Sunday....today was a bit of a test day, yesterday was pretty easy with just 45 minutes on the rollers. Today was to gauge my fitness a bit.
Today was an hour and half on the rollers with 6 four minute steady state intervals of 27 mph (51x16) at 107 rpm, 180 watts (according to Krietler's chart), with my heart rate running right about at 155 for the duration of the intervals.
Those hurt. Tomorrow will be an easy day on the rollers. I may start swimming over at The Park Place once or twice a week. Take a look at the Krietler review at http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/reviews/krietler/
Ride safe.
/dennis
Sunday, 21 December 2008
Friday, 19 December 2008
Wednesday - 2.5 hours. Tired Cowboy.
Thursday - a bit over an hour plus a yoga class in the evenng.
Friday - off.
Saturday: 2 hour with some 10 minute steady state intervals at 135-140 heart rate.
Watch here next week as Jeff and I start to develop my training schedule for January and Febuary. Jeff was 2006 Michigan State Road Race Elite Champ, a friend of mine, and was coached on-line by Chris Carmichael for 2 years
Tuesday, 16 December 2008
Monday I clocked a pretty easy 45minutes, it was a long day working, I was pretty tired all day anyway and Saturday it had been over two hours and Sunday was right at two hours. An easier day isn't bad.
Here's a shot of where I've been riding lately. This is at the far north end of the Mercado and that's our shop in the background. There's a box to step up on and a small fan jammed between the seat and the rear fender on my yellow Trek.
So today is Tuesday and I watched "The House of Flying Daggers" on my laptop which I put on a pedestal right in front of my front wheel. Easy, steady state stuff. One hour fifty minutes.
It's time to get some real data. My friend Jeff is bringing in his Powertap and I'm going to do some tests to see the watts at some different tire pressures. Kreitler says 128 watts at 20 mph - presumambly at 120 psi in n both tires. It'll be real easy to test that out with my geared bike and then drop the pressure by 5 psi and see the wattage requiredments there. That'll allow me to set some guidelines for intervals later. Of course I'll be using 23mm tires - Michelins on all these tests to keep those values constant.
Feeling good about all this right now. It's easy to keep going when you're doing this sort of thing on a regular basis. I was at 187 lbs on the scale this morning, and last night I bought a couple of badly needed new pants - flat fronts even. While they were still 36's, of the 5 styles I tried on they certainly were'nt the biggest 36s.....in fact the were about the slimmest pant cuts I've worn in a long lng time.
c-ya
Sunday, 14 December 2008
Starting over.....
Hey, ok, so this blog hasn't worked out the way I thought it would...even the whole "Staff Blogs" hasn't worked our the way I wanted. But here we go, perhaps a few of you will be interested in knowing what I'm actually doing "cycling wise" this winter.
I'm riding rollers pretty much every day right now, been doing it for just about a month now. I'm not entirely certain what my goals are for '09 right yet, there are quite a few possibilities....but what I am sure about is that I'm going to drop some weight over the winter and be rockin' when April gets here.
I've been riding 6 days a week for the last month, rarely less than an hour, and most days I've been getting in around two hours on a set of Kreitler 4.5" alloy rollers.
1st 3 weeks - The Alien I reviewed with a 46x16 at home .... ususllay watching a dvd on my lap top. Just riding easy, not specifically with any goals in wind other than to burn some calories. I went through a few Jackie Chan movies, Atonement, some others.
The last week - since we opened an actual store here in the building, I brought the rollers in, and I've been riding in the Mercado. I'll post some photos tomorrow perhaps. I've been dropping about a pound per week and right now I'm at 188+/-. The goal would be low 180's. When I raced in '00-'01 I was about 184, but I also know I needed to be lower than that back then. Who knows, ideal race weight for me is probably 175 or less, but at 63 I'd be really really hard pressed to get that low. We'll see what happens.
For now I'm going to keep up with the 1-2 hours a day and we'll see where it goes. Since I started riding in the Mercado last last week I've been riding the Milwaukee, first 49x16 and for the last few days with the 51x16. I'll also hook up the speedo, so I can give you all a better idea of speed, cadence, and likely power outputs.
For now, it's au revoir.
/dennis
I'm riding rollers pretty much every day right now, been doing it for just about a month now. I'm not entirely certain what my goals are for '09 right yet, there are quite a few possibilities....but what I am sure about is that I'm going to drop some weight over the winter and be rockin' when April gets here.
I've been riding 6 days a week for the last month, rarely less than an hour, and most days I've been getting in around two hours on a set of Kreitler 4.5" alloy rollers.
1st 3 weeks - The Alien I reviewed with a 46x16 at home .... ususllay watching a dvd on my lap top. Just riding easy, not specifically with any goals in wind other than to burn some calories. I went through a few Jackie Chan movies, Atonement, some others.
The last week - since we opened an actual store here in the building, I brought the rollers in, and I've been riding in the Mercado. I'll post some photos tomorrow perhaps. I've been dropping about a pound per week and right now I'm at 188+/-. The goal would be low 180's. When I raced in '00-'01 I was about 184, but I also know I needed to be lower than that back then. Who knows, ideal race weight for me is probably 175 or less, but at 63 I'd be really really hard pressed to get that low. We'll see what happens.
For now I'm going to keep up with the 1-2 hours a day and we'll see where it goes. Since I started riding in the Mercado last last week I've been riding the Milwaukee, first 49x16 and for the last few days with the 51x16. I'll also hook up the speedo, so I can give you all a better idea of speed, cadence, and likely power outputs.
For now, it's au revoir.
/dennis
Sunday, 12 October 2008
Todd Springer's Wood Kiln
Hey Todd's got his wood kiln just about done, and it's time to cut wood for an October 25th first firing. Todd figgers he'll need 10 face cords, and the firing (to 2,380F) will take 3 days. So here's some photos.....
I decided to ride out to his farm on Old Mission Peninsula, about 10 miles from town. Here's riding east on Washington St.....lots of people out on bikes today.
And some walking.
Nope I'm not riding a fixed gear bike today, plenty of weather for that still to come.
Control panel.
The bomb.
Hell-Yes
Todd Springer
Nick
The view back to Traverse City
Todd's CSA Garden
His 104 year old barn.
Walking down to the kiln.
There's the chimney....
Unloading wood and catching rays.
Todd's new kiln.
I'll be posting some more photos during the firing...of the pots going in and the frantic stoking during the firing.
And here's a video of riding down Peninsula Drive on the way back.
Stay tuned.
I decided to ride out to his farm on Old Mission Peninsula, about 10 miles from town. Here's riding east on Washington St.....lots of people out on bikes today.
And some walking.
Nope I'm not riding a fixed gear bike today, plenty of weather for that still to come.
Control panel.
The bomb.
Hell-Yes
Todd Springer
Nick
The view back to Traverse City
Todd's CSA Garden
His 104 year old barn.
Walking down to the kiln.
There's the chimney....
Unloading wood and catching rays.
Todd's new kiln.
I'll be posting some more photos during the firing...of the pots going in and the frantic stoking during the firing.
And here's a video of riding down Peninsula Drive on the way back.
Stay tuned.
Friday, 26 September 2008
Hot and a cold,
As I was getting off the plane here in Las Vegas for Interbike, I though: "Hmmm, am I getting a scratchy throat?" Sure enough over the next 12 hours the truth be known. Yes, whether it was a post-exercise-induced ailment, or just a regular cold, or a reaction to the forced air on the airplane I did come down with a cold. Damn.
The good news is that the worst part was Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning....now by Friday I'm feeling a great bit better, and this trip was not a time for feeling down on one's self. (the Debate just finished and I'm writing this at the World's Largest Super 8 Motel, pretty cool huh?)
I won't post a bunch of photos here, you'll have to go to www.fixedgeargallery.com to see some of the (eventually) 500+ photos from Interbike.
Last evening there were two major events:
1.The Finals of the US Criterium Series in the parking lot behind Mandalay Bay. Ten thousand people screaming...local Michigan man Mark Hekman from Grand Rapids at or near the front throughout the 60 lap race including taking a $500 Prime with about 8 laps to go. Nothing like a 6'5" red-bearded viking-lookalike to put some fear in the peleton.
2. Next up was an Alley Cat sponsored by Mash. 5 miles straight down Las Vegas Boulevard with a finish at Mandalay Bay. No brakes allowed, no brains a requirement. Sorry if I'm coming along a bit strong about it, but putting people's lives in danger for a winner-take-all $1,000.00 prize is, well, irresponsible. Want to force municipalities to outlaw alley cats? Here's the best way. Gallery advertiser, Rich Craig from ProWheelBuilder competed and finished 10th (or so, he thought) by taking a little traveled industrial drive that added a mile or so, but allowed this Cat 2 road racer to put the hammer down on a 53x16. What Rich didn't count on was having to ride right through a casino because there was a Boulevard checkpoint for which he missed the sidestreet (local knowledge is always a bonus in any alleycat.)
a shot from the women's race..........
and the last 2 laps of the men's crit filmed off the big screen.....
The good news is that the worst part was Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning....now by Friday I'm feeling a great bit better, and this trip was not a time for feeling down on one's self. (the Debate just finished and I'm writing this at the World's Largest Super 8 Motel, pretty cool huh?)
I won't post a bunch of photos here, you'll have to go to www.fixedgeargallery.com to see some of the (eventually) 500+ photos from Interbike.
Last evening there were two major events:
1.The Finals of the US Criterium Series in the parking lot behind Mandalay Bay. Ten thousand people screaming...local Michigan man Mark Hekman from Grand Rapids at or near the front throughout the 60 lap race including taking a $500 Prime with about 8 laps to go. Nothing like a 6'5" red-bearded viking-lookalike to put some fear in the peleton.
2. Next up was an Alley Cat sponsored by Mash. 5 miles straight down Las Vegas Boulevard with a finish at Mandalay Bay. No brakes allowed, no brains a requirement. Sorry if I'm coming along a bit strong about it, but putting people's lives in danger for a winner-take-all $1,000.00 prize is, well, irresponsible. Want to force municipalities to outlaw alley cats? Here's the best way. Gallery advertiser, Rich Craig from ProWheelBuilder competed and finished 10th (or so, he thought) by taking a little traveled industrial drive that added a mile or so, but allowed this Cat 2 road racer to put the hammer down on a 53x16. What Rich didn't count on was having to ride right through a casino because there was a Boulevard checkpoint for which he missed the sidestreet (local knowledge is always a bonus in any alleycat.)
a shot from the women's race..........
and the last 2 laps of the men's crit filmed off the big screen.....
Sunday, 21 September 2008
A long weekend....
Among the ten thousand other things that happened over the weekend, there was a criterium here in Traverse City on Saturday - the 1st downtown race in many many years. http://www.cherry-roubaix.com/
Always wanting to support local events, I figgered I'd better pony up an entry for myself. No crit specialist I, and without a current USCF license (I was a Cat 4 in '01, tho I raced only in Masters 55+ events) , I check off the box for the dreaded Cat 5/Citizen's Class - a field that could be fun and could be a train wreck. Hey folks, I'm not likely to be even remotely competitive since half of the field is nearly 1/3 my age!
The course included a few blocks of brick streets, six turns, and a pretty fast short course. No, they wouldn't let me ride a fixed gear - This was the 1st year for this event and if the city had allowed the street closures to be a bit earlier, the organizers would have included a fixed gear class !!!!! There's always next year.
My only goal was to put in a few laps, heep the rubber down, and be alive for Sunday's hilly fixed century with Lost Gears at the Leelanua Harvest Tour in Leelanau County. (more about that later)
So, for the Criterium - Goals accomplished, crashes avoided, dead last finish.
Sunday sees LostGears and I headed 25 miles out to Glen Lake School for the Leelanau Harvest Tour. In 1991 I rode my first full century at the LHT, and in 2001 I rode my first fixed gear century at this event.
So, as usual LostGears honks his way up every hill and stretches my tongue to the max in the early miles. Somehow we'd missed hooking up with my geared friends...did they ride the Metric? At the first food stop at 22miles My rear tire blows, and we screw with that for way way too long and finally see a sidewall tear in the Continental 2000. Yikes - some pretty fast spun-out descents we'd already ridden today. Better to have a blowout at a food stop we all said.
Maybe we missed my friends along in here somewhere, nevertheless, a gorgeous day. Lost Gears riding his Coppi with a 42x15 and me on the Milwaukee with a 49x16. We were suitably wasted at the finish - maybe I'll scrounge up some photos, neither of us packed a camera for either event.
Off to Las Vegas on Tuesday morning for Interbike, and Lost Gears is off Monday morning for Virginia. Here in Michigan it's about to turn colder. We'll be riding in the woods before long.
Always wanting to support local events, I figgered I'd better pony up an entry for myself. No crit specialist I, and without a current USCF license (I was a Cat 4 in '01, tho I raced only in Masters 55+ events) , I check off the box for the dreaded Cat 5/Citizen's Class - a field that could be fun and could be a train wreck. Hey folks, I'm not likely to be even remotely competitive since half of the field is nearly 1/3 my age!
The course included a few blocks of brick streets, six turns, and a pretty fast short course. No, they wouldn't let me ride a fixed gear - This was the 1st year for this event and if the city had allowed the street closures to be a bit earlier, the organizers would have included a fixed gear class !!!!! There's always next year.
My only goal was to put in a few laps, heep the rubber down, and be alive for Sunday's hilly fixed century with Lost Gears at the Leelanua Harvest Tour in Leelanau County. (more about that later)
So, for the Criterium - Goals accomplished, crashes avoided, dead last finish.
Sunday sees LostGears and I headed 25 miles out to Glen Lake School for the Leelanau Harvest Tour. In 1991 I rode my first full century at the LHT, and in 2001 I rode my first fixed gear century at this event.
So, as usual LostGears honks his way up every hill and stretches my tongue to the max in the early miles. Somehow we'd missed hooking up with my geared friends...did they ride the Metric? At the first food stop at 22miles My rear tire blows, and we screw with that for way way too long and finally see a sidewall tear in the Continental 2000. Yikes - some pretty fast spun-out descents we'd already ridden today. Better to have a blowout at a food stop we all said.
Maybe we missed my friends along in here somewhere, nevertheless, a gorgeous day. Lost Gears riding his Coppi with a 42x15 and me on the Milwaukee with a 49x16. We were suitably wasted at the finish - maybe I'll scrounge up some photos, neither of us packed a camera for either event.
Off to Las Vegas on Tuesday morning for Interbike, and Lost Gears is off Monday morning for Virginia. Here in Michigan it's about to turn colder. We'll be riding in the woods before long.
Wednesday, 3 September 2008
Thought I'd share a couple of the postcards that I've gotten from viewers lately. {click the postcards for enlargements}
Dennis - I love the site! I haven't put up my bikes up yet, but I will soon. I saw thought you'd like it. Please post if you can.
Nick O'Brien - Valparaisa, Chile - Louisville, Kentucky
Next up.........
This from Tracy Halacinski from Denver Colorado.
Dennis & Katy
Thank you for being such gracious hosts for the informal fixedgear get together last week. As always, it was a great time. The only downside is having to come home and face reality. Katy, thank you for the "Cardinal & Pals" - how thoughtful of you and I love it. I can listen and think of Michigan any time. Again Thank you.
Same time next year...
Tracy
Dennis - I love the site! I haven't put up my bikes up yet, but I will soon. I saw thought you'd like it. Please post if you can.
Nick O'Brien - Valparaisa, Chile - Louisville, Kentucky
Next up.........
This from Tracy Halacinski from Denver Colorado.
Dennis & Katy
Thank you for being such gracious hosts for the informal fixedgear get together last week. As always, it was a great time. The only downside is having to come home and face reality. Katy, thank you for the "Cardinal & Pals" - how thoughtful of you and I love it. I can listen and think of Michigan any time. Again Thank you.
Same time next year...
Tracy
Tuesday, 19 August 2008
HammerSchmidt
One of our viewers, Brandon, alerted me to this new piece of mechanical gear from TruVativ - While it doesn't say anywhere in this Cycling News article if there is any freewheel capability, I don't think there's anything in the expoded views that even remotely looks like pawls.
click here to go the Cyclingnews.com article.
As Brandon says "Maybe we don’t have to wait for SunRace/Sturmey to re-make the ASC after all…"
click here to go the Cyclingnews.com article.
As Brandon says "Maybe we don’t have to wait for SunRace/Sturmey to re-make the ASC after all…"
Monday, 18 August 2008
On inflation and kissing the Moose.
Last Tuesday after our Tues/FG ride, Erin and Carl and I decided to go get something to eat and a beer. Where to go?
Hmm, someone said "Let's go to Sleder's." I've been going there for bean soup for 40 years, hadn't been there for a while, so we all agreed and off we went.
Talking and laughing about the ride while we ordered, we were having a good time. Carl ordered a Newcastle and I said the same. Erin ordered an appetizer like fried mushrooms or something and we each ordered a burger and fries or onion rings. We glanced through the menu - I remember seeing 1/3 lb Olive Burger $7.50 and thought that looked good. The food came, we wolfed it down, laughing about all the times I'd taken them down to the skatepark in Kalamazoo when they were in Junior High (both 25 now) and about Spencer breaking his collarbone, etc.
So eventually we're done and the bill comes and it's 68 bucks !!!! (and some change)
I'm looking at it and they say "what's wrong?" I pass the bill and we all look at amazement at the totals. Mind you this is your basic 1890 bar/restaurant with stuffed animals on the walls, century-old bar front, and the same table and chairs as been here since I first had luch here in 1971 or so.
Yup:
Newcastle - $7
Olive Burger - %7.50
Deluxe - $4 EXTRA
Fries - $4 EXTRA
We coulda gone to 20 other (nicer) places in town Patisserie Ami, Stella, name it and we could have had way better for $5 less - mind you his was basic burger, fries, and a beer.
What's that kinda stuff cost where you live?
Fuck Sleder's is what I say
Last Tuesday after our Tues/FG ride, Erin and Carl and I decided to go get something to eat and a beer. Where to go?
Hmm, someone said "Let's go to Sleder's." I've been going there for bean soup for 40 years, hadn't been there for a while, so we all agreed and off we went.
Talking and laughing about the ride while we ordered, we were having a good time. Carl ordered a Newcastle and I said the same. Erin ordered an appetizer like fried mushrooms or something and we each ordered a burger and fries or onion rings. We glanced through the menu - I remember seeing 1/3 lb Olive Burger $7.50 and thought that looked good. The food came, we wolfed it down, laughing about all the times I'd taken them down to the skatepark in Kalamazoo when they were in Junior High (both 25 now) and about Spencer breaking his collarbone, etc.
So eventually we're done and the bill comes and it's 68 bucks !!!! (and some change)
I'm looking at it and they say "what's wrong?" I pass the bill and we all look at amazement at the totals. Mind you this is your basic 1890 bar/restaurant with stuffed animals on the walls, century-old bar front, and the same table and chairs as been here since I first had luch here in 1971 or so.
Yup:
Newcastle - $7
Olive Burger - %7.50
Deluxe - $4 EXTRA
Fries - $4 EXTRA
We coulda gone to 20 other (nicer) places in town Patisserie Ami, Stella, name it and we could have had way better for $5 less - mind you his was basic burger, fries, and a beer.
What's that kinda stuff cost where you live?
Fuck Sleder's is what I say
Sunday, 3 August 2008
Harry Manx and Dawn Campbell
DUNEGRASS FESTIVAL- Empire Michigan
Sunburn city...........................o'yeah......
I'm a new fan of Harry Manx - he's been around for quite a while I guess, really, what the hell do I know about anything anyway. Cripes there's only 24 hours n the day, ya'know.
Anyway, lots of his CDs available on-line - Nice website - fantastic picker. Dobro, slide, and zillion-stringed Indian guitar. Wow. Here's a clip.................btw, I rode out to Empire and back today, sorry not fg tho, a bit too hilly, and I was trying to make good time. 2007 Symp attendees will remember the route out to Glen Have and know why I rode geared.
Anyway, once I got back around 6pm and upload Monday's bikes, it was time for the closing party for the Traverse City Film Festival right here on the lawn outside my window. Michael Moore, Madonna (nope, sorry she was her last night and gone today) tho Katy has been the house manager for the State Theatre (midnight shift till 2 am) and she actually saw Madonna last night at the premier for her new docmentary - Katy was not exactly thrilled as you might imagine) - anyway the closing party was tonight - Ken and Sara Heike form OK City arrived early for the Faux-Symp and attended tho they seemed to disappear a bit early -- they flew in today - a little jet lag Ken?
Anyway, if you look at Hell-Yes and see Colin wearing the One World Army Tee - this is his mom singing at the party - o'yes, it's his mom.............Dawn Campbell - she totally rocks it out, eh?
o sorry to ramble a bit, it's 12:13 and I've been up since 8 and too much vodka (again) from Grand Traverse Distillery http://www.grandtraversedistillery.com/
These youtube videos are taking so long to upload I might have to go over to Left Foot Charley's for the afterglow - look-out boys, it's just a few wine chasers.
See ya, have a great week.....................................
/d
Next in my non-stop partying this week
Sunburn city...........................o'yeah......
I'm a new fan of Harry Manx - he's been around for quite a while I guess, really, what the hell do I know about anything anyway. Cripes there's only 24 hours n the day, ya'know.
Anyway, lots of his CDs available on-line - Nice website - fantastic picker. Dobro, slide, and zillion-stringed Indian guitar. Wow. Here's a clip.................btw, I rode out to Empire and back today, sorry not fg tho, a bit too hilly, and I was trying to make good time. 2007 Symp attendees will remember the route out to Glen Have and know why I rode geared.
Anyway, once I got back around 6pm and upload Monday's bikes, it was time for the closing party for the Traverse City Film Festival right here on the lawn outside my window. Michael Moore, Madonna (nope, sorry she was her last night and gone today) tho Katy has been the house manager for the State Theatre (midnight shift till 2 am) and she actually saw Madonna last night at the premier for her new docmentary - Katy was not exactly thrilled as you might imagine) - anyway the closing party was tonight - Ken and Sara Heike form OK City arrived early for the Faux-Symp and attended tho they seemed to disappear a bit early -- they flew in today - a little jet lag Ken?
Anyway, if you look at Hell-Yes and see Colin wearing the One World Army Tee - this is his mom singing at the party - o'yes, it's his mom.............Dawn Campbell - she totally rocks it out, eh?
o sorry to ramble a bit, it's 12:13 and I've been up since 8 and too much vodka (again) from Grand Traverse Distillery http://www.grandtraversedistillery.com/
These youtube videos are taking so long to upload I might have to go over to Left Foot Charley's for the afterglow - look-out boys, it's just a few wine chasers.
See ya, have a great week.....................................
/d
Next in my non-stop partying this week
Saturday, 2 August 2008
Anvil
Many of you know that this week it's been all about the Traverse City Film Festival - trying to organize one's life around a five day deluge of great films that you're not likely to see anywhere besides Cannes, Aspen, or Toronto. Thanks to Michael Moore, who just happens to live here, we've been lucky to see Borat (even before the US premier), Kite Runner, and way too many other films to tell you about in this little blog. This is the 4th year for the TCFF and it's bigger and better than ever.
Films I've seen this week include Up The Yangstze..... an astonishing documentary about the ongoing Three Gorges Dam project on the Yangtze, China's longest river.
Four Months, Three Weeks, and Two Days which is against a stark, urban backdrop in late-80’s Romania (two years before revolution removed communist leader Ceausescu from power), this masterful film follows the college student Otilia (in an Oscar-worthy performance by Anamaria Marinca) as she helps her roommate Gabita procure an abortion from the black market. Mongol : Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign film, this stunning epic action film by acclaimed Russian director Sergei Bodrov recounts the formative years of a young Genghis Khan.
But maybe the one film that stuck the deepest was the one I saw last night. Ever heard of the band Anvil? Me neither.
Their story is simply what we all face in our lives - the need to do something worthwhile and to have people like and respect what we do. To get real philosophical about it....it's the human struggle.
From the on-line notes for the TCFF......................
Even if you are about as metal as your aunt, you will be spellbound by "Anvil! The Story of Anvil," which is not just much better than most music documentaries, it's much better than most documentaries, period. You will laugh, but you will also be inspired to think and feel, and perhaps you will be literally moved to the edge of tears by the complicated-simple, stupid-smart, goofy-serious story that it tells thanks to Sacha Gervasi's inspired and impressive direction. Anvil, a band known as the “demigods of Canadian metal,” released one of the heaviest albums in metal history, 1982’s "Metal on Metal." The album influenced a musical generation, including Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax, and went on to sell millions of records. This amazing documentary follows the criminally overlooked Canadian band -- a group whose core members started playing together in high school and are still going strong 35 years later. After nearly making it big, sharing the stage with acts like Whitesnake and Bon Jovi, the band has continually fallen just short of stardom, but hasn't given up on the rock-n-roll dream. A touching portrait of this real-life Spinal Tap, the film focuses equal attention on music, friendship, and the blood, sweat, and tears that have gone into keeping this duo together for decades. Winner of the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the L.A. Film Festival, the Galway Film Festival, and others. Following both screenings of the film, the band will perform a short live set on stage. And catch them later on Friday night at Union Street. This is a rare event not to be missed."
Metal On Metal .....1983
Their latest album is available on-line at www.anvilmetal.com
Many of you know that this week it's been all about the Traverse City Film Festival - trying to organize one's life around a five day deluge of great films that you're not likely to see anywhere besides Cannes, Aspen, or Toronto. Thanks to Michael Moore, who just happens to live here, we've been lucky to see Borat (even before the US premier), Kite Runner, and way too many other films to tell you about in this little blog. This is the 4th year for the TCFF and it's bigger and better than ever.
Films I've seen this week include Up The Yangstze..... an astonishing documentary about the ongoing Three Gorges Dam project on the Yangtze, China's longest river.
Four Months, Three Weeks, and Two Days which is against a stark, urban backdrop in late-80’s Romania (two years before revolution removed communist leader Ceausescu from power), this masterful film follows the college student Otilia (in an Oscar-worthy performance by Anamaria Marinca) as she helps her roommate Gabita procure an abortion from the black market. Mongol : Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign film, this stunning epic action film by acclaimed Russian director Sergei Bodrov recounts the formative years of a young Genghis Khan.
But maybe the one film that stuck the deepest was the one I saw last night. Ever heard of the band Anvil? Me neither.
Their story is simply what we all face in our lives - the need to do something worthwhile and to have people like and respect what we do. To get real philosophical about it....it's the human struggle.
From the on-line notes for the TCFF......................
Even if you are about as metal as your aunt, you will be spellbound by "Anvil! The Story of Anvil," which is not just much better than most music documentaries, it's much better than most documentaries, period. You will laugh, but you will also be inspired to think and feel, and perhaps you will be literally moved to the edge of tears by the complicated-simple, stupid-smart, goofy-serious story that it tells thanks to Sacha Gervasi's inspired and impressive direction. Anvil, a band known as the “demigods of Canadian metal,” released one of the heaviest albums in metal history, 1982’s "Metal on Metal." The album influenced a musical generation, including Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax, and went on to sell millions of records. This amazing documentary follows the criminally overlooked Canadian band -- a group whose core members started playing together in high school and are still going strong 35 years later. After nearly making it big, sharing the stage with acts like Whitesnake and Bon Jovi, the band has continually fallen just short of stardom, but hasn't given up on the rock-n-roll dream. A touching portrait of this real-life Spinal Tap, the film focuses equal attention on music, friendship, and the blood, sweat, and tears that have gone into keeping this duo together for decades. Winner of the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the L.A. Film Festival, the Galway Film Festival, and others. Following both screenings of the film, the band will perform a short live set on stage. And catch them later on Friday night at Union Street. This is a rare event not to be missed."
Metal On Metal .....1983
Their latest album is available on-line at www.anvilmetal.com
Friday, 25 July 2008
I am so swamped, sorry to not have written anything here in WEEKS!!
Anyway, we had an alley cat under the full moon last Friday which was preceeded by an altercation with a marina security guard: nobody tells ME to get off the sidewalk or mind my own business - well, he coulda done it if he was packin' a sidearm....but he wasn't, so he couldn't...........
Read about it http://bikeriot.ning.com/forum/topic/show?id=2178496%3ATopic%3A601
Tonight is a critical mass downtown. After a couple of years of two-person CMs, we're finally getin' some response and participation. We had 50 last month. Yes, rght here in River City (as they say).
Tonight looks clear and warm - altogether a good night comin.'
Read about all that stuff here at M'Lynn's web project .................
http://www.traversealive.com/
Our shop is now open and the Hell Yes site is up and running. We're almost sold out on a few things already.
The CM was good and uneventful except for the Jeep that sat on his horn and he rolled right thru our group, think we need a couple city cops to join us, we already had a couple trial lawyers and our local bike trail EO along tonight.
Anyway, we had an alley cat under the full moon last Friday which was preceeded by an altercation with a marina security guard: nobody tells ME to get off the sidewalk or mind my own business - well, he coulda done it if he was packin' a sidearm....but he wasn't, so he couldn't...........
Read about it http://bikeriot.ning.com/forum/topic/show?id=2178496%3ATopic%3A601
Tonight is a critical mass downtown. After a couple of years of two-person CMs, we're finally getin' some response and participation. We had 50 last month. Yes, rght here in River City (as they say).
Tonight looks clear and warm - altogether a good night comin.'
Read about all that stuff here at M'Lynn's web project .................
http://www.traversealive.com/
Our shop is now open and the Hell Yes site is up and running. We're almost sold out on a few things already.
The CM was good and uneventful except for the Jeep that sat on his horn and he rolled right thru our group, think we need a couple city cops to join us, we already had a couple trial lawyers and our local bike trail EO along tonight.
Monday, 7 July 2008
So....I been lying' low since the cancellation of the Symposium last Monday.
I'd say most of the folks who've been here before understand and ..... if y'all were here last year you know that it really couldn't have been improved. Well, maybe free beer - that would be an improvement.
Registration was at only 9 people (yes, I know many of you were just waiting.....for) Well, I'd been worried all year that gas prices, and lack of camping this year would bring the numbers way down. So last Monday was the day I needed to write a check for event insurance, tent deposits, etc. I doubt that gas prices will fall, but maybe another event sometime in the fur=ture. In the meantime, you're still welcome here in in Traverse City anytime, but especially this August.
I'd say most of the folks who've been here before understand and ..... if y'all were here last year you know that it really couldn't have been improved. Well, maybe free beer - that would be an improvement.
Registration was at only 9 people (yes, I know many of you were just waiting.....for) Well, I'd been worried all year that gas prices, and lack of camping this year would bring the numbers way down. So last Monday was the day I needed to write a check for event insurance, tent deposits, etc. I doubt that gas prices will fall, but maybe another event sometime in the fur=ture. In the meantime, you're still welcome here in in Traverse City anytime, but especially this August.
Thursday, 3 July 2008
Tuesday, 1 July 2008
Freakin' busy day today.
A copy of "The Ride" arrived today. 145 pages, lots and lots of photos, over 50 short stories (I even wrote one + Richard Risemberg, and many others). It's issue #1 from Philip and Andrew Diprose from Great Britain. Check it out - just 1,000 copies 
available at 7pounds.
available at 7pounds.A 56cm Ritchey Break-Away Track showed up at the office door today, so I had to put it together and give it a test, right? First Nils and I rode up to Suttons Bay, we probably rode 30 miles, Nils on his Marinoni with 49x16 (15?) and me with a 34x14 YOW? Good for my spin Nils says. Also good for just burying me on every downhill. I forced him onto the Leelanau Trail (unpaved two-track) for about a mile. He says he was taking it easy because he didn't want to flat. I think he was just scared to wind out that big gear. We got back about 6, and then I hooked up with a much younger group of fg folk and took them up Paper Birch Dr and back. We did a few fairly fast laps around a residential block - they'd never ridden a paceline fast through 
corners. Shit they did pretty good, thought it was pretty ok. Showed them how to ride in a chevron in a crosswind, few other things. We rode about 15 miles or so, 4 of the 5 had never ridden that far before. They were all about 20, except Erin - he's 24 I think. Wore 'em out.
corners. Shit they did pretty good, thought it was pretty ok. Showed them how to ride in a chevron in a crosswind, few other things. We rode about 15 miles or so, 4 of the 5 had never ridden that far before. They were all about 20, except Erin - he's 24 I think. Wore 'em out.
Earlier in the ride we bumped into Jonathan and Mark doing some Trials riding on the steps at a law office. Jona
than is damn 
good. But look at that bike he's got.
than is damn 
good. But look at that bike he's got.Monday, 30 June 2008
Sunday, 29 June 2008
Stuff on the road. I've often thought about having a contest for weird stuff that you'd find riding a bike on the road.I found this thing today riding on the Peninsula. I was riding (jra) out by Old Mission Tavern and the shadows from the trees on the west side of M-37 made shadows on the 10' wide paved shoulder. You always need to be extra cautious if you're riding fast - watch for junk. I barely missed this thing and it looked so ominous that I turned around to see if it was a dried leaf or what.
Image what would have happened if I'd drilled this thing?
Keep "your eyes peeled."
...................................................
It’s spelled peeled, as in peeling an apple. It derives from an old verb pill, “to plunder”, which is the root of our modern word pillage.
It came to us from the Latin root pilare, meaning “to take the hair off, pluck” (closely connected with our depilate), but which also had the figurative meaning of “plunder, cheat”, almost exactly the same as the figurative meaning of our modern verbs fleece or pluck.
From about the 17th century on, pill was commonly spelled peel and took on the sense of “to remove or strip” in the weakened sense of removing an outer covering, such as a fruit. The figurative sense of keeping alert, by removing any covering of the eye that might impede vision, seems to have appeared in the US about 1850.
..............................................
In Charles Earle Funk's book "Heaven's to Betsy" on words and their origins he writes: To be very observant or extremely alert; to keep a sharp lookout. No record of this American expression has been turned up earlier than 1833, but the fact that it then appeared in a newspaper (The Political Examiner, of Shelbyville, Kentucky) is a fair indication that it was already well known to any reader. The meaning was not explained. The passage read: "I wish I may be shot if I don't think you had better keep your eyes skinned so that you can look powerful sharp, lest we get rowed up the river this heat." That is all Mr. Funk wrote on the matter. As to the expression itself, I think it's self-explanatory.
...............................................
To keep one's eyes peeled means to be alert, observant. This seems an odd phrase, but dates back to the 1820s in Britain, when Sir Robert Peel established the first organised police force. The officers were known as 'peelers, or 'bobbies'. They were expected to be particularly observant and to keep their eyes 'peeled', after their founder's orders! Of the two popular names, only 'bobby' survives.
.................................................
That's enough school work for tonoght. Ride safe.
Saturday, 28 June 2008
Last night we had a CM downtown, in part led by LostGears, who has sponsored a raffle at each CM for a new, top model helmet. Either use it yourself or give it to someone who needs it. Anyway, we had about 70 - 75 people riding - that's damn good for up here.
So, I was supposed to drive down Saturday morning to Indianapolis to see Don Walker and ride the N.I.T.E. ride on Saturday night. Don's probably wondering what happened to me because I should be rolling into Indy just about now.
I was in my car headed home last night (bike in the back seat, laptop, camera, clothes, just about everything I needed to roll to Indy. Listening to BBC News and there was an interview with a British National who was rounded up and sent to Guantanamo for 6 years - 3 1/2 of it in Solitary - never charged (he would not describe his imprisonment or interrogations) and then abruptly released to the Saudis where he was kept for another 4 months before being released. I decided right then and there that I was going to a demonstration at Division and the Parkway at 10am instead.
We've generally kept politics out of the Gallery and the Forum, but I thought I'd better explain my absence in Indianapolis. Sorry Don, I'll make it down there one of these days.
So, I was supposed to drive down Saturday morning to Indianapolis to see Don Walker and ride the N.I.T.E. ride on Saturday night. Don's probably wondering what happened to me because I should be rolling into Indy just about now.
I was in my car headed home last night (bike in the back seat, laptop, camera, clothes, just about everything I needed to roll to Indy. Listening to BBC News and there was an interview with a British National who was rounded up and sent to Guantanamo for 6 years - 3 1/2 of it in Solitary - never charged (he would not describe his imprisonment or interrogations) and then abruptly released to the Saudis where he was kept for another 4 months before being released. I decided right then and there that I was going to a demonstration at Division and the Parkway at 10am instead.
We've generally kept politics out of the Gallery and the Forum, but I thought I'd better explain my absence in Indianapolis. Sorry Don, I'll make it down there one of these days.
Friday, 27 June 2008
People been askin' about the Swamp Donkey, so here's some photos. Yes, I know the chain is a bit slack, I need to file out the vertical dropouts a bit more, or toss on a new chain, but at least the drivetrain is quiet. A stick derailled the chain last night, but if you'd seen the trails we rode you'd be thinkin' "only once?"
Where'd the name come from? I thought it up back in 2000 (or at least I think I did anyway) An internet search back then yielded the info that it was a local term in Liverpool for a Lady of the Night - anyone out there from Liverpool who wants to confirm that?
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