Bang I've Been SHOT!!!!!!!

Wow, this one scared the poop out of me. While on the way home Friday, I was behind PennDot after taking the Lower "Something" Gobbler trail, I was rolling out to the small rise to make the crossing at camron street when I heard a 38 special gun shoot, followed by, well nothing, nothing at all.

The last time I had a tire blow there was a depressing hissing sound accounted with it as the tire went round and round. This blow out was so fantastical that all the air let go all at once. So off I went, walking for the next 30 min to get back to the truck. Got back safe and sound, not sure if anything can be done for it or not, but I'm going to shoot performance an email. They have been rock stars in the past when it comes to stuff like this so maby there is a chance they can hook me up.

In the mean time I put the Kenda semi slick back on the rear, its not as nice a ride for the back, but it does allow for some level leanancy.

The Frame Strikes Back...

Return of the Sorrow, The Frame break strikes back...

Me: 2:15am - hu, no, what, no, hu, how, why, Luke, I'm your father, Tink, snap, wabble, graiiinnnnnddddddd.... what was that, hu...
Melissa 2:18am - Sweety, Honey, Snuggle bear (yes she calls me snuggle bear, got a problem with that?) Wake up, your having a bad dream.
Me: Hu?, oh thank god, I had the worst dream, I dreamt that I broke bottom bracket off the fish while on my way to work.
Melissa: ahhh, honey?
Me: Yea babe?
Melissa: Ya did, that was no dream
Me: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

So after work yesterday I got a ride from one of my co-workers, (THANK YOU DOUG!) back to my truck. From there it was over to the local Trek LBS, where they took some pictures of my poor little fish. :( . After that it was off to my typical LBS for the stripping party (sounds so dirty), they were sickly busy while I was there, so it was a drop off, BS for a while and then home. Sniff, Sniff, missing trigger.....

On a high note, Dave H., Joe H, and Chris L. (f) all offered up replacement rides to keep me spinning till I get the replacement from Trek. I took Dave up on riding him M80 for a while. HOLY truck, this things is HUGE, keep in mind that he is about 6'9" and has 2, count them 2 sets of risers on the front tube. I don't think you could get a more upright riding position on a beach cruiser if you tried.

Something I never thought of, Dave and I ride two completely DIFFERENT saddles. His are small, narrow and HARD!!!(shut up) mine are flared in the back, narrow front and sweetly cushioned(also shut up).

Got to work fine, but OHHH my acing back side. Going to be stopping in at the LBS to pick up my saddle tonight. I was kicking around the idea of getting my wheals as well and switch them out for the lower rolling resistance, but I'm thinking that skinny tires would look out of place on that MT bike. (Did I just make a bike set up decision purly on the visual aesthetics?)

Steve, (you all remember Steve, the wonderful human that gave me the phone number for Trek Support :)) read over the blog and has made a posting for Why Helmets don't suck. So with out further adoooo.

Why Helmets Don't Suck...

Text complements of Steve.

So, I'm riding my mountain bike to work the other morning, just like I do every day that I can. That is, every day there's no snow on the ground! They have torn up one good stretch of road along my commute, but I refuse to be diverted from my path, and hey, I do ride an "all terrain" vehicle.

The left side of the road is having new piping buried, and is currently a mix between a ditch and a dirt road in places, the right side is untouched pavement, and usually clear to ride on. At my favorite little downhill stretch, I see a big bucket loader at the bottom of the hill coming my way. I hop down into the dirt on the left and pick up speed. At the bottom I see (too late) that there is a pile of sandy fill waiting to be spread around.

"Oh f*ck..."

I lean back and try to "float" the bike over the sand.

The bike has other ideas, and stops dead.

Bail, fly, bounce, skid, stop.

At one point I felt like a 'tard sliding into home base ass first.

"ouch"

I stand up to a round of applause as the construction workers have just had their entertainment for the day.

At least neither the bike or myself are broken, and I get to work without further incident.

And I get a new dumbass biking trophy, road rash.

The moral of the story? Helmets, gloves and Camelbaks = bikers armor!

Pet of the Day...

Turn, Turn, Turn

Good Ride in this AM, hectic day, but good ride

Numbers for 2 Days:
Time:52:46
AVG: 12.6
Max: 26.9
Trip: 11.4

Hit the sause...

Good ride home last night, did not get to leave here till 5:15 so traffic was a little nutz, but other then that I put some hard rock and roll on the player, and beat up the road.

Numbers on the days:

Time: 52:24:01
Avg: 13.1
Max: 25.6
Trip: 11.5
ODO : 309

Total Savings: $440 in gas and parking!!! I have now saved more then it cost to fix my bike up for this little adventure. Now all additional moneys go into the Honey Moon fund.

No reset for a few days,

So I have not reset the cycle computer in a few days, just to see what some numbers would look like over a few days.

Time: 3:15:48
Avg: 12.2
Max: 27.5
Trip: 39.9
ODO: 298 Oh yea....

Rool, rool, on the range...

Wonderful ride in today, a little wet, and but a lot of fun

Numbers on the day will now entail 2 days of ride, home from the night before, and the ride in on the following morning.

Numbers for the last 3 trips.
Time:1:07
AVG:12.5
Max: 25.6
Trp:14.1
ODO:258

My wheals go round and round...

Anouther kick donkey day on the bike, I was so happy with my self today. There is a hill, or a rise I should say on River Front Park right in front of Harrisburg Hospital. This hill usually kicks my but. Over the past 3 days I have been able to go a little bit harder up it and make a bit better time. Well today I was able to keep accelerating the entire way up. Now granted by the time I got to the top, I was very much looking forward to a nice long red light for the crossing.

Did have a flat last night on the way home. Seemed that my rim tape slide and exposed the cut outs in the rim wall to the tube. Badness...

Numbers on the day
Time: 22:39
AVG:12.6
MAX: 23.4
Trip: 4.7
ODO: 216

Quick Stepp...

Ok, so I'm not quite as fast as the gents on the Quick Stepp Tour De France team. Dave H. and I set up the new back wheel for the new disk breaks. I was having some shifting issues yesterday on the route in and home, both have been taking care of with a slight adjustment of the rear shift lever.

Numbers on the Day:
Time 22:26
Avg: 12.7mph
Max: 24.8mph
Trip: 4.7
OD: 204...

At currect gas prices, and my trucks MPH. I have saved $48.00 in gas and at $8.50 per day for parking $204.00

By riding my bike I have saved $252.00, thats exactly $48.00 less then the cost of the upgrades I have done to the bike.

My friend Joe H...

Turned Down...

I want to make one thing very, very clear, I enjoyed meeting with this company, I was and still would like to work for them. I would never say this to them seriously, and this is only being posted to share what was one of the funniest "JOKES" to come out of NOT getting a job. We've all been turned down for a job, we've all had to shake someone else hand as they got the promotion and looked them in the eye and said congratulations when on the inside we are screaming, "NO................... Its mine!!!!! You don't even have a green card.....". So with that in mind, enjoy this JOKE!!!

My friend Joe H. has been awarded the Borken Shami Funniest Person Award for today. His commemorative cardboard award and bumper sticker are in the mail.

Recently I applied for a position at a local company, after a while they got back to me letting me know I was not selected (Otherwise known as a F.U letter). After sharing my misery with my friends and the two replays I wanted to send back, Joe H came up with the award winning reply.

My Options

Option 1:

MOTHER (*^(%^&$^&(*%&()*&&#()^$%*$&%@^#)(*&)(*$^#*&*) son of a )(&(*&^%*(^&@)#^)(*&^%%$(@&^%#)*&^)*&^ dirty rat (*&^(*&^%&^%@*&^&*^#$ bone smoking piece of *()^&*(&^%^$^%$@^$#^%% !!!

Option 2:

Dear"Person",

"Company" and the training position was an extremely attractive possibility, so I was expecting fierce competition for the position. Thank you for letting me know the outcome of the candidate selection process and please extend my sincere congratulations to the selected candidate.

Please keep my information on file, as other Development, Training or Facilitation positions come available I would be very interested in applying for consideration. It was a pleasure meeting "Someone", "Someone else" and Yourself.

If you would please be so kind as to forward this email on to "Someone else", as I would like to thank her for taking time to meet with me.

Best of luck with your upcoming projects, and as always if there is every anything I can do to help, please let me know.

Regards,

~Jason

Now as you can guess, I went with Option 2, but then Joe H. comes to my honor and replyies with the response that everyone that has ever received a "Not Your Day" job letter has wanted to say, but just couldn't.

So here for you JOKING enjoyment...Option 3:

"Person"-

It is apparent to me now that you are perhaps the sibling that was always denied that essential bit nourishment at feeding time. That could indeed be why your substandard brain led you to believe that someone else was more qualified for the position than I. Luckily for you, I am a humanitarian and will not belabor your disability. "Someone" was impressed at my quick grasp of the concept, because until I explained them to her she had no idea what they were, and as such she was, I'm sure, then able to decipher the presentation of the other knuckle dragging idiots you interviewed.

May your mothers realize their mistakes and drown you now, as they should have at birth.

Regards,

The better candidate.

"Insert Hysterical Laughter Here"

Leekygas...

No, not the Tour De France team, my back tire. It must be loosing some pressure over night cause when I got to Dave's this morning my tire felt a little soft. So I pumped it up a bit and made the ride in. The ride in was good, legs felt strong, I jumped up on my big chain ring for a while, things went well. I even chased another commuter for most of my ride in, but just could not catch him.

Numbers on the day;
Millage: 9.9
Moving Time: 24.14
Max Speed: 21.5
Average Speed: 11.1

Ride home,

So I guessing I'm loosing air while the bike sits at work, so the ride home was a little bit harder then I think it should have been. I'm going to have to go to the LBS and get a new tube and make the change. (I hate changing tubes)

`Jason
'Its all downhill, breath"

Bike Shopping!!!!!!!!!

Well here is the way I see it, if I am going to;


1) Ride a bike to and from work
2) Survive that ride with/out a stroke and or heart attack
3) Be asked to come back into the office after the first day
4) Carry a laptop and office "stuff" each day


I need to go bike accessory shopping. After a very quick and expressive trip to my favorite Local Bike Shop (LBS)

Pedal Pusher
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&client=firefox-a&channel=s&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&hs=B4i&resnum=0&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=pedal+pushers&near=Harrisburg,+PA&fb=1&view=text&latlng=14072021090692125367

3798 Walnut St. Harrisburg, PA 17109
(717) 652-7760

I came home, in the car sadly, but with these items;

1) Shimano SH-MT31
These shoes are wonderful, as comfortable to wear and walk in as a good pair of New Balance running shoes. Two years ago I made the investment to go with clipless peddles (Eggbeaters, by CrankBorhters) at the time I purchased them they had a deal running where you got the peddles and a pair of shoes for something like $100.00. I have since that day, HATED the shoes, and LOVED the peddles. These shoes are a totally different creature, I have worn them around the house, cooked in them, hardwood floors, tile, never with out a slip, fall or having to resort to the goofy bike shoe walk so I don't fall on my back side.
http://bike.shimano.com/publish/content/global_cycle/en/us/index/products/shoes/mtb/product.-code-SH-MT31.-type-.html

2) Giro Atlas II, Black

This one was a little frustrating, I had a Trek something, and the small plastic connector on the back snapped at some point. So in all truth I was buying a new helmet due to the failure of a 15 cent part. On a good note, it is stated somewhere??? that a helmet should be replaced about every three years.
Again, solid piece of head gear, it was designed to be comfortable on larger skulls.

http://www.bellhelmetstore.com/Other/bellbicycle/Atlas.html



3) Avenir Excursion Large Panniers
Now these took a little bit of adjusting, I had a Blackburn rear rack already installed on the bike, but when I first hooked these bad boys up my heals would hit the bags... After a little adjusting of the rack and the bags, I was golden.

These bags are water resistant, (proff) for all I can tell and have a mechanical clip on the top that attaches them to the rack so the CAN'T fall off. The only think about them I do not like at this point is the side pockets. They only have one small section of Velcro holding them shut. Just seems like something might work its way out. But time will tell.


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00165Q4QM


The last item that I got today was a little bit trickier, I'm a consultant so it is almost always required for us to bring our own computer to the office. And since it is my computer and not my office I'm always a little twitchy about leaving it there over night. When driving back and forth you can just throw it in a messenger bag, or brief case and all is well. The thought if ridding 10 miles with a 17" Dell Vostro 1700 (Pictured Left by a 21" LCD) just makes my back heart. So off to the office supply store.

Where I scored:

4)Swiss Army Wenger GA-7306-06F00 Pegasus Computer Backpack



There's not much I can say about this one aside from I should have gone to this type of bag for my computer years ago. Wonderfully made, comfortable to wear, weather resistant, well balance, fits a bigger guy. I can find only one missing feature and that would be a MP3 player pocket on the shoulder strap for easy access. But that can be solved with a add on.

Over the course of the next few weeks I'll be sure to let everyone know the success or failure of my recent acquisitions.

Back to WORK!!!!!!!!

Thankfully, Happily, Wonderfully, what every "lly" word you want to use I'm a contributing member of society again. Back to work after four months off, now I relies that some of you might say. "wow four months off would rock", well not so much. I am completely sure I have looked at the Internet, the ENTIRE Internet. Twice.

To make things even better, my new contract is with a PA based firm, for a State run agency in Harrisburg. (not listing any company names so that I can STAY employed) With the rising cost of gas, by the way Is everyone else sick of that catch phrase yet? "the rising cost of gas". With gas prices at all time, and ridiculous levels I have decided that I'm going to ride my bike to work. I'm sure this is going to suck for a while, but in any event it will save money, and offer some MUCH needed excises.

In an attempt to shed some light on bike commute from a fat guy point of view, and also to test some of the hundreds of thousands posts on the web offering instructions on the "proper" way to get to work on your bike. I can tell you, in one easy sentence, the proper way to get to work on your bike. "Get to work with out getting injured, on a bicycle"

So here's the goal, I am going to try to post something every work day, what my ride was like, if I tested something new, a new route, a new accomplishment anything. I'm not naive and relies that most likely the only people that will read this post will be my friends, but if you find your self reading it and like or hate something let me know, leave a post. If your a Harrisburg, or just a bike commuter in general, i would love to hear your story. If there is something you want to know about, questions anything really leave a post.


One last thing, I'm a dyslexic so I relies there are going to be typos, miss-spelled words, and just stuff out of place. I'll do my best to clean it up, if you want to point something out please feel free. If you have a good dyslexic, or dyslexia joke go for it I'm always up for a good laugh.