Friday, January 30, 2009

stupor weekend

That time of year again. I'll be riding behind the police motorcycle escort to reduce the wind and to clear me through all intersections, or would drafting disqualify the rider from an alley cat? Seems not.

If'n you're in need of any tips on riding the race, read up on Safety Commissioner Brad's advice:
As for safety or police issues, [Brad] Emery says it's a matter of being responsible adults. Riders are expected to follow traffic laws, and to not drink more than they can handle.
Uh huh.

Good luck, I'll be watching from the sidelines while my broken rib heals up. Another few weeks or so and I'll again be jumping over snow piles with the best of them.

And this just in - Larger Faller sends me a message saying he's coming back to the Mpls. Just a heads up to give you time to move, and you know who you are. Get on it.

Rock and roll.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Monday is still the new Friday, right?

So I was going to do a taste test comparison of the Bells 2-hearted and the Hop Slammer tonight, but it seems that after about 6-8 drinks the taste buds come down to the 2-hearted being quite satisfying, then the Hop Slam completely devastating the buds with its aroma of a ripe and sweaty t-shirt - but a complete taste sensation nonetheless! What surprised me was the head on the 2hearted being so much chunkier and fuller than the HS - as seen in photo, which was taken with the aid of IKEA lighting. Yeah, I know.


Bottom line is that they're charging way too damn much for the hopslam - twice as much for the same quantify as compared to the 2-hearted. Better yet, buy a case of High Life and get some sweet points and send them to me - I've got a cool delivery shirt, but don't quite have enough for the fleece to stay warm, which would be appreciated right now.

So while I attempt to enjoy a beverage or two, and in this case two, businesses are cutting jobs at a feverish pace. One minute people are waving their US flags out their SUV windows in support of whatever cause requires that to take place, the next they're trampling over each other to see who can fire staff fast enough to save their bottom dollar in the interests of corporate salvation. Let's not forget that without a job you can't have health insurance - so if you or your spouse or family member has say, cancer, diabetes, or anything else that isn't blonde hair and blue eyes, you're shit out of luck getting continued coverage, assuming you can afford it without that job you just got lost of. COBRA wasn't engineered to be cheap, people. Talk is cheap, but if you need insurance and can't afford it, it's the rich that live long and prosper.

As these U.S. companies lay off their workers in the interest of wall street profits, I stop enough to say you're nothing more than dirty, backstabbing, uninsightful, and this is gonna hurt - unpatriotic Americans. Patriotism and capitalism - those are two schools of thought that don't overlap during a recession, or dare I say what is turning into a depression? You heard it here first. Don't worry, it won't be official until after it's over.

But at least it's all going to get better on the near horizon, right? Oh shit, I guess not so much - but we can laugh about it now, because it's like - "it's not us that's gotta deal with it" - am I right?! Heyoh!

On the bit of a happier finish; I just ordered one of these units. I'm thinking that if I'm gonna be walking on a treadmill anyway, I ought to be getting somewhere. So I'm standing by with my indoor trainer ready for when it arrives - cause it's cold out but mostly because I'm not into my neighbors stalking me while I get my exercise on - isn't that what Facebook is for?

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Till next year

The ride was a cold and icy one, but 14 riders made it nonetheless. No falls - scratch that, I saw Rich go down once. Twas a good turnout - 13 riders left Chiang with the 14th joining on just as we neared the bench. Nate gave a hell of a speech, the group made sure every scrounged up candle was lit, passed a can or two of malt and a bottle of brown, and hightailed it to the Hex for a warm up period before being promptly kicked out at the 0200 hour.

Rachel Ride 2

The 2010 ride will be in Auckland, as Erika is moving to New Zealand in a few weeks. See you there.

Road condition update - slick slick slick. Too cold for salt to work, so they don't bother putting it down.

Monday, January 19, 2009

2nd annual Rachel Dow ride

What: 2nd annual group ride in memory of Rachel Dow. It's been more than a year now since the passing of Rachel; let's get together and raise a glass and ride our bikes to her memory.

Where: Meet in the back room at Chiang Mai Thai in Uptown MPLS, bike to the bench, have a vigil, and bike to the hexagon afterward. Pi's closed, unfortunately.

When: 10pm this Saturday the 24th.

After the first ride

You didn't know Rachel? That's okay, you're still invited to be with friends and ride your bike.

Here are a few photos from last year's ride.

Bring a friend, ride your bike, bring a few beverages, have fun, smile, celebrate life and the memories it brings.

See you Saturday night.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

like a deer in the headlights

You have to give the guy credit; he's not using a combustion engine, and he's taking the lane, which is pretty bad-ass when you've got a flipping cervidae on your back. It's from the fail blog, though I'm not sure this qualifies as such, quite the opposite me thinks.

On to a lighter note, this week has seen a lot of friends and colleagues laid off from where I work. Thirty years at the company? Yeah, nice knowing ya, but it's time for ya's to be on yer way. Oh, and good luck finding work out there. People are wandering around the workstitute this week a bit dumbstruck, cause no one knows who's next.

And I'd like to thank Chloe for sending this clip of her father, the large feller, on his new Portland ride, heading off to the co-op to fetch some hummus pâté for the supper table:

you know it's cold when...

It's balls cold out there people.
I was the lone human at the dog park this morning, for some reason the attendance at the dog parks go down a bit this time of year.

I'm sick this week, so no riding for me for a few more days. Seems as if I have a few cracked ribs as well, from the fall of last week - again, it only hurts when I breathe, or cough, or sneeze, or try to get out of bed.

Bundle up and keep warm.

Oh, and I found the first 3-4 minutes of this to fairly entertaining:

Monday, January 12, 2009

like snot on a doorknob

In the good words of my father, the streets have been "slicker than snot on a doorknob" the past few days. I was riding last night and had my first just-riding-along-not-fucking-around fall of the year. The bike was out from under me fast fast fast. I landed on my already injured starboard knee - A bit of get up and go is what I gave it, and it gave me back a night of no more falls.

Anybody go to OOOBS last night? There was a nice turnout, considering the season. You just don't see certain people very often this time of year, and last night was a good chance to play catch up with some friends who've been in social hibernation. Those in attendance got to participate in a bit of gumball roulette as well as seeing the newly built Hatcher on display:
Hatcher

A bit of back alley snow antics were sure to follow. I decided to sit this one out as my body is in the state of ache. Please sit back and enjoy what was about six riders, though Linden dominates here - in quantity only, I can be sure.
Linden and B-rad heading dowwwn-town

B-rad and K-mac

Linden

Folsom Prison Linden

This photo turned up on my camera the other day. Thanks to Hurl for making sure a few winks didn't go undocumented. As long as word of this doesn't get out...

Oh, and Butler is back from his extended vacation. Welcome back sir, welcome back.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Friday post - Party reminder

My advice to you is to grab a cool beverage on the commute home from work, go to your nearest frozen lake or wooded area and enjoy said beverage in the bright night of the winter. Not a lot of people outside this time of year - it's just too beautiful out there to stay inside.

Minneapolis skyline, cross country skiier, Lake of the Isles

Also - party tomorrow night at the OOOBS. See you there.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

fall guy

So I lose my title as the '2009 no fall-guy'.

Jumped over a tremendous snow pile last night, made it up and over the crest only to find my front wheel jammed into a rut resulting in a bit of head over ass and trying to catch my breath after the wind is knocked out of my port side lung. I got a bruised and swollen rib cage, but no worries. Having learned no lesson, I next tangle up with the Kevin in the garage, bruising my taint in a wicked smash-up. Some would have gone home at that, and I did several hours later, where I followed up with a 3am reattempt at snow pile jumpness, resulting in another landing on my damaged ribs.

I simply have too much fun riding over snow piles - one of the perks of the season. Now I'm not mentioning all the successful runs, I'm just not reminded of those each time I breathe...

See Linden, you should have stayed after all.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Fuck you Joe.

Well, if they [bicyclists] fall down in front of me, I will run over them in their snowmobile suits and squash them like a bug.
...
Oh, I'll call 911 and tell them where the body is, but I ain't stoppin.
That quote didn't come from your mouth, but you did print it in your article, you prick.

And then in a follow up article, he claims that people are misreading his words, and goes on to state how much he admires the work ethics of winter bicyclists. I don't know who this guy is and I'm surely not going to let this prick ruin what I so much enjoy doing, which is ride my fucking bicycle. I read something like this and it makes me want to ride more and more.

You know what I call somebody who rides their bicycle in place of driving a motor vehicle, in any weather? I call that person a patriot.

I'd like to second PF's 'Fuck You Joe'.

Keep churning out the hate, it'll get back to you eventually.

[edit]
What kept rolling through my mind as I headed home tonight was the memory of Jim Nisser, who was killed in a hit and run accident while riding his bicycle to work last September. I'm throwing one back for you tonight, Jim.

[edit 2]
It has been recommended that this Joe Soucheray be from now known as a douche bag - this shall be the case, until further notice.

Friday, January 2, 2009

it's 2009. happy 2009 to you.

So I think people do end of year lists. I haven't seen any as I am a bit out of the loop, but I'll take the time to throw out what I think.

My 3 favorite record albums of the year 2008, in no particular order, and not really the top 3 of the year, more like 3 that I've been listening to lately.
  1. Fleet Foxes - self titled. I missed them play at Haldern this year but have my ticket for 2009 - though I doubt they'll show 2 years in a row. My suggestion to you: pick up the vinyl - it comes with the album, the EP, and the whole shebang on mp3 for the price of the compact disc - who the hell buys CD's anymore anyway? Take a listen.
  2. Blitzen Trapper - Furr. Country rock band out of Portland, Oregon. Playing at the Cedar in February. Title track here. Good as it gets. Hurl, I still have your cd - you left it here so don't complain.
  3. Willie Nelson - Moment of Forever. Come on, it's Willie playing outlaw country. Some have said the album is depressing when they hear me play it - thanks for trying to ruin it for me.
OK - now that that's over let's move on to some resolutions for the new year:
  1. Drink more.
  2. Perhaps ride my bike the same or more.
  3. Build myself a turntable.
  4. Spend less time riding the midtown assaultway, as my primary resolution is to simply survive for one more year.
  5. Stop being such an asshole to people.
  6. Quit listening to the current. You started out promising and with a hint of sparkle in your eyes, but now it's the same old crap the other commercial stations do, minus of course the incredibly obnoxious commercials. Is it possible to play more than 7 different songs? How about losing the accent, Mark? It's back home to Radio K for me.
Hey Large Feller, send me your address - I've got a gift put together for Chloe. Oh, and I don't read your blog, so don't put messages for me there. Well there goes #5.

That's all I've got. Hope to see you out and about.