Let's try that again!

May 30, 2014

Firstly let me wish you a happy bicycling month before it's too late!  Shwew!  That was close.
Conditions this past Thursday were ideal for a taco ride.  I got to the trailhead a little late.  Greg – the wise and gregarious patriarch of the taco ride, shown here transporting a bicycle in need of a fix

 - complimented the Old Bastard.  “A classic” he called it.  “It’s been around awhile,” I responded.  Then he said “that thing's almost as old as you!”  Haha!  I am 42 and the O.B. is 24, so I guess we do have the same digits, just in a different order.  I didn’t argue with Greg.  I pedaled with youthful vigor until I reached the large gathering at Margaritaville.

I met a guy in a taco outfit.  

Then I met a bunch of former co-workers.  The taco guy seemed like a good guy.  He told me that his 7-year-old son had learned to weld out by Silver City a while back.  Building some sweet ramps to jump off of.  That’s pretty sweet!  
If I had a 7-year-old and he could weld I might ask him if he would like to weld together a sculpture of some type for the upcoming bicycle-themed art show at the Smiling Turtle Art Spot.  Here is some info about it, but beware ye!  I plan on entering at least one or two pieces of “art” in an attempt to get rid of a bunch of bike parts that I’ve got lying around in the garage.  I can’t weld, but I do use a lot of J.B. Weld.  I also like to drill and bolt shit together.  As I was complimenting Taco Man on his garb, he confirmed my suspicions that the chicks totally dug the costume but the guys were less enthusiastic.  He was also pretty sweaty, so I suggested sewing some inside pockets into it so he could carry some ice packs to maintain a safe core temperature – atomic tacos are only fun if they’re inside you, not the other way around.  What!?  WhadidI say? 

I did not leave M-ville as quickly as most of my acquaintances, possibly people were making up excuses to avoid conversing with me due to my uncanny combination of youthfulness and cantankerousness that confuses the kids. 

I eventually decided to pedal onwards towards Mineola.  On the way there I noticed that there was an ambulance on the trail.  

I am not sure what happened, but I would like to encourage bicyclers to stay well hydrated and somewhat focused during taco riding events.  I walked O.B. around the ambu and rode on for a while.  It was then that I notice things weren’t quite right.  I eventually realized the source of not-rightness came from a lack of air in my rear tyre.  “Egads!  What caused this inconvenience!?”  I bethought to myself.  My discomfiture was apparent as many passers-by asked if I had what I needed.  “Yeah.”  I responded cheerily, as if having what I needed were a regular occurrence.  This time I actually had patches and a new tube.  After patching I inflated only to note that there was another hole.  That damn thorn had gone through both sides of my tube!  

Like some kind of piercing for my tube!  Since another patch would have meant 3 patches on one tube I decided to retire that one.

I got to Mineola where there was a band that appeared to consist of two members playing outside and a karaoke duo inside.  The captain of the karaoke team was Funky Bear and his taciturn co-pilot was Tommy T. 

Service was quick and friendly.  I devoured my vegetarian Mexi-fries with alacrity

 only to notice that someone had placed a Jello shot in front of me.  

Jello recently celebrated an anniversary.  It has been around for a while.  It started with four flavors:  lemon, orange, strawberry, and raspberry. 

So, all in all it was an eventful and enjoyable night out.  To top things off, the Metro reached a pretty great milestone on my drive back.  

Then the service engine soon light came on.  I think it’s just surprised that we made it this far together!  Here’s to a few more!

-BSO & OB

Hello? Who am I? Where am I?

May 26, 2014

I bet you thought I quit!  Well, I did, but that was temporary.  I may not have been haranguing you with inanities as much as you were used to, but I’m sure you found something else to do.  Maybe bought some bike stuff?  Really!?  Me too!  I have also been working hard to earn an advanced degree in rock ‘n’ roll history.  But now this is the end of this long and winding road towards peace sells but who’s buying the stairway to heaven.  That’s right, they’ve finally ejected me from my course of study due to gross incompatibility as a result of my recent penchant for listening only to One Direction, international teen groups, and related solo acts.  That is fine, because my students at the School of Rock where I was student teaching were beginning to weary of my insistence upon synchronized dance moves and bulk purchasing of hair products.  It was grueling.  And by grueling I mean that I ate gruel the whole parsley, sage, rosemary and time because I didn’t make a single green back dollar.  Or sense, as far as that goes.  Now I am unemployed and even slightly more bitter than usual.  Alright, so there is some venting.  

How do you feel about bicycling?  I have not been bicycling as much as usual because of my studies, but I did make it out to a taco ride a month or so ago.  There was a tornado watch, but the animals didn’t seem to be concerned, so neither was I.  

Much like our ancestral forbears I seek guidance and wisdom from animals in place of this slippery notion of “rational thinking” which seems like a big crap shoot to me. 

I made it out on the trail where a deeps sense of ease, pastoralness, and right-ness permeated my being.  Then I started pedaling my bicycle and I started whining and bitching about how grueling things were.  Then that first stuff again.  I saw a sign advertising some hay bales.  

I got to Margaritaville where it was kind of cool.  I stayed there until a fine young gentleman blessed many of us with complimentary rummy bears which were f-ing feenomenol!  

I stayed for a while and then decided I would head back home instead of proceeding onwards towards Mineola.  Maybe next time.   

Then I also went on the 11^th annual Wear YellowRide a couple weeks ago, which started off briskly 

at 7:00 and ended warmly with pancakes and prizes for many.  The route was very smooth and conditions were nearly optimal.  We went past two steakhouses (Round the Bend and Parker's) 

and two racetracks (Eagle Raceway and White Sands Raceway).  Since then I have been pedaling around with Baby Toddler Snot in a new bicycle trailer that I am pretty happy with.  I will also plan on attempting but failing to figure out what is happening in the bicycling world these days.  I have heard that Brooks came out with a new rubber saddle that is very popular amongst long distance endurance bicyclers.  Well if it’s good enough for them it’s probably good enough for me the next time I decide it’s a good idea to ride more than I really should (generally a few tens of miles). 

I have been writing lots of papers about rock ‘n’ roll, so you can expect some slight improvements in writing mechanics as I return to my insistent e-journaling antics.  Also as you probably did not notice my photos are even worse than usual since I am out of practice and I've never been very good at photographing anyway.  To summarize, I am back in the saddle where I may ring my bell angrily at volumes that are louder than love.