a midway bikelog

* Overwhelming
* Awe-inspiring
* Unbelievable
* Phenomenal
* Stupendous
* Astonishing
* Astounding
* Marvelous
* Wonderful
* Top-notch
* Incredible
* Delightful
* Excellent
* Fantastic
* Amazing
* Terrific
* Whoa
* Gear
* Cool
* Wow

3rd picture down on The Big Picture, pictures at Work

Here’s how little i’ve been following TV lately: i just now found out that Leno is moving to an earlier show and Conan is taking over the Tonight Show. It’s cool, i like Conan (not so much Leno), but i’m sure this has been in the news forever. Sorry networks, the only TV i watch these days is through hulu…

It’s strange times we’re living in when the government is telling us to spend money and the private sector is telling us to save. I’ve noticed this discrepancy all over town, but there’s a story about a restaurant in Pittsburgh with an even more direct conflict.

In my neighborhood, the beloved local branch of the library is on the chopping block in the recent proposed budget from the city. I hear about friend’s favorite hangouts closing while other businesses mysteriously stick around despite gutting what made them great to begin with.

Here’s my humble plan: pick a couple of places that I love and are worth saving. I don’t have a lot to spend, but if/when i can go out, i’ll go to those places, and i’ll talk my friends into going too. Chain stores have strategies to survive and grow despite the downturn; it’s up to us to support the neighborhood hangout.

I got out for a lovely night right last night with Jim and Brian. It was a balmy 36°, and the recent warm days have substantially melted the ice pack we had accumulated over a pretty darn cold January.

We headed north along the river through the city and wound along the streets and paths talking about politics, bikes and midget porn, as usual, When we hit the path through North Mississippi Park, it seemed like the other streets and paths we’d been on, right up to the point where we all went down like so many stooges. There was a corner with a studded-tire-defying ice patch that took us out nearly simultaneously. No major injuries, though one of Brian’s thumbs is probably really sore today.

Opting for more-traveled paths, we looped around the other side of the river and back south, stopping for a moment to get a photo of the Tron-like new 35W bridge:

I like the night rides. I get out more often at night in the summer, but this was good too; the roads are quieter than they’d be at 8-9 on a summer night and there was a hint of warmer days to come after our weekend of false spring.

Waiting at a stop light this morning, i glanced back to see a car in the right turn lane with the driver rolling his window down. If you bike, you know the apprehension that comes with seeing someone roll down their window to talk to a cyclist from their car. Did i cut him off when i rolled up to the middle lane at the intersection? Will i hear how dangerous it is to ride with ice in the streets? Two kids in the back seat, but that hasn’t stopped people from yelling at me before.

“Hey,” he said, “my kids just told me that i should be riding my bike to work. Thanks for being a good role model!”

Wow. What a nice way to start the day.

Despite the winter quickly melting away in our 40° rainy week, a reminder of the ice we had just a few short days ago, from one of our outings skating with friends Lee and Tre.

I got this stereo from my mom’s basement, where it had been stored since her parents house was cleaned out probably 15 years ago. It was the radio that my grandpa had in the garage as long as i can remember, always tuned to the nearby college classical station. It’s a GE T-1000B tube-driven stereo, built in Utica, New York. It’s not a collector’s item as far as i can tell, but it looks great and sounds really good. The speakers can’t handle bass-heavy hip-hop beats, but it sounds great with most rock, classical and ’60s soul music. It also has a Phono input, which works great for hooking up an iPod.