Corporate Cycling and Warranties! Yay!

August 19, 2012

Item:  Jansport has an awesome backpack warranty.  More on that later.

Today I enjoyed some lovely bicycling along with some 4,500 or so other bicyclists as we partook in the annual Corporate Cycling Challenge here in Omeeha.  I had the Old Bastard down to his fighting weight of only about 2 stone (that's 12,701 grams, if you were wondering).

Felt pretty good out there.  I met up with this guy who were recently purchased a Trek Soho that he likes a lot so far.  Trek's latest version of this bike has been deluxisized and now has a multitude of features and an MSRP of $1,369.99!

This guy has a Soho!  That guy has a hat under his helmet!

Riding was great.  From downtown's ConAgra park we headed north out to Fort Calhoun and back.  We rode through some industrial areas.  Along 16th Street for a while, through some neighborhoods.  It was a pretty nice route.  Different from the one I remember from my last Corporate Cycling Challenge (2008 or so?).  It was misty at first.

I ate a bagel.  Saw some old friends.  One guy broke his chain.  When his teammate was informed of this, instead of laughing derisively as I would have, he actually turned back to render assistance or camaraderie or something!?  Although initially confused, I have been informed that this was actually a feel good moment of stick-togetherness.  Yay!?

I finished strongly, only slightly behind this guy pulling his twin toddlers.

I have heard a lot of people like to ride these funky trikes.

Terra Trikes!  Ready to strike!

Some are called Cat trikes.  I’m not sure if this is a generic term for this kind of contraption or a specific brand.  I do know they go really f-ing fast downhill!  (Ed's note-further research indicates it's a brand name)

So, that’s the summary.  Back to the Jansport warranty.  I had a Jansport Rockies internal frame pack that I purchased in 1997.  It went through a lot.  Sent it back when the pack stays punctured the fabric at the bottom of the pack.  They said it wasn’t fixable, so they sent me a backpack of my choice!  Yay!  Here ‘tis.  A Carson 80 external frame pack.

Seems pretty great.  I’ll let you know how it feels in action someday.

So how has your weekend been?  Great!  Wanna go to Spokes for Jokes on Tuesday?  This week's show  (Pizza Shoppe) starts at 8 and features SkullProv and the Fit.  Alright.  I’ll see you (but not you) there!  Ha ha!  Ha!

3 wheels of wandering???

May 10, 2012

Bicycles continue to be in the news here in Omaha. There was an editorial in the local newspaper that referred to a "battle" between cars and bicycles for the roads of our fair to middling city. Although I believe that pretty much any press is good press, I will also partake in the grand tradition of arguing about bicycles and things bicycle-related.  Yes, controversy and bicycles go together like birds and bees. On the other hand, bicycles battle cars like birds battle wind turbines. That is, bicyclists generally try to avoid being hit by motorists, in the same way that birds don't intend to fly into huge blades unnaturally perched atop their lofty perches. I may be overly sensitive to the use of the word "battle" since by nature I avoid any type of conflict in the same way that birds avoid being petted by excited toddlers and/or slapped around by wind turbines. I also try to avoid adrenaline and any form of agression while bicycle commuting. I have recently been made aware that there is a new motion picture featuring bicycling called Premium Rush. The title alone makes me nervous.

If I ever make a video of my bicycle commuting I plan to christen it "No Rush."  I am also in no rush to make a video of my bicycle commuting since it is even less exciting to think about making a video of my commute than it is to actually commute.  And that's how I like it.  Uneventful.  I did read a book about bicycle messengers in Chicago, but the printed word isn't quite as visceral as these popular "moving picture shows."  The book was called The Immortal Class, and it was pretty good.  I took a nice walk in the park after reading it, and fell asleep right away when I got home. 

I was out for a stroll when I encountered the inimitable JR. He seemed to be a bit weary of the media attention, but he did grant my request for a quick photo op, with the understanding that the photo wouldn't be published nationally.

No danger in that JR. JR has been banned from piloting 4-wheeled crafts of locomotion, and has recently upgraded from a 2-wheeler to a 3-wheeler. Pretty classy vehicle there JR. Let's roll! Onwards towards battle! With the help of the trikes we shall emerge victorious!

JR draws a bead on the next victim of the battle.