A Cyclocross Racer

The Wagner Free Insitute of Science

2012-01-25T19:34:00.002-05:00

i'm lucky that my work, some of the locations are places I would never find, or seek out on my own.
Years ago, a dozen or so, I guess, I worked at this old museum. It was a cool place, and like many things I put into my brain, I thought I'd remember it and return for a visit. a dozen years later. After a bit of searching I found it again, and went for a visit.

I rang the bell. A nice young lady greeted us and let us in.

She introduced herself, shook our hands and left us on our own to roam.

I had called the day before about taking pictures. In the most polite way, it was explained to me no picture taking. I was a bit crushed

You step back into time, a rare occurrence, that people don't find the need to meddle and update.

An elegant building.

Back into 1890.

can of Worms

2012-01-19T09:43:00.002-05:00

changed up the treads on my rims, pulled the crosstires off the Rev's rim and thumbed on my Bontrager Race X Lite Hardcase 23mm's, my winter road/dirt abuse tire on.

a great tire I've loved running.

My wheels are the new Revolution Wheelworks 23mm wide clinchers.

I'm not sure if it was the age of the old bontragers or the new wider width, but the first corner on my ride yesterday, I like to dive it, and in the apex, the front slid a bit. Zoikes. I did not end up sprawled across the road, but it did give me the espresso shot of adrenaline.   So I need to pick out new treads, or risk just getting new bontragers, maybe it was there age, and not the seam and little b's, making it let loose.

Tires that's a good one to ask an opinion for, everyone, everyone has a different favorite. and what works for one, the perfect never flat, cheap, fast, long lasting,  and super supple one, is a piece of crap to the next guy.   I've got 4 windows open, looking at the different tire web sites, think...?

cheers, d.

in office

2012-01-15T18:53:00.000-05:00

Its a cold day in Philadelphia, and I'm taking it easy, .....

another mp3 player, went red.

Had a good night out last night, a dinner with some good friends and our wives.

..............

I've been spending more time in the office I've made upstairs.

Its in a room, a 2nd floor sunroom with a wall of windows.

The tree outside brushes against the screen in the wind. and when it rains it sounds like a soft muffled drumming.

I've got art to frame and get up.

Its given me a place to work, with the tools I need at hand.

and a new shirt from the Welsh band Y Niwl

Dau by Y Niwl from Soundcloud, check 'em out.

I'm a bit under the weather, my body had no gas riding the SS yesterday @ the Wiss.

a really nice team ride, I'm on a new team this year, Philadelphia Ciclismo.

It was hard for me to leave HumanZoom, the only team/shop I've ever raced for.

but they are changing, and I was able to leave on very good terms.

So far I've found the new team, very nice, a great group, hard workers, humor, beers, ...making for some pleasant group rides. I'm sorry I will miss tomorrows ride.

alas, I do look forward to the new seasons.

Cheers! d.

M.west

2012-01-12T21:03:00.000-05:00

i was born in Indiana. Lived, till now most of my life in Ohio. Never really used the F word till I moved to philly. I've been working on being more Midwestern. More Ohioian. Polite. Nice.

Its a chore.

cheers, d.

food chain

2012-01-05T10:06:00.001-05:00

a while ago, couple of months, I noticed that the birds and squirrels had vanished. It was empty and quiet in our backyard. We put out seed and food for the critters every morning.

Then all the critters were back, then gone.
I was out on the bike a few weeks ago, turning up at the end of our block to start my ride, I saw a big hawk sitting on a low branch.

the critters were the hawks food, so as they peck at the food in the backyard he flies over, gets one and is on his way.

today is a quiet day, with the critters hiding.

d.

tourist

2011-12-28T16:44:00.001-05:00

the other day,

I sat and pondered at Rodin's Gates of Hell, for a longish bit, then pedaled back home, along the river, into a strong, gusty, headwind home.

It's slipped from my grasp, my inspiration. Not that I've had much directions that I've been headed with the photos I've taken. but, I have had thoughts, impulses, like the tree on Belmont with the full moon.

I headed down town, to take pictures of the Clothes pin, it was surrounded by fence, and a few, snapping it themselves. I ponder, why and what do my photos say?

scratching my head on the way to bed, I'll think just a bit more on it and forget and fall asleep.

get up and ride my bike.

cheers,

shoebox

2011-12-26T21:19:00.003-05:00

I took a break from my mom/stepfather's house for a bit and headed out into cold Beaver.

I got to Beaver a day early, to get to spend a bit of extra time with my Mom and Michael (my stepfather, who's been more of a father than my birth father) and help set up for the dinner of 23.

Shoe boxes means, .... that I get all these ideas, thinking, and I need a place to put 'em,... the plans, and dreams, cleverness,... about bikes, tactics, work, art, music ... and now taking pictures...

so I'm jotting them down and slipping them into the shoebox.

the day before Beaver, Thursday I packed my camera, and tripod and went for an easy ride. Thought I'd just shoot a bit and pedal a bit. For the most part, I'm off the bike.

The camera, its made me happy.

I like Pittsburgh a lot, I lived there for a bit, way back in one of the dropping outta college times, worked at a Sear portrait studio. I liked the people, down to earth, but the grime, mills, ruggedness, I guess you take from the land, and then try to live on the land that pays for your food, its not a pretty town.

I drove down an access road, you know 23% grade or so, down to the river to take pictures of the bridge. Did not get a good pic. but I turned around and the sun had poked out a bit down the river on the smoke stacks, and I liked what I got.

I'm trying to get back into the family thing a bit better, I've not been the best at it.

.... riding, cross, and all, its soothed my soul a bit, its taught me to lose, to love the trip, to let me air it out a bit, and I do need to let go of a few things.

ahhh, MY MOM !!!

My mom and Michael made a great dinner.

what a great night.

they did a ton of work, and we came together, and shared and drank and ate and hugged

my stepfather, Mr. Michael DiLauro

you're a good man

I know, soon I am off into a new season of training, and sorta like life, I don't want to make the same mistakes, I want to face my failures, and do what I can to improve.

and those,.... Them ideas,.... that bubble up in my brain, gotta keep them somewhere, who knows when I'll need them?

Zoikes! david

1000 words

2011-12-16T14:47:00.000-05:00

as long as I'm quiet I can wonder around the set, snap a few pictures, check the Internet, hobnob with co-workers, snack at the craft service table. the last two days, in a supermarket with a flying pig that talks to shoppers.

I'm not much of a Holiday party guy. I always feel a bit outta the element.

and I've got a few to go to, so I'll muddle through them.

Got some Holga lens, plastic elements/pinhole to use for fun.

They are cheap, and I like using the real thing to create an effect, even though, you can probably do better in post, in manipulating the look of an image.

I'm disappointed in the pinhole lens, a bit washed out/low contrast. .., needs a bit of a long exposure to capture the light. Might get a "laser" pinhole lens, I like the look of the pinhole, just need it to work better.

Tomorrow is the BT Xmas cyclomtb follies, maybe I'll take some portraits, who knows how inspired I'll feel in the morning.

but practied a bit on the porch, myself, and my wife Ljiljana

to a nap, then slippng into some nicer duds, and out to a Holiday party, joy

cheers, d.

"feed me"

2011-12-11T14:24:00.001-05:00

i missed racing Sat.  (I really regret not being at Fairhill) The week was tough, I had a painful, stiff neck, like broken ribs painful. Then slogging through 3days of work. I got better quick, but that zapping pain, it reminds me, how easy it is to forget about feeling normal.

Yesterday, I asked my wife, that if I got washy on racing today to prod me on, to get me to go.

I awoke before the alarm and thought, "its cold out", not much I really lose by staying in bed.
but its the MAC, and its my friends, and I nudged myself.   I think part of the wanting to stay in bed part came from me not being fast this year. I had spurts, but most of the time was a slogging away.

I think having the Worlds Master Cross races in the US did one thing, re motivate, it created dreams in all of us, that we could put it all together, and somehow have the best day on the bike and be a World Champion.   It made for a deeper, fitter, group of masters here in the MAC area. I'm not going to Worlds, but the ones from this area that go, I root with my whole spirit that they win.

I love to compete, I'm not out there on the bike not to win.   and despite, maybe me letting you by, or traveling to a race with you, I'll do all in my mind and legs I can to crush you on the course.

its not hard to say good-bye to this season, its been a good one, with fast grey beards, a great MAC series, a mix of riding conditions.

People put a lot of love, and time into making it happen, and I really enjoy what they give,

thanks for the races, the beers, the cheers, and fucking kicking my ass.

Cheers! David

Champion

2011-12-09T22:19:00.001-05:00

ah I'm sitting with a large bottle to my left and an almost empty glass on my right.

I've gotten back from taken some pictures at Belmont Plateau, of the tree I love.

Its a hard thing to do, to point the lens at darkness, to press the shutter release, and wait 25 seconds,
to peer into the little screen and try to decipher if its there, or not.

my racing season, its been a really enjoyable one. Not in my results. Not in being fast. Just facing my battles, feeling human, fragile, feeling speed and the blur of air,

I'll sleep in tomorrow, and spin a bit, ... not going to race, despite,... the need to race. and Sunday, that's the end of the MAC, the real racing. The End. Then a couple of fun races, non-sanctioned bro-hood shit.
and then the dreams of next season,... I will be faster, fitter, smarter, next year.

Cheers, and I hope to get out on a ride with ya soon. d.

boxer

2011-11-28T15:38:00.001-05:00

it took a bit longer this year, I think, for all of the leaves to fall off the big tress around our house.

been biding my nights reading this book, its good, sorta written in thuggish simple talk.

So its a good read for me.

I like thinking, improving, solving

today I was taking to task to neaten up the yard a bit, to reduce the number of leaves laying about,

I don't care too much about the look, but, it would be rude of me to let our place go "au natural", the leaves blowing onto the other, very kept, yards.

I found a use, a very good use, that worked quite well, for my old beer case box.

It stiffened up the leaf bag, and made it easy to stuff.

Harvey use to work at the shop as a mechanic, a old timer, a bit Craggie,

gruff, mumbler, back in the day type.

He'd find solutions, or make a tool to make it work, simplify things, and I always tried to peak, pay attention to what he was doing, not so much ask, but bided my time.

My card board box solution made me quite happy, and If I could whistle, I would of filled the air with a cheerful tune, while I raked and stuffed the bags full of leaves.

Cheers, d.

SUuuuuPER CROooooSS

2011-11-20T18:04:00.001-05:00

there is a strange feeling that penetrates Super Cross

its a fine race

just a bit under-cordinated, or distorted

I did well, two days of going good

5th, then a 6th

the Long Island Vibe,

I like going to this race, I do miss the 'amptons.

now those were some parties

this race.... its strange, ... but so is what racing cross is, a road bike with dirt tires,.... going in small circles for an hour or less, running with your bike, pits... it. Long Island embodies a part of cross. The it don't make sense, but hey, its a painful good time.

The Tick

2011-11-17T17:27:00.001-05:00

We've got six cats. All were strays.

Jimmy, Jefferson, Miles, Patrick, Kenny and Pascal.

we use the once a month flea/tick stuff, it works great. Pascal, a rag doll cat, with long, light flocks of hair, dense and thick, is a spunkie one. he likes to roam, and apparently sleeps under some bush that ticks like. Pulled quite a few off of him. This one just fell into my hand as I rubbed him. So full and bloated of blood. I rolled him in the palm of my hand and took him off to a photo session.
I was going to kill him, but my wife found him cute, took him and dropped him off down the street somewhere. I don't try to kill too many living things. Mosquitoes, ticks, I kill, ... what I can leave alone, I do. I try to spare stink bugs, gnats, spiders, worms, slugs. I am a guest here, I do enough damage by my life style. so what I can let be, I do.

cheers, d.

Airing

2011-11-14T10:25:00.001-05:00

yesterday, I had the worse day on my bike ever. I pulled myself from the race 2 laps in, dripping blood from the nose. A dead engine.   No spark. Wrong tire treads.   and still It was a good day.

I laid in bed, early, I was so tired, at 8:30.

On Sat. I sat on the line, with a smile, and pep. Rolled my tire in the first of the race, and ran to the pit. I exited with the 55+ on my ass.   I thought for a brief second to pull up to not go so hard to save some for Sunday.   I had nothing to lose, I could ride my race, and off I went, harder, deeper, relentless.   I spent it all.

I woke last night around 2am, still a bit tired, but brain roaring alive, thinking about cross

I started riding, everything was a race, every ride, it was incredible to push myself, against my friends, freds, carrots. I posesed a Naive-ity Strenght, I was to dumb to notice how or why I felt, to full of the thrill to worry about form, wanting to prove myself, and new that I had so many challenges ahead.

well, I've learned something, my limits, and somehow, I liked it better when I didn't know. I did not know what I could not do. Everything was achievable.   Now, its work, prep, skill,...

what was good about yesterday?   I guess its sorta why I race, to fail, to get beat, humbled, crushed, that ugly pitted feeling of such a poor performance, and, to think, a lot of people never learn what that feels like.

So today, a bright sun lightens my mood, a late call for work, and working with peeps I enjoy and like a bunch.

I look forward to the future,

I got my camera out and took a few photos, and at a nice berm which you could make into a jump, I pushed the tape in, leaning.   and as each rider came to the berm, I think they knew what I wanted. Air.

Cheers! david

Denim

2011-11-11T18:12:00.001-05:00

took some pics at the white denim show, very good show

Street Joy:

cheers, d.

looking forward to racing tomorrow at the New Fairhill, one of my favorite courses.

Abishag

2011-11-08T10:23:00.002-05:00

(photo: Anthony Hennessy, cross ride at Wissahickon w/ dlowe and George Klimi)

I put away the bike last night, in the shed, along with all the others.

I like having a garden shed, we have no garage, or basement.

I latch open the door, to keep it from slamming shut by the strong breeze that comes up the yard.

It is its own world, one that has no electricity, or heat, so its a daylight only world.

the key, its an undersized key, just a turn lock.

dressed warm, I pushed the bike up the small slope and around the house

and out to ride today

met two blokes and off we rode, a very nice day to ride, watching the sun rise, and its rays drop into the valley and warmed it up a bit. Had the new treads the Clements LAS pump to 42, more sturdy than supple ride I needed from 'em. The rubber compound, is a bit rubbery, supple-lish, a bit different from the hardish casing of the jets I've been using to train on. They gave a nice quality ride, smooth, fast and .... a very good grip, with a gentle transition a roundish flow from riding on the top of the tread to the bite of the side knobs. Very predictable. I felt like a surgeon, knife-ing up the top meadow trails of the Wiss. Not quite sure of the durability of the rubber, but am looking forward to doing some pre-ride laps at Fairhill Saturday.

Cheers, d.

glom-ming

2011-11-07T16:30:00.000-05:00

I'm off the Jets and trying something new

The Clement LAS tires

I got the clinchers, and if they ride nice, I'll move on to the tubulars.

I don't know what to call the tubulars,... they don't have tubes in 'em.

so not to confuse them with the blokes thinkin' they can do it, tube-less,

burp!

they've been made airtight,without a tube, but all in a casing.

I've loved the PDX, really nicely made, just running the clincher, not the tubeless casing version,yet, they've kill it in the mud.

what I know, not a diamond tread, but a Nail tread.

Small points to larger points as you work your way to the outside of the tread.

A "Knob" a biggish "knob"

on the outer rim

to bite and keep you in the corners.

Clements has that thing going, a glom factor, and good for 'em, they've created a coolness,
The labels on the sidewall look $$$, the hanger card stock, beautiful, A name, The hat with the logo,
got a get one, gotta glom. Branding is important, and what sells, and just the look, the sound, "Clement", of course I'm a better bike handler, and a cold, beady eyed, soulless, pale-ed skin, bloke of epic proportions with 'em on my Hoops. cheers, d. I let ya know what I think of De treads.

sorry I could not rezssist...NERDS!

cajones

2011-11-04T18:59:00.002-04:00

I went to see the Meat Puppets last night, took my camera, and tried my best to take some nice shots.
I fell short, I took a bunch of pics, just not much good. The show was OK, they seemed a bit weary, road worn, life worn, they didn't come alive till the jammin' at the end, and the jammin' not so good.

I'm listening to the Lou Reed Metallic album trying to figure out what I think about it, Who Cares? Me. They all have so much history of accomplishment, but seem in this case to be falling very far short of making something listenable.   but I listen on.

and as always the bike is there for me, my family.   I pulled the pedals and tightened them up on the SS mtBike, hit up the mighty Wiss. Nice ride, really nice. A good zone, one of those days of pedaling and steering and just enjoying life.   I stopped at the over look. Where years ago a religious sect would meditate, there is a strong strange power emanating from these glacier exposed stones.   Are they angry for being stirred up. whatever, I don't hang here to long, maybe its me, maybe I'm just some anti-electric to them, Ha! anyway, had a great ride at the Wiss. oops.....   What I meant to say was, my friend Meisha, he's laid up, not to laid up, despite getting hit broad side by a hard charging car, and breaking bones in his neck and ribs,.... That bastard is at home, up and about, feisty and recovering. Recovery, that's a hard thing for me to deal with. so,.... I hope to go see him on Monday, maybe take some wine to the park and challenge him or his 75 year old bro. to some chess.
Maybe smoke a cigar.    Cheers all, value those who bring you love.   david.

Hope

2011-10-30T18:57:00.002-04:00

last night I listened to some Hope Sandoval , before heading to bed.
I've been in a funk, the last 3 races
making me
as much as I don't like to have the bike affect my mood
funky

today

Mud.

I've worked on my mud skills, and today the work payed me back.
I got a great start, took a couple of turns loose, then settled in, and just rode the mud.

and despite losing 3 spots on the last lap, putting me in 13th, my mood is lighter.

I took some photos, just a few "artys", and the rest, just of the 35+ race, and then worked the pit for the wonderful LvG

I like the pit

a lot of small talk in the pit,

sorta like a pre-diner party

some clicks:

bad ass

I feel the teeter-tooter starting to sink, we are past the half way point of the MAC season

I'm going to work hard

and hope to make it back into the top10 finishers.

whew, d.

Focus, frame... of mind

2011-10-27T17:34:00.004-04:00

I'm just sitting down, damp, in from riding in drizzle.

The billboard, along 76e. says its 56 out. Balmy. and I overdressed, well,... I was quite comfortable for my short ride.

I have a coffee table book, that I pick-up when I need to focus, to devle back into myself.

I left everything out on the porch, bike, shoes, booties, rain kit.
and felt inspired by the grayness outside

sorry to harp, but really, I'm not a fan of the long lens, and the 1000x frames that one can shoot

I look at these photos, I look at the racers, the dress of the people lining the road, the cameras, lens, thoughts of just how many shots that the photographer clicks. No auto setting, maybe a light meter buried in a pocket. The camera, built solid, strong, rugged.

and these pictures, they don't talk to me, or say anything, they just give me a feeling,

a motivation to ride, and in my mind, roubaix is an individuals race, only one soul suffers, only one soul feels the pain,

and only one wins,.... but its in their hearts,... imagine to live your life as if it was as roubaix, so focused, driven, the tolerance,... magnificent,....

Humbled.

the Killer Inside me

2011-10-17T19:24:00.001-04:00

The Killer Inside Me is a novel by Jim Thompson.

(prepping the course)

Granogue hurt me, deep. and I'm happy about that. I finished 15th day one, and 22nd day two.

sunrise, early to set up the tent site. I was a Minion at peace.

well out of where, maybe tenth, that I expected of myself. and I don't really know why. I know I went as hard as I could. I wallowed in my hurt, almost fighting every to push every pedal stroke harder.

Photo by Dennis Smith

Jim Thompson's novel is about what goes on inside what to appears to be a normal human.

Photo by Dennis Smith

and in all my retrospective thinking, I did wonder, If maybe I could hate or have anger, the burning urge to whomp some whoop ass on someone, that it'd give me strength, drive, divert me from my self loathing suffering and place the blame outside of me.

Photo by Dennis Smith

I don't really have too many demons burrried inside my head, I do want to be the fastest by, ... being the fastest.... maybe its mental toughness, better training, less beer, riding diary, more sleep.

all things I could do.

but.... maybe, Me, maybe I'm happy to have this unsatisfied loathing,

to want to do better,

cause, ... ya know,... I don't know why. yet

Photo by Dennis Smith

one thing my wife told me, that I learned about myself. That when I've won a race, that I made excuses of why, and that when I don't do well, is all logical, cognitive, hard facts of circumstances.

you'll find Jim Thompson to be one of the great Americas writers

cheers, david

Granogue - fore and aft

2011-10-13T18:45:00.002-04:00

I had the pleasure of pounding in stakes today. Of getting a good look at Granogue.

just driving to the course, as I turned off of rt. 1 onto creek rd. my palms dampened.

and at Smithbridge rd. where you first catch glimpse of the property, my mouth dry.

Its a hard race, maybe the hardest.   Its just not the elevation. Its roots, off camber, fast sweeping downhills, pavement to wheel suck on.

Its the most beautiful place to race.

and as a photographer, it holds the most opportunities to take exquisite photos. The dense dark tree's shade, to abundant light.   and I hope that the women and men snapping photos really push themselves to find something special, to get something extraordinary.

Granogue is why I race cross.   It scares me. I won't eat much before I race here, cause there is a good chance that one of the run up hills would just bring it back-outta me anyway.

life IS special, we ride, and train, and suffer, we put on races, or just lend a hand, because it brings us alive, a real joy. thanks Granogue and all who have made it happen. cheers, d.

a-hole shot

2011-10-09T18:27:00.002-04:00

I like'd the crisp start to today, flopped outta bed, a bit of tinkering on the mtbike and just a light wind vest to ward off the early chill.

I rolled out to do some easy riding at the Wissahickon, and the pedaling was easy, but like some of the easy rides, a lot of shit talk spun, and the new guy took the brunt of the slings and cat calls, I guess in the end, I was lucky to not have the two Russians gang up on me. Misha, and Dima.

I study things, and think,

I don't know if this is J. Powers race bike set up to race, there are a lot of spacers. What I like, that I wanted, the white easton stem and the easton ea70 white bars. Somehow I've order two white stems, but've got black ones sent to me. oh well, only stylish cosmetic. Look at all them spacers. and please, someone tell me, what is in-line of the front brake cable? hmmm,... could be useful?

(pic by Mr. ant.S)

yesterday did the PACX townhall cross race. got the hole shot, no problem, and held back into the climb, and rode up he hill listening to Eric work his words on the PA. Had a nice race, under inflated my rear tire, made it hard to go hard. I ride with a heavy ass, and felt if I wasn't to careful I'd rip the treads off the rim. So I sat in the lead for a bit, then the two grey beards with better legs came by. I had a good race and worked hard, on the corners, and barriers. Hammered to the line to nip no-one but only to push myself as hard as I could. Got 3rd. Next week Granogue, I look forward to the bigger field and more competition. I'm learning a lot this year, I'm more comfortable on the bike, than I ever-been. Things are good, the pain? always good. I'm suffering. Cheers, d.

unexpected....

2011-10-03T20:18:00.001-04:00

Sunday, the fun Hillbilly Hustle.

the start, its been a bit since I've been in the old fashioned scrum, and mayhem off the line.

I was a bit back in the grid, and off we went, pinching in from the left,

and then hard from the right

the pack gave and a bloke capsized to my right, ahead of me.

I left my fingers off the brakes

and pedaled much as I would through muck or sand.

riding over his body, steering to the left of his head.

then I bombed the outside right line to the tree and came around the bend, I think sitting 4th

after the race, after eating crow and hosing mysel off, I made myself bust out the camera, and took some pics with the wide angle zoom. I enjoyed snapping, but with the wide angle lens on, its a hard guess when to pull the trigger, the rider really has to be quite close. All them long lens shots, many are just snapped away, I feel a lot of the snaps, are like school photos, more for the info, ... sit, snap, post, maybe sell, than for trying to capture the energy or emotion of the race. Not to say I can capture anything, I am really just guessing. ... and then looking at my snaps, saying to myself that sucks, yep that sucks too, oh that one has something going on. So my shit ain't planned, but if I work hard I will/hope to acquire some skills, so that I use the right tools to say something with my pictures.

but the best thing about my race, is that I was able to bury myself,

going all out, I gave it everything,

the last part of the last lap

I wanted to close the 8 second gap to third

and threw caution away

I came into this corner of muck

and

came out

with paying for the risk

a big old face first belly slide.

I almost didn't want to come outta the woods

I could hear it as I came towards the line.

Ha!

otherwise,

I did a great ride Saturday and met some great bike riders

Ms. Victoria Hanks has done a wonderful job of getting these young kids, these peeps out into a new world,

she has brought her world of bike riding to them

and some, will be able to ride (and see a different world), thanks to others giving.

read about the Cadence Foundation and her work: http://www.cadencefoundation.org/

spunk

2011-09-25T19:54:00.126-04:00

on the way to the car after the show Saturday night, nice fireworks going off over the river....

I saw X, again, Saturday, at a sorta strange punk fest. Is punk dead, or alive right now, I'm not sure what phase its moved to? Its been a long time, almost 20 years since I've seen X play. I don't think I could have imagined at that time, how much music and our world would change. From being underground, DIY, to "punk" playing on a cities festival pier, $20 t-shirts are a norm, miller light banners all over the place and da punk people walking about sipping from them plastic Miller Lite beer bottles.

I got to the front of the stage early, standing almost exactly the same place I stood last time I saw them. To the left, in front of Billy Zoom.

They sounded good, a bit rough, and not quite full of the zests/spunk that they had at the first show.

its nice in life when things last,

and I look back, and see how I and the world have changed.

and how I imagined what my world was going to be,...

nothing like I ever imagined.

Ronald Regan is a hero, Ha! The death of the Music industry and its $16.99 CD

Tasty beers everywhere.

cars that still only get 18mpg

The independent, they seem to be more independent, and the dependent

they seem to even more locked into their controlled simple lives.

Longevity, we create our own history, for most, right now, despite their hundreds of thousands, pictures, videos and words we create, will disappear into a quick and most anonymous death.

we are just wanking off

our sports stadiums, life span 20 years, school buildings 35 years, nothing is made to last

not much is thought is given to why we build and create, that maybe in 100 or 1000 years someone would like to look at what we've made,

and read something into it

what our hearts and minds were like during our lives

I like this young/old city of Philly,

in its short life, you see ebbs and flows of human existence

suffering, creation, invention, refinement, debate, care, hate, abandonment

This city can't deny it's ID

we are an animal that loves the creation of competitions

Whirlybird,

I don't think anyone can imagine what goes through the mind of a racer.

By the time I am ten feet past the finish line, my minds been blanked.

The thoughts, suffering, purpose, its gone, so temporary.

I hope cross last for 1000's of years

I think there is a good chance it will, I plan to race the rest of my life.

cross has no poseurs

you don't fake it out there.

we all suffer

I don't care about leaving my mark on the world, but I do think it is important for me, to be part of a statement, of some thing that represents our time,

something that others can look back on, in, I hope the far future,

and see part of us

That they can sit and reflect on what we left to them,

and how life, millions and millions of people

have been here

and that the brief moments we have

and Super Deep Powerful Moments, of our Importance, are

much like the intense thoughts and feelings blasting through our brains during a simple cross race

I'm amazed that what I feel, that at that time is so strong and intense can be so brief...pooof

a good day to you

cheers, david.

w/a view

2011-09-24T11:35:00.002-04:00

overlooking the schuylkill river

philadelphia, Cheers d.

tools

2011-09-21T14:22:00.001-04:00

at most cross races I just set out the tool box, and I'm OK with, others, using what they need.

over the last couple of years I would consider myself to be lucky, in that I've not lost a tool

its time for me to get a new box, this one sorta busting out

and I'll think I'll throw on a "luggage" lock

just to prevent a tool not making it back

after picking up trash and such around the tent, I was putting the box back together

and found I was short one 5mm allen

and that was it

I don't really care about that tool,

and it was fun to go through the tool box and see whats been riding with me to the races.

but, ... um,.... who takes a tool, uses it to do a tweak or repair,

and does not put the tool back.

Cheers, d.

Banger and Crashed

2011-09-19T13:04:00.003-04:00

Two days of racing at Charm City, mmmm, charm, don't know about this city of Baltimore,

If I made a charm city bracelet, it'd have little charms of hookers, trash, gravestones, and potholes hanging off of it. Just what I saw a lot of to and from our hotel.

I like the "charm" of the city, not quite sure if I'd make it my home, but then again, all I've seen of this town is its Certain Charms.

The racing, as always a great two days, a great venue, course lay out, and well run.

(cycling captured/Anthony Skorochod)

Me, I'm coming around, a nice 9th on day one, and day two, felt great, sitting second for most of the first lap, then into lap 2 I took myself outta the top 8 with a crash, and on lap 3 I took myself all the way back to 15th with another crash. I drove myself to a snot drooling brink trying to fight my way back to my carrots. Ended up 12th.

not happy to be crashing, popping like a Banger,

but it does feel nice to have some pep in the legs.

I took my cameras with a lot of intent

only manged to do a little time with click, and no video

but figured a bit out,

gotta say Ms. UK'er,... Helen Wyman has kicked some MAC ass on this racing visit riding away from everyone at every race. Liked to see how she'd do against the tip top US women. It's cool that racers atr flying over here to race.

Had a great meal at Johnny Rads.

these guys, my travel mates for the trip to Charm City. Made my weekend a good one. Our time off the bikes was full of interesting talk, humor, beer drinking and racing support. plus, oh yeah, we saw a real hot hooker on the corner Sunday morning on our way to Starbucks.

a miss and mash post for ya, but, again, a real nice weekend, all round. cheers, D.

phila x

2011-09-16T08:45:00.003-04:00

I like the days where my schedule for on the bike says "light spin". I just pedal about, wide-eyed, not huffing and puffing, going back to revisit whatever might of been caught outta the side of my eyes during a workout.

I had planed to pedal a bit more, but it was quite blustery, and it would never stop spatting rain, so, I only adventured as far as the top of the plateau.

the marks of the courses are burned into the grass

from the past few Wednesday Nights Workouts.

Lots of riders are showing up, and at times, getting everyone pointing in the right direction, and stopping the lip flapping, and bike pedaling, and doing whatcha came to do is, ...

a delightful byproduct of a good scene.

I have not been riding cross that long.

My Wednesdays workouts were lead by Mr. Yozell.

He's got a keen spark in the eye, and,

I stood, early and quiet, trying to blend in,

I felt lucky, and a bit in awe.

and I pedaled as hard as I could.

Leadership, respect, a good teacher, cool traits to learn,

and I wish I would of watched and picked-up more from Mike.

Cheers, d.

11th

2011-09-12T13:48:00.001-04:00

back to racing.

11th both days, a bit on the downside of how I wanted to finish.

thought maybe 7-15th was how I was running right now

so my results are plopped right in the middle

11th makes a very good motivation to train and eat right

(the shoe stuffed and drying)

two days at Nittany

wet, a real nice way to start the season

some mud bogs

good corners

and fast racers

needed some mud tires, grab the pair of Clement clinchers from the shop

the Crusade pdx's

Its been a while since I have raced on clinchers, but there were only a couple of places to pinch on the course, and I loved how the tires worked in the mud at Wednesday nights cross practice, so I went with them.

Very nice, not a lot of tread, they felt to be rolling fast, the rubber compound is a bit pliable, soft.

I don't think they will wear to well, but I only want to use them in the mud.

and in the mud, they float where you aim them, a bit of a abandon in them, but if you make them bite, they steer quite well.

When I can, I'll get the tubular version.

got some aluminium cogs too, and they seem to running great, I don't know, I've always felt that they were sharper and slippery than the plastic.

In my mind they stay cleaner, and chop and expel grass better.

they seem a bit hard to come by,

but I found 'em at a mega-bike web site for a good price.

It was a fun weekend, and it is great to be battling my 45+ foes again, and a bonus this year, our own race.

and as Always, nice to share beers, heckle a bit, encourage a lot, work the pit, congratulate and commiserate .... its nice to be racing cross again.

Cheers! david.

Red Eye

2011-08-30T21:10:00.000-04:00

ah its the end of August. Sept starts with a bunch of racing, a early singe, so this bubbly joy, I'm inhaling it deep, pulling it all down into my lungs. How I feel now, well that's not going to last all this season. I do feel a high, maybe just the glue fumes. The racing, it'll be full of ups and downs.

a Monday in August: Cyclocross Grass Track Racing from David Lowe on Vimeo.

Since PBR no longer sponsors the team, I'll be drinking Tecate as my racing beer. No pbr hand-ups, Tacate is the new PBR for me, got it?!

Tecate by Tom Sanford

somehow I've got my head screwed on a bit better this year, the moods good, the legs jumpy,... yep I might have one olde mean looking red eye, but that's just keeping me nasty a bit.

I like in the grass track video, when I pass M. Featherman on the inside (1'41"), you see my shadow, elbowed a hole for me,...oh I must be more careful. Cheers! dlowe.

Soft

2011-08-26T12:53:00.002-04:00

Last year was a hot, dry, year in the MAC.

Hot and dusty racing.

This year I've heard the "yearnin for mud"

from some.

Do cross racers have a romantic notion of mud?

I think some tend to forget how tough mud is,

how, some just pedal away, the bike working, shifting braking.

with what seems to be such little effort.

Smiling a splattered mud face smile.

While others suffer, and toil, cry, then don't show the next day.

I found some mud today.

Mud's not easy, not to say its a beast that can't be domesticated.

I worked hard on the bike today, out in the mud.

a lot of corners repeated

ripping off the grass

just down to nothing but mud

and getting use to the feel

I'm not as good at mud as I want to be, so I know where I need to work.

Mud, you gotta be always ready for the mud.

Cheers, david.

slither

2011-08-16T21:14:00.000-04:00

so I am trying to make myself get over the awkwardness, of feeling conspicuous. That silence, as you wait for me to focus, the gap of time that feels so long.

Vincent Fumo

I feel so much more comfortable taking pictures of our exercise bike I going to put up for sale on craigslist. Drop me a line if you are by chance interested in buying it. $235, takes it away. Nice gel saddle cover for your tush. davidwlow@comcast.net

I have no clue of what I'm doing, when I point the lens at you, or what I'm looking for, but I want to learn how to take a good portrait. You want some arts-y photos of yourself, some of them might be a little outta focus, but I'll throw in some tilt and shift for a added cool effect. Then I'm your man. Cheers, d.

"Dirt Explorer"

2011-08-15T09:08:00.000-04:00

I'm sippimg my coffee, listening to the rain drizzle, and doing a bit of tweeter/blog/FB checking out.    I came across a new terms/type of biking, the Bike Explorer, and the Dirt Gran Fondo.    I came across these terms while reading an online article from Cyclocross Mag, about new tires from Clement. In the article these words POP out at me like the wonderful sound of the cork popping outta a bottle of the Duchesse De Bourgogne. ....." a 35c tire that aims to empower bicycle explorers"....   That's wonderful.

My favorite type of riding to do is this "exploring" pedaling.   I love using the cross bike to explore, to put together dirt trails, gravel roads, pavement, fire roads.   The cross bike can take the dirt, and rolls fast enough on pavement so you don't feel labored.

The last few Saturdays, I've put out an open invitation, on Facebook, to my other cross riders, to join me on my urban cyclocross loop.   The Water Ice ride.   Its a 25 mile ride, all within the city limits of Philadelphia, specifically focused on the Fairmount Park areas.    Tow path, cobble climb, 1/4mile all out hot lap around an abandoned reservoir, upper Meadows of the Wissahickon, Forbidden drive, Kelly's Bluff, Lemon Hill, and the fire roads of Belmont. The ride ends and starts at the dumpy water ice shack in Manayunk.

I was happy to see so many of the X peeps of MAC, cobbled together their bikes and come and pedaled along with me.

I was a bit worried, I was not sure what it would be like to do this ride with 20 or so other riders, it can get a bit strange.   Getting yelled at for riding around the baseball fields, making our way through overgrown backyard short cuts, down a steep long rocky path in the Wiss. How many flats would slow us down, would the slow riders be too slow for the fast riders...but all went well, no one knocked any teeth out and despite a few flats, we moved at a very good pace.

here's sorta what it looked like:

Water Ice Cross from Carlos Cabalu on Vimeo.

swiped Photos from Anne Rock

I'm not sure of the future of the Water Ice ride, I've got breakfast planned with my parents this Saturday,... but I do hope this gets some people out on the cross bike, exploring around where they live, and, who knows, maybe there will be a "Hog Island" route, or "Abandoned Industrial Sites" ride, or a special Philly "where we Dump our Dead bodies" loop.

Cheers, d.

Hooker

2011-08-14T14:25:00.001-04:00

I'm a hooker. I became a hooker when I changed from Shimano to Sram on my cross bike. I could ride with my hands on the hoods of shimano, I found my hands, on sram, had a tendency to slide up, bounce up, feel like they were going to pop off, and I felt I had less leverage and control. I really noticed this on steep, bumpy down hills.

Tim Johnson's cross grip.

another view

sort like this, I wrap my pinkie behind the bar and pinch my hand together, sorta like a lobster. I keep the other 3 fingers on top of the levers. I can't do it with just one on top, feathering it style.

Got out for a nice wet ride this morning on the cross bike this morning, stop to take some pics but too much drizzle to get anything nice. The phone/camera was steamed, and getting damp.

steamed.

re-built the 28mm lens, removed a bit more of the rear body, and got the rear element to be closer to the "film plane" of chip. Its quite nice, and as I thought, the wider image is more useful, beats the 50mm.

just took a couple of snaps around the yard.

just a nice rainy day in Bala Cynwyd. Cheers, d.

Soul Town

2011-08-10T09:15:00.000-04:00

I find it very funny that I, who has none whatsoever belief in god, ... that I have such a strong belief in soul.

maybe the next decade in Philly can be the soul years, that way it sorta bypasses but still lets you believe in and belong to what ever gobbliey-gook religious club you want to.

for me good bread, beer, coffee, local food, music, wife, friends, animals, nature, this old city... and
Cyclocross feeds my soul.

its as simple as doing a Open Workout, Grass Track racing being the current case, where anyone and whoever wants to swing their leg over the saddle can join in a pedal along.

I've been trying to grow, which is cool, and my new growth is photo/video.   Yeah its the field I work in, but I'm a grip, a tool, a minion. I am at others disposal's to help create. I do enjoy the role.

I've weeded out and sold all I can from the shed. I've placed numerous orders to B&H photo, camera, lens, mini hd, bags, batteries, rigs,... with still more on the list.

Its funny to be sitting down, and to be learning something again.   and I really have to say, its been quite cool to have this new spark.
and at this point in my life, I don't have much fear of failure, (being a freelancer, everyday is a concern about when and where my next job comes from) .   I'm eager to test, to daydream about ideas, technique, soul...

making a 28mm tilt and shift lens

I think that the blog was the first step for me, to start me thinking, blogging is not so important to me now, and I don't spend much time thinking about stuff to write about, to post.

the 28mm is a bit different than the 50mm tilt and shift, but not much

as I said earlier Grass track started Monday

and the big tree in the background, now watches over us, happy we moved from Blue Bell Park

to the top of Belmont Plateau.

Its rare, but once in awhile I come across some photos, that are cool in there own, but also tell a story, that's the hardest thing about photography, a cool photo, and a story, a soul, bringing something more to you than hipstamatic eye candy.

from Yves Marchand & Romain Mefre's "The Ruins of Detroit"

Cheers, d.

fair

2011-08-05T00:22:00.001-04:00

I stopped by the shop today, to pick up #1 crossbike

George is a good friend, and works at the shop

and reads into it as and should be needed.

asked if my FU's I gave in the last post were because I was pissed, or Off

Nah, it was supposed to be more like a snicker

a letting a bit of air out, a fart

job location today was one of those scuzzy ball fairs

I'm surprised they still appear

but I do got to say that they make it easy to feel good about you picture taking skills

you can't take a bad pic at a scuzzy ball fair

I forgot to tell you

on my trip

to Normal, IL.

we went bowling

I rolled a 204

and at the shoot location, a burn site, a hole was cut to be a vent, we had interviews and such to do, but I snuck into the sunlight, coming down the air shaft, and Mr. T. Stewart captured a nice frame, of the light landing on my face.

and it just rolls on, getting a bit away from me, and things seem to be,... changing, but who knows.

I like at my age, almost 50 and most talk about how being older is slowing them down, and all I can think, is that, there are so many faster older guys than me, that I'm really pretty far from my potential, umm... I'm not close to my max, so I can't be really losing anything, yet. Plenty of Potential, plenty.

cheers, d.

smit

2011-08-02T01:00:00.002-04:00

I like how the Quakers came by their name, out of a show of disrespect. Keeping on a hat. Not taking off a hat before a King. Thank you Mr. Penn. Its cool that someone would stand before a King and sorta, in a way say something that means, there are things greater than the simple rules you make, and the powers you've granted yourself. and in a way it leads me to Eugene Chadbourne, "how can you can kill me, I'm already dead". That my soul, it lives by my rules.

no doubt, a serious burden, a struggle I battle within myself through out every day of my life, dealing with what I feel is right and wrong. Its not a dark struggle, not a depressed state of mind, more liberating, excepting my flaws, with pain, and also many realized, just simple, joys.

so many times I just get happy holding up a middle finger. and others, simple compassion, and a helpful nudge to someone, in a bit of need. a hand on the lower back, and like a small push up a hill.

cheers, F U. D. Lowe

Ms. Sharon Van Etten
One Day.

@ World Cafe 9/23 Philly

poke

2011-07-30T13:51:00.003-04:00

being a minion, I can suck it up, with good tolerance, and with lack of concern of my personal treatment. You don't have to be kind or fair, or easy or nice to me. I can function by being yelled at or with glares. I do my job. and sometimes that's part of it. Most of the time I work with very nice, very smart, talented people.

(cheery water ice done)

whats jabbing me in the ribs, and bring on my fired upness, whats got my fat old goat a baying? I don't like to be told what to do by people that have no right to tell me what to do. My team, during the road season I ride along, not involved, there are no meetings, no discussions on decision making, or what to spend the team funds on. I try to ride along, the shops great to me, Anthony has always been really good to me. What got me going was that I was told that I had to lead a Sunday Fredish group ride out of the shop.

freaking its easy for me to start to burn, and get riled up, sometimes I'm right, if not I'm wrong,...
but, you just don't tell people what to do, you don't take their dues, the sponsorship money they bring in, and not consider that they might have an opinion on how the team runs or what the team spends money on.

Water Ice Cyclocross Ride

I have a loop, well I have a lot of loops. Cross loops, tow paths, beer trails, access roads, pavement. and I figured, I like to get people out on their cross bikes a bit, so I made up a ride. A good mix of crew showed up this morning and we got in an enjoyable ride. No one had to tell me to do this, I love riding the bike, and I really enjoy sharing what feeble knowledge of riding/routes that I have with others. Our team does not put on any race, so if I'm at a race or practice I try to help out, even if its just in a small way. I enjoy it.

a good three day job, ended at a lake, and into a nice sunset

at GV Thursday, I was still a bit blurry eyed, so I went right to the front and set the pace,

it got going,

before the ride

got some good chatting in warming up

and after the ride

hit up Wegmans and got some Rodenbach Grand Cru.

I sipped it last night.

I woke early this morning, I was excited and a bit nervous about the ride.

on the road for work the next few days, so I'll miss the 1st of the 5 Mondays of August grass tracks, but will be working with some good, real good people, looking forward to the trip.

cheers, the riled up just a tad, but feeling somewhat better getting a bit of it off of my chest. david

?

2011-07-26T23:26:00.000-04:00

a lot of people, at times, look at me with ? marks in their eyes.

the first ? for me, the song, 96 tears

I almost gave up on this post. ...after reading down through the video's comments, I came to a ranking dead stop:
"@7855waldo Yeah, my uncle toured with them on drums in the 60's apparently he once brought some drag prostitutes into their hotel and they quickly found out that he got male prostitutes. Apparently he did that sort of stuff a lot.:"

the second ?, a stop for suds on the way from Pittsb. to cowtown. in Zanesville. I don't know, we exited, went over some cool old bridge and stop at a bar along a creak, nice sign "?". Had some Buds, hopped back in the car and headed home. Who, What, When, Why, I don't remember.

I wonder about myself, and sometime people come up to me to talk, and I don't know, I draw a blank. I'm not good at the casual banter with folk things. sometimes, I am. not often.

on this job, a commercial, I'm a 3rd grip.

my station, the carts, I'm off the set most of the time.

While walking back from checking on the equipment I took a snap looking into the shooting on set.

That's Jon. the key grip sitting behind the dolly, left in the window, the dp is next, a china ball and then the actor.

I think.

the lights. I'm a grip, so the lights, that's not my job, that's an electrics job.

the sandbags, and those square things on stands; diffusions, color, cutters, heat shield, sandbags, that's me.

and I don't know why my wife snapped this photo of me chatting on the phone, and I don't remember who I was talking to, .... and really, f' it. my bare feet are going to slap their way to the fridge. cheers, I saved all the golden monkeys in the variety case for last, ????

Question Mark and the Mysterians (rendered ? and the Mysterians on the record label) are an American rock and roll band formed in Bay City, Michigan, in 1962.

The group is best known for its song "96 Tears", a garage rock classic recorded in 1966 that reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and would go on to sell over one million copies and receive a BMI award for over three million airplays. ? and the Mysterians was perhaps the first band to be described as punk rock,[1] and also may be the first Latino rock group to have a mainstream hit record in the United States. The group named itself after the 1957 Japanese science fiction film The Mysterians, in which aliens from the destroyed planet Mysteroid arrive to conquer Earth.

The band's frontman and primary songwriter was ?. Though the singer has never confirmed it, Library of Congress copyright registrations indicate that his birth name is Rudy Martinez. His eccentric behavior helped to briefly establish the group in the national consciousness. He claimed (and still claims) to be a Martian who lived with dinosaurs in a past life, and he never appears in public without sunglasses. He asserts that he has traveled into the future and visited other planets.

Question Mark and the Mysterians (rendered ? and the Mysterians on the record label) are an American rock and roll band formed in Bay City, Michigan, in 1962.

The group is best known for its song "96 Tears", a garage rock classic recorded in 1966 that reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and would go on to sell over one million copies and receive a BMI award for over three million airplays. ? and the Mysterians was perhaps the first band to be described as punk rock,[1] and also may be the first Latino rock group to have a mainstream hit record in the United States. The group named itself after the 1957 Japanese science fiction film The Mysterians, in which aliens from the destroyed planet Mysteroid arrive to conquer Earth.

The band's frontman and primary songwriter was ?. Though the singer has never confirmed it, Library of Congress copyright registrations indicate that his birth name is Rudy Martinez. His eccentric behavior helped to briefly establish the group in the national consciousness. He claimed (and still claims) to be a Martian who lived with dinosaurs in a past life, and he never appears in public without sunglasses. He asserts that he has traveled into the future and visited other planets.

My favorite song with 96 in the title is:

golden hours

2011-07-23T00:11:00.001-04:00

my search for music has been dry, till In My Ear Hole, did what it is supposed to do, introduce me to new music.
its link is over on the side bar.

Let's Wrestle is a small band, just good songs, guitarsbassanddrums.

"I will not give in"

I'm a Lets Wrestle fan, and KFRY set me up, with the tip off, of a new Let's Wrestle album.
its not the best sounding album, I read Mr. steve albini was the producer, I hate the kick sound, and not to crazy 'bout the overall mix. Despite of the producers sound flaws, the songs still are strong, and I'm sure sound great live (and could be better recorded), I'd like to see this band again, have a few more beers, buy a t-shirt,

Riding.
tonight I waited till the sun was on the down side of the sky, and I hopped on my cross bike and made my way to forbidden drive. To do my riding along the Wissahickon creek, low in the cooler valley, rolling along under the dense, thick, shade of the big old trees. and despite my boner for needing to go fast/hard, and my freaking impulsive lust to blow it all, I'm not going that hard-on the cross bike. I'm trying to hold back. Holding it back. Just holding it back.

I got home at 8:20 and it was just turning to dusk. The tungsten glowed gold and the skylight, very blue. I gotta a new saddle and its the best one yet, the same saddle as the always, just a different covering, Lorica and Kevlar. If you'r looking for a new cross saddle, this might be the one for you.

I'm just getting started in shooting my own photo/videos thing and I am looking for projects, JK of Revolution Wheelworks set me up, he needed some new shots of his new wheel, and here are a few that I did:

I don't know much about these new wheels, but if you want more info drop JK a note over at http://www.revolutionwheelworks.com/

Got the Water Ice Cross ride in the morning so
that's it, my Golden Monkey is done and I'm off to bed.

cheers, d.

Cog

2011-07-17T18:51:00.001-04:00

I read a lot of blogs, one of my favorites is Mr. Steve Tilford's.
http://stevetilford.com/

why?

focus, a self integrity, smarts, independence, talent, cognition, personality.

I've started my fall cyclocross training campaign, and if I've learned anything in my few years its that you have got to be truthful with yourself about your weakness's to make any improvement.   I've worked hard on the road bike, watching, following, but on the cross bike, I've got plenty more to learn.
and Mr. Tilford's post about descending, it crosses over to cross, technique matters. During the TdF I watched Mr. Voeckler descend, pretty good, so I watched what he's doing. on a right turn he slides his hips back just a bit to the left, and pushes down with the outter leg, the inside knee just out a bit, driving the weight of his body perpendicular to the ground, not leaning as much, and pushing the bike under-neath himself as much as needed to steer.   I ponder this ....you know in the mud, in a corner, you want to drive the bike down into the ground, not angled, get the most out of the tire top and tread.

so another thing to work on.

cheers, d.

good reads:
BS, http://truebs.com/short-nonfiction/steve-tilford-is-why-we-ride/
http://www.pitch.com/2009-01-22/news/edge-of-50/

early on today, during my mountain bike ride, I caught an "invasive" weed in the clip of my shoes. It did the ride with me, and I planted it my front yard.

green jersey

2011-07-15T22:49:00.001-04:00

it took me a long time, and a lot of work, to set, to gel, and then to build my base,
you don't make your luck, you just want to have some tools on hand to deal with the,
problems.

so, now, I've discovered,

mr. bon iver - live "your live" (The Outfield)

I've got a few tools, and a bit of my own, way

sometimes things relate, and sometimes we are traveling just staring out the window, as other people live their lives. I found the breast trinket, small, like a very large postage stamp, in a remote garden, a semi-public garden, on my recovery ride today.

behind the cancer wellness center.

so many days at work, I get to view into others lives, and sometimes those lives are full of real pain, loss, death, longing, .... the hurt of losing, the incredible hurt of losing something.

and it makes my life just glow stronger, and even more intense. and what some of the petty things people do, their games, It don't matter to me. On a ride the other day, I was just doing a zone, pedaling steady. I came to a junction, where paths crossed. Three young ladies stood to the side in the grass, laughing, gestures biggish, and some turns of the heads towards me, seeing me. They stepped onto the 4' wide path, and ignored me, and spread out, and looked away. This was my sprint point. I stood and dropped the chain down the rings, and my legs, pedaled harder, turning the pedals with all, and I lowered my eyes, and held my line.

faux natty - Ride of the Valkyries

2011-07-13T22:14:00.001-04:00

Wagner?

Boris, Red Fang, Boulder, Mudhoney, the Germs, Iggy's Raw Power, Fang Island, music to train to. This year, on my first cross training ride I went deep. I was looking for a new power, a new soaring, a new...mellow/zone... so where'd I go.

deep, phony deep, just as a lark, to Richard Wagner, sorta joke at first, but then I had enough for some long rides loaded into the new mp3 player. The old one's died, it fried when I plugged the wrong charger into it and heat freaked it out. Here's the new one.... the old one, I miss, mirrored finish, ... so long friend...

Beady Eye, yep, I'm an Oasis's fan, first song that came up from random.

Wagner is working out fine, I am not a classics fan, and a very tarded when it comes to know anything about it.

so I just hunted and pecked and plucked.
put it in the player and pedaled away today.

a bit of dread, dreaminess, anger, attack.... perfect, just perfect.

the other night bill Callahan was encapsulating

and work, was hot, and cool

redemption through love, d.

and bill

writing is tough to do well, shit

loyalty

2011-07-07T08:17:00.003-04:00

new M.faithfull - Horses and High Heels

i've been in love with Marieanne faithfull (here is a link to streaming of all her songs), since my ear took in the first note. These black and white photos, sizzle,

I spent just a bit of time reading about her life, just normal, addictions, losing touch, living on the street, resurrecting herself, planning for retirement.

Yesterday after a few errands on the cross bike I headed out.

the other day Looking over K. Clines shoulder as he punched buttons on his phone before a ride, hooked me in

I've added the Mapmyride app to the cell phone.

and with a icon tap it changed my ride.

I was out to do a long ride, over all the hills and dales.

I kept pushing my pace, knowing that it was being recorded.

I don't think I'll use the app very often.

made me a abit to self-conscious.

but I will have to try one more time for this route,

as for some reason it cut out at 39 miles, leaving probably

15miles of info on the loop out.

the other day I stopped by Tiredhands Brew cafe

all the keys were there,

not making beer, nope, two days after getting the keys to the building in Ardmore, they are dusty and dirty, ripping apart the building they've acquired.

I walked into the mayhem, the dust, fiberglass, insurance office paneling and said hi.

I got there at a good time, late in the afternoon.

Jean, gracious, chatted, and then offered a beer.

a wonderful sour beer,

with a wild raspberry aftertaste,

sill sitting on the tongue, the taste, after I got home and laid myself out for a nap

The wild berries are out, and I took advantage, stopping during my ride,

picking and picking, my fingers dripped with juice,

the darker one were sweeter, and the light red ones were tart.

I stopped for a beer,

and went home to check-out my numbers,

I shall revisit the bushes,

and maybe pick enough to have some to give the the Tiredhands.

cheers, d.

Peacock

2011-07-05T20:54:00.002-04:00

The cyclocross bike, when I latched it back into the tray on top of my car, beamed. It feels it, it knows that my hands will fix, tweak, clean and repair into pre-race training shape. That it is headed to the Human Zoom shop to really be fixed by Anthony and George. By August 1st the bikes and wheels will be ready to push and start my build. To be prepared for the 1st races in early September.

all the wheels and tires were pulled from the crawl space and given a good washing, left in the nice warm sun to dry. Some of the tires need a bit of repair, some are going to be sold to other. A lucky set will be mounted on rims, to be raced.

cheers! d.

fuzzy blur

2011-07-04T19:22:00.001-04:00

for me, I need that looseness

sometimes blurred

living outside the lines

sending my effervesces everywhere,

I'm a gas

the crit yesterday, I knew my tire was a bit bald

and that the drizzle proceeding the race

would make it not grip

I was fine with it

the corners where wide

wider than the speeds

I would need to make it let go

not to say it didn't get a bit squirrelly

tonight Ljiljana's watering the plants, its quite on our street, and we're staying in away from the 4th's crowds. Today's ride, much like any other ride, and why I train and race, to have legs to pedal with good folks when I get a chance. I don't know all the names, I'm not good with names, I could say the guy with no climbing legs, or the dude who went way over the bars. Marc V. lead us around the fairhills, and I sat on Dennis Smith's wheel and had a real nice chat, cept on the longer steeper climbs, we all got quite. I have not been turning the pages of Dennis's Cyclocross calender, it was left on May. The last time I rode the trainer in the room in which it hangs. I sat down and paged again through the photos, the excellent photos, I have a lot to learn. I wonder what my photos of cyclocross will look like? and I can't wait to take them de.'s riders out on my trails up here. cheers, d.

a lazy sod

2011-07-02T18:08:00.002-04:00

i reached over and slid the sliders to the left, that's it, it was done, no alarm, sleeping in, no racing today

Bruno Nicolai - Cheek to Cheek

I did do the Vino velo

its a spaghetti western type of weekenders training ride

i try to get the most out of it, like holding a wheel while the weavie sod rides up the left and then pushes in, like, hey dude, I'm here, pedaling the bike here. I'm trying not to say much, ...just jammed my bars in to his thigh a bit, and that was enough.

tonight I make Lemon Thyme Sorbet

I will race tomorrow

ice crystals

will be

scooped into the young prosecco

and monday

I hope to get myself together enough

and

enjoy

the company and ride of Fairhill

who knows?

I like food blogs, their style,

full of great photography

Ms. Ga. Gould we all know kicks a lot of ass racing her bike, and at a cross race most likely you'll see her out cheering on the young ones, just enjoying herself, before she races.

but I'm really entertained by her cooking.

here's the very stylish site where I found my recipe

The Cilantropist

cheers, d.

malarkey

2011-06-30T14:46:00.002-04:00

Sandbags

with the shadow of a c-stand

laying out in the parking lot of the valley green in, with a little bird

stacked in the jockey box, ready for the next of many of our location, with Mr. Blands arm.

It took awhile, out on the mtbike trail this morning, for the shrill voice of the screaming producer, to finally fade away, and my wanna clock her in the back of the head anger dis-apate.

The hardest part of the today, so far, pedaling past a nice 1971 Mercedes 250sl convertible for sale. If I could, that'd be the car I'd be driving around.

the start of a simple lunch, and a nice time, with Ljiljana

its the quality of life that I live for.

fine things, good things, .....they don't cost a lot.

sometimes its sitting on a bench in the breeze,.... of course, ....that's free.

just to wash away the bullshit, like the trail dust, down the shower drain.

so, off to a nap, then, as things may have it, onto the road bike, and a bit of pedaling in a big circle,

training crit.

cheers, d.

enhancer

2011-06-22T19:39:00.003-04:00

its there, in the center, my Schwinn.

I've gone from the Keith Richards book to a Zombies book,

appropriately.

World War Z is being a good read, quite good.

(real tilt and shift done with a lens, not electronic enhancement)

I hopped on my stead, for an easy spin out the legs, easy day,....

The East park was full of men, with their cars pulled to the side of the road, getting blow-jobs, or getting high.

seemed like a good subject for some photos, but, not today, ... someday I'll post some photos of the parked car zombies.

my goal was the fountain. I sat, and took a bunch of pictures, only a few came out, and stayed cool in the wind blown fountain mist and the shade of a small sapling.

thought about this shot for awhile, got'er done on the way home

beat around the old falling down building on rock hill road, found my way in, but really not too much interesting, in this falling down shell.

I love philly, I don't think I'll ever consider myself a philadelpian.

I guess I like being a bit of an outsider, disconnected, not attached with loyalty or soul to this city.

One day I'll move away, but for now, this place suits me fine.

cheers, d.

electronically enhanced photo

Olfaction

2011-06-21T21:43:00.000-04:00

before I heard the foot steps coming towards us with our food, I could smell the truffle. The plate was set before me, I popped the yolks and smeared them about.

(sorry for the not up to food blog standards of photo, from wifes phone)

as much as I love racing, I did not double up the crits on Sunday, no, I went home early and out for brunch with my wife. Agiato Paninoteca and Enoteca every time we have been there it has been nothing less than spectacular, not in Grand, but in common. such good food, inexpensive, with local farm eggs (trickling springs creamery) a very good bottled beer list, and a wait staff that knows everything about ever thing on the menu, and seem welcoming and helpful to non-meat-eaters like my wife and I.

its nice to have a place to swing by at the end or a ride, hop off the bike, grab a window seat and enjoy a beer. simple. d.

Groovy

2011-06-15T22:11:00.001-04:00

That's how my day went by, and the Black Lips, at first, the new one, I had not much interest in, now, its groovy.

The best part of today,...? the smell of truffles whisping in the air, while sipping my post mtb ride beer.
Black Lips - Modern Art

recesses

2011-06-11T21:19:00.000-04:00

I peered into the punched into hole. Pitch black. Used the flash to illuminate. The size, 12' drop to the floor, 40 or so feet deep, big room. I want to climb down and into and see where it goes.

hush

2011-06-07T23:30:00.000-04:00

I am tired.

I did not have enough gas in the tank to make all the laps of the Drives Ride tonight.

I came home, and ran water from the garden hose, free flowing, on to my bald scalp. Rolling down my face, taking the most obvious dried sweat and dust away.

I guzzled away at the water, quenching.

I drilled and dremeled and tweaked the lens, and twisted it back on to the camera. and I just walk around the house, lots of pictures of the cats, we've 6 of them. and Lots of pictures of the flowers that grow outta control all around our house.

later,...It was nice tonight, out in the yard, just doing nothing, watching some fire flies, sipping a beer.

just sitting

laying out in the grass

....later still.

cheers, d.

Gloater

2011-06-06T08:03:00.000-04:00

sometimes I forget I am almost 50.

I've been de-tagging myself on facebook, I sheepishly admit. I suppose that my work mates, family and friends know what I'm like but.... ha!

Sunday is the pro-race in Phlly. My wife, postponed out family get together to Today, giving me a kick out the door, yesterday, to bike socialize and watch the race.

and everyone is in a good mood, some a bit rowdy, a few scrapes, broken bones, and me winning a undisclosed amount of wadded up money, by sorta cheating in an impromptu grass crit. The money will go towards buying beer in the Cross season.

That little dot back there is George, I kicked his ass up St. Assphat hill.

Well I jumped early, hid behind the bridge, rode up silent behind him, grabbed carefully onto his back-pack, had him tow me a bit, let go, smiled and passed him, got to the top and, of course, gloated a bit with this photo.

These guys, Tom, Anthony and George stand where the statue that's in front of the Union League use to stand.

Tilt and shift is coming along as I dismantle more glass, looking for a wider/deeper focus lens.

Showed the talented M. Harris my home-made lens, he got a quick nice snap.

50, yep.

cheers, dlowe.

stevedore

2011-06-03T21:05:00.001-04:00

at the end of G.V. last night, I got to the car, and went to use my voice, it was just a rasp, a horse, dry sounding, worn out, voice. Its was a very good night of going in circles. I got on the hot break, a part of it, at my limits limit limit, and got behind one rider, who gave up a foot, then two, then four, and that one foot,... that was the gap that POPped me off, would of happened, I'm sure just a bit later. but I wanted to stay with, just holding on.

well I dropped off and waited for the field, and road with the field. some of the time it felt like a swollen river, me, my good legs driving hard, motoring through a lot of bloated drifted wood. Shooting gaps, and moving like Ali's jab. I felt good.

Hugged Meech this morning, and picked up kegs with Ant and Meech for Lemon hill.

Ripped apart an old lens and cut a 29er inner tube into a small chunk, mounted it all to my camera and took some pictures. It, the lens, is a very shallow lens, so I'll use this one for custom close-ups, and art-sy special meaningless looks to be used in the music videos, I hope to make in the future.

A stevedore, is much like a minion, a server in a way. I bet down in the hold of the boats they work and in the many ports of stop, their life is lived fuller. Its those ones of us that give service, that put up with others, that I think know the most secrets of life.

Meech

2011-06-01T22:19:00.000-04:00

I drink good coffee in a little pretentious coffee shop,

I sleep under the fish

and I sit in the dark listening to music, good music, the Sweet Baboo, the ceiling fan spinning a nice breeze, and soon the alarm will come alive, and I'll make coffee, go to work, carry some sandbags, come home, ride, crack a beer, and give Meech a hug.

cheers,d.

white man in hammer(bimbly fuck)smith

2011-05-27T19:10:00.001-04:00

the drive from our old barn, nestled in the $xxx,xxx.xx priced tagged houses, to Dock st. Straight as an arrow. Right across town.

Through ramshackle, trolley tracks and faded, well stained logo-ed mini market signs

Polar Bear - Brian

holes, charded brick row homes, ram shackled, some well groomed with old styled flowers and hand carved house number placards, trash, old, just beaten down, rotting. securtiy bars, kids, babies, new sneakers, chrome hubs, mini spares, mcD's bags, chicken bones, crooked painted lines on the street. twisted the wrong way st. signs. churches with any window within a stones throw busted out.

pushing the boundaries cause it sounds better than being true, but polar bear is like Lynard Skynard + Bird + LCD soundsystem. If that could happen that would flame all the hearing follicles aligning my ear canal. from England? ok it just plays on and on for now

and driving home, I just turned it up, till the bass threatened to shake the rear view mirror from the glass.

At each stop light that I was caught at, I just tried to look into, at this different world, sitting in the setting sun.

a white man on 42nd st headed outta w. phila.

d.w.l.

Bushwhackering

2011-05-26T15:37:00.001-04:00

I've got the cross bikes back from the shop, Anthony and George repaired what I destroyed, and the bikes are for the most part ready to ride. I pulled the SSmtb from the shed, but ended up on the cross bike headed out on the cross loop. The trails been blocked by the high running river, so today was the first passable day to ride. Everything has gone crazy, I plowed through, blinded by green, I stomped through, stirring up clouds of pollen.

I tried to avoid the dreaded stinging nettle, but I still have a few spots smoldering with "itch". I had fine vines tangling my cranks and pedals, pulling me back. Giant leaves. Spider webs.

I made it to the stones, the large pebble beach and broken up cement. I felt like a bushman, stepping out of the dense jungle into the clearing. I looked, the river was down enough to pass, and there was a nice looking naked lady. Tall, nice figure. and then I saw the photographer, snapping away as she posed, more arts-ie than porno-ish. I loudly cleared my throat, they both startled and he got a towel for her. I didn't make a big deal, you know, just like anyone else I'd come across back here. I apologized for my strange surprising appearance, stepping out of the thick brush. In my garish kit, bike hefted onto shoulder. They seemed to be the normal ones here. I gave her a smile, a nod to the bloke, made a nice remount and pedaled away, not looking back.

ah my trails, mine

I am in need of a machete.

cheers, d.

disortion-ation pedal

2011-05-22T21:42:00.000-04:00

I told George, on Thursday night, as we chatted before the Y Niwl/Gruff Rhys show, "I wonder what I'll remember, sitting down Sunday night?"

to be truthful, Its a challenge to type and think correctly, at this moment.

a great show, thanks preformers

There is a zone some of us seek, especially cross racers, this distacted from reality, stare, hold it togerther, plow on.

Mine, not by all choice; ...work, music, lack of sleep, more work, tough race, brew pub, nap, walk, another brew pub, sleep, race, home, brew pub.

a stroll in Bloomsberg

a beer or two in Berwick

a nap to the, rare light of the sun this spring, in my racers crushed 31st placed hotel room

and as I drove home tonight, after a real nice night at the pub with Mr. Hamm

,...?

I thunk

and a single thought, stronger than all the others.

came into my mind

it was the moment during work Friday, shooting at a daycare, where I was standing holding a light, and somehow a four year old had latched on to my finger.

Holding it contently.

I look down at the wee little one

holding on

he is

Happy and content.

so thats how I leave it, thanks little one.

I sometimes am a giant,

detached

with only my needs in mind

my epic-ness,

and somehow

you

with your small little hand

made me feel

human

just holding on

whatever

cheers

a fog hanging in the valley, Bloomsburg

Lomo the still photo's SS

2011-05-17T10:02:00.000-04:00

George is doing the house thing, and as he's always been there with a helping hand for me, so I was glad to lift and tote some of his trash to the dump with him.

before we got going, I made him sit in the yard, and he obliged me.

and slammed the aperture wide open and crushed my depth of field.

all the controls set on manual.

and focused from the lcd screen.

but as you see, his eyes are not crisp, I've focused just behind them.

could of happened as I moved to snap, just that small movement, of in or out

I'm plugging away at it.

One of the harder issues is this 1.6x of the focal length of the lens that I'm using.

The 50mm lens on my camera equals a 80 on a "pro" camera.

so I've been lens shopping

wanna end up in the 35mm range,

wider, but without the distortion.

I don't want a zoom, maybe just the Single Speeder in me.

I am liking the cheap lens, really cheap lens people are figuring out how to mount to their cameras.

Get hipper now, y'all. Diana Adaptors.

why? in a simple way, this hipster lens is making you think about focal length, and getting away from the automatic world, and the ZOOM.

Cheers folks!

wanted: a made in Bedford Cannondale

2011-05-15T19:28:00.001-04:00

New York City

d.lowe portrait by Tony Stewart

affected photo by Anthony Hennessy

I really like my new cannondale caad 10, but I'd like it even more if it said "made in Bedford, PA" on it

I'd pay more to have the flag flying on the top tube again.

cheers, d.

details

2011-05-13T19:33:00.000-04:00

off to mt. pleasant today, I took my lunch, and a nice beer

pedaled my second favorite bike from the stable

and broke the seal on my new camera

at one time I was even a bit more off than the off I am now.

I had aspirations of takin pictures

I learned to FOCUS, set the F-STOP, dial in the SHUTTER SPEED and set the proper ASA

you'd might have a view of an exposure needle waging back-n-forth tween a bracket in your view finder,

or maybe a hand held light meter.

you learned from experience

I used prime lens, not zooms

what does a 50mm looks like

compared to a 85mm

What does it do in compressing the image?

you'd have to be a fine craftsman just to take and print a proper picture

my camera has too many buttons,

the ones I need

they will be hard to find, if I'm drunk,

or its dark,

or I'm in a hurry.

but I have 18 mega pixels of glory, and

I, in an instant, can tweet it.

cheers.d

I love stink bugs

2011-05-08T20:05:00.000-04:00

I've got this guy staring at me, he's empty, me I'm giddy.

today... well today was an excellent day. I didn't finish the race. I loved the loop, the snappy decent, and the zapping climb, loop. Hung big for a bit then when limp quick. Pulled myself like it was a cross race, with just a couple to go. I got what I wanted. Hurt.

Mothers day, its sorta a good/sad day for me. My wife's mom's not alive, with us. Mine is. I miss my mother-in-law.

Chatted with mom, made her laugh from the belly, joking about Cleveland. Thanks Cleveland.
a nice chat, I don't relate to all my family, but I am lucky enough to have a great relationship with my Mom.

Stink bugs, I don't grow crops, they don't do much to me, cept sometimes crash into the lamp shade a lot while I'm trying to read poetry, that's acceptable.

otherwise, I wish all my friends were sitting on my porch with me. All the people I love. ah I'm just f'n on a way to drunk. CHEERS! david.

Surrender

2011-05-03T21:37:00.000-04:00

This is for real, I don't think Jake knew I'd snapped this one of him.

Just a long day at work.

Another use for an apple box.

no bike riding:

my synapse's are

becoming fat little children with short stubby legs

I, Gett It

2011-05-02T18:58:00.002-04:00

I should be doing invoices, work, not killing beers on an empty stomach

Its been a long time since I've been crushed by work, day, day day day,, good for dough, and its interesting how my crisped mind works, between the work and still trying to log miles, and home. good

if you try to hurt a goose, even just fake a kick, or a spit, a swing, I'll knock ya off your bike, and maybe give you a boot to the ribs.

I don't know anything bout this music, don't know if I like it, but grabbed it, from a tweet. The accent is good enough for now to pass the time. Cheers, the mindless one. d.

TWILIGHT SAD http://thetwilightsadblog.blogspot.com/ its a free album so, click, pop, sip, listen.

twightlight sad - Suck

thief

2011-04-30T09:14:00.000-04:00

Los Saicos - Fugitivo de Alcatraz

Los Saicos, the first rough and tumble band? Peru early 1960's. Just doing what cha do, just how it happens.

Its Saturday morning, I got up at 6, did the drives TT, stopped for fresh bread and rolls, soon a shower and off to work.

Yesterday, after a nap I pedaled over to Belmont: transcribed from wadded up note pad.

I'm Sitting at the picnic bench on the top of Belmont Plateau. A short ride from my house.

I'm tired, from work, and some music blaring out of rolled down car windows drives by.

A few rain drops are falling, making it through the leaf canopy above me and landing on my paper as I write.

I sit under a large, old, tree. Sipping a beers. I brought two to help pass the time, to enjoy.

I look up and see the tree I've looked at many time. I have taken its picture through out the last couple of seasons. Thoughts,.. Patience, a word that has been stuck in my unfocused mind, ...and also that it has been a long time since I've felt alone.

I like being by myself. It is quite surprising how easy it is to find a beautiful, quiet, place to sit, within the city limits of Philadelphia.

The chip, the digital world, has made/given us the tools to act in an instant. We don't have to wait or do much to find or give info (its starting to rain a bit hard) and its really funny cause my pen is starting to run outta ink.

oh well... another beer, I'll enjoy the cool breeze, hit up a few trails and head home.

there you go, some, haphazard instant guru-ing. Cheers, d.

Hey buds.

2011-04-23T19:15:00.000-04:00

I am just sitting on the porch, sipping a cheap beer, the first time this year.

the left cross, right road.

I slept a long time today, I woke, chipper. No cross bike, bummed a bit, it was a perfect, early, misty grey day, a cross type of day to ride. ... but Road bike it was.

I headed over to Rose Glenn, close, quiet, a spinning ascent, I just do over and over, it clears my head.

New music, new thoughts, anger, laughing out loud, plodding, calmness, schemes, plans, blankness, peace.

I trod around in my road cleats, there is just a small window of time now before all is hidden and overgrown by vines, itch weeds, dense brush.

In general, I'm not a big fan of the transitional seasons, I want stability, reliable, rules to play by, but nature has its own agenda. Its amazing how much is alive, the sounds, smells, funny at one second I feel so alone, the next overwhelmed by the intricate, complex world. I clip in, and pedal on, joining the real world again.

cheers, my friends, d.

bloke

2011-04-17T20:11:00.000-04:00

mmmm... I do like racing my road bike, at times each one of my bikes takes a brow beating from me, but I love them all.

Today, and yesterday, I did my best but all I could muster was just riding as a bloke. I fell short of having any tools or hope of finding anything epic in my form or in the effort I could put out.

as things planned out today I pedaled out to the race (lower provd. crit 1,2, 3) into a head wind, steady and strong, with George, I didn't have much to say so I was ether sitting on his wheel or working in the wind.

I did my work in the race, and less than 2/3rd's in, gaps and my lack of speed/power, I was dropped.

sitting in the group, while I race, I now like to think I am the worse racer, skill wise, on the course, "what can I do to improve?' I ask myself. Smoother, less degrees of accelerations and braking in and out of corners, hold your wheel with out being a bully, move sooner around slower riders/less skilled, find a big strong smart wheel and stay on it... ect, I can think a lot just spinning in those fast crit circles.

Watched the finish, It hurts not finishing, even coming across the line last is better than pulling out.

We headed home, most of the ride was silent, me in front, chomping on the pedals, chomping...

I need to be a minion.

I took out the trash

I pried the tops off beers.

Cheers, and hope you have the tools to go fast. To have an epic suffer and finish last, to feel like you have a hand on your back pushing you along, and crossing the line first. dlowe

on a side note, my side project, the blog "in my ear Hole" has been really cool and good to me, and I've got some great music leads from it, I have room for a few more Contributors, if any of you feel inclined. I am a bit picky, so if you have a bit of thick skin, and got IT, apply.

this song is from a posting lead . real cool, cold, burrrr

Kashmere Stage Band - Headwiggle

thank neodem for the music

toast

2011-04-14T21:07:00.000-04:00

Cheers!

I'm a bit fried from work, and have been off the bike, no time to ride

4:15am Saturday call

Did the Greater Valley ride tonight, did fine, just a bit on cruise control, on the front going hard a bit, or being sucked along in the pack. Felt fit.

beer in Gettysburg

dolly track to nowhere, we set-up and the shoot was cancelled

skate wheels, the type I use

toast is good, tired, simple. cheers! d.

Pacer

2011-04-06T22:11:00.000-04:00

I’ve got boundless energy, it leads me into frustration.

I attempted the cross big loop ride today. It was important to me. Coming off a couple of long, hard work days, this day off, is sandwiched into another block of long hard work days.

My derailleur just ripped off, I don't know why, or what happened, just did. I picked up the bike and headed back to zero.

the road bike? nah... I'm tired of that pompous bitch, its ego, no.

The mountain? what choice do I have. I must coddle her a bit, I know she'll take me where I want to go, and I won't tell her I really want to be on my cross bike. so off we rode.

cheers, d.

asshole

2011-03-31T17:33:00.000-04:00

I went riding today, a cold wet day to ride, not easy riding weather, but that's what I got for ya weather. If you learn to ride in bad weather, how to dress, how to shiver, when to really worry about numb fingers/toes, you'll do better when you race in those elements. I was out for about 2.5 hrs. and as long as I was moving I was warm.

a couple of months ago, headed home in my car, up the hill to my house, some ass was on my tail. He jumped the lanes and pulled hard around to the top, it was an easy car to remember, blue with a picture of itself in the back window.

I rode past the car today.

so I took a couple of photos and FUNK IT 'ed.

my side bar, what's rolling over there....

a blog I've got linking of cross minded bloggers

a blog for where I can find some eats and drinks in philly blogs

and a source of music, a roll of heads-up from some friends for music, a place to open up the ears

the others, real just blogs, a small list, all are friends except RUINS i have no idea who that is but they seem to be doing something I'd be doing, its a cool blog.

If you'd noticed I usually most of the time I have a song for ya, I like to have music playing as I read, so here it is, so ponder it all a bit and listen some.

cheers, dlowe.

GRINDERMAN - WORM TAMER ALT.

spring training

2011-03-27T19:16:00.000-04:00

if we all played by the rules what would we have?

yusef lateef - "Bishop School"

not much of the shit I like.

Phila. Spring Classic Day 2

my life has always been a bit disjointed, and nonstandard, form my early years, the formative ones, it made it quite a hardship. I made it through it, and now looking back, would I change it? nope. I wouldn't change it.

Phila. Spring Classic Day 1

I did two of the three days of the Phila. spring Classic. Day 1. I had a heroic ride. For early in the year/training its a good gauge on what needs work, but also what kinda legs and heart you/ve got at the moment.

break.... the Phila. S.C. day 1 broke the young lad Julz, he'll grow stronger from it.

It was a good day, an easy weathered day. Frisky, good pace, sprints won, breaks taken, dirt, garbage, around City hall and up Philadelphia's beautiful parkway. Out onto west river drive.... ...where I attacked, in the most opportune time, with a good chunk to go, while a good pace was being pushed and into a slight head wind. I went, and was gone. Its a funny feeling being in the drops, spinning the legs, feeling that pain, I love that journey. at The wall, I had no choice, no real climbing fitness, so it took me a bit of time to get up it. Still I was off the front and outta sight. Not too much longer, down on forbidden drive, I was into close contact with my chasers, so I pushed harder and managed to stay away. The climb up to Chestnut hill, at the steps to the school, I had to hop off the bike to make it up the dirt pitch, thats where 2 caught me. I took a brake, regouped and at the first chance, went. towing Joseph Wentzel. along. All I could do was try to wring Joe out. But, alas, he dug a bit deeper than me, and took me just at the line.

Joe Wentzell- Winner Day 1 Phila. S.C 2011

Classic day 2, starting the day in default 1st, with Joe being a no show, I kept quiet and too myself, truthfully a real bit hung over. I stated that no attacking would be coming from me today, but as we dropped onto the drives, I could see the flags pointing out, a solid tailwind. I went, as a marked man, 3 were on me, and we worked, me a bit less, I was overmyhead in effort. Montana jumped on the wall, off the front solo, Harlan Price, on a single speed caught me on Henry ave, thank god, as I sucked his wheel. I worked for Harlan, If I could help him catch Montana, and come in 3rd, I'd hold onto first place. Never saw Montana till the finish, depite our hard work. He went on to take day 3 and the overall title. Congrats!

I've got a couple more spring tune ups in , doubled up at the S. Jersey (a really good race/tuner-upper, and Philly Phlery (always debauchery) short and going hard from the gun race.

This Morgantown race thats coming up, One of the Best races I did last year, its got me frickin a bit shaken, too much respect?

ha, took off on a solo, a bit of a blow hard tonight.

I don't know shit about jazz, cheers d. lowe.

ps. I really like Ricahrd Sachs post, read it here if you are so inclined. http://www.richardsachs.com/site/2011/03/27/from-attitude-to-solitude/

Liner notes

2011-03-26T18:44:00.000-04:00

as I was growing up the current technology of music, of sharing music was the Long Playing vinyl record.
Ten Years After - Let the Sky Fall

out of necessity I'd sit with the jacket in my hands, listening to the record play, my eyes crawled about the album cover, the liner notes, you'd even find a message scratched into the vinyl in the blankness between the last song and label.
It was a real nice way to pass time.

now I sit at my computer, clicking, drifting about, focused on the small screen, passing time

a good ride today, went and got my toe covers from the train tunnel.

cheers, dlowe.

crescendo

2011-03-24T18:28:00.000-04:00

I've been avoiding sprints, and being in the drops.

the buds, they have a bit of color.

so into the drops today, and some reps.

Gary Numan?

whats next? W. VA morgantown scares me, what do I have in my legs?

burn, burn, cheers, d.