It's Hip

If you must know, have someone blast you in the package. It sorta feels like the aftermath of something like that. Not terribly painful, just achey.

mmmmmm

Number Two

Oh what fun it is to ride

Movin' on up

Commuter Update

Now that Old Man Winter seems to have kicked the door down and firmly planted his ass on the busted worn out smelly couch known as Pennsyltucky I finally missed a bike commute two weeks ago. I drove to work for the first time since May 31st. 119 of the past 120 days of work started and ended with ride. That's 99.2% for you math impaired folks. As it stands right now the YTD through November is 89.6%. There are 15 days of work for me in December of which I'm 5 fer 5 so far. The weather forecast for this week looks a little sketchy. I can miss one day in the next 10 to maintain a round-it-up 90% for the year.

A couple nights ago I was rolling home at 5pm with lots of car traffic. It's always cool to use a bike to get back and forth to work. I've tried to keep a level head about it but there are times when it's hard not to be overcome with a sense of smuggness as I look around at all the poor fat bastards all snuggled up in there carcoon all hypered up to get up the ass of the sucker in front of them so they can get home 10 seconds faster. It's hard not to smile, just a little.

I'm feeling a need to bust out the fixie for an extended period. Winter months just seem to be a good fit for it.

I certainly hoped The Crimson Tide could pull off the upset but it was not to be. Florida is tough. A Gator/Sooner title game should be incredible. Too bad 'Bama and PsU can't match up in a bowl game.

Happy Birthday to Jackie Brown and Katie Hebe.

Breakfast with Uncle Santa

The Tree

Found a tree for Pappy and Gabu and Auntie Em

Someone turned the lights off

Tree for Haley and Landon

Haley helping Dadda cut the tree


The decorating begins

Landon helping out

All we need are gifts underneath

The sky is shitting! Revisited

I suppose my extreme dislike for the white shit has now been tempered by TLW's extreme love of it. Funny how that works. I'm happy when she's happy.

Today my favorite college football team is.....

And I can still say, albeit a bit shakey, Roll Tide!

Genii @ work

I get offended when people automatically assume that just because I work at a bike shop I most certainly party all day and do no work. Today, for instance, the collective minds at the Cyclery assembled the new electric sleds we just got in and had to put them through the gauntlet. In order to properly test the user capacity of this POS we had Seve driving with the elfish Hammy riding bitch. I think we exceeded the weight limit but it held up nicely. Not easy work my friends.

A Sunday in Milwaukee; or, Sorry about your luck

In the parlance of Alex Trebek, if I threw out the following towns; Valley Green, Yocumtown, Goldsboro, Cly, York Haven, Mount Wolf, Manchester, Conewago Heights, Newberrytown. Your correct response would be; What are tiny little redneck podunk towns of Northern York County? Yep, yep. After years of wanting to do a ride down to the metro Mt Wolf/Manchester area I finally did. I was never quite sure of the roads, whether I'd make a wrong turn and end up on a dirt road or in the middle of the Susqy River or worse than that, actually end up in York proper. I managed to make a perfect 2hr, 36 mile ride out of it with a want for more. The area is certainly not as scary as I make it, pretty scenic really. Practically zero traffic. Pancake flat to extremely hilly terrain. Good time.

After the Phillies finished off the Beer Guys today I took TLW over to Lower Allen for another rendezvous with the Mega Fort playground and then a hike on the nature trail next to the Yellow Breeches. She loves the hikes and of course I love it when she has a happy time.

Hockey starts Saturday night if you're a Flyers fan. I'm not used to The Flyers and The Phillies playing at the same time in October. The Fightin Phillies have the Dodgers next. Should be a tight series. Why do American League playoff games take 5hrs to complete?

I need a beer and wing night. Anyone interested?

Haley, DJ, and Brayden. Saturday night fun

I think she's done with the swing there pops

Haley rounded the corner on the Nature trail to find this.......

........a giant tree goiter. Scared TLW for a moment.

Go Flyers!

Cheesesteaks v Miller Lite

From a sporting standpoint, aside from the PsU winning, this has been a remarkable weekend. Phillies make the playoffs and will play the Beer Guys. The Mets lost. The Crimson Tide have rolled another. As embarrasing as it is to call myself a Raiders fan, they are at least winning at halftime. Baby steps. The Flyers looked good Saturday. Yeah, it's only preseason but a cheering fan needs some preseason games to work a proper ass-groove into the couch. Not that I'm a big Brett Favre fan but I do like to see old guys throw 6 TD's in a game. All in all, pretty cool.

Now for the not so cool. Haley must have picked up the same barf-your-brains-out-violently 12hr flu bug that The Wifey had middle of last week. Friday night thru early Saturday morning were some pretty forgettable hours for me. TLW went from laughing and jumping around and acting her typical nutty self one minute to projectile vomitous the next. Without getting to graphic, after a couple hours, there was simply nothing left in her although she continued to spit up and heave every 20-30 minutes. The Wifey was busy with TLM so I did my best to get little Haley through it. I can say beyond any doubt, there has never been any moment in my life where I've felt more helpless. By 3am Saturday morning whatever it was seemed to finally pass and she was able to sleep more than the 20-30 minutes at a time she had gotten up to that point. Not fun. Although I'm sure there will be more moments like this. Today TLW seems back to her wonderful little entertaining self.

The weather this weekend sucked ass. I didn't ride yesterday and today just didn't look good either but I finally just went out regardless of the rain and got a good workout in. A little easy and a little hard at times. I continue to believe I might actually manage a 'cross race this season. After what transpired Friday night I'd certainly have to say moreso than ever, you never know what might come up. If it were'nt for the rain on Friday and my loath for running with a bike slung over my shoulder through the muck, I had seriously considered racing Saturday at Phelps. That, my dear promotors, is why people wait to prereg.

I've recently become enamored with powdered cinnamon donuts. As I've said a millions times, if not more, that is why I ride. Well, it's awfully fun too.

Bye bye.

Landon on his first hike at Pinchot - 9 days old

Percy? What did she just say?

The Thomas Bathrobe Collection

So, if 1= busy what does 2=? I never really cared much for algebra. So far 2 has been manageable. Once again, it goes without saying just how much work The Wifey puts into being SuperMom. Trust me, it’s not a job I’d apply for any time soon. I took two weeks off work after Landon was born to help out as best I could. It was practically a vacation to go back to work! I do remember with Haley it does get easier as they grow. Hard to believe TLW will be 2yrs old in a few short months. She’s such a fun little girl.

I haven’t stopped keeping track of my commuting success rate. I’m just waiting for the next time I drive to work to refigure my number. I last drove to work on May 31st. We’ve had some awesome weather this summer that’s certainly helped the cause but I did ride to work in the rain a few times to keep the streak alive. I’m pretty sure it will take an act of ice or snow at this point to force my hand.

I did plenty of riding this summer to get myself fit to race this fall not really knowing if it would be the right thing to do, if at all, considering the timing of Landon. After the first couple weekends of ‘cross I’ve certainly felt the desire to be out there but haven’t regretted not making it. At this point last year I hadn’t raced once yet. Why? Because there weren’t any friggin' races scheduled so damn early! This year I could’ve done four already, forshitssake. ICLite seems like a good one to start with. Low-key and fun. I would have hoped to have one race in by then but we’ll see.

I’m happy to see Lance coming back to the sport. He makes people pay attention. This will most definitely be an interesting few months leading into next seasons professional cycling scene.

I once again would like to thank everyone who has sent their well wishes and a helping hand since TLM was born. Haley and Landon have tremendous family and friends who’ve spent a lot of time and effort to make things easier on them and their parents. We all appreciate it.

Is The Little Hammster in love?

Yer my boy

Landon Patrick Kessel, I am your father

Haley, the big sister - What just happened??

FauxHawker Haley