Coasting into the mica green

March 12, 2017

Happy springing and shillelaghs ahead.  Yes, it is a springy time of year with many changes and opportunities.  There is a bicycle swap meet today.  There was a bicycle-related story from down in Wichita recently.  And there was also a St. Paddy’s Day parade down in Wichita yesterday.  Here is a tricycle that was involved.

I also recently altered my commuting route so that I could avoid some traffic and roll down this sweet incline.  

Avoiding traffic is fun.  New routes are fun.  And rolling down grassy inclines is even more fun.  So that is what I’ve been up to lately. 

There is also some excitement related to the upcoming inaugural Nebraska Bike/Walk Summit.  Here is one speaker that will be involved, and here is another.  They have important things to teach us all about bicycling.  Here are a couple other things about bicycling:  It is a fun and practical way to get around.  

What else is going on these days?  Nebraska Bicycling Alliance has recently had a bunch of great updates:  here is a sad story about a Lincoln pedestrian and a police officer.  

and here is a story about a bill to make texting while driving a primary offense.  I think this is a great idea.  Let's get serious about preventing distracted driving by getting offenders off the street.  This is a good step in the right direction.  I heard a story on the radio yesterday in which a DUI offense was referred to as a "minor offense."  Depending upon level of intoxication, I consider drunk driving a minor offense in the same way that firing a gun into someone's house without hitting anyone is a minor offense.  The potential to kill or seriously injure someone is certainly present in both cases.  Once someone is killed or seriously injured, the legal aspects of the situation are not going to offer much comfort to the family of the deceased/injured.  Laws are better when they prevent.  Punishment after the fact may help prevent additional tragedies, but it's too late for the first victim(s).  So let's try to get some common sense laws in place before it's too late for anyone else!

And now, on a more cheery note, let's talk pantaloons!

A while ago, I aroused my card creditor’s suspicion by making an international purchase from a Canadian online vendor known as Mountain Equipment Co-op or MEC for the sake of brevity.  And now without further ado – BEHOLD!

Shiny Micas left, Raggedy Rads right

Yes, they are beautiful, in a way.  That colour is Discontinued Blue.  And I purchased them for only $52 C-bucks/Canadian rupees.  Any other colour was a whopping $75 C-notes, not to mention a hefty shipping surcharge. 

So how are they?  They are great!  We are still in the honeymoon phase, but I expect them to be as wonderful, if not possibly slightly more wonderful than my beloved Rad pants.  We will see how they hold up.  Here is a table:

Rad Pants	Mica pants
·      cuffed pant leg (durable, wide elastic band) ·      5 deep pockets ·      rustle ·      non-stretchy ·      wind-resistant ·      makes wearer feel like a ninja or SWAT team member ·      built-in belt ·      durable	·      cuffed pant leg (internal, skinny elastic) ·      4 average pockets (missing a low/side pocket on right side) ·      don’t rustle ·      stretchy ·      wind-resistant ·      makes wearer feel like they are at a pajama party ·      built-in external drawstring/tie ·      durable?

So let's get micaceously green and coast into the glorious spring!  Glory awaits!
-BS

Half the Road!

February 28, 2017

I made it out to the theatre tonight last week to view a film entitled Half the Road.  It was at AksarbenCinema.  I don’t make it out much, so I was amazed to see all the sports bars present in the Aksarben Village area these days.  Here is a horrible photo of a sports bar's advertising bike at the cinema.

http://www.dudleysomaha.com

  There was also an e-bike rental outfit with a promotional booth out in the lobby, 

http://quikbyke.com

along with the usual group which included:

Tour for Hope (Bike Ride to Prevent Suicide) - May 21

Wear Yellow Ride - May 13

Bike Rack

Omaha Pedalers

As for the film, it was great to hear about some inspired women professional bicyclists.  Unfortunately they don’t get the respect or the money they deserve.  The film informs us that women bicyclists typically don’t dope and they have to work full-time regular jobs to support their bicycling careers.  Also there are fewer UCI qualifying events for them to participate in in order to get the points they need to qualify for the Olympics. 

Mostly what this film is about is giving girls and women more representation in the male-dominated professional bicycling world.  Although there are many women bicyclists, the professional bicyclists that I am familiar with are all men and almost all of them are likely dopers.  This film introduced me to a number of professional women bicyclists who I am interested in learning more about.  Here are a few of those portrayed in the film:

1. Emma Pooley (she has a teapot collection - she buys one with the prize money when she wins races)
2. Marianne Vos (probably my favorite, she seems shy and unassuming but is clearly a badass bicyclist) 
3. Kathryn Bertine (also directed the film and Skyped with the audience after the showing!)
4. Chrissy Wellington (not specifically a professional bicyclist)

Of these, CW was the only one I previously knew anything about due to my casual fling with triathleting. 

The film was enjoyable, but occasionally a bit repetitive – professional women bicyclists are not treated with even the meager amounts of respect lavished upon professional male bicyclists.  Let’s talk about that some more.  I would have been a bit more interested in hearing more about how these women became bicyclists and show them bicycling about their homelands, etc.   The film did have a great sense of humor and never really got bogged down.   It was fascinating to see all the travelling that these women had to do just to qualify for the Olympics.   Kathryn went to Syria and then didn’t even get credit for it due to some weaselly UCI technicality!  I don’t mind travelling, but I felt like I got some contact jet lag just from viewing this film.

Then, after the film, Kathryn Skyped with Bob Mancuso (of Omaha Pedaler's) and the audience got the chance to ask her questions!  It was good to hear about her latest ventures and her life in Tucson, AZ.  She offers a free place for women bicyclists to stay if they decide they could use some quality time in the mountain/deserts around and about Tucson.

That’s one nice thing about being a non-professional bicycler.  We don’t have to travel by means other than bicycling all that much!  But then again, no one makes movies about bicycle commuters, right!?  Wrong!  Here is one!  And even another!?  Okay, so they both also involve Old Man 

Winter to make it a bit more baffling/obtuse.  Here's a geeky-looking documentary that contrasts bicycles and motorcars.  

Well, bicycling in Nebraska seems to be headed in the right direction.  Here are a couple exciting upcoming events:

Omaha Bike Swap Meet - March 12

Nebraska Bike/Walk Summit - March 23-24, Lincoln

And a non-bicycle-related event: 

Yes, Nebraska equestrians will be loving it.  Maybe they'll have bike trials world cup here next!?

It could happen!  In the meantime, let's all get our bikes rolling!  Safely!  Music video!