nasty

I think I'm going to call all my bikes some sorta Nelly name. The above bike has now earned the name, "Nasty Nell". She is a good girl, that red GF Paragon rigid 29er. I raced her today, and hammered away on her. A little skull f'n, and She in return was dependable, strong, fast and predictable, just what I needed to get my feet muddy by Mountain Bike Racing again. Hey I think that during the race I gave Marc a WTF look, as I was in my suffering state. The look you might have when someone pops open the door on you at an old high school party while your making out with your girl, in the parents bedroom. He was doing what he does so well, just giving me a few yells of encouragement. Thanks. and my team mates, good to see ya. and Anthony, that pbr tasted good after my finish. How did I do. Fine. better than fine, not first or anything, but I got a lot of small satisfactions out of it.

back to my road bike tomorrow to spin out some of the kinks left from the cramps, but overall, I don't feel to wiped out. and maybe another easy spin and the drives ride Tuesday. Then I'm pulling out the books and slide rule and my old secret, yellowed paper, Cyclocross training notes, and getting my mind ready for the real racing season. Cheers, and crackin a cold one. dlowe. um watch your fonts!

the last straw

well made it out to Earth for some of the Smuttynose fresh beers on tap. I spent the earlier part of the day trying to get some chops back on the mountain bike. I took the GF paragon out, the thing rides like a Buick, its a lot of work to keep on top of this one. It seems long, I feel way up in the air, it feels like two separate bikes; a front end and the BB/rear wheel. Quite a trick to get the flick down to time the lift of the beast over logs. Today I dropped some spacers and lowered the bar. that seemed to help a bit. Other wise I'm on the internet, looking at 29er geometry to find a frame that matches up to my xxix raleigh. I love that bike.

I tried 4 of the Smutty's first I went for my favorite, Scotch Ale, full, lick your lips flavor, strong, good, good.

then it was the IPA, so hoppy and full of that stoner flavor, smokey like the stoner kids army jacket in high schooled smelled. Pungent. again good, good. My favorite.

then a sip or two of the Weizen style, don't remember the name, not my cup of tea.

To finish off the night I got the Star island single, an abbey style ale, a delicate beer, sorta spiced, again not my cup of tea.

Going to try to make it back to sample the porter and the stout.

and the straw thing. Well the bar has this sorta ding batty bartender, and I've seen her do this on a couple of different visit. After she pours the beers and they settle for a bit, waiting for the waiter to take then to a table, the foam dies down and instead of topping of the glass. She will grab a straw and whip up a foamy top. Hummmm, just top it off my lass. cheers, beer drinking bikers and other inhabitants of the planet. dlowe.

blade runner

the Sci-fi future is going to be like a combination of Blade Runner, Concrete Island, and The Village, I feel the more modern we get the less we can really deal with nature. Who has the skills to leave the city, the cell phone, into the woods and survive. and as our economy's shift and the cities become bigger and the country side becomes more remote, the world that is left behind will overgrow and decay, but with secrets. Tunnels, rooms, abandoned buildings, cars, bridges. There are places that are close to my house that are some of the most remote unvisited places. some of them have seen thousands of foots steps, but are now untouched by man. Cool, I'm gonna head up the underground tunnel with my flash light, and camera.

I've got a smuttynose, so you who know, will find me at earth tonight. What da you know, music too! Cheers, be good. dlowe.

Discover Circle!

just riding

yesterday, I sat and wanted to ride. I looked out the windows. Looked like rain. so I rode. Did the drives ride. A small group of us sat at the Falls Bridge and let a few minutes go by 6:30, no one else was going to show up, the light changed and off we went for a great small group work out, churning out 4 nice laps in sometimes a soft mist. Riding hard enough to stay warm. Today, Sun. Went for a late ride, easy ride, and often on an easy ride I'll hit the Calder Fountain.
I like these days on the bike, I have to admit that sometimes that all those hard efforts and pushing hard can lead me to be a, short, hard, tense person. Today the sun wiped it clean, in a way shaking my etch a sketch brain back to a blank grey screen. The bike is special, and I feel lucky when I have the time/opportunity to be riding.
Tomorrow I'll go for a ride. cheers, ya blokes! dlowe

at the office

sitting in the office, getting my blogging work done. something I really enjoy. I've got a great office. comfy. A speaker to the right and left.

Thinking and trying to meld all the ramdoness of thoughts together so it means something. Well the beers cold and taste good. Got out today with George to Wissahickon. I rode the SS. Nice time. No time. That's the thing about riding, the date doesn't matter. Sorta flashed back during the ride, following George, watching him hitting it and getting some air. The trails were empty so we could fly. It was like years ago, before "the Team", we just rode and raced and had fun.

George does not race, but he is the best team mate I have when I'm out there giving it a go. He needs to get a new mountain bike, or something older and purple and lime green.

Here is the photo of Jimmy I owe ya. Senior Jimmy, good guy.and a little music to send you off to sleep, soon to be caring your hangover into Tuesday. CHEERS!, dlowe.

Discover Rockabye+Baby%21!

dogged

a good weekend of racing, after a long week of work. bloomsburg is a dog eared town, with a mutt of a heart. did the wonderful PA masters road race, felt rad on the rollin roads but not much up the hill for the end. despite that, its one of my favorite race, just a super race, I'll do it again next year.

Jeff App. found a nice all american hotel, sorta run down sears style carpted place, nice mattress, clean and quite. goodnight rest helped me for the todays town park crit.
took this photo on the way out after collecting some loot for 5th place. A good race for me, I'm happy with 5th, not that I wouldn't be happier with 1st. I put in a good effort in jumping to get into the right break and helping make it stick. The break of us 6 worked pretty good, despite one member getting a good tongue lashing, but its good to know how someone rides, for the future. uhh... we were coming into the final laps and were catching the field so the officials pulled the field. Cool. and tactics started to play into it all. Me, of course took off as we dilly dallyed going into the 2nd to last lap. Got a good gap with the surprise, made it for a lap and 1/4 but was caught by some hard work and sacrifice by one team mate for another. Despite the work I got back into the fray and sat trying to catch my breath and get some pep back into the legs. didn't happen. got 5th out of the remaining 5. the sink photo is from the place we had dinner. good beers, good food, despite the run downness. Is america becoming a movie star in a house dress?

age

I've felt like I've aged 100 years this past month. Sometimes it is just like a door opening, and the realization of new thoughts rolls over you. I was up early today 4:15a to go work in NY today. The waking early stuff I'm use to, I found that the birds start singing at our house about 5:15am, it goes from silent dark, to a dusk filled with birds singing in seconds, the change just happens. I got home just as my wife was planting the last of the tomato plants and gave her a kiss, and she gave me a slap on the ass and I hopped on the bike for a nice spin. I had the world almost to myself.

redlined

well here's a new one for you, a post by me with no photos. Race report: Wilmington bank Crit. not all good, nope. Pulled up to the front of the starting pack A LA' gainesvillining it, you don't know what it means and its too much to explain. I started 2nd row of the 13o riders, sat second wheel for most of the first couple of laps. Swarmed in corner 3 and dropped through the pack to end up in the whip snapper position, and I got popped. Not dropped, but still the same, pulled myself as I redlined myself every ensuing lap. Stopped at Total Wine and got some good beers, I've got a new found fondness of this Smuttynose Scotch Ale. Went for my training ride since my race didn't give me much fitness. Nice ride. Be Good! dlowe.

Mr. Blurry

I did not go to the Stone beer night at EBB last night so I made it this afternoon. Part of the day was sorta blurry.

The beer was tasty and good, strong for an empty stomach, but I had all my chores done and my pre-race ride finished. Lee drove so all was fine. Life lately has been full of movie characters. Everybody seems scripted. Eccentric and just strange enough to seem not really real.

Did some take out dinner from Tiffin to sop up the buzz. Good choice.

and in the end made it home with tomato plants, herbs and flowers for the garden. whew! cheers, dlowe.

Real Character

Sipping coffee and looking out the open front door, its pretty green and things are growing crazy nice with all this rain. Nice.

I work with some real Characters. Like Grover.

I've been in the studio more, so I've lost my location legs a bit, just a bit tired from the humping of yesterday. Today I'm off, so I'll do a bit of easy pedaling, take the cat to the vet, and maybe make a cake. cheers, dlowe

I am a COG

yep, a good one at that. I'm a cog with ceramic bearings, anodized blue aluminum. I wasn't always a cog. At one point I wanted to be the hands on the clock that told you the time. I now know my role, and I try to do it the best I can. I am always setting new benchmarks, and improve my quality, inventiveness, originality and always remember, in the end its about ... the customer... beer.

Last night I wanted to post this but when I got home from the bar I knew that it would better serve me to brush my teeth and get to bed. Last night I went to Earth Bread Brewery, ..... the bar windows were open and the sun was just starting to fall. It was quite in the downstairs bar as most diners were seated upstairs. I sat by myself and watched the color of light change. I watched the 17 year old hostess light the candles and dance to herself to the old indie rock playing in the bar. I Drank some really good beers, and ate a good seeded pie.

a couple of pals came walking through the door and we sat and bullshitted the rest of the night. I slept soundly last night, and deep, till the alarm awoke me at 5:15 and into cog mode I went. Gonna get outta these work duds and onto the SS, hello life.
cheers, dlowe.

force field

Enjoy the music.

I work with that man, Chris Howe, every so often. Always a pleasant day, full of good chit chat. That is not how he dresses on the job, there was no mention of being such a talented theremin player. Energy, is it all just bits and data, cut and dry mathematical solutions. I've never really needed to know, but I do know that music can transform me, it sinks in easily and causes at most times strong responses. Opinionated, I am. That is when it comes to music. Bike shops should be like the record stores I use to hang out in. Drink beer, look at shit, listen to music, just hang out and bullshit it with friends. All bike stores should have a tap, a couch, a good stereo, and cool, characters that work there.

I got out on the cross bike today, I was starting to get sucked into road riding and racing, really getting into it, so out on the SS a couple of days ago and the Cross today to bring me back to reality. PHEW! I'm SAVED! Great ride. 3 hrs of great trails, my big loops still got it. To top it off my wife joined me for some coffee, nice to sit outside and chat in a cool spring breeze.



That's ol'nelly, look at that bike. Its got a super light saddle and a club car size saddle bag, what the F'? I guess I need all them supplies on my journey. I'm a dork! cheers, dlowe

CONVERTED "lordy, lordy"

No, I don't ride for the good book 'thumpers' team. I set up the RV-WW wheels tubeless this afternoon. Hold on, got to run to the fridge for a cold one. Thanks. Here are a few pointers.

First you need one of these. Well you actually need a lot of things, but you do have to have a compressor. Put your rim tape in, paying close attention to the valve hole. That rubber gasket has to go cleanly under the hook of the rim. Using your Tactile senses evenly stretch the gasket around the rim.Take your pink pedros tire iron and make sure the gasket is under and even around the rim. Use your sealant and pop em full of air with the compressor, works for me. See all done. 10 minutes.Here's my trainer/pit bike, ol' Nelly. Looking as fresh and shinny as some used tires at the Palmyra flea market. Some of you might ask.... dlowe why do you blog? .... well lads its because I'm vain. ah hum. New to the blogging word is Gklimi, trying to discover the inner essence of the inner id. It looks to be a good one. http://georgeklimi.com/blog/ If you look at the side bar, those are some choice blogs to check out. I'm working on some free stuff for y'all. adios, cheers dlowe.

Housed

Well its due, a race report, Y'all. I raced today. I had all day today to do the things you do on a Sunday, read the paper, worked on the yard.... I like the Black and Decker 18v cordless trimmer.

I didn't have people carry me around or wear any of those constricting compression tights. but I did "berson" a sweet or two. Our neighbors brought it over as a nice present.
I took a some pictures of our cats, we've got 5.

napping Kenny

Patrick henry

thomas Jefferson

and Miles davis

I owe you all a photo of Jimmy he was strolling out back and I didn't get a photo of him. I also watched the Giro, and episode of Kitchen Nightmares on Hulu. Got well into my new book 1491. Called my mom, and I borrowed 7 dollars for my races fees. Didn't take much to get out the door and to the race. Main Line Cycling Club’s Habitat for Humanity Circuit Race. Soft pedaled a bit, chit chatted and off we go. Put my nose out there some, well ok, a lot. did some riding in the grass, my fault. Felt good, some efforts off the front. I got scowled "pull", nope sitting on ya. and racing stuff. Coming up the short hill for the bell lap, I spun and scooted easily thur the traffic and when Mr. J Appeltan hit the big, I hit the big ring. I followed his effort and he got us off the front and away we went for a nice 2.5mile lap of driving it to the line. Aubrey was smart and saw us go and sat 3rd on the trolley. Got to the end, I went, was going good and got passed. Tried to rejump for a surprise gotcha at the line but was short, happy to say 2nd place was where I finished. Jeff got 3rd. oh well back to Sunday stuff its trash and recycle day. cheers, dlowe.

P. E.

I've got about 10 minutes to write this, need to hop on the bike and be at La Columbe by 10:30 to go spin my legs and work my jaw (chat). Perceived Exertion, well I did the WRD TT this morning, Its a nice free on-going thing. Off at 7am and yell your number out 3 times coming back in. It seems to run well, better than most races. Despite the fact that I have never helped time,.... yet.... I will. TT is about truth not what we perceived about something, after the tt, I went with the berson and totaro to sit and expound upon our notions, me, I'm opinionated and will speak despite being wrong/right. Perceived. To bad life isn't like a TT with exact results of our efforts. Perceived. so I fuck up, I enjoy it. the pain, humor and strength. doooo..... to my bike. cheers. dlowe

fogged/steamed up. buried

I stripped off my work clothes, my nice slacks, casual shoes and collard shirt and put on last years kit. Went off on the SS to Belmont and around. Belmont's growing so I put on an older kit not to snag or rip my new clean, fresh newish kit. Despite all the rain the trails were nice, and no new tread signs so I was out on em by myself.

The camera got a little fogged up in my jersey. The photos are from the trolley platform that the trail rides up onto and down off of. Thousands of people stood here, going to the amusement park that is gone. To the lake, roller coasters, fun house and velodrome. Oh well its still a nice platform.

In the woods, you can see the forms of foundations, the line or pattern of the same aged trees, or a flat bed that sorta climbs on the side of a hill.

I went back home on the familiar trail and did a little looking around the backyard at a few more gravestones. Not sure what races I'll feel like doing this weekend. Trying to amp myself up to do some mountain bike racing again, maybe. cheers, dlowe.