It's a Conspiracy... I think.

"what's going on?"
"where've you been?"
Mmmmmm.....

Well for the last couple of days,
I've sunk to scrolling online for a ride.
Not the two wheeled self moving type.
Motorcycles,
scooters,
trucks,
muscle cars.....

I've been car free for three years.
Sold and traded all of my bike stuff,
to build my Campy Record, US made
steel frame beauty. Now it's gone.

Looks like it's gonna be a while before
I'm riding, maybe longer before I get a
check from the insurance. Got no bike.
Starting over, again.
Feels like a conspiracy to get someone
to stop riding, and buy into the car culture.

Doesn't help that I have a rental right now.

Gotta get around somehow.
Killed some time today at a local motorcyle shop.
They actually had the exact same bike
I owned years ago.

That's where I've been.
Trying to find my place in this car based society.....

And no bike to ride out my thoughts...

Hipstersdom 2011

Keeping up with the Hipsters:

Paste Magazine 2009 photo.

The popularity in mopeds? It's happening!
I personally think it's just hipsters,
with the need for something new.

Add to that,
it sucks riding your color coordinated fixed gear
more than a couple miles.
So when you need to run errands all day?
Buy a moped, I guess?

"Hey! It's got pedals, right?"
NOPE!
You have an engine and a plate.
Kind of like kids on Razor scooters,
thinking they somehow belong with skateboarding.

Doesn't count,
and get the hell out of the bike lane!
I have more respect (and lust) for a vintage Vespa.
Or just step up and get an actual motorcyle.
Which will be the next trend in a year:
buying cheap motorcycles,
and stripping them down to cafe racers.
Sorry hipsters, it's already been done again and again.

But I guess that means we'll be seeing alot of
cheap track bikes on Craigslist
- since they need money for the next "thing".

Honda CB 550/750's and KZ1's will be the next coveted NJS.
If you got one, hold onto it until next year.

Thanks for hanging out for a while guys!
Paste Magazine 2009 for the photo/link.

It IS about the bike...

It's not a bike blog,
then it is,
then it's not,
then it is again...
New TIMES UNION post is up.
Guess it makes this a bike blog,
until the next post.

On Vacation (again)

Two days off,
at the lake.

I was going to do the 60 mile return
by bike,
but I'll spend my free time sorting out
my next bike...

Oh bikes...

All I have to look at while waiting for
my x ray.

Yeah, it could have been worse,
alot worse.
And if there was a video of it,
it'ld be funny to see me flipping out,
putting my Sidi into the grill.

But at this point,
I have a mean hipper,
a tight elbow with fluid in it,
my dream bike I built by piece is
DONE!

That I've got to figure out.
No bike.
No riding.
THAT sucks.

Finally happened!

After years on the bike, I finally got hit.
Awesome.

Members Only

Spent the morning put the final touch to my submissions for the Annual
Members Only show. And yeah, I still laugh when I hear the word
"member", also "unit", and I also joke about ordering the po po
platter. Even the word "platter", makes it hard to keep a straight
face. God, my kids have no chance growing up & being appropriate .
Sorry!

And I think I need to find a Members Only jacket for the opening
reception.
Anyone got a lead on one? Check those closets!

Out in pink today!

The heat and humidity really kept it to a short ride. But time well
spent.

"doucheclamation point"

Again, BikesnobNYC calls it as it is in yesterday's post.
I need to make more of an effort to read through
the blogs out there.

"Leather accessories are truly the
"doucheclamation point"
at the end of your lifestyle."

- classic!

Selling team bikes to fund a doping program?

Yeah,
that title pretty much sums it up. There are some
heavy investigators looking into those allegations.
You can read thefull article at NY Daily News.

As they say, "if there's smoke..."

Choose wisely!

This monstrosity greeted me as I walked into the local grocery store.

I don't know where to even begin.
Now if Lance promoted Fat Tire, i'ld say good for him/them. But Ultra light? That's the line where I choose to just not drink.

And if you were doing a bike related promo, you would expect to see something from The Great Bicycle Manufacturer, otherwise known as Trek. How does a department store full suspension mountain bike relate to someone known for winning "the" Tour?

If Michael Jordan had a display, I guess you could put a dodgeball on it. I mean, a ball is a ball right?

As a cyclist, this doesn't speak to me. Actually it does. It says "absolutely will I never buy or drink this stuff". No need to even talk about the commercials....
Just how big does that check need to be too justify endorsing this wreck?

Cycle across USA

So,
outside of work the other day I run into
these guys:

Sometimes it's just easier to walk on by,
not step out of the comfort zone and talk to someone.
But the bike was a Dawes, a UK brand you don't see often.
And there was a strong accent.
So I assumed they were doing some Montreal/NYC trip,
and around here - you'll probably need some directions.
So out of the comfort zone we go.

Here you have Ryan and Paul,
from Ireland, actually one is from the Rochester area,
but I'm assuming came from Ireland.
They decided to ride across the US
and raise money for an Irish cancer foundation,
and stopped into town to pick up a charger
and handlebar mounts for their GPS.

What was a change was there was no over calculation
of routes and dates and times,
they were just going to enjoy the ride.

I walked away thinking
I need to do that.
You need to get out there and live life, each day.
Ahhhh. I sound like some hippy bro',
but why slave away at a job to squirrel away some money,
so eventually you can retire,
THEN you go to Flordia to 'enjoy' life at seventy?

Riding my bike across the US,
adding that to my to do list.
Sooner than later.

To follow along goHERE.
Donate, comment, or offer a place to stay along the way! Thanks!

Cross country for Autism

Cross Country for Autism from Paper Fortress on Vimeo.

Go HERE for more info.
Saw these guys in the latest issue of Bicycle Times,
I need to renew that subscription!

Follow these guys, and help out however you can!

Suburbia is lost

Suburbia has become lost,
or is where one goes to be lost.

Suburbia is exactly where
the sidewalk ends.

People's Choice

As the days fly by,
I almost forgot,
2nd place in People's Choice!
(already into the next show).

Very cool,
a nice aknowledgement,
and thanks to everyone who voted!

You don't 'almost die' on a bike

surprisingly it's not riding in the rain,
or riding late at night,
or even commuting during rush hour.

It's WALKING your bike across the
intersection (due to a flat), and a
jackass makes an illegal right on a red
while on the cell phone & looking right
at me. Unfucking believable!

Times Union (freelabor) Blog

Times Union Blog Meeting

Or aknowledge the free labor gathering

Still undecided about the whole Major-Newspaper-Gathering-Content-Free
thing. Nice to have a forum, but at what, or who's expense. And my
beer is on... me.

new TU post!

NEW POST!

Yeah, only FOUR DAYS behind this week!
At this rate Christmas will be here in a month,
gotta get in the basement and dig out the studded tires!

Share?

THIS isn't my idea of "Sharing the Road".

time in the hills

have slowly started appreciating
the time in the hills
slowly...


old barn along the top.
without a computer, it's markers like this
that tell me how far along.

around the city

post coalition monthly meeting...


rainy day art drop for the next show...


non-brownstones....

Bigwheels are cool

Say what you will about Travis, DC Shoes, Rally car racing
and all of the other nonsense,
this is WTF.

Gems on the intra-net

"In her radio show, Dr Laura Schlesinger said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22, and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The following response is an open letter to Dr. Laura, written by a US man, and posted on the Internet. It's funny, as well as informative:

Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's
Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that
knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend
the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that
Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination ... End of
debate.

I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other
elements of God's Laws and how to follow them.

1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male
and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A
friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not
Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned
in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a
fair price for her?

3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is
in her period of Menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15: 19-24. The problem
is how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it
creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my
neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I
smite them?

5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath.
Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally
obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it?

6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is
an abomination, Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than
homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there
'degrees' of abomination?

7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if
I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading
glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some
wiggle-room here?

8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the
hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by
Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig
makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev.19:19 by planting two
different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing
garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester
blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really
necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town
together to stone them? Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to
death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep
with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy
considerable expertise in such matters, so I'm confident you can help.

Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and
unchanging.

Your adoring fan.
James M. Kauffman,
Ed.D. Professor Emeritus,
Dept. Of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education
University of Virginia

PS (It would be a damn shame if we couldn't own a Canadian)"