Friday, May 27, 2005
Addicted
I'm addicted to lots of things, coffee, pasta, sugar, my bikes, Ellie, and most recently BLOGGING and the whole new school of bottom-up networking. I'm really geting into Technorati, Wikipedia and Mozilla.
It's a Critical Mass Friday, so I'll hopefully get along and take a hundred or so photos.
I've added a couple of more bike blogs to my links list. I really like how all the bike blogs are so diverse but seem to share a wierd inner philosphy. Everyone seems to be light hearted but truly passionate about what they do. I guess it comes with the territory. It's cool seeing the different bike cultures, New York (bikeblog.blogspot.com) seems so intense. Makes you feel spoilt here with the Linnear Park all the way from the sea to the foothills and the little bit of space we're given on some roads.
Wierd how here even most of the punks wear helmets and use lights, while in New York and even Sydney and Melbourne only dorks and gear-heads use basic safety equipment. Seriously, I've smashed two helmets, that is, on two occasions I've hit the ground hard enough to have earnt more than a head-ache; and recently I've been commuting with my Vicious Arc light, and it's so good knowing that as you enter an intersection no-ones going to cut you off without having seen you. It's great even in backstreets and bike-paths, saves me ploughing through joggers and knocking over drunks on bikes without lights.
Still, we need more useful bike parking in the city. Street signs are useless when you can just pull them out and all summer there's nowhere near enough official racks along Rundle or Hindley Street. I suspect that most of the placements for bike parks are decided by someone who has shares in a pawnbrokers, that's why the racks are always in dark corners and out of sight of passer-bys.
Wicked weather today (so why am I sitting inside) about 17 degrees and cloudy, perfect for punching it up a big hill in a big gear. God, it's almost roadie weather.
It's a Critical Mass Friday, so I'll hopefully get along and take a hundred or so photos.
I've added a couple of more bike blogs to my links list. I really like how all the bike blogs are so diverse but seem to share a wierd inner philosphy. Everyone seems to be light hearted but truly passionate about what they do. I guess it comes with the territory. It's cool seeing the different bike cultures, New York (bikeblog.blogspot.com) seems so intense. Makes you feel spoilt here with the Linnear Park all the way from the sea to the foothills and the little bit of space we're given on some roads.
Wierd how here even most of the punks wear helmets and use lights, while in New York and even Sydney and Melbourne only dorks and gear-heads use basic safety equipment. Seriously, I've smashed two helmets, that is, on two occasions I've hit the ground hard enough to have earnt more than a head-ache; and recently I've been commuting with my Vicious Arc light, and it's so good knowing that as you enter an intersection no-ones going to cut you off without having seen you. It's great even in backstreets and bike-paths, saves me ploughing through joggers and knocking over drunks on bikes without lights.
Still, we need more useful bike parking in the city. Street signs are useless when you can just pull them out and all summer there's nowhere near enough official racks along Rundle or Hindley Street. I suspect that most of the placements for bike parks are decided by someone who has shares in a pawnbrokers, that's why the racks are always in dark corners and out of sight of passer-bys.
Wicked weather today (so why am I sitting inside) about 17 degrees and cloudy, perfect for punching it up a big hill in a big gear. God, it's almost roadie weather.
Thursday, May 26, 2005
I should work out a way to make this photo show up when you try to log onto this blog.
bertphoto2004
Nick Bowman tearing up the track he's put so much effort into building.
bertphoto2004
bertphoto2004
Duncan Sweeney, to get out of organising the event he moved all the way to Cairns, but still couldn't stay away. He still seems cursed, knee problems stopped him from showing off the new skills he's acquired.
bertphoto2004
bertphoto2004
How can one person be the fastest rider on teh track and have the best costume? It's just not fair.
bertphoto2004
bertphoto2004
Me starting my second lap, still doing battle with impossible to reach bidon-mount
bertphoto2004
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Flickr Love
I just discovered flickr. And I'm impresed. Down at the bottom of this page you'll find my Flickr badge, right now it's got photos from Ellie's circus party. this is going to get confusing juggling Flickr and Hello!, but if I get to work this blog will do be able to able to do what I started it for, act as a place to stash and share my thousands of photos. I think I'll upload scans of some of my old analog photos as well, but one thing at a time.
I must say, this Blogging thing is mucho-grando funno, i really like sitting here and typing to no-one, but typing to everyone at the same time. I get so excited when I see a jump in my stat counter, when I get a comment in my mailbox, when I find a cool blog by someone who thinks cars are coffins and the only good tyre is a fat tyre.
I must say, this Blogging thing is mucho-grando funno, i really like sitting here and typing to no-one, but typing to everyone at the same time. I get so excited when I see a jump in my stat counter, when I get a comment in my mailbox, when I find a cool blog by someone who thinks cars are coffins and the only good tyre is a fat tyre.
It's 1:00am, do you know where you're children are?
When you don't blog everyday it starts getting pretty random. Anyways, have added a huge pile of links to this site. I've just pilfered the list I made for the Spiral objective site, deleted some broken links and added some more.
Dirty Weekend results are up on BikeSA site, there's some bearded git on a shiny GT on the Dirty Weekend homepage. I so should have pushed myself harder, I wouldn't have broken Keith, but I could have beaten both 24hr duo entries.
Ellie and the rest of the Jervois Ave crew had a circus party at her house this weekend. WILD!! Best costume goes to Mark Timberlake who had a puppet stilt walker atached to his clothes. You've got to see it to comprehend it. Also amazing was Ellie's horse rider outfit. It's strange seeing you're girlfriend with a dark wig and ake-up. It's like their a differnent person from a distance, but when you look at their eyes or listen to their voice their normal again.
TALLBIKES are the next big thing. At least for Will anyways. We've been checking out Rat Patrol HQ and tallbikes.net, seems Will was hanging out with lots of the Euro kids when they were into scooters. I like Rat Patrols tiny little bikes with amazing lugging abilities.
Race this week at Prospect Hill, YAY!!!!!!!! I have the best dilemma, dirty the new shiny GT or take my tried and trusted Norco out for spin in the pines. There's a fair bit of climbing so the hardtail will rock in sections, although I may take the jumps faster on the GT. Hopefully we'll head up tomorrow to check out the track and I can make my mind up after that.
Pedal Prix excitement is building up again. Looks like we ill race the 6hr in July, no team Ballistic anymore, now we're Trend Ice, just doesn't have the same pizzazz. Also odd for me will be the absence of Tim and Wayne, pedal prix institutions in their own right. Anyways can't wait to get in the car again. Their's nothing like ripping around a crowded race track in a low slung, narrow wheel based recumbent trike with an open cockpitted aero-housing that looks like a shark mated with a spitfire.
must be off, need sleep
Dirty Weekend results are up on BikeSA site, there's some bearded git on a shiny GT on the Dirty Weekend homepage. I so should have pushed myself harder, I wouldn't have broken Keith, but I could have beaten both 24hr duo entries.
Ellie and the rest of the Jervois Ave crew had a circus party at her house this weekend. WILD!! Best costume goes to Mark Timberlake who had a puppet stilt walker atached to his clothes. You've got to see it to comprehend it. Also amazing was Ellie's horse rider outfit. It's strange seeing you're girlfriend with a dark wig and ake-up. It's like their a differnent person from a distance, but when you look at their eyes or listen to their voice their normal again.
TALLBIKES are the next big thing. At least for Will anyways. We've been checking out Rat Patrol HQ and tallbikes.net, seems Will was hanging out with lots of the Euro kids when they were into scooters. I like Rat Patrols tiny little bikes with amazing lugging abilities.
Race this week at Prospect Hill, YAY!!!!!!!! I have the best dilemma, dirty the new shiny GT or take my tried and trusted Norco out for spin in the pines. There's a fair bit of climbing so the hardtail will rock in sections, although I may take the jumps faster on the GT. Hopefully we'll head up tomorrow to check out the track and I can make my mind up after that.
Pedal Prix excitement is building up again. Looks like we ill race the 6hr in July, no team Ballistic anymore, now we're Trend Ice, just doesn't have the same pizzazz. Also odd for me will be the absence of Tim and Wayne, pedal prix institutions in their own right. Anyways can't wait to get in the car again. Their's nothing like ripping around a crowded race track in a low slung, narrow wheel based recumbent trike with an open cockpitted aero-housing that looks like a shark mated with a spitfire.
must be off, need sleep
Friday, May 20, 2005
Dirty Weekend Photos
Here's some of the photos from the Dirty weekend. Ellie took some and Karen Anderson took the others. This was Ellie's first attempt at racing and she did the number of laps she set out to do. I let the pressure get to me and overcooked it a bit in the pines. I ate a lot of pine needles, bent my rear-deraileur and broke my helmet. I still managed to do cover more ground than I did last year, but having real competition from Keith McQueen meant that I was going to have to pull something amazing out of my arse. Not winning aside I had the most fun I've had at a race of this nature, I feel I spent almost as much time standing around and chatting to people as I would have had I been in a team. Now I need to focus on getting my act together for Mont and the Kona24hr, right now I'm going strong but really need to lift my game to challenge the more experienced riders.
Montage of photos Ellie took at Wheels of Justice rally
bertphoto2004
bert is an eeeediot
hi there I have stolen Berts blog for now just to let you all know that bert is an eeeeediot. As much as I love him, I really think he should get his shit together and get a functional filing system so that he can easily find little bits of paper that currently dissappear into the mess that is his bedroom. Shheeeshh.... Ellie the ever loving gerlfriend...
bert is an eeeediot
hi there I have stolen Berts blog for now just to let you all know that bert is an eeeeediot. As much as I love him, I really think he should get his shit together and get a functional filing system so that he can easily find little bits of paper that currently dissappear into the mess that is his bedroom. Shheeeshh.... Ellie the ever loving gerlfriend...
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Wheels of Justice
Here's a copule of photos from Wheels of Justice rally. About 4000 cyclists showed up to call for law reform after Eugene McGee got away after a hit and run where he killed local rider Ian Humphries. McGee admits to having been drinking that day but the jury found decided to believe that his running from the scene was due to 'dissociation' due to shock, rather than stupidity and guilt due to alchohol.
Pariah
These fotos are of my flatmates band, Pariah. This was their third show. They play rollicking punk influenced rock.
What a week!
It's been a bit over a week since my last post and whoa!!!
First, Wheels of Justice rally, more bikes than you could dream, and I dream about a lot of bikes. 5 big city blocks worth, dragsters, roadies, mtbs, commuters, recumbents, kiddies bikes. Big fat blokes, weekend warriors, couriers, national champions, olympians...
Then, road up to fox creek with Brett for hot lap and to do some volunteer work on the trails for Dirty weekend. Helped add a couple of new sections, including a singletrack climb that became the biggest nightmare of the race for many riders.
Party in Ironbank that night, reminded me why I'm a mountain-biker and not a raver.
Can't remember Sunday...
After months of procrastinating I lodged my 2003/2004 tax return, $3500 showed up in my bank account courtesy of the ATO on Thursday, on Wednesday I take possession of a GT idxc-1.0. My battered Norco looks very battered, the GT looks shiny and amazing. By Thursday I've already gone over the bars and added a scratch to the paintwork.
Friday, headless chook day. GT needs major work on front forks. TRAK CYCLES RULE!!!
Saturday, head up to Fox Creek for Dirty Weekend, still fiddling with bike right up to start of race.
Lose positions playing with bar-ends, about tenth over-all, third in solo-male. Try to make up time, and over the bars. More than just a scratch, have bent rear driller hanger and cracked my helmet. Now very determined to finish solidly.
I lost the race in Easter when I talked up the event to Keith McQueen at the CORC solo-only race. He came, he saw, he kicked my arse. He must be one of the nicest people I've met in the MTB scene and most of the MTB scene are very nice people. We finished the race as the Solo-Social Club, doing slow laps with other solo riders.
Now to get back into school mode...
First, Wheels of Justice rally, more bikes than you could dream, and I dream about a lot of bikes. 5 big city blocks worth, dragsters, roadies, mtbs, commuters, recumbents, kiddies bikes. Big fat blokes, weekend warriors, couriers, national champions, olympians...
Then, road up to fox creek with Brett for hot lap and to do some volunteer work on the trails for Dirty weekend. Helped add a couple of new sections, including a singletrack climb that became the biggest nightmare of the race for many riders.
Party in Ironbank that night, reminded me why I'm a mountain-biker and not a raver.
Can't remember Sunday...
After months of procrastinating I lodged my 2003/2004 tax return, $3500 showed up in my bank account courtesy of the ATO on Thursday, on Wednesday I take possession of a GT idxc-1.0. My battered Norco looks very battered, the GT looks shiny and amazing. By Thursday I've already gone over the bars and added a scratch to the paintwork.
Friday, headless chook day. GT needs major work on front forks. TRAK CYCLES RULE!!!
Saturday, head up to Fox Creek for Dirty Weekend, still fiddling with bike right up to start of race.
Lose positions playing with bar-ends, about tenth over-all, third in solo-male. Try to make up time, and over the bars. More than just a scratch, have bent rear driller hanger and cracked my helmet. Now very determined to finish solidly.
I lost the race in Easter when I talked up the event to Keith McQueen at the CORC solo-only race. He came, he saw, he kicked my arse. He must be one of the nicest people I've met in the MTB scene and most of the MTB scene are very nice people. We finished the race as the Solo-Social Club, doing slow laps with other solo riders.
Now to get back into school mode...
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
still here..
Just posting for the sake of posting. I've added a few new links of late. All cool bike related blogs. I've been doing assignments and watching DVD's. Now I've got one week to get my body and brain into gear for the Dirty Weekend. I'm still fit as I've ever been, but I really need to spend a long day i the saddle to prepare my body for what's coming up. My biggest day of exercise as been a quick ride up singletrack through C******'s Gully, a quick fire road descent and then a flex across town to the beach for a run and a swim. Usually I'm in a big panic about these events but this time I'm over-relaxed as anything. Must run, must watch "Read or Die!".
9:30 Wheels of Justice ride outside Parliament House
9:30 Wheels of Justice ride outside Parliament House
Random Flickr Photos
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