Circle of the Tacos

July 22, 2017

Good eventide to you, feckless sojourner.  How are you and your friends, families, bicycles, etc.?  What?  How nice/dare they!  Please send a post card to elucidate at your earliest convenience.  

One unusual event that I experienced recently was going out on the Thursday night taco ride this past week.  This was the second time I went this year, but it was the #1 best taco ride of the year so far!  My friend Jim Bob was in town.  He was looking sleek and speedy, so I hopped aboard my fairly sleek and speedy new road bike that I won, fair and square, from the wonderful folks at Wear Yellow Nebraska.  I have recently made a few additional minor adjustments to the WYR bike - flipping the stem for a bit higher handlebar, and tilting the handlebar back towards me for a higher grip when I grab the bull by the middle part of the horns.  I also added a well-worn, comfy ol' saddle.  

So we hopped aboard our speedy steeds 

and sped off towards Margie-ville.  We speedily arrived.  As has happened a few times previously, I did not have a bottle opener of any sort, so I had to pop the cap off using a handy metal post, which did not work perfectly, but did allow me to drink my delicious and fulfilling beer with no noticeable glass shards or slivers.  

JB and I made it all the way to Tobey Jack’s place for some tacos and a pitcher of Fat Tire.  There was also a real live musician who introduced himself as Mike By-the-way.  

He also plays in a band called Cirkle of Fifths, which may have one or more members from the infamous band called the Circle of Jerks.  Mike was great.  He did some loops, hot solos, Bob Marley, and Neil Young.  Great stuff Mike!  Thanks for cycling with me Jim Bob.  Hope to see you again real soon.

August 5, 2017

Well what is new with you?  Yes.  Yes!  I know!  Here are some things that I’ve been experiencing that are quite similar to what you have been doing:  

I had to do some actual work the other day.  It was hot and muggy so I bought and quickly guzzled 2 bottles of Powerade (they were 2 for the price of 1 and I was thirsty!).  I felt a kind of semi-caffeinated buzz the rest of the day as well as a heightened sense of memory and self-satisfaction with my guitar playing.  I was temporarily very enthusiastic about getting a few gigs as a folk singer.  It might have been all the high fructose corn syrup or the medium-chain triglycerides, or maybe just a kind of natural high from working outside during the day, but it was kind of exciting and a bit scary.

Also, my Wear Yellow Ride has been transporting me faithfully to and from my day job.  It’s kind of fun because it is fast and quick around the corners.  Although these are things I mistrust due to the fact that I think my slow predictability helps drivers see me and react appropriately, I find it hard to resist their persistent seductiveness.  

It's been worn in a bit and feels a bit less strange.  

I know it's hard to tell due to my inept photography, but the sticker/ WYR lettering's now a bit jumbled.

It is also now great weather for mountain bicycling.  Maybe I'll get Shifty out for some trail riding soon.  Here are some fun things coming up -  

1. Mode Shift Omaha is great and they are now accepting memberships to get some funds and get even more shit done (August 23).
2. The Corporate Cycling Challenge is also rapidly approaching (August 20).
3. One of those Pint-a-gon rides would be great, if you can find the time (August 19).

If you do all 3 I will applaud your audacity and, if you send me a self-addressed stamped envelope and signed proof of your attendance, make/send you a neat cap or shirt, but not both.

Best wishes to you and your mother.  Keep the circle of faith.

Your faithishly circular servant,

BSO

Completely Takin' it to the Streets!

July 2 through 8, 2017

I think we can all agree that bicycling is great.  Also that pedestrians should be able to cross streets without being struck by vehicles.  Those are a couple of things that are part of the Complete Streets Omaha approach.  

A manual is nearly complete that will make this an official part of the Omaha way to make decisions related to completing or renovating streets.  I went to the public input meeting a while back, but I felt like I just Boomhausered away until the CSO team politely hinted that I (being the only remaining member of the public at the meeting) should leave.  “Uh, them gosh-durn intersections, they really got some dangerous this way that way and no markings, they need some signs er something.”  Yes, although my contributions are typically questionable, I do not question my need to contribute.  One of these days it’ll all pay off.  And then?….  Ahh!  I’ll have a free bicycle. 

Wait a minute!  I do, I do, I DO have one of those!  

And after making the following replacements:

1. Put on a front chain ring more suitable for the rolling hills of Omaha and my moderately fit legs and lungs.  I had a 38-toother lying alluringly about so I replaced the 46T with the 38T and now I am able to make it up all the hills I typically encounter without feeling like I might experience a heart attack or rupture of some kind.  
2. After replacing the front ring I realized that, although I revere Sheldon Brown and his sagacity, I had never tried riding a fixed gear bicycle.  Also I had to replace the 1/8” chain with a 3/32” chain due to the spacing in my alluring 38-toothed enabler.  I had a 3/32” 16T fixed gear cog handy so I grabbed it and went to town.  So I tried things the fixed way for a few days and I did not like it for the following reason:  I love to coast without brakes going down hills.  I liked it for the following reason:  I liked being able to slow down using my legs instead of brake pads.  The pro outweighed the con.  The pro then grabbed the con by the pigtails and performed a merciless headscissors take down, as demonstrated in this GLOW video.  Here is a more in-depth discussion of the fixed gear experience.
3. So then I ordered a 16T with a freewheel so that I would be able to return to my fearless coasting habits.  

It is now great.  I made it even slightly greater by replacing the uncomfortable saddle with a well-worn WTB Rocket V.  

It’s a bit bumpier and speedier than the Old Bastard, but it’s kind of fun/something different for now.  Nextly I will tilt the handlebar back towards me a tad so that I've got a better view of what's coming up down the road.

Recently I took part in another edition of the always enjoyable Rollin’ to Colon.  

I love this ride and its peaceful, smooth, mildly hilly highways.  This one was the best yet!  It was on Father's Day, and I was fortunate to be able to spend some time with my dad bicycling around the gently rolling hills around the Valley and Colon areas.  As we rolled into Colon I told him it was fortunate he got all of that BRAN because it made it easier to get to the Colon.  We noticed lots of men, possibly fathers, were out on the water.  

The after-ride party was also great and featured the inimitable Chris Saub, who I haven’t seen for at least 10 years.  His guitar playing is now phenomenal.  This ride is great, but it seems like it could use a few more participants.  So please mark it on your calendar for next year, if that is possible.  

After the after-ride party I eventually made it back home to spend some quality time with Snot Jr. and Collegiate Snot.  I read Snot Jr. one of our many books about bicycles and bicyclers.

I have also been picking up tips from my best friend Rich about mountainous bicycling.  He says he's learned a lot due to his participation in the DEVO program.  Things like what to do when a problem comes along.  And also pointing your belly button in the direction you want to go to get around corners and curves is way more effective and not as intuitive as it sounds.  Selene also mentioned that in one of her recent columns, so you know it is legit.  He also mentioned that you’ve got to look pretty far ahead if you want to be successful on riding balancy logs.  

I may try to get out for the slightly longer version of the GONG ride this year.  Last year I enjoyed the ride and camaraderie, but I felt like some extra distance would’ve made the end-of-ride celebration more festive.  I felt sniffly so I whinged and stayed home instead of GONGing it up tonight.

Now let's take it to the complete streets!  Hell, let's even throw an elbow or two as necessary!

Happy Independence Day Month and have a great ride!
-BS