Cycling through Netflix

We all need a little down time every now and then.  From the die hard uber-trainer, to the guerrilla urban assault advocate and commuter, to the be seen classic cycle fashinista.  All of us will find our collective bums on a sofa instead of a saddle from time to time.

So the question is – how do you best spend that down time?  Why, watching cycling movies of course!

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Savage Sprints continue in Sac tonight

Sacramento’s Hot Italian is hosting the fourth installment of the Savage Sprints series.  As before, the event it intended not only to be a hell of a good time, but to also raise funds and awareness to the Sacramento Velodrome Association.  Over 40 racers are registered for the 4pm start time – including yours truly.  That’s right, amongst the racers you’ll find Just Another Cyclist spinning like mad.  Come cheer me on – because frankly I’ve no idea what I’m doing!

The Facebook page for the event currently lists registration as full – but I’ve heard rumor that spots for no-shows will potentially be offered to walk-ins.  However, given that at least some of us have Monday off, hanging out at Hot Italian, having drinks and watching roller racing is a fine way to spend a Sunday night.

Hot Italian is located at 16th & Q in Sacramento, with racing starting at 5pm.

HTFU and get free stuff

Just Another Cyclist urges you to HTFU – and is willing to give away free stuff to those that do.

That’s right – we’re running a contest.  The challenge – find hidden instances of ‘HTFU’ around JustAnotherCyclist.com or the Just Another Cyclist Facebook page.  Anywhere you find those 4 letters strung together is a valid find.  It may be in the article itself.  It may be in a photo.  The only places that doesn’t count are user-submitted comments or third-party advertisements.

And what can you get?  The top three folks – based on the number of instances of HTFU found – will receive Action Wipesthe way to quickly clean up after a hard ride.  First place gets 7, second place 5 and third place gets 3 of the Just Another Cyclist special edition Action Wipes.  And there’s a special bonus prize available for you Sacramento residents.  There are three locations in Sacramento where you can find an item printed with both JustAnotherCyclist and HTFU.  Find any of the three and receive a bonus of 5 action wipes – regardless of any other prizes you may win.

How to enter

Search JustAnotherCyclist.com and the Just Another Cyclist Facebook page.  Note where you find them – include a URL or article title and description of where you found ‘HTFU’ written.  After you’ve found all that you can, send the details in an email to [email protected].

The contest runs from now until 11:59:59pm PST on March 1, 2011.  Include ‘HTFU’ somewhere in the subject line of the email.  The winners will be determined and notified on March 3.  Sorry – prizes will no be delivered to addresses outside of the US.

So start searching and score yourself some free Just Another Cyclist Action Wipes!!  And to get you started – you’ve already found 6 right on this page!

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Back from sabbatical

Well folks, you may have noticed the posts have been a wee bit thin and far between as of late.  Truth is I’ve been on sabbatical – which in my case means I’ve been pouring hours into my day job.  It has admittedly been a busy week – with a lot of late night scheduled work.  But there is a little more to it than that.  I started to skip riding to work because I was tired.  Then I started to get really crabby – because I was tired.  I work in computer systems, so the couple of minutes I did have away from work issues I just couldn’t bring myself to sit down and put together a blog post.  I wanted to get as far away from my computer as possible.

Something funny started to happen though.  The more I put off riding my bike, the more grumpy I became, and the less I wanted to ride.  I even missed my group ride this morning.

It is a phenomenon that I know is not unique to me.  I’ve heard many others talk about it too.  Cycling is just downright addictive.  Many of us that do it a lot actually find our moods heading towards the darker side if we don’t get to ride consistently.  Sometimes you’ve just got to push through.  Just like that point in the climb on your bike where the quads are burning and you really don’t care if you get to the top or not.  You just push through.  Just keep spinning the pedals.

So I didn’t ride today – and haven’t ridden for 3 days or so.  Tomorrow I’m going to get up and ride – even if it is only 15 miles.  I’m going to do a couple of hours of work in the afternoon, and I’m going to record for a podcast in the evening.  Then Monday morning I’m going to ride my bike to work.  I’m going to stop whining, and catch up on all of the cycling news I’ve missed over the last week.  I’m going to start writing articles again.  I’m going to continue the efforts to get Sacramento’s first Virtual Alley cat race off the ground (stay tuned for more on that!)  I’m going to continue to go to work because I also love what I do – and it helps pay the bills to keep me in lycra.

And I’m going to keep writing.  Only next time won’t be about why I’m not writing…

Amira Fakira gets 4+ years for hitting cyclist

Amira Fakira was sentenced to 4 years, 4 months in prison for a Jan 31, 2010 hit-and-run.  On that night, Fakira stuck cyclist Sanjay Patel while he was riding his bike home from work.  Fakira did not stop, reportedly dragging Patel for over a quarter of a mile.  He was not dislodged from under Fakira’s vehicle until she executed a three point turn after striking another vehicle.  Fakira never stopped of her own accord, but rather had her keys forcibly removed from her vehicle ignition at a later stop light by a concerned witness.  Fakira was reportedly under the influence of both alcohol and prescription medication at the time of the incident.

Judge Ransom responded to Fakira and her attorney’s request for leniency by stating “The court feels that even though you’re eligible for probation, there is no way in good conscious I could in any way shape or form, offer you probation.”

DIY Bike Snow Tires

It has been a secret desire of mine for some time to get myself some studded snow tires for my bike, and then drive somewhere where they are actually required.

But what about those poor folks that already live somewhere where they are required.  Or worse yet, those poor folks that wake up one morning to find that they are suddenly and unexpectedly required.

Don’t you fret.  The folks at Dutch Bike Co. in Seattle have got you covered:
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The World Would Be Better Place if Santa Wore Lycra

“Jolly old soul.” Bahhh Humbug. These days, the world could benefit if America’s favorite holiday icon was trim enough to sport some lycra. With childhood obesity considered to be at epidemic levels, do we really need a “jolly old soul” who is overweight and probably very out of shape? Would we think a little differently about fitness throughout the year if we new that Santa was planning to give the reindeer a break and ride a bike for next year’s delivery instead of his sled?

Apparently, Mr. Clause has been getting pressure from all sides recently.  On the health front, especially, it is reported by insiders that Mrs. Clause has been pushing Santa hard.  One elf, that asked to remain anonymous, said:

Clearly he have to consider if shaking like a bowl full if jelly is still the right image to portray to our children.  But it is also a lot more personal than that for the boss.  Even though he is immortal, heart attacks still hurt like hot cocoa in the lap.  And Santa’s cholesterol numbers have been through the roof lately.

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Yet more CycleFolsom goodness

There are cycling groups that just gather at some arbitrary place, at some arbitrary times, for some arbitrary ride.  And then there are groups that do a little bit more.  CycleFolsom is definitely one of the latter type.  It is the activities that go above and beyond just getting together and riding that can really set a cycle group apart.

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Spin Burger mixes burgers, beer and bikes in Midtown Sacramento

There is no question about that fact that Sacramento has changed in the last couple of years.  Bike culture is in full effect.  And every culture needs its patrons.

Fred Haines is doing his part to help with that patronage role.  Fred is President – and Executive Chef – of SRO Inc. SRO is responsible for dining establishments throughout the greater Sacramento area, including Bistro 33, Riverside Clubhouse, Suzie Burger and Side Bar.  There have been hints of Fred Haines’s interest in cycling before.  Riverside Clubhouse used to offer a special on Friday nights to folks that rode in on their bikes.  Many in the area have even ridden with him before.  However, his latest endeavor Spin Burger takes his cycling interests a step further.

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Riding with Chris Horner at Clark’s Corner Cycling Challenge

I talked about it in the previous post titled “Chris Horner to ride the Sacramento Area.”  Well, I was finally able to spend a big part of my weekend at the festivities at Clark’s Corner.  It was a great experience to ride along with Chris Horner of Team Radio Shack, who was out to support the event before heading off to the US Pro National Road Race Championships.

The VIP dinner was fantastic – great food and a small group made for a very friendly evening.  I’ve actually got audio of a question and answer session with Chris Horner after dinner that is both humerus and informative.  Of everything about my experiences with Chris Horner, I walked away first and foremost with the impression of Chris Horner as a kind, friendly and approachable fellow.  Very down to earth and easy to talk to.  He also seems to have a great sense of humor.

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