Cars Suck/Cars Rule Conundrum

Riding in my car or on my bike in traffic has re-enforced my utter contempt for humanity countless times. Motorized transportation that you are responsible for seems to bring out the worst in just about everyone who drives, myself included. I hate it. You are hurtling along in yr self-contained internal combustion travesty generally paying attention to anything except actually driving said vehicle. Everyone that drives faster than you is a maniac and everyone that drives slower is an idiot. Whilst you are fiddling with yr radio/make-up (not me usually)/ ac/heater/phone/gps everyone behind you is subject to yr random swerving, speeding up and slowing down. Oh and heaven forbid someone is pulled to the side of the road with a breakdown or fender bender as this demands slowing down to a crawl so quality rubber-necking can ensue. The same ridiculous speed decreases apply in tunnels, on bridges and if a spritz of rain appears.

I do not live near any mountain biking trails. The closest mountains are at least three to four hours away. The closest park to my house that has legit single track is a fifteen to twenty minute drive. There are no subways or light rail (yet) anywhere nearby and taking a series of buses to get there would be too time prohibitive. I must drive to get to any real off road riding I wish to do. The best trail systems around here are all across the Chesapeake Bay scattered up the I64 corridor on the way to Richmond with the closest one to me being about twenty-five + minutes w/o any traffic. However, I must navigate one of the two bridge tunnel systems to get there and that invariably leads to those aforementioned ridiculous slow downs.

I would love for there to be an extensive public transportation system linking all points of this region and others, but I have my doubts that I will see anything like that in my lifetime. The MARTA lines in Atlanta, although limited at least let me take adventures with my bike around town to some of the small in town rides and bigger urban rides to play and shop. So my disdain for cars is tempered by my inherent dependence on them. It is nice to go shop, run errands, get meals, etc. whenever you want while be able to transport others, but I try to limit my use of my vehicle as much as I can. As the price of gas climbs nearly everyday, I know that I am very fortunate to be able to commute via bike to work and live close to my offices as such to minimize my fuel consumption. Fuel costs in Europe are already at least a dollar more than the US average cost per gallon. The shit is gonna hit the fan for many if we continue down our current path. I would love to see the US infrastructure become more like Europe with vast public transportation options and a plethora of energy efficient vehicles available. Maybe H2's could be melted down to rebuild the bridges that are failing around the country. I admit I am a junkie too thats gonna kick tomorrow.

I went to the PSP fest yesterday and had real cool time. I did a group ride that encompassed all of the Lakeview trails and was a blast. I got back to the staging area in time to catch the Huffy toss and run into DJ with whom I did a short loop with before I split. It seems that everyone had fun and there was a solid turnout. I understand that it started to rain up there later so the night activities and todays events were canceled, but at least yesterday was good. I must thank my car for getting me up there and back. I will get over it. I mean anything is possible and maybe world peace and understanding are not far off if a big monster truck bike riding creep and a skinny single speeding 29'er pilot can enjoy a ride together...

Total Passover!!!

Total Passover indeed, but I will excuse Tom for not mentioning playing with moi on the page of his old band. Then again since we never released anything it doesn't really matter, but Thunderball 3 did manage to play some fun shows in our brief existence and I am glad it helped catapult those guys into other gigs.

Passover has always been my favorite Jewish holiday by a long shot. The meals are interesting, educational, and generally pretty dang tasty. It was always a great time with lots of family and usually some non-family guests with all kibitzing, noshing, wine drinking, and of course as kid having the potential to win cash for finding the Afikomen. Tonight was no different with great time had by all over at my uncle's house. This video sums up the fun and hilarity of the season.

I re-acquainted myself with some older recordings this week including The Fluid's Glue/Roadmouth The Mummies Never Been Caught and Jack O' Fire's The Destruction of Squaresville. All of this stuff kicks some serious butt and probably is not for the faint of heart. I never did see the later two, but I did catch The Fluid in Richmond around the time their album Purplemetalflakemusic came out. They rocked hard and have to be one of my favorite Denver exports musically along with the Hillbilly Hellcats. I was never blown away by The Mummies back when I first heard them in the early '90's. Their sound was ultra lo-fi and sounded primitive even by most simplistic garage bands' outputs at the time. However, listening to this stuff again has given me a new appreciation for their trashy style. There are some real gems in their musical toilet. Again, not for the faint of heart as they can be obscene and the music at times is pretty annoying in how shoddy it sounds, yet there is some bang-on playing in there. Jack O' Fire on the other hand were amazing and put a vast array of covers through their punk/blues meat grinder with stellar results. The harmonica playing and distorted vocals will cut you in half as you are pummeled by Tim Kerr's fuzzed-out guitar wailing and their stomping rhythm section. Their take on Joy Division's No Love Lost is other worldly. Remember to call yr Mummie! Mazel Tov! Don't forget to check out my new linkages. PSP festival is this coming weekend and its should be a blast. Lotsa potential there for some sweet air.

a deluxe apartment in the sky...

...well actually a house by the Lafayette River. We'll be moved in the next month to our new pad which is maybe about 3/4 of a mile from our current digs. I am fired up 'bout it, but the packing and schlepping are never that fun. The new place has a really huge garage, a point that was important to us with all the bikes, tools and parts we have. I have enjoyed the house that we have called home for nearly two years, but I will be glad to be in our own place with everything brand new. We'll be settled in long before our new family member arrives in September which is a big plus for my wife, her comfort and my peace o' mind.

Speaking of keeping my sanity, the weather here lately has been typical of SE Virginia springtime with plenty of rain and wildly varying temperatures. I have not been out to ride any off road in a couple of weeks due to sloppy conditions and my berserk schedule. I am gonna try to make up for that this week and get back out to Ipswich after work and perhaps the rescheduled EVMA 1st annual Mountain bike festival that was moved to this coming Saturday due to the aforementioned shitty weather which is threatening to screw it up again. I have had only one real ride since I put new Avid Code 5 brakes on my bike and I am itching to go heat them up again. Their performance was very impressive, tons of power, smooth modulation and pleasantly quiet. I may eventually put the Dangerboy levers I had on my old Juicy's, but the standard levers are pretty dang comfortable. I am definitely jonesin' for a good ride; I have read the latest issues of Dirt Rag, Bike and Decline cover to cover. I love riding to work however even taking circuitous routes does not scratch that itch. I know, I know; patience grasshopper. "Time for you to leave."