Ozzy anyone? Slim everyone?

Another fine Alleycat coming our way. Info here... http://pghalleycat.com/races/bark-at-the-mon/

and here... http://www.myspace.com/barkatthemon

Is there anything better than an alleycat? Perhaps a nighttime alleycat. This one certainly looks to be interesting. I'm suspecting an alleycat back and forth across the Mon, just a thought. Nothing mentioned about costumes, but I suspect one would not be frowned upon for wearing such.

If you're interested in this, may I first suggest cleansing your soul through a Slim Cessna confessional. Slim and the Auto Club are coming to town on Sunday, that's right, Sunday, October 14th at 31st Street Pub.

Slim, fighting for our right to sin, and still find salvation in the Lord...

Safe... and Healthy?

Back in early February, I created a post (http://coolerbuddy.blogspot.com/2007/02/2007-safer-year-for-babes-perhaps.html) basically wondering if 2007 would be a safer year for BABES. As you may recall, in 2006, quite a few BABES were injured during rides.

I'm happy to say that so far this year, no BABE has been injured while riding their bike. At least to the point where they couldn't ride again the next day. This is good news, but my happiness is somewhat tempered by knowing that the BABES simply aren't riding as much as they have in years past. In addition, I'm not sure we're having as much fun when we do ride. Almost everyone who's ridden with me has heard my philosophy on riding... "Have fun, and be able to ride again tomorrow", which equates, basically, to "Enjoy and be safe". But note that I don't say "Be able to ride again tomorrow, and have fun". The emphasis is first to enjoy and have fun; otherwise, who even wants to ride again tomorrow if it's not fun?

So with that, let's get back to having fun (riding) and staying safe. Staying safe by not riding is no fun at all.

What really got me to thinking about that February post was Brother David Sunshine's Monday, June 25th post about his latest injury (http://www.surlybikes.com/surlyblog.html). In the post he begins to talk about their Wednesday night ride and the general horse-play that ensues at some point during the ride. It all was sounding like good fun until he mentions some grappling that takes place with Brauer and is subsequent fall and injury. It's a bad injury and his second serious injury in the past year. I've been reading the Surly Blog for years and have always admired Dave for his zest for life, his passion for cycling, but mostly for his solo bike excursions and naturalist survival skills (I should mention that Surly Blog is one of my favorite reads on the web, right up there with Nurse The Hate by another of my heroes, Greg Miller, but that's a post for another time). Anyway, it got me thinking that, really, is it normal that a grown man keeps breaking bones like this? I mean, 14 screws and a steel plate on a femur? That's femur is normally one damn strong bone. Should a fall, from a basically a standing position, be enough to do this much damage? I don't know the answer to that, but I'd be questioning my diet and exercise levels if I were him. Maybe somethings just not right.

I remember, quite vividly, reading an article in Bicycling magazine (they have some good investigative articles, which makes it a worthy magazine, even if, otherwise, it's a large product catalog) a few years ago about how cyclists are more prone to bone related problems and injuries. I can't find the exact article on-line right now, but a question and answer related to it was posted here... http://www.bicycling.com/qa_details/0,6617,s-6-81-89-1,00.html

The summary of the article is that cycling is really not that good for our bones. That's why it's important to eat right, get rest and work some impact related activities into daily lives. Take the steps, ride off road, lift some weights, jog. All are good to help build strength in our bones. Drink some milk too. It's good for you.

Just one last thing related back to David's injuries. In both of his last few injuries, he's had to rely on serious medical professionals to piece him back together. In fact, if he were an animal in the wild and suffered that femur injury, he'd be prey and would never survive. Not real good for a survivalist.

Fact is, we really are different from animals and that's not a bad thing. Eat a burger with bacon and a big ol' glass of milk. Thrive and survive.

Now let's get out there and ride!

Feeding on Thought

I’ve been reflecting a lot recently on the diversity of life’s experiences. Not on a grand societal scale (that’s a post for another time, another blog altogether...), but on a local, personal level. I’ve often referred to the importance of “Balance” in one’s life. I use the analogy, “If you only ever steer your bike in one direction, all you’ll ever do is ride in a circle”. In other words, you’ll keep seeing the same things, experience the same things, riding the same things. Doesn’t sound like much fun to me. But I witness this phenomenon in too many people’s lives. They keep doing the same things, steering their lives in the same “circle”. Day in and day out. Week in and week out. (I won’t provide examples. You know to what I am referring.)

I’ve been complaining a bit of late, about bartending and how my Friday’s end up being 24 hour marathons. But maybe this isn’t such a bad thing. Last night (this morning?), I found myself posting a PORC forum response at 5 in the morning, just before going to bed. This morning, I find myself writing a “cooler buddy” blog entry at 5 in the morning, just after getting up from bed. Perhaps this isn’t such a bad thing after all. This balance of experience provides perspective. It led me to this posting. Took my thoughts further than they’d been before on this topic... to wit:
Without diversity, we lose all meaning of... well, everything. Without something being hot, we’d have no point of reference to what is cold. In fact, it’s impossible to have cold without hot. Same goes with light and dark, pleasure and pain, happy and sad, strength and weakness, good and bad, tired and rested. It goes on and on. Diversity of life = Meaning of life

We ride in the woods a lot. Block out some time next week to ride the alleycat on Saturday in the city. Don’t wait to have the right bike, the right weather, the right physical shape or appearance. Just bring whatever bike you have, whatever clothes you have, and ride. It’ll make for a more diverse crowd. It’ll add texture to the day. The BABES will provide balance and diversity; and we all know what that means.

Spring Dandy!!!

Spring is in the air and I can think of no better way to kick off the upcoming riding season than an Alleycat. A Jesus themed alleycat is scheduled for Saturday, April 21st and I think we'd better had be there.



Bikes, the city and a bag full of beers is nothing to scoff at, so get on your bike and let's ride. Christ is in training, so He's going to be tough to beat, I mean, who among us is doing their ab crunches on a regular basis?...

Or... tsk, tsk, performing weighted deep knee thrusts religiously (no pun intended)?...





And I sure know that my flexibility isn't what it used to be...

We should keep in mind what He did to the competition a few years back when He tried His hand at basketball...




But... cycling is different... and I know His weak spot... one that we'll exploit to our advantage on Saturday...





He favors fruity "sport drinks" and wine, to beer...


Victory will be ours... I mean, seriously, who could possibly best the BABES?...

They don't call me "Rommel" for nothing.

Monkey and Cork

My last post here was three-two-ought-seven. After which followed a relaxing and liberating time off the computer, subsequently bringing down upon me, some thoughts and ponderings...

Garlic is one of God’s greatest gifts.

If someone bothers you, you will either try to change your perceptions and attitude; or you’ll try to change the other person’s. The latter is easy to attempt, the former tough to achieve.

I think almost all man-mad metallurgic objects are worth keeping.

The proportion of a man’s professed love to inanimate objects is directly opposite of the loved he receives from animate ones.

I wonder if it’s better to have 365 people love you only one day each for a year, or to have only one person love you each and every day of the year.

If you haven’t yet discovered the true healing powers of good tequila, well than you just haven’t drank enough of it.

I'd like to spend a little time with Greg Miller and a lot of time with Leo P. Love.

Most people don’t want to be controlled, so why do people controlling institutions aspire to control most people? I’m just wondering.

You’re too close to yourself to have any proper perspective of the view.

I think obsessing over your good health is bad for your health.

I believe music is one of the most important factors in the success of man on Earth.

I'd rather walk 12 hours a day than sit for six.

I believe human beings are a positive force in the universe. At least as long as human beings believe it.

People don’t ride bicycles enough.

Of the bicycles people do ride, not nearly enough are singlespeeds, cruisers and fixed gears.

Never underestimate the freedom of peeing off your deck, unseen, anytime after sundown.

Babes in Bocktown

I've work near Robinson Township a little over 4 years now. As I'm sure you're aware, it's essentially a big box, chain store hell. One nice thing about the Beaver area is that we've avoided this sprawl for the most part. Sure we have the Monaca Mall area, Chippewa and of course, Cranberry is not too far away, but you can still hang out and take a bike ride around our little river towns and find plenty of local businesses to patronize. Robinson Township? Not so much. Which is why Chris Dilla's little (for now) slice of heaven, called Bocktown Beer and Grill ("Beer"... it's in the name!) http://www.bocktown.com/ in Robinson is such an incredible inspiration to me.

Simply attempting to swim against the tidal waves of chain restaurants and big box stores is a noble undertaking, but when the vision and execution results in something as flawless as the Bocktown, it's hard not feel awe.

There are over 400 bottles of beer in the cooler, 16 fresh domestic beers on tap, a unique menu and some live music thrown in. But that's not what makes the Bocktown heavenly, because anyone can do that. What sets the Bocktown apart from all the others is the people. It starts with Chris and Chef Scotty and their vision. Read the story here... http://www.bocktown.com/story.shtml

Anyone that knows me know's I've seen the inside of a few bars in my years, and I have to say, the Bocktown, in just a few short months of being open, is one of my favorite bars ever. They've truly combined the best of what a locally-owned neighborhood bar should be. And in a strip mall, in Robinson Township. I think that makes it all the more special.

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I had started to type a lengthy rundown of an evening I had recently at the Bocktown, but I thought, perhaps the story is best told in pictures. I hope from these few images below, you can see, Bocktown has it all.

A huge beer selection...

Excellent live music... Special guest singers...

Exceptional bartenders...Fabulous Martini's...

Fun loving clientele...

And Chris, the person who made my dreams come true...

P.S. Even our bikes have special place to feel right at home... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Great beer, great food, great music and great people. Heaven indeed.

See you there!