The Joy of

sorry, work rant

between now and next December
I'll be spending nearly $6000
to drive 40 minutes
and sit through coursework
but really it's alright because
the legislature DOES know my job best
and after all I didn't really need
that brick patio
with the sidewalk
or the front steps repaired
or that walkout from the diningroom
where the window is now
onto the brick patio that I don't have
and those appliances really still work fine
after 20 years
and the half dozen vacations would have been
well
terribly
excitingboring

anyway


- the PO'dOB

6:22 November 26th

Readying for Winter
St. Louis Park
46 degrees
- OB surprisingly OK with not bikin'

4:20 November 24th

Cedar Lake Trail
Downtown Minneapolis to St. Louis Park
53 degrees





- The Thankful OB

9:05 November 23rd

Turkey Day 5K
Downtown Minneapolis
Me and 8,000 of my Closest Friends

- OB in a sea of people that went on for blocks!

Product Whore

Indeed.

My third Pilderwasser arrived on my doorstep late last week...awesome fit, waaay great graphics wrapped around a perfectly-fitting, soft, girly-styled T. If you haven't stopped by Pilderwasser yer missing out. Get there. Besides, it's that time of year -- pick up a couple for cycling friends don't worry, not all the shirts are girly. Take a look through the slide show on the lower left side of the T-Shirts for Sale page to get an idea of the variety.

Hand Made in Seattle. One at a time. Delivered via bicycle.

Contact me and I'll answer your questions. Tell me what you want, what you really really want. And I'll tell you what you get. Keep in mind American Apparel shirts run smaller than "traditional" t-shirts. see: www.americanapparel.net

If you are ready to buy, then Buy Now, with secure payments through PayPal. Please be very specific on the vague order form found below.

Gotta love it.

Sizing: the American Apparel shirts tend to run a bit small. I'm usually in for a M t-shirt even though they're a tad loose. However, the unisex American Apparel M of my other Pilderwassers (#1, #1 again, #2) fit a little closer than a typical M. My new women's L (top) fits the way I'd expect a women's M to fit.

I dare you to get the nipple driver.

And, visit the blog while you're there.

- OB mine wasn't delivered by bicycle

Garage Shui

Out with the Old

In with the New

- OB changin' the world one 2x4 at a time....

Cheap Bikes Anonymous

Um, hi. I'm TOB...

*hi TOB*

...and I have a Murray hanging in my garage.

*a.....*

I don't own Murray, mind you. It's just hanging in my garage. My dad bought it years ago at WalMart the $54.88 pricetag is still on the front reflector when he decided he'd like to putter around the retirement community. It's a mountain bike that's way too small for him, weighs a ton and shifts terribly

*of course*

so it's been sitting in his garage gathering dust. He and Mom have been downsizing and they wanted to get rid of things so I brought it home with me...with the good intentions of giving it away on FreeCycle.

*um hmmmm*

My niece, however, being a college student and all, knows plenty of others who can use a cheap alternative to walking around campus so she found Murray a new owner on my stipulation that New Owner never, ever take Murray on any actual mountain bike trail except now that it's turned cold, New Owner doesn't really need Murray until next spring so can I store it for her?

*sigh*

I couldn't really say no....

- Baggie if I leave it parked in the back alley, do you think it'll be safe until next spring?

Grocery Ride

apples
oranges
'nanners
grapes
snap peas

beer beer beer
beer beer beer


- TOB outta room in the backpack

Squirt Bottles, Tubes and Queries

SO

...well, what women really prefer is variety in their lubes...a bit-o-White Lightning or Pedro's Ice goes a looong way over multiple

...er...

linkage

but now and again something with a bit more durability is required
especially for those moving parts of like materials
undergoing heavy

ummm

friction

....

...in which case, Phil Wood Tenacious Oil is a good choice.

And of course, there will be times when the Poly Lube 1000 needs to make an appearance, because after all it has an extremely high shear strength to protect vital parts under extreme conditions...
....

- OB THAT search query popped OB out at #6 on Google page 1!

5:37 Standard Time

Running down the trail
next to the tracks
the dusk blew-in dark and cold
tumbled most trail souls home
except for the lone walker on an overhead bridge
clutching a briefcase hunched
against the wind

5:38
looking beyond the underpass
down the train rails to where the city ends
a blotch of pink-purple-orange clouds
meant it was still afternoon somewhere
warm and soul-filled
I could hear them partying
dancing the rumba
or
maybe
maybe it was the pompons from my stocking cap
tapping my head as I ran

- OB