“There’s the feeling that next to financial services, automotive execs are the dumbest people in the world,” said Thomas Stallkamp, a former Chrysler president

When I tell people that I race my mountain bike, they sorta know what I’m talking about.  Similarly, people know basically what road racing is - they can’t really comprehend the feats of endurance involved, but they can at least visualize what is happening.  This is not the case with the discipline known as cyclocross (CX).  I know that the first time someone tried to explain it to me, what I visulized in my head was nothing like what it ended up being.  My first thought was accurate though: this sounds insane…and it is.

After a delicious breakfast at Harvest Moon Cafe we hit the township hall to vote.  Having election day off is awesome, and with unusually nice weather it was the perfect day for a ride.  So we packed up the Jeep and headed out to the Hamburg trail.

The worlds’ finest hitch mounted bike rack:

The always dangerous shot while rolling:

Some conspiracy theorists have put forth the idea that there is no difference whatsoever between the two major political parties in this country, it goes something like this:  The continued existence of the two party system is artificial, maintained by those in power to create the illusion of choice.  This illusions quells the outbreak of open rebellion by the population in the face of an aparant dictatorship, or at least a loose oligarchy.  Academia and the media are willing participants in the deception, and consciously work to both indoctrinate the population through the education process, and maintain an ongoing sense of hysteria through media coverage of trivial differences between the two parties.

Seems vaguely familiar doesn’t it?  As if maybe someone wrote a novel along these same lines.  Oh wait, that novel you’re think of had three ruling parties, not two - that can’t be it…

Maybe it was a movie, yeah, no one reads anymore anyway!  Well except for Harry Potter books.  I’m pretty sure they never discuss economics in those, although I could have skipped that chapter…  What was I talking about, oh right, a movie.  Mabye something with Keannu Reeves?  Nah, that movie was full of killer robots - those don’t really exist! Well ok so they sorta do, but they definitely aren’t thinking for themselves…yet.

So I guess I was way off base with that whole conspiracy theory idea.  That couldn’t really happen, I mean between the two major candidates they have collectively raised over a billion dollars in order to convince people of just how different they are.  And think of all the ways they spend that money: buttons, t-shirts, hair stylists, non-stop mass media advertising.  Hmm, I sense it’s time for a new topic.

Either I forgot to record a few entries in my training log, or its been 2 weeks since my last ride!  That can’t be right…oh wait it is.  Well technically it’s the off season so it’s ok.  Did 33 miles today in some extremely windy and rainy conditions.  I finally got my derailer working right, those darn mechanics make it look so easy and quick - it takes me forever to get it where I want.  I also had to play around with the free hub, the back wheel was wobbling a bit which is never good.  I can honestly say I don’t fully understand how this partciular part is supposed to work - if you tighten it too much the wheel won’t turn at all, and if its too loose the wheel wobbles.  My repair manual isn’t much help.  It doesn’t seem like a very goog design.

Congratulations to Carrie and Nathan, proud new parents!  Caitlin was born 10/29 weighing 5lbs, 1oz and 18.5 inches in length.

• Sales of firearms and ammunition are up 10% this year.
• The U.S. Mint is halting the production and sale of many gold and silver coins.
• Economists estimate the 2009 Federal budget deficit could be between $1 and $2 trillion.

“Do you wish to know whether that day is coming? Watch money. Money is the barometer of a society’s virtue. When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion – when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing – when you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors – when you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you – when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice – you may know that your society is doomed. Money is so noble a medium that it does not compete with guns and it does not make terms with brutality. It will not permit a country to survive as half-property, half-loot.”  ~Ayn Rand “Atlas Shrugged”

After contemplating all the thoughts I would like to write down with respect to politics and economics, I finally came to the conclusion that it would be a lot simpler (not to mention easier) to simply quote a much better writer than myself.  It is interesting to note that much of the world was still under the Bretton-Woods quasi-gold standard currency system when Rand wrote this, although it is certainly conceivable she was more than well aware of the previous disastrous experiments in fiat currency.  I particularly like her use of the word “doom” - my new favorite.

All set for a long day of riding Saturday, what do I find when I go to load my mountain bike in the car?  2 flat tires.  Instantly I realized it was the thorn bushes I had read about from my ride at  Hewen’s creek.  Ugh.  Changed one after finding a nice thorn puncture.  The other wasn’t completely flat and I couldn’t find a hole, so just left it in place to see what it did.  After that fun delay off to Island Lake.  After one lap of the Blue trail I wasn’t happy.  Derailer was once again shifting like crap.  After checking my tires again in the parking lot found that the one was still leaking, decided to replace it.  Ended up blowing up the new tube (tire bead slipped off) so decided to just call it a day.  Sometimes its best to just cut your losses.

I wrote this back in 2006 when I purchased a new mountain bike and started riding again after a long hiatus.  Amazing how quickly I went into full obsession mode and am now riding at a level of intensity and frequency sufficient to make normal people scratch their heads.  In less than a year I went from riding my entry level trail bike in my gym shorts, t-shirt and tennis shoes, to a full- suspension XC race bike and giving nary a second thought to my lycra cycling shorts and clipless pedals, not to mention second bike for on-road training.  Time to see if I’m in danger of getting slapped:

• You have stopped even trying to explain to your spouse why you need two bikes…you just go buy another one and figure it will all work out in the divorce settlement.
  • Yes I have two bikes.
    
• You hear someone had a crash and your first question is “How’s the bike?”
  • No, I’m still more worried about getting hurt, medical bills are more than my bike
    
• The purpose of each of your bikes takes longer than 10 minutes to explain.
  • Nope.  One for dirt, one for concrete.
    
• You work in a bike shop because it’s a good way to get into the industry.
  • Nope, bike shops don’t pay squat, even after you factor in the discount
• You tell other people you have chased down mailboxes thinking they were other riders.
  • Nope, I just have good eyes
• You have more water bottles than glassware in the kitchen cabinet.
  • Nope, but it is starting to get close
• You often just sit and admire your bike(s).
  • No, I barely have enough time to ride, much less sit around
• You convert your car’s brake & gas pedals to clipless.
  • This is just silly
• You see nothing wrong with discussing the connection between hydration and urine color.
  • I don’t see any problems here
• You find your Shimano touring shoes to be more comfortable and stylish than your gunboat sneakers.
  • My carbon soled Specialized shoes with BG inserts are extremely comfotable, though not particularly stylish
• Your one good pair of cycling shoes cost more than all of your other shoes…combined.
  • No, but I got my cycling shoes cheap and used by my shops owner
• You refuse to buy a couch because that patch of wall space is taken up by the bike.
  • This was clearly written by a poor college student
• You have more money invested in your bike clothes than in the rest of your combined wardrobe.
  • Also disturbingly close but mainly because good cycling clothes are expensive!
• Biker chick means black spandex, not leather, and a Trek, not a Harley.
  • Have you seen the kind of “chicks” typically found on the back of Harley’s?  Not pretty…
• You see a fit, tanned, Lycra-clad young woman ride by, and the first thing you check out is her bicycle.
  • I’ll let you know the first time this actually happens
    
• When it gets really windy outside, all you think is “great, more deadfall.
  • WORD
    
• More than half of your pants have tears, all in the same place.
  • I’m not exactly sure what this means
    
• You’ve ever had a “glove tan”
  • Definitely
    
• There’s no skin left on your elbows that isn’t scar tissue.
  • Knees either.  Thank you lousy railroad tracks!!!
    
• Your climate has two seasons- biking season, and wish I was biking season.
  • This is Michigan after all
    
• When you have more money invested in bikes than your car.
  • Got a LONG way to go before this is true