Month: July 2005

25 things I love about the bike – Summary

Here it is – I will finish the other items eventually, but here is the final list, in no particular order:

25. Frames
24. Lard Bar
23. Jerseys
22. Century
21. Sprints
20. Breakaways
19. Training Wheels
18 Coffee, Coffee, Coffee
17. Quick Release
16. Heroes
15. Air
14. reflectors
13. Sunrises
12. Bottle Cages
11. New Pavement
10. bottles
9. Toe Clips
8. Seasons
7. Handlebars
6. Deraileur
5. spokes
4. coaster brakes
3. Car Racks
2. Twilight
1. Freedom

Notice there are some items (clipless pedals, shorts) left off out of spite, and others (Seats, seatposts, stems) left out because, frankly, they bore me.

Allez, mes amis.

Back

More or less.

I’d like to claim that I was totally and completely busy for the last week or so, but I’d be kind of lying. I have been busy enough that, while I have missed y’all greatly, other things (like sleep) have been more pressing. I’d apologize, but we’ve all been there, or will be.

The black cloud that struck Dianna and April-Anne skirted past Mystic, but never actually struck. Work’s been stressful but productive, the baby’s been sick, better, sick again, and better again, and I kind of blew a week’s worth of training.

Warding off the cloud – the boyos and I headed down to the Seaport for the antique and small craft weekend. Lots of beautiful boats I forgot to take pictures of while trying to keep the baby from walking off the wharf.
jake and nate in whaling boat 3
Continue reading Back

Busy

Hello, All.

Life is a bit busy again. Nothing bad, just really busy.

Will resume posting again soon. Probably around Friday or so.

George Hincapie rocks, BTW. Not only marries a podium girl, but wins the biggest and baddest stage of the 2005 Tour.

25 things I love about the bike – #16

Heroes.

Wow. What a big word. Are there heroes in the postmodern day? Have we managed to deconstruct, transcend (Remind me to tell the PHC Joke at the end, as Footnote 1), analyze, manage, and debate the Hero off of his place in the public square?

Perhaps. (See footnote 2)

Cycling has heroes in droves. Pick an arechetype, there’s a cyclist to fit the mould.

We’ll start with the obvious, the guy about whom we have another 10 days of coverage. Big Tex. Even at the beginning of his career, Lance Armstrong was a force. US Professional Champion. World Champion. Stage Winner. Classics Winner. Even before 1996, Armstrong was carrying the American torch in the European cycling world. And his return to the peleton, and into history, is rightly the stuff of legend.
Continue reading 25 things I love about the bike – #16

Bluff Point Run, Reunion, and Repast

A huge shout out to Susan, Dianna, Sarah, and David – by far the high point of the week. Each and every one of them deserves a gold star for not only waiting patiently for me and Jake as we showed up at least 15 minutes late (Sorry, sorry, sorry – I was born a week late, and my mom says I haven’t caught up yet), but for being great running companions.
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25 things I love about the bike – #17

The Quick Release

Bicycle Wheel Quick Release

Legend (and actual fact, in this case. But legend is so much cooler …) has it that Tulio Campagnolo (Yes, that Campagnolo) was headed over the Croce d´Aune Pass in the Dolomites during a bike race. Much like The Boy’s bike, Tulio’s wheels were fastened to his frame with nuts and bolts. In the middle of a blizzard, at the top of a mountain pass, Mr. Campagnolo was unable to get his numb fingers to properly operate the tools to get his tire off to fix a flat. Out of frustration, he invented the quick release, started a company to make and market it, and now has moved on to the stuff of legend.
Continue reading 25 things I love about the bike – #17

8 Miles – 80 minutes, right?

Pshew. Today? Everyone’s cranky. Not sure quite why, but everyone is.

Somehow, I get the yard mowed, Missy gets the boys in bed, and I start feeling guilty about skimping on my 8 miler that was scheduled yesterday. So I throw on the iPod, toss on the shoes, and hit the road. Goal was 80 minutes.

Made the goal. Watched the sun set. Watched the river turn to glass.Ran 2.3 miles straight up hill.

Good times.

Fruit Stand

So I get back from drill this afternoon. It’s a beautiful day (don’t let it slip away), and Missy and the boys are out back on the playscape. She says “Hey, watch the kids, I’m going to go run.” I say “Ouch, ouch, twist my arm… OK” and she’s off before I can stop the baby from drooling on my uniform.

Not so long later, she swings back in (as I’m pulling frozen pizza out of the oven – mmmm, Freschetta). I ask her how it went (’cause she’s usually a treadmiller – combination of the kids and growing up in Houston where running outside was only an option for like three days in February), and she’s beaming – she ran to the fruit stand on the Gold Star Highway. (Woah) I think. (That’s something to which I’d probably drive instead of walk. Plus, there’s a fierce hill, too – could even rule out the bike…)
Continue reading Fruit Stand