Minneapolis Bike Blog

My Review of CygoLite Cygolite MityCross 350 LED Bike Light

2010-05-15T22:26:00.001-05:00

Whether you're riding on or off the road, the incredibly small MityCross bike light will impress you with its brightness—it features a single beam yet offers dual beam brightness.

Nice little unit but....

By R.O.P. from St. Paul, MN on 5/15/2010

Gift: No

Pros: Great visibility, Helmet/Removable mount, Low battery indicator, Rechargable

Cons: Not good for high speeds

Best Uses: Night commute

Describe Yourself: Competitive Cyclist

This is a really nice light for general use. However, it is not bright enough for higher speeds. It is pretty easy to "over ride" the visibility the light provides (especially in the "pothole central" of Mpls/St. Paul or MTB trails). The dead spot between the two led's light pattern only exacerbates this issue. That said, I do use this light for my work commute.

(legalese)

Alex Frias' schematic of the Pussy Fuzz

2010-03-11T08:25:00.001-06:00

Alex Frias from the freestompboxes.org bulletin board has figured out the schematic for the Pussy Fuzz. No small feat given my poor photography and dubious help of my attempts at reading the values on the components.

Thanks Alex, I can't thank you enough for your efforts.

An inside look at the Pussy Fuzz

2010-03-07T15:13:00.006-06:00

I didn't realize how bad my reading vision has become. I will need to get a magnifying glass to read the values of the smaller components. The top of the circuit board is the bottom of the internal shots. Feel free to post questions as needed and if you would like full size photos leave your email address. I moderate the comments and I will not publish your email address.

Renewed Pussy Fuzz Link

2010-03-01T01:46:00.001-06:00

Another big change...

2010-03-01T00:02:00.004-06:00

...after the better part of 25 years spent living in the heart of Uptown Minneapolis, I now live in Saint Paul. Besides the need to escape a certain someone, the bar I have called home (and the scene of many of the best shows I have ever seen or put on) closed last year. The Uptown Bar has been destroyed and so has my defacto (sp?) home/social center/showplace. New corporate owners, even if it reopens the place is dead. Arguably, it died the day Maggie MacPherson was fired/quit. Mark Lokowich and I used the pay phones next to the corner booth as our business phones while we ran Sonic Warp. (We really hated our home phone ringing constantly at all hours.) Oddly, I really appreciate not having to worry about being run over every time I cross the street in front of my house in St. Paul. Living in a ghost town after 4pm is not a bad thing.

My apologies!

2010-02-28T23:31:00.005-06:00

It has been almost a year and a half since I updated this blog. I can only claim that major life changes over this time period have prevented me from being interested in posting anything. Some of you may already know that my marriage fell apart due to my ex-wife getting pregnant by a co-worker at MCTC Nov/Dec of 2008. It was very Jerry Springer like. Seriously, I thought my apartment had become a double wide (strangely, I look very much like Steve or vice versa). Oddly enough, my ex's best friend was going out with my new GF's husband at the same time. I know, a strange odyssey, but if you friend me (Jon Senum) and/or my GF on Facebook, it will all make sense. On the bike side, I still don't own a vehicle and commute to work by bike in spite of the really crappy snow plowing our cities provide...or not. Pussy Fuzz photos posted next weekend....seriously (either that or I will invite my one follower over for a beer and he can inspect it himself).

The best cover song ever...

2008-09-20T02:50:00.006-05:00

...Devo covered Jimi Hendrix's "Are You Experienced" as a total protest over Warner Brother's treatment of their music. Hmmm...take the greatest guitar song ever and use no guitars to cover it. Pure genius!!!

Uuuuuhhhhh.....this is why U.S boxing is so bad at the Olympics...

2008-08-21T18:40:00.005-05:00

Uhhh...that guy might win the gold medal or maybe lose in the quarterfinals...uhh...i remember throwing a left hook at somebody at one point in my career...uh...Papa come over here so I can throw some punches at you, den maybe people will see I should have won a medal....uh...in some year I can't remember....uhhh.....Papa, did you here dose bells??...uhhhh...no that kid looks good but he won't make the cut ...uh...because he can't throw that left hook I showed youse guys ....uhhhjh...Papa can you clean the drool off my sport coat?...uhhhh...no really I am a member of MENSA...uhhhhh.........don't turn me off to watch the Flava of Love.......

You have to be kidding me!

2008-08-16T02:22:00.020-05:00

It's hard to decide if Figure Skating or Race Walking is the most absurd "sport" in the Olympics.

Two Winter Olympics ago a figure skating commentator claimed that a skater didn't get a medal because her costume "wasn't up to snuff" (and let's not forget the adulterous French judge that was bribed for good scores at the same Olympics). Oh, and a major factor in race walking in the present Olympics is "trash talking" to your competitors to get them "off their game" (with that assessment, the best race walkers in the world should be Teamsters, of course we are paid by the hour not per km). Are these people fucking serious???? Since the virtual elimination of the compulsory figures in skating, skill is no longer a factor in scoring. The compulsories were accurate assessments of a skaters skill on ice (67% of scoring). Now the "costumes" are more important than skill (maybe the skaters should get my ex-GF to make their costumes, she made Ms. Jackson's Superbowl tit exposing costume). Racewalkers get to "run" 3+ times per event (no limit on the distance, damn, they call the warnings "paddles", lame BDSM mofos). The commentary on tonight's 20K race is the most inane BS I have ever heard. These idiots are the plastic pen pocket nerds that have found a niche that any real athlete would never go (hence no one is there to kick their asses). Too bad they still won't get any "chicks" that find their "trash talking" sexy (is that the reason their "hand action" is so exaggerated?). OMG! The Russian pen pocket nerd has entered the stadium first (assuming he won't get another "paddle" according to the commentators, are they privy to something we don't know?). Oh the Ecuadorian (the powerhouse country in race walking) dude comes in second. And Sponge Bob Square Pants gets the Bronze. Sorry, Kenny DNF'ed when he was killed in the 12th kilometer by some nerd from Boznia-Herzegovina (who only got two "paddles" for the offense).

You gotta love wrestling sometimes...

2008-07-27T17:59:00.003-05:00

I found this on Dvorak Uncensored (a great blog, you should try it sometime) under "Never Ask the Audience to Throw You a Chair". I thought they may have to resort to using the "jaws of life" to get those wrestlers out of there!

http://view.break.com/539758 - Watch more free videos

2008-05-26T09:17:00.004-05:00

Keith Olbermann is an anarchist...

2008-05-26T09:17:00.003-05:00

...That's why I love him

Too sad.

2008-05-25T09:02:00.006-05:00

Earl Root died on Friday due to complications from Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. He was a major figure in the Minneapolis metal scene. He ran Root Cellar records, did the "Root of All Evil" KFAI radio show, played in Morticia, Aesma Daeva, God-Awful, and Disturbed. He leaves a big hole that will never be filled in our music scene.

Earl Root Guest Book.

I just can't get enough of this!

2008-05-22T05:49:00.001-05:00

All I can say is, "WOW! This guy is as Dumb as Bush."

MN Aids Walk

2008-05-14T23:59:00.003-05:00

I will be doing it on Sun. In the last year my wife's uncle has died from Aids and a close family friend was diagnosed with AIDS. It's a very small effort in the big scheme of things surrounding this issue, we are doing something. Feel free to contact me if you would like to make a donation through our efforts. Thank you!

F7 Tigercats

Minnesota Aids Walk 2008

169.222

2008-05-10T12:46:00.003-05:00

That's my new mantra. Anytime some small dicked dude in a 4 wheel drive pickup or SUV hollers at me for using my rights I holler back "MN State Statute 169.222, read it and shut the f*ck up!" (Why is it never someone in a Toyota or Honda?) It happened to me on Thurs. on my way to work. My bike lane became a part of a turn lane. I followed the 169.222 law and took the full lane because it became a "non-standard lane", too bad it was a turn lane with signal. (Why is it that men with "little penis syndrome" are always in a hurry, it's not like they are going to get any when they get where they are going?) He started his tirade and I let loose with my mantra. It shut him up for few seconds, he started hollering again. "I gave you the specific law I am following, what law says i can't take this lane?", I said. More silence then he threatened me with his vehicle. I took out my cell phone (which totally fried last weekend, don't bother calling me) and pretended to take a photo of him and his license plate. "You are threatening me with a deadly weapon and I am going to call the cops", I replied. Now he threatened me to beat me up. I said, "Do you really want to explain to your friends how you got beat up by a guy wearing lycra?". Funny, that shut him up. The law didn't work, the threat of using the law didn't work, but the fact his friends might find out he got beat up by a man in lycra (thus exposing his little penis to his friends) was more than enough motivation to shut up. Go figure.

I may be the stupidest person on earth!

2008-05-10T12:37:00.003-05:00

I installed Windows XP Service Pack 3!!! I should have waited to see what kinds of carnage the excessive codes would reek on other people's machines first but I couldn't wait. We have 7 computers in our house. 6 Macs and 1 PC, although one of the Macs runs Windows. I have been a Mac and PC admin in previous jobs. Why anyone would prefer Windows over Mac is completely beyond me. My wife claims the only reason I use my PC is because I like fixing things, which is totally true. I might do maintenance on the Mac once every 3 months as opposed to every day on my PC. Thankfully, I was smart enough to ignore the biggest failure of the new century, Vista!

Weird

2008-04-19T20:07:00.006-05:00

I walked to school this week. It seemed nice out so WTF. I was attacked, literally, by some old fat squirrel that demanded food (which I didn't have) in Loring Park. Amazingly enough, I met up with Todd Trainer next to Joe's Garage. Todd is the best drummer alive. He plays in Shellac and I can't give him enough kudos for his drumming ability. He and Bob Weston are by far and away the best rhythm section in music.

So I have to admit..,.

2008-04-19T13:59:00.006-05:00

I have laid some claims to "best band ever", but the Minutemen really were the best band ever. They stayed at my house during one of their many tours. D Boon was really in tune with unionism and the working class (his dad worked in the ship building yards of San Pedro). I wish he had been alive to be over my shoulder during the 1997 UPS strike. The man said so much with so few words. Who else uses dominant 7 #9 chords? Besides Jimi Hendrix?

An embarassing confession...with a happy ending.

2008-04-16T18:54:00.004-05:00

Alright it's truly official, I am a dork! A number of posts ago I made the claim that I was now under 210lbs. Turns out, while I was and am losing weight, my celebratory tone over the accomplishment came to a crashing halt a week after the post as the batteries went dead on my fairly expensive (and usually accurate) scale. It turns out the scale was reading a tad over 10lbs less than actual weight at the end of the battery life. So my 208 was really 219 when new batteries were installed. HOW F*ING EMBARASSING. In complete spin control worthy of any crooked politician, I buried the evidence. I kept all 8 readers (subscribers anyway, I am sure there are probably 2-3 other people reading it too) of this blog in the dark on these new revelations. I hopped on the scale two days ago and I was actually at 207lbs!! Just to make sure the results were not tainted by faulty electrical delivery, I recharged the batteries overnight the next two nights and reinstalled them. Today it read 208lbs and I am now fully confident I have fulfilled my previous posts assertions. Monday I go in for my yearly diabetes study which will hopefully corroborate my findings. My wife actually bought me a belt yesterday. I have a Tackla breezer belt I have used for years but only a few pairs of pants actually needed them as my inflated hips performed pant suspension that would make any belt/suspender manufacturer envious. Now every pair of my pants can (and does) fall off my waist with only the help of gravity and the gyrations of forward locomotion. Coin slot anyone?

I have chosen a race team for 2008 it is.....Peace Coffee! I have way more friends and (way more) roadies on the Flanders squad but somehow it seemed I couldn't turn my back on the social justice Peace Coffee tries to maintain in it's business model. Plus on the selfish side, they will give me free coffee to join. Flanders will only promise to destroy any dignity I might have left after destroying me on every training ride and making me carry water bottles and musette bags during a race.

That time of year!

2008-04-09T01:10:00.001-05:00

Weather safety warnings are everywhere! That and dryer lint safety alerts.

Lunatics

2008-03-29T16:41:00.006-05:00

This has been the best week this year to ride. The snow and ice are gone and some of the millions of potholes have been semi-adequately filled in (if I fall in one now I can at least climb out unassisted). There is plenty of construction going on in downtown Minneapolis. Out of the 10 miles (one way) I commute there is only one block I need to resort to the sidewalk because of the construction which has taken the bike lane away from cyclists and using the bus lane takes 10+minutes. On Weds. I was crawling along the block and all of a sudden I hear someone screaming and hollering. A 60+ year old dude in a cheap ass Men's Wearhouse suit rushes towards me (yeah, notice I was going slow enough that he could catch up to me) and screams that I am in violation of State and MN law for being on the sidewalk. Somehow he thinks he is going to "rally the troops" and have me lynched. "I am a lawyer and you are in violation of state and city law" he claims, along with numerous swear words that even I haven't heard of. For one of the few times in my life I was at a loss for words (trust me, my friends and co-workers will be shocked to hear that). So I just responded with "Sorry about your small penis dude!" to roars of laughter from bystanders (so much for the lynch mob). Anyway...I figured I would run into this asshole again so I spent 5 minutes looking up and printing the MN and Minneapolis statutes and ordinances pertaining to bicycles being allowed on sidewalks (Google is our friend).

MN Statute
Minneapolis Ordinance

Unfortunately, I haven't seen the jerk again. I have taken my camera and tape recorder with me hoping that I can catch his reaction when he has to answer for being either a moron or a liar (his choice, however if he IS a lawyer...well you can guess which one he is). I guess law degrees aren't worth much anymore if this jackass has one.

Big Black kicks ass!

2008-03-23T01:43:00.004-05:00

One of their last shows, in the Entry. Dude! Steve is wearing a "Die Kreuzen" shirt!

Punk is dead!

2008-03-23T01:11:00.001-05:00

How did they know this in the late 70's?

Halo of Flies

2008-03-22T23:39:00.003-05:00

Halo of Flies still sucks! Still not racing for Grumpy's.

By "still sucks", I mean "they rule". Christ only 6 people are subscribed to my blog and one of them knows I love this band.

So what team?

2008-03-16T16:46:00.002-05:00

So I need to join a licensed team to do any Cycling USA races. I have narrowed it down to MBRC through Flanders Brothers Cycle shop (dudes update your website for Christ's sake) and Peace Coffee Racing. Although I am friends with Tom Hazelmyer (of Grumpy's) I won't race with them as Tim Hayes is a member of that team. The kid is a douche bag. Sorry Tom, I love Halo of Flies, I love you, but it just isn't going to work between us. Flanders is the snooty, way too serious race team. Let's face it, anyone my age still racing is doing it because they are WINNING! Why do I have to be such a masochist? Peace Coffee's video almost brings tears to my eyes, but they only have like 5 road riders, but their jerseys are uber cool. Sadly my old team "leToille du Nord" has become a born again Christian team. Seriously, how did that happen? I am as lefty as they come and somehow they went all Seventh Day Adventist on me. Sorry, Christ doesn't ride in my Burley. Meh, Flanders is close to my house and Gene, who used to work at Quality Bicycle Products (another place that has gone fundy Christian) works there for shits and giggles. I still have a few weeks to decide.

As long as we are talking about white urban punk blues...

2008-03-15T21:16:00.004-05:00

Doo Rag, perhaps the best band ever!

2008-03-15T20:55:00.003-05:00

A lo-fi blues band from AZ. They tried to make themselves sound like what you might expect from a band being recorded in the early 1900's. The drummer used empty beer cases for his kick drum. The audience had to drink the beer fast since a case box only lasted for about 3 songs. Sadly Thermos Malling quit the band abruptly, leaving Bob Log III to start his successful solo career. Enjoy!

Eightball #8.

2008-03-15T19:56:00.010-05:00

Dan Clowes visited Minneapolis while my ex-GF was the manager of the College of Comic Book Knowledge in the 90's. We had long, tormented conversations about life and politics. The next Eightball that came out had me on the first page (no not the cover, thank god) and a part of a really sick, demented dream sequence of the main character. To see how sick it is you will have to buy this issue at your local comics store or buy the compilation of the story line "Like a Velvet Glove Cast in Iron" at your local bookstore. (You could also e-mail me for the cells. ;) ) I went to Comic-Con shortly after this comic came out to work at my GF's store's booth. It was amazing how many people pointed at me and said "He's Eightball #8". Danzig and Lux Interior and Poison Ivy (the Cramps) invited me to hang out with them based on this slim claim to fame (that and we were the only "punk rock" comic booth AND I had paid them ungodly amounts of money to play for my production company years earlier).

It really is for "Mature" readers, trust me. (My avatar is from the comic ------>)

BTW, If you really love Dan Clowes art, my friend Peter Davis of "Your Flesh" magazine is selling the cell that adorned a cover of Your Flesh. Hurry before it's gone!

Mandatory test for MTC bus drivers!

2008-03-12T16:03:00.009-05:00

My friend Dick, sent me this great video that should be a mandatory part of MTC bus driver training.

If you will excuse me, I am going out for a bike ride!

Evidentally I love the cold.

2008-03-09T01:36:00.004-06:00

I am really amazed at how much clothing other cyclists wear in the cold compared to me. 20 degrees F I wear one long sleeved lightweight jersey and one pair of tights. 10 deg F and less two jerseys and two tights. 0 degrees F and less, three jerseys two pair of tights.. Other mofos are wearing huge ass parkas and winter pants. (heh..heh..I said pants.) BTW, the beard came off yesterday. It's predicted we will have 40 deg F weather all week (the normal marker for cutting it off) and I have an overnight at the HCMC Sleep Clinic for school coming up. No need to scare the patients.

This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb

2008-03-06T09:21:00.005-06:00

I guess this time it might be more than a band name.

Bicyclist sought in Times Square bombing.

So we have cyclists portrayed as dead deer raping terrorists in the past few weeks. I hear Osama Bin Laden rides a Trek Madone. What's next?

Oi Polloi, Destroy, Baldies, the MOB. What could possibly go wrong?

2008-03-01T20:48:00.028-06:00

It seems like a good time to discuss this, considering last week's lead article in City Pages. This is the last show Sonic Warp put on officially (although members continued to put on shows in a very low key way for a very long time after the fact). The Baldies and the MOB were totally out of control. In spite of the Baldies trying to represent Anti Racist Action, a few of their members were caught putting up antisemitic graffitti at Macalester College and a number of members trying to beat up "long haired gays" (sorry dipshits, I just happened to have long hair at the time, funny you didn't like my beating your asses with my steel toes for being homophobes, ironically, I was outnumbered just like your brethren in this article when you attacked me, funny you guys brought up Dave Eager's name trying to get me to quit, he would have joined me in your defeat) just before this show. The MOB wasn't behaving any better. I think the fact that Ed Wolbank and the newly formed MN chapter of the Northern Hammerskins were pushed back to Hudson, WI by the joint efforts of both groups left them wanting the feel of "battle" adrenaline so they turned on themselves and left our underground all ages scene in shambles. Poseurs from the suburbs full of piss and vinegar justed wanted to fight with an "advantage" that both the Baldies and MOB provided them.

We (Sonic Warp) were fed up. The leaders of both of these groups were supposedly our friends. They spent a lot of time currying favor with us and our burgeoning "crust punk" scene. Both claiming, with relatively good circumstantial evidence, that the "other" group were the real Nazi's. However the leaders of both groups were spot on in their behavior in front of us. Sorry Kieran, Nordby was a righteous dude in our experiences with him. Tony, Knutson IS the man don't try to make us hate him. Too bad their followers were so weak.

Both groups had tried to use our all ages shows as a focal point for their battles. It was totally counterproductive. First Avenue had given Mark and I their all ages band contacts because they decided to quit doing all ages shows. We were the only outlet at the time (besides our basement shows) for all ages shows. But they didn't care, they wanted to have their pissing matches and they really didn't care what it cost the music scene (funny they got along when we did Slapshot, Under Dog, and Tree).

It's "OI" Polloi. I guess both groups wanted to claim the "OI" for their own. Sadly no one from either side bought a ticket for this show yet somehow had the greatest impact on it's results. Ratboy and Mike Weston had heard about the impending violence and the fact that neither side was happy that the "crusties" wanted nothing to do with this BS. They were both wearing bullet proof vests during the show. Leaders of both "skinhead" groups were allowed to come into the venue (without paying) because Mark and I thought we could talk our "friends" out of doing permanent damage to our scene and theirs. We begged them to give it up, take care of it elsewhere to no avail.

It didn't work. While OI Polloi was giving Minneapolis one of the best sets in history. They decided to brawl outside the theater. It was total mayhem. Mark and I shut and locked the doors (in violation of fire code, trust me this is the way the cops always tried to bring us down) to keep people inside and we went out to gather anyone else that may be on the other side of the doors. Funny, that when the lead flies, you can't find a cop to save your life. They come by later, after the fact, and try to blame you for other people's actions.

The battle raged! Both "leaders" came to us trying to implore us to take sides with them. "Dude, Big Tim is getting the shit kicked out of him! He's your friend!!" You know what? Who cares? I specifically asked him to put the BS aside, he chose not to. Mark and I were responsible for the people that paid to see this show in safety. We stood by the doors and beat down anyone that came close to it. All of a sudden, bullets were flying by us. You could hear/feel the rush of the air as they went over our shoulders. Evidently some neighborhood Bloods/Crips (can't remember which stupid ass gang ruled the neighborhood at the time) was friends with Tony from the MOB (hmmm...MOB Nazi's? that seems kind of weird to have black gang members firing guns because their "Nazi" friends are losing the battle). Both sides run away leaving Mark and I to deal with the aftermath. What chicken shits!!!!!!!!

Bottom line, we lost a $200 per night, 3,000+ attendance show space because these assholes couldn't keep their limp dicks in their pants. We put on huge mainstream and underground bands in this space for chump change. Now we had to deal with putting shows in established forums (First Ave, Uptown bar, Coffman Unoin, etc.) making no money that we could reinvest in our scene (no member of Sonic Warp ever made any money off a show, it all went to the bands, sound people, and to pay for the next show). Thanks assholes.

Kieran and Tony are still my friends. I see them quite often. I refuse to address anyone else. Both admit they fucked up. In spite of the BS I still love them. Boots, Brandon, Mad Dog ...I love you too.

Sadly, the nazi skinheads now wear mohawks. (Seems like they cleaned up their "mission statement" a bit due to...ahem...bad publicity.) Nothing like having Hot Topic "pop punkers" discussing "dead nigger storage" on their forums. I take great pride that their leader, "Daego", claimed I singlehandedly brought them down a few years ago. Unfortunately they still exist. Ridding the world of bigotry is a never ending job!!

BTW...

2008-03-01T17:05:00.001-06:00

...turn your cell phones OFF when you go to a funeral. Two people's cell phones went off in the middle of the funeral. Dumb asses!!! I think I am going to start a "direct action" organization called Anti Cell Action to do a little "attitude adjustment" for irresponsible cell phone users.

It was a funeral fit for a (former) King.

2008-03-01T16:04:00.014-06:00

My wife and I went to a funeral for one of her MCTC co-workers and friend, Alto "Felix" Ampah. Felix died suddenly this week while working on some art projects with his best friend Jake. I only met Felix once in passing, however he was one of my wife's favorite co-workers. I hate funerals beyond belief, however, this one was quite an experience. Evidently this was a man of great character and passion. Judging by the testimonials given by his friends and family, he had a wonderful ability to uplift, inspire, and motivate the people and students he came in contact with a great sense of humility (the dude was a KING! for Christ's sake, who gives up their throne to mentor others?). There were lots of tears, but the service was framed in laughter and joy as people told stories about Felix and shared the comfort and support he gave them. In a first for me, Felix received a well deserved standing ovation at the close of the service.

In Ghana, when his father passed away, he became a King, quite literally. He abdicated and passed his crown to his younger brother so he could come to the United States to go to school and pursue his love of art, music, and teaching. In Ghana there will be a State Funeral for him that will last for 8 days!! Ghana will be hard pressed to beat the small two hour one he had in a little funeral parlor in Richfield, MN.

What a character! I wish I could have had the privilege of knowing Felix.

I am turning myself in...

2008-03-01T15:52:00.005-06:00

...to the Senate Committee in charge of investigating performance enhancing drugs. Last week, it was like a switch had been flipped and my legs were on FIRE. Overnight I have gained 2 gears at cruising speed and I am climbing hills like Lance Armstrong (except much slower, so maybe more like Dick Johnson, Citizen's class racer). Maybe it's the 40lbs I have lost since last year or maybe my wife is spiking my whiskey coke's with HGH. In either case, I will take it! All this week my weight has been below 210lbs, so it looks like I will have to enter a few road races this year to keep my promise.

I wonder if Roger Clemens will be my cell mate after Waxman and Spector get done with me.

An awesome, uneventful week!

2008-02-22T23:42:00.010-06:00

This has been a great week of riding. It's been about 7-8 weeks since I started riding again after breaking a rib (I broke it coughing!) and having 6 weeks off my bike. I have been waiting for my fitness level to get back to my pre-accident levels. Evidently it happened this week. The last three days it seems like a switch was flicked and my legs are more lively than they have been in some time. I seemed to have gained a couple of gears at cruising speed almost overnight. My rides have been exceptionally fast (in spite of the studded tire boat I am riding) and motorists have been exceptionally courteous. I think when I start the video camera entries, I am going to do a segment with motorists that do things to make my bike commute safe. People that make life easier for me will find their license plate numbers listed in a "Hall of Fame".

So MTC called me back after making my complaint formal over one of their drivers trying to kill me. He sounded like my old asst. principal from high school (Dave Stead, now the head of the MN State High School League, he makes a trip through Guantanamo seem like a weekend picnic). I think things are going to get very confrontational when I call back on Mon. I will be recording the phone call (after giving proper notice, for quality control, of course) so things could become very interesting.

Here's the camera(s) I plan on getting in short order.

"I know having sex with animals is wrong. But I can't help myself and I need help.", Bryan Hathaway, 21, Wausau, Wis.

2008-02-20T14:12:00.004-06:00

Do you think?????????? Sadly this demented pervert is also a cyclist.

Court upholds man's conviction for having sex with a dead deer.

Get a left nut "TV Weatherpeople".

2008-02-20T05:14:00.008-06:00

Screw you jerks. How has the weather devolved into an emergency every other night in a "normal" (Global Warming) MN winter? Damn you mofos! When will I learn?? You had me all worried and concerned about my bike commute tonight. I bought into the fact my life might be in "danger". Maybe your experiences in the "outdoors" should consist of more than a little jaunt out onto your "weather patio" set for your 10pm broadcast.

Do we really need 1/3 of our news consumed by the "weather" every night when our constitutional rights are being trampled by "Patriot Acts", we are causing the deaths of an untold multitude in a country where "weapons of mass destruction" do not exist, and our national standard of living doesn't even break the top 20 in the world anymore? For Christ's sake...Cuba has a higher literacy rate than the U.S. Ohhhhhhh...but it's going to be -10 deg F tonight...look out!

I will grant the fact I may have a preternatural affinity for cold weather. I like winter backpacking...a LOT! I still play hockey on outdoor ice rinks (for the one or two weeks a winter it's actually cold enough to make them playable). I wear t-shirts and shorts all year long in the 10+++ football field sized "warehouse" I work in. However, your hysterics made me wear far too much clothing tonight and IF I had had a problem with my bike tonight all the extra sweat from my extra clothing might have have made me into a frozen monument to the excesses of "catastrophe weather forecasting".

Okay it's -10 deg F out tonight, windchills in the -40 deg F range. You know what? BIG F***ING DEAL! The windchill crap is just a tool to make the weather forecasts seem more foreboding, sorry, but your dead body will never fall below the ambient air temperature no matter what the wind speed. So I wound up putting on three lightweight full sleeve jerseys, a windproof jacket (the real downfall in tonight's extremist weather reactionary escapade), a pair of leg warmers and two pair of tights (not windproof, you don't need that sh*t until it's -25 deg F or 40+mph winds). I also put on an "extra" head cap which only made my very reliable winter goggles fog up. I must have been born on the every other minute because I was a total sucker. My bike clothing is now a huge sweaty miasma which I may have to wash and dry to be compliant with tomorrow's commute (okay today's commute but I haven't gone to bed yet so it's still the previous day to me). I feel like I have been violated. As a political/meteorological statement I will be wearing my American Flag thong and a "wife beater" top, black of course, (no I don't condone wife beating, it's a metaphorical fashion analogy) on my commute to work tomorrow.

Take that Belinda Jensen.

Tonight's commute sucked all the way around, trust me!

MTC, bike assassins!

2008-02-18T18:21:00.012-06:00

You may have noticed the snarky comment I received (and have now erased) from MTC about the incident with their driver trying to kill me on my last week's commute. 99.9999999% of MTC drivers are awesome, I really hate to be so negative about one of their employees. However, my life is worth more than some "code" where union members don't complain about other union's members wrong doings. This guy could have killed me, and was only inches away from it. Rather than giving a "my bad" communication, he flipped me the bird!! Cold, man...Just cold! So I gave in and filled out an official "complaint form" at their website. I doubt anything will happen. You know they want to cover their own asses from any criminal wrongdoing. I will be buying the same cameras "Jeff's Bike Blog" uses and will be recording this kind of criminal behavior in the future. In my job at the world's largest delivery company, something like this would result in almost immediate termination, even without video evidence. Good luck bus driver of bus number 3121, next time I will have your bus and your finger on videotape. We will see if you will be laughing then asshole! Food stamps and no insurance are a bitch. The video goes straight to the cops next time.

It's amazing how much information MTC wanted in my complaint. They actually had the temerity to ask for my home address. Hmmm...Yeah right...your employees are trying to kill me and you think I should give you my home address? Maybe if you give me your bus driver's name and address I might be more willing to give you more personal information. Seriously, I want to know who this guy is.

Pussy Fuzz!

2008-02-16T23:01:00.018-06:00

Jon Spencer of Pussy Galore, Boss Hog, and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion gave me his harmonic percolator pedal after I put on Pussy Galore's Minneapolis show on their final tour back in 1991. I love Steve Albini (Big Black, Rapeman, Shellac) and his bands sounds. He used an harmonic percolator original pedal for most of his effects. I kept looking for an harmonic percolator pedal for the last twenty years to no avail. Ironically the pedal Jon Spencer gave me always was in my mix of effects.

Nice to know I have only one of four in the world!

I can't believe the YouTube link was pulled only hours after I posted it. In the video Steve Albini explained the science behind the harmonic percolator pedal (filtering odd, even harmonics) and told the story of how he had 4 pedals made for his friends in Pussy Galore as presents. Sorry!

Here's a Shellac link with an harmonic percolator in action. That's my friend Todd Trainer (Rifle Sport, Brick Layer Cake) on drums. He and Bob Weston (Volcano Suns) are the best rhythm section in the business!!!

I can't believe Steve is wearing an MX-80 shirt. MX-80 was a Ralph Records band in the early 80's to late 80s. Hailing from some Styx town in Indiana, they stretched rock and roll to unheard of levels (do a Google search).

Evidently GearWire wasn't happy about their content being on YouTube, so here's the link to the previous video about the "Pussy Fuzz", you will have to watch on QuickTime or Windows Media Player...sorry for the inconvenience.

So where's Monster now?

2008-02-16T21:05:00.006-06:00

So I passed my test. No thanks to Monster. I am ready to show the meatball a little affection. Where is he now?

Sleeping with a guardian cat watching him. Petting him isn't going to end well!!!!! Linus is one tough mofo. He's about ready to attack the kitty paparazzi, and smash my camera and me.

But hey, at least my bike bag isn't collecting cat hair.

Man that cat is HUGE!

I am going to play some Xbox 360. I am ROP 10K, in case you want play.

Monster and my Timbuk2 bag.

2008-02-16T17:15:00.003-06:00

Damn, I wish the fat cat would get in the bag and shut up! (That's an XL size bag folks, he really is a "Monster".) Whenever Monster notices I am a little stressed he butts me in the leg with his head and whines like crazy until I pet him...and keep on petting him...and petting him. He just doesn't give up. Now when I am sick or not feeling well, that's a totally awesome quality. However when studying for a test I need to complete today, it doesn't help my comprehension or memory of more important topics not related to rubbing a cat behind the ears. (Of course, blogging doesn't help either.)

Linus isn't bugging me...he's in my bag.

BTW...

2008-02-16T12:52:00.001-06:00

...sorry to anyone that hasn't been allowed to post comments. I have changed my settings to allow everyone to post.

Back on the bike!

2008-02-15T23:19:00.016-06:00

So I finally got back on my bike on Weds. after being off it for five days due to a very bad cold/flu. It didn't take long to get the adrenalin flowing. I was in the left lane getting ready to take a left up the restricted vehicles lane to get to the bike lane that runs north on 2nd Ave. in front of the convention center. I am only 10 feet away from the lane when a double long articulated MTC bus passes me and immediately left hooks me. I stopped on the spot, but the bus wound up bumping me as the second section passed by. (For the record it was bus 3121, about 4:30pm if any of you know the bus drivers name feel free to post it.) I wound up pulling behind him and gave him the palms to the sky "what was that" shoulder shrug gesture and the jerk gave me the finger! What makes someone hate a cyclist so much he uses his public employer's vehicle as a weapon (um, aren't public transit and bicyclists supposed to be on the same side of the problems of the "auto"cratic" society we live in?) ? Not to mention I am a consistent customer of MTC, between my tax dollars and my fares I am paying for his employment. I expect stupid, confrontational actions by Southwest Transit and Maple Grove Transit bus drivers who are entrenched in the suburban automobile culture and have no idea how to deal with bike traffic. MTC drivers? I expect more (especially having spent almost 100 hours on their picket line during their last strike). BTW, for the combative blog viewers, trying to say I shouldn't use a 100' buslane to reach a bike lane head that is inaccessible by any other way only adds fuel to my argument. If he thought I wasn't going to use the bike lane, it makes his actions even more egregious.

I have been hanging around "Jef'f's Bike Blog" lately and I like his idea of using cameras to record actions like this and then getting some comeuppance for the offending drivers by turning the video over to the appropriate authorities. The cameras are cheap, provide good quality video, and who knows, maybe they will provide the police with the evidence to convict the MTC bus driver that kills me. Unfortunately, they are back ordered, but when available I will be getting a couple. I am not going to make the focal point of this blog getting "justice", but what I save on car insurance, upkeep, licenses, tax, and gas, it's cheap insurance.

The ride home on Weds. was particularly awesome. We only had 2" of snow compared to the 6+" predicted, which was disappointing. However the Minneapolis DOT failed miserably at plowing the streets which made my ride home as treacherous as larger snowfalls. Two wheel slides, "hydroplaning" on the snow, and the white knuckles made for one of the most exciting commutes of the year. The stretch of the Midtown Greenway from Nicollet to Bryant Ave. was pure heaven. It was literally virgin snow and the hum of the snow under my studded tires was almost orgasmic. Sorry, probably TMI (too much information).

Thursday was a complete nightmare on my commute. Drivers were back out in force, still clinging to the "snowfall means all traffic laws are invalid" methodology of automobile use (the same people that complain about a bicyclist not fulling coming to a halt at a stop sign, go figure). Thanks to my "spider sense" I was never in any real danger, but wearing a target on your back can be unnerving. The road conditions were actually worse than the Weds. snow conditions. I really love how Minneapolis thinks using the Nebraska method of snowplowing (waiting for it to melt) is going to be of any use when predicted temperatures are below zero degrees Fahrenheit in the next few days. Thanks to Pawlenty for not maintaining proper funding for public services.

Tonight's rides was awesome. Road conditions seemed to have drastically improved on their own in spite of the cold temps. I am still amazed how the attitudes of motorists have changed in this city over the last ten years. Maybe it's that the bike culture is seeping into the public mind or maybe it's the gas prices that make motorists think they are one paycheck away from having to ride a bike themselves. Whatever the reason, road conditions were still kind of rough and a number of drivers extended courtesies I really appreciated. I was shown some incredible acts of kindness on my commutes tonight. Maybe wearing the cameras, I can find out which motorists are the most benevolent and give them some kind of reward for their actions.

BTW, I now weigh 219lbs!!!! I am 6'5" so I will never be a lightweight, but just before I had my Achilles tendon surgery (I was still walking on a tear that left less than 20% of my tendon intact), I weighed 260+lbs. Some of it from inactivity, the rest from the side affects of maintaining blood sugar averages close to normal folks . I am not trying to lose weight. I am not on a diet, I still eat some of the crappiest food available, but for some reasoning I keep losing about a pound a week (recommended rate of weight loss). I promised myself if I got down to 210lbs I would start doing some racing again. I am keeping my fingers crossed!

I can't wait for next week!

I am not going to mention the -10 deg F temperatures this week as it is only a "normal" occurrence in MN winter riding.

No riding today.

2008-02-11T12:24:00.000-06:00

I am still getting my ass kicked by this cold/flu that I have had for the past 2 weeks and it's -8 deg F outside so I am staying planted inside with a blanket and two warm cats. Kind of an auspicious beginning for a bike Blog, don't you think?

Adult Swim!

2008-02-11T00:07:00.000-06:00

Any of you watch it? Who thought adult cartoons could be so much fun? Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job!, Metalacolypse, Robot Chicken, Dark Place, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Lucy Daughter of the Devil, Tom Goes to the Mayor, Venture Brothers, Saul of the Molemen...damn this stuff rocks

Obama wins four more states!

2008-02-10T22:15:00.000-06:00

I am so lefty I make Rush Limbaugh look like Noam Chomsky. I have no faith in our political process. However, I am truly enamored with the prospect of a Black man becoming our new president. I have done a lot of work with feminist organizations like ClitFest. So I feel guilty not wanting Hillary to win. It's not because she is a woman, it's that she is more Republican than John McCain (sadly one of the few items I agree with Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter on, excuse me while I take a shower).

My winter ride.

2008-02-10T09:38:00.000-06:00

I used to be a manager/buyer at a huge bike shop in the 90's so I have lots of "stuff". While I will ride my road bike occasionally in winter, I generally use a more mundane ride. I have a Diamondback TT frame (it's titanium, it doesn't rust) with a mix of XTR/XT/LX parts. I use a set of XT thumbshifters, giving me the option of using friction when ice and freezing become a factor with the flick of a switch. Those shifters were originally only 7 speeds, how ever a design "flaw" allows you to use 8 speeds if you set your derailleur limits appropriately. 8 speed chains are stronger than 9/10 speed chains. I also use Nokian Extreme 296 studded tires (296 studs per tire) and Slime inner tubes (seriously, this combo weighs about 5lbs per wheel). They are heavier than Kryptonite, but traction is never an issue even on glare ice. So in spite of the titanium, my bike is a boat. It weighs 29 pounds! However it makes winter riding the best time of year.

I am thinking of getting a LeMond Poprad Disc cross bike to use year round. Nokian makes 35c studded tires so traction can be maintained with much less weight than the DB. Narrower tires will also mean less "float" at high speeds on snow. Disc brakes are much more reliable brakes as well, even if you slightly taco your wheel while riding. I kind of hate using my road race bike and my Ti MTB as commuters, this cross bike might fit my needs.

An upcoming project is turning my Walter Croll custom track bike into my summer fixed gear commuter. I currently use Suntour Superbe Pro on the track bike. I do have a set of Campagnolo Super Record hubs which I will build a set of clincher rims. Then all I will have to do is add a set of stem/hbars with a brake for the front wheel and I will be ready to go. At some point I will put up photos of the project.

So what do you ride in winter?

Sonic Warp.

2008-02-10T08:22:00.001-06:00

Here's a flier from a show I put on in the early 90's. What a line up!! Misery, perhaps the greatest punk band of all time in Minneapolis. Babes In Toyland, the greatest all female Minneapolis band ever. It's funny that Robert Bartleh Cummings (Rob Zombie) was the set designer for Pee Wee's playhouse.

It's kind of ironic, but this huge "star" still contacts me when he plays in town. It's kind of rare when musicians continue to keep in contact with the "little people" after they make it big.

Anyone remember Z-Rock? They played a lot of punk music interspersed during their metal shows. The White Zombie and D.O.A. show we put on were simulcasted on their national broadcasts.

My wife rules..

2008-02-09T16:13:00.000-06:00

...shes the Mac Admin at our local community/technical college (MCTC). I get free tuition. I am now studying polysomnography. I have obstructive sleep apnea so this subject hits close to home. Once I hit retirement at my blue collar job (which is less than 9 years away), I want to be a sleep technician.

But back to my wife...she's incredibly smart (in spite of marrying me), beautiful, young, and she has the cutest two little boys (Siamese kitties). I am one lucky old codger!

2008-02-09T15:56:00.000-06:00

Welcome to my blog...I know it sucks!

2008-02-09T13:45:00.000-06:00

I am not really sure what direction I am going to take this blog. Obviously I love biking, hence the title. I gave up my gas powered vehicle 3 years ago (I know, what took me so long) and I bike everywhere, unless I use mass transit. I have weird work hours, 5pm to 4am, so I see a vast range of idiocy in my bike commutes. The prostitutes and Johns around Loring Park, the gang bangers trying to look tough on Nicollet Ave., the crazy convention visitors in downtown, and all the small penis SUV and 4 wheel drive pick up drivers that can't stand a bicyclist moving along the streets faster than them.

For the record, I am a Type 1 diabetic, which adds a huge set of stumbling blocks to riding my bike. I have to plan rides. I can't just jump on my bike and go. It sucks, but at the same time my biking is a huge part of my treatment. I have been in the DCCT (Diabetes Control and Complications Trial) study since 1987. Thanks to my biking, my complications have been minimal for someone that has had diabetes for over 25 years. Diabetes has negatively affected my attempts at racing but has never left me lacking for joy in the effort.

I am always looking for riding partners that are more concerned about the joy of riding versus competition (not that there is anything wrong with riding fast). So hit me up if you want to do an afternoon or weekend ride, assuming you live in Minneapolis, MN.

I have a tough blue collar union job that pays very well and has great benefits. I make more at this job than I would working in my college degree fields. I won't say much about it since I could get fired for saying negative things. I don't know why people hate unions. My company makes 17% every year while paying union wages and our non-union competitors pay much less in wages but only make, or lose, 3-4% per year. Go figure!

I have also been a Guardian ad Litem in Ramsey County (represent the kids in the children in protective services program). My wife and I have no plans to have children, but we realize the importance of trying to help kids that have no support.