There's No Excuse
Hey! My bike has been down for a full-blown rebuild and paint job and the weather around here has been weirdly wet and all that equals No Riding which usually means I compensate by doubling my already prodigious alcohol intake and the blurry keyboard makes composition difficult...
I Blame Mitt
Plus the election brouhaha nonsense is making me crazy and I have been listening to National Public Radio at work which usually leaves me suicidal by quitting time.
How I Spent My Summer Vacation
But the future is bright! Tomorrow the Old Schwinn will be finally ready for a photo shoot even if I ain't: a month or so of no riding has left my ass as wide as a, uh, wider than a, wait...well it got big and a few days ago at the end of a six-day weekend involving whiskey, beer, really cheap wine, store-bought pizza and wings and peanut M&M's and lots of broken glass, in a moment of despair over my Lack of Style I decided to give myself a haircut. Now my dog barks at me when I come into the trailer and then, to make matters even more worser, I accidentally, (while trying to perfect some new dance that is all the rage in Korea or France or one of them places), lost my balance and stepped on her tail and so she packed up her things and moved back in with the Blonde.
Lonely is the Haunted
Enough is enough: the dog is gone and the Voice ain't talking to me and the bike will be ready and I really, really need to get back on the Road. Until then, my friend George Hahn put this up on his site today and I promptly stole it. Here it is:So until I get some miles under me and something bicycle related to tell about hang in there: my recent decline was actually all about missing Interbike this year and when I pout, I can really pout.
Whispering Pines Trailer Park and Halfway House
#79
Tim Joe,
ReplyDeleteI was pleased to stumble upon you newly posted wisdom as bedtime approached here in the Hoosierland.
Your words resonated with me on several levels, and I followed all the links. Earlier today, I read a newspaper article about the Gangnam video gone viral. In typical American fashion about all I remembered from the article was that the video featured pretty women, so I clicked that link first.
If I were not so tired, I would blather on.
Ride that Schwinn on the morrow. Then, please post photos of its resurrected glory for all to see.
Thanks for the Words,
Bill Hopp, the Anonymous Hoosier
Thanks for sticking with me, Sir Bill. The funk is clearing and Daisy the Yellow Dog and I are going to counseling. I have promised not to practice my Gangnam Style while wearing wooden clogs, Every relationship takes work.
ReplyDeletetj
TPC you got on the board for September! I will echo the Anonymous Hoosier - Ride that bike and get some photos up ;-).
ReplyDeleteBy what diabolical means did you stretch a regular weekend into 6 days? I got to get me one of those 6 day weekends.
Tailwinds Velo Brother
I got a special pass from Captain Morgan, Jim Beam and the Gallo Brothers. After they signed off I contacted my Lawyer and my Bondsman and I was all set for blastoff.
ReplyDeleteNow I am sterilized, vaccinated and immune to Seasonal Affective Disorder, and ready to Ride, Captain Ride. I am lengthening the chain and installing as we speak.
tj
Wow TJ...a month (or so) of no riding...that equals some serious pain in my book (on many levels). I've noticed how much harder it is (on an exponential scale) to 'come back' after even some fairly short downtime. I recently had 2 weeks off the bike, and it felt like it took a month or more of my hard-won fitness.
ReplyDeleteIs that pic your steed in it's new clothes? Looky how clean the cassette and chain are (new?) N w/colored cable housings and all...purty! She looks ready to take on some high-zoot carbon wonder-bikes!
Anyway, glad to hear your time of no wheels is over...that's some serious purgatory for sure! And nothing cures the dreaded election year blues better than some 'bugs in ur teeth time'.
Glad to hear you're making it right w/ Daisy. I've found (w/ our three fur-babies) that sharing some chicken is all it takes for an apology. They're very forgiving and understanding. And always wanting more chicken. And beef. And pizza. And ANYTHING else that I'm eating.
Be safe out there!
Matt, it's pieces of hot dog that turns the trick with the Yellow Dog. No riding for me has always been tragic, especially as I find my mind playing tricks on me, telling me that sitting around boozing it up is WAY better than pedaling and sweating and dodging homicidal truck drivers. (Actually I find I get more respect from the pick-ups than I do from these new "cross-over' vehicles. Not sure why. But the most dangerous four wheel menace of all is the Prius. I never hear them coming...they're just THERE!)
DeleteWhere was I?
That chain and cassette have over 2500 miles on them, a tribute to the wonders of SRAM and a little periodic maintenance. The beautiful shine is the result of a miracle product called Simple Green and about ten minutes with a toothbrush. Cool, Huh? Thanks for dropping by. I'll be by the Inane Asylum later.
yer pal, tj