Always an Excuse to be Lazy ...

So, I did not ride today.  BUT ... I have great excuses (plural!).  I need to go across town to the store and, the big excuse, I wasn't feeling great this morning.  Not sure if I am getting sick or not, but definitely felt like shit.

 

Yesterday, while reading BikeSnob's latest post, I came across a nice little sumation of feelings drivers project toward cyclists.

“…most drivers don't like you when you're on a bike because:

1) You are what you "own" (or, as is more often the case, lease from a bank);

2) The more money you spend on a vehicle the more human rights you have.

3) Anybody smaller and smarter than you deserves to be punished.”

I think he nailed it.  

Holy Cow! He's Back ...

So, I hope you all enjoyed the break. Back to business of the bicycle business.

What I did over my holiday break:

1. Drank a lot of good wine
2. Ate a lot of good food
3. Spent time with a lot of good people
4. Drank a lot of good wine
5. Replaced the drivetrain on the Bianchi.
6. Drank a lot of good wine

Not necessarily in that order.

Is this good news for Omaha?  Not sure how I feel about bike lanes separated from traffic. They are great on the stretches of road, but a nightmare at intersections.  And what about sharing them with walkers??  In Poland, the bike lanes were on broad sidewalks.  It was a constant problem dealing with pedestrians.  Bicycles are vehicles and need to be treated as such, not separated and kept with walkers.  

Anyway, it's now Tuesday (but feels like a Monday) and I am back to work. The legs were feeling it this morning on the hills.  I guess that's what 5 days out of the saddle and a lot of good wine will do.

Crash and Burn

Well, well, well ... guess who I saw heard on last night's commute home.  Yes, you guessed it.  Angry-three-lanes over-going the opposite direction-yelling-guy. You remember him ...

I use a sheet to hide my shame. 

I knew it was him as I looked back over my shoulder and saw his cute, little, baby blue SUV.  This time he shouted something like, "I want to screw you through a sheet."

Obviously, being the married guy I am, I continued on my journey home. 

That was then and this is now.  This morning I had the unfortunate privilege of slamming my body and bike into the ground at about 20 mph on a downhill curve.  Great way to start the morning.  Oh yeah, right in front of a bunch of construction workers. At least they asked if I was OK. 

I ended up with a few scrapes and soreness, and the bike came out better with only a small rip in the seat. 

Here's to popping aspirin all Holiday weekend. 

Coming around the pole on the wet pavement AND DOWN!

 

 

My God it's Monday

Late November and it's getting cold.  The temp hit the sub 20 mark this morning on the commute in.  Still, I saw two commuters.  That's only two less than the average I witnessed riding in the summer.  Also, I noticed the Activate Omaha Winter Commuter Challenge has 95 riders registered as winter commuters.  Pretty nice number.  We shall see how this number holds up over the coming weeks. 

Stay warm and ride safely.


 

Funtastic Friday ...

Yo! Not much to write or post about today.  I didn't ride to work today, I drove. I have a cross-town errand to run, and well, don't really feel like two-wheeling it to take care of them. 

Yesterday, on the commute home, I had a fun road-rager incident.  As I was riding EAST, a driver in an SUV heading WEST decided it was his public duty to shout, "GRAB A SHEET!" or at least that's what it sounded like. I quickly looked back over my left shoulder to see what he looked like, to file away for future reference.

I saw this:

I might be mistaken, after all, he was two lanes away and heading in the opposite direction. 

Ride safe and have a great weekend.

Tall Order

Below, you will find the longest head tube I have seen in person.  Add the stem and this person must measure in at 7 feet. Wow.

Anyway, good to see another bike at the rack this morning with temps hovering in the low 20s. 

Somethings You Just Know ...

... And one of those things is you don't run industrial strength sprinklers in November. Wasting water on this level is akin to slapping the face of those whom cannot obtain--or must fight for--fresh, potable water. 

This water pours out of the sprinklers while the temperature hovers at 24 F.  Ridiculous.

How To Fail At The Bike Rack

Can you tell me what's wrong with this picture?  (Hint: There is more than one correct answer!)

Reflections ...

Mouse Trap

Happy Monday! 

Friday Fun Fest

Pretty much just enjoyed the ride this morning.  Below 30, but hey, it's Friday! 

Don't forget to log your miles at Activate Omaha site for the Winter Commuter Challenge.

I used to live in Lincoln, NE.  Lincoln has a great cycling infrastructure with the ability to get anywhere in town via bicycle.  Well, it looks like they are taking another step in the right direction.

Omaha could learn a lot from the neighbor to the south.

Have a great weekend and ride safely.

Sometimes the end is just the beginning

The Leavenworth West bike lane ends right where the nice pile of leaves begins.

Sometimes people baffle me.  Yo, the street is not a public trash can.  Toss your fast food remains, your organic materials, your cigarette butts, etc ... in a freaking can. Oh well ...

On a brighter note, I love how sun hits the Oaks in fall after the time change.

Golden. 

Don't trust anyone over 30

A nice chill hung in the air this morning, but that was all. I had looked forward to the 1-3 inches of snow predicted by the local Viper 1,000,000 2.0 Weather Radar Doppler Genius.  The temp hovered just above the 30 mark, but it didn't stop at least one jogger from donning shorts.

Kudos to him.  I was cold.  So I went full on Bike Ninja and covered up from head to toe. 

It is hump day, so get out there and hump!

When it rains ...

... take the bus don your rainwear.  It was a little drizzly this morning on the commute, but it didn't stop me (or the old guy I see walking in the park every day).  I didn't see anyone else on the route this morning, but, when I pulled up under the canopy at work, I did see a big-box Schwinn chained to the rail. Kudos.

Keep it dry.

Monday Monday

Nice and sunny this morning with temps hovering in the mid 30s.  Can't ask for much better at the start of November.

The first week of the Activate Omaha Winter Commuter Challenge is in the books and, so far, there are 73 participants total. That may change as it is Monday and sometime people slack a bit on posting their stats.

Cheers and enjoy the weather, I hear it may be fender weather ahead ...

I love riding on these cold 30 degree mornings.  I guess it stems from all those HOT STEAMY summer mornings when I wished I could ride to work naked.  That said, ask me in February how I feel about the cold.

It's Friday.  I logged my miles for the Activate Omaha Winter Commuter Challenge. I rode 4 days and logged 31 miles. You go now. You log your miles.  

Still no #OccupyOmaha peeps in Elwood Park.  The only thing occupying the park these past few mornings is frost. 

Have a great weekend!

A day like many more to come

It was a bit chilly this morning but dry even after yesterday's THUNDER SNOW. I saw a coworker standing at the bus stop stomping around for warmth. This same coworker had inquired about bicycles this summer, and he ended up purchasing an old 10-speed.  But by the looks of it, he took up smoking instead.

Ya win some, ya lose some.  At least he was utilizing public transportation. 

As you can see from the picture below (or not because i am soooo fast), the Occupy Omaha peeps have not been forced to Elmood Park yet.

What I wore on the morning's commute …
Helmet
Hat
Goggles
Balaclava
Wool sweater
Outer jacket
Long sleeve base layer
Winter gloves
Jeans
Long underwear
Shoes
Socks

Cager day ...

Today I join the masses as a cager. BUT BUT BUT  I have a good excuse … I have a dental appointment later and my dentist is about 20 miles from work ... and and ...

It's OK not to ride everyday to work, right??  

What's your excuse?

You read now:

Bike to work? You're crazy!

In my cage.

And if I only had an extra $550 ... and if I only had not just purchased a SS Mountain bike ... and if my wife were more understanding of my NEEDS ...

There is this great local deal on a Smugcycle.

Post Halloween Apocalypse

Somehow we all survived. I wonder if my tires will be as lucky after riding through all the broken glass on the Leavenworth bike lane…

One upright Trek.