So long 2006...

Narrowly avoided 'death by Ford' today to cap off the last commute of the year. What irks me most is a driver's reaction... I look through their windshields after a close-call like that to see what kind of person they are. Today it was a "who the hell are you to ride a bike on a dark rainy morning" angry look of rage. My response was a straight-from-the-heart middle finger.

I brightened the holy shutter-speed out of these photos on the 'puter, and you now know why I'm not posting many pics of the commute as of late. It's dark out there...

See you Sunday at 1pm. Let's send old man 2006 off with a bang.

Dig it.

Last Polo Game of 2006!

...so let's make it a fond farewell to 2006. Double the halftime refreshments and double the action. C'mon down to Swanson Park - 36th & Cornhusker at 1pm on New Year's Eve. As always - bring a black and white shirt so we can keep the teams mixed... mallets are provided. T-Bone, MOD... pick up the drum beat and post on 29 & MTB. Let's make this Sunday a kick ass game. Anyone from Lincoln interested? BTW - I have no idea who the fools are in this video are. I'm sure we could kick their arse, though.

Winter Beer

Lovely and welcome gift. Every time. Notice anything out of place here? The photo is undoctored. Visit Odellbrewing.com for the answer.

Down Under

Got this email just the other day. Remember the "Lance Glance"?

Hi ajb,

Now, you don't know me at all, but in the interests of international relations, I thought you might be interested to know that your post about the 4 bloodymary's and the "Lance glance" is getting forwarded around a fair bit between cyclists in Australia. Seriously, I've received it three times now from different people...

Now that's a story to tell your grandkids :o)

Cheers,

Bels H.

Melbourne, Australia

Here's a link to the Bicycle Victoria Forum.

Thanks Bels! I love Australia... I've had a bike route (Brisbane - Cairns - Brisbane) mapped out for years. Someday I'll pull the trigger on that one... someday.

My new bike

Jingle Bells... Turkey

13 Days left 'til Mr. Ho Ho Ho shows up. Getting into the holiday spirit by decking the ride with some sleigh bells for the commute. That's just the beginning. I've got 40 feet of "hello, I'm straight outta 1974" gold garland waiting at home.

Won this little bugger today at work. Pressing his left wing gets him to sing some Fa la la la la and shake his head wildly back and forth. Only way to get him home is on the top of the rack.

Yes... you bet I'm pressing that little button while at all the stop lights on L between 108th & 84th.

Send your Santa-stylied bike pics to 2wheelcommute@gmail.com and I'll post 'em up.

The Cap'n

Here's an email with photo Bob sent from rainy Washington.

I just got back from a 2.5 hour ride in the rain. Mostly offroad, lots of mud and on the SS cross bike. The temps here are in the 40's or 50's so pretty nice except for the rain all the time. I should be back in Omaha on the 30th.

How long you staying for, El Capitan?

Christmas Wish

Dear Santa, I've been a good commuter all year, and want a twin rocket engine with mount and rocket fuel for my Long Haul Trucker.

December Polo - 50's?

50+ degrees this Sunday? Ridiculous. That spells one helluva Polo match come Sunday. Todd B hasn't been seen out there yet... Kurt J needs to pony up. Cowbell should come home for this one. Grump, too... What's up - let's play!

Swanson Park - 36th & Cornhusker - 1pm (Noon for a warmup lap or two w/ T-bone)
Bring halftime refreshments, a black shirt, a white shirt, and a beater bike. Mallets provided.

Hey Cowbell I think you need to step it up!

From www.cyclingnews.com
We all no what LeMond did for Chequamegon! I think Lance will do even more for Leadville.
(More like completely ruin it!)


Armstrong to race Leadville Trail 100


Retirement from pro road racing has opened new doors for Lance Armstrong. This fall, the former roadie and seven-time Tour de France winner tackled the New York City marathon, and next August, he'll try out the Leadville Trail 100, a 100 mile mountain bike race in Leadville, Colorado.

Race director Ken Chlouber confirmed the race was on Armstrong's schedule, which now consists of only a few races per year. "This is huge for Leadville," Chlouber told the Leadville Chronicle. He added that the race was well suited for Armstrong, who is known for surmounting tough personal obstacles like cancer.

The Leadville 100 began in 1983 and covers a 100-mile course through the Sawatch mountains. It features 15,600 feet of climbing and descending. The race is notoriously challenging because the entire course is at a high altitude. The lowest point is 9,200 feet, and the highest point is 12,620 feet. The race is so popular that a lottery is used to dole out the available slots. About 500-600 of the 750 starters finish the race annually.

It won't be Armstrong's first appearance off road, but it will be the first time he races an endurance mountain bike event. If he has time to train, the Tour de France winner could challenge for the win.

Think this security word is trying to tell me something??? A bit Homer-Simpson-ish, don't ya think?

MMMM.... Moab.

Does this need a caption?

Photo from www.cyclingnews.com
A Projob?

Scarecrow IPA

Here's the latest homebrew. The color is rockin'. The overall look is pretty nice, really. Taste? Not too shabby. Snooty came up from Houston for Thanksgiving and we devoured some of my stash during the Nebraska - Colorado game. Mitch downed his, too. My best review was from SA during halftime of Sunday's bike polo game:

"You brewed this? This is good!"
It's worth noting that SA scored the winning goal. Was it the brew? Who knows...

More reviews on their way. If I share.

Surly Brew in Omaha

Nope. Can't get it at your local watering hole. Can't find it at that fancy "spirits" shop. Can't buy it online. You want some? Talk to Santa.

I've been following Surly Brewing since they came on the scene earlier this year, and have watched their growth in Minneapolis. Not related to the bike folks, but just as, well... Surly.

Bender is an interesting cross between an oatmeal stout and a nut brown. Very filling. Furious is, in one crazy made-up word -
SpazHOPtic. It reminds me of something from Henry Weinhards out of Portland. Like their private reserve or boar's head red. Neither is for the weak at heart. They just started putting this stuff into pint cans about a month ago.

Thanks to Tod & Sue for thinking of me as they traveled over Thanksgiving. It cost me some Fat Tire and 2 Below. Nice trade.

Turkey Ride

15+ riders on Thanksgiving morn. Rear wheel went the way of the taco... mod went the way of the gravity.

Long's Peak

Ran up to Estes Park to soak up the mountains while visiting Fort Collins. Here's one of Colorado's Fourteeners. It was good to feel the ears pop... it's been a while.

Fort Collins

While in Colorado last weekend, I snuck over to New Belgium Brewery to see how the progress on the expansion was going. Wow... I was blown away at how large of a building they're dishing up, and how far along they are. I love to see these guys grow.

Someday...

A little excitement in Madison

When someone comes up to you and asks "What's up with all the cop's". Be careful when you go outside. You never know what you might run into.
Just a little Pipe bomb. Not to worry I think it was just a scare.

Cowbell's new wheels

The three will become one



Cowbell has some new shoes for the Soulcraft. This time with disc brakes.

Another fine specimen

How's that for an omen... 2 viable polo bikes up on Craigslist in one week. And I can't even play this Sunday. I'll be in Colorado visiting friends and family and soaking up the mountains.

$40 Huffy Roadmaster

Another nice polo bike

Craigs List Catch... It's good to know that this bike has neither boy nor girl plumbing. $75/make offer.

Check it.

Better Blogs

OMAHA TV NEWS


If you havn't wandered over to omanews, you're not laughing as much as you could be. Seriously... stop by and have a chuckle with Ted Brockman.

Define Difficult

Changing camera functions to .5 meters from multi-focus with full finger, wind-proof gloves while riding a bicycle. Photo inspired by Grumpy.

The commute

Enough about beer. The ride in to work today was nice, and I took the camera along to snap some early November scenery. One thing you can count on is this scene on Election Day. The Memorial Park bridge over Dodge was packed with smiling, waving campaign troopers. I bet that number will double by the time I cross it going back home tonight.

Here's one confused voter... the nocturnal polls close at 6am, fella. A jogger gave this bugger a wide berth in Elmwood this morning as I crept closer to take a photo. I'm pretty sure his mouth is covered in a frothy foam right about now.

Desktop Wallpaper

Dig it.

Scarecrow IPA

Finished up the brew with a few helping hands last night. Thanks to Neil & Addie... your rewards will be delicious (we hope). Bottled and ready to burp in about 2 weeks. Scarecrow IPA comes in at about 3.7% ABV. The color is great, too...

Reviews forthcoming...

IPA

Pulled the IPA off the yeast and put it into the carboy last weekend for a final ferment. The Specific Gravity seemed low, as I expected. But, I know what I did wrong. Bottling it up tomorrow. I'll be able to take some out to Colorado with me in a couple weeks.

Haven't commuted on 2 wheels this week in lieu of a chest cold. I'll wait until the hacking of green things up at night subsides. Back in the Saddle next week.


Polo Sunday - I'm all in. That will test if the rear wheel I trued will hold up. Or fold.

No, fzook VOO.

 

Bike Stuff

Had to break out the Shimano shoes yesterday for the first time since early, early Spring. The sandals have been doing fine, but the nippy mornings bite the toes a bit on the ride into work. Adding layers in the morning and shedding them on the ride home.

The Pub Crawl is this weekend. Look out, Dundee... Lumpy - is your goathead crew down for the shenanigans?

Missed Polo last Sunday, but I'll be back at it this weekend. Don't want to get out of form. I'm working on getting some more folks out there. As with everyone... people never have a shortage of "busy" & "excuses".

Todd Gila Mr1spd Steelbitch... will you ever come back to polo? Steel Sally - I'm counting on you in November.

Brew Three

2nd batch wasn't too shabby... you've read the Chech Pilsner reviews here.

On to the next batch. Not a fan of October-fest-ish beers, and not particularly fond of winter brews, I'm trying an IPA. I'm a bit concerned about my initial specific gravity (1.034), and hope it doesn't end up being too thin. Like a good little homebrewer, I followed the directions, though I don't really like using dextrose (of which I used 300g versus the 500g of dry light malt). I really love the smell of my house after brewing. The primary fermenter is bubbling away right now. I'll probably take the brew off the yeast and finish it in a secondary fermenter sometime this weekend. Hope to bring some beers out to Fort Collins with me next month.

3 cheers for homebrew beers.

Sky Bike

Weekend getaway to KC with the 2wheel family included a stop at the Union Station. The Sky Bike was really cool. You can't tell... but it was about 30 feet in the air.

Polo Season Opener Video

Ok, I'm not as techno-savvy as MOD, so I'll just link to his sweet ass video of Polo on Sunday. I even jacked that photo from his site. What's that? Why, yes, that's me scoring the backwards off-angle goal with the sweet assist from T-Bone at about the 3:30 mark.

See the video here.

Remember - Polo season is ON. We meet Sundays at 1pm at Swanson Park. Show up. I'll bring Cowbell's polo bike as a loaner, and we've got plenty of mallets. Just bring yourself, and some half-time beverages.

Solid.

Yellow Card

Found this from BikeHugger. I like how it's set up as an open source thing, meaning you can just download the pdf and make your own stickers. Think I'll take a crack at it and see how they come out. It's the PC way to flip off that crappy driver that just about rearranged your face, arms, and legs. I'll probably continue to flip them off and yell at them, too. BikeHugger also has some nice interbike gab going on... check it.

Click here to see the cards.