"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G.K. Chesterton

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Ghost Rider

The GHOST BIKE RIDES
(you try taking a photo of a Ghost)
To those concerned about ORANGE
She if fine . . . She is however, FRENCH
which implies temperamental and difficulty finding parts
The Ghost Bike is circa 1978:
 Ishiwata double-butted chrome moly tube set
fully sloping crown (I love those!)
Malliard 700 pro hubs, Rigida rims, 36 spoke count
Specialized 27X1 folding tire (both new, from 1980!)
and of course . . . a single speed

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

I'm really proud of her . . .

She saw a fork in the road. . .  
so she took it . . .  
First a little history.  As some of you know, my daughter is a student at a couple of institutions of higher learning.                          

It is now clear to me that such an education does not necessarily imbibe one with a great deal of "common sense."  In 90 degree heat, she announced she wished to go for a bike ride with he dad.  Not wishing to appear wimp like, of course I agreed and off we went . . . hoping it would be somewhat cooler by the shore.  
As others of you know, and are painfully aware . . . During a surgery a couple of years ago I forgot to ask the surgeon to install the "optional fluid retention device" for which I have long lusted.   (Admittedly this does have its advantages.  For instance, when I am tired I can simply announce "I need to stop for a moment" ) 
Tired I was . . . time to stop . . . Of course I assumed my loving daughter would stop and wait for me . . .  no . . . just like one of the guys she left me . . .
No worries I thought . . . I'll catch up to her . . .
All was on plan until she disappeared . . .
FINALLY, THE POINT OF THE STORY
Out of nowhere, without provocation or suggestion
SHE TURNED DOWN A GRAVEL ROAD
It must be genetic
That's right . . . we rode gravel.  Me on my gravel rig with 32mm tires
Lauren on her road bike with 23mm tires . . .
That serves as a warning to everyone . . .  there is no reason
you can't ride these roads with the bikes you have
Look at that smile . . .
That's what riding gravel is all about
I hope to see you all riding gravel soon
I'll miss her when she returns to college this week.