddenly went into uncontrollable shivers. Maybe I should put on a jacket next time, you think?</
