I'm Back - The Quickie Life Update Entry

Start the clock. I'm shooting for a worthwhile entry in under 10 mins.

Here we go...

For the second time this summer I was knocked to the canvas for a couple weeks with a stomach condition. This time around was not quite the knock out blow that landed in late June and left me 10-12 lbs lighter in the end. Just a standing 8 count and I am now back in action, no lighter. Had the pleasure of a scope down the old gullet to get a professional eyeball on the situation. Serious stuff is pretty well ruled out. I am gradually venturing from eating completely bland stuff into not so bland. Taking appropriate meds for awhile as the works heal.

Cheap gas went up fro $2.35 to $2.69 before Katrina, then shot up to $3.33 locally in Greenbelt and now is dropping. Currently at $3.19.

I missed blueberry season and the felling of the apple tree. I am, however, enjoying some of this years berries thanks to Martha's picking efforts and the Mom & Dad express delivery. BIG thank you Martha!

I am a few pages into Brad Lockwood's book on the Case family knife dynasty. I'm liking it. Should I be surprised? Thanks Martha (again) for the signed copy.




Caught a Nationals game at RFK Stadium last weekend with Mom & Dad.

It was a big game with playoff implications, and they lost thanks to one bad inning by their ace pitcher Hernandez and some play by the Atlanata Braves, including a reach-over-the-fence-and-snag-a-home-run catch.


But it was a great day to be at the park. Low 80's, low humidity, sunny. Good seats in the shade. Very comfortable. RFK is spiffed up just enough to be a pleasant sight from the stands.
(And, NO! the Nats are not quite out of it yet, darn it!)



While I was out of commission Bridget has started running and walking. She is persevering cautiously, learning to accomodate and smartly manage her way through the minefiled of aches and pains that come with never having done this stuff. And she is progressing nicely. And, she is making all kinds of home improvements as well. Inspiring.

Dad continues with a busy work schedule and absolutely epic running. Mom is just as busy and has added a local pooch as an ocassional walking companion for her daily cruise in the neighborhood. They have also leapfrogged me technologywise, with a nice laptop at home ona wireless sytem.

I see the youngest of six is logging some impressive bike miles. Especially as they are on a mtn bike and off road. That off road stuff is too much for a roadie like me. An hour off pavement is easily as tough as 2 on it.

I'm out of the loop and way behind on all of the many other local family events. Even more clueless than usual I suppose I should add.

Meanwhile, I'm just happy to happy to have the energy to throw a wimpy post up on this blog site.

And... 29mins later, I'm done.

Birthday at Devereaux

The party was a little late, but it came off just fine. I played my crucial role: staying as far away from any actual contribution as possible.

According to the experts, the corn was not quite up to the five-star standard, but the salad, vine-ripened tomatoes, salmon, and the short cake with peaches (and ice cream for some) more than made up for it.

Some pics....










Let's see if I can add a few more...

First, a few of the goodies.


Here is the Chad Codero look, sort of.


Trying out "The Stick."


And, the obligatory cat photo. Cat-in-a-box.

New Fixie Set Up, or, Pimping my Ride

Memorializing a few changes to the fixed gear bike. If you thought I could not climb any higher on the "who cares!" scale, you've seriously underestimated me...


This bike is my fun wheels, where I attempt to put forth my own personal (and of course tasteful) style statement matched with the "essence de bike" factor that is inherent in the fixed gear ride. My best shot at marrying form and function in the cycling context, with a bit of a message if you look for it, maybe.

What brought his on? Well, because it's mykind of fun, and, it's looking like I may actually be able to ride this puppy again before halloween. Confidence in my legs is returning, slowly. So, I pulled out parts accumulated months ago.

This go 'round of pimping includes:

Throwing on some old school Dia Comp brake levers I picked up some time ago ($6 ebay). Brown to match the seat



Also chopped an additional inch or so off the bar ends, which were too curved for my liking. The trick here was to leave enough curve in order to mount the levers so as to have a nice range of pull on the brake levers - so the brakes would actually work, rather than finding that pulling on the levers would have them run into the handle bar before they had pulled the cable enough to move the brake pads against the wheel rim. Got that?

And, of course, the final flair: some new tan/brown bar tape to match the seat (well, sort of). Spied the tape at the LBS when I went by to grab some new brake cables. My first sighting of tape in that color, did not think it existed.

It called out to me in eee's and oooh's, reeling me in with its rolling Tuscan tone. The ride is a Cinelli frame, likwise the stem and bars (what's left of them). And, yes, this fine cork tape is Cinelli as well, and thus essential.





I suppose the hardcore purist cycling set would comment:
"You, Siiiiiir," they might derisively comment, "are a fixie poseur of the highest order.
Hand brakes? Egads, man. Bring that fine fixer to a halt as was meant to be, in appropriate old school fashion - reverse leg power."

"And," they might add, "the reverse levers may look cool, but they can be spears in the right (wrong) circumstances."


Yeah, yeah, yeah. I actually prefer to keep my knees connected to the rest of me, not watch them blow over the handlebars as I try to stop at the bottom of a hill. I will give myself the brake option, twice over - front and rear.

Perhaps I'll slip some neoprene on the lever, uh, make that "spear" tips. Got anything in black, or maybe Cinelli brown?

Real Cyclists Shave Their Legs - How Real Am I?

Installment number one in what I suspect may be my default blog topic when no other inspiration strikes: educating the unwitting with regard to the nifty minutiae of all things multisport.

If you watched the Tour de France you may have noticed the riders all seem to be skinny, sweaty, shiny, hairless wonders with names like Santiago or Thor. Male hairless wonders, that is.

Eyeball a local group of amateur "cycling enthusiasts" aka road bikers or "roadies" and you'll notice that not only do they wear the goofy colorful spandex and lycra donned by the pros, they also tend toward hairlessness.
Why? You might ask (or you might not). I've asked, and yes, I've gone beyond just asking, and then I've asked again - why? And, where, exactly does one start and... stop ... fear not, I ain't goin' there in this piece.

As with the lycra and other gear there are reasons, always. Some more legit than others.

Ask a roadie and the first reason given will most likely be that if skin ever meets asphalt, shaved legs make for a smoother slide and less damage or "road rash," and it's easier to clean up, less likely to get infected and quicker to heal. Reason number two is usually that it makes for better massages, again, no pulling of the hair. Reason number three, perhaps the real reason, is that it looks good, or so the shaver thinks. And there are other more subtle, more insider reasons.

Shaved legs says: I am an accomplished rider, I ride hard and I ride fast. I know what I am doing, do not mess with me. It also suggests the rider can be trusted to adhere to the courtesies of roadie riding, maintaining a good line, cornering well, pointing out potholes to those behind, no sudden braking, etc.

Going the hirsute route on the other hand may get you dissed. You may receive an occasional snarky remark. "Hey, you know a fur coat will really keep you warm." But, as a long time sasquatch, I can say this is rare and in fun when heard. Mostly, it will mean you are silently marked and watched with a slightly suspicious eye, maybe even given a wide berth. Not so bad.

As the top photo suggests I have in fact plunged into the shaved cyclist world. Due to the nature of the sport triathletes are all cyclists foremost, then runners and finally swimmers.

Well, post plunge observation: it helps to have a tan!
The foliage does a nice bit of masking fishbelly-white office legs. Hmmm... reason number four in favor of shaving: it's naturally reflective, a safety aid.

Finally, ladies, you have my sympathy. Shaving the legs is much more of a pain than a beard. And I've merely gone at it a couple times a week with an electric shaver.

I'll likely let it grow back before long. And enjoy the quiet satisfaction of leaving the hairless wonders in my fuzzy wake.

Blog rookie post #1

Here we go, let's test this puppy out.

And, let's try posting a pic or two as well...

A few of the dozens of turtles that can be seen sunning on the anti-mosquito bales and tree limbs scattered along the "shores" of Greenbelt Lake just a few hundred yards from my door.
The 1.3 mile dirt road/path around the lake is part of my regular running route.

Recently reduced to walking , I took the camera with me and chased these critters down. Arduous.