Wangpig, the Belgians and I

That's who was out on the road most of the week. If there is an upside to getting laid off it would be that I have gotten to do some really good snow rides over the past week. Some on the cross bike, some on the mtb. There is something about riding in this weather that makes it better than summer. Speed does not matter, distance doesn't matter either, it's riding for the fun of riding. There is just something about suffering into a 15 mile per hour head wind, knowing that when you finally turn for home you're going to have it at your back. Or being on a section of trail and seeing no tire tracks in the snow in front of you.

Unemployed

Well I guess all good things must come to an end. As of 11/18/2008 I am offically on the roll's of the unemployed. I was laid off from Rayco. I can't really get upset about it, because if you look at what the econmy has been doing for the last year I guess I was lucky to have stayed with them for this long. So now I guess it's time to start job hunting. If anyone is looking for someone to run a manual lathe or other machine shop work let me know.

It used to take me really good chemicals

It used to take really good chemicals to see things like this, and then I was the only one who saw them.

To everything there is a season

A table full of home canned tomato products means that the annual Labor day weekend marathon canning session is over. Now there will homemade pasta sauces, pizza sauce and stewed tomatoes for another year .

The last 12 of Leinenkugel Sunset Wheat I could find means that summer is over.

The first 12 of Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale means that fall is here.

And a 12 of Fat Tire Ale means Whitney is back at college.

And a new pair of frogs for the cross bike means that Cyclocross season is finally here!!

Commuter

It all started in late May. Gas was fast approaching the 4 dollars per gallon mark and I was getting sick of paying. I had been saying for years that once the new US 30 was finished it would take most of the traffic away from the old route and I could start commuting, but somehow I never seemed to get it started. But like I said before, that all changed in late May.

I started out just riding one of my cyclocross bikes. I think of all the bikes I own this one has to be my favorite one. Since May, the bike has seen the addition of a full time rack and panniers. I am lucky to have a place at work to keep my uniforms and I can change there. But I still have to carry in lunch and coffee (I refuse to eat out of a vending machine and would sooner drink battery acid then have to drink vending machine coffee). And I will tell you that a thermos of coffee in a messenger bag is not a fun thing to have digging into your back.

Then, with a lot of talking, I was able to convince the wife that there wasn't much in town that we couldn't do by biking or walking.

Now, most weeks we do our grocery store run with 2 bikes and a trailer. I can manage to get a week's worth home without her needing to carry a pack. The Amish bulk store is on my commute home from work, so there is one less place to drive. And the wife works just down the road from one of the best meat markets in the area. So also, it's one less trip.

I have tried to talk her into riding to work, but she is still holding out. Something about it being uphill both ways or something like that.

I do drive to work one day a week, so I have the energy for the Wednesday night club ride.

These are a few of my favorite Things

The small white sign does not show up so good but the name of the store is Beer 4 Less.

This photo was taken in Erie PA just a few miles From Presqe Isle State park, The only thnig that would have made this area better would have been a place to ride cross across the street. But that would involve tearing down a strip mall and a couple of cheap motels. Maybe that would not be a bad thing after all.
Ron posted this one on the Orrville cycling foum, and I felt it necessary to repost it. The guy in the picture has a good idea, BUT notice there is no way to keep it cold. What if a system could be added to cool the beer with liquid nitrogen, that way you would not have to deal with the weight of ice and a tub to contain it. Also it needs a cup dispenser for those red plastic cups that draft is always served in.

I do work in a machine shop so this would be an easy project to fabricate. Now who has a matching pair of rock shocks they would like to contribute?

Its Tour Time Again

What will the scandal be this year? Who will be caught, and who will beat doping control?