and then we got more of this

and then we got more of this
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

slow down and notice the little details

the route: twenty some miles roundtrip to the roasters and back.



the cargo: 5lbs of san fran blend and 1lb of espresso roast.

additional notes: saw 2 people fucking in the backseat of a 4 door sedan (unknown make, certainly wasn't a plush and roomy caddy though). the term 'fucking' is valid here as opposed to 'making love', 'sex', 'doing it' etc since they were parked in a trailhead lot. no sultry detail as a blanket was involved and i rolled past with a wtf look of disbelief. the soothing sound of the nearby interstate and penndot trucks must have only heightened the mood.

six pounds of coffee on the porteur rack

porteur rack by rack n roll. go get one.
.

pedaling a quarter century on a windy day

listen to that wind. hidden in the trees, it wasn't so bad. steep out from their protection and it pushed at you with abandon. constantly strong, but with more powerful gusts to test your balance. chilling even now.



getting to blue marsh wasn't so bad. the aforementioned trees certainly helped. the snow is virtually gone. the iced up trail ruts remain though. a loose touch and high cadence over the rough kind of ride. wearing mittens also only allows for so much dexterity anyway. single digit wind chills wouldn't allow for other hand protection so no fighting it.



i only lingered by the lake for a few minutes.



ice had formed up on the lakeside face of the driftwood courtesy of the waves.



i then hid in the trees to warm up.

the ride home was swift thanks to a tailwind. a fine dust covered the bike too. frozen and dry i guess. a few other hardy souls were out walking but numbers were slim. my kind of day on the canal path.

ever present but not visible...

ever present but not visible...
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

the wind
white cap swells at blue marsh
blustery day in the saddle

burning off a little bit of christmas

that's one fine bike ready for winter mileage. a late start to let the ice melt off the roads. the hills to let the sludge burn out of my legs. a slow start, but kick was returning at the end. three days in a row off the bike doesn't happen often. no commuting this week as vacation is still in effect. planning on more mileage in the coming days. snowfall in the forecast too...

selected christmas photos

start the day right


open presents


help your old man


cook a little


hook up the rain barrel


monkey posing


cut some sushi

time to play santa

time to play santa
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

last commute of 2009

last commute of 2009
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

cold one this morning
ice beard in effect
using vacation to close out the year
parking the commuter
sleeping in
giving the led's a rest
maybe some daytime rides for a change

monday night

refreezing as the photo was taken.
carbide studs are the best.
.

out in the snow

out in th snow
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

it's hard to need to make the choice
you know it's coming
the signs have been there for months
but that final push comes
and it's difficult to handle
but it must be done
better days are past
darker days only lie ahead
he went limp lying on my lap
the injection to his leg worked quickly
and then it was over
that moment has passed
but the memory still stings
and the tears still run

a sad day

a sad day
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

rest in peace biff
09/11/97 to 12/19/09

support your LBS

support your LBS
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

you don't get this ordering online
stopped in for the following
two patch kits
two 700x18/25 tubes
two 700x35/40 tubes
cane creek fork crown race
walked out with the bottle above too
thanks jb

friday morning

friday morning
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

on your right

highway at a standstill
secondaries crawling along
i'm still making good time

crush the commonwealth 2010

dates are bouncing around already
end of april
beginning of may
go have your say
that is
if you're interested in such things
needless to say
i'm very interested

warmer

fast
well at least relatively speaking
the studs are at home
the 19t cog is too
xcheck reconfigured again
having two wheesets is nice
(borrowed from the karate monkey)
slicks and a 16t today
fast
and quiet
without all those studs

mounted

mounted
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

chance of ice in the morn
nokians get the call up

down by the river

down by the river
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

winter wrenching

no disc brake



no v brake



fixed via the TomiCog

name that beer

printed on the underside of the can.
.

a seven month hiatus

i drove to work thursday. first time since getting hit by a car back in may. our daughter decided to be awake for much of the wednesday night. it was rough. i was tired. never really woke up throughout the day though. part of it might have been lack of sleep. but i'm thinking part was never raising the ol heartrate like a normal day. body was still in sleep mode. especially when you get paid to sit still behind a computer.

cars make it so easy to get around. but i like bikes better. even if it's supposed to be 18f friday morning with a 4f windchill, i'm still looking forward to pedaling. just gotta pile on an extra layer.

bringing the rain inside

an inch or two of snow
slightly warmer air arrives
pouring rain falls
and falls
and falls

afternoon fix

afternoon fix
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

my cup of coffee
rests on top of
my current headache

wintery

some lingering snow on the road
some extended patches of ice
some smooth seated climbing
some pretty scenery not captured

sometimes it's funny...

what information this provides.
.
.

first of the season

subfreezing mornings this whole week
boot season has returned
roads are clear
lawns still covered in snow
trees hang heavy too
meltoff refeeezing right now though
studs not warranted yet
a little slip n slide is ok

snow boots

snow boots
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

snow

snow
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

saturday morning summit

mt penn firetower as snow flurries fall



early morning ride thru a sleeping city
quite a pleasant way to start the day

the m5 bolt was too long

shortening bolts to clean up fender attachment to the pacer.

ain't no stopping the commute

don't hide behind that windshield. get out there and feel the weather. the rain. the cold. the wind. turn those pedals. generate some body heat. hear the rain bounce off your jacket. the hiss of tires on wet pavement. before complete darkness sets in, while the sky still has some illumination, you can even see your reflection off the road below. drop your head when the wind blows rain into your eyes. let the cap protect your face. unzip your jacket a bit to regulate your temp. it's just a little water creeping in. see your breathe in the glow of your headlamp while waiting for the light to change. hold that trackstand as the rain pours down. jump that green and beat the cars for a few moments. down in the drops covering ground. get yourself home a little quicker. kill the lights to enjoy the dim glow of low cloud cover. keep the blinky reds on though. backroad goodness.

rain riding is enjoyable. dress as required for your climate. tonight, i'm left with a stinking heap of clothes. hopefully my shoes will dry out by morn.

the sun sets...

the temperature drops
the moon rises

sweet juniper

this man knows how to write.
you should go read.
.
.

november wrap up

november wrap up
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

orange = ride to work (18 days, 486 miles)
yellow = drive to work (0 days)
blue = dirt or road ride (3 days)
year commute stats = 202 days, 5,454 miles

chill in the air this morn
heavy frost
ice covered puddles
road still only wet
that'll change
as winter approaches