the Wow! signal

Renting a car means listening to the radio. Not necessarily and not always, but often, especially when you are running late and as a result have way overpacked, stuffing far too much into one bag carelessly and trying to find CDs to stuff into the bag, deciding that they will take up too much room, etc.

I heard Tom Petty, Ace of Bass, John Cougar Mellencamp, Bush (Everything Zen, no, I don't think so). I definitely did not hear any song recorded since the last time I listened to the radio. Maybe this is due to the death of the major label stranglehold on music, or the reconciliation of that death with the fact that they still have a stranglehold on radio.

I did hear an incredibly interesting piece on sounds from outer space,ie. the Wow! signal (great name for a band)

Here is a very blurry shot of the order of events:

I won't go into too much detail, but the day was a huge amount of fun. I didn't do that well competitively speaking, but 

I learned a great deal and will definitely be going back, often.  There were 2 crashes, a not so nasty one that happened directly in front of me when a guy snapped his chain, and then one that happened in the B Feature, second to last race of the day, that was very nasty. 

 Fortunately, the guy 

seemed alert and relatively ok as he was loaded into the ambulance.  

Here are a few more pics from the day.  I love the Kutztown Cutters kit, so asked Patty to model it for me. 

Patty is fantastically nice, and turns out she, like me, is a basketball junkie.  She was the first 1000 pt scorer in Marist history, overshadowed by the Dunkin' Dutchman:  Most importantly, she was a big fan of my boyhood idol, Jeff Lamp. 

A few more:

The age range was 

amazing, probably from about 10-70, and the number of people who come out to watch is really surprising.   Finally, this kid is freaking awesome, and me at the end, saying ow, :

goin postal

No, not a post about the recent stunning (sarcastic) allegations from Floyd, although maybe roid rage explains the postal worker phenomenon.  I was just in the Post Office on the Upper East side where the following interaction took place.  I was called to the window, very normal average 50ish white male says "does this envelope contain any liquid, any hazardous substances...."? I say no, a monotone (at first) monologue ensues.  He says, "look at those old women in line, what the fuck is wrong with them, old bats..."  His voice is becoming far more effeminate.  "That one that was behind you is ready to start some shit, she better not start it with me, old bitch, I'll punch her in the goddamn neck. I don't know if she is trying to look sexy, or missed her fiber this morning.  So, we have to ask everyone this question, does your envelope contain any liquid or hazardous substances"  I say no, he says "I know, I asked you already, I'm telling you a story.  So, I ask one of these old bitches that, and she yells, no!  I tell her she better keep her panties on and not fuck with me.  Have a good day."

When I get back to the office I have a text from my wife, who is living in Portland for the summer, which says: "a woman just inched up next to me at the curb so that her umbrella would cover my head."  

on the road again....

off to Denver, then driving to Portland, will put up some pics if I get some decent ones.  

Awesome Giro, dvr better get it all.  And the Tour of California. 

Flaming Lips, Montclair, NJ

PPW bike lane (siddown and shutup Marty)

Please join the New York City Department of Transportation, Brooklyn Community Board 6, Council Member Brad Lander and Council Member Steve Levin at the Prospect Park West Traffic Calming and Protected Bicycle Path Open House Monday, April 12, 2010 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM Congregation Beth Elohim 274 Garfield Pl., Bet. 8th Ave. & Prospect Park West Fully accessible facility • New York City DOT has undertaken a plan to improve conditions for all users on Prospect Park West, by installing a parking protected two-way bicycle path, removing one through travel lane and installing flush pedestrian refuge islands. • This will enhance safety by creating shorter pedestrian crossings and reducing vehicle speeds. • It will also improve connectivity and safety for cyclists by providing links to existing bicycle lanes in the area. For More Information: Visit Our Website: www.nyc.gov or send an e-mail or call NYCDOT’s Brooklyn Borough Commissioner, at jpalmieri@dot.nyc.gov or (718) 222-7259. Drop in at a convenient time to: • Learn about the proposed safety improvements to Prospect Park West. • View design plans for the corridor. • Provide your input and talk with project team members. Marty's comments this morning: http://blogs.wnyc.org/news/2010/04/12/the-latest-skirmish-in-the-bike-lane-battles/

when a young man's fancy turns to glove

3 days to go. 

Arsenal plays Barca to a draw, amazing considering how badly they were outplayed. I've become fairly obsessed with Arsenal after listening to hours and hours of "It's Up for Grabs Now," the hilarious podcast with Alan Davies.  

Federer lost to Berdych in 4th round of Sony Ericcson, after losing early in Indian Wells. 

I have to stop bidding on ebay, have a wheelset coming I don't need, because I didn't expect to win, and a crankset that I need even less, but the fact that it is coming makes me want to buy a frame to put it on.  

But most importantly, the internet frightens me.  A friend mentioned "baby Einstein" and all it took was typing those words into a google image search to find this:

Happy Easter, have a good weekend.

Sprung

Spring has sprung, and with it comes various countdowns. Number of pts off the playoff hunt for the Rangers (something like 10 with 5 to play), number of games under .500 that the Knicks will finish (a zillion, but oddly not nearly bad enough in the woeful east to be considered terrible), and number of days until the Mets opener (13). It was a beautiful weekend in New York and I happily made it to my first bike race of the season. No small feat considering that I had been out of town for a week and hadn't reset my alarm clock to Daylight Savings, so woke up thinking I had about an hour to get ready, turned on NY1 and realized that I had to leave within 10 minutes if I had any chance in hell of making it.  Sprinted down Flatbush and got there just in time.  The race itself was pretty uneventful other than someone trying to bail in the middle making a sharp turn directly into me.  Fortunately I was able to hold both of us and he was tremendously apologetic.  

Red Hook Crit was the same evening, didn't race it, just watched, and it was a blast.  

Good vacation in Seattle, Vancouver, and Orcas Island, will put a couple of pics up soon.