I took the SOS ride today and while I wasn't super strong, it didn't kill me either. There were a couple longer rests than normal and one impromptu, mid-climb wheeze-fest, but really, I'm way better than I was on Tuesday night coming home from (my *last*) BAB meeting where I nearly scared myself in fear of collapsing and dying.
So, back into the fray. I'm going to take it pretty easy this week. I'm going to enjoy the commute, no hard and fast hills. I'm on deck for a weekend in Seattle with Alex and Co. We're doing a version of this ride, but with base-camping and like 40 people.
Finally, I don't want to scoop Pat or anything, but I'm gonna. I'll just say this: the pump track is real. Shovels were wielded. A wheelbarrow was filled verily. A small berm was watered and tamped. And I'll be a monkey's uncle if Pat doesn't have a new bike the next time I see him. Seriously, next round is on me if he doesn't.
He visited Jake and his (Pat's) fate was sealed. He had a funny frantic look in his eye as he explained the change in design and the basic construction plan. But I've said too much. And it doesn't count as a scoop without pics. Right?
Lastly, lastly -- I'm going to do a bike hang at my house on a forthcoming Monday to be announced. I'll provide beer and food. Of course there's a catch.
My buddy Ben is running for City Council Prez. See link in the top-right portion of the gutter. I've been buddies with Ben since I was in second grade and he's a good egg. Actually, he's a great, great friend and he was also a founder of Pedals2People. In fact, P2P started with my ranting to Ben about how Spokane needed a community bike center. I was fired up, but Ben is the guy that pushed it to action and really catalyzed making it real. Ben does stuff.
Many of my bikey friends get all apolitical when I bring policy, advocacy, funding, etc shit up. In my opinion, being "non-political" is being political, you can't escape it. In this case, by ignoring the good guy that's running, you inadvertently help the crusty guy that's no friend to things we generally care about. There's more to evaluating candidates than bike stuff, but in my experience, the bike stuff is a good barometer of where a given candidate is on the "flat earth index." I just made that index up.
Anyway, the hang will be for Ben. Generally, folks are encouraged to pony up $25 donation, but it's not required and I won't be snotty or think less of you if you don't give him money, but that's the way these events typically work. Ben will talk. But ultimately, it's a bike hang, only bike nerds and their SO's should show up (doesn't mean you can't drive here you know).
So that's just a head's up to wrap your head around the idea. I get sort of sad when people accuse me of shilling for companies whose products I review here, but when it comes to political candidates, I'm a proud shilling bastard. Stay tuned for a date on that.
5 comments:
"Flat Earth Index". Ooh, I like the sound of that! I can picture it looking something like the Harper's Index.
Good to see that you are on the road to recovering health!
If bike people don't stand up and speak out for candidates they believe will do a good job for bikes, those people won't get elected.
And then.....
You get what you vote AND WORK FOR, people.
And that does mean donating cash, known as the mother's milk of politics. If you think money is what's wrong with politics, since we don't have publicly financed campaigns you can think of it as donating to a cause in which you both believe; one of you will get the chance to vote on that cause.
(From a once-upon-a-time elected official, back when I lived in Idaho)
PS: There's a bumper sticker that applies--guess we need a pannier version: If you didn't vote you can't complain.
Can Ben flatten the earth on my commute?
It's called South Hill. Just flatten the uphill, though, I like the downhill part.
"Vote Ben and It's All Downhill From Here." Maybe that sends the wrong message.
Will there be a pump track benefit for Ben? That would kind of cool.
This comment brought to you by Roid Rage Inhalers, for the aggressive driver.
Glad you are back on the bike...=-)
I'll vote for Ben, since the race is nominally non-partisan. Major party affiliation turns the best of eggs into turkeys.
Even if I don't vote though, I have a right to complain. I like to call that right the First Amendment, ymmv. Not voting is a type of complaint, actually.
I also have a right to praise, though, so thanks for all the hard work from the pro-bicyclist members of the council, and to Barb, John, and other vocal advocates. Bicycling is noticably improving, despite setbacks.
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