LOOT

{words brian}

Hey Chrisb

Heatsaver Gloves…you can usually find them in farm implement stores for less than $10. I coat them with some SnoSeal and they’re good for almost anything. I even use those gloves for skiing all but the coldest of days. (check out the Happy Holidays post) They absolutely rock.


It is with a heavy heart that I must admit that I am no longer wearing cycling clothes as yourself. I remember my very first mountain bike race in 1991. I was wearing sneakers, swim trunks without a chamois, cotton t-shirt, a beat up sweatshirt (it was cold), and a Giro Tequila SunRise helmet. I religiously rode in this type of gear for years. I never set foot in a Bike shop for Cycling clothes. Goodwill and the Salvation Army were my “sponsors” for years.

Today on my lunch ride I noticed that my new Sidi Dragons cost more than my first mountain bike and all my “riding gear” put together from that first bike race. How did I get to this point? Best I remember it was 1997. I was a volunteer wrench at USA Cycling with the grand hopes of becoming a Pro Mountain Bike Mechanic. Unfortunately, so did ¾ of the mechanics out there. I was asked to be a mechanic for the Track Sprint Program instead. Track racing?! Isn’t that like road racing but with no scenery at all? I had grand hopes of traveling to all the various races, turning a wrench, and getting to ride all these mountains. Instead, I saw the various ways an oval can be constructed. So instead of mountain biking everywhere, I got a road bike…(sigh)…and a full National Team kit to wear on the rides. It’s been a wallet vortex ever since.

While my Republic of Doom vest was given to me by my buddy Higgins, it’s a far cry from the sweat shirt that looked like I stole from the set of Flashdance. Custom made for me by Single Speeder Extraordinaire/carpenter/PDX messenger Steve Fassbinder. While I’ve had the vest a mere month I’ve worn it on almost every ride I’ve done since I got it. The GoreTex material blocks out the rain and wind like you’d expect, and keeps my core warm. There is one small Velcro pocket in the back and subtle reflective striping. The cowboy styled pistols and gun casing zipper grab more ‘eye humps’ and comments than any other piece of cycling clothing I have. While his vests are pricey…anything that fits and looks as good are worth it.

SOMETIMES WE LIKE TO WEAR TIGHT PANTS

{words carey}

I swear those words (in the title) come from a song and amazingly enough I think it is a song I listen to often, but of course I can't place it.

Anyhow, it seems both Brain and I had malfunctioning alarms this morning, which meant we both missed the biking time slot that would get us to work on time. So, we packed our road gear into our bags and threw our bikes in the back of the truck so we could spin our legs at lunch.

There is a loop just outside our HQ building here that we all deem the "lunch ride" - it is a 15.47 mi loop that hugs the Green River (check out the route...here). Amazingly enough Brian had never been on the lunch route, "Oooo, this is going to be so much fun to show you the route!" I giddily said when I picked him up this morning. So, we dropped our camera's in our back pockets and snapped a couple shots.

{click images to enlarge}

bikes hanging in the lobby ready for the ride.

it is winter and moss seems to grow on everything

I got to visit the Castelli headquarters this summer down in Portland; G. Cowen the president hooked me up with a vintage Castelli piece that was calling my name...it had 2 of my favorite colors on it, black and hot pink...yeah!

Our route takes us through the holes of a local golf course - which I am surprised still exists because isn't road biking the new "golf"?

Ah...we both have the same bikes, same water bottles, same toe covers, same shoes (B. & C.)...good thing we don't have the same hair cut!

On the last little stretch back we saw a runner on the path staring up towards the sky. Brian asked, "What do you got?" It was a bald eagle feasting on some fresh kill; he was pretty gorgeous and seeing him he rounded out what was already a great ride.

Ahh...bikes they are so damn fun!

MONDAY's HABIT

{words carey}

Everyday that I leave my house without my bike under me I feel a little uneasy; uneasy because I start to put myself through a fairly intense guilt trip: "You should have taken your bike! You need to ride! The weather is going to be ify the whole rest of the week except for today - it is sunny grab the bike! Why didn't you ride?" and such.

So, I am teaching myself that it is alright if you don't ride every single day, it's OK to just rest, sleep in a bit, and enjoy the warmth of the car. Monday's are my devoted days for this rest, warmth, sleep catch up, and body rejuvenation. Every Monday I try to drive in with a weeks worth of groceries and clothes because riding 50 miles round trip is a lot more comfortable with only a lock, some incidental items, a camera, ipod, and some bike repair stuff in your bag.

My Monday habits have started and I must say on this icy/snowy filled day I was happy to have developed this habit.

Cheers.

Enjoy.

IF THE LOFTIES MOVE TO GEORGETOWN...

...they might as well bring this along with them?! A $20,000 coffee maker - check it out...here

NIER COLD STORAGE & ICE

{words carey}

Yesterday morning Brian and I rode through Georgetown with a heavier heart than normal because the Rainier Cold Storage & Ice building was a skeletal mess of re-bar, brick, and glass. This building was home to three breweries in 1893 and of those three, Rainier Beer was one, that would help put this building on the map as being one of the sixth-largest brewing facility in the world.

So, now the "vacant warehouses standing tall on the edge of Airport Way, making you feel like you're riding through an urban canyon" will no longer be a highlight to our rides in the morning. It is sad and as I had mentioned in an earlier post, "Georgetown is one of the last little pockets in Seattle's industrial area that hasn't been taken over by the LOFTIES"

We can only hope that this vacant lot doesn't become home to the "lofties."

For a more detailed article click...here

Looking south down Airport Way.

After photographing the Rainier Cold Storage building we found this clown in a nearby window and Brain swore it was the clown from Pee Wee's Big Adventure.

What do you think?

The result of me photographing Brain...

...the result of Brain photographing me.
Who's camera is better?

Do you think it will hold?

A bit of frost sparkling in the morning sun...

If you look at my face closely my smile is laced with pain...

...I suppose because my toe was frozen.

SNAP, CRACKLE, POP

{words carey}

BRRRRR..................

First text 6:04am carey to brian : It is 22 degrees out there! can u snag some valve extenders? do u still want to ride?
6:16am brian: 22?! f me thts cold! u hv heat in that fancy new truck?
carey: (then I just decided to call brian) - well I'm all suited up and ready to roll...I'll be the gauge to downtown and if you hear from me that means it is way too cold to ride and you can pick me up...otherwise I will see you at All City Coffee.
7:11am - now at All City Coffee with a triple tall americano in hand and thinking I should have stopped downtown and put a call into brian.

It was down right cold today for us Seattlites and to keep our minds off our numb digits we decided to crunch through every frozen puddle we could...(I will report and provide images later).

Short post today we actually have to "work" today (smile): but don't fret as I will post a story with images later that will include a demolition, an experiment with a large puddle, frosted beard beads, and a white toe.

Until then keep warm.

SALT CITY SPRINTS

We donated a 2008 Raleigh Rush Hour as a prize for the Salt City Sprints...so if you are in the lovely land of Utah and happen to be in Salt Lake on the January 24th stop by the Urban Lounge for a night of Gold Sprints.



Cheers!