Happy Halloween!!!!

Riding with the leaves.

Today is overcast and cool. It’s the perfect day to ride to a coffee shop and get a cup. Then on the way home find some leaves to ride through.

Dirty, Dirty winter coming.

I usually try to keep my ride pretty clean. I’ve been a little lazy about it lately, and it really needs a good bath. This got me thinking.  My dad has always said, “Before winter sets in you should put a good coat of wax on you car.” One of his points being is that it helps keep the salt off the car’s finish in the winter months. This does make sense to me. So I’m thinking of cleaning up the old horse and putting a coat of wax on the seat/chain stays, down tube and fork. Can anyone think of a good reason not to do this?

Also with winter on the horizon does anyone have any cold weather riding tips you would like to share with the cycling community? One I use, I got from Sheldon Brown. Use clear tape to block off a few air vents on your helmet. It’s a easy and very inexpensive way to help keep your head a little warmer and  not compromise the fit of your brain bucket.

139th st. OC, MD to the Indian River Inlet, DE

I was going to post this while down the beach but given the recent events I decided to hold off until now. So here it is…

My original plan was to ride from 139th to the OC inlet at the end of the board walk but, after careful consideration, recommendation of a local and a reader of this blog, I decided to ride North instead. I, liking to beat myself up, decided to begin my ride around one p.m. on the hottest day we where down there. You know 90 some degrees with 100 heat index. Whatever, it’s flat on the shore, right? Anyway my first stop was of this watch tower.

For anyone who doesn’t know, these towers are haunting reminders of how close German subs came to our coasts in WW II. I’ve always been fascinated with these concrete sentries. I think they’re creepy in a neat sorta way. Moving on, I next rolled into the town of Bethany. In my opinion this is what a beach town should look like.  Quiet, sandy and lived in. I pasted the Bethany bike shop. I don’t think I have to explain why I took a picture of this.

I wasn’t ready to turn back towards home so I continued North on 50. Before I knew it I was looking 2 miles down the road at the inlet bridge. I road down alone side the bridge where there is a parking lot for folks wanting to fish, go to the beach or out on a boat. There I took a water break and a few more pictures.

After hydrating a bit I jumped on my ride and headed home for the day. The ride took me about 2 hours to go up and back, with a few breaks of course. Over all total mileage was just under 25 miles. It was a very relaxing ride. I highly recommend it. The only draw backs are no shade and you are riding on 50 where vehicles pass you are doing, well, 50 or so. That was the most surprising part of my ride is that I did not feel unsafe on 50 at all. Delaware really has it together when it comes to bike lanes and markings for them. The lanes where very clearly marked and there was signage everywhere saying “Look out for bicycles” which, is much more to the point than “Share the road”.

Maybe next time I’m “danny oshin” I’ll ride South. I think that with be in the off season.

Took it to downtown, now taking it to the East(ern shore)

Well the NBBB rolled on downtown on Thursday night in the Moonlight Madness ride.  For the exception of a few flats and a bad spill everyone seemed to have a good time. Thank you, thank you , thank you to the folks who put this ride together. I totally enjoyed myself.  It was so great to see people from all different walks of life with all different kinds of bikes come together to take a ride. It was also great to meet some of the folks who visit this blog and be able to say thanks for visiting, face to face.  To the guy who took the spill: I think I can speak for everyone on the ride and say, get well soon, fellow velo.

In other news, I’m gonna be representing the NBBB down at OC for a few days.  I’m planning on riding the length of the island. I’ll be sure to post about it with some pics. Has anyone out there ridden this before? If so, anything I should look out for or look forward too?

Fire Bike.

I need one of these.  What fun this is. Two extinguishers, a fifty foot length of hose and a hydrant wrench all on two wheels. Not to mention, nice freakin’ fenders.

(From There I Fixed It.)

More pics for John.

Domino

USCG fly by

Should have written this a week ago.

So damn, time goes by fast. Johnny and I went out and took this kick ass ride last Saturday. We rode up to the city/county line on Lake Ave and then worked our way down to Fell’s Point. We got a cup of coffee and sat on the pier for a bit before heading back home. All in all about 20 miles or so. I was going to write this big post with lots of pictures that I took on the ride but I figured I’m a little late. So instead I’m gonna use this post to say if anyone is interested in doing one of these 20 mile or so rides down town or where ever let us know. We would love to make a run to Fell’s Point or Canton one day or night with bunch of people. The more people the more fun.

True dat.

This was taken about a year ago in my basement. It’s Johnny boy doing his best to true up my back wheel. Anybody that rides around here in these streets knows the value of a good friend with a truing stand. I’d place the value at worth their weight in beer or coffee.

Little red riding rack.

I just thought I’d share this. I took it the other day when I was up at  Druid Hill. The lake was frozen over and covered with a fresh coat of snow.

Bike ninjas ride on Poe’s birthday.

Went for a nice winter ride yesterday. It was about 30 and snowing when we started out. We rode the Jones Falls Trail and ended up at the Poe statue in front of UB. There we had coffee and peanut butter granola bars. We wished Mr. Poe a happy 200 b-day and asked for a Raven’s win. I guess he was too busy partying to help out the purple birds, oh well. After we left UB we headed up Calvert and then over to Charles and took the long way back home. All in all about 14 miles, a short winter ride but, a pleasant one.

Keep warm out there, bike ninjas.

Found:Trek Mountain Bike.

See lost and found

Up on the skids.

Man I am ashamed. I havn’t been on my wheels in over a month. This is by far my favorite time of year to ride but a broken bike and a new career I guess will give you some dry spells. Walking to the store is ok but, I miss that sound only a bike can make as it rolls through leaves.

Damn, it’s been nice out!!!

If you haven’t noticed the weather has been great. It’s suppose to stay this way until at least Wednesday. Highs in the 80’s and lows at night in the freakin’ 60’s. Anybody interested in going for a evening ride on Tuesday?  Same set up, same time, 8ish , Roland park watertower on the 12th of August. We could have a pot luck ride. Sound like fun? Who’s up for it?

Hemingway’s birthday ride.

So the Hemingway b-day ride went well. Where better to ride to on Hemingway’s birthday then some where with water, boats and beer? I think he would have approved. The small group of us started out around 8pm from, of course, the water tower. We headed down town via Fallsway to Maryland Ave. We wove our way through the downtown corridors of buildings and buses to the waterfront. We stopped by the Tawny to snap this goofy photo. At this point in the ride the heat was obviously starting to get to us. We continued on to Fell’s where we sat on the pier. There we toasted Hemingway by reading one of his short poems and raising our water bottle. (It was just too damn hot for beer.) After hanging out on the pier a while we decided to start to head back. We rode through Little Italy (one of my old stomping grounds) to Lombard where we then committed ourselves to Calvert for the spin back.

All in all it was a wonder evening ride totalling somewhere around 15 miles. I can’t wait to ride back down town again.  Cheer’s for bikes and Hemingway!!! A great combination.