SST, Rest in Peace

Then, I was playing; now; I see that I was also learning, learning of the power of containment, of the beauty of the minutely delineated, of the clarity of vision that comes from rendering experience on a scale that offers in compressed force what it lacks in livid amplitutude.
Colette Brooks - Seattle and Vicinity

I lost the taste for judging right from wrong

The Day of Feasting

Going to Nationals? Here's the music they'll be playing.

Billy Lewis-Welcome to Diamondback. from corytepper.com on Vimeo.

Hall of Famer for Rock -n- Roll : check
Hall of Famer for Country : check

Time Trials Suck but this is uncalled for...

My house in NE Seattle was burglarized last night and my TT bike was stolen. Please keep an eye out for someone trying to unload a 55cm black Cervelo P3SL model year 2005. The most distinguishing feature is brand new a quarq power meter on brand new rotor cranks. Luckily I had training wheels on it, velomax I think, and not zipps.

Thanks,

Jeff

206.335.3551

One Less Fixie

Playing Hooky

There are not many firm hard rules in life but one cardinal rule to live by is if you are going to play hooky, get a mountain bike ride in that day. No excuses. I'm such a proponent of the concept I got in two. The first one was about a two hour spin in Paradise Valley and I'm ashamed to say that I had never been there before. Probably 10 minutes from my house. But that's all changed. The Lloyd trail alternate is pretty fun and the single track in the mountain bike park portion is twisty goodness. I have an exhausted dog and a DiamondBack Sortie Black that desperately needs cleaning. It's the sort of trail that would be awesome on a single speed in the slop.Here's the DL provided by EMBA.

Dirty Girl Post

Sell Your Worn Out Crap Here!

Vendor registration is now open for the Seattle Bike Swap set for Sat. Feb. 27 at Magnuson Park - hanger #30 - same place as last year.

Selling spaces goes fast so make sure to reserve yours early. More details and the registration form can be found here - http://www.cascade.org/EandR/bikeswap/index.cfm

Interesting Insurance Option

For those who have a car but don't drive much:

What is pay-as-you-drive auto insurance?

Car insurance is currently sold like an all-you-can-eat meal plan: once you've made the purchase, you may as well gorge. Traditional low-mileage discounts don't come close to capturing the difference in accident risk between high- and low-mileage drivers; those who drive less are penalized.
Pay-as-you-drive insurance would make buying car insurance more like buying gasoline: the less you drive, the less you pay. Insurers would offer motorists a per-mile rate that would also incorporate existing rating factors, such as a driver's crash history or geographic location.
Evidence suggests that low-mileage drivers are a large untapped market.

Benefits

For consumers: They would have access to more affordable insurance and would have more control over their insurance costs.
For society: Initial research estimates that pricing insurance by the mile could cut total driving by 5 to 15 percent, which would slash the huge environmental impacts of the automobile and lessen the number of crashes and claims. A 10 percent reduction in driving is estimated to result in a 17 percent reduction in crashes.
For taxpayers: Reduced driving would also save money on roadwork. Oregon Environmental Council, a nonprofit group working to pilot PAYD in Oregon, estimates that PAYD insurance could trim the state's road-related costs substantially over the next 20 years.
For insurers: They may see an increased market share and a growing reputation as an innovative, customer-oriented, and socially responsible company. They may also have fewer claims.

PAYD in the Northwest
Oregon: Oregon passed legislation in 2003 to encourage insurers--through a tax credit--to offer pay-as-you-drive insurance. Oregon Environment Council (OEC) sponsored the bill and is seeking an insurance partner for a 24-month trial of PAYD and building a database of consumers interested in PAYD.
Washington: A PAYD pilot project will soon start in Washington State, under the sponsorship of groups including King County Metro, Seattle City Light, and Climate Solutions.

State Championship on deck

joe bar racing
presents
WASHINGTON STATE CYCLOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS
with the generous support of
the Starbucks Cycling Team, the WSBA, and BuDu Racing
as a fundraiser for

Saturday, November 14, 2009 at Pacific Raceways (Kent, WA)

________________________________________
Registration
Opens at 7:30 am. Closes at 15 minutes before start time
Pre-Register Online at: http://www.BikeReg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=9506
Day-of Registration will be in the main ticket booths at Pacific Raceways.

NOTE: Seattle Cyclocross Series Numbers will be used (and available).

Everyone must complete a 2009 USA Cycling Event Release Form or one-day license form as appropriate. http://www.usacycling.org/forms/rider_release.pdf

Questions email J. at jjuelis@gmail.com or 206.276.9873
________________________________________
USCF Permit # TBD
All USCF rules enforced. This includes wearing a HELMET at ALL times when on your bike.
________________________________________
Cost
• Pre-register and pay $20 ($20 does not include BikeReg.com service charge. $10 for an additional race).
• Day of race entry fees will be $25 ($10 for an additional race).
• USCF license required to race or a one-day license can be purchased for category 4 and 5 men and 4 women; the cost for this license is $10 and will be available at registration.
• To race in category 3 and above you must present a current USCF annual license. The $2 insurance surcharge is included in the registration fee.

The proceeds of this year's event will go to Bike Works in the Columbia City neighborhood of Seattle so that they can continue to "build sustainable communities by educating youth and promoting bicycling." Learn more at http://bikeworks.org


Directions
Pacific Raceway (31001 144th Ave Se, Kent, WA 98042) - From highway 18 take the 304th Street exit and turn left. Take first right hand turn (entrance to Pacific Raceways), follow signs to registration (approximately 1 mile to the registration area).

2010 Design

Knuckle Box Fundamentals 2010 from Paul Giarratano on Vimeo.

Lighter, stiffer, easier to work on and more durable? I'm in.

Ultra-Realistic Modern Warfare Game Features Awaiting Orders, Repairing Trucks

'Tis that time of year again where we all meet up to share some good laughs with old friends and make some new one's while we're at it.
Please come join us for this year's annual Evergreen Holiday Party. We look forward to spending a great evening eating good food, sharing stories, and sipping some tasty libations.

We're currently looking for a good beer sponsor to fill this here space to my left with the decorative Budweiser lights... I mean Bud's nice and all but we'd like to see you again next year as well!

So if you know of a brewery that can help out (needs to be in bottles by the way), feel free to email me at jon@evergreenMTB.org.

When: Friday December 4th, 2009 - Social hour (drinking) begins at 6pm. Dinner begins at 7pm
Where: Newport Shores Yacht Club. Directions below.
What to bring: To ensure we don't have 43 hummus plates, please follow these simple guidelines. If your last name begins with:

A to H - Appetizer or Salad
I to R - Main Dish
S to Z - Dessert
Beer and soft drinks will be provided!

More Info:
Newport Shores Yacht Club
81 Skagit Key
Bellevue, WA 98006
425-747-3291
Directions to Newport Shores Yacht Club:


From 405 take Exit 10 to Coal Creek Pkwy heading West.
Coal Creek will turn into Lake Washington Blvd.
Go under the railroad trestle and turn left into Newport Shores.
Stay to your right once you enter the neighborhood and the road will just wrap around to the yacht club which is on Lake Washington.
The club will be on your right.

The old Emerald State gets to 120

Woodland Park MFG Cross News!

Be honest: When was the last time you rode in a limo? Do you remember said trip? If you’re Brayden Buchanan, MFG series leader in the Junior 10-12 category, the answer is “last summer”.

Recently, we’ve made arrangements with our friends at Fremont Auto Detail to provide shuttle service from Woodland Park, to Brouwer’s Cafe, and back to Woodland Park during race day this Sunday, November 15th! The shuttle is on MFG, and tips are welcome to the driver. Shuttle begins at noon, and runs through the afternoon. So, finish your race, head down to Brouwer’s, and have a drink!!!

Brouwer’s Power Hour begins at 3 pm, and the MFG Woodland Park After Party begins at 5:30 pm. A light dinner buffet will be served until food runs out. (You are on your own for drinks!) All 21+ are welcome, and the dinner is on MFG and Brouwer’s. Hope to see you at the party, and ride that shuttle!

Zac Daab

Low Pressure Promotions, LLC

www.mfgcyclocross.com

Hooray for the Yankees

On Deck...............

He was in a shark gray Dodge, and he was good. He intentionally lagged far enough behind so that I wouldn't recognize him.

He followed and I let it ride. I let him tail me down 17th NE right through the University of Washington campus and out the other side of the football stadium, although I could have foiled his plans at any point. I knew a dozen choice footpaths I could have detoured onto. By the time I crossed the Montlake Bridge, I knew who he was and I had a good idea what he wanted. When I zigzagged through some residential streets, I lost him momentarily, but he picked me up again after the industrial museum, just shy of the Arboreteum. The Arboreteum road was over a mile long, narrow and twisty. The area spawned alot of crime. Pedestrians were rare and houses were non-existant. Today, there was little traffic.

Pedaling against a moist southerly wind, I wasn't making very good time. The Dodge paced me. Twice, he crept closer, gunning the engine once, as if to make a move, but at each attempt, a car approached us from the other direction, putting a temporary halt to his plans.

It was Holder, Julius Casear Holder, and I would have bet my life that his game was bump and run. He knew if he sabotaged the truck I'd eventually ride the bike. And he also knew how vulnerable a man on a bicycle was. He figured he could bounce me into the ditch and motor away, nobody the wiser. It was a neat ploy. He made his move in front of the Japanese tea gardens, and strangely enough, he missed on his first pass. He wasn't trying to kill me. He could have easily run right over me. Instead, he tried to sideswipe my bicycle and knock me for a loop. He must have figured that wouldn't be murder. He was in trouble now. He wasn't just one motorist trying something funny. He was the culmination of hundreds of sloppy, thoughtless motorists that I had run up against in the last few years. It was rare that you caught one. It was even rare to have a gun on you when you did. My temper got the better of me.

Suddenly, I felt the cold metal of his car brushing my hip. I had been waiting for it. I slammed the caliper brakes on. The Dodge catapulted in front of me as I decelerated.

Slowing down so that he could attempt it a second time was his big blunder.

Instead of pedaling by on the passenger side the way he expected, I swung behind the Dodge and pulled around into the oncoming lane. Sitting up and steering with one hand, I dragged the .45 out from under my windbreaker.

I took careful aim, placing a slug through his side window, as close to his face as I could manage without actually hitting him.

Tires screeched like dying animals, brakes squealed, and the Dodge veered right, bounding up over the high curb and scraping the underbelly with shrill metallic yowls.

I didn't even get off my bicycle. Riding up to the glassless window, I rammed the muzzle of the .45 into Holder's face.

I spoke evenly. "Say your prayers, bastard."

-Earl Emerson, Rainy City, 1985

DWB @ Duthie

Ahem...

The weather is definitely upon us. Cold / wet / dark. Waiting for the sun.