beef gravy brown

beef gravy brown
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

the new surly crosscheck has arrived

another 45 minutes of ticking

so it wasn't the bb
post commute inspection
reveals a pedal may be at fault
time retention spring seems a bit loose
felt a slight knocking
though foot was still secure
pedal swap tonight to rectify the issue
a noisy machine really irks me

tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick.....

non-driveside crankarm
one o'clock position
every damn rotation
for the past few days
creaking bottom bracket?
maybe
no time to look
twelve hours a day in the salt mine
have kept me busy
soft pedaled it yesterday
and today as well
resolved to investigate tonight
pulled the crankarms
they look dandy
though filthy with months of grime
non-driveside cup?
loose enough to turn without a wrench
driveside fixed cup?
loose as well
square taper bb still spinning smooth
wipe off the old grease
reapply fresh
tighten with authority
grease the spindles
crankarms cinched on
ready for the morning
hopefully silent

up before the sun

a boy named milo

a boy named milo
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

evey is innocent
mommy is to blame
sidewalk chalk is the media
and yes, it does stain dog hair

Public Service Announcement

Attention all Bicycle Commuters:

Due to recent festivities over the July 4th weekend, an increased amount of broken beer bottles have been reported on both major and secondary roadways. Following the mornings commute, please be sure to check your tires for punctures prior to departing for home. Changing a flat tire on company time, while frowned upon by some, is highly recommended.

-end transmission-

heading to the hills

crisscrossed that ridge
a couple of times
2500ft up
19.6mi total
sometimes
it just feels good
to climb

who needs cable?

who needs cable?
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

steephill.tv

bloggers are real people too

that man right there is the voice behind pavé. blog comments and emails have bounced back and forth between us for many a month yet the mere thirty mile gap separating us has never been bridged till today. a pleasant gentlemanly jaunt around valley forge was spun followed by a hefty dose of caffeine. be sure to check back with pavé as extensive tdf coverage is about to begin from a man whose seen the inside workings of PRO culture.

shame on me...

for being caught without adequate bungees. i was tragically forced to carry the box under my arm. like a commoner. i've learned my lesson. never roll unprepared when a porteur rack is present.

5 Weeks Later

The question was posed yesterday by non other than Jack London, "So, it's been a month since you were hit do you have any specific insights or perspectives on cycling in the face of that threat?"

Pay attention. To everything. And react accordingly to save your ass.

That turn signal you see flashing, doesn't mean they're going to turn in that direction. Eye contact you say? It doesn't register to the dim witted driver in a hurry. That truck ready to slow roll thru the stop sign, yup, he's only looking for car headlights at this hour. The tailgater sucking your wheel for what feels like an eternity only to pass thru a blind corner, doesn't realize the potential danger of the situation.

Mixing in cell phones, inclement weather, long commutes, teenagers, and the elderly all amplifies the stupidity I see daily.

Everyone's in a hurry, everyone's late, and if it wasn't for this fucking traffic light, or that family walking across the street, or the tractor trailer going slow up the hill, or that goddamn cop with his radar gun, or the asshole trying to turn left into the grocery store parking lot, or that fucking guy on a bike riding down the middle of the road.... I'd have been there ten minutes ago.

The potential for fast and effortless travel via car is what drives everyone crazy. It makes them take stupid risks to save mere seconds. The consequences of their actions are rarely thought thru and countless accidents could be avoided if everyone just chilled the fuck out and dropped the Me vs. World attitude.

Pick your battles wisely while on the road; hold your line, take the lane as needed, signal your turns, use lights, ride with authority, avoid busy roads whenever possible.

It's not all doom and gloom though, commuting via bike makes the drudgery of the working day all the more bearable. Junk miles my ass too, I'm racking up my base miles for a lifetime of cycling goodness.

June Wrap Up

June Wrap Up
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

orange = ride to work (18 days, 486 miles)
yellow = drive to work (2 days)
blue = dirt or road ride (5 days)
year commute stats = 110 days, 2,970 miles

ribs still on the mend after getting hit by a car on may 27th. lots of
seated climbing to start off the month. better now but aches
continue. replacement crosscheck is finally in the works.