the forest elf

Some may have noticed the leprechaun is no more.

With my return to mountain riding more often, I've found myself in the forest more often.

Hence, 'forest elf' it is, now.



pic courtesy of http://www.elfster.com/ArtOfElf/Lesson1/

magical

There's something magical about not just cleaning your bike but waxing / bike lusting your bike too. My HiFi Pro just got a wash and wax to celebrate 300 miles.

cool blog

http://jo-in-japan.blogspot.com/

found this one with the 'next blog' button courtesy of blogger.com.
sometimes your lucky as in Jo in Japan.
sometimes your not so lucky...

Turtle....

Turtle... its a fun word to say.

I also saw a turtle while I was mountain biking the other day.

Tur-tle. Say it. Its fun.

Fixed

Like anything was broken... None the less, welcome to my latest: Gary Fisher's Trition, an urban free / fix gear. The original specs for included mustache bars for an upright riding position, but thanks to some drops and old brake levers I had, its now configured for road riding position. A smooth steel frame (OX true tempor) w/ track dropouts, bontrager carbon fork, bontrager track wheelset. (for you gear heads... 44x18)

I did warn you all, though. Last december, the day before my birthday, I mused over this very bike. Click here to see my previous entry announcing my discovery of Gary Fisher's Triton.

Casual Friday's (in a reverse world)

I like the tie. It called out to me Friday morning as I was getting dressed. Comments ranged from "Do you know you are wearing a tie?" to "Are you going to court today?" to "wow, you look nice."

new pic for my profile - rowdy dawg

Think Bike 2007 - National Bike Summit

Thursday, 15 March 2007, I got the opportunity to experience cycling on a new level - standing up for cyclists on Capitol Hill!

Every year, the League of American Bicyclists hosts a National Bike Summit in Washinton, D.C. to rally all types of cyclist (riders, club leaders, industry representatives, and local bike shop owners / employees) for a focused legislative push of current cycling needs.

Past National Bike Summit efforts have achieved everything from gaining cycling recognition as worthy of legislative attention to obtaining funding for implementation of the Safe Routes to School Program.

This year, as a part of East Coasters Bicycle's Advocacy Efforts and the support of Bikes Belong, I was able to join delegates from across Virginia as well as the country to educate our legislative representatives and ask for their support with current national cycling issues.

Hot Topics for 2007 included:

1) Funding the Conserve by Bicycling Program - In 2005, a program was approved to study the overall impact of shifting car trips to bicycle trips in various communities around the nation. Although the program was approved, funding was neglected and has been pursued since.

2) Supporting the Bicycle Commuter Tax Benefit Act - 'Clean Commute' legislation has already been enacted and supports tax relief and other benefits to employees and employers of mass transit, and car & van pool users. Unfortunately, the term 'bicycle' was left out of the wording at the time. The Bicycle Commuter Tax Benefit Act strives to extend the definition of transportation to include bicycles. Thus, bicycle commuters would be able to receive the same benefits as other 'clean commuters.' Link here, courtesy of League of American Cyclists, to get more information and contact your representatives to show support for the Bicycle Commuter Tax Benefit Act.

3) Protecting Trails and Helping Trail Partners - IMBA (International Mountain Bicycling Association) had a two headed push this year. First, IMBA is promoting land preservation methods that allow for bicycle access rather than tradional Wilderness designation which excludes bicycle access. In particular to Virginia, IMBA calling for support of the Virginia Ridge and Valley Act of 2007. Second, IMBA is calling for the restoration of higher funding levels for the Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program. The RTCA program uses matching funding to create and protect riverways and wildlife habitat, trail and greenway networks, and open green space.

All in all, the National Bike Summit was an exciting and successful event. Although Senators and Representatives were not always available to directly speak with Summit attendees, the congressional staffers of our representatives showed true interest and concern for our requests. In just the day and a one half I was able to attend, I saw a enormous cycling presence convene on Capitol Hill and have an immensely positive influence on our nation's leaders. The Summit was a whole new aspect of cycling advocacy to me, and one in which I hope to continue participating. So remember, Think Bike for 2007!

(photo's courtesy of www.bikeportland.org )

Mill Mtn trail work & Chuck Norris

So more important than the mannequin arm I found while picking up trash beneath the Star Overlook, I learned a new Chuck Norris fact today.

Chuck Norris and Wilford Brimley once got in a fight, and that fight is the real reason why there are no more dinosaurs.

btw: here a few pics of the GeoCacheing trash pick up event and a link to the gallery. Note Tim Carter in the group picture. Tim is a cyclist as well but also a geo cacher. As for me, I was just there to support one of Mill Mountain's Trail work days. This work day happened to be sponsered by the local geocaching group.

Szechuan Lunch

Ready 10 minute ago. Where are you?

Not only was it a Szechuan carry out lunch day, I raised the bar even farther by eating the beef w/ vegetables lunch combo not only while it was still hot, but also finished in one sitting.

Must be all the riding I've been doing lately.

Shaking the dust off the Serotta - Phil Leggit Style

Like Cheese Whiz spread across Ritz snack crackers; so the pain was spread across El Gato's sinewy muscles this morning during an all out attack on the Berg de Mill Mountain. Victory was El Gato's, though, after dancing between two closely parked work vans in the middle of the course. Pulling tight the drawstrings of success, El Gato reached deep into his mussette bag of courage and found his crafty mountain and cyclocross skills granting him traction on the wet leaves and moss sprinkled across the course. At the top, with the Roanoke Star standing watch, the fog lifted bringing El Gato to the crest of Victory! Mist, buringing off the roof of the the Discovery Center, rose in a victory salute to the elated rider, El Gato. (Especially since El Gato had to make special effort to wake up early and ride before work.)

Has El Gato mentioned that he loves riding his bicycles?

Party at the Moon Tower

Gary Fisher HiFi + Day off from work = Fun. Two hours to be exact, and just about 20 miles. Funny. Didn't seem that long. I was just having fun and didn't want to stop. Admittedly, there was some pavement portaging, but there was also a lot of singletrack without having to drive anywhere.

It started with heading for the Mill Mountain trails for a little climbing / descending action. Then I remembered hearing about the Wood Thrush trail, a new trail from the water tank along the lower portion of the Star trail. The Wood Thrush skirts along up the mountain somewhat paralleling the Fishburn parkway. The Wood Thrush trail opens up again just within sight of the Chestnut Ridge Trail. Good if the Chestnut Ridge Loop ever opens to bicycles, but also good enough to connect with the Ridge Trail and head back towards the Discovery Center.

After descending down the Terra Alta trail and heading towards the hospital to link with the Greenway to Wassena, I changed my mind and to Avenhiem over to Wonju to the bike lane on Colonial and linked into the Murray Run singletrack at VWCC / Fishburn Park.

Did I mention I love my Hifi Pro?! Just over a hunderd miles on it since February! That's more ride time than my Serotta Nove got when it was new.

And, yes, I did see the lone shoe.

ps. Props to Bill Gordge and crew along with Pathfinders for Greenways for bringing us all these awesome opportunities.

More Poetry

"My Bicycle" - 02 March 2007

2 wheels beneath me,
they roll.
2 wheels beneath me,
releasing my soul.
2 wheels beneath me,
my freedom.

El Gato goes Chuck

If you can see El Gato, El Gato can see you.

If you can't see El Gato, you're probably about to find a 'present' in your 'musette bag.'

Today's lesson a la "Chuck"

Chuck Norris can speak brail.

Right swing or Left swing?

I was excited today when I discovered I am Left Swing. Now before you get all excited and have wandering mind trouble; I'm talking about messenger bags.


According to PAC Designs, a pretty cool messenger bag company based out of Canada, most people are Right Swing. In other words Right Swing'ers have the bag's shoulder strap on the left shoulder allowing the bag to swing to the individual's right side. (see figure to the right.)




Left Swing'ers { that's me ;-) } have the bag's shoulder strap rest on the right shoulder allowing the bag to swing to the individual's left side. (see figure to the left.)



Maybe that's why I spell 'gray' 'grey'... or is it vice versa?



Still confused? Check out Pac Designs page on Swing Technology and how they design Pac Bags to swing both ways. Or, just browse their site and check out all their cool stuff. Looks like a really good messenger bag.

Finally got a grip

So my new Gary Fisher HiFi Pro sat for awhile as I had time to build it. One of the last things I did was install the grips, and believe me, everyone seemed to point out that I should use grips on my new mountain bike. Well, the grips have finally been installed... along with going tubeless via the Bontrager Superjuice Tubeless system.

What a change! My previous mountain bike had V-Brakes w/ Ceramic rims, inner tubes, and 3 inches of travel. Now, I'm rollin' Avid Juicy 7's disc brakes, tubeless, and 4.5 inches of travel. Not to mention, Gary Fisher's new Genesis 2.0 Geometry has tweaked the fork offset and trail to sharply respond at any speed. Needless to say, this bike rocks, and I'm proud to call the HiFi Pro my new mountain bike.

Been a little distracted lately

So, a couple of weekends ago, my girlfriend and I mutually ended our relationship. We'd been dating for over a year but struggling with living in different towns. Sad to say, the distance was inhibiting any more progression in our relationship. It's a little sad saying goodbye to someone you care about.

Winter Poetry

Driving to work today, the snowflakes started and it made me think. By the time I arrived at Mojoe's Coffee (my local shop), the following thoughts had formed in my mind:

First snowflakes falling
On my way to work
Bicycles calling, mine and theirs
Snowflakes falling, they don't care
Road, Mountain, Townie
Just get us out there
"Remember how it felt?" they said
Snow swirling
Quiet wheels turning
Soft sounds of winter riding
First snowflakes swirling in my mind

new title background?