A CORNUCOPIA OF SPEED THIS WEEKEND

If you feel the need for speed...this weekend in Seattle should be just the fix you're looking for.

Saturday morning wets the pallet with an early appetizer at the Volunteer Park Crit. I think I learned a lot last year and am ready to put my knowledge to use by listening for the last lap bell.

Sunday morning the Brad Lewis Memorial Crit should prove worth the spectating and participating. With several Raleigh people entering the race, and lots of smack talk/bragging rights on the line, we should be able to keep things lively.

I'll be "Sandbagging" both of these races as my request to upgrade was shot down like a wounded duck by USA Cycling.

If you still need more I hear there is a race going on in Europe this Sunday as well. Probably won't be as exciting to watch as the weather is supposed to be pretty crappy. Anyone who wants to watch this should head to the Summit Ale House for viewing. But with the weather creeping into the 60's this weekend in Seattle...it might be tough to sit in a bar.

When the dam breaks

I exited my house this morning with high hopes.

Hope that the grey sky was just that, grey.

Hope that the wind howling at my window would subside once I got into the valley.

Hope that I had dressed right for the occasion and that my vacation hadn't killed the brain cell responsible for dressing me in the morning.

Hope can be such a silly belief that everything is going to be alright. And why was hope the only good thing trapped in Pandora's box with all the evil in the world? Is it because Hope is just as dangerous?

The rain let loose from the grey sky 3 blocks from my house.

The wind stayed as constant and pushed the rain into my face.

My brain cell didn't stand a chance this past week and I was adding layers 4 blocks from my house.

Despite this I continued to turn my pedals and maintained a silly satisfaction from riding my bike...until...2 miles from work, my Sidi moisture defense barrier was finally breached. It doesn't matter how far you ride...the minute your feet are drowning so is your motivation.

I just hope they dry out by the time I ride home.

Brave new world

As the snow began to fall this morning I cursed aloud the lousy March weather in Seattle and chill came over me. I would like to think it was the wind blowing though my house or maybe it was the total lack of heat in my decrepit Hooverville of a home. However, I knew it was neither of these. It was the harsh realization that today was the last day I’d have in the familiar Raleigh I’ve grown accustomed to. Matt Case was on his way over for a “last breakfast” before we commuted into work for the last time. This struck particularly hard as on Thursday I rode into work with Carey for the last time. Both are leaving Raleigh to pursue new jobs and new places. Both are heading to Portland and staying in the bike industry. Case is going to be working for Cyclone Bicycle Supply, and Carey will be at the new US office of Rapha. While I’m about as depressed as a rider can get at loosing his two best riding partners, I’m very excited for the both of them. They are both very talented people that bring energy, excitement, and passion with them in everything they do…I’m excited to see what their futures will hold.

Always big smiles and big miles.

Last Day Ride...(sniff)

Cheers kids. You'll be missed.

AWARNESS DELAYED

{carey}

Alright...I saw this video about a week ago and failed to post it. This week my inbox has been on fire with the link; so I figured it was my duty to finally get it up. It is a great awareness test and I passed the first test and failed the "true" test miserably.

An Evening With PJ

{words carey}
First off, to give you a sense of who PJ (ex-messenger of 9 years) is, I invite you to scroll down and check out his bike. I've had a Raleigh Coasting frame sitting in my cube for the past month & have been trying to find the inspiration to build it up. Brian planned on getting parts that would pay homage to a Klunker-era (70's) mountain bike, which sounded cool, but he and I have been swamped with work lately & put the project on the back burner. The other day PJ was sitting in my cube and suddenly looked at me with wide, fantastic eyes and asked, "Ooooo...what you gonna do with this Coasting frame?" I told him the story and then he asked if he could take it home and build it that night.

Well...what we get is a pretty cool fixed gear that seems to be part Klunker, part urban hipster mobile, part classic cruiser, and part PJ. I dig the bike and love how he contradicted the frame's "Coasting" name by fixing it.

Here are some pictures from our ride home:

Bikes + Books + Beer + Boys = our life (except the guys might want to replace boys with babes).

The unofficial Raleigh Klunker.

PJ rescued this little antenna man from the side of the road.

Almost 2 minutes after these pictures were taken, PJ got a flat. Hmmm...could it have been all the thorns he rode through?

It was so pleasant tonight that jeans, a sweatshirt and some light gloves did the trick.

After PJ and I parted ways, I finished my evening off with a sunset over the Olympic mountains.

Here's the video of the true KLUNKERZ:

SEATTLE BIKE EXPO GO-ERS

Get yourself a brand new Raleigh lid (the one in the picture) at the Expo - if you mention seeing this post, it's yours! Limited supply so come early.

SEE YA ALL THERE!

A NEW RIDING PARTNER

{words & video carey}

The days are getting longer and last night while rolling home solo I found a silent riding partner that accompanied me until the sun set.

The music flowing through my ipod at that moment was the perfect soundtrack to rolling with my shadow. Song: Always Fade Band: Low Album: Drums and Guns