The Cycling Dude

My 1st Advertising thru Blog Ads, in a long while, is very welcome, indeed

Thank you very much to the folks at Michigan Bicycle Company for showing an interest in placing an ad on my humble blog.

I thank you very much! ;-D

The ad is in the sidebar, and what they are doing is very interesting indeed, so check it out. ;-D

Bicycles Built For 2 Take Over Bike Trail Intersection in Long Beach

I set out, yesterday, to find the best place for parking near the beginning of the Coyote Creek Bike Trail, where it takes cyclists away from the San Gabriel River Bike Trail on a journey all its own, NE toward Orange County, and found myself encountering 4 Tandems in a half hour. ;-D

Will Typepad Changes Lead to More Cyclists Discovering The Dude?

I go away for a week, and return to discover I have a bigger, and better, Typepad Profile Page, a "Follower", or 2, and the ability to post comments in places I never could before. ;-D

The page shares my Profile, excerpts of my recent activity on my blogs, comments I leave at certain blogs, and sites, a link to my other blog, and links to other sites of mine I choose to link to, such as Facebook, and Twitter, and links to my Yahoo, and MSN Messenger User Names, and who I follow, and follows me.

When I comment on certain Cycling Blogs, using my Profile Name, the link with my name goes to my profile, not to this blog alone, so I'd have to use another comment signing choice if available to do that.

There are other things going on that will take time to learn how to use that will enhance interaction with readers, and commenters.

I welcome the opportunity to engage a wide audience, and look forward to seeing where this leads.

What the Well-Dressed Dumpster Diver is Pedaling These Days

 

The scene outside my window, in the apartment complex next door, at 9am, this morning. ;-D

This man is someone I've seen a lot in the Santa Ana, Orange, area, in the last year, and it's likely he is homeless, but who knows.

He could just be a middle-aged man with a thing for dumpsters. ;-D

That's his bike at the ready for making a quick get-away, if apartment security comes around the corner. ;-D

 

After about 20 minutes of digging in the dumpster he gathered his haul, and pedaled off to the next one. ;-D

The Flickr of an Idea Expands

As I reported the other day...The Cycling Dude has joined Flickr, the Photo Sharing Community.

I now have 4 Sets of photos started, with 15 photos uploaded so far. ;-D

Cycling Dude Humor:

I have a reputation for a very peculiar Sense of Humor, and I hope this Set will reflect that as it grows.

The Trusty Steeds of the Cycling Dude!:

Except for 1 brief moment of weakness, in 1960, I've never owned a car in my life, and these photos chronicle the bicyles that have shared my life.

All Locked Up With No Place to Pedal:

You see them every day:

Bicycles, of all shapes, sizes, makes, models, and conditions, deliberately left to hangout someplace other than a Bike Rack until the owner returns, or locked and abandoned in a similar spot, until someone unceremoniously removes the poor dear, rescues it for future use, or puts it out of its misery, by tossing it in the trash.

The surroundings can often make for fascinating, and often funny, or bizzare, images to make you think.

This Set will chronicle my personal encounters with these Bicycles.

Cycling Dude's Encounters of the Meet & Speak Kind:

Since May 2008 I have had the pleasure, and honor, not to mention the challenge, of making public presentations about Bicycling, Bike Commuting, and BikeBlogging.

I have also had the pleasure, and honor, to meet some interesting, and even famous, cycling personalities thru my BikeBlogging.

This Set chronicles those events, and encounters, for posterity.

Check out The Cycling Dude on Flickr!

If you are on Flickr, leave a comment on any of the pictures that strike your fancy. ;-D

The Cycling Dude is Now on Flickr!

In 2006 I opened a Flickr account, added a few photos, then promptly forgot about it.

In an effort to expand the audience, and reach, of my blogging, and learn new skills, I re-discovered it. ;-D

I spent today setting up my account, and adding my 1st few photos to 2 new Sets.

My plans will eventually include sharing my many cycling photos taken over the last 14 years.

Stop by, if you are a Flickr Member, and leave your thoughts on any photos that strike your fancy. ;-D

The Cycling Dude on Flickr!

Bike Commuting Becomes Part of My Daily Routine

Thanks to Orange County Transit Authority making changes to its system for the Spring anyone who lives in Orange County, but works late in LA County, has to make new arraingements for catching the bus home because the last #60, from downtown Long Beach, is 955pm on weekends, and 1010pm, on weekdays.

To get home you have to catch the #60, or the #50, 10 min. after that bus leaves, at 7th & Channel, across from the VA Hospital, east of Pacific Coast Highway.

If you are will to spend the extra money, or have an OCTA Day Pass, there is a Long Beach Transit Bus, the #94, that will take you there, with the last leaving downtown at 1230am every night.

Your other option is to bike to the VA, or bike the whole way home.

I've done both this week. ;-D

Bike Commuting has ALWAYS been a part of my life, so the title of this post is a tad misleading, but in the past I could choose how often I rode my bike to work.

Now, that choice has become a requirement because I am unwilling to spend extra for bus fare when I don't have to do so. ;-D

On Tuesday I rode east on Broadway then 2nd, then north on PCH to 7th, for an 8 mile ride.

On Wednesday I rode east on 4th, to Park Ave., then to 7th, then to the VA for a 6 mile ride.

On Thursday I rode all the way home, a 20 mile ride.

On Friday I rode east on 4th to Park, then took 6th east to Bellflower Blvd. where it meets PCH, near 7th, for a 4 mile ride.

Looking at the Thomas Guide Map, this morning, I learn that I can stay on 4th, passing the Colorado Lagoon, on Appian Way, and the Colorado Marina Park, on Colorado St. all the way to where Bellflower Blvd. begins.

So I think I'll go that way, tonite. ;-D

Having to commute 5 days a week I have several options to keep me entertained as I ride to catch my bus, and if the bus Bike Racks are full (I can catch the #50, too, and bike the last 3 miles home, or connect to another bus in Anaheim.), which is rare, then I can haul ass home the the full distance. ;-D

Welcome to Daily Peloton Readers!

I received an unexpected 49th Birthday Present today!

In an update to my report on attending a screening of the Film Klunkerz, in February, I reported on a story on the Daily Peloton International Cycling News Website about how Klunkerz was voted 2008 at the Endurance Sports Awards in San Diego, California.

I wrote to the the folks at Daily Peloton, telling them of my review & bike ride report, and about my blog, joking that I HAVE written about Bicycle Racing at least once in 6 years, sending them a link to a humorous piece I wrote about Lance Armstrong at the Tour De France, in 2003. ;-D

Today, of all days, I get an email, and then a very pleasant surprise, and great honor, when I check their website:

Sorry for the late Answer Kiril,

Busy with the Tour of California and all.
Delightful stuff... and very funny I might add.

I'll add the links to your reports in our next roundup.

Enjoy Amico,
Best,
Vaughn
Publisher

Among the stories covered in the Cycling News Roundup of 5 March 2009

Just for fun - Link of the Day
KLUNKERZ: A Recreational Cyclist, and Commuter, Meets MTB Legends. You might also enjoy Kiril Kundurazieff's (aka  'The Cycling Dude') comments on the return of Lance Armstrong to the tour de France.

The News Round-up, with the above story, and its links to this blog, can be explored here.

I am extremely honored by the compliments of the publisher, and the linking by them to my blog.

I wish to gladly welcome readers of the Daily Peloton to The Cycling Dude.

My humble blog may not be about racing but, as a recreational, and commuter blog I pride myself on the stories I've writen, my cycling poetry, and my extensive collection of varied cycling related links in my sidebar.

Please feel free to comment on any story you find interesting. ;-D

 

 

First Vacation of the Year!

I'm 3 days into an 11 day vacation!

I have plans for some bicycle riding in the OC, beginning this afternoon, and will bring along my camera for pictures.

You Adore Your Bicycle, Admit It!: The Sequel

In August 2006 I wrote a poem called THE MAN AND THE BICYCLE, as part of a post about how you know you are a Bicyclist, and utterly adore your Trusty Steed.

Along with the poem I wrote a few observations that would make any short list answering the question You Know You're a Bicyclist When . . ., and tossed in an amusing photo of me and my Bicycle, for good measure (The same one at the top of my sidebar, only larger.).

I also linked to an excellent essay on the subject by Megan Ann, of Ausin, TX., who is still blogging to this day. ;-D

When she discovered my post, 2 months later, she left this comment in response:

Ha ha....how sweet that you read to your bike and pull up the covers for him. thanks for including some stuff I wrote in your post.

Enjoy your riding - your bike should be ready after a good nites sleep! :-)

Well, David Fiedler, on his Bike Blog, at About.com, recently started a list, and has encouraged his readers to come up with their own additions.

My contributions to his List are...

You Know You're a Cyclist When . . .

1. You take your bike in for its annual phys, um, I mean tune-up, the first thing you say when the Doc, um, I mean, Mechanic comes to tell you the news is...Level with, man, don't hold back, I can take it. Will He/She live?

2. If you have the talent for it, and even if you don't, you write poems to your bicycle, or at least ABOUT bicycling, and read them to your silent, & uncritical, Trusty Steed.

3. You have been going to the same Bike Shop for so long that the owner, or at least 1 employee, can share war stories about changing your diapers, and feeding you, when your Father worked there during his, and your Mothers, college years. (This one can be scary to contemplate if your shop is one of the ones on my list of Elder Statesmen & Women of the Industry, in my sidebar, all 67 to 116 years old, and you are at least 67 yourself!)

You ADORE your Bicycle, ADMIT IT!! ;D

The Comments, here, and at my original post as well, are always open, and awaiting your confession! ;-D