Change your light bulb

This link is from my bro, he and I have done the switch and saved a bunch of $$ the last few years, read the article and you will too:

http://www.fastcompany.com/subscr/108/open_lightbulbs.html


What's astounding is that they don't even mention the connection that if you have a bulb running 70% cooler, then your cooling costs for buildings will also decrease, further leading to a decrease in electricity usage and possibly longer life for existing HVAC infrastructure.

The Who's your Daddy Test

Now you can find out by going to Delaware and taking a test:
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060829/NEWS/60829013/1006

I bet I'm the only one in the World to do this, but did anyone else email this article to someone blindly and ask them who their daddy was?

Today was my first full day off from work and it's been great taking it a little easy. I start the new job in 8 days.

I had to get 5 sets of finger prints, I went down to 2nd and Walnut street down in Old City. That place was the bomb. You just show up, pay a lot of money and bam! you are done in a just a few minutes. Lucky for me the new firm is picking up the fingerprinting tab.

Like most the DE bloggers, I too visited the hard-core land of singlespeed beer drinkingness on Saturday (thanks for calling me Ted). It was great to see Marky-Marc, his body guard C-M, Rob Garrison (whom I bought my first MTB from in 1997, a Grove Inovations tricked out with XTR, Grafton Joysticks, and a dope wheelset built by Rob himself), Buddy, TedLogikk, Les Leach, Nick Schaffer, Matty T, and some other iggas whom I hadn't seen in a long while. I was quite impressed by the mad skilz exhibited by everyone on the skills course. It made me want to do stupid stuff on a mtb. again. Damn it's been a while since I was out mtb'ing...

I got to kick-ass friends moving away this coming weekend and I wish I could be there to celebrate, but alas, I also need to get away from everything and up to the Lake House with my lady. Here's a picture of Sonya and Kyle at Sonya's 30th b-day party. As you can tell, these two are fun to be around. I'll definitely miss 'em both!

Well I said my adios from work yesterday and everyone was pretty darn cool, wishing me luck and telling me they knew I was going to head on eventually. Hopefully the new place won't get boring too quickly.

Man, that big T-Storm is hitting Philly right now. I see that DE has some Tornados swirling around down there. I'm sooo glad I actually decided to check the weather before I went out riding at 3 to Valley Forge. I would have been screwed.

Ride on y'all hope you enjoy the week.

-BC

Dude, it's been a month.

Hey Y'all been busy the past 2 months job searching like a true mo'fo and riding like a bad mo'fo on the weekends. It's amazing how fit I've become even though I'm doing way less miles than I used to. I'm finally making the jump to another investment firm as of today and I can't wait! I feel like I'm about to start my first day of college right now it feels so good!

But before I start, I'm taking my fine lady up to my family's lake house up at Lake Boon in Massachusetts. This is the house my great-great Grandfather built. It ROCKS, here's the view from the bedroom at the top of the house:

This is the house which is just about 45 minutes from Fitchburg, so hopefully one day I can actually have all my cycling posse up there to chill as we race for a few days. I can't wait to take Thea up Wachussett MTN!!! Ha, and she thinks the climbs I take her up around Philly are rough, How little does she know.....

I got out for a wicked good hill ride on Wednesday night and felt the strongest I have all year. I rode out to Manyunk, did the infamouse La Colina hill and then spanked all the Motherclucking hills in Gladwin and then did a sick TT back to Manyunk on the VF trail. It definitely helped that before riding I ate a few Chocolate covered expresso beans, those things should be illegal how well they worked. Well, since this is Philly and most rides are never perfect, I had just left Manyunk and took the right turn on Kelly Dr. when I decided that since it was dusk I would go on the sidewalk to be safer. It was safer, for about 20 seconds, when I came upon a runner who I shouted on your Left, he then proceeded to run left which forced me to either run into him or ride off the sidewalk and back onto Kelly Dr. DAMN I WAS LUCKY! There weren't any cars at that second, but man would I have been Funked up if there was...Dude I love my I-pod, but WTF is up with people these days. I've had too many close calls with cyclists, runners and rollerbladers who have the music so jacked up, they couldn't hear a cop siren even if it was next to them.

DUDE, has anyone seen the new Lemond Poprad? Dope it is:

I still don't know what I'll ride when I race some Cross. Does anyone know of someone who has a 59-61cm frame or bike for sale? Hit me up.

Ride on champs,

-bc

Put the needle on the Record

when the drum beats go like this.........

It was a week ago that I had my first real group ride in MONTHS. Thanks to Dieter, Christian, Mike, John, and some other dudes doing a paceline around the drives. It was great to tag on and remember what it felt like to draft. I couldn't believe how easy it is to ride hard when you have a perfect pace line going. We tried it again tonight, but it wasn't the same effect for some reason???

Anyways, it was cool to see Robin Leach's son Ryan out there riding with us lowly racer wannabees. Dude, sorry I turned around quick after chatting, but the Dr. that rebuilt my hand rode by and I hadn't caught up to him for about 2 months and it totally made his day when he saw me back on the bike. Dr. Trager's a cool MF as he's not only one of the Best Hand Surgeons in Philly, but also an IronMan Competitor.

It's called SNAP
Stay off my back or I will attack and you don't want that.

I had 2 interviews today with 2 different investment firms in Philly. It just happens that they were both in the same building It was nervous duty as not only were they both in the same building and just a few hours apart, but the building was ACROSS the street from one of my current employer's office whom I had told I was taking the day off to "ride my bike".
WOW, I don't think my brain could have been more fried than those Reagan Era Posters of eggs on a pan. It felt so good tonight to just ride and hold that wheel in front of me. Throughout the day, those 2 interviews resulted in me meeting with 7 people, with each having their own unique way and asking their own questions. I had a great time, but when the final person asked me if I had any questions, it was the first time all day when my brain was blank and stayed blank. Not a good sign, but at least I had already met with him once in the morning and I asked away with my ????'s.

I have to say I owe all my Success to Marky-MARC (www.fatmarc.com) who first gave me the props to join FU Securities back in '02. Dude, not a day goes by without me asking the Gods of cycling to give you the strength to give eternal smackness in the Forest of Bike Heaven. I still wish you could swap on to the road again so I can work for you on some leadouts....

So I've been riding to work the past 2 months. It ROCKS!!! I get to work in the time it used to take me to walk to the subway from my house. So not only does it save me time, it's also saving me $$ as it's $2.60 a day in tokens, so do the math and it's $13.00 a week, times 8, and WALLAH, I've saved $143,392.00 and so now I'm going to buy that set of Lightweight wheels I've been eyeing on CompetiveCyclist.com.

I'm thinking of trying out the Sat. morning TT on West River Drive this weekend. The last time I "raced" it was back in '03, when Marky-Marc was also frequently seen on a road bike. I can't believe it's been over 3 years since I did a TT as that's pretty much how I train. For those that don't know, the TT occurs every Sat. Morning at 7am and starts right where the road is closed off. It's a great test of fitness and the perfect way to start your morning before the hoochies on the hoopties start get in the way on West River Dr.


So I'm chilling writing on this computer and listening to some nice classic dance from the 90's. That's where I got some of my random words from this post. Nothing like hearing Technotronic and SNAP again.

OH, I found a new hot weather suppliment. Trader Joes sells those EmerGenC packets. They freaking rock for hot long rides, also you feel like you are some big time doper busting out some illicent substance when you break out the little packet and pour the contents into the bottle

Word up, have fun riding bikes everyone!

I'm still alive, just busy!

I'm out busy riding, just like most of y'all, but I've also been trying my best to research my way out of the market downturn we've had the past 2 months and it's been driving me nuts. Just when I thought things were looking sweet, good ol' MiddleEAST had to smoke a lot of crack and start blowing themselves up. Now the market's gotten smoked. It doesn't matter what you own, outside of Natural Resource related stocks and very secure debt, yo shit is DOWN. So don't wig out when you get your Quarterly or Monthly brokerage statements, no one is stealing your Dough.

Anyways, taking an evening off from riding to do less serious stuff, like reading the Tour and what do I find, but a sweet article on Floyd from OUTSIDE mag:
http://outside.away.com/outside/features/200607/tour-de-france-2006-floyd-landis-1.html

It's a must read, especially if you've read the lastest BICYCLING issue with the Floyd and Zabriski article.

I've been riding like a Rockstar the past 2 weeks, but alas without any BASE (all your base belong to us...don't forget!) miles, I've gotten nasty tendonitis behind my left knee...But hey, isn't that what Ibruprofin's for?

I'm looking forward to some riding this weekend as last weekend was my own person Hills from Hell as I did my long ride out to Valley Forge on Saturday, and then on Sunday I took Thea to my father's house and rode from Brandywine Creek area to Newark Main St., back to Brandywine Creek Park area. It was a good ride for me, but poor Thea had ridden like 9 days in a row (bicycles, not me!) and she was more cooked than the homeless dude that camps out in front of my building (Tom McFarland to those who know, I'll have pictures of him soon).

So I'm riding my sweet Carbon Scott these days, it's a fine, fine ride, wicked light with the DerAche stuff on it, but man, every wheelset I throw on it feels whippy these days. I don't know if I'll have to buy a carbon rear, but every time I get out of the saddle to climb I hear my rear wheel hitting the brakes.

Sorry Y'all, no Fairhill for me this weekend. I'd love to rock out and see everyone race their butt off on one of the Easside's sweetest races, but I'm going to be putting in the miles again on the road, though I may feel good enough to ride out there and say hi! Good luck to all you pimp daddies and wonder women of the fat tire kingdom.

Thea, Grandmother and I

My grandmother just found out Thea kicks my butt on the bike all the time, she doesn't look too happy does she?

Back on the Bike

Thea convinced me to do the Freedom Valley ride this Sunday. It rocked!!! We did the 68 mile route and took a long detour at one point, so did 80 miles or so. Not too shabby considering I only have my big ring to work with on Big Red. I was F'ing COOKED on Sunday, so much so that it was the first time in years I had to take a nap when I got back. She was totally rocking out though, she's so hardcore.

My bro sent me this link to his video:

http://www.circ.nu/

Check out the "Destroy She Said" video

DIETER, that ones for you.


I've been working my arse off at work. 10 hour days for the last few weeks as I'm still trying to catch up, but also I'm now getting out and riding after work which has totally helped me catch up on fitness. OH Yes, I'm also trying to get the phunk outta there sometime soon.

I'm finally doping out the Scott Carbon frame with the DurAche parts which were on my C'dale. That puppy's going to be LIGHT when it's finally done.

Hope everyone's out riding these days, the weather rocks!

Ride on!

-bc

Who would guess??

Prez Bush's new Treasury Secretary, Henry Paulson (Goldman Sachs CEO) is also a genuine environmentalist. I guarantee Bush had no clue!!! Look for pollution credit trading to now become the "commodity" which the news starts talking more and more about. GS probably already makes some big $$ trading those credits and I wouldn't be surprised to see them become the leader in trading them before long.

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060602/BUSINESS/606020331/1003

What was Biddle and Paul looking at???

a

Were they looking at the dude who brought the new gansta chic magnet?

Real Gansta's don't need pitbulls any more to look tough, they need duckies.

Or was it a sighting of Dieter and Yozell?

All photos above were taken by Dennis Smith of DennisBike.com fame from the Guys Racing Neshaminy Race 2 weekends ago. If you race bikes, check his site to see if he has pictured you.

Word up 2 days o' riding

Can't believe I've had 2 back to back 1 hour days in the saddle! Did another hour worth of laps around FDR park, this time using a few spurts of my raw power to probably hit a whopping 100 watts!!! I don't have much on the bike right now, but still I'm smiling b/c in just a few days my wrist has gone from achey to flexible. That totally rocks and makes me think I may dust off my ol Red bike (Mr. V, it's the one I had when we were racing together in '03, damn I can't believe it's that long ago...) for some weekend riding.

While riding in FDR park a beatup car was parked in the bike lane the whole time. It was only until the last lap that I realized it had a huge stick on the car which said SPAY & NEUTER. I immediately wondered, do they mean the 4 legged animals, or all the kids (aka future baby mamas and baby daddies) running wild in the city?

And oh yes, now that it's gotten hot, my house has become a little oven. Since I have a black tar roof it get's phuk'n hot upstairs. I got home at 6:30 and the downstairs was a manageable 80, but upstairs was 94!!! I can't wait until I get some white stuff on the roof. I bought it last year, but it got too hot for me to even get up there to paint it on.

It's been a month since my lady moved in....so far, so good!

Ride on!

-bc

Today's Giro looks like beautiful South Philly

Check the link and check the pictures. Anyone of 'em could have been taken from my back yard!!! http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/9917.0.html

Went for my first ride in 7 weeks today! It felt great to be out on the MTB, though all I did was go round and round the big FDR Park (da Lakes as they say in Sou Phil) a few times to make it an hour and then I rode back through the mayhem of the Lacrosse National Championships at the stadiums. The ride felt great! I can tell my cardio is still ok, though my connecting parts (knees & hipflexors) are sore right now from such a small effort. The ride back to the house was eventful as not only was there a ton of people, but also a ton of people walking with Lax stix and throwing balls around!

Staying low-pro this weekend and just working on the house and hanging with the lady.

Critical Mass Ride

Spotted my first Critical Mass ride in since moving to the city a year ago.
It was a good crowd of at least 100 rolling down Center City on Broad St. Looked like a fun bunch, though almost all of the bikes consisted of 1 spds, and most of the riders had ink either in their hair or on their skin.

King of Ethanol???

I was thinking this week, after reading an article in FORBES June 5th, 2006 issue begining on page 90, which mentioned a guy who bought a bankrupt brewery back in the 1990's and is now turning that brewery into an Ethanol refinery. It got me thinking that if BUD decided to convert part of each of their breweries into "refineries" then we would solve part of our alternative energy need quite quickly as BUD has "refineries" all over the US and already has one of the best distribution networks in the US.
I haven't put my money where my "mouth" is, but I wouldn't be surprised if BUD steps up to the plate as they would dwarf ADM (Archer Daniel Midfield) quite quickly if they started doing the Ethanol thing. Plus the "American" brand of Budweiser would be further enriched by helping the US find a positive way out of our Oil struggles.

Any thoughts out there?

-BC

Busy few weeks...

Been to some bike racing the past 2 weekends, which feels great, but yet at the same time really bums me out b/c I realized how much my hand has really kept me doing the things I love! I see the Dr. on Thursday and he's going to let me know how things are going, though at the moment my therapist says that I can hop back on a bike the first weekend in June... I totally can't wait, but I still don't have a rideable road bike yet! I'm up in the air if I want to lay out the cash and have a crash replacement C'dale, or just save the $$$ and put the C'dale dope parts on my sweet old Scott carbon.

It was really cool catching up with Tom Harvey, one of the owner's of Wooden Wheels bike shop in Newark, DE (WoodenWheels.com). He went down to Ecuador a wee bit ago and we were sharing our experiences. Hopefully the new leaders in Ecuador don't F' it up like most of South America's current class of leadership.

Granogue was a fine race 2 weekends ago. It was a blast to see the usual DE/MD mtb. cycling crew and also really cool to hang out with the laid back mtb. people. It was a fine-fine day, minus the early morning rain which had me worrying b/c I didn't bring a coat and my pins had just been taken out of my hand the day before.

One of the funniest parts of Granogue was when we ran low on release forms and fatmarc asked me to run up to 202 and copy some more. He was like, here BC, take some cash, I was like dude, I'm fine, I'll front the money and bring a receipt.
Anyways, I took off like a bat out of hell and it was not until I was actually about to hit copy on the copy machine at Staples on rte.202 when I realized I didn't have my wallet. Off I go back to Granogue and so instead of just 20 minutes later, I had the copies 45 minutes later.
Initiative is great, but you have to know how to follow it through...sorry dude!

It actually feels good to be back at work the last 2 weeks. It's so hard being stuck at home and being so disconnected with the rest of the world. I don't know how people could do retirement.
Well, I bet I could do it, I would just have to be in a place where I could ride my bike every day if I wanted to.

Time to get ready for work, been trying to get in early before the place gets crazy each day. It works quite well.

Ride on!

-BC