This was posted by one of my Tweeps. You really need a good bike for riding rollers. You know, so you don't get out of shape in the winter time, when you can't ride a bike on trails that are covered in snow.

A bike with a "this bike is a pipe bomb" successfully managed to get the Memphis International Airport completely evacuated.

I'd like to provide commentary, but... there's not really anything to say.

Wiki Page.
Myspace.

In the same way we as a nation can save billions of barrels of oil by everyone conserving, just a little bit, we can collectively maintain our status as a great nation if we learn TO FRIKKIN THINK! Please?

Last night was the first night of the new and improved wiring. New advances include: wires long enough to reach the computer without hanging, cords that can be disconnected from both ends, multiple-step stress relief in case of a cord getting snagged (oh yeah, that sounds fancy!), and a lesser air of "prototypeness". Good stuff, for sure.

Sprints are still happening like they are every Monday at 317. We'll be sticking with $2.50 Sierra Nevada pints for anyone racing, that'll help us shake that Olympia stigma we've developed (earned).

-DNA

The re-wiring and upgrading of the sensor boards is done. Right after work I'll be testing them and as long as everything still works (which was the case last week, I just didn't have a soldering iron) we should be on for tonight.

317, corner of Rouse and Main
8ish, 9ish...whenever I get it rolling. There should still be $2.50 Sierra Nevada pints.

-DNA

Quick and dirty.For nighttime, I need a lot more light.

Friday night. Hangin out at home, avoiding the bars, and cooking a big ol' pot of chili (3 kinds of meat, no beans- natch).
I'm also farting around on the interwebs, poking around on Fixed Gear Gallery reading some stuff, wasting time, really. And there's a discussion about locking your bike. Bozeman's not really a hotbed of bike theft (unless you don't lock your bike and leave it on Main on a friday night) but bikes do occasionally get stolen.
A convenient method of securing my bike has been Sheldon's method. You lock the wheel inside the rear triangle to a slender immovable object. This is handy for those of us who use small pocket-sized u-locks, as it is impossible to remove the rear wheel from the frame in this manner.



Well, unless a well-prepared thief happens to have a hacksaw and does not value your wheel. How long was that? 25 seconds?

Remember, there's no thief-proof lock, and if someone wants your bike, they're going to get it. Make it a bit more difficult for them by using a good lock, locking wheel and frame together, and locking your bike in a heavily traveled, well-lit area (although with passers-by being nonconfrontational that might not matter).

I personally have very mixed feelings about this legislation. But I am exceptionally happy that bikes as transportation is a concept that is gaining enough traction that there is litigious will in any direction. Whatever, blathering aside, the following is an email I got this morning from GVBC (thanks Amy!)

HB 68 – Montana’s Stop Sign Bill

Please read the post below from Bill Schneider of NewWest.Net. The good news is that House Bill 68 (involving stop signs and cyclists, you might recall...) has made some great progress. However, it needs a final push and we're lucky to be able to do that. Please consider contacting Bozeman's representative to voice your support!

Gordon Vance (Vice Chair), Bozeman, 587-8608, vancehd67@gmail.com

From: "WASCHNEIDER"

Date: February 5, 2009 12:14:03 PM MST

To: "WASCHNEIDER" , , , ,

Cc: "John Flink" , "Will Selser"

Subject: [MontanaCycling] Update on Stop Sign Bill



To update an earlier post, Montana's stop sign bill is close to clearing major hurdle

On a party line vote, the House Transportation voted 6-6 on the bill. I'm not sure how or why bicycle safety is a partisan issue, but all republicans voted against it and all democrats for it. Go figure.

Anyway, the tie vote means that the bill will just set there and die when the transmittal date (45 days into the session) rolls around. Right now, as I write this, it is day 23, so we have three weeks to do something about it.

Last night, I talked to Robin Hamilton of Missoula, the bill's sponsor. He said a couple of calls from local cyclists to their local republican representative could easily make the difference because opposition is sort of soft. If one agrees to change his/her vote, the bill will pass committee and get a floor vote, and the entire legislature is likely to go with the committee's recommendation on a minor bill like this one.

So, if you are so inclined and especially if one of the following six is your local rep, please make a call. One phone call from one local constituent could make the difference. Also, if you know somebody who could make the call, please pass this on.

If you talk to somebody who might change his/her vote, let me know and I'll make sure the bill comes up for a successful re-vote.

Here are the six no votes, including names phone numbers, and emails addresses:

Jon Sonju (Chair), Kalispell, 270-7113, sonjumt@yahoo.com
Gordon Vance (Vice Chair), Bozeman, 587-8608, vancehd67@gmail.com
Elsie Arntzen, Billings, 259-6134, emarntzen@excite.com
Tom Berry, Roundup, 323-3151, tom@tomberrymt.com
Lee Randall, Broadus, 436-2807.
Janna Taylor. Dayton, 849-6096, jannataylor@montana.com

Committee Staff: Rachel Weiss, 444-5367, and Katie Butcher, 406-444-4482

I think most folks have seen the nicely manicured oval over at the East Gallatin Rec area on Manley road. Well, a few of us have been wanting to do an ice race on that there track for awhile, and since this weekend is supposed to be a full moon, how about we head out there Saturday?

9pm. BYOTC* Studded tires would be helpful. As will lights. And clothes that you don't mind getting tore up. Maybe Mason will bring his Madsen.]

-DNA


*Tall Cans

Thanks to everyone who came down tonight to race. Sorry it didn't happen.
While setting up tonight I tripped over a couple of the sensor wires. Unbeknownst to me I broke two soldered connections from the signal wires to one of the circuit boards. After about 45 futile minutes of trying to crimp the wires to the leads I finally gave up.
There is a bright side here. There's a few things that I've been kind of wanting to work on but never did, mainly because everything worked (well enough) and I have no shortage of fires to put out in my everyday life. Now that nothing works, I'll work on improving those few details while I'm fixing the board. Most of the changes I want to make benefit me, but if I'm happier then the racing will be better. And maybe more frequent.

Anyway, thanks for showing up, I hope you got a couple of cheap Sierra Nevadas while talking about bikey shit and I'll see you next week.

-DNA


P.S. This Saturday night: Ice racing at East Gallatin Rec area. Meet at the track on the pond. Sometime at night, I'll figure it out and post it here. It would be good to have studded tires.

Sorry for the terse post, I'm blogging when I'm at work.

Anyway, don't forget about Rockysprints tonight at 317. This week anyone racing gets $2.50 pints. Woo!

-DNA