LeMond v Trek/Armstrong

So it's time to get back on my soapbox and shout (write?) to no one in particular. w00t!

Last night I started building bikes at the Bike Lane in Burke. Why?? Pro-deals baby!! It's been 4 years since the bike quiver has seen any real action beyond the addition of the Fixie, so its time for some needless upgrades. Why Bike Lane?? Esp. since they are definitively out of the way for me. Because these guys do the most for the biking community at large. They host their own events, they lead rides, they help sponsor teams, in short they do all the stuff a good LBS is supposed to. All the stuff. Most of the others in the area do contribute, but not to the extent that The Bike Lane does, here to be known as TBL. Either way, a slow start for me. 3 bikes in 4 hours. There was some time wasted, and I'm really rusty. It'll get faster.

What kind of upgrades?? Like it or not Mrs. Culimerc will be getting a new bike. Hopefully something under the 27lb tank she's riding now. Yours truely will be getting a new road bike (moots or merlin hmmmmm), and a new mountain bike, because you know I spend sooooo much time on the one I have now. The Jamis will be sold, in favor of a 29'er probably. And a pair of SIDI's just cause. and all the stupid schwag I'll pick up in the mean time.

Now for something that actually matters. Greg LeMond is finally getting his wish, He and Trek will be parting ways. after years of trying half heartedly to get away from Trek, Greg finally pissed Trek off enough and they are counter suing to terminate the contract that was going to keep LeMond with Trek til 2010. Apparently Trek got tired of Greg accusing Lance of doping, and all the related news making he was making. Greg admittedly sounds like a bitter old man, puts at the same time much of what he has been accusing people of has come to pass. I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for Lance to fess up tho. You can read more about the Lemond/Trek thing here. Essentially, it boils down to LeMond sells 12,000 bike for 15 million a year, and he was bad mouthing the company's biggest image in Lance Armstrong.

Alexi Grewal wrote an amazing brave open editorial in Velonews. For those of you who may not know; Alexi was one of Americas premiere cyclists back in the early 80's. About the same time as LeMond or even just a little earlier.

Here's a cool article on doping and game theory written by smart guys

I would talk about the Democratic Primary, but it's taken it's toll and I'm just kind of done with it at this point. Hillery just seems to be hanging on for I dont know why.

Hey here's something I heard on left wing radio. The Saudi's are actually holding telethons on TV trying to raise money for insurgents in Iraq! Then again the biggest source of cash right now for militias in Iraq is the US. .oO("Here's $10, now stop shooting at me"). Pay offs are one of the oldest tactics of occupiers of foreign soil. Guess we're kickin it ol' skool.

285 more days

ToC and Smart Bikes in DC

So the ToC is underway. And its a good thing!! Yay the season is here and we're rolling along. One thing I find funny tho; Bob, Paul and Phil have not mentioned word one about the fact that Rock Racing is racing with only 5 guys total. Poor Super Mario is pretty much out there by himself. He did manage a very respectible 3rd the other day. Not bad for an old guy 3 years out of racing. I've got to give it to Rock Racing too. I gave them a bunch of crap coming in, but they put up a bunch of cash, as founding members for the ToC. Cadillac has bought ads. They've sponsored both the "rock racing cam", essentially the helicopter view and the podium girls. Way to put up Michael Ball. Who knows I might buy me a Rock Racing jersey yet. Lord knows I cant afford their Jeans.

And Locally even better news!! Published in WABA's newsletter is news of bike sharing in DC. What I thought was a pipe dream is actually coming to fruition. Smart Bikes is the DC version of the Paris program the has been soo successful. DC's program isnt going to be quite as ambitous to start, but it will be the first in the US beating out even Portland!! We're starting out with a 120 bikes in 10 locations, but given DC's small size, this is a good start. $40 gets you access to the system for a year. A simple swipe of your "smart bike" card and your off to the races for 3 hours. Locks will not be provided in the hopes that people will be using the stations rather than locking them up independently. ZIP Car and FlexiCar both came to DC a couple of years ago and DC turned into the nations most successful car sharing city, over 26,000 members share 700 cars. Lets hope Bike sharing is just as successful. The Website will be www.smartbikedc.com, its not up quite yet, but hopefully soon. The crazy thing is that all this is being sponsored by Clear Channel, one of those mega media companies that are controlling the messages you get to hear on your radio and read in your newspapers.

In Arlington they are expanding bike parking at Ballston, and looking at ways to better protect bikes while they are parked at the Metro stations. Currently the bike rack facilities are out of date and getting run down, they were designed and built during the build-up of Ballston back in the 80's. They are also looking at developing a "Bike Center" to act as depot point for bike traffic and commuters in the area. Go Arlington!! Check out the big plans here

Overall I gotta say its an exciting time for cyclist in the DC metro area. Lets hope that Fairfax county can start to get their act together too.


Go Slipstream!!!

332 more days

What's not news

So maybe whats even more than what is news ( McCain is all -but- the official nominee and Clinton and Obama are the only 2 contenders left for the Dem's) is what isnt news. I havent heard from Rock Racing all week. Its like the first time since early Dec. Maybe they're losing their touch. And this right before the tour of Cali. Oh no!! Whatever will we talk about?? What without Michael Ball, Tyler, Chipo, and the rest of the circus. Oh yeah there's always Astana, who if you didnt know, has not been invited to the Giro. *snicker*.

If your lucky enough to be in Portland Oregon this week, stop by the hand made bike show. If there was ever a bigger festival of bike porn, I certainly dont know what or where it is. $18 at the door never bought a bigger stiffy. Bring on 2009 baby!! I can go to Pittsburg!!

So my weekend pretty much went into the toilet. For those of you who have never had to be "on-call" consider yourself lucky. Fri., I got called out just long enough not to be able to make the gym (and my first appt with a trainer to find out exactly how out of shape I really am). Saturday, as we are cooking dinner, I got called out again, to a customer prem, 3 hours of running around in circles trying to get anyone else to care that a customer is down and needs help. * am Sun. dispatch from a 3rd vendor is scheduled, so I'm up early waiting for calls that never come. Finally 9:30 I go to help anyway. Its pretty easily proved that its really not my problem, but no one else is helping, so I end up baby sitting. TILL 4: fucking 30 IN THE AFTERNOON!! Thanks a fucking lots folks. Way to help out the customer. So either way, I got almost 1/2 a weekend. I slacked last week and I'm gonna try to got what ever over with quick this week. I'm pretty happy with what I'm paid, but I need time off and away.

So, how was your weekend??

I almost forgot!!! The writers strike may be over!! w00t!! I havent had time to look into what the terms are etc. But this is good.

Go writers!!

344 and counting

Nice Job Matt

Went to a friend’s art opening last night. His first one-man show in years. It seems to have gone very well. He was more in his element than I had seen him in most times. If he wasn’t proud, he should have been it was a great show. Pieces had sold before the show had even opened and another sold while I was standing right in front of it. There were about 18 pieces or so overall, and while I will confess to not completely understanding the subtleties and nuances of Matt's work, they are clearly done with some considerable skill, talent and vision. Congratulations Matt. Fine Job.

For those who are interested his blog can be found here.

In other news, my cycling is off to a solidly mediocre start. While the miles per ride is up a bit the number of rides isn’t where I’d like it to be, and Mrs. Culimerc has already started making noises that “there is more than bikes”. News to me.

Washington DC is apparently in the preliminary stages of looking at what a bike rental system (a la Paris) would look like in DC and how would it be executed. From what I’ve seen at the WashCycle, its going to be a membership fee then swipe your card and you get 3hours. Or more accurately; a membership fee and a years worth of downtown bikes. For non-members (tourists), swipe your card and be charged X amount per hour for all the mall cycling you can stomach. Infrastructure wise they’re talking about a kiosk every 500 yards. Seems like a lot, but with that kind of saturation you could install smaller number of bikes per location. One of the hang ups is Pepco. They want all locations metered, meanwhile streetlights, stoplights, electronic parking meters all go with out meters. Sound like the old guard trying to stop real progress to you?? It sure does to me. (check the "sharing" label)

In the Beginning.........

So here it is the obligatory mental masturbation that is anonymous blogging. The question at this point is really three fold.

1) Will anything I say or think make sense and if it does will anyone give a rats ass.

2) Will I update this thing on any kind of regular basis, or will it become what most blogs do; a timeless electronic billboard of misplaced ambition and neglect.

3)Will I end up on some FBI/Homeland Security watch list or hunted by fanatical right wing conservative jihadists.

So let's set some basic expectations down. First, I am a cyclist. I'm not completely around the bend about it, I actually own and use a car everyday. I don't race but I like to spend time outside riding my bike around in circles. I've been at it since college. I've never really understood riding indoors, but then I didnt understand road riding earlier when I was a mountain biker earlier either.

I spent a good deal of my professional life in kitchens as a line cook and sous chef. I've worked in some really nice places and some really bad places. I like food. I like to cook food. I absolutely dont understand those who spend so much of their life never learning to one of the most basic aspects of our lives at least enjoyable. I do occasionally eat fast food, I'm not saying that you've got to eat only haute cuisine or your crap. I love a good chili dog as much as the next guy, just use good chili and a good dog. 7/11 doesnt have either.

And I'm a life long democrat. LIBERAL! The only reason I still vote democrat is that there isnt a viable more liberal party available. I'm an atheist. Just because I dont believe in God doesnt mean that you shouldnt, just please respect my religion or lack thereof. Government should provide services to its people and protect them from injury from others. It should work hardest for the poorest, because they have the least ability to protect themselves from others taking advantage of them. It should not dictate morality. It should provide education all the way thru college. It should provide roads. It should provide police. It should provide a standing army to protect us from foreign aggression. And Yes, it should also provide some sort of basic health care to EVERYONE, just like, literally, every other civilized country in the world.