Needed Help:

As most of the nation knows a little storm called Ike blew through here a couple of weeks ago and really made a mess. Not to minimize the real damage to persons and homes there was some severe damage to many of the hiking and biking trails to the Houston area. People of the northwest side of Houston (cypress, klein, etc.) have organized themselves into a user group that helps to maintain these trails in conjunction with GHORBA. My home trail is not as widely used or maintained as some of these trails but the following is a letter I sent out to the members of the group today, if you stumble upon this site and live in or around the area take these words and do what you can. Thanks.....

"After I got home from work yesterday morning I took a little re-con mission on improper to see what kind of shape it's in; the verdict-It's not real pretty. The only highlight was the peninsula (Jones and cypress wood) was pretty buff. Thanks to whoever took the time to clear and rake it. The rest of the area I rode was pretty hard hit. Unfortunately I don't have time to organize a work party (maybe someone else can???) but I encourage you if you are a regular to work on sections of the trail if you have a chance. I am going to be working the sections of the trail starting after the Y retention pond and going from there when I get free time. Much thanks to those who are working the proper section and hopefully as Gerry said the trails will be better than ever when it's all said and done.

thanks"

peace like a river.......

I'm a pansie

Today's link of the day makes my bike commute look like a walk in the park........granted this was a "race".

WARNING: This may induce motion sickness.......or just alot of peeing in the pants.

-peace like a river

I'm Back.........

Nothing like a hurricane to kick a person square in the ass and get them motivated to get on with things in there life. So....where do I pick up??? The bikes, they get ridden alot lately. Ridden to work, ridden to the coffee shop, the grocery, the YMCA, ridden on the trail, ridden to the store for a persons adult beverage needs, ridden alot of places and it's a good thing. Again, I think bikes have the power to save the world. (OK, so it's gonna take a lot more than bikes but at least it's a start.)

Before I start this rant let me send out some peace, love, and prayers to everyone who was affected by our little storm in Houston this past week. It sucked. I rode many hours on the cycle the past week in shock and awe as I passed by house, apartment, store, etc. that had been f*#ked up by nature. I know you don't want to hear it but just as nature can turn a world upside down it can also turn that world rightside up from time to time as well.

The other day I had this spiritual thought (very few and far between) as I was pushing the pedals. Bike embody what's supposed to be important in ones life; faith, hope, and love. How, I'm glad I asked:

Faith: I'm big (not obese mind you, just big) and I love to eat. I also love to race bikes in addition to ridding them. The other day I got on the scale and I was three pounds less than I was a few weeks ago. I will never be some skinny euro or lance, levi, or other emaciated american guy on a bike but I have faith that I will be healthier. I have a faith in myself and a faith in something bigger than myself that tells me life is going to be alright. I will race, learn a measure of self discipline, and keep the faith.

Hope: A couple of weeks back I saw a dad out on a bike trail riding with his two little girls, about 5 and 7 years old. This one speaks for itself.

Love: I was at our local REI and my little girl was pushing the pedal on a little bike there in the store and it hit me, she might not ever turn another pedal but I'm going to love her regardless. As much as I advocate the love of two wheels there is no greater visible love here on earth than family. Even if your "family" is screwed up beyond belief there is still some family out there worth love, yours and theirs......and not just family in the right-wing, conservative christian , type of sense, but a group of people with shared beliefs, convictions, interests, etc. Sometimes it's just easier to see from a bike seat.

Link of the day: It probably don't mean s*#t to you but this is one of the coolest things to happen to my neck of the woods in a while. Basically what this group was able to do was save a chunk of land from developers and put a linking trail on it. Power to the people.

Try Again

When I was a kid I learned a valuable but simple lesson taught by my bike: If you fall down, get up and ride again. One month......no post, no good reason, just no post. So here goes, another feeble attempt at sharing things I deem as cool and maybe a thought or two that may or may not be worth sharing. Fall down, get up-It's a simple lesson.

Link of the day:
Roadie discussion, like or not.

Imginary wheels turning

Got up today, decided that I sick and tired of being sick and tired and went for a walk. Talk about HARD CORE. The fam and I loaded up the old' stroller of disaster and went to the YMCA were I proceeded to unload a weeks worth of pent up angst on an indoor track about 40 times. What can I say, I'm bad ass! All I can tell my bikes is watch out, I'm coming and I'm coming with a vengeance.

After the walk, we hit the pool.

Link of the day

0 for 2.......

0 for 2. That's a percentage of zero. I had a two goals for this week, both have been hideously wrecked by the midget in my stomach gnawing on my intestines. The first goal was simple enough, ride my bike, think my thoughts, record my thoughts, write, repeat. That's pretty hard to do when you only ride for thirty minutes in a week and spend more time on the porcelain god than a bike seat. The second goal was a bit more hopeful. Commute via bike every day this week. Again, unless they develop a bike with a built in port-a-potty my commute ain't gonna get very far stopping every couple of minutes or so. So I'm 0 for 2.

Link of the day.

My good friend czechfest dropped some comments last time about cycling giving you sore bum, pro-cyclist being on some kind of roid-rage bender, and racing and that's exactly the point of the discussion. When people see bikes to many times they see looong rides, doping pros, etc. Bikes can be these but they can be so much more. Bikes can be a ride to the grocery, a beer-run, a trip to the neighbors, a method to the coffee shop. Bikes can be anything you desire them to be. The spirit of the living is in the wheels.

And the spirt of the living was in the wheels

"And the spirt of the the living was in the wheels......"

So why another blog......because bikes can save the world, even in Cypress, TX. How might you ask, that's a great question:

Cycling is sport: Right now the Giro de Italia is going on somewhere where they will climb more altitude in a day on a bike than most of us will in our lifetime. It's sport alright.

Cycling is medicine: Get stressed, go for a ride in the woods. You'll feel better. Get fat. Ride more. Get Skinny (maybe, but at least you're doing something fun with your time)

Cycling is transportation: 5.00 gas anyone?

Cycling is romance: My parents ride most Saturday mornings and get breakfast during their rides. They don't golf together, they don't kayak together, the don't even play cards well together, but they bike together.

Cycling is whatever you want it to be. Ezekiel 1:21 states that the spirit of the living is in the wheels. Am I using this out of context, probably, but I still think it's true.

Ride your bike.