Archive for June, 2007

Urban Hippies make the world go round.

June 7, 2007 5:51 am

I woke up a little late this morning. Just one of those mornings where you seem to need those extra few minutes.

Walked upstairs (I’m residing in the basement) at my host house here in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to grab a nice warm cup of coffee.

It’s my morning ritual: Find coffee… and find it quickly. Don’t wrinkle your face up. There’s plenty of other people out there just like me.

With coffee in hand, I staggered over to the couch and flipped on my laptop to see what the world’s been up to since I last spoke with it, oh, say 10 hours ago. As usual, one of my first few stops was at CyclingNews.

It quickly became apparent that the cycling world was off to a great start today…

Homes searched in western Belgium

and

Franck Vandenbroucke attempts suicide

Jeez… Why in the hell do I keep starting my day off with CyclingNews?

Sure, great site and all, but jeez… lately it seems that cycling’s in a bit of a stooper… constantly swirling around in the crapper, intermingled with last night’s dinner and the few random pieces of corn that you haven’t a clue how its gotten there… but none the less… it’s not quite heading down just yet.

Something’s keeping it from going all the way down. Hopefully that something doesn’t give way anytime soon.

I’ll skip the pomp and circumstance of some seemingly witty thoughts, turned into type, that would traditionally be needed to help transition this into a new and brighter thought and instead just come straight out and say it: My brother is an Urban Hippie.

Yes, an Urban Hippie.

He’s the type that will talk your ear off about this that and whatever it is that’s pertaining to genocide in Africa, lack of running water in third world countries, corruption up on the Hill, global warming, and pretty much anything or anyone else in need at the moment.

Basically, my brother’s the type that the world needs more of. Not because he bitches about it’s problems but because he does whatever he can, even if it is seemingly a small gesture, to help out. I’m not like this. Seems that most people aren’t. Check out his website and see how much of the profit from his artwork that he donates to charities and organizations. It’s pretty impressive. I asked him what he wanted for his Birthday tomorrow and he simply said this: donate something in my name.

Talking the talk, but also walking the walk.

So, finally, I leave you with an e-mail he sent my way regarding an upcoming vote by Congress as to whether or not to use “liquid coal”. Never hurts to use this hubbard of a website to do my part and possibly help out as well. Enjoy…

FROM: Hunter
SUBJECT: i thought you guys would want to know

Congress could vote in the next fews weeks on a bill that would double our greenhouse gas emissions from planes and cars. It sounds crazy, but this is exactly what will happen if a current plan to use “liquid coal” passes. Coal is the dirtiest of fossil fuels and we have a serious global warming problem.

The above paragraph is what was sent to me. I know a bit about the topic but I am no expert. One thing I do know is, that burning coal in any form is one of the dirtiest and toxic pollutants today. We are at a crossroads in history, luckily we have all the power, all we have to do is use it. We have several hundred years of reasearch that all points to an increasing toxicity in the world around us. This is due entirely to our way of life. Currently, the information and technology already exsists to make the switch to a more sustanable way of life. The only way to make the switch is to exercise your due right and speak up.

I already signed a petition urging Congress to vote no on tax breaks and subsidies on coal. Do what you want, I just wanted you guys to know.

http://pol.moveon.org/stopkingcoal/?r_by=&rc=paste

peace-
love you guys

Do what you wanna do. I signed it.

Take care folks.

VERSUS VS. The hotel and a dirty ear.

June 6, 2007 1:42 pm

Will you be watching the documentary?

I won’t be.

But only because I’ll be racing in Philadelphia. Actually, I guess the race will be over by then so it’s more a matter of whether or not the hotel has the VERSUS network on tv. Word on the street is that my teammate Cody “The Roadie” Stevenson has been made out to be the “sensative” rider on the team…

I really hope I come across as the crotchety old bald guy. I’ve got my fingers crossed… toes too.

Here’s the write up of the Lancaster Classic that I promised you guys a few days ago. You will be happy to know that my ears have been officially cleaned out… although Evan’s have not been. He and I are at the same host house and I’ve noticed that he still has a decent sized spot of dirt and grime in one of his ears. I feel kind of bad for not pointing it out to him, but I fear that I have passed the official time period available to casually point something out to someone. You know, like when you’re eating dinner with someone and they have managed to get salad dressing way down on their chin and you hesitate just long enough to not tell them to wipe their chin off… Then about 5 minutes later you consider telling them but you then begin to feel guilty for not telling them sooner, so then you begin to hope that the manners their mother taught them when they were young would kick in and they’d subconsciously wipe their face off with their napkin…

You know what I mean?

Well, that’s where I’m sitting right now…

Tomorrow’s the Reading Classic. With three trips up Mt. Penn before bombing back into town for the finish, it should be a doozie.

Alright, I’m going to go now. Take it easy.

I’ve never eaten candy… and a Boeing 727 fly-by.

June 4, 2007 2:13 pm

Hi folks,

We haven’t chatted much lately.

My appologies.

For starters, I need to clarify a few things that I said in my last post. In that post, I told you guys that I ate an entire bag of Jelly Beans all by myself. In the slew of comments that followed, I also said that this happens every so often in between big races and sometimes I even eat other candies such as, but not limited to: CandyCorn, Swedish Fish, Valentines Hearts, Mike N Ike’s, Hot Tamales, and Gummy Bears..

Well… um… I was totally joking. Yeah, just a big joke. I’ve never, and I mean NEVER eaten Jelly Beans or any other type of high calorie, white sugar, super big athletic no-no, candy, in or outside of competition. So you folks just forget I said that. Ok?

I don’t know what I was thinking with that last post… Jeez… It must have just been crazy talk or maybe it was all that booze talking or something like that.

Well… let’s see… on to other things. I’m currently in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, pedaling away at the Commerce Bank Triple Crown or whatever they’re calling this thing nowadays. I’ve been here a few days now, but not without a brief few days in the Sommervile, New Jersey, area for the Tour of Sommerville Criterium, and then on to the Washington DC area for last Saturday’s CSC Invitational. While in Washington DC I managed to get out for a few bike path rides… (particularly because there is no where else to ride in that city). I did however get to tool around for a ride smack dab in the middle of the city and snap a picture off for you guys.

Washington DC 2.jpg

That’s the Washington Monument… and judging by the looks of the bridge I was riding on, you get the picture of the training around there…

I did stumble across the bike path that takes you right by Washington Reagan National Airoprt… and I mean right by the airport. Watch the video and see…

Maverick to base… requesting a fly-by.

As for the Lancaster Classic… I was asked to type up a race report for the Jittery Joe’s team site. When it gets posted, I’ll pass the link on your way and you can check in out if you want. And if you don’t… then that’s fine as well.

Alright folks, that’s all for now. I need to go eat some candy. Uh, er, I mean fruit. Crap. I was thinking out load again.

Take care.