Winning the Lottery

Sometimes you win the lottery... but you just didn't know you were playing or what the prize was. Well, it's a pretty cool prize, but there goes my chances for the powerball.

So, a friend of mine really likes vintage travel mugs. You know. The first ones before they were all fancy and fit in cup holders? Yes sir'ee. These travel mugs were ceramic with a narrow top and wide bottom with something of a gripper on the bottom to keep it from zooming across your dash board. Well, these champions of travel were replaced by fancy steel and plastic lined 'thermal' cups that fit in car cup holders. Now a-day's, champions of the far superior vintage travel mugs are relegated to finding replacements in thrift shops and the like.

So, I keep these vintage mugs on my mental shopping list whenever I find myself in such a cornucopia of left behind and hidden treasure.

Here comes the lottery winning.

On such a recent occasion, not only did I find a vintage travel mug in good condition (see above pic), but I also found this rare gem. Yes. Neither my friend nor I knew such a travel mug existed in all it's glory. Not just a vintage travel mug, but a vintage travel mug fired from classic Japanese chinaware complete with beautiful representation of the strength and beauty of the American Eagle.

This makes Bob Ross look like a stick figure artist! Perhaps the only thing that comes close is a certain 'pocket' knife emortalized with a winged 'buckskin bambie.' Now that was truly a knife that almost brought a grown man to tears. But this mug... this vintage travel mug... this vintage travel mug of Japanese chinaware embellished with the enormous power of the classic American Eagle?!

Well.. I won't be winning the lottery any time soon, and a certain top tier adventure woman will now be amping it up with the power of a rare beauty!

General Tso

"Why is it General Tso's Chicken? 'Cause it's Tso frickin' awesome!"


Thanks for the insight Gordon. How true it is. It's nice to have you back in the shop this summer.

btw.. who is General Tso? Check the Wikipedia article HERE.

Rock - Paper - Scissors & Chuck Norris

If paper beats rock, rock beats scissors, and scissors beats paper, what beats all 3 at the same time? Answer: Chuck Norris!

ps:
Chuck Norris' roundhouse kick is so powerful, it can be seen from outer space by the naked eye.

and oh yeah:
Chuck Norris can touch MC Hammer.

Unconfirmed Speed Record

In a phone interview last week, a new speed record was claimed on descending Catawaba Mountain. The bike was a coaster brake, and quite possibly a JC Higgins. The rider's own speedometer was topped out at 40 - 45 mph. However, while passing a Dodge Dart, the rider was able to look inside to the Dart's dashboard and read that speedometer, which read 65 mph. Since the rider was passing the Dart, with his bicycle, the rider claims a speed of 70 mph during the descent.

It was not clear which side of Catawaba Mountain this majestic feat was accomplished. However, I feel the greater feat in this story is a Dodge Dart traveling 65 mph.

JBC's and Sour Cream

Is is so wrong. I mean, people, put sour cream on their baked potatoes with bacon bits don't they? Why not sour cream on a Junior Bacon Cheeseburger from Wendy's. I like it, anyway.

2008 National Bike Summit - Climbing Capitol Hill

05-07 March 2008, I took a break from my daily role of assisting folks with their cycling needs to travel to Washington, DC. There, I attended my second National Bike Summit (sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists) to learn, network, and lobby for bicycle rights and recognition.

In contrast to last year's specific issue requests (Bicycle Commuter Tax Relief Act, Virginia's Ridge and Valley Act, and Bicycle as Transportation Study Program), the goal of this year's summit was to broaden America's view of bicycling to include being a viable solution towards today's health, energy, pollution, and transportation issues. Bicycling is not just a recreational hobby; bicycling poses viable solutions to today's needs.


New friends and familiar faces gathered to meet with our governmental representatives to ask for their support with recognizing bicycling as an important issue in the public interest. The first 'ask' was to support a Congressional Resolution creating a case for developing a national strategy to increase bicycle use and safety and to substansively include bicycling in efforts to solve today's challenges of pollution, health, oil dependence, traffic congestion, and more. The Second 'ask' was to take federal action in adopting Complete Streets Polices for the recognition of all road users, not just automobiles, in future transportation and infrastructure projects. The third 'ask' was to fund and support the National Park Service Centennial Initiative, a commitment to restore and repair our national parks in time for the 100th anniversary in 2016. A main goal of supporting this initiative is to improve and expand foot and bicycle access of the parks to increase exercise and better connect visitors with the natural world.

Sometimes, meeting with our goverment representatives can be a fast paced, hectic affair. Meetings are often done, on-the-fly in hallways, and even more often with 'office staffers', the folks that really run our nation. Note: the smallest person in the pic is actually the staffer, and the blur was someone trying to squeeze by in the 'rush' of politics.

All in all, the Summit was successful. There is an increasing reception of bicycling as more than just folks in spandex on childhood toys. Bicycling is being recognized as a viable alternative presenting solutions to today's challenges... along with a way to have fun.

(Socializing and Networking over an IMBA hosted dinner)


(Thomas of Shenandoah Bicycle Company takes a break between meetings)


(quite a mix of folks... all connecting through bicycling)

Fires on Mill Mountain :-(

Here's the video from Roanoke Times

Here's the link to the online article.

Trials of being sick...

So. Somehow on the way back back home from the National Bike Summit, I got hit with the Crud / Flu... hard. The worst part wasn't the high temps and feeling awful or even the coughing. The worst part was getting the hiccups from how hard / deep I would cough. Sure, the old adage of drinking water from the opposite side of the cup while upside down usually works for me while just bending over. Not this time. Extreme measures had to be taken. Due to general weakness, standing on my head could only be achieved twice. After that, Kristin suggested, and I acted to hang from the ladder to the loft. It worked! On my way back right side up, though, I smacked my head on our hook sticks, popped a lense out of my glasses frames, and got a small cut over my right eye. My hiccups were gone, though.... for about another 30 minutes anyway.

more of Frank's doodles

Two of the 'Three B's'...

Thanks for the snacks, Gary! We're always happy to help out.

No worries on the third B, but two out of three isn't bad.

I'll be in my office..

You thought your cubicle was small.

full moons

Somedays, I can just guess its a full moon. Sure enough, today is not only a full moon, but there was also a lunar eclipse last nite. (Photo courtesy of the Roanoke Times)

Oddities Museum Expands

Patient waiting has paid off. Finally, a display case for main attractions of my growing Museum of Oddities. Currently featured, a double feature of the Rubberband Octopus (formerly Rob's Rubberband Ball) and the Petrified Lime.

HiFi Keeps Moving Forward...

Hmmm. The HiFi in a cross country platform versus an all mountain platform. Nice. I love my HiFi Pro, but I think the cross country 3-4 inches of travel with racier geometry might suit my tastes a bit better than the all mountain 4-5 inches and more upright/comfortable position. I like the new ProCaliber. (available also in the more modestly priced SuperCaliber and Caliber.) Click the link to read more about the HiFi XC Series.

Brush Fires at Carvins Cove

High winds and wildfires report by the Roanoke Times

video courtesy of the Roanoke Times

continued video on the wildfires courtesy of the Roanoke Times

Cold weather still here.

So as the weather returns to regular February weather, let us not dwell on the fabulous warm weather of late. Instead, lets think back to late January on a Sunday when the high was in the low to mid 20's. Brrr... for Virginia. Somehow, though, Frank and I still headed out for a road ride. Just shy of 2.25 hours.

I had just got a pair of half lobster claw gloves, Borealis, from Planet Bike. Toasty.


Sure wish I'd had my Castelli Wrap Due booties then, but with a steady pace my body somehow managed to stay mostly warm.

One of Frank's water bottle froze during the ride and had to be thawed inside his jacket. My cytomax slushed up but frequent sips kept the top from freezing. My plain water bottle had an ice chunk in it that was still there 45 minutes after getting home.

(I think Bob still owes us lunch. He didn't believe we would actually ride.) Still, it was a good day to ride.

Trail Reviews

For Steve from West Michigan-

Thanks for asking about the trails. They are great.
Here's some info to get you started until I can get a better review.
Also, East Coasters Bicycles has been updated our ride info pages for Roanoke mtn bike riding. They are quite improved with lots of great info.

Carvins Cove: Great variety, lots of options, newly signed, local favourite

Explore Park: Great design, fewer trails, possibly closing :-(

Dragon's Back: Wicked tough, intermediate to expert riding only, poorly signed

Mill Mountain: in town single track fun

Check www.blueridgebicycleclub.com for their ride calendar as well as www.roanokecycling.org for their rides.

Check back later for more in depth reviews.

from the cookie...

Fortunes from the cookie on New Year's Day. Courtesy of Red Palace Chinese Buffet - Valley View.

"Idleness is the holiday of fools."

"The great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do."

Funny. I had just finished a 25 mile mountain bike ride with friends to celebrate the New Year.

time for the epic rides...

Last Sunday 30 december 2007 - last ride of the year and a very much needed ride for my sanity. I thought I would try to beat the rain. Read the following quote to find out what happened.

"you know you're wet from riding in the rain when you stand out of the saddle and feel all the water move in your tights. that's waaaay past a wet chamois. 1.5 hours and half way with no where else to go but keep riding; so i did."

I was in the middle of Bradshaw Road and the temp was in the mid to lower 40's.
I started shivering the moment I made it back inside my flat... because I stopped moving and generating heat from the inside.
Props to my clothing choice. At least 1.5 hours in soaking rain and my core was still dry. Arms, legs, hands, feet, and face were soaked, but my core was dry. Amazing what a wind vest can do.

Honest Tea and the Lorax

another Green Dragon Honest Tea, another tea lid... and another saying.

"Unless someone like you cares a whole lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." The Lorax - Dr. Seuss


(it's a good book. i own a copy. i'm a forestry / resource management major remember?)