Friday Afternoon Grab Bag

High five fiesta.

Social unrest.

Yellow Cake from Nick Cross on Vimeo.

Ride On.

Today’s Topic – Waiting

With fall here, and apparently the monsoon season, I find myself already wishing for spring. Yeah, of course I still ride to work and back everyday. But still, bike camping has ground to a halt and next year’s travel plans have got me wishing – already.


I’m eye-balling the Fruita Fat Tire Festival in April. This is six (6) months away! What’s a roller to do? I plan to do at least part of the Tour de Kota. But that’s in June. Roam 2010 – Faces to the Falls is at then end of July.


I suppose I’ll do some winter maintenance on the fleet. I might even grow the fleet by a (1) bike or two (2). We’ll see. Winter’s the time for such things. After all, there’s not much else going on.


Ride On.

Today’s Topic – Movie Thing

I think this is how it must be in every independent bike shop. Right?




Ride On.

Today’s Topic – Cyclo Cross Weekend

I was at the park at 7:30 AM. The sun was just coming up and there was frost on the grass. I grabbed the wooden barricades from the back of the truck and carried them to the run-up hill.

About the time I was getting done with the barricades that crazy MinusCar fellow showed up. Not long after Adam rolled in and then Ant. We finished marking the course and waited (and hoped) for rollers to show up. Nineteen (19) did.

I set up the day’s races as introductory Cyclo Cross sorts. The first race ran twenty-five (25) minutes and was advertised as “for fun” and “for those wanting to try.” The second (2nd) race was forty (40) minutes long was for those who’ve maybe done some cross or were strong riders otherwise.

The races went well. Many indicated that had much fun. Many asked for more races like this. Some gave names and email addresses to volunteer to help build singletrack.

In the end, all the markers and barricades were picked up. We left the park as if we’d never been there – excepting a few bike tire tread marks. It was a good day.

The pictures below were taken by either The Owner or The Owner’s paternal parental unit. The Owner showed up with hot beverages and towels to clean bikes off – plus he raced. A big thanks to The Owner for doing all he did. All his pictures of the cross even can be seen HERE.





More thanks to Adam, Ant, and Jason and June from Brookings. They helped set up, tear down, and assist where necessary. Also, thanks to that crazy MinusCar fellow. He was the co-conspiritor, lap recorder, as well as a set up and tear down guy.

You might want to visit the Hooterville Mayor's site. He's got a YouTube thing with his pictures as well. You can also read his account of how things went down.

The biggest surprise of the day was a fifteen year old kid shows up out of no where, enters the serious forty (40) minute race, and wins by half (1/2) a lap. Young Zach has got a promising bike racing future if he so chooses. All The Way Ray, if you’re reading this, young Zach would likely remind you of a younger version of Bjorn Selander.

The day finished out by meeting Russell the (Love) Muscle at Monk’s. Russ rode a smart race. In the longer race he didn’t sprint out with the five (5) in the front pack. He established a solid pace, held it, start picking off those ahead of him, made it up to second (2nd) before being nipped by Kyle and eventually taking third (3rd).

Meandering back toward home the final stop was Michelle’s where Oxford Comma was playing. Prairie Cycles Erik
is in that band. The music was excellent and a great way to end a great day.







Ride On.

Friday Afternoon Grab Bag

Roof sex.

Spare time? Draw Homer.

How to Draw Homer Simpson - 1st Drawing

Ride On.

Today’s Topic – Getting There

On Wednesday, at the Bike Friendly City thing, I had the chance to chat with that crazy MinusCar fellow and a key dude from the City’s Parks and Recs department. Our topic was singletrack.

Things are progressing nicely with the City. The Parks and Recs DEPARTMENT is going to inform the Parks and Recs BOARD of our goings on. The key word here is “inform.” Meaning, not ask for approval, but give them a fair warning heads-up.

What this means is a neighbourhood meeting should be scheduled soon. What that means once we’ve done that we’ve only two very minor things to do and then it looks like we can dig! Ya dig?

Hard work, much effort, and going through the proper channels is paying off. Trail building schools have been attended. The first (1st) wave of volunteers has been secured. Early next spring something close to final trail layout will be established.

In other noise, we’ve got some hot action going on here this coming weekend.


Ride On.

Sioux Falls - Bronze Bike Friendly

Pictures taken using a camera phone. You get what you pay for. I forgot to pack my camera along this morning.












Ride on.

Today’s Topic – Olympics, Bicycle Style

Evidently my fair City has competed in some sort of Olympics. I say this because the League of American Bicyclists has awarded us the bronze. Bronze level bicycle friendly city status, that is.

The LAB press release went out yesterday. Today, the Mayor’s going to hold a press conference noting this event. I’ll be in attendance.


Local rollers, I’m seeing this as somewhat of an opportunity. Please contact the City and tell them thank you for what they’ve done to help attain this status. Then, ask them for more. With the pendulum swinging in our favor, now is the time to press for more. More infrastructure to be specific.


More infrastructure is not our version of congressional “pork.” More infrastructure means more rollers. More rollers means less traffic congestion, less wear and tear on the streets, healthier people, less pollution, less carbon melting the planet, and less dependence on fossil fuels.


Ride On.

Today’s Topic – Weekend Update

So, there was this biker who walked into a bar with a bathroom scale under his arm….

That was I, bathroom scale in tow, strolling into Monk’s, to weigh the Bike 2 Work Challenge finishers. That crazy MinusCar fellow was the co-conspirator having donated half (1/2) the prize money. He had the laptop computer in tow.

By the way, in case anyone’s wondering, while at Monk’s I persuaded Tessa to get on the scale. But, I digress…..

Many rollers showed up and the top three (3) finishers were established. The top three combined to lose thirty (30) pounds. All the participants had a combined mileage to make it three-fourths (3/4) of the way around the world. All this while reducing carbon emissions by over six (6) tons. Not bad for five (5) months worth of bike commuting.

The rest of the weekend was fairly uneventful. I did fetch the studded tires for the Cross Check. Those will be on soon.

In upcomings, we’ve got a Cross Race here this weekend. Unsanctioned, semi-marshalled, but I’m hoping lots of fun.


Ride On.

Friday Afternoon Grab Bag

ICEMAN

We’re number 37!!!

Ride On.

Today’s Topic – Crash, Boom, Bam

For reasons that are unimportant I need to drive now and then. Sometimes these driving fiascos take me to Watertown, SD. Since I don’t own a car, I have a “loaner.”

The loaner car is nearly twenty-five (25) years old. Despite its age and lack of bells and whistles found on modern cages, it does what’s asked of it. On those occasions when I do need to drive, it gets me there and back again.

So, Tuesday night, there I was, driving along. In this instance, I was northbound on I-29 about two-thirds (2/3) of the way between Brookings and Watertown when the crash, boom, bam came into play.


The older cage I drive has been, well, well used. It no longer has overdrive as that part of the transmission has been disabled. So, I drive slower on the highways. I use much less gas and see much more of the stuff you see while driving. In the instance of last night I was driving fifty-five miles per hour (55 MPH). I was passing no one and being passed by everyone.

All of a sudden I hear tires squealing and I glance in my left mirror just in time to see a gray blur as a vehicle struck mine. I was spun one-hundred-eighty (180) degrees, my tires squealing, and ended up pointed the wrong way in the median. The other car came to stop on the right shoulder pointed almost directly at the ditch.

I checked myself – no injuries, and then sprinted to the other car – no injuries there, either. Whew!

The (I think) college-aged chick was pretty emotionally shaken up and crying a little. I called nine-one-one (911) and began to assess the damage.

My driver side, back seat door was caved in pretty well. Other than that, everything seemed in working order. The chick’s car had damage to the right front bumper area where her car impacted the loaner.

I’m not sure what happened that she ran into me. I can assume she was distracted by any of a number of things, came upon me quicker, and then reacted to the situation. I didn’t see it, but suspect she swerved to the left to avoid rear ending me, her car started to skid, she over-corrected swerving back at me, and then crashed into me.

County Mounties arrived on scene, took all the information, and then sent me on my way. The car drives fine. It is a bit louder inside as the rear door is not sealed. But, other than that everything is fine.

The seconds immediately post impact were a bit surreal. My car began its skidding, rotating counter clockwise (if looking at it from a bird’s eye view). I was fairly calm but thinking, “I hope it doesn’t flip.” It didn’t and I ended up in the median. That was that.

I didn’t yell at the chick. That would have done no good. In fact, I didn’t feel angry at all. Over the course of the ordeal, I did check on her three times to make sure she was OK.

I absolutely HATE urban driving. The drivers in my fair city are incredibly poor drivers. However, I don’t mind open road driving. This does not change that. It was just one (1) of those unfortunate things that happen in this thing called life.


Ride On.

Today’s Topic – Weather and Cross Check

With the very weird weather we’ve been having lately it is no surprise that we’ve all shaved our genitals and are wearing aluminum foil deflection beanies. It’s about all we can do.

In addition, I’ve upped my intake of coffee. Wired is an OK way to get through spells of bad weather.

I found this interesting quote on the internets:

“Responding to climate change with the vigor that the threat deserves would not, contrary to legend, be devastating for the economy as a whole. But it would shuffle the economic deck, hurting some powerful vested interests even as it created new economic opportunities. And the industries of the past have armies of lobbyists in place right now; the industries of the future don’t.”
— Paul Krugman

That got me to thinking. Maybe responding to climate change appropriately would adversely affect the global economy at some, to be determined, scale. I bet it wouldn’t be devastating. I'm guessing to a more or less small degree. The devastation would come at some point in the future if nothing is done.

It’s getting time to modify the Cross Check. I plan to swap out the moustache bars for either Mary bars or three-speed bars. I might change the stem to give it more rise as well. I plan to slap a rack on the back, too. I’d rather not ride with a backpack on while commuting to work. It’s probably time to put the studded tires on so when winter really does get here, I’m ready to roll.


Ride On.

Today’s Topic – Weekend Update

This weekend kicked off with the freeze-your-ass-off Coffee and Donut ride. Five (5) rollers braved the cold to check the Cyclo-Cross race course and one (1) of the few round-abouts we have here.

Once we were sufficiently frozen we converged on Michelle’s for B’s and G’s – that’s biscuits and gravy for you green-horns.

This weekend saw the first (1st) batch of snow of the season. It was not very welcome, in my book, but think it will all disappear by the next weekend.

I used this cold ass weekend to work on the Roam 2010 – Faces to the Falls route. I’ve revamped it substantially. Now comes the driving part. I’m hoping to find lodging options for this run. Before I fixed things the first (1st) few days were pretty scenic and the rest were essentially skirting I-90 back to here.


Ride On.

Friday Afternoon Grab Bag

OK, maybe soccer is OK.

Amazing Streaker Scores - More free videos are here

Fish swipe.

EMBED-Sea Lion Steals Man's Fish - Watch more free videos

Ride On.

Today’s Topic – What Not

First, here’s a little quiz for you. Check that out and see how you score. The first (1st) round is easy, the second (2nd) harder, and the third (3rd) will challenge you. It’s safe for work – don’t get your panties in a bunch.

Next, here’s some NEWS.

If you’re a guy, over age twenty-five (25), you’ll see the truth in this (click for big):


Lastly, the rain has not deterred me from my daily bikey commute. If it has deterred you, no worries, it’s not that big of deal – softie.

That crazy MinusCar fellow and I have put together twelve-hundred bucks ($1200) of our own money to give away in a Bike 2 Work Challenge contest. We’ll be awarding the cabbage on Friday October 16th somewhere in the neighbourhood of 6:30 PM at Monk’s House of Ale Repute. Whether you’re in or not, it would be sporting of you to show up, on your bike, and join us for a pint or two (2) or more (2 +) of Monk’s finest. The contestants and I will be arriving at 5:30 PM. That crazy MinusCar fellow and I will be checking them in and totally up the points to see who wins. There is a big bike rack right by the front door - use it.


Ride On.

Today’s Topic – Cross Race?

For whatever reason, there’s not a cyclo-cross race here. So, we’re going to change that!

Here’s what I tossed out there:

Boys and Girls,

There hasn’t been a cyclo-cross bicycle race in Sioux Falls since I-don’t-know-when. So, let’s have one!!!

Announcing the 50/50 Cross ! ! !

On October 24th rollers will converge on Legacy Park, Sioux Falls, SD, for Cyclo-Cross Bicycle racing goodness!

The particulars:

What – Unsanctioned, semi-marshaled cyclo-cross race.

Where – Legacy Park, just East of Sertoma on West 12th St, South side of the road.

When – Not-too-serious race at 10 AM, Serious race at 11 AM. Registration starts at 9 AM.

Who – EVERYONE!

Falls Area SingleTrack (FAST) is conducting this event to have some fun and as a fund raiser in their quest to get some pretty sweet singletrack built within the city limits of Sioux Falls. Entry fee (CASH ONLY, PLEASE) will be $5 per person per race. There will be a 50% payback of entry fees collected and the remaining 50% will go to FAST. See? This 50/50 Cross name is starting to make some sense – and hopefully dollars for FAST.

Equipment needed – ANY bike. And by any bike, I mean just that. Mountain bike? You bet! Full blown cross bike? More power to ya! Road bike? Go ahead, give it a try! Cruiser? OK! BMX? Why not? Any bike means ANY BIKE! You’ll need a helmet, too. Safety first.

Here’s more low-down. The first race is for beginners, those who just want to “give it a try,” and those who think, “I’m really not that fast.” Come out, race, have some fun! This race will run approximately 25 minutes. Heck, it’s pretty hard to kill yourself in that amount of time.

The second race is for the “racers.” You know, the sometimes trash talkin’, actually practice cross or have done cross, and take cross racing seriously – like they do in Boulder, CO – and recently forced to in Las Vegas. This race will be 40 minutes long.

If we have five women or more, there’ll be a women’s division. This will run concurrently with the 25 minute race. If we don’t have five or more women, women can still race. Pick your race, shorter or longer, and saddle up!

There will be a payout for the top three placers in each race / division. A registration table will be setup for you to sign in. The entry form will also be your waiver. In the event of light rain – we race! In the event of heavy rain, we don’t race, go to Monk’s, and TALK about racing!

Please support FAST, come out and have some fun, and RACE CROSS!

If you have any questions, please contact me at your earliest convenience using email address fearlessdiamond69@gmail.com. I’ll do my best to make something up that sounds official. As I said, this is an unsanctioned, semi marshaled race. Its basis is in FUN and giving something new a try.

~Snakebite~

Ride On.

Friday Afternoon Grab Bag

Insurance company protection needed?

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

Modular.

ARTIFICIAL PARADISE,INC. from Jp Frenay on Vimeo.

Ride On.

Today’s Topic – Sent Notice And Date Set

Since mid May and running until October 16th I’ve been running something called the Bike 2 Work Challenge. I’ve had rollers sign up and keep a log of the days they’ve bike to work. I also weighed them at the start and will again at the end to determine how many pounds they’ve lost. We’re nearing the end of the Challenge.

That crazy MinusCar fellow and I have put up some of our own money as prize money for this contest. On Wednesday I sent notice of the final meeting.

At the final meeting we’ll tally the results and give out the prize money. Rollers gained points based on the number of days they rolled and the number of pounds they’ve lost. Third (3rd) place will take home two-hundred dollars ($200) in cold hard cash, second (2nd) place will garner four-hundred dollars ($400) in cabbage, and first (1st) place will take home six-hundred ($600) smacker-roos. Getting paid for a labor of love – nothing better. Well, maybe free beer would be better, but that’s not part of the deal.

Also, I’m planning on doing Roam 2010 – Faces to the Falls from July 25th – July 31st. Some of the particulars can be found HERE.


Ride On.