A Dose of Los

I don't want to like my bike.

2010-12-09T06:32:00.000-08:00

For the last 10 years, I've been riding steel bikes, and for a lot of that rigid (and fixed, for about 6 years.)
After the untimely death of my Wily last summer, I've been riding a "temporary" replacement, a '10 Gary Fisher Rig.

First aluminum frame since my short-lived Bianchi BUSS. First suspension since my White Bros., about 7 years ago. First mass-produced frame since the Karate Monkey.
I figured that after the Shenandoah 100, I'd ditch it for another steel frame, preferably custom.

I really want to hate it. And anything that's bad, like the creaking EBB, makes me cringe.
But I have to admit- this thing rides really well. I rode a technical, rough, fast ride on Sunday with a guy who's 15 years younger than me, and waaaay more talented. The bike handled great. I, on the other hand, couldn't quite get it together to clean some sections that I know I can. Not the bike's fault. This trail requires rhythm, and once you goof a section it's really easy to be off your game.

This thing's not going to impress the MTBR e-lluminati; it's mostly stock, just like all the other Rigs out there. it's not special, or unique, or particularly cool. Which makes me start to rethink my wanton desire for a By:Stickel, or a Coconino, or Black Cat, or Hunter, or Retrotec or...

Why do I fall victim to the bike lust? I spent many, many years telling customers in the bike shop not to listen to the hype about high-tech materials or the latest-and-greatest technological advances in grips. I've told them that the tried-and-true technique of riding what you like should inform buying decisions. Now what happened to me? Is a custom frame going to ride noticeably better? Will I have any better time on a snazzy, one of a kind, hand built by a master frame?
Probably not. I know I'll get another custom frame eventually, if nothing else than there's a lot of really neat ideas being welded together out there, and I appreciate the art and craft of it.
But maybe I shouldn't be in such a hurry...

El Paso Puzzler!

2010-11-30T08:55:00.000-08:00

Alright, today is the first official training day for the Puzzler after a week of caution-to-the-wind eating over the Thanksgiving holiday.
If you've just heard, I'm racing this beast to raise money for Anna's Fans and the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
50 miles, more than 8,000' of climbing? 2 weeks after the holidays? Am I nuts?!?!
Show your support and make a donation to these 2 charities. Reference this blog, and maybe you can will me through it!

Loss.

2010-11-23T08:09:00.000-08:00

I just found out that a good friend lost his oldest daughter to Acute Myelogenous Leukemia at the end of October.
We'd been out of touch for several months, not because of a falling out, but because we both got busy.
I don't even know what to say. It's heartbreaking to think about what they must be going through, losing their little girl like this.
I've decided that I'm going to race the El Paso Puzzler in January, hoping to raise some money to help offset some of their hospital bills, as well as for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
If you're interested in helping out, or even just want to hear about what kind of pain I'll be going through racing a single speed mountain bike for 50 miles, through Franklin Mountains State Park, with over 8,000 feet of vertical, stick with me.
And feel free to donate, and tell them that it's through this race if you wanna. Or keep checking in for a MyFaceSpaceBook page where you can donate.

5 Friends Uncensored

2008-10-03T10:17:00.001-07:00

Seriously.

What's up?

2008-09-16T13:20:00.000-07:00

In the middle of 30 rides in 30 days with D, getting ready for my first 24 hour race with a team igger than 2 people, lusting desperately over new 'cross bikes, and hoping that some how, some way, I'll be able to go to Portland for the SSWCXC '08

Scorching

2008-03-07T16:41:00.000-08:00

No, not the temperature here in Texas- actually, it's quite pleasant here right now.
I mean the term sometimes used for riding fixed-gear bicycles off road. Sure, most of you (o.k., 3 out of the 4 of you who actually read this thing) are familiar with it, but for for anyone who stumbles across this who isn't, well,it's riding off road on a bike that has one gear and doesn't coast. There. Concise and to the point...
Anyway, all of my bikes are fixed gears, and I'm not really sure why. There's a lot of stuff that you can hear on interweb forum and such about the why, often using terms like "zen", "flow", and "gerbil". Except for the "gerbil". Usually. I don't know about any of that, but I do know that I just really enjoy the challenge of it.
Not that I was such a great rider on a geared, freewheeling bike that everything was boring, or even that I could ride through everything. But it does make it harder, although that really makes no sense logically. Logic, schmogic.
I'm now rambling. So let's get back on to where I was going. I have 3 bikes- a road bike, a custom hand-built mountain bike, and a first generation Surly Cross-Check cyclocross bike. And it's this bike that I want to write about.
This is an old bike, by bike geek standards. Not in the cool, retro, collectable, "I've got the full history of this bike including the builder's geneology" sort of way. It's a cheap Taiwanese made steel frame. And it's been abused. In the close to 9 years that I've had this frame, it's been used for a nuber of things. It started life as a commuter in Denver, with a swap to cyclocross duties on the weekends. Then it got relegated to ugly weather duty. Ice, snow, downtown slush, snow melt, mud, you name it.
Whe I was bitten by the single speed bug, it was converted to a solitary cog and chainring combination. I even remember the first ride, in the mountains around Summit County, where I was working neutral mechanical support for a race. Good times.
I was riding the Cross-Check with The Rick from a Swanks show at the Flying Dog Brewery one night, and while trackstanding at a light in Lo-Do, a prick jumped out of a Ford Explorer and hit me in the eye with a beer bottle. For no reason. I insisted that the bike ride to the hospital with me in the ambulance. At the hospital, in the property room, a cop took it home, thinking that I would give it up. Of course, I could never do that. It's my bike, after all.
When we moved to San Diego, the Cross-Check sat lonely for almost a year. No need for cyclocross in a part of the world with no winter, and I had a couple of nice road bikes, and a pair of nice mountain bikes. No real need for it, right?
I started riding it again to commute to Poway, which included a few miles of dirt. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed riding it! And when I got the wild hair up my ass to try a fixed gear off road, guess which bike I opted to fix? Yup. And it was good.
Alright, this has gotten a lot longer and misty-eyed nostalgic than I had planned. Let's just leave it at the fact that I still ride it, and have a great time doing it. Some believe that you can't have fun on a bike unless it's the latest, greatest, newest technology. How about pulling out your oldest bike, and take it out on something you aren't sure it'll survive. You'll thank me.

Terligua bound...

2008-02-06T08:01:00.000-08:00

Kinda excited for this one... actually riding my bike a bit more than once a week, and looking forward to playing in the desert. Of course, I'm pretty sure the desert wants to hand me my ass.

In other stuff, I recently had a blast from the past crop up. See, when we lived in Sandy Eggo, I had this guy call the shop I managed, and ask if I'd be willing to get some guys together for a photo shoot at the Big Laguna Trail east of town. This was for an article about Sandy Eggo in Men's Journal, but I figured, what the hell. I got some guys together, we rode, stood around, rode 30 feet, turned around, rode the same 30 feet, stood around... If you've ever been a part of a photo shoot, you know what I'm talking about. I'd done a few for my buddy Rick before, so I knew what I was in store for.

Anyway, that was about 4 years ago, and the story didn't get picked up by the magazine. Just the other day, though, one of the guys who was out there gets a hold of me, and tells me that the photographer needs to get in touch with me to get a model release form. Crazy. I never thought of myself as a model.

So here's a picture of the ride, low-res but you get the idea.Kinda excited for this one... actually riding my bike a bit more than once a week, and looking forward to playing in the desert. Of course, I'm pretty sure the desert wants to hand me my ass.
In other stuff, I recently had a blast from the past crop up. See, when we lived in Sandy Eggo, I had this guy call the shop I managed, and ask if I'd be willing to get some guys together for a photo shoot at the Big Laguna Trail east of town. This was for an article about Sandy Eggo in Men's Journal, but I figured, what the hell. I got some guys together, we rode, stood around, rode 30 feet, turned around, rode the same 30 feet, stood around... If you've ever been a part of a photo shoot, you know what I'm talking about. I'd done a few for my buddy Rick before, so I knew what I was in store for.
Anyway, that was about 4 years ago, and the story didn't get picked up by the magazine. Just the other day, though, one of the guys who was out there gets a hold of me, and tells me that the photographer needs to get in touch with me to get a model release form. Crazy. I never thought of myself as a model, and heres why:

So here's one of the shots:

It's low-res, but you get the idea.

It's a beautiful trail obscured by unbeautiful men. Probably why Men's Journal refused to run the story. Maybe if we'd had Matthew McConaughey...

Back in the saddle again...

2008-01-31T11:39:00.000-08:00

Ahhh.... feels good to be back. Back to riding, back to racing, back to blogging...well, let's not get carried away.

Racing? Yup. It all started with the Texas State Cyclocross Championship earlier this month. http://gallery.jbuntz.com/p/men_cat_34/5x2j141153

That's right, Yoda, bitches. I'm claiming Texas State Fixed Gear champ. I'm #1!

Then, last weekend, I raced the Miles of DisComfort, and while I crapped (and cramped) out, it was good to be back out there. Hell, Lance even showed up.

Neither of us finished, but Ididn't have a dangerously waifish former child star in my basket...

Next up? Mas o Menos 100k out in Terlingua, where I'll again challenge The Lance, along with finally duking it out with another fixed rider, Dave Nice. Am I up for it? Ummm, maybe. We'll see.

Will I post again before the end of thyear? Tune in and find out!

Draft Gore!

2007-05-22T08:28:00.000-07:00

Well, rare (at best,) posts are my M.O., I guess.
Quick update- I'm going to be leaving the bike biz (mostly...) to focus on my massage and Chinese medicine practice. Things are going really well, and I already have some regular clients, which is really nice. It's a weird thing, stepping away from something that I love to do, and have done for my entire adult life. But things change, and the bike industry just isn't the same as it used to be. I'm looking forward to really helping people directly, making a difference in other ways.
So, as indicated by the subject line, I'm pushing to get Al Gore on the ticket for '08.
Seriously, we need a change sooooo badly right now, and I just don't think Obama has the experience, and Hillary doesn't have the integrity.
If you feel the same way, go to http://www.draftgore.com/ and http://www.algore.org/
, sign the petitions, and let's try and get him to run again. Yes, those of you that know me know that I'm a pretty staunch whacko, I mean, environmentalist. I ride a bike everywhere, mow the lawn with a push-reel mower, yadda yadda yadda. But there's a lot more that needs to be done, and we need leadership that'll do it.
Will big business let it happen? Probably not, but I think we've gotta try.
Alright, it just wouldn't be a post from me without some sort of bike talk. Next object of lust for me? The Willits Monster-X. Holy crap. Coupled with their upcoming W.O.W. strut fork, that'd be crazy hot. Or just crazy.

Ummm... Happy New Year?

2007-02-08T17:54:00.000-08:00

Oy, but it's been a while!
Quick update, D and I are new home owners. O.K., that's a bit of a misnomer. The house was built 69 years ago, but it's new to us. What's that mean to you? Well, mostly, it means a lot less riding for li'l ol' me. The new house and the almost constant rain here in Texas, that is.
Umm, what else... oh, I'm finally nearing the end of the gauntlet that the state of Texas has set up to keep me from being able to practice massage here- I will be taking my practical exam next Friday!
Also, I have my Cross-Check set up as a scorcher. It's a really fun bike, and works well for errands, commuting, and basic goofing off. I'll have to see if I can figure out the new format in order to post a pic.
Oh, and I think I'm finally going to build a frame this year. It'll be sort of a "monster cross" bike, loosely based on a combination of the Wily, the 'Check, and some info I've gleaned off the interweb.
And, I'm going to start a fixie road ride on Thursday nights. Maybe Tuesday would be better... hmmm...
Anyway, it's an homage, oh hell, blatant rip-off of the fixie ride I enjoyed so much out of Adams Ave Bikes back in Sandy Eggo.
Yeah, that's all I've got right now.
Los, out!

Been a long time, but I'm back...

2006-11-14T07:01:00.000-08:00

First the big news- we're buying a house! That's right folks, we're gonna be homeowners. It's an old one, but it's in a really nice neighborhood. I imagine there'll be a lot of work to be done over the next, um, forever, but it's gonna be ours.
So, I'm still working in the shop, but I'm really close to having my Massage Therapy here in Texas. It's been a bit of a struggle, but there it is.
As far as riding goes, it's been minimal, but steady. Over the last few weeks I've actually started getting out and riding some of the good stuff we have here, including a Gubmint Cheese ride with Fat Bob.
I know that it may not seem like it, but we actually have some pretty decent riding around here, and I'm not happy with myself for not taking advantage of it. I know that it's only going to get tougher from here on out to go ride, so I feel like I've missed some opportunities. Well, not much I can do about the past, just gotta take the chances when I get to in the future.
Bike stuff: I got D a new bike- Fisher Cobia, all kinds of tricked out. Basically, the only stock items are the frame and wheels, and hopefully if some stuff sells, the wheels will be replaced soon. She's loving having a 29" geared bike with front suspension, and it's really helped her riding, and her confidence.
On the Wily, I think I have it pretty much perfect. Recently, I replaced the old Sugino cranks with a snazzy White Industries ENO set. Very high class, donchaknow. I've also found what may be the best front tire I've ever used...ever. The Panaracer Rampage is awesome. Very cushy, grippy, sexy... It's a nice tire. And with that, I can't think of what else I could upgrade on my bike. I mean, there's not much to it to begin with, and everything I've got is really, really good. Although, a Moots Ti seatpost would be better than the Ritchey...

An Inconvenient Truth...

2006-07-14T06:28:00.000-07:00

So this is not going to be an entertaining post (are any of them?)
Last night, D and I finally went to see An Inconvenient Truth... and I'm still a bit stunned.
Now, any of you who know me know that I'm fairly environmentally minded- I commute and do a lot of errands by bike, we drive minimally, D telecommutes. But I was shocked by the numbers presented. If you haven't yet, please go see it. Go to the website. I honestly wish I had a better blog, so that more people would see this, but I've gotta tell everyone I can.
I don't really care if you loathe Al Gore. Put your politics aside and go see this.
My uber-conservative, gun-toting brother has decided to sell his Suburban (finally!) and make changes throughout his life because of this film, and he thinks Gore is a douchebag. That's o.k., I know Bush is a douchebag... Alright, I'll stop.
So, please. Go see it. Check out the website. Take action.
Thanks.

O.K., so it wasn't the next day...

2006-07-03T06:34:00.001-07:00

But hey, two posts in less than a month is pretty much unheard of for me.
So, it's July, and like every yearsince they started showing daily coverage, I'm glued to the t.v. every morning watching the Tour de France. If you're a fan of cycling as I am, you're probably still stunned as I am over the events in this year's TdF. But I'm still a fan, and I'll keep watching.
I have pics of the new Orbea carbon 29" Alma, and as soon as I figure out which posting service to use, I'll put those pics up here.
On Tuesday, the $th of July, we've been planning to go out to Rocky Hill Ranch to go ride, but it's been raining here in SoTex for the last couple o' days, so I'm not sure if that's gonna happen. But I'll let everyone know.
Really.

O.K., so it wasn't the next day...

2006-07-03T06:34:00.000-07:00

This is getting ridiculous...

2006-06-29T07:51:00.000-07:00

I'm not even up to a post a month. Not so good, Al. I guess that when stuff is going pretty well in your life, you don't feel as much need to bitch about stuff on a blog.
Well, that's not the reason I started this, so I guess I need to just get over myself then, shouldn't I?
The main reason, in my mind, for starting a blog was to allow people that I'm not so good at keeping in touch with to know what's going on in my life. Either I'm too lazy to do that, or I just lead a really boring life. A little of column A, little of column B, probably.
Sooooo, I've had the fortune of hearing from some really good friends lately; Little Naked Brice, the Ric, Cubano Dave... It's good to reunite with old friends, and I'm resolved to start updating this thing once a week, if not more often. Either that, or quit it entirely...

Alright, that's it for now. Tomorrow (yes, that's right, I'm calling tomorrow for the next update!) I'll have info and pics of the new Orbea Alma 29" we just got in.

Holy crap! I've got a blog?!?

2006-05-19T06:40:00.000-07:00

Alright, so how many people would believe that I have a rare illness that makes me forget I have a blog, and that every month or so, I run across this one, really relate to it, then realize it's actually mine?

So that's no one, right?

O.K. Here's what's up in my world. Starting this week, I'm now part-time at the bike shop so that I can focus on starting my Tui na practice. D and I are going to Miami for a week at the end of the month to visit my insane Cuban family.
Bike stuff? Well, I have a set of Phil Wood hubs coming in for the Filly. And I just got my Wingnut Gear Hyper 3.0 pack. You can read a review of it in this month's Bike. It really is everything it's cracked up to be. Easily the most comfortable hydration pack i've used, plenty of room for my needs- 3 liters of water, tubes, tools, food, small rodents... It's good. My back has never felt better with a full load on it.
Where did I choose to test it out? Well, Tuesday, JohnE and I took a road trip up to Austin to ride the fabled Greenbelt. Good ride, including the "Hill of Life." It's called this obviously because the name "Hill of Holy-Mother-of-God-I-think-my-eyes-are-bleeding" was already trademarked.
I'm done. Apparently, I need to work my way up to decent posts.

April already?

2006-04-03T06:47:00.000-07:00

Sooo, things didn't go as planned from the last post. We ended up missing the exit towards Rocky Hill, and decided to try and ride the Barton Springs Greenbelt on D's birthday.
Suffice it to say I got us hopelessly lost. We got about 30 minutes of riding in before we had to go back.
On the bright side, she loves her new bike! I completed the build with pink tassels, and she's been taking it out almost daily for rides in the park.
In fact, yesterday, to celebrate the time change, we went for a ride in the park with our friend Fernando on his new fixed gear Kona A'Ha.
Two things: first, D killed it. She is riding stuff better on her fully rigid singlespeed than she was on her geared bike. Second, Fern seems like he was born to ride fixed off-road.
Good times!
Next Sunday, my first trailwork day since moving to Texas- Madrone, bitches...

Happy Birfday, D!

2006-03-15T06:30:00.000-08:00

That's right, today is my lovely wife's birthday. Last night, I gave her the gift, a Surly Karate Monkey single speed in black, with a pink Chris King headset and a pink Terry saddle. I need to post some pics, but that'll have to come later. Her first ride on the new bike was just a short shake-down over at McAllister, and she loved it. I think she might be about ready to get rid of 26" wheels altogether...
For today, we're going to go ride her favorite place, Rocky Hill Ranch.
And that's about it for now.

Los

2 for 2...

2006-02-28T07:14:00.000-08:00

Went back to Gubmint Cheese for the 2nd day in a row yesterday, this time with my man John E. Man, those climbs are technical and tough. For the record, here's the trails we rode: out Recharge to Far Reaches, down Wildcat Canyon to Joe Johnson, up Twin Oaks, up Sendero Balcones to Little Windmill, back to Joe Johnson, up to the end of Sendero Balcones, Sendero Balcones all the way back to Recharge.
All in all, I'd have to say that yesterday was the best day of technical climbing I've done since going fixed. I did Far Reaches without stopping, and cleaned stuff on the entire ride that I didn't think I could.
For anyone who's interested, I love the Exi/Ignitor combo. I'm able to run pretty low traction (20ish front/ 30ish rear) with no flats. In fact, I think I need to run lower pressure in back. 'Cause I can. There was one point, on the last downhill, that I thought for sure I had pinch-flatted the front. I mean, I felt that tire bottom out. NO worries, and seemingly unlimited traction. This is certainly not the "fastest" tire set-up I've used, but I don't really care. I'm gonna use these for a while, I think.
Well, we've got a lot of work to do over the next couple o' days, so the next big ride may not be until this weekend, when I try and hook up with Fat Bob on his new Niner S.I.R 9.

Los

i'm just not very good at this "updating" thing...

2006-02-27T06:46:00.000-08:00

Alright, here it is, end of Febuary, and this is my 3rd post of the year? Well done, sir, well done.
I haven't been riding as much as I'd like to, but I've been getting out there. The trails here have been unseasonably dry and dusty, 'cause we're in the middle of a fairly serious drought, so I've been experimenting with tires a lot. My two main "test" areas are pretty disparate- McAllister Park, which is smooth, fast, and tends towards dusty-over-hardpack, and Government Canyon, which is rocky as all get out.
I've switched between the Bontrager Jones XR, the Specialized FastTrak 29" prototypes, and the ubiquitous East-Coast combo of a WTB Exiwolf front/ Maxxis Ignitor rear. I tried this last set-up based on the fact that I'd be riding Gov't Canyon (or as we like to call it at the bike shop, Gubmint Cheese,) and Ricky D and the Mid-Atlantic posse seem to like it- and they know a thing or two about rocks.
So, the "review." The Bontragers worked very well on the smooth, fast hardpack, cornered very well considering their lack of knobs, and climbed well. They really surprised me on the rocks. Their large volume allowed me to run low pressures (around 20ish) which didn't hurt, but I also didn't destroy them on the jagged, hungry limestone.
Next, the FastTraks. First ride on them, back in July, I slashed open the sidewall of the rear on a piece of flint. Being the cheap bastard I am, I booted it and have continued to ride it. These tires require higher pressure (30-35) in order to not pinch flat, which does reduce their effectiveness on the rocks. But they are fast! Definitely a race-oriented tire.
Now, keep in mind that I only have one ride on the Exi/Ignitor pair, but I'm suitably impressed. These things are by far the best tires I've used at Gubmint Cheese, and I hope to further punish them at Madrone later this week.
Speaking of yesterday's G.C. ride, D has been getting more and more comfortable with the rocky, technical stuff. The last 3 times we've been out there, she's ridden stuff that I didn't think she could. I'm proud of her, and more than a little impressed.
So, yesterday, she's following me down Twin Oaks, after a really hairy section of Sendero Balcones- lots of big rocks, ledges, the full meal deal. On a somewhat innocuous drop (compared to what she just rode,) she gets her front wheel caught up on a nasty rock- endo into many, many rocks.
She's pretty banged up today, but fortunately nothing major. What a trooper!
That's it for me right now. I think I've greatly surpassed my monthly word limit.

Los

Merry New Year!

2006-01-03T18:38:00.000-08:00

"Want some beef jerkey? There's plenty, you know!"

I just got back from Sandy Eggo yesterday, after a ninja-style raid on the Sunshine State. I didn't have time to ride, or do much of anything non-family or New Year's related. D is still out there, 'cause her youngest sister is having a baby tomorrow. Ahhh, family...

Going out there made me realize how grateful I am that we live in Tejas now. People out there, in general, suck. They're shitty on the roads, and rude everywhere else. I think it has something to do with the fact that no one can afford to live there, and still have any kind of life outside of working 14 hours a day. At a job they hate. So they take it out on everyone else. Like I said, I'm glad not to be there anymore.

I did get in a good little ride yesterday and today, with today's chapter being out at the Madrone trail. I forget how hard that trail is. No climbs to speak of, at least none over 20', but it's really, really rocky. Reminds me how little I've been riding anything technical. The Marys are great bars. I like how they feel on the technical stuff, but my recent bar experimentation phase has me wondering, again, about how good the Jones H-bar would be. I gotta quit looking at stuff I shouldn't buy...

I gotta go take Zeke for a walk. Then drink another beer. And watch Batman Begins. Again.

As the world turns...

2005-12-29T18:54:00.000-08:00

Let me just say something- WD-40 is not, I repeat, not a lubricant. At all. In fact, there's only one possible use for a can of WD-40 in working on a bike, and that is getting rubber grips (such as Ourys) to stick to handlebars. That's it.

Alright, I feel a bit better.

Well, I had to pull the drop bars off of my bike. I couldn't get them high enough to feel right, and I was sucking ass on anything technical. I did like the way they felt on tight singletrack, but I just can't use 'em. Matt Chester will have to build me a frame one day that's designed for drops. Until then, back to the Marys.

I took the reMaryed bike out on a bit of tech this morning before work, and it felt much better. I need a little time to get used to the setup again, which I'll get in the next week. Looks like tomorrow I'll be trying some semi-tech stuff at O.P. Schnabel , with a possible Madrone visit on Monday when I get back from San Diego.

Did I mention that I love my Phil Wood hubs? Well, they rule.

Tuesday, I think I'm gonna do some initial trail scouting for the 100 miler, see how much dirt we can use. I would love to do the whole thing on dirt, but that's pretty tough in a city the size of S.A.

Oh, and if anyone is into wool, there's a great source for wool jerseys, called SWOBO. Maybe you've heard of 'em. And for teams, clubs, shops, of cabals, there's a company out of Portland called Portland Cyclewear that'll do custom (kinda) jerseys for a damn good price. I like wool, and I think you will, too.

So, what's out next non-sequitur? How about my road bike? Well, alrighty then. For the past 3 months, I've had the pleasure of riding my LeMond Fillmore as my road bike, commuter, what have you. Nice bike. I've made a couple of changes from stock, like a new headset (silver,) new stem, and chopped-and-flipped Syncros drop bar. I'll take some pictures some other time.

Yeah, good stuff out of me today. Kinda like Virginia Woolf. Or Something.

Buenas tardes, beetches.

Los

Ahhhhh...

2005-12-09T17:40:00.000-08:00

Another day at the shop.
Ever have those days when absolutely everything you touch turns into a fucking soul sucking project?
Yeah, it was one of those days for me.
So, I'm toying with the idea of a 100ish mile Punk Bike Enduro-type event, with dirt at 3 pop[ular in-town locales, and parade formation riding between them. Just gotta figure out how to con some folks into volunteering. Lots of folks.
There's an event about 90 miles from here that's somewhat like that on January 7th, and it sounds pretty cool, but I don't think I'll be able to attend. It's too soon, and I always have to work on Saturdays, and it's really, you know, legit. What I have in mind would be much more underground, and involve more beer.
Alright, it's time to go pick up D from the airport.

the los

Yeah. How's that for a lull, Mr. Chester?

2005-12-07T21:15:00.000-08:00

Alright. 5 months without an update. Is that a record or something?
Damn well should be.
Sooo, quick update, although I seriously doubt anyone is still checking this thing out- living in Texas, back working in a bike shop, getting some riding in.
I don't think most people think of San Antonio when they think of great mountain biking, probably due to the dearth of mountains. But the trails here are pretty darned good. Most importantly, they're fun, and D is having a great time riding them.
Well, not today, since currently it's 27 degrees Fareinheit, and freezing rain is coming down. But 2 days ago she rode, and killed her second derailleur since we moved here. Umm, yeah, it gets a bit rocky.
Hmm. amazing, isn't it? So long between posts, and yet I have so little to say.
Oh, there's been some changes to the bike. I finally put some Phil Wood hubs on the Wily, along with a drop bar. It's really nice although Matt Chester would say I'm too low, and I'd be inclined to agree. It's a cool feeling being on drop bars in tight trees, dropping down steep ravines, going over rocks and roots. I think once I get a higher rise stem, I'll be dialled.
Speaking of the venerable Mr. Chester, I have always been drawn to his bikes, and to his philosophy. He's eschewing the blogapalooza gig at the end of the year, and while it's tempting me to chuck it as well, that's not why I'm mentioning it. I brought it up because I'm going to miss his infrequent, eloquent, enlightening posts. And I just noticed that his backlog of frames is 7 months.
Ahh, the lust for a new bike. How many have fallen into that trap? Well, I for one am trying to avoid it. As much as I'd love to own one of Matt's masterpieces, I don't need one, and am quite happy with my current bike. Although, it would be nice to have something fixed specific. And titanium would be smooth on the ol' back. Perhaps something designed for drop bars... See? That's how I get into trouble. Coveting stuff. Albeit really nice stuff from a one-man operation, and an environmentally concious one to boot.
O.K., it's getting late, and I have to attend a store meeting tomorrow.
Next time: Texas-style Punk Bike Enduro?

the los

WHEW!

2005-07-09T14:57:00.000-07:00

Well, we're finally here in San Antonio. It's been one hell of a move. All of our stuff on the back of a truck and flatbed trailer, across the desert Southwest, in July.
We must be fucking nuts.
So we're here, and the new digs are really nice. Right by McAllister Park in S.A., so there's trails just a couple of minutes away by bike.
D and I went for our first ride in Tejas today, going out to the lovely trails of Flat Rock Ranch in Comfort. By the way, the name is a bit misleading, as it's hardly flat. In fact, there was a respectable amount of climbing overall, if not in one big chunk. If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend it.
D rode really well despite the Texas summer heat. I felt pretty good too, until I got my second flat of the day. See, I have a pair of the rare (about 25 or so) and elusive Specialized Flat Track 29" tires, and tore a sidewall on one of the many sharp rocks that are out there. Kind of a downer, since I really liked how these tires handled.To be fair, these tires are more race oriented, but it still sucks.
That's it for now, 'cause we're still beat from this week.

Los

Jeez, nothin' like a 3 week break...

2005-06-23T09:23:00.000-07:00

Does anyone read this anymore? I doubt a person could have the patience to come back here at all.
So there's a move happening. D and I are packing our stuff and moving to Texas in 2 weeks. And that's why I haven't been updating the blog. Really!
Trying to find a rental house 1500 miles away is, well, trying. To top it off, our credit sucks. Challenging is one way of putting it. Another, more accurate, way would be damn near impossible. Oh well, we can always live in the car...
One of my favorite bike journalists just got a new job.
Mike Ferrentino is the new Editor-in-Chief of Bike magazine. Which is really cool, 'cause I'm getting a little tired of the non-stop onslaught of "freeride" crap.
Moving onto the bike front, I just put the On-One Midge bar on my Cross-Check. Verrrry nice. I used to have a WTB Dirt Drop on there, but I couldn't resist the retarded prices people were paying for these on e-Bay. The Midge is actually nicer, in my opinion. Less drop and reach than the WTB, wider tops, and the flare is further into the drops, so the brake hoods are actually useable.
Highly recommended.
Off to work, more later.

Los

Keeps gettin' better...

2005-06-03T12:03:00.000-07:00

Now Zeke's got a cone (E-collar) and both ears taped down. Yup, he's really excited about that.
Had a good ride with the Thursday Night Adam's Ave. Drinking Club last night. We rode Los Penasquitos, no major crashes, and everyone had a smile on their faces at the end.
This place is ideal for a singlespeed night ride. We stayed down at the bottom of the canyon, so no big climbs, and the pace stayed pretty high. I went down fairly hard after my rear wheel slid into a rut at high speed. Slammed the hip, banged up my wrist, but somehow I think I'll survive.
The big move is happening in a month and 2 days. Shit. Don't feel prepared. Maybe we need to have a big throw-down before leaving?

Los

Why I haven't been riding lately...

2005-05-31T09:04:00.000-07:00

Our furry little buddy, Zeke, has himself all jacked up. We had planned on riding Big Laguna (site of the SSSSS2K5) this weekend, maybe twice.
Our plans changed on Tuesday, when the little bugger tried to fit his fat head under a wooden fence to go after a cat. Ruptured blood vessel in his left ear. Big pocket of blood (hematoma)between the cartilage in the ear.
The vet said the resulting hematoma would have to be lanced and drained, then the ear would have to be taped down until it healed. Three weeks.
Any of you who are familiar with Australian cattle dogs knows how much they love to have extraneous stuff on their heads. He started going after it as soon as the anesthesia wore off, so we've been on a constant vigil to keep him from ripping his bandages off. One of us has been around him 'round the clock.
Here's a pic.
May get some riding in this week.

Los

Did I mention I'm a tard?

2005-05-25T12:26:00.000-07:00

On a ride a few weeks ago, I forgot to take my wedding ring off before the ride, and it started bugging me on trail. So, I took it off. Dropped it into the pocket of my baggy shorts. Do I need to finish?
I can't believe I lost my wedding ring. It's one of the stupidest things I think I've ever done. Lucky for me, not only is D patient, beautiful, and kind, but she's also extrordinarily understanding. Not angry with me, just bummed 'cause I lost the ring she gave me.
Well, I had to have a new ring. Something that wouldn't get trashed by all the dumb things I do. Something that would be wider, so it wouldn't dig into my finger on the bike. Something that would speak to my inner geek. Something like this.
Speaking of the inner geek, you know we saw Episode III. If you haven't yet, go see it.
How can you call yourself a nerd and haven't seen it yet?!? Oh, that's right. Not everyone in the world is as big a dork as me.
Where was I? Oh, yeah. If you are a huge spazz, you'll get a kick out of Darth Vader's blog. Really well written, and I think it's impressive. Very impressive.
Been listening to the new record from Nouvelle Vague. For those of you who were wondering, Nouvelle Vague means "new wave" in French. Basically, it's covers of 80's music done in a Bossa Nova style. "Sure," you say, "I've got recordings of The Recliners doing lounge versions of that stuff." O.K., but what sets this apart is the first song I heard from them- a version of Dead Kennedy's "Too Drunk to Fuck." Classic. Czech it out.
That's it right now. You kids behave yourselves.

Los

Mary, Mary... Why ya buggin'?

2005-05-20T08:44:00.000-07:00

That, of course, is from Run DMC's classic.
There's this little company from the British Empire called On-One that makes a stellar handlebar called the Mary. I just got one. It's the cat's pajamas.
On the Thursday night single speed ride last night, a few folks commented that I was probably using these bars because regular mountain bike bars are too "normal." Well, there is some truth to the fact that I don't really like the mainstream, but I wouldn't put something on a bike just for that reason.
The way these bars make the bike feel is phenominal. Your wrists are in a more natural position, and it's super easy to shift your weight.
Would I recommend 'em? Only to people who like to ride bikes off-road. I think I'll keep mine.

Los

Look at me! I'm good at blogging!

2005-05-15T19:21:00.000-07:00

There's a lot of things I'm bad at. I won't go into all of them, 'cause it's a metric ass load. But I figured, "I can write a blog. I can certainly update more often than _____ does."
Well, you know what? I can't. I just seem to get distracted by other... Oooohhh... Shiny!
So, this weekend, I "organized" a little bicycle soiree called the Spring SoCal Single Speed Summit. There were bike rides, there was beer, there was cross dressing. You know, the general good time had by all.
Not really sure exactly how many attendees we had, but there was probably 20ish, all in all. I had to work on Saturday (Yyyyyyeah...Peter... we're gonna need you to come in on... Saaaturday...) so I missed out on the group ride on the infamous Noble Canyon. Because of my absence, bloodshed was kept to a minimum. Brain cells, however, were not so lucky.
TD brought up some Arrogant Bastard Ale, in the handy keg. Many poor, innocent brain cells were sacrificed.
Stuff was given away, beer was quaffed, marshmallows were brutally held over the fire then unceremoniously smashed betwixt two pieces of graham cracker, accompanied only by half a chocolate bar.
Did I mention the cross dressing? I'll post pictures later. Now, I'm not talking about the kilts myself and Erik were wearing. No, I mean a short skirt and girlie-T.
So there's your pictures. Can you find me? Hope no one reading this is stalking me...
There were campfire discussions about bikes (of course) and bike racing (of course, again.) There were discussions on Tweedle-Dumb's ficticious war, and the subsequent fear tactics driving the imminent rape of the Alaska Nat'l Wildlife Refuge. There was a lot of penile innuendo. We even talked about Wil Wheaton's blog.
It was great. Imagine getting a bunch of people together, most of whom you only know through an online forum, and no one wore a fuzzy bear costume. Everyone had fun, no one got seriously injured, and I haven't heard from the police yet, so I'd say it was a success.
Tired. Very tired. Going to be better about updates. Hey, at least I don't get maudlin about cats.

Los

4 weeks?!? That's some fine updatin', boy...

2005-05-03T11:03:00.000-07:00

Alright. Not that anyone reads this, but I figgered it was about time to actually put up another post. Riding's been a bit dodgy since the great week in the last post. Since then, I flew to Colorado for a wedding, and to San Antonio with D to scope out the area. Reconnoitering, as it were.
So most of the biking I've done lately has been commuting. The massage bidness is actually going pretty well, all things considered.
I can't believe it's already May. That freaks me out. I turn 34 tomorrow. Ouch.
Something I haven't done in years is ride my age on my birthday. This year, I think it'll have to be off-road. Should be an adventure!

More tomorrow,

Los

Good week of riding...

2005-04-06T11:30:00.000-07:00

No clever tag line today. I guess being clever isn't working out all that well...
On Sunday, I went with D to ride Lake Hodges (see pics of that trail below.) Now, let me give you some background. D is a total trooper. She's new to mountain biking, and it's hard for her. I know that it's hard for just about everybody at first, but it's been a really long time since I was in that position. Like 12 years. And I had a few solid years of road racing under my belt at that time, along with a childhood background in BMX. Picking it up at 30 has got to be so much harder.
Anyway, she had the epiphany that I knew was coming. There's just this point, somewhere near the top of the initial learning curve, that stuff clicks. You're just not as afraid, and you just get the idea that you can actually do this. Well, Sunday was her day. She rode just about everything, including these rutted out whoop-dee-doos that had previously freaked her out. Net result? She had a great time, for the first time. She wasn't as tired 'cause she wasn't riding all tensed up. She had this huge grin on her face back at the car!
To top it off, yesterday she asked me to load her bike on the car, 'cause she was gonna cut out of work a little early and go for a ride! I had a massage that afternooon, so I couldn't go. I talked to her as she was leaving the parking area after her ride, and there was some serious enthusiasm going on. She told me that she rode the entire thing, 15 miles or so, in 2 hours. And she rode all of the obstacles! D's proudest moment, though, was staying right behind a trio of guys. after a bit, they actually stopped to let her by. I couldn't have taken the smile off of her face if I had tried!
I'm sooo proud of her.
On Monday, I went out for a solo ride myself, up at Laguna. This is a beautiful alpine area about 45 minutes east of Sandy Eggo, at about 5400'. It was cold. Not like the cold I'd experienced living in Colorado, but 34 degrees is pretty fucking cold around here. Oh, and did I mention the cloud cover was at about 5000'? Yup, riding in the clouds.
In short, it was a spectacular ride. I felt awesome, and I'm loving the new WTB ExiWolf tire on the front, especially now that I'm riding it at around 20 psi. Nice.
Still looking forward to the big move, most likely right after July 4th. I know that D is gonna like the type of riding in S.A., and I'm gonna like not dealing with as many people!
Alright, this nonsense has gone on long enough.
Out.

Los

Here we go again...

2005-03-29T10:24:00.000-08:00

We're moving in 3 months. In the not-quite 4 years D and I have been together, we've moved 4 times. Not too bad, until you consider that we've been in the same place for 2 1/2 of those years. It's not so much that we mind relocating. In fact, we both relish the change of environments. The problem is, we always seem to move when it's really fucking hot. I don't know why this is. We even tried to avoid it on the move to Tejas, but then, BAM! things change and here we are, moving 1200 miles away in the middle of summer.
We're pretty glad to be moving, honestly. It's not that SoCal has been a bad place to live, but it's been impossible for us to get ahead. It's really, really expensive to live here there's just no way we'd ever be able to buy a house.
Wait a tick, did I just say that? That's right, folks, I said that. Never in a million years would I have ever imagined myself realistically thinking about homeownership (apparently, that's a "real" word.)This is coming from a guy who has considered living out of a tent for long periods of time. Guess who's joining adulthood?
It's not like I'm hot on the idea of "owning" a piece of land. We all know, somewhere deep down inside, that you don't "own" land. The land will still be here when our great, great, grandkiddies are pushing up their little daisies. It's more a matter of being able to do pretty much what we want with the place we live. Making it our own for the time we're there. D and I both bristle at the idea that landlords decide whether or not you get to paint your living room green, or plant a garden, or install a tandoori oven in your backyard.
We're also looking forward to having a better support network. We've made some good friends since we've been here, but they've been few and far between, I have people in San Antonio who've been my friends for decades. That, and my family's pretty tight.
On to bike-related stuff. There's a 24 hour race in Tejas that I'll be doing come October. This will be my first on the fixed gear, so I'm gonna have to start ramping up the mileage sometime fairly soon. The good news is, D is taking steps to not put all of her time and energy into the life-suckers at her job, so she'll have more time to come out and play with me.
That's it for now, but expect more...

Los

2005-03-24T12:39:00.000-08:00

Wait... There's water down there!

2005-03-24T12:38:00.000-08:00

Those green things in the water? Yeah. Those are the tops of trees. Let's just say Lake Hodges has been a bit low in recent years!

2005-03-24T12:36:00.000-08:00

Wily in the wild.

Portentous omens...

2005-03-23T17:37:00.000-08:00

Well, got to go for a good little ride out at Lake Hodges yesterday, and on the way back, it seemed like the Universe was trying to tell me something.
See, D and I have been planning to move to Texas later this year to help take care of my parents. But lately, it seems like a lot of stuff has been going wrong, and that we might not be able to continue to live in San Diego much longer. Not if we wanted to do the things we enjoy, like eating at least once a day. So we decided, after much deliberation, and budget reworking, that I'd quit school early and we'd bump the move up to the end of June, instead of October like we had originally planned. Now, while I'd like to finish my schooling here, it's just not worth it. D wanted me to finish, but it just doesn't make sense right now.
Anyway, back to the ride. I had a good one, as I said, and on the way back to the car, I opted to take this little singletrack offshoot. I had decided earlier to avoid it on the way back and just stay on the fire road, but when I got to the trail I just took it. It's a little climb, with a rutted, semi-technical descent. On the way up, I saw my first roadrunner in California. Now, I know they're not unusual here, but I've not seen a single one. This was a big male, with a little snake in it's beak. And it stopped to look at me before it ran into the brush. Next, right as I got back onto the fire road, I got swooped by a hawk. Well, maybe not swooped, but it came probably 10 or 15 feet overhead. When I stopped to look at it, I didn't see it anywhere. Hmmm...
I got to the concrete path that lead back to the car, and lo and behold, there's a couple of bluebonnets! At least they looked like bluebonnets to me.
Finally, when I was loading the bike on the car, and older gent whom I'd just passed asked me if I'd seen the big rattlesnake lying across the fire road in the middle of a blind corner. I asked where it was, and he described a place on the fire road I'd missed due to my singletrack detour.
I know there's a lot of people who don't believe in stuff like signs, or omens, or whatever, but I do.
I guess our decision to move to Texas sooner was the right one, after all. Or am I just nuts?

Los

2005-03-21T10:01:00.000-08:00

Here's the skunk hunter extrordinaire, Zeke,
looking pensive...

Just a short one...

2005-03-19T18:03:00.000-08:00

Not much time today. This is my wife's birthday week, and something always goes wrong on her birthday week. Last year, we got broken into. This year? Our faithful dog Zeke got sprayed by a skunk. On D's birthday. Suck ass.
Poor guy got it right in the kisser, down the throat even. After chasing the freaked out dog down the street, having him roll uncontrollably in the dirt, and generally having a great time, we washed him off with hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Note- if you (or your dog) should ever catch the business end of a skunk, this mixture actually works. The guys on MythBusters even said so!
Then, when we were done washing the mud and funk off of him, and crawled exhausted into bed at 1 a.m., I hear him yacking. Calling the Buick. Technicolor yodel.
Well, this is how I found out he'd swallowed a bunch of skunk juice. His puke was all kibble and skunk spray. Not pleasant.
Anyway, we're finally going out for D's b-day. Poor girl just can't catch a break!

Audi 5k, Gs.

Los

Coming clean...

2005-03-11T10:49:00.000-08:00

Alright, some people might get the wrong idea when they read back a couple of posts. I have to admit, I'm not the angry, put-upon bike mechanic I used to be. It's just so easy to fall back on what we're used to. I have my wife Daniella to thank for keeping me in check, actually. The problem is, she calls me on my bullshit. Like when I say that I'm bummed about not racing 24 hour races. I chose not to race this year. I enjoy it, but I'd rather not put us in that stress right now, and honestly, I didn't want to dedicate my time to that. Telling myself that we can't afford it is just easier to deal with than realizing that I just don't want to, right now. I don't like facing that reality, but I can't lie to her, and I know I shouldn't lie to myself, or anyone else, either. As much as I hate that, that's also what I love about her. She doesn't let me be disingenuous, or hypocritical.
So, yeah, I'm not the bitter, surly wrench-thrower that a lot of people think of when they picture "bike mechanic" in their heads. In all actuality, I don't even work in a shop anymore- not officially, anyway.
I am going to massage school to become an acupressurist, a "healing facilitator." She's making it possible by busting her ass everyday at a job she hates. She's very supportive, and giving. So my outlook on life, and humanity in general, has improved. I still think that cars kill, but I'm not nearly as militant as I used to be. Or as evangelical about my stuff, be it single speeds, fixed gears, whatever. If I can make a difference in someone's life and turn them on to bikes as a pastime, transportation, what have you, that'd be great. But that's not the end-all, be-all of my existence.
You see, I love my wife. She makes me a better person. A more positive person. If I could do the same for her, that would make me accomplished. I'm a lucky guy.
Anyway, I regularly read the blog of one Matt Chester, who, if you aren't familiar, builds some really cool bikes. And I have to admit, I admire a fair amount. He fights the good fight, but with a more positive attitude than I'm used to. He likes to use the mantra, "calm down." I think I'll adopt it as my own. Anyway, in the current post, he reprints (is that the right term, in this electronic age?) an article written by another hero of mine, Mike Ferrentino. Go to the link and read it. It's a great example of what I think of the state of the bicycle industry as a whole. Good stuff.
If you haven't yet, listen to some Radiohead. Daniella and I have both been listening to Kid A and O.K. Computer a lot lately, and they're both beautiful albums. A little depressing for some, but truly art.
That's it for today. Keep the rubber side down, and be well,

Los

2005-03-08T10:41:00.000-08:00

Hey Steeeve!

2005-03-08T09:13:00.000-08:00

Hangin' out at the shop...

2005-03-08T09:04:00.000-08:00

The finished product.

2005-03-08T09:03:00.000-08:00

2)Headbadge and pink headset.

2005-03-08T09:02:00.000-08:00

Bike stuff...

2005-03-08T08:16:00.000-08:00

For those of you who aren't familiar with my inane bike ramblings yet via some other source, I'll tell ya a bit about my penchant for bike stuff. I've worked in the bicycle industry for way too long, but it goes back a bit further.
I guess, like a lot of guys, there's the instinctual drive to have and work on mechanical things. Some tinker with cars, some RC airplanes, maybe a couple hop up vibrators, for all I know. Anyway, that I'm sure is part of the fascination. Most "bicycle enthusiasts," as the marketing geniuses refer to us, are all about the latest bleeding edge technology that's fresh off of Gran Prix motorcycle racing, or Supercross, or the aerospace industry. Probably the next largest segment are all about collecting vintage bikes from whatever era they deem is right before the world went straight down the shitter.
I belong to a smaller, but growing subculture. Singlespeeders. Bikes with only one gear. While some might look at bikes with one gear and automatically push us into "retro-grouch" status, there's a hell of a lot of guys here that spend thousands on new tech.
I don't have anything against new tech. Or old tech, for that matter. I do, however, have something against innovation for innovation's sake.
So I like simple bikes, ones that rely on hard work to get you to the top of a hill, instead of all that mechanical advantage. Sure, it's harder, and there's a bigger learning curve. But I do this because it's harder. If I wanted easy, I'd get something with an engine to get me up the hills!
To that end, I've been riding fixed gear bikes, or fixies, lately. If you're not familiar with the term, it means that the bike doesn't coast. Direct drive. If the wheel's turning, so are the pedals. Now, if you live in a big city, you can see your local bike messengers riding fixies. Simple, low maintenance, very few parts to replace, weather resistant. And thieves usually don't want to steal them. Pretty good attributes, if you ask me. So I started riding fixed on the road, like most people. Then, last year, I see this guy racing against me at the 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo race (this is an off road race) on a fixed gear. Well, maybe that's not completely accurate. He didn't so much race against me, as blast me back into the Stone Age. So I got to thinking, and thinking, and sure enough, within a few weeks I had set up an off road bike fixed.
Now, I have a fully custom built, just-for-me mountain bike that's never had a freewheel on it.
I love riding fixed off road. It's a bit slower, especially on the downhills, but it's great! You really need to focus on the here and now.
Alright, that's it. Here's some pics of my bike. Sorry for the double on the headtube shot, but I'm not very good at this computer-thingy.

Keep the rubber side down,

Los

Ummm... yeah.

2005-03-07T12:15:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty terrible at this so far. Almost a month, and 2 fucking posts. Great.
Maybe I've been in a pissy mood 'cause I haven't been riding my bike much lately. I mean, the bike's my transportation for the most part, but I don't think commuting is the kind of riding I need.
This time last year, I was recovering from my first solo, 24 hour mountain bike race. Single speed. That's where I should be right now, but money's too tight. I have my new bike, which I got with 24 hr. Racing in mind, and now I can't afford to race! How's that for a kick in the sack?
Anyhoo, I have started riding a bit more, but it's been raining a lot here in SoCal. Huh? Yeah. Rainiest year in something like, I dunno, a long time. And the trails are muddy as hell. Oh, well, I guess that's what happens. I know I'll have plenty of opportunity to ride for the rest of the year.
Speaking of the new bike, there's a review that I wrote about it on www.63xc.com . It might be cursed. The bike, not the website. Yeah, I got to thinking about it on Thurs. Night, during the "weekly" singlespeed night ride. I have yet to ride this thing without getting it muddy!
And another thing- the Thursday night singlespeed night ride I referenced? Out of like 12 or 13 people, only 6 were on singlespeeds. The rest weren't just on geared bikes, they were on full-suspension geared bikes. Lemme tell ya, when you're stuck behind one of these clowns on a tough uphill section, you just want to neck-punch 'em. *CLICK-CLICK-CLATTER-CLICK-KERCHUNK* No consideration. The worst part? A lot of those guys do ride singles, so they should know better.
Alright, back to work. I've gotta get my Pathology research project done. Wait, isn't massage school supposed to be easy?!?

Los

Wait... Aren't you supposed to update these?

2005-02-15T13:03:00.000-08:00

I guess I'm not really any better at posting on a blog than I am at emailing people. Oh well.
Soooo, a bit about me. I'm in my 30s, married, with a dog. My likes: riding bikes, reading, live music, Star Wars, and long walks on the beach.
Turn-offs include: SUVs, war over oil, smooth jazz, and people who don't think like I do.
Oh, and people who take themselves too seriously.
O.K., so I took my Daniella ( my wife) to see Ani DiFranco play on Sunday. If you're not familiar with her work, check out http://www.righteousbabe.com . While you're there, listen to the opening act, Andrew Bird. Every now and then, an opener really grabs you. Years ago, I had this happen with Catherine Wheel opening for The Sundays ( I know, I know- give me a break. I had the hots for this Canadian nurse, and she was big on The Sundays, you get it.)
So this Andrew Bird guy is really different. Looping on a sequencer, he's lay down a few tracks on the violin (?), followed by playing guitar and singing, interluding occasionally with a xylophone (? again)

I've been thinking about bikes recently. Odd, eh? Anyway, I'd like to get rid of cars. Not completely, mind you. I understand there's a place for 'em, just not so goddamn many of 'em. SUVs especially. Maybe it's just being stuck here in SoCal ( the Empire of the gas-guzzling, lane-swallowing, rudeness inducing Satan's Ultimate Vehicle.) Probably not. How much car do people need, for 's sake? The worst part is, they never seem to fill them. I'm talkin' solitary suburbanite, always on the celly, weaving to and fro, and then honking at me when they drift into the bike lane! Makes you want to start a guerrilla war. I do know how to cause a ruckus, after all.
Alright, blood pressure's coming down... Whew.
People in this land of ours don't seem to rely on themselves enough. How often do you see people climb into their cars just to go to the store, a couple of blocks away? I see it waaay too much. Any idea how much we can reduce pollution if we cut out these unnecessary short trips? Well, I don't have any actual data, mind you, but I could. God help me, I could.

Get on yer bike.
And try and keep the rubber side down.

Los

Blast from the past...

2005-02-10T14:39:00.000-08:00

Holy shit! This has been a crazy week. Old friends from high school are comin' outta the woodwork. One's a comedian, another's on "Desperate Housewives," for fuck's sake.
I dunno if I can deal...

the los