How to go PRO

As you may or may not know, I'm trying to get better at racing. Former beat bike blogger Salem was PRO for a number of years and I've enrolled in his training camp. His methods are unorthodox:

photo credit to Damian.

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Paul

I've always thought Paul Components are awesome. When I was a middle schooler, my dream was to outfit my mountain bike with Paul Components and be awesome. I also wanted to be a professional mountain biker, a DJ and live in Toronto. I guess, I've still got a long way to go with my life. Anyway, that Paul Rasta powerglide derailer was going to be the center piece of my awesome bike. Back in the 1990s, that thing retailed for like $325 or $350 or something like that and at some point between the 90s and now, they stopped making them. According to an ebay auction, it presently goes for $750, which is at the high end of what I pay for a whole bike. It would appear that Paul has gone the singlespeed route these days, since they make things that restrict chain movement instead of promoting it.

So, anyway, my lifelong dream owning some Paul componentry has finally been fulfilled, as a I bought a Paul chainkeeper and now I can carry pasta and 12 packs of Miller Lite on bumpy environs without fear of dropping my chain.

And, this morning I was able to combine my love of putting my lunch in front of my bike and my love of the Census:

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A Unique Asset

Mt. Hartford, or the Hartford Landfill, is generally regarded as one of Hartford's terrible detractors. Residents in North Hartford have long and justifiably complained about its stench and travelers on I-91 have lamented its eyesore-ish qualities.

It's now closed and an advisory committee has been established to figure out what to do with it next. That group went and visited the landfill this evening; opinions have changed. Seldom have I seen a group of people wandering around which such wonder and curiosity. It was like being at the Grand Canyon. Gears are cranking in people's heads to figure out what next to do with new land with a really great view. Methane collection valves be damned!

Also, I may be the first (or not) to ride up and down Mt. Hartford on a bike.















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Awesome & not awesome

This is awesome. You can read the rest of the story here, but nothing holds a candle to the awesome picture. (Driver is ok).


It is not awesome that Brendan & Johanna's hero, Jill Homer, has had to quit the Iditarod Trail Invitational due to frostbite on her foot. She's still our hero, though. Also sad is that her roommate/boyfriend (she keeps her readers guessing), Geoff, is out of the footrace due to knee problems (and strangely not due to the horrible respiratory problem he's having). Maybe now Jill will set her sights on more sensible and warmer endeavors like winning the Leadville 100 or the Great Divide Race. Read more!

A big thumbs up.

On the blog we often discuss the issues cyclists have with motorists. Over the last week the discussions have gotten even more frequent as we mulled over articles in the Economist and the Courant, and watched the lovely video of a rabid pregnant woman in New Haven. As we all know confrontations between persons on bikes and people in cars can be confrontational, emotional, and at times dangerous. This fact sits in the back of my mind every time I ride my bike, whether it is the daily commute to work, the library, the grocery store, or a long scenic tour of the Connecticut hills, and as it was when I left work yesterday. However, yesterday was a little different in that I was taking home the recyclables for which our plaza lacks appropriate disposal methods. So there I was with a bag three feet in diameter full of bottles and cans strapped onto the rack of my bike riding through West Hartford, a scene that reliably adds to the number of strange looks, horn honkings, and clever comments from teenagers such as "nice bike" or "get a car" that I get along my ride.

So needless to say I expected much of the same as I rode down Ridgewood Rd, cars zipping by me annoyed that they had to slow down to pass someone obviously so destitute that they not only cannot afford a sensible mode of transport but they have stooped to collecting bottles and cans. Coming up to a red light I zipped past most of the cars that had just passed me and rolled towards the intersection when one of the car windows rolled open and a guy of peak rude commenting age starts to stick his head out the window. I think to myself, "here it comes, lets see what this guys got." To my surprise he looks at me, pumps his fist in support, and says entirely sincerely, "right on man." Completely shocked and speechless all I could muster was a "heyyoooo" in response and I flew past as the light concurrently turned green. After settling back into the saddle I thought about what had just happened. I had expected the impending confrontation to leave me angry and frustrated but rather it had been quite the opposite. I sat up tall with a big smile on my face and road along proud to be on my bike carting a large bag of refuse.

The moral is, while the majority of our confrontations with motorist may be negative we need to take the time to appreciate those fleeting moments when bikes and cars do get along. So to the guy heading North on Ridgewood Road at 5.30 yesterday afternoon in (what I think was) a light blue Passat, kudos to you! Borat gives you two very big thumbs up! Very Nice!
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