You Understand, Right?

Long Overdue Updates...

Winter Wednesday Night Rides - Meet at Ice Arena at 6pm. Brad Sheasley leading. Grab the lights, strap on the booties and get along little doggie.

Punk Bike Enduro is Sunday December 14th this year. Costume contest. Let's get it on. BABE Short Bus leaves Hollywood at 9am sharp. Okay then.

Whiskey Daredevils and Uncle Scratch's Gospel Revival, Friday, December 19th. Ride first, then show. Details in a week or so.

Need more information? Google it or send me an email.

It's all so very simple.



Ride on,
Frank

Collage is the greatest of all the arts.

Some BABES went for a bike ride last Sunday evening. It was a nice mellow ride around the towns. A bit diverse of our usual town/city rides. Of course, not unusual was the ride interupted by taking in some music. An artist I've enjoyed for many a year came to our little old Beaver and shared his amazing songwriting with us. His name is Matthew Ryan. He brought with him a joy of a person named Molly Thomas who accompanied on keyboard, violin and I'm pretty sure I saw a mandolin in her hands. A few photos here.

Perhaps my top two favorite love songs of all time were written by the same man. Dan Bern. Estelle and Gamblin' With My Love (Pete Rose).

You know, it's easy to get down. To get discouraged. To want to crawl into a shell and hide from the world. But then, something happens. Something always happens. Thank God.

So take a few minutes (okay, almost 10) to enjoy a beautiful love song...


I like the diversity of our riding experiences. The diversity of the BABES as people. The balance. The texture of our differences side by side with our similarities. Music and bicycles can be an adhesive for so many unique souls. Let's stick together (sorry for the bad pun).

Ideas

I think I may like a new blog. Not to replace this one, but in addition to this one. One reason this blog is not often updated is that I have many thoughts that I feel are not appropriate for this forum. This blog is about fun and the coordination and presentation of information related to cycling and, specifically, cycling in the Beaver Area. I don't ever want to preach anything here, but I feel a strong urge to publicly comment on things often unrelated to the cycling world. I suppose it's a need to balance the fun and not so fun aspects of life (there's that "balance" word again).
Of course, the comments I will present will be based on honest observations with an emphisis on positive and optomistic thoughts. Life and the world are complex organisms but with, what I feel, are very simple and basic fundamentals. I don't really feel that "things" should be so complicated. I'll explain things in the new blog, if you care to endulge it. Again, I don't want to sully this blog with non-cycling related thoughts. Perhaps there's no better venue to espouse than "Cooler Buddy", but for now, I feel it's best to segregate the thoughts. And ironically, "segregation" is one of the ideas in my head right now. I wonder about that idea. About how we try to outhing our nature (or creator). It's a big thought... no, it's a huge thought it in my mind right now.
Anyway, I've been thinking about a lot of things lately, and so I've created a new blog that I feel will be a better venue for my thoughts unrelated to specific cycling activities.

I'll post address the first post soon. Very soon.
Frank

The Filfthy Fifty October Ho Down has been *** CANCELLED ***

Regretfully.

The Ho Boy Interview...

Ho Ho – Okay, let’s get right to it. Why did you decide to put on the Filthy Fifty October Ho Down?
Ho Boy -I didn’t. I’m just the mascot for the event and now, evidently, the spokesboy.

Ho Ho – Oh, well, tell us how you come to be associated with the ride.
Ho Boy – I know Frank. We met back when I was working for The Cowslingers. He, Leo Love and I hung out a bit after a few Cowslinger shows. Leo’s was the drummer.

Ho Ho – I think everyone in the audience knows who Leo is.
Ho Boy – Well excuse me. Anyway, here’s a sample of the work I did for them.


Ho Ho – Very impressive. “For losers like you”. A unique way to refer to one’s fan base.
Ho Boy – I do what I’m told. I think that was Greg Miller’s idea. Greg was the lead singer.

Ho Ho – I think everyone in the audience knows who Greg is.
Ho Boy – Oh yes, right.

Ho Ho – So back to the ride. What can you tell us about it?
Ho Boy – I believe it’s about 50 miles of bicycle riding.

Ho Ho – Do you know the origin for the idea of the ride?
Ho Boy – Frank said he was inspired by the Dirtier Dozen ride, which he’s ridden the last two years. He figured, why not do something like that here to showcase the lovely Beaver Valley Area.

Ho Ho - Why is it called the Filthy Fifty October Ho Down?
Ho Boy – Everyone will be filthy, the ride will be about fifty miles long and it'll take place in October.

Ho Ho – What about “Ho” part?
Ho Boy – Frank said it would be both a “Happy On Road” and a “Happy Off Road” ride.

Ho Ho – Shouldn’t it then be called a “HOR Down”?
Ho Boy – I don’t think Frank liked the sound of that. I think there should be a hyphen there. “Happy On-Road”, “Happy Off-Road”.

Ho Ho – I see. Very well. So everyone should be prepared for off-road riding?
Ho Boy – Are you drunk?

Ho Ho – No.
Ho Boy – That’s too Bad. Why the “X” on the bag? Are the contents why you are called “Happy”?

Ho Ho – Um, let’s just get back on track here.
Ho Boy – It’s your interview.

Ho Ho - Will there be other activities besides bicycle riding?
Ho Boy - Absolutely, Frank wants to showcase the best of the Beaver Valley Establishments.

Ho Ho - Define “establishments”.
Ho Boy - Taverns.

Ho Ho - Oh, so there will be alcohol consumption.
Ho Boy – Duh.

Ho Ho - Moving along, any other activities for the day.
Ho Boy - Yes, but the activities will be dictated by a number of factors and I’m not a liberty to divulge them at this time.

Ho Ho – Will the ride go on rain or shine?
Ho Boy – Yes.

Ho Ho - Does the ride cost anything?
Ho Boy – The ride itself doesn’t cost anything, but if a participant wants to partake in any extracurricular enjoyment, I’d advise bringing a few bucks.

Ho Ho – Define “A few bucks”.
Ho Boy – I don’t know, it’s up to the individual to figure that out. I suppose we’ll all know more after the ride is over.

Ho Ho – Well there you have it folks, barely any worthwhile information, but hey, I tried. Ho Boy, is there anything else you’d like to say?
Ho Boy – Where are your friends?

Ho Ho – You mean these guys?

Ho Boy – Yes, they look like fun, why don’t you bring them to the ride?
Ho Ho – I’m afraid they're not very athletic.

Ho Boy – It’s more about fun.
Ho Ho – I’ll see what I can do.

Presenting Filthy Fifty October Hoe Down

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***(Click HERE to see what Hoe Boy is saying)***

Loose Links From a Tight Chain

It's been a few weeks since I've posted and while I haven't had anything major to say or announce, I've accumulated a few loose items that I'd like to put out to everyone...

Thank You...
For three straight weeks we've had a fabulous turnout for our "mini" work days at Brady's Run Park. We were certainly inspired trail achievers and made many trail improvments up by the ball fields and even made serious head-way on cutting in our new trail which will offer an alternative to "The Bastard". And speaking of trail work...

PTAG Work Day at Brady's Run - Sunday, September 7, 2008...
This will be a fun day of trail work, food, riding and beer. Many of you have come out to other PTAG work days and so know what a good time these are. A good cause, good people and bike rides. Good times. I hope to see lots of you there.

Upcoming Rides...


BABE Pittsburgh City Ride - Thursday, September 4, 2008 - 6:30pm - meet in Strip District here...

BABE Pittsburgh City SHACK*SHAKER FUN Ride - Friday, October 3, 2008 - 6:30pm - meet in Strip District, same location as above.
More information to follow, but there will be a BABE ride to the TH' LEGENDARY SHACK*SHAKERS show on Friday, October 3rd. This band puts on one of the best shows I've ever witness and is not to be missed (if you enjoy life).

Pittsburgh Alleycats "Pittsburgh Calling" Alleycat - This fall - date TBA...
Pittsburgh Alleycats is putting on a Halloween Alleycat this year that should be spanking fun...

Filthy Fifty October HOE Down - Saturday, October 11, 2008 in Beaver County...
October will provide to be a busy month for the BABES with the Filthy Fifty October HOE Down ride on 10/11/2008. I'll be posting a dedicated entry for this ride, so check back for the more details. The only details I have are it'll be 50 miles long. It will entail both on-road and off-road riding. We'll make a few refreshments stops. We'll have fun. I'll post more details soon, but the main theme of the ride will be "Don't do anything foolish".