Why I Wear A Helmet

If you want to start a fight in the cycling community, simply bring up the topic of helmets, and then offer an opinion regarding whether or not you believe they should be worn at all times when riding a bike.  It doesn't really matter on which side of the fence you choose to sit.  Those from the other side will immediately and fiercely attack your beliefs and inform you that you are the biggest idiot alive.

If you believe helmets SHOULD be worn, you'll get people who tell you the scientific studies in favor of helmet use are politically skewed and part of a massive helmet industry conspiracy to make us all buy them, and that helmets don't really protect you, and that helmet laws only serve to dissuade potential cyclists from riding.

If you believe in NOT wearing a helmet, people will scream at you for setting a poor example for the kids, and tell you how irresponsible and selfish you are, and they'll tell you all about the time they fell over in the driveway and lived to tell the story because they were wearing a helmet.

It also seems the media world loves to propagate the fight by always letting you know the cyclist wasn't wearing a helmet when they were killed by a motorist ... as though they might have lived through being hit by that pickup truck whose driver was both drunk and texting at 50mph, if only they'd been more responsible and worn their helmet.  The media would have you believe the vehicle driver was the real victim, and that the cyclist's demise was obviously their own fault, not that of the driver who "never saw them".  The media will imply that the helmet would have not only protected their entire body from the high-speed collision with a multi-ton vehicle, but it would likely have made them completely visible to the driver, therefore helping to avoid the accident altogether.

Personally, I'm not sure where the line should be drawn.  I can relate to arguments on both sides.  I've actually fallen in the driveway while attempting to unclip from my pedal (back when I used clipless pedals) and felt my helmeted head smack the pavement.  I've often wondered whether or not I would have experienced some kind of injury if it was my bare noggin, rather than a helmet-covered one ... but then I realize the helmet adds some size to my head, and it very well may have been just the helmet to hit the pavement, and a bare head might have never touched it.  At the same time, I've tripped over things many times in my life while simply walking from one place to another, and have suffered no real head trauma.  That being said, I've never crashed at high speed, and have no experience with what happens there.  Also ... if I understand it correctly, the official testing for bicycle helmet certification is basically only good for low-speed incidents that involve something hitting your head from the top ... which seems a rather unlikely scenario.  And even if it does offer some protection for a portion of your head, it certainly won't protect the rest of your body from a high-speed auto collision.  The odds of surviving that are low, helmet or not.

So .... my official position is that it should be optional, but perhaps recommended, depending on the environment and type of riding taking place.  I don't think they should be required, because there are many circumstances where they just don't make any sense for casual riding ... but I do think they serve an important function, and should be used when there's a potential risk.  How's that for taking a firm stance?

Nevertheless, I do choose to wear a helmet when riding.  Even if I'm not entirely convinced it will save my life, it does give me a little added mental security, as well as giving my quite significant other a sense that I'm being safe.  But most importantly, it gives me something I can only get from wearing a helmet.  You know what I'm talking about ... it's that special thing that tells everyone "Why, yes, I did just finish an epic bout of cycling."

Post-Ride Helmet Hair ... the BEST reason to wear a helmet!

Yes ... there it is ... the REAL reason to wear a helmet.  Helmet hair.  It saves hundreds of dollars every year by giving you a hairstyle that you could only otherwise get from a stylist.  Forget the politics ... do it for the style!!

Surf-O-Lounger Epic Ride!!

When you mention Southern California, many stereotypes come to mind ... beaches, bikinis, surfers, skateboarders, and the fact that when you register with the DMV, your first name is automatically officially changed to either "Dude" or "Bro" (you may or may not have an option, depending on the mood of the clerk).  A laid-back atmosphere is almost always envisioned, along with the cross-culturally-approved attire of board shorts, t-shirt (or alternative Hawaiian-style shirt), sunglasses, and flip-flops (and if you live in San Clemente, the flip-flops MUST be Rainbow brand).  These components are required for SoCal non-workplace clothing code compliance for all dudes and bros.  Only those engaged in more serious sport activities may be exempt from the code, provided they wear either a wetsuit or something similarly form-fitting (spandex).  For all other activities, the standard clothing code applies, and all components are required at all times, both day and night.  Some variation is allowed, however.  For example, you don't have to actually be WEARING all of the approved attire components, as long as you have them with you.  One variation, shown below by a member of the Southern California Beach Cycling Team during a training ride, depicts the sunglasses, flip-flops, and board shorts being worn as usual, with the t-shirt displayed on the bike handlebars.

Approved SoCal attire while training for the Pier-To-Pier Epic Half Decade Trail Ride

Although, I'm not a California native, I've now been here for over ten years, which earned me a special discount at the "Dude, Who Cares?" store.  Nevertheless, I do feel that I've learned just enough about the small region of Southern California in which I reside to truly call it "home".  And when I say "just enough", I mean that I generally don't get too surprised at what I see on a daily basis.

For example, to see a Chihuahua with bright red painted toenails wearing a dress, hat, and sunglasses running from its doorstep to chase and bark at my much larger dog, who doesn't know whether to roll on his back and laugh or throw up, I'm not that surprised.  (In case you're wondering, yes, this actually happened.)

However, when I saw the genius creativity in the following photos taken on the very street where I now live, I must say it took the whole Southern California laid-back surf/skate theme to an entirely new level.  Check it out ... he's got the t-shirt, sunglasses, board shorts, and flip-flops ... but he's not cruisin' on a skateboard or bike ... no, he's cruisin' on a Surf-O-Lounger!

It looks to me like a lounge chair attached to a base with four skateboard trucks.  Awesome!!  He's rigged some steering apparatus via handles on each side, which appears to work very well, since he rode true and straight down the hill.  He just pushes it up to the top, hops in the chair, and rides.  Too cool!!!

I don't know this dude ... but next time he's cruisin' the Surf-O-Lounger, I'll talk with him and see about getting some video for you to see.

I know this post didn't have much to do with bicycles ... but the images were just to cool to not share.  The things you see on the neighborhood streets in San Clemente ...

More bike stuff soon ... hope it's not too hot where you are!  I'm headed out for a little ride that looks kinda like this ...

San Clemente Beach Trail heading North

A Little Climbing Music, Please ...

As much as I love riding a bike, I've never been great at climbing hills. Okay ... I've never even been GOOD at it. But I've come to appreciate them for what they do ... which is to make me stronger and a better all-around rider. In my current abode, it is impossible for me to go for a ride of any substantial distance without encountering at least one substantial hill ... and by "substantial", I mean LONG and STEEP ...and so I've been getting better at it, having accepted that it's a fact of life if I want to ride.

I've been working to rid my head of the thoughts which always enter just prior to the hill. They go something like this: 

"Oh, crap ... here comes the hill ... I hate hills ... I hope I can make it all the way this time without having to go back for my lungs."

Those kinds of thoughts only serve to make the hill experience much worse than it actually is, so I've been re-training my brain to think differently ... like this:

"Okay ... this set of hills is getting easier, because I'm getting better at climbing ... last time was much easier than the time before, and this time will be even better."

I've also been offering myself some positive reinforcement ... like this:

"You are strong like bull ... you have legs like ox ... if you were a bowler, you would do it overhand ... hills will flatten at the threat of your approach ... you are the most interesting cycler in the world ... you don't always drink beer, but when you do, you prefer Guinness Black Lager ... stay thirsty, my friend."

It works ... sometimes ... sort of. 

I'm also now learning that I really need to be relaxed in order to control my breathing and get into a good groove on a long steep hill. Sitting back and making sure every limb isn't tense makes a huge difference in the level of perceived effort.

I noticed a funny thing the other day while climbing one of my usual hills toward home. My brain was working hard to make my body relax, and the way it was doing that was to start singing. Not actually out loud, since heavy breathing and singing don't generally combine well .. no, this was mental singing. And not just singing any old song ... but adapting the current thought into revised lyrics for popular tunes ... you know, Weird Al style.

As I approached the first part of the climb, I remembered that it's the steepest portion ... and my brain began to sing to the tune of a song you may remember from Sheryl Crow ...

Cartoon Sheryl Crow

However ... the song was originally written and performed by this guy: 

This Cat can sing ... and write songs and stuff

Yes, that's Cat Stevens ... who was born with the name Steven Demetre Georgiou ... but is now known as Yusuf Islam, although performances may advertise a combination: 

Steven Cat Demetre Yusuf Georgiou Stevens Islam, circa 2011

Anyway ... in case you haven't already guessed, the tune to which my mental singing was adhering itself is "The First Cut Is The Deepest".  Cat Stevens wrote and first recorded the song in the mid 1960's and put it on his first album in 1967. That first album that was a complete failure, after which he sold the song for 30 British pounds to another artist who made it a huge hit ... and it was later recorded by four other artists, for whom it was also a hit, including the aforementioned Sheryl Crow. Forty years after he recorded the first demo of the song, Cat received back to back ASCAP Songwriter of the Year Awards for it in 2005 and 2006. Just a little trivia for you ... 

Back to the ride ... my revised lyrics went something like this:

"The first hill is the steepest ... baby, I know ... the first hill is the steepest ...
If you're breathing really heavy, just curse ... 'cuz gettin' off and walkin' is worse ...."

Oddly enough ... by the time the new lyrics had solidified, the steepest portion of the hill was over ... and I was pleasantly surprised at the seemingly smaller effort expended. Hmmm ... could that be the answer? Don't think about the hill ... just make up corny lyrics to pop songs while climbing ... and the hills will pass like a flat road?  

So ... the next day, I tried it again. This time, I enlisted the help of a more aggressive musical force .... yes, I mean Metallica:

If these guys can't get you up the hill, you should turn around and ride the other way ...

I chose the most perfect Metallica song for my climb ... "Enter Sandman". Of course, the words were changed just a little ... into this:

"Climb .. like a goat ................. not .. like a boat ............
Heeeeeeyyyy, Old Man ....... Climb that freakin' hill again!"

And with a good dose of metal head bobbing thrown in for good measure, the hill was thus conquered.

What can I say ... as an aging music dude, I'm shocked I never thought of this sooner! Hills will never be the same again ...

The Everyday Epic Ride

It's been a few days since my last post ... mainly because the weather's been great, and accompanying the great weather has been a week of great rides. Nothing spectacular or "epic" for any particular reason ... just great rides. However, spending a little more time riding has taken a little more time away from non-work-related writing ... hence the lack of blogular postage. My apologies for anyone who waits with great anticipation for each of my posts (last I checked there is actually one person who reads them).

In thinking about the great rides that are great for no particular reason, I was trying to come up with some wonderful bit of prose to share the experience with you ... but nothing came to mind, apart from the small group of gray squirrels who were intent on taunting me by waiting just at the edge of the road and then jumping up to make me think I'd hit them, then laughing as they ran away because they made me stop. Of course, there are no photos to document this ... but it really did happen ... twice.

At the same time, I was thinking about the bike-related blogs out there. One of my favorite daily reads, EcoVelo, has gone away. It's sad, because there was always something interesting to read there that had nothing to do with any sort of competitive, training, or epic riding ... just great photos and articles about everyday riding and gear. There is another (for which I won't mention the name) that had a similar focus ... but now seems to be more about getting into race bikes, group training rides, and entering epic long-distance events. Not interesting to me. Don't get me wrong ... I have nothing against sport/competitive cycling. I have an enormous amount of respect for the sport and for those who are involved in it. It's really hard work, and really rewarding to complete some of the events out there ... pushing yourself to the limit to achieve big goals is a wonderful way to spend some healthy effort. For me ... it's just not why I ride ... and, with all due respect to the many people who write about it, it's not something I want to read about every day.

Bombing down a steep hill on a race bike training ride ... great for many ... not for me

I suppose the reason there isn't more reading material available for "everyday" cycling is that it's pretty bland. I mean, in comparison to the ride report of climbing near-vertical mountain roads until you vomit and descending at 70mph, nearly sliding off a cliff and breaking your collarbone, a description of riding to the beach, eating some lunch, and picking up a few things at the grocery store on the way home sounds pretty tame. Nevertheless, there are probably more people who participate in the tame than in the epic ... and I am making it my mission to bring excitement to the world of the everyday cycler.

With this in mind, I propose a new naming protocol for our everyday rides. Here's the scoop:

Have you noticed that all of the "epic" rides have some kind of special moniker that describes its length? For example, a ride of 100 miles is called a "century", which makes it sound a lot more "epic" than simply saying it's a 100-mile ride. After all, when we hear the word "century", we think about a span of time greater than most of us will live ... so using it to describe a bike ride is like saying "this ride is so long and so difficult, you may not survive", which is somehow attractive to the thrill seekers. A "metric century" sounds even more "epic", even though it's technically much shorter, being only 100 kilometers. The REALLY epic rides are the "double century" rides ... 200 miles (or kilometers for the metric version). Well ... the everyday cycler's version of the epic ride could be called a "decade". Think about it. If a century is 100 miles, a "decade" would be 10 miles. That's enough for an everyday ride, right? If you need more, you could do a "double decade" for 20 miles ... or even a "triple decade" for 30 miles. It sure makes the normal bland everyday ride sound more exciting, doesn't it?

Of course, every big epic ride has some kind of additional verbiage attached to describe where the ride is, or who sponsors it, or to make it sound more torturous ... like the "Hell's Gate 100" ... or the "SoCal Double Century". Well that's easy to incorporate into the everyday epic ride title. How about The Doheny Double Decade?

Scene from the Epic "Doheny Double Decade"

We could have "The Heritage Park Hill Climb Half Decade" ... and "The Aliso Creek Trail Triple Decade".

How is this NOT an epic ride?

Trail-side scenery is not always appreciated during a competitive "event" ride.

And let's not forget "The Wind Tunnel From Hell". Of course, almost any everyday ride could be turned into an event ... like the "Starbucks Grab & Go Epic Double-Latte Half Decade With Whipped Cream".

First leg of the "Starbucks Grab & Go Epic Double-Latte Half Decade With Whipped Cream" ride.

The beauty of these EveryDay Epics is that they aren't competitive ... unless you want them to be. They don't cost anything to enter ... aside from your time. They don't require any special training. You don't have to wear any special clothing ... unless you want to. You're always the winner of the event, and the prize is whatever you reward yourself with after the ride. And you can participate at any time, since there's no schedule. You can even stop halfway for lunch and continue later ... with no time penalty. If you don't go as far as you planned, you can simply rename the ride ... a decade is then just a half-decade, but no less "epic" in nature. You can ride alone or with others ... and everyone wins, unless you decide to make it competitive, in which case I suggest the person who has the most fun (determined by best "woohoohoo" when crossing the finish line) is declared the winner. Take a camera and start building a photo album to remember your epic events. Put on a helmet video camera, speed up the video, and add a heavy metal soundtrack for posting on YouTube ... just remember to not giggle like a little girl on camera (or at least mute the audio track).

Yes, it's very exciting to think about those big epic cycling events ... and if you're truly into doing it, then my helmet is off to you. But if you're new to cycling ... or feel somehow that you're not a "real" cyclist because that's all you see in the media ... don't worry. As Forrest Gump's mom used to say ... "Epic is as Epic does". In other words ... make your own epic ... every day. Go have fun. Give your 10-mile ride an epic name ... call it the Decade of Death, even if you're just riding to the grocery store and back (traffic can be dangerous, right?). Remember ... you're not a "cyclist" ... you're a "cycler" ... and "cyclers" make their own adventures in the everyday ride!

So let's start a new trend ... Everyday Epic Rides. Healthy, happy, fun. Where is your epic ride today?

Happy February!!

This year is already moving fast. It's difficult to believe we've already entered the second month of 2012 ... and even more difficult to think that it's the year 2012. Wow. Aren't we supposed to be driving cars that fly and perform self-navigation so we simply sit and await arrival at our destination like the Jetsons? Maybe that's still a bit down the road.

In any case, being that it's now the beginning of February, this is the time of year when the holidays are all over, but it's still not yet Spring. And, although this Winter has been awfully mild here in the good ol' USA, the sun still sets early, and we aren't getting quite enough of the natural vitamin D we need to feel good. In addition, the bills from our extravagant holiday expenditures have now arrived, we're looking at the decorations that still haven't been put away, and  that overgrown chipmunk in that famous town has apparently seen his own shadow and given us the royal groundhog middle finger of a longer winter ahead as he crawls back into his den, where he has a comfortable supply of pizza and beer. So, with all of that happening, unless you live for the Super Bowl (did I mention pizza and beer?), this week can be downright "blah". FYI, I do turn on the Super Bowl, but my watching may be a bit blasphemous. You see, I watch ONLY the commercials, which are the very best part of the whole thing, and go about my normal day in between. I do, however, have pizza and beer ... to celebrate those incredibly clever and extremely expensive commercials.

Back to the point ... February, especially the first week of it, can sometimes leave us (and by "us", I basically mean "me") feeling a little bit "gray" ... like this little fellow I saw a few days ago:

Don't be sad ... your chubby cousin said it would only be six more weeks of Winter!

I don't like feeling gray ... which is why I like to ride a bike. Heck, just looking at my Hunqapillar begins to bring a little color into my otherwise gray day:

Bring on the color ... Bring on the Funq(apillar)!!

Although it might be tempting to go sit at the bar ... what makes me feel better is the view from my "bars":

This winter thing isn't so bad after all ... in fact, it's pretty nice today!

It always works, and I always feel better after a good ride. I come home with the energy to do the things I didn't want to do earlier, like the major office and house cleaning at the top of my list ... and putting away the last of the holiday decorations. And it seems that while I'm riding, the plan comes together in my head for getting done what I thought impossible before I left the house.

Maybe riding a bike does the same for you? If not, just get outside for a bit. Since the weather has been so mild, there are plenty of things you could do:

You could go surfing!!!

If you don't want to get wet, you could just go and watch the waves!

You could even learn to fly ... (or maybe just watch the birds)

Okay ... maybe you don't live near a large body of water. The point is ... get some fresh air. It will do good things for your spirit!

Back with more soon, including some reviews of stuff. But first ... I have to finish the cleaning and organizing of the house and office. Good thing I went for a nice ride this morning ...

Open Trails and New Friends

It rained here Monday ... a LOT. It was the most rain we've had in months. We really needed it, so no big deal, but generally the day after such a storm means bike lanes and paths full of leaves, dirt, and other assorted debris. So ... with that in mind and the weather forecast of "Windy & High Surf Advisory", my plan was to get out yesterday for a brief ride to go see the aforementioned high surf and then come back to do some work that's starting to pile up.

Well ... you know how it goes when you "plan" something.

The "high surf" wasn't really all that high. It was nice ... beautiful as always ... but not exactly the "wow, look at that" I was expecting. I rode on ... down to the other beach area, and was just about to head for home when I thought I'd take a look at the path entrance at the far end of the beach. If you remember from a previous post (along with its subsequent but still previous-to-this-one post, when it rains, the path entrance is usually flooded, like this:

Previous visit:  Flooded from recent light rain ... no passing without waders.

Since the rain yesterday was rather heavy, I was fully expecting to see a massively flooded path entrance. To my great surprise, I found this:

Yesterday:  NOT flooded after heaviest rain in months ... ummmm, huh?

Well ... since the path was open for the first time in over a week, I felt I just had to continue on. After all, who knows when it will be flooded again? The ride felt good, even with the fair bit of wind that was semi-accurately predicted by the weather-predicting people ... so I thought I should go a little farther to see what was happening with that path lane closure I wrote about in another previous post. If you remember, it was supposed to be open after December 30, but was still closed on January 5, and STILL closed, PLUS demoted from "path" to "lane" on January 10:

January 5 ... still closed ... with concrete

January 10 ... demoted from "path" to "lane" ... and still closed

Just imagine my grin as I approached the path lane closure area and found this:

Yesterday ... Open path ahead!  Well, I assume it's now called a "path" again ...

Hot diggity! It was turning out to be a good day! First, the path entrance was NOT flooded ... and then the path lane was NOT closed! Of course this meant that my original plan was now rendered null and void, as the newly opened path lane, to which I have now restored its former title of "path", was calling me to visit those places I've not visited for so long.

And visit, I did. I rode through the underpass and on to the old route I used to ride often ... where there are trails and animals to see. I didn't take a photo of the cows ... because they looked a little sad in the muddy area they were confined to as a result of all the recent rain. But they were there, just as I remembered (except for the mud). As I continued on, I greeted the first group of horses:

Hello, Fuzzy Horses!

I'm no horse expert, but I'd have to say this one is ... fuzzy. They, too, had a muddy corral. Still farther up the newly open path ... crossing a few roads ... through a park I haven't seen in years ... I reached another set of horse stables. There were many horses here ... some just hanging out in the sun:

Just hangin'

Others were involved in some form of horse aerobics:

Horse treadmill?

For the most part, they gave me a brief glance and then went on with their day. I understand ... they have stuff to do that's more important than some dude with a camera. But there was one horse who seemed to be rather interested, and immediately came toward me as I approached the corral:

"That sure is a funny-looking horse you're riding, Mister ... got any carrots?"

I felt it might be rude to ask, and even more so to take a visual inspection, so I don't know if this fine-looking animal is a "him" or a "her". It doesn't really matter, though, as it was just very warming to the heart to have this beautiful creature come to greet me from the far side of the corral.

"Would you like to be my friend?"

"Maybe you could scratch my head ... and pet my nose ..."

Those big eyes seemed to be holding some deeper thoughts than possible to physically express, and I took a few minutes to offer some head scratching and nose petting ... all returned with a nuzzle of thanks and a nod of happiness. It's hard to beat the smile of a horse ...

"Dude ... check out my whiskers ... they're awesome!"

"Aww, gee whiz ... leaving so soon?"

It was hard to walk away from this beautiful animal who didn't want me to leave ... but since I was only planning a 30-minute ride and had already been out for over an hour at the half-way point of the ride, I really needed to head back home and get to work. So I offered one more scratch of the head and one more pet on the nose ... and promised to return with carrots. I rode away, trying to not look back ... and followed the wonderful newly-opened path back to the beach, and then up the hills to home. I'm so glad I brought the camera ... just in case this horse is not there the next time I ride that way. You can never have too many pictures, especially when they capture the meeting of a new friend.

Days like this are why I love riding a bike. Exploring new (and old) places, being in a more natural environment, and getting to see the variety of animals along the way. Hope there are clear trails and paths where you are ... and new animal friends to meet!

MLK Day Thoughts

As I was riding today, I was thinking about the fact that it's MLK Day ... not because the banks are all closed and there's no mail or shipping ... but because his most famous speech about having a dream of change, and his death at the hands of extreme prejudice, have, in fact, helped to bring about a great deal of change in this country, and perhaps the world. We have a President who isn't a white dude from a long history of white dudes who were also politicians (although the current list of Republican candidates would love to see that revert). We have leaders in various positions around the country who are women, and others who come from quite diverse cultural backgrounds.

When I think about the way things were back when MLK was alive, it seems astonishing and shameful that our country (and our world) was ever like that, and even worse when we look back further in time. It really wasn't all that long ago that people were denied the use of a restroom or service in a restaurant or a seat on a bus, merely because of the color of their skin ... or that people were beaten, hung from trees, and burned alive for being the wrong color or having the wrong religious affiliation. Adolf Hitler was mass-murdering people in an attempt to completely eliminate anyone who wasn't the same color or had  different religious beliefs than him. And some people still believe none of that ever actually happened. Further back in time, but not too much further in the history of our fine country, the Native Americans were brutally forced from the land that was theirs, virtually extinguished in the process, told to adopt our way of life or face prison and/or execution. This, of course, was in the name of progress for the new America ... which was supposedly founded to achieve freedom from oppression. I guess that was THEIR freedom from oppression, not the oppression they placed on others. Oh, and let's not forget the founding fathers of our country who also "owned" many slaves, who were forcibly taken from their homes in other parts of the world to become the "property" of wealthy landowners here ... also told to adopt our ways or be executed. Think about that for a moment. Only 150 years ago, it was considered perfectly okay to own another human being as property here in America. Guess what? It still works that way in other parts of the world ... here, too, although it's not legal or approved of ... covered up until somebody finds out.

While we've made great strides in many areas, the world as a whole still has an enormous amount of prejudice and extreme hatred. To think that someone hates who you are/where you live/what you believe enough that they would commit suicide in order to kill you and your family is thoroughly appalling. And yet, that mentality still exists. The question that has existed forever is ... "why?"

I'm not really sure, but some thoughts were running through my head as I rode today.

The issues of bigotry and prejudice that lead to extreme hatred seem to exist from day one in our lives, and I think they stem from not being able to accept that there can be more than one right answer to any question.  It works sort of like this:

Every group of people has their own set of values and beliefs, or what is "right" and "proper". Whatever goes against the values and beliefs of a particular group is considered "wrong" by its members. That's fine with me ... I think it's good to have values and beliefs, and a sense of right and wrong. For example, if your social group/family/religious affiliation believes you should only eat foods that begin with the letter "P" and that you should only wear brown shoes, that's perfectly fine. If you want to remain a part of that group, then eat lots of pizza and pasta, and make sure you stick to the more traditional Birkenstock colourway. If you prefer to eat chicken and rice, and want to don your pink Chuck Taylors, then you'll have to find another group or simply head out on your own to establish your own set of values. Maybe others will even join your new group, because they want the same things. So far, so good.

Here's where it gets twisted. When a group believes their values and beliefs are the ONLY way, and that any person or group who doesn't share those values and beliefs is wrong, and therefore "bad" or "evil", then we have the beginning of prejudice and bigotry, especially when a group's value set includes a requirement for a member to be of a certain color or cultural background, or even a certain physical appearance. When taken to the extreme, this turns into violence and war ... to kill anyone who isn't the same as you are, or at least prevent them from sharing the same neighborhood and infecting your children. "Swear allegiance or die" and "Convert or die" have been common threats throughout time. It exists on the playgrounds at elementary schools and on the street corners in Detroit and Los Angeles ... and, unfortunately, in many homes of "regular" folks around the world.

What people don't seem to get ... EVER ... is that there can be multiple value sets ... an infinite number of them. What's right for one may not be right for another. What's wrong for one may not be wrong for another. The fact that someone does not believe the same as you or look the same as you should not threaten your own values. And yet, it strikes fear into the hearts of so many ... leading to hatred and violence. Sadly, it is often only after such violence that the world takes notice of the problem. Perhaps that's part of how we slowly ... very, very slowly ... evolve as a species.

Yes, there's a line. When your value set says that you can walk through my door and tell me that how I live is wrong, you've crossed the line, mister.  I don't do that to you ... don't do it to me. And I'm not talking about the laws of our country or the city and state where you live. Those things are in place for a reason, and hopefully arrived at by popular vote, and they can be changed in the same way. But for my personal beliefs and life choices, as long as they're legal and don't affect you, what gives you the right to tell me they're wrong? What would give me the right to do the same to you? Nothing. There is always more than one right answer. Science has proven over and over again that just when we think we know everything, we find something that shows us we don't. Does 1 + 1 always equal 2? Not if you're working in a binary numeric system. See ... that's what I'm getting at. It has something to do with perspective.

What does any of this have to do with bicycles? I'm glad you asked. Nice segue, huh?

One of the things that popped into my head as I was riding and thinking about prejudice is how people who ride bikes seem to have a lot of that very thing. Well, I should say "cyclists" often do. "People who ride bikes" are a different breed, and are the ones who smile and wave as they pass, ride varying types of bikes, and generally aren't in a huge hurry to get where they're going (although they can be coerced into a grinning sprint at any moment). "Cyclists", on the other hand, are always in a hurry, always have a "suffer face" (regardless of their speed), always ride a race bike, and almost always ignore me when I smile and wave or say hello in passing.  I've determined that this is all because being a "cyclist" means that if you're on a bike, you're "training", and can't be bothered with social trivialities. So, I suppose that might mean that they aren't necessarily exhibiting "prejudice", just being "preoccupied". But what I seem to experience is that even when off the bike and talking with a "cyclist", they seem to have an attitude of "Oh ... yeah, you ride an upright cruiser type bike", as though I couldn't possibly be serious about cycling when I don't ride a race bike. Of course, my use of the generic word "cyclist" to describe a certain group of people is in itself a form of prejudice, so I suppose I'm not immune to predisposition. I mean no offense to those who call themselves cyclists and are nothing like my description above.

And then there's the local bike shop. Go in almost any bike shop and ask someone to show you what kind of bike a "serious cyclist" might ride. I'll bet you'll almost never see a bike like mine. If you then showed them a picture of my bike and asked them what kind of rider would own this bike, my guess is that "serious cyclist" would not be among the words spoken. You see, to the mainstream, "serious" is equated with "race" when it comes to cycling and bicycle types.

And have you ever looked at the comments on some of the popular bicycle blogs? Holy cow ... I've rarely witnessed such vicious attacks, only because someone uses a component that isn't of their liking or doesn't fit their impression of a proper match to the frame being discussed. They range from being mildly sarcastic to outright calling someone a "f___king idiot" for using what they feel is the wrong part, or for the way a company designed the appearance of a component. Look up "helmet use" on bike blogs and witness the horrible debate over something that's simply a personal safety choice.

Prejudice is rampant in every walk of life. Some might say it's just a part of life, but I'm hopeful that our world is indeed changing. When I was growing up, there was no Internet. What we learned, we learned from books, the local news, and whatever we were told by those around us, which can be a pretty small circle of information, depending on where you lived at the time. Now ... wherever you are, you have instant access to information from around the globe, from an infinite number of perspectives. Despite its shortcomings, the Internet can be a very good thing. If you can begin with (and maintain) an open mind and explore a broad range of those perspectives, you can actually start to see what's really happening and form your own opinions ... not just those that were force fed to you as a child as being the only way to think. You can begin to see the many answers to what is right and what is wrong ... and maybe we can begin to build some common ground on which to live peacefully, without judging and condemning others for having a different perspective. Separation isn't the answer ... and trying to make everyone the same isn't the answer. It is our individuality that makes the world a beautiful and interesting place.  Do you really want everyone to be the same? I don't. If that were true, we'd never have any new music or new art or new fashion ... and that would be a shame. Those things come from seeing the world through different eyes, and we can't have that if everyone is forced to view the world in the same way.

I am grateful for MLK, Gandhi, Lincoln and all the others who devoted their life to peaceful change. I hope there will be more like them ... and I hope that as our world changes and evolves, we gain a deeper understanding of right and wrong in a broader sense ... in a more humane sense ... in a way that lets people from all cultures be who they are without fear of being murdered for it ... to appreciate those who are different than we are and have the ability to see the world from those different perspectives.

One of the reasons I write this blog is to offer a different perspective on what riding a bike means. You don't have to ride a race bike or wear a scuba suit or shoes that lock your feet to the pedals. You don't have to make every ride a training event. You don't have to race or ever want to. You don't have to monitor your heart rate, speed, and cadence. You don't have to do ANYTHING that anyone tells you you have to do in order to be a "serious cyclist". But ... you can if you want to. Because it's all about what works for you and what makes you happy on the bike. My Hunqapillar is a perfect example. It doesn't conform to any of the typical bicycle classifications. It's not a road bike. It's not a mountain bike. It's not a touring bike. It's not a commuter bike. It has elements of all of them, and can go where any of them go, but isn't limited to any category, which is what confuses many people who feel the need to place a label on it, and therefore me as the person who rides it. While it could be built in many other forms, the components I have selected make it work perfectly for me and the riding I do. It is unique, complements my style, and makes me smile when I ride it. That's my hope for anyone out there who wants to ride a bike. Find what works for you. Whatever makes you smile at the beginning of the ride, the middle of the ride, and the end of the ride ... and what balances your riding with the rest of your life ... that's what's right for you ... your Velo Zen!

Thanks for reading my rambling thoughts ... now go ride and do some rambling of your own!

Stick Bugs and Doorways

Friday morning, I took the dogs out as usual, and came back home. Upon arriving at the door, I found a surprise guest:

Stick bug of some kind ... hung out at our front door for 3 days!

He's approximately 6 inches long ... and if he wasn't sitting on the porch step, I would never have seen him! It's amazing to me how many unique creatures are living all around me that I've never seen before. I watched him for a little while, but then had to get on with the day's task list, starting with breakfast preparation for the dogs, and coffee and breakfast for myself and my better and more attractive half (BAMAH?) ... followed by BAMAH lunch prep ... then getting myself organized for the day ahead.

Of course I wanted to get a good ride in before settling in to work, since the weekend often substitutes a long walk around the town with BAMAH, along with grocery and other shopping runs. It seemed to take forever to get to it, though. Before I knew it, half the day was gone, and I was still working on getting out for that ride.

It isn't the riding that I sometimes lack the motivation for. I always enjoy it, and I can always feel how nice it will be outside on the bike. Where my motivation gets lazy is just getting out the door. Some days it takes longer to actually get out the door than my entire ride. I have these stupid conversations with myself that go something like this:

"Okay ... I think it's time to get out for my ride. What's the weather like? It looks sunny, but the computer says it's only 50 degrees right now. Isn't it supposed to get warm today, though? Yep, the forecast says 70's. But should I dress warm now, since it's chilly or will I be too hot once I get riding? Maybe I can wear a second layer to take off if I get hot. What shoes should I wear today? I really want to wear sandals, but I have a feeling  my toes will get cold. Geez, what a baby ... I can just put thicker socks on. Should I take the camera or just go? Didn't you make a deal with yourself to ALWAYS take the camera so you don't miss great photos? Oh, yeah ... guess I should take it. Will I need the tripod, though, in case there's a video I can capture? Hmm ... nah, there will be a rock or something to set it on. Should I bring coffee or water?" 

See how it gets? I know ... worse than a teenage girl (no offense to teenage girls everywhere). In the end, I get just frustrated enough to throw my hands up, grab whatever is in front of me, and run out the door before I change my mind about something.

Granted, most days are not like that ... I've set up my bikes and clothing selection such that I can pretty much ride in whatever I'm wearing, so all I have to do is grab a helmet and sunglasses, put the camera bag on the bike, and go. And for the most part, that's what I do, leaving the chain cleaning and tire pumping for after the ride to be ready for the next one. Actually these days, the tires only seem to need air once every ten days or so. Big fat Schwalbe tires and tubes are great in that way. Their claim of better air retention in their tubes is really true. But that's another post ...

As for Friday, once I got out the door, it turned out to be a great day ... sunny and warm, but not hot yet ... and clear blue skies ... with nice blue ocean water and good waves to watch. For all the effort that went into leaving the house, I was rewarded with views like this:

The water and sky have been bluer than usual lately ... with nice fun waves

As the water hits the beach, the competing waves create some interesting swirls

I always love how the sun reflects on the water ... difficult to capture, though

Funqapillar loves the beach!

I guess in the end, there will always be those days when it's tough to get out the door. Fortunately, it always seems that when I push myself out on those days, there will be something to see that makes it all worthwhile ... like the reflection of the sun on the ocean that's beyond words, or thinking about how a creature like a stick bug came to be. That's the most rewarding part of riding a bike to me ... the time I spend riding clears my head of the day-to-day clutter, and fills it with new images and memories that serve to inspire me when I get back to the office and begin my work. It can be difficult to be creative all the time, even when my work demands it ... but an hour or so out in the sun and nature works wonders to restore my imagination!

More soon ... get out there and find something new to see!

  

  

WTF? Or... When Balance Shifts to the Dark Side

Zen (and much of this here blogular posting) is about the pursuit of balance, which by definition, is an even distribution of forces to create equilibrium. Yeah, okay. Since yesterday's post portrayed a most beautiful, nearly perfect day of weather and riding (rather heavy on the NICE side of the scale), I should have expected today's ride would include some not-so-perfect attributes (the NOT NICE side of the scale).

I did not prepare myself.

The weather appeared just as nice as yesterday, dare I say, even better. Little to no wind, sunny, and very warm. Wanting more of yesterday's beautiful ride, I grabbed the camera and shot out the door.

The ride began nicely, and I headed down to the beach to get on the bike path, deciding today to head inland for a change of scenery. I hadn't gone that way for a while, focusing more on the beautiful coastline area of late. As I proceeded down the path, a bit of headwind picked up, making the pedaling slightly harder, but not enough to be unpleasant ... and I figured that would mean I'd have a tailwind for the return trip later. Remember that statement, okay?

As I got to the 5 Freeway underpass, I found this:

WTF?  Someone has a faulty calendar

I checked my cell phone to confirm that it is indeed January 5th.  According to this sign, the path should be open now, since it's AFTER December 30. But still, sadly, the path is closed ... blocked by a concrete barrier ... preventing me from pursuing my chosen route inland to see the cows and horses further up the path. It's not so much that my route was interupted, but that this bike path has had one closure or another since January 2009. It's irritating, because this path, when not closed with construction, provides a continuous 8-mile stretch of riding with no streets or traffic to contend with, and connects Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano, as well as Mission Viejo via a secondary connected path. When it's closed, getting from one town to another requires navigating some fairly busy streets with drivers who aren't aware of the no texting or talking on the cell phone laws, always in a hurry, and rather annoyed by cyclists in general. It's certainly possible, but not nearly as pleasant, nor as fun, since the ride is mostly about staying safe and avoiding obstacles, rather than enjoying the scenery.  Anyway ... here's why this part of the path is currently closed:

5 Freeway off-ramp construction and Levee reinforcement

I understand this need to be done ... but does it have to take so long?

Okay ... so I didn't get to ride where I really wanted to go. No big deal. Lots of other things to see. I turned around and headed back toward Dana Point and the beach area. Along the way, I discovered that I was riding into a headwind ... again. Yes, that's right. It shifted while I stopped to take construction photos. Headwind riding inland ... and headwind again riding to the beach. Go figure. Looks like the universe required more effort from me today, since it was so perfect and easy yesterday.

Still being positive, I stopped mid way back to the beach, remembering that one reason I wanted to head inland is to see the mountains. As beautiful as the ocean is, I never tire of seeing this:

Saddleback Mountains in the distance ... on clear days, this is breathtaking

After the mountain viewing stop, I turned around to head up the little hill out of the park where I took the photo. I hadn't downshifted from the big front chainring on the way in, so I pedaled soft and gently moved the lever ... and then something very bad happened.  Chainsuck.  What is chainsuck? It's when your chain sticks to the bigger chainring as you attempt to shift to a smaller one, and then wraps itself around the ring, jams into the chainstay and basically stops all forward motion. There are many causes for this ... shifting improperly, bad derailleur adjustment, generally being stupid about when you shift, dirty inflexible chain, or any combination. In my case, it is fair to say my chain wasn't freshly cleaned ... but it wasn't completely dirty, either ... and the bike is only 45 days old, so the chain can't be completely fouled already. However, I hadn't wiped it down from yesterday, and there was a bit of sand in some of the links. Probably more likely is that I attempted to shift with too much pressure on the pedals while going uphill with a slightly dirty chain, and in a slightly odd combination of middle front ring and small rear cog. I could also just be an idiot when it comes to shifting. In any case, freeing the chain was no big deal. However, it was after freeing the chain that my worst nightmare presented itself. When the chain jammed into my chainstay, it caused ... horror of horrors ... the first scratch on my Hunqapillar. I nearly sobbed right there on the path:

Damn you, Chainsuck!!!

GREAT!!!!! Now I have to go and get some gray touch-up paint or fingernail polish to fill the scratch. Well, there had to be a first scratch, right?  There always is ... and it's painful, but I'll get over it.

I picked myself up off the gravel from my fetal position, and got back out on the path, heading toward the beach and then home. I'd gone a couple of miles and started to shift down to the smallest ring in preparation for the steepest climb when I noticed I could not shift to that ring. WTF?  This is not good. Why can I not shift to the small ring? The shift lever would move all the way down until it could physically move no further, but the derailleur would not move far enough to guide the chain over the small ring.  I scratched my head for a moment as I got concerned about my new bike having issues. I thought perhaps the front derailleur got bent from the earlier chainsuck. Nope ... looks okay, and straight. And it can't possibly be the shift cable. If anything, the cable would stretch, not get shorter. I noticed there was considerable tension on the shift cable with the lever all the way down, and concluded that the only way for this to be happening is that the entire derailleur had gotten shifted up a few millimeters during the chainsuck incident, which would cause the shift cable to to be pulled tighter, which would then cause the derailleur cage to be limited in how far inward it could travel. I took a look ... and sure enough, it was sitting quite high above the chainrings. The clamp had shifted up on the seat tube.

First a huge scratch, and now THIS?  Damn you, Chainsuck! 

I got out my toolkit, loosened the clamp and re-positioned the derailleur ... then I was back on the road. Glad I always carry my toolkit ...

Riding back up through the park hills toward home, I began to relax again, and noticed how blue the sky was ... how clear the harbor view ... the cool trees in the park ... and the ride went from headwinds in both directions, path closures, chainsuck, and derailleur bumping to this:

Bright green sprawling pine

Clear sky and blue water

A wisp of clouds over a clear coastal view

Gnarly tree branches

More gnarly tree branches ... amazing, the shapes they take as they grow

And once again ... balance is restored. In the words of the great philosopher Jed, "Y'all come back, now ... y'hear?"