boxer

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

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

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

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

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

(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

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

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.