Stranger things have happened

This has been a fun but a little bit of an odd week for me. Those of you that know me-and it is fine if that remains our little secret-know I am a pixel pusher, at least by trade. The last few years I have been a pedal pusher. "Pssst, hey man, wanna by a bike?" as my trench coat jingles and jangles with the sounds of your two wheeled fix. Anyway, for years I tried to escape the dark, dank confines of corporate america and it's cubicle laden oppressed atmosphere. Working at Aviation Velo (formerly Bike Doctor) has given me that freedom that I was looking for. Working on, selling, riding and doing everything bikes has allowed me to be myself and not trying to fit that mold of artsy fartsy computer artist...er um guy.

So as luck would have it, Bike Doctor of Linthicum has decided to go AWOL from the franchise and venture into new, uncharted waters... for a three hour tour. The weather started getting rough...whoooaaa-flashback Skipper. So somehow I landed the job of....yup pixel pusher web guy again, In a bike shop?!?!?!? Never thought that it would go this route and honestly, wasnt real sure I would enjoy doing it again. Thoughts of fake people wearing fake facial disguises to mask their true identities came to the surface. Much to my shagrin, I am really getting back into it. It will never be at the 9-5 level anymore, but this has been really cool. I have control over what I do and when I do it-as long as it is done by december 31st!

It is still in its infancy, but it is coming along pretty good. I had to dust off the Dreamweaver  side of my brain and get a little jump start, but it is slowly coming back. Still a few kinks to work out here and there, but overall pleased with what has come about so far. It loads a bit slow, but that is because I have a large background image that needs to be reduced.Here is the link to the sight so far. Some links havent been linked and still working with making sure that it previews well in the popular browsers. http://aviationvelo.com/. Enjoy and get out of that cubicle and enjoy the outdoors!

Pondering the pointless

I really dont have a clue on where this going, but that is ok...it's my blog. This time of the year allows me to ride for (gasp) fun? My version of fun and your version of may be a tad different. I use this time to reflect on things that really dont have a place in my everyday thought patterns. Now dont act like this is something completely new to you. You know the kinds thoughts that if you told someone, there would be a good chance that you would loose a riding buddy (maybe gain some others). You can be riding along and POW! ridiculous thought! Like, what if I didnt have a lactate threshold. meaning that you could ride without the effects of build up and just hammer along whilst others bow and kneel to your overall greatness. Well, not really but again, my thoughts my daydreams.

Again, just riding along and SHAZZAM! yet another thought. What if everyone was riding naked? Now, not sure how that would work for the guys (guess if you had a saddle with a cut out relief zone, you could...) Do they have nudist colony cycling? I guess crashing could be a bit on the "you got road rash where" weird side of things.

My last one from today is the "what would happen if I crashed here." Yeah, that one came up more than a few times today. Those are the ones that can lead to disaster and lack of confidence. Alas, they still enter my miniscule brain and rattle around like Jacob Marley's chains. I try to even this one out by thinking of my favorite pastime...eating. Now hamburger isnt a good one to think of for obvious reasons, but man do I like me some Chuck E Cheese salad bar. Laugh, its ok; it is the best salad bar around. Sometimes Chuck himself enters my thoughts dressed in lycra and riding a bone shaker and heckling me from atop his stately steed. Wonder what helmet size he wears?

There was a pretty good pause there for a minute; Anyway, I think it is good to go out, ride, think stupid, pointless and ridiculous thoughts. You cant take riding seriously all of the time. Who knows, you might make it a little more fun.

Why we ride bikes

When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking. ~ Sir Arthur Conan Doyle  Wow, can you really say it any betterer than that? I was hoping to write a longer than usual, mindless bantering of my life as a bicycle rider and what makes riding bikes so darn special; I think Mr. Doyle made quick work of that. 

Seriously though, if you have spent any time at all on a bike; I dont mean those of you that think spending 5k plus on a bike and have it sit in your living room. I even have come across the guy that buys a roof rack and rides around with a bike on it that never touches terra firma. I am talking about those of us that actually throw a leg over the top tube and head out on that wonderful two wheeled wonder of human ingenuity. You are a different person on a bike. You arent stuck behind some metal and glass encased "get the bleep outta my way" carbon monoxide environment killer. You see things and get to enjoy things in a different light. Sure, it can be a bit on the dangerous side, but you dont think that way when you are cruisin along. Betcha cant say that when you are driving. 

It still amazes me how anti-cycling this country is. I mean its cheap, friendly, and best of all; gives you great legs! I guess the real question is; why dont we ride bikes more? I will tell you; PEOPLE ARE LAZY! Yep, lazy. You dont have to race or even ride a bike from a bike store (yikes), just ride a bike. Lets face it, if Queen can put out a cover like that and a goofy song to match, shouldnt that be inspiration enough?

	I want to ride my bicycle I want to ride my bike I want to ride my bicycle I want to ride it where I like ~ Queen Bicycle Race, Fat Bottomed Girls

So why do we ride? I ride because of all of the comments about my tight, lycra, figure enhancing outfit that shows the world what kinda man I really am (but only my wife has privileges to).

Enjoying the Road...Love Boat Style

Yeah, I know; there was a time when I thought that I would rather sit and watch re-runs of the Love Boat while eating snail turds and farting razor blades than wasting time on a road bike. Well, I still enjoy re-runs of the Love Boat and farting razor blades and have been really having fun out on the open road.

It is just so nice to suit up and leave from the front door and not have to clean anything afterwards. I wish that I looked as cool as Isaac with that awesome stache. I think I would gain more respect, too.

Anyway, the nice thing about the road thing is that you can structure your workouts with more constancy. Being on the MTB doesnt allow for smoother rpms and allows for more consistent hill repeats...yay-hills baby! It has definetely helped me-well at least last year and earlier this year with my endurance as well. Now, these are no secrets to anyone; at least to people that know the secret to mtb success. As the song says "promises something for everyone." You dont have to go full out for a road bike either; head down to your LBS and check out used bikes first-especially this time of year. While your at it, hook up with a local club ride, too; you will get faster by default. I know this because the Love Boat doesnt lie-"Love, exciting and new
Come Aboard. We're expecting you. Love, life's sweetest reward. Let it flow, it floats back to you."

Dont be afraid of the road-just stay safe and have fun and  if you can wear a fro like Isaac, you will forever have my respect-stay single!