Ankle-deep Snow

I had mixed emotions this morning about my transportation, as I trudged the few blocks to the bus stop.

On the one hand, it's pretty nice to be in a big sturdy bus with a professional driver, as motorists with widely varying skill levels negotiate the slippery roads.

But on the other hand, I love "powder cycling" in freshly-fallen snow. Even if it's slow going... and even though those same drivers are sharing space.

Not many bicycles out today... although if I'd been riding, I would've seen that I wasn't the first rider in most cases. (It's pretty rare to not see any bike tracks at all... unless you get up with the dairy farmers.)

Speaking of dairy farmers, even this guy's John Deere cruiser bicycle looked to be socked in for the day. (Photo snapped in downtown Boise, as I walked from the bus stop to the office.)

Christmas Bicycle Tales

A bit of bicycle-related Bad Craziness over the Christmas holidays.

Teen's holiday ends with bicycle burglary

A 17-year-old Redding, CA, youth didn't get his desired bicycle for Christmas. So early Saturday morning, he broke into the Chain Gang Bike Shop and stole one. It must've been a nice one - $3800. Along with $1800 worth of parts and accessories. A cop responding to the alarm saw the punk riding away.

Bummer - that throws him off Santa's "good list" for 2010, I'm expectin'.

Story HERE.

Report: Man gets stitches after bicycle beating by ex-wife's boyfriend

Guy wishes his ex-wife a Merry Christmas and heads off down the street, on foot (in Fort Myers, FL).

Ex-wife's new boyfriend - a transient - follows and bashes him sadistically, using bike for bludgeon.

Old husband went to the emergency room for stitches; cops are still looking for new boyfriend.

No word on whether the bicycle was damaged.

Story HERE.

Man catches on fire during a bike ride in Wilmington

According to the Wilmington (NC) Police Department, a 40-year-old guy caught fire while riding his bike.

All they've been able to ascertain so far is that apparently he lit a cigarette and flared up. He's burned from the chin down. Hopefully he'll recover and more information can be gathered.

Story HERE.

We came 'round the bend!

Did you notice? The sun came up 30 seconds or so earlier today, than yesterday! We've successfully gone past the shortest day of the year, and the days are getting longer again. Before you know it, we'll be griping once again about how oppressively hot it is.

(To my many south-of-the-equator readers... sympathies! Your days are getting shorter now, suckas!)

A Parable on Perspective

The father of a very wealthy family sent his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live, and perhaps giving him more appreciation for his own opulent circumstances.

The son spent several days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

Upon his return, the father asked his son, “How did you like the trip?”

“It was great, dad.”

“Did you see how poor people live?” the father asked.

“Oh yeah!” said the son.

“So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father.

The son answered: “I saw that we have one dog and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.”

The boy’s father was speechless.

Then his son added, “Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are.”

There is much we can learn from this little tale (which a friend shared with me). Decide for yourself how it applies to you.

Here's the "Bike Nazi" spin...

Motorists, as a rule, look upon other forms of transportation as undesirable... fit only for those whose pathetic circumstances don't afford the luxury of a single-occupant motor vehicle (with heated seats and climate control).

(Am I wrong?)

As I rode the bus this morning, I reflected on how nice it is to have somebody else - a trained professional driver - maneuvering those slushy, crowded roads. No windshield to scrape; no reason for a pre-departure warm-up ritual. No gas to buy, no insurance, no maintenance, no depreciation expense.

When I ride my bike, I'm particularly rich! (Both with money-staying-in-pocket and otherwise.) Health-enhancing exercise! Good scenery, often with nature encompassing on every side. No traffic jams - EVER! (What is that alone worth?)

I should be more grateful to motorists... they help me keep things in perspective and realize how blessed I am to not be one of them!

Nude NYC bicycle protest frozen out

HERE is an odd bicycle story.

A bike lane in an "Orthodox Jewish neighborhood" in New York City was recently closed. Apparently because neighbors ("where Jewish women wear hefty skirts and long-sleeved blouses and men wear heavy coats and hats, even in summer") objected to seeing women riding bicycles in shorts. (I'm sorry, but I just can't identify with that sentiment at all! nudge-nudge, wink-wink)

Angry cyclists planned a Sabbath topless protest. Not very conciliatory, those NYC cyclists.

But surprise of surprises - a "fierce snowstorm" sidelined the plan. Instead, they wore plastic breasts pinned to the outside of their jackets. I'm no expert, but I can't help but believe the protest lost some of its impact.

Can't we all just get along?

Finished for the Year

I've done all the cycling I'm going to do in 2009. (5784 miles for the year, accumulated over 339 days of riding... not too bad.)

"Hey, wait a minute!" you say. "How can you stop, when there are still days left in the year? What kind of Bike Nazi are you??"

It's not by choice.

I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in August. Which wasn't much of a surprise - there is a huge genetic predisposition to prostate cancer in my family. Which in a way is a good thing... since I halfway expected it, I've been getting annual checks for probably 15 years, and this year my number came up.

Prostate cancer is a big deal. More men die from it, than women die from breast cancer. But detected early, it is very treatable.

On December 15, I fell under the knife of the da Vinci Surgery Robot, piloted by a very
capable surgeon. It is some amazing technology... although it's considered a major surgery, I was up walking in less than 24 hours, and was released from the hospital in less than 2 days. I took a few days off from work, but will be back Monday - riding the bus.

I haven't yet discussed bicycling with my doctor, although he knows it's somewhat of a compulsion for me. The topic will come up Monday, no doubt, and I expect he'll say 6 weeks off the bike, I'll counter with 4 weeks, and we'll compromise at 5 weeks.

I'll get the pathology report on Monday as well... their best guess as to whether the surgery totally eradicated the cancer. I expect the prognosis to be positive, and expect to keep cycling for many years.

YOU MEN - if you're over 40, get checked! The PSA (blood) test is quick and inexpensive, and early detection could save your life, like I'm sure it has mine.

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UPDATE 12/21: EXCELLENT NEWS!

Pathology report: "no capsular penetration or extraprostatic extension identified." In layman's terms... there is every reason to believe that the tumor was completely and successfully removed.

The doc cleared me to resume total normal activity 2 weeks following the surgery. But suggested just to be on the safe side, I might want to give the bike a month off. I'm good with that.

I am very blessed.

Winter Wonderland riding

The weather seems to be breaking a bit in these parts.

Yesterday it actually got up near freezing! And we got more snow. I hooked a big inflatable vinyl "inner tube" to the back of my old clunker bike, and towed my granddaughter Mackie around the park for 15 minutes or so. It was a blast! She complained that her neck was cold, but she enjoyed scooping up mitts-full of snow as we zipped along.

I share a couple more photos from earlier in the week, snapped in the early AM on the ride into work. These were taken on the Ann Morrison footbridge.