Monday, November 27, 2006

My Aim Is True...Is Yours?


If you're in my Latitude (mid-Atlantic USA), commuting this time of year likely means riding both to and from work in the dark. Here is a fairly easy way to recheck your headlight aim without special tools. After you're done, view the further adventures of Kikkoman (that'd be the guy in the image to the right).

posted by Doug Just Doug at 2:17 PM 0 comments

Where I've Ridden



OK, there are a lot of states I haven't hit yet, but I am trying.

posted by Doug Just Doug at 9:39 AM 0 comments

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Things I've Hit...and Not

(Excepting humans & their vehicles, insects and common road-surface hazards)

Hit:
  • 1 each (amazingly only one) squirrel; he must've been old 'n' slow
  • a smallish bat (kamikaze dived into my left hand on I-95)
  • 2 nails (nails that actually punctured a tire anyway)

Missed:
  • many deer (including a few dead ones)
  • a large turtle
  • 2 or 3 snakes
  • thousands of squirrels
  • a few dozen chipmunks
  • a few 'possums
  • the occassional turkey buzzard
  • a few dogs
  • very few cats (they're smarter than dogs)
  • a few dozen pedestrians (largely jay-walking college students)
  • 1 young bovine on the loose
  • a couple of ill-placed orange warning cones
  • a construction barrel blowing around in the wind
  • a large plastic kiddie-pool blown by the wind
  • various trash cans and bags of garbage blowing around in the wind
  • 1 water-cooler that flew out of the back of a trademan's truck
  • the odd piece of lumber
  • dozens of beer bottles
  • lot o' squashed-flat waxed cups (ice has more traction)
  • a few Amish buggies
  • a roof from a recently-collapsed small barn (!)
Please include your own list or a few of your weirdest hits 'n' misses by clicking on "Comments" below.

posted by Doug Just Doug at 10:00 PM 2 comments

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Conversations with Non-Riders, part I

How many of you have had this conversation? I have; many times. Typically, it occurs as I've just climbed off my bike at a diner or gas station.

Curious Onlooker: Nice bike. (substitute: Nice day for a ride, eh?)

Me: Thanks. (substitute: Yup, but then any day is a nice day for a ride!)

C.O.: My uncle got his leg ripped off riding a motorcycle.

Me: Ummmmmm......kay.

***

I remind myself in these situations that the non-rider is likely trying to wish me well or wanting me to know that he hopes I'll be safe...albeit coded in a horror story. Just once, though, I'd like to respond thus:

Is that your car over there? My great-auntie was scalped when her face went through the windshield of a car.

OR...

Are you planning on ordering the salad? 'Cuz I knew this guy who choked to death on one of those baby corns.

Feel free to comment below...

posted by Doug Just Doug at 1:57 PM 3 comments