Just for Gordon...

Ahoy Mate,

I sent that lilly-livered, lame, non-working toaster oven off the plank to today. Good luck in Hampton Sydney.

Crazy Davey

Roof Rack Bonus...

Roof racks... not only good to transport your bicycles or just try to make yourself look 'cool,' but also good to unwittingly store coffee mugs whilst you drive your suv to work.

Thats right. On my way to work, I saw a mug pulling into a parking lot. The driver didn't even notice the mug still amidst his roof rack when he got out of his suv. Maybe the driver should get better coffee. Then he would definitely miss his mug o' joe.

btw: I prefer Malabar XXX (a peaberry bean from Larry's Coffee) available from Mo Joe's Cafe on Brambleton Avenue.

Talk Like a Pirate Day be showing on the horizon.

Whilst showing me new shipmate, Retro Ted, how'st to aquire a more seafaring moniker, Crazy Davy Bonny answered a few questions himself. Seems a few things have changed and offered ole Crazy Davy some new tack on which to chew.

My pirate name is:

Iron Davy Vane

A pirate's life isn't easy; it takes a tough person. That's okay with you, though, since you a tough person. You tend to blend into the background occaisionally, but that's okay, because it's much easier to sneak up on people and disembowel them that way. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
part of the fidius.org network

More 'overheards' at work...

"I'm just looking." - customer

"Yeah, that's why I work here. I like to look at bike stuff, too." - G Man

Overheard at work today

"The mini-bears chewed on my nipples in New Mexico." - G. Wadsworth

(context: camelbak bladders and chipmunks)

Timmy!

(this one's for adventure girl.)

pretty...

;-)

NC Cyclocross dates posted!

North Carolina Cyclocross Series: Oct. 22, 29, Nov. 5, 12, 18, 19, Dec. 3, 10

Winter Cup Series: Jan. 6, 7, 14, 20, 21

check out www.nccyclocross.com for locations and more info!

Cross Diet

After a great debutant season of cyclocross and some spring / summer commuting, I've put the trusty XO on a diet. Initial weigh-in, sans race wheels (spare wheels mounted instead) lights, seatbag, and H2O cages.... 22 lbs. Starting with a bold first move to a Bontrager Race X Lite ACC (aluminum core carbon) seatpost.. already down to 21 lbs. Things yet in store.. a new Alpha Q carbon fork, better stronger / lighter custom build rear race wheel, new shifters / derailleurs, and the secret weapon... courtesy of Doc Brown and Marty, the workings of a hover board with flux capacitor.

Thai - Mex and not the watches

So there I was, visiting my Dad and helping my sister move her pharmacy. Where do we get some food to eat, why the Thai - Mex restaurant next store. That's right, a menu selection fareing Thai and Tex-Mex offerings! Not to bad; so if you find yourself in Nellysford, VA (the valley below wintergreen) get yourself some tasty Baja Drunken Noodle, and if you're truely lucky, you'll be treated with the same swashbuckling Jedi vs Pirate action I spotted in the parking lot. Adventure abounds in Nelson County!

See. I do ride... just at night

The Nite Owl / Noodle Salad Ride :-)

been a while...

So.. It's been awhile since I last blogged. Hmm.. been busy... even if it was taken it easy for a weekend. After Mtns of Misery, I stepped it up a bit in the riding. Somewhere along the line, I got my 10th cat 5 race and was able to successfully upgrade to cat 4. Yeah, Yeah, big cat 4... time to ride w/ the better handling riders... which I did.


A couple of weekends back, I rode in the Roanoke Cycling Criterium as part of the Commonwealth Games. When I say rode in, I really mean stayed w/ the pack for about half the race until soloing for a few laps before getting lapped off the course. Not too bad considering I haven't been doing any speedy training. Despite the head windy long stretch, I was still able to hold about 20 mph while soloing. Good times, good friends, good course, and good cycling! Thanks to Roanoke Cycling Organization for organizing the weekend omnium event! :-)

Another Mountains of Misery pic

Catch the link to Birdseye View Photography. This was taken at the base of the first major climb.. John's Creek Mountain. Cruel thing is, it had not even begun to get steep compared to the top.

Click Here to see The Leprechaun about to face the Misery

Mugs of Misery

Thanks to Dan Casey for the pic and to the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club for the revival zone on the last climb.

Overheard good qoute

"That's as handy as a shirt pocket."

Mtns of Misery... take 2

Gasp. I finally did it... I actually registered for my second Mountains of Misery century challenge. What am i thinking?! As if my first one wasn't enough. hmmm.. Its not the pain or the misery that lures me. Its a great ride and a great cycling event! Maybe even seeing some old friends and maybe making some new friends. Besides, if one is going to do a century ride... why not Mountains of Misery. Plus, its a great way to celebrate my first ever century ride... Mountains of Misery 2005.

To celebrate my registration, I climbed 12 O'clock Knob (Salem side) today. Whew. Its been a while. Like visiting an old friend.

New Cyclo-Cross Categories announced

Look out. Cyclo Cross is getting organized. Yup. Looks like there is now official license categories for cyclocross racing. Seems they are based not only on road license category or self picked as before but also based on mountain bike classification and earned points / # of participated cyclocross races. Upgrades will be handled much like road upgrades as race-placement points appear to be standardized. Hmmm. this upcoming season will be interesting as people get sorted to appropriate categories. Check 'em out. Categories 4 (beginner) to 1 (pro).

USA Cycling Announces New Cyclo-Cross Categories

Upgrade Requirements - (cyclo-cross at bottom of article)

Lucky me... I raced expert mountain bike at one time and am now starting with my new cyclo cross category as a 3. Probably a good thing as last year I came in second in the Virginia Series beginner class and was on my way to a solid top ten at least in the North Carolina series beginner class.

Here's to skinny tires in the dirt :-)

Rain Rain Go away...

... I wanna take my bike and play.

Sigh. the thursday nite mountain bike ride was called due to heavy rain earlier today. Patience must I have. ride not on soggy trails. better to let the trails dry a bit and ride another day.

maybe the weather will be good enough to get some road climbing action tommorrow morning before work.

Castelli Y-Pro Bib short update

Okay okay... so I got white bib shorts (castelli y-pro). I happen to like the colour and style and fully accepted the fact that white will show things easier. Okay, so i wasn't thinking about the see thru factor of white, but the folks at Castelli were. Castelli made the white y-pro bib shorts double ply ;-) so nothing shows through any more than any other colour short! (i also don't plan on crapping my shorts either. this seems to be something several people have mentioned.. that it will show thru. umm yeah. i'll just find a bathroom and take care of things that way.)

Enough on the white and on to the fit. I like 'em. The chamois is in all the right spots and none of the wrong. In fact, after a week of riding capped with a 70 miler today... all on my selle italia storika leather saddle... the Y-pro provided just the right blend of performance and comfort. As for the rest of the fit.. a little extra snug around the legs equating to more of an athletic / racing cut. The extra snugness is something I'm not quite used to, but not uncomfortable. In fact it seems to help on longer rides.

I also got a chance to wear the y-pro's on a mountain bike ride. The extra snugness around the legs was a little distracting, but not too bad. Probably something I could get used to.

Overall.. I like 'em... white colour and all.

Serious Playstation Problems

Man pleads guilty to murder over PlayStation

The Associated Press - COLUMBUS, Ga.

A 29-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to killing a friend in a dispute over how to use a PlayStation video game console.

Arthur Demaurice Priestly pleaded guilty to murder Monday in Muscogee County Superior Court in the killing of his friend, James Edwards Jr.

Judge Bobby Peters had rejected Priestly's bid to plead guilty to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter.

Edwards, 24, was shot to death on March 20 at Priestly's house. The two men were drinking heavily during a barbecue when they got into an argument about whether music should be played in Priestly's PlayStation.

Edwards died from a single gunshot wound to the chest. The two men were friends and met while working together at a foundry and machine shop.