Testing The Streak
It's hard to believe with the current 70-90 degree weather that this is coming, and I hope they are wrong, but this winter could be a brutal commuting winter. I refuse to let my commuting to work streak go down without a fight, but I may need to think about adding to my winter clothing collection.
Filed under: Winter Biking, commuting
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Respect the Blinky
As many of you already know, my bike IS my transportation 95% of the time. This means often riding at night. That's pretty much all the setup you need for this post.
After the USD/SDSU Volleyball game (shameful plug - USD wins 3-1 !!), I was on my way home, riding safely with my reflectors off my Timbuk 2 Messenger Bag -- aka "the man purse" or murse if you will -- and my front and rear blinky lights. It was a beautiful night and I was just enjoying the ride.
I admit I was cruising right along, but wasn't focused too heavily on anything when a car turned in front of me from a stop sign. It was no major thing, they had plenty of space and I was never in danger so I didn't think about it. Within a half block, I see them tap the brakes once, then again, and then pull over to the side of the road. As already stated, I wasn't too focused so I didn't think too much of it until I passed them and then they started to pull out behind me again. It was then the I realized that the car must have mistaken my blinky light for the police. It was the only explanation that I could come up with. Due to my lack of overall focus I don't know if they may have not completely stopped at the stop sign and thought they were busted or what, but I enjoyed a good laugh about it.
They didn't pass me for the two blocks until I turned towards my house and then drove merrily on their way. After posting a shorter version of this on Facebook, somebody stated that a "Respect the Blinky" t shirt campaign is in order. It could happen. Lord knows we need more people to use them in Vermillion. With the beauty of having many people on bicycles in this town, comes the issue of no lights with those riding at night. A campaign may just have to happen. All you designer types mock something up and send it to me.
Filed under: Bicycle Advocacy, Bicycle Safety, commuting
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Old Guys Win Intramural Bike Race
As temperatures dipped into the 50's only the hearty (crazy?) showed up for the USD Intramural Bike Race. The race consisted of, well, Team Barking Dog Cycling Club! Craig D., Randy R., and I had a personal bike race that took some of the fun out of an actual race, but hey, we get Intramural Champion T-Shirts for our effort! I edged Randy R. by a little over :20 seconds, but it wasn't exactly a glory victory as I sucked his wheel for a good eight miles before trying to give him a little draft. He fell back and I just kept going and he never caught back up. In Time Trial mode, I probably wouldn't have won.
Filed under: Intramural Bike Race
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Old Guys Win Intramural Bike Race
As temperatures dipped into the 50's only the hearty (crazy?) showed up for the USD Intramural Bike Race. The race consisted of, well, Team Barking Dog Cycling Club! Craig D., Randy R., and I had a personal bike race that took some of the fun out of an actual race, but hey, we get Intramural Champion T-Shirts for our effort! I edged Randy R. by a little over :20 seconds, but it wasn't exactly a glory victory as I sucked his wheel for a good eight miles before trying to give him a little draft. He fell back and I just kept going and he never caught back up. In Time Trial mode, I probably wouldn't have won.
Filed under: Intramural Bike Race
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Best 10K Time Trial Yet
I took the Bacchetta Ti Aero to a new low on the 10K Time Trial route. Official Time (according to the timer) was 14:46. I don't think I went sub 15 on the diamond frame even. I love this bike! Now to learn the fine art of turning around at the midway point, get clipped back in and up to speed faster.
Filed under: Weekly Time Trials
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Best 10K Time Trial Yet
I took the Bacchetta Ti Aero to a new low on the 10K Time Trial route. Official Time (according to the timer) was 14:46. I don't think I went sub 15 on the diamond frame even. I love this bike! Now to learn the fine art of turning around at the midway point, get clipped back in and up to speed faster.
Filed under: Weekly Time Trials
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Captialization IS Important
In the world of hi-tech gadgetry, I've noticed that more and more people who send text messages and emails have forgotten the Art of Capitalization (using Capital letters properly); for those of you who fall into this category, please take note of the following statement:
"Capitalization is the difference between helping your Uncle Jack off a horse, and helping your uncle jack off a horse.“
Is everybody clear on that??
Filed under: humor
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Captialization IS Important
In the world of hi-tech gadgetry, I've noticed that more and more people who send text messages and emails have forgotten the Art of Capitalization (using Capital letters properly); for those of you who fall into this category, please take note of the following statement:
Capitalization is the difference between helping your Uncle Jack off a horse, and helping your uncle jack off a horse.
Is everybody clear on that??
LATE EDIT: My friend Snakebite also reminds me of the extreme importance of punctuation:
Proper punctuation can save lives, too: It's time to eat, Grandpa! It's time to eat Grandpa!
Filed under: humor
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MS 150 - Riding for MS - Not Ourselves
This last weekend I had a great time on my 14th Multiple Sclerosis 150 Bike Tour. On a fundraising ploy, I made the challenge that if I raised $2500, I would dye my hair orange and if I raised $3000, I would dye my hair and wear a skirt on the ride. Care to guess how that turned out?
As of this posting, I have in the neighborhood of $3400 raised. I'm quite happy to do silly things to raise a little money for the MS Society. For those of you who gave me the wonderful whistles and the one marriage proposal, sorry, I'm taken.
It seemed that the banquet is where things went wrong for some. You see, the MS Society did a couple different things after the ride this time. Upon completion, you received (a very useful) head/sweat band from the MS Society. It was a trade off for patches for riding the century loop on the ride. Seriously, you would have thought that you was physically taking money away from people from some reactions.
The uproar from not getting a "patch" for the century ride -- of which I have a stack of -- somewhere -- actually caused at least one person to tell one of the MS ladies that he wouldn't return next year. *pause for effect* Yep. That's right. Somebody actually said they wouldn't come back because of the century patch. Seriously. Oh yes, it was an adult, just in case you were wondering.
I do admit, there were some 'traditional' things at the banquet that didn't happen this year that I missed: Recognition of top teams, top fundraisers (although they were on the video), rookie riders, and riders who have participated in multiple years. Missed, but nothing that would cause me major panic.
Maybe I'm 90% optimistic and only 10% pessimistic, but something really has to set me off to get THAT excited over anything. We need to remember why we are there. It isn't about us. It's about the MS Society. We are raising money for the MS Society. It isn't about a self gratification. We should be thankful for all they do for us on this ride. The support, the cheering, all the things that happen behind the scenes: It's simply incredible!
My rant is coming to a close but this has been eating at me all week so it had to come out. If the person who actually told the MS Society they wasn't going to ride over a patch is reading this -- and I hope they are -- sit back, relax, and think about it. Why are you riding this ride? For yourself or for the MS Society? Is a patch worth upsetting the wonderful ladies of the MS Society? What do you do with the patches anyway? I will gladly give you my stack of patches that are somewhere in my garage. Also, if you are reading this, I hope you are person enough to send an apology to the MS Society and plan on riding next year. It isn't about the patch, it's about people living with MS.
Filed under: MS Bike Tour, Rants
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