on the rocks...

Well, I finally got out for a ride on my mountain bike. The last time I rode it was right before my car accident October 15, 2007. So, what did I decide to do for my first mountain bike ride in seven months? A race! French Creek "On the Rocks." It didn't help that I had been on antibiotics for a few days to get rid of my sinus infection.

It was really cool to have Cheffrey along for the race. I think it was his first mtb race in a bunch of years. He was a little shocked by all the people with disc brakes, 29-inch wheels, and single-speeds...

The race was relatively uneventful. I did have one crash going uphill. Two guys passed me and asked if I was alright... nothing but a bruised ego, and hand, and hip...

After struggling to make up the last very short, very slight incline to the finish, where 5 people passed me, this guy looks at me and asks, "Hey, did you just finish?" "Yes," I answer. He pumps his fist and shouts, "ALL RIGHT!! I WASN'T LAST!!!" Gee, thanks for pointing that out...

Another one down!

Whew! Just submitted my final for the Land Use-Transportation class! yippie!

Now I have some extra time to ride and work on some other stuff I've been putting off. Hmmm, I wonder how long my "honey-do" list is at this point?

Gotta go celebrate my anniversary and the end of the semester!

(won't be too much fun with a sinus infection)

CROSS?

My mom is looking at my shirt curiously and says, I guess "CROSS" fits better on a shirt than "CURMUDGEON"


cross: marked by typically transitory bad temper.


curmudgeon: a crusty, ill-tempered, and usually old man.

Thanks, Mom.

"Koppenberg"

So, I was planning on meeting Terry for the "Flanders Ride" today, but the forecast for today was pretty crappy. The weather on Saturday was nice. Needless to say I bailed on riding the Koppenberg today and went down there yesterday. It was a good thing IO did not meet Terry at the Norristown Train Station parking lot because where we usually meet is now a 4 story parking garage,

and it was closed. So, we wouldn't have been able to park there!

I ended up driving to Conshohoken and parked a few miles closer to the climb. It was a good thing too, because I struggled.

Here is a video of the Port Royal climb aka Koppenberg.

And no, I did not take the video! I could barely keep the bike upright because I was going so slow! But, I made it! and I even made it back to the jeep.

I'm having a little bit of trouble walking up the stairs today.

North or South Jersey?

Came across this while reading the New Jersey news.

Growing up and working in North Jersey and having lived in Philly and Delaware. I certainly understand the difference between North and South Jersey.

There was some interesting stuff on the blog. Like Rutgers football is the great unifier for New Jersey!

Here are some of the questions:

Wawa or 7-Eleven?
Jimmies or Sprinkles?
Taylor Ham or Pork Roll?
Sub or Hoagie?

Then there is the whole sports aspect to it:
Eagles or Giants?
Flyers or Devils?
Phillies or Mets-Yankees?
Sixers or Nets?

fun stuff!

What we've been up to lately:

In photos:








Add to that a memo assignment and an exam...
...Busy past couple of weeks...

Monte Paschi Erocia Video

OK, so I found video from the Erocia race and I thought I'd try and post the video.
This will be a good test to see about uploading Sophie's video. The Slipstream rider off the front in the first video is the former mountain biker Ryder Hesjedal.

Eroica1
Uploaded by burnie87

Holy crap! It worked!

Part 2

Eroica2
Uploaded by burnie87

Monte Paschi Erocia

This race sounds awesome. Check out the gallery. Makes you want to ride your road bike on some dirt roads dosen't it? Here is the english version.

Hopefully, I will be able to do a ride on the "le strade rosso." There are a ton of "red" gravel roads in the area. I probably won't be able to do anything until after class is wrapped up in mid May.

Another hopefully... I'd like to do a Tour of Flanders "tribute" ride down in Manyunk to hit the cobble climb near the start of the bike path, any takers? I think my parents are in town that weekend. So, it is a distinct possibility. I could probably use some help getting to the top of the climb as I haven't ridden in a while...

Integrated Land Use and Transportation discussion

For class we had to discuss another student's essay in an online discussion forum. Well, my response included a paragraph on the importance of mixed use developments...

My answer led me here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Place

then here
http://www.pps.org/info/placemakingtools/placemakers/roldenburg

The subject material covered in the Project for Public Spaces are some of the reasons I'm pursuing the planning profession...

All of it is kind of a synthesis of "droopy" and "david," huh?

After some looking around I saw that this guy is a "Place Maker." Yes, I'm a regular reader of his website.

Video is worth...

When I got home from work the family was upstairs in Sophie's room. Jacob came running to the top of the stairs and said something about what Sophie can do. Sophie runs out with this big smile on her face looking all proud. OK, this is going to be good.

(here's where I would insert the video, like I have time to figure that out...)

Kris and Jacob get Sophie to show daddy. She walks over to the rocking chair and pulls herself up onto it. Then reaches over to the dresser and climbs up on top of it. She stands up, yes on the dresser, and claps, Yeah Sophie! Then she walks across the top of the dresser to her crib, grabs the side of the crib, throws her leg over the railing and then she flops into the crib, a good 2' drop onto the mattress. Then gets up laughs and claps... Yeah Sophie! She did it another 3 or 4 times for me. She is going to be quite the daredevil.

Apparently she was doing it about 15 times before I got there.

(I'll try and post the video. Anybody from the "AV Club" have any pointers, shoot me an email...)