Weak-end stuff and Monday Miscellany

Weak-end stuff.

Our V6 Explorer needed gas this weak-end. We don't drive it much. I can't understand how my cow-orkers can bear to see this 3x per week:


Menorah Medical Center has a decent-sized wheelbender by the ER Entrance. Yes. Another trip to the ER.


Monday Miscelanny. I snapped this pic while waiting for the light to turn in my favor.


It was just Karen and I for the Monday Commuter Convoy. Next Monday's the big day, with the official KC Bike Week convoys. Temperatures were still in the 40s this morning. Hopefully they'll be warmer next week.

The TWA Rocket.


It sits atop the TWA building, adding some retro-cool flair to the neighborhood. I like it.


El Pocito Mexico. Just in time for Cinco De Mayo.


The Pitch office with whispy clouds and the KC Skyline.


It seems something is always under construction down here.


These little alleyways can be a real blessing for cyclists. All kinds of little traffic-free shortcuts await. Not always suitable for skinny tires, though. Some of this stuff is essentially urban singletrack.


Random Tunage:
Aria - One (Holy crap - relentless oontzing and thumping)
Dave Matthews Band - Ants Marching

Got wind?

The winds didn't let up one bit today. I didn't get much sleep last night (3 hours), but I was determined to make it to the Quivira Park group ride this morning. This is its first run in 2008, so I figured I would try to make it. I need miles right now.

I arrived at 7:00 sharp, with temperatures in the low 40s. One lone cyclist - Ed, the ride leader - was lapping the parking lot. We set off north into a 20-gusting-30 MPH head/crosswind out of the NW. No one else bothered showing up.

I feel kind of bad for arriving in the condition I did. I could tell I was holding Ed back quite a bit, particularly up the hills, and even moreso up hills when headwind was involved. I'd watch my speed drop down into single digit territory while Ed pushed onward. Eventually, he'd get far ahead of me and slow way down. Part of my slowness is the fact that I didn't get enough sleep. And I can go around blaming the wind all I want. At the end of the day, though, I'm just out of shape. My average speed for the entire ride was less than 13 MPH. The ride is marketed as a moderate to fast ride, which I'm sure means "16-20 MPH".

I cut off about 2 miles from the end and let Ed go onward at his own pace. Daily Dose had breakfast with my name on it, and I hadn't eaten yet. It was nice to meet Ed. I'm surprised I haven't run into him before. Wish I could have talked more, but I was too busy gasping for air.

So, what I took away from today:

1. Get more than 3 hours of sleep before a 20+ mile ride.
2. Eat breakfast before a 20+ mile ride.
3. Ride more
4. Try to lose some weight
5. Quit being such a wimp

So, after a 24 mile ride, a cinnamon roll, some coffee, a shower, and a nap, I got to go to the pharmacy and pay rent (also on bike) giving me a little more than 27 miles total today. No pics. Awww.

Random Tunage:
Binary Finary - 1999 (Kay Cee Remix)
Taffy - I Love My Radio

I lied. Never a dull moment.

You know me. I just can't stay still. I have to ride, and every ride is seemingly some kind of adventure. If I'm not mercilessly annihilating my rolling stock or breaking something else with my golden crowbar sandbox antics, I'm out taking pictures or being a huge nerd.

See, I figured that I'd pass the day complacently nestled within the confines of my 8' x 8' cubicle, then swing aroud to the bus when I got done working, then probably go home to get my car. I almost always get my car for my First-Friday geek exploits. My friends often have other things lined up.

Well, all that went out the window when I decided to go for a lunch-time ride in the west bottoms, a blighted industrial area. Yes, more history-steeped midwest goodness. So much history, in fact, that I wouldn't even know where to begin. I could probably write a paragraph or two on every photo I took out there. I'll spare you. Enjoy.



























You can't see it but my bike is alllll the way by the stop sign. This might give you an idea of how huge this overpass is. And I'm still 40 feet off the ground below. This is a funky two-level bridge.


Let me zoom in on that for you.








Testing the limits of my digital zoom, in KC's hazy atmosphere, this is the outline of the roller coasters of Worlds Of Fun from 7.5 miles away.


Airplane taxiing (Taxing? Taxeeeying?) at Wheeler Airport.









I wound down the night after the Mall at Applebee's with my friends. It's riding distance from the Maul and practically on my way home. Didn't need to get the car at all. It was a great night.



Random Tunage:
Robert Nickson - Encounter
Armin Van Buuren - Going Wrong

Nothing can prepare you for...

... THE MAUL!

First Friday of the month. Time to geek out. That's right, emo kids. We are taking your precious Oak Pork Maul by storm again this evening. Warning: annoying sound on that link. And judging from the Favicon, it appears to be served by Lotus Notes (a.k.a. Bloated Goats or simply Bloatus), which I loathe with a fierce passion.

Not much in the way of photos this morning. Tornadic cells popped up all over town around dusk. As those storms moved out, another big cell from the southwest brought insane straight-line winds in excess of 80 MPH through the area in the wee hours. Left toppled in its wake are countless trees, newspaper dispensers, trash cans and anything else that weighed less than 150 pounds and wasn't bolted down (and some things that were). At 6:00 this morning, the pavement was soggy. The air was thick with humidity. The air was completely and totally still. I had a really fast ride to the bus stop.

I have too much going on today to make the full ride, but the bus works. Lorin brought his best Tony Robbins impersonation to coffee this morning. Just... wow. There won't likely be anything worth mentioning this evening, but maybe I'll have something this weekend to talk about.

I just got word that the Quivira Park Rides are starting back up. This is a weekly ride on Saturday mornings with a fixed route of about 24 miles. The start/end point is about 5 miles due south of my apartment. I have ridden this route with Tim a time or two, but never with the actual Quivira Park guys. I may try this in the morning. Pics will follow if I do. I really need to get some miles this month. As much as I would love to rack up 100+ miles this weekend, I am a wimp that's nowhere near ready for any of Dave's crazy training rides.

Peace out. Have a good weekend.

Random Tunage:
White Zombie - Blur the Technicolor
Hybrid - Dreaming Your Dreams

Another whimsical musical musing... Hybrid is just great. If you haven't heard them or heard of them, give then a listen. It's ambient breakbeat electronic music backdropped with a full orchestra. Pretty sweet stuff.

The multi-sport commuting obstacle course

First event: Bicycling!

I rolled out into crazy headwind after work. I coasted down Broadway, took off down Southwest Boulevard, and got a ways past the brewery when the sidewall blew out on my front tire.

Now, the sidewall's been ailing for a while. I got this bike a year ago today), and this is the original factory front tire. For a while, my brake pad was rubbing the sidewall. I've been keeping my eye on it, and meaning to pick up a new Bonti hard case tire like the one that's remained trouble free on the rear wheel for many months. I guess I just didn't replace it in time. Not sure what finally triggered the inner tube failure. I was on flat, smooth pavement and not hitting the brakes. It just went PFFFF! Pfff-pff-pff and was flat.



Second Event: Bicycle Hiking. Also known as "The Walk Of Shame"
About 3 miles from my tire failure sits the closest reliable stop for the Dreaded Bus. So begins the Bicycle Hiking. I walked. And walked. And walked some more.


I had more than enough time to make it to the bus stop. I took my time. Took some pictures. I even posed my bike as if everything were hunky-dory.

IRS Facility's parking garage security gates. These have nothing on my data center's entry ritual.


Skyline from the IRS Building. You can see clouds forming.




Looking to the east towards the northern part of Crown Center. The Link (skywalk connecting Crown Center and Union Station) and the Union Station Fountain are visible.


Union Station.


I think this is the main Kansas City Post Office. Not positive, though.


Next Event: Bus Riding.
Not much to say about this one. I took the bus a few miles to get me within walking distance to The Trek Store. Then, Another Hike Of Shame. About 3/4 mile worth.

Fourth Event: Fixing a tire.
I picked up my new tire and a new inner tube, then went to work fixing it myself right there in the shop.


With all that out of the way, it was time to hit the road. Lots of weather bubbling up. Major props to New Media Meteorologist Ed Roberts and the Kansas City Weather Podcast for keeping me and so many others in the loop via live chat. I really appreciate it.














Random Tunage:
Eiffel 65- Europop
Bryan Adams - Heaven

May Day! May Day!

... or should I say "commando day!"

I rarely forget any garments. Occasionally, I'll forget a cell phone or my camera. Rarely clothing, though. Unfortunately, I managed to leave behind the one thing I don't have a spare of. I actually used to, but I... well, never mind.

So. How 'Bout them Royals? Okay, enough dilly-dallying.

It's been getting bright in a hurry in the mornings, but I still get to watch the sun rise from a totally dark sky. Leaving my abode in to the stygian void will only last a few more weeks.


The ride in was a bit of work. The wind often worked in my favor but coming in from Wyandotte County, it turned into a nasty head/crosswind. Once I got downtown, I'm not sure what came over me. Okay, the desire to switch my route up and get pictures from other parts of town came over me. They overrode basic instinct and rationality. I slogged (quite literally) up Summit. Summit has some sections that are easily 20% grade, with a total elevation gain of more than 200 feet in under a mile. On a loaded-up mule such as My Twelve, this is a formidable climb, even though you can't tell from the photo.


There is a lot of really interesting architecture in Westside. Some of it's pretty quaint and classic while there are some newer buildings with more modern and eclectic designs.








Some photos overlooking KC and Crown Center from 16th and Jefferson in Westside.






The Muehlebach Hotel is another part of Kansas City with some interesting history.


One Kansas City Place is officially the tallest structure in the region. It was just being finished when my family moved here from rural Nebraska.


I saw Karen and a few other bike commuters out this morning. As usual, I sipped my morning dose of caffeine with Lorin and JR. It's definitely getting to be bikey out.

Random Tunage:
Lisa Loeb - How (a spine chiller, I really enjoyed Lisa Loeb when she was popular)
Shakta - Lepton Head