Pumpkins to Turkeys and back again!

November 17, 2016

Hello and welcome back.

Where have you been?  Get out!  Me too!!  It was great and awful! 

Here in the Om of aha(!) it is dark by 5:30 all of a sudden!?  Not sure what the deal is with that, but I have been using the trusty Nite Rider mini leg-of-newt 750 to stir up the pot a bit!   Cackle cackle my pretties!!

Ectually, I am gradually beginning to realize that Helloween is over now and I may as well get ready to gobble up some gobbler next week.  Historically I have gone out for some pedaling on Thanksgiving Eve with Greg and the irrepressible Team Amnesia.  Last time we did that, however, we were chastised for not going out with them any other time of year.  So that, coupled with the fact that I don’t usually go outside my comfort zone/home, makes it a bit unlikely I’ll continue the tradition unless one of my comrades in wheels gets me off my ass / motivates me.

There is also Cranksgiving on Saturday the 19^th.  I’d like to go, but if I do it’ll have to be with Snot Jr. in our trusty bike trailer, which he would probably like, but I am not sure I want to load up the trailer in the back of the car to get all the way downtown and I’m not riding with Snot Jr. all the way across town (although in a perfect world I certainly would).    

So now that the dark days are upon us here are the two three main lights I am using these days. 

1. Niterider Mini-Newt 750
2. Bontrager Flash Flare R
3. Planet Bike Beamer 3

They are great!  And I used the PBB3 to power one of our jack-o-lanterns for several all-night frights.  It lasted the whole time and still had some juice left.  That may have been due to these sweet batteries.

And after Thanksgiving we can all meet up and check out this fun band (Gogol Bordello that is)!

Speaking of music, I’ve been thinking a lot about good ol’ Al Jourgensen and his variousfun bands.  I think it’s due to the impending change in the dominant party in our country’s executive and legislative branches.  AJ and his buds were always at their best providing a soundtrack to the GOP 's regime’s reigns.  Here’s a look back at one of their early classics that I’ve only recently come into contact with.

Al is also apparently fond of bicycling, although I haven’t been able to find any photographic proof of his statement back in 2012 saying that he was riding 20 miles a day.

I don’t know about you, but I feel that the streets get busier and more frightening from Thanksgiving to MLK Jr’s birthday.  Due to this notion, I am hoping to get drivers on my side by sporting a reflective “Claus Jr.” on the back of my red jacket and maybe a Santa’s hat to zip-tie to my helmet.  I’ll let you know how that turns out.

Here we go!  Happy turkey gobbling!

Tranquilly dreaming the dirty dream

October 1, 2016

Hello, and welcome to October.  It started a few hours ago.  It feels nice, eh?  I have decided that I shall purchase a new rear taillight.  My decision was made easier by the fact that I had some sweet commuter checks to spend.  I went to the only local bike shop that accepts the commuter checks.  They had this light that I like quite a bit so far (oops, didn't read this review first, looks like it may not flare so well in wet, wintery conditions, but maybe my fenders will protect them...).  I also have to finish complaining about my Serfas triangle light – although it's a great light for its short battery life, my new, expensive batteries didn’t last any longer than the first, pre-purchase-installed batteries.  I have heard that I should buy my next batteries in bulk, on-line.  I may do so, but I will be looking for a better, rechargeable helmet taillight soon, commuter checks in hand!

Many bicyclers seem to be out and about, enjoying the nice, non-sweaty bicycling temperatures.  The camaraderie is intoxicating.  Speaking of intoxicating camaraderie, the B is for Bikes musical/performance event is coming up next weekend.  Although I was considering my usual participation, I did not beat the bell to class, as is my won't (i.e., they got all the 111 participants they needed before I submitted my resume avec accentes, SCREEEECHHHH!!).

 

October 11, 2016

Like birds migrating, so, too, are the days of our lives.  B is for Bikes is over, and they are allegedly putting together a grand video representation of this event.  Hear ye, hear ye!  The bold Nebraska has triumphed in this year’s National Bike Challenge.  Congratulations!  If you are like me, you are likely wanking with joy just recalling the gradually fading pleasure of our collective accomplishment.  Suck it Wisconsin!  Also, Lincoln has made it on to the storied Bicycling magazine's list of the 50 greatest bicycling cities in the US of A.  #44, high-caliber bicycling, folks!

Well, it is now one of my favorite times of year to bicycle because I don’t really have to sweat much.  I intend to get some quality mountainous bicycle-style riding in soon.  I feel this will allow me to keep what is left of my “edge”/wedge.  This is an important, if perhaps illusory, mental construct for me.  It is easy to be lulled into a sense of routine and complacency whilst pleasantly gallivanting back and forth to one’s place of work at the adhesive ratings institute; however, constant vigilance is our great goal and responsibility if we are to bicycle safely and happily hither and yon.  

https://www.quora.com/What-does-constant-vigilance-mean

To this end, I like to get out and test my reflexes by nervously jerking the handybar this-a-way and that-a-way and hitting/crashing off some sweet jumps.  Hopefully I’ll be able to make it out to Omaha’s crown jewel of mountain/dirt-bicycling (fanfare exclaiming) – Tranquility Park!

So here’s to tranquilly dreaming!  Let’s hit the dirt!  Paydirt, that is!  Suck it Wisconsin!

Shimming your way to safety and stability

September 1324, 2016

As you undoubtedly are aware, with the possible exception of those still under the supervision of parents/caregivers, old bicycle tyre inner-tubes are surpassed in usefulness only by the peerless duct tape.  Here is a toilet that I have been re-installing after misguidedly removing it because it wobbled!?  

Luckily, I had the insurmountable collaborative power of inner-tubes and duct tape to sustain me in my efforts.  

In hindsight, I would have let it wobble.  I could have imagined that I was swaying on a high toilet in a tree, like this one!  Ah!  Nothing like a good old fashioned shit in the woods!

 

https://www.travelblog.org/Photos/3965468

Anyway, the toilet now seems to be pretty stable in its place after I grouted it in thanks to some expert on-line advice and initial encouragement and advice from my friend Bob.  It might be kind of a pain if some sorry ass sucker has to replace the toilet in the future, but I ain't gonna worry about that until/if I have to!

I saw a few fellow bicyclers out and about, and I was even able to capture this exhilarating action shot of a fellow commuter. 

I put some new pedals on my bike because the old ones were wobblier than my toilet.  They also creaked and popped in a manner that I occasionally found bothersome.  Here are the new pedals that I purchased at a bike swap a few years back. 

I like to have a few of the more expendable bike components around in case I need them right now.

I have recently noticed that most bike lights don’t seem to handle rain well.  Why, just in the past 2 or 3 months I’ve had a tail light and a head light shoot craps.  I blame the rain. 

I read about a few tail lights at this cool bike light review website.  Maybe I’ll buy one of these so my lights last longer and I’m even more visible than I normally am.  Here (Serfas USL-TL60 USB) is the one that most effectively caught my eye so far....  Unfortunately the small Serfas light that I've had on my helmet lately has either not been functioning properly after being saturated a few times or maybe it just burns through batteries faster than I'd like, but I may still give Serfas another chance.

Here (Pedal the Planet) is a book I heard about that relates the true-life, inspirational experience of a man who used bicycling as a means to fight depression. 

And Here (Omaha Bicycle Co.) is a chance to submit stories, poems, illustrations, or photos to be in a book about bicycling here in our very own Home-aha!  I can hardly wait to try to come up with something for this compilation!  

So, if things get a little wet and wobbly, maybe a bicycle tyre tube shim, and/or a bike light might help keep it all together.

Let's pedal!

Last days of summer in line

September 7, 2016

Dearly bedazzled,

What does that mean?  Well, I am here to tell you that summer is winding down, so do something desperate, as needed.  Here is how I am celebrating the last few weeks of summer. 

There may be some end of summer outsidey activities to enjoy.  Here is one that I witnessed on my way homeward.  Yes those are ponies.

I am okay with moving on to fall for the following reasons:

1.     The sun burns my pale white flesh!  Agggghhhhh!

2.     Oktoberfests!

3.     Less sweating, more sitting around, drinking beer and bitching about how summer’s over.

Here are some fall events that are impending:

1.  Psycowpath race - probably end of season, Sept 17

2.  Artsy bicycley event - October 7 evening  (also note that "All participants will receive a bell, t-shirt, and dinner + drinks post performance. ")

3.  Tour de garden 2016 - Sept 11 + block party and bands

I got Ronnie James Dio's inspirational and bicycle-based "The Last in Line" stuck in my head today.    

Here is how Ronnie would have reacted to the end of summer:

persona.rin.ru

Cryptically.  Let's find the sacred heart, on bikes!  We rock!