WE ARE, and so can you!

I must admit that I've been shamefully half-assed with this blog, but that is in the past. I promise...(cough).

I suppose I didn't realize that a blog would be anything complicated, though it turns out nothing comes without effort. If there's something I've learned in the couple years that I've been back in the saddle, it's exactly that. You have to work to get someplace. The world is not flat, its very dynamic, and it will make no concessions to my comfort or well being. When you realize that sometimes it being cold outside, means that you have to be cold and that being tired means that you have endured then it becomes not about the destination, but rather the journey. You have to be present, and you have to keep moving forward.

People of "developing" parts of our Earth are always moving forward, and they have to because they feel the true weight of their disadvantages in a way that you or I seldom do. Poor people have things they need to take care of,  and they can't GET THAT SHIT DONE  if they're walking everywhere. It's a huge problem with a super simple two wheeled solution. It's simple, sustainable, and provides the mechanical advantage that will allow someone access to the resources they need in a timely manner. Let's not kid ourselves, TIME IS MONEY!  Give someone a cookie, they'll eat it, but if you give a person a BICYCLE , they'll just use it to access food, water, medical care, and have the ability to transport goods and provide servies.

It's an immediate quality of life change. People can make money, take care of their families, and be able to obtain an education that they otherwise could not have. Getting this? Bicycles empower people, communities, and economies to GO!

This is where the folks at World Bicycle Relief come into the picture.




Think about it man. We're stuck on this rock together, and from cosmic perspective, if people like Tendai or Rhoda or these lovely gals aren't our brothers and sisters; then who the hell is?

Peace and love

Thankfully, the Wind Will Always Change Directions

The sunshine bike and I are beginning to be acquainted after the first few rides together. There are still some tweaks before we are melded as one, but that's to be expected from any new relationship. After riding a racing specific road bike for the past two years it feels incredibly strange to be in this new, upright position on these huge knobby tires. However, this bike works much better than that bike ever did. The shifting is smoother, the braking more reliable, the seat more comfortable, the tires more versatile. It really is a killer ride.

I am also beginning to realize the weight of this undertaking. Things running through my mind: you've never been on any sort of bicycle tour before, aren't you crazy to do the first one on this large of a scale? What if you aren't in shape enough? You have trouble sometimes riding your bike unloaded, what's going to happen when it's loaded up? You drove to work yesterday instead of riding because it was cold! It's going to be cold a lot of the time on the trip! What if you don't like riding your bike unless it's perfect weather? What will you do then? Huh?!?!

Not exactly productive thoughts, I suppose. I'm trying to keep in mind our 10 day, 70 mile backpacking trip in Chile last year. We weren't in shape, I had never backpacked before, and yet we did it. And we did it pretty well. Yes, I was crying from blister pain for the last few miles, and there were days when we definitely bonked out, but for the most part it was an absolutely beautiful trip that I will never forget. Rusti and I are pretty good at taking things a day at a time and being smart about traveling. He's also very encouraging and not competitive or show offish, which meshes well with my own laid back attitude when it comes to physical prowess.

Another thought I had today: After only 8 more short weeks, I will no longer have to work for at least 3 or 4 months!!!! Since work periodically shifts from bad to worse, that's great news. I will be so happy to be on a bicycle, in the middle of nowhere, hundreds of miles from the nearest idiot. I mean person. Idiots are people too. Or at least I have to act like that for the next 8 weeks. Then you're all on your own!

Sorry for the scattered post, the wind has picked up my thoughts and flung them far.

Sunshine Bike!

(Sorry for the awful picture quality. It's a long, sad, boring story.)

The Sunshine Bike is a cheerful kind of bike, because, really, why oh why would a bike want to look serious? A lot of thought and energy went into the creation and selection of each and every component, from the hand built wheels to the leather saddle. In the future there will be a gear page with all the specs, but for the moment it's enough to say that they all ROCK! Whoever thought a geek like me would own a truly, unequivocally cool bicycle? Too bad Rusti had to go to his "corporate gig" today before he could finish tweaking so I have to wait to ride it until tomorrow, but I have waited long enough and one more day will not kill me. I don't think. I also have some pretty kickass green handlebar tape to throw on there, and will probably employ some yellow water bottle cages to brighten things up a bit. There are fenders to think about as well as panniers, but those will come to us in time.

In other news, how many of you have heard of Team Wonderbike? It's a team that team Krusti is all about - sponsored by New Belgium of beer and bikes fame, Team Wonderbike is working to get more people on their bikes and out of their cars. I emailed them to ask about a badge for the blog and they got back to me right away about supporting our trip. Cool, huh? I'll keep you updated on more about us and them, but in the meantime go and sign up! You get great updates on events they're involved in and you can track the number of miles you ride monthly instead of driving. The address is http://www.newbelgium.com/team-wonderbike. New Belgium has really paved the way for a lot of microbreweries in their approach to community support and a wider cause than simply the delicious, bubbly stuff. Check out their website to learn more, they do new cool stuff every day. www.newbelgium.com.

Well, I guess I'll put my new seat on my old bike and enjoy the rest of this lovely day the best way possible - on two wheels.

Insomniatic Passions

Insomnia isn't what I would call a passion, but it can be very inspirational. While laying (lying? I never learned that grammar rule) in bed, mind racing for no known reason, I began to think of what it means to have passions. Life seems to be a constant search for those little experiences that wake up your enthusiasm. It's impossible to tell what yours may be until you actually take part in it. Every passion is unique to its host, and just because others are passionate about, say, marathon running or snail collecting, does not mean that those activities will speak to anyone else. There is nothing like the thrill that comes from finding and practicing your passions.

For me there is nothing like the distinct euphoric high that good company, wonderful food, and delicious beer conspire to create. Sometimes I feel like this combination could actually be a substitute for morphine, and perhaps I will become addicted to dinner parties. My bicycle is another source of addictive euphoria leading to a dangerously delicious sense of joie de vivre. The smell of fresh air and the thrill of absolute freedom on my bicycle make me beam. The only downside of this smile-inducing thrill is getting bugs stuck in my teeth.

The key with passions, I suppose, is letting them be. It is so tempting to overthink our passions, to complicate them on a constant quest for an even better, more enjoyable experience. Instead, it is important to simply enjoy the enjoyment of the thing that resonates in your soul. Don't try to complicate matters because that euphoria can be a slippery thing that wriggles away when there is too much pressure. So here is to finding and then enjoying our passions, and also to trying new things. Who knows? Maybe your passion is collecting snails, too!

The Weather Outside is Delightful...should that be frightful?

Springtime is finally here. Spring is great because, unlike fall, there is no feeling of dread concerning the upcoming winter, only anticipation for even brighter, longer, warmer days ahead. It's a time to drag your dreary, winterized self out of hibernation and into that blinding, harsh sunlight. That's the idea, at least. This transition is notoriously difficult for me. It seems that every year just as I'm starting to accept the fact that I will never see the sun again and my couch is starting to really break in to that nice ass-shaped dugout that we all strive for, the sun comes out and starts to mock me for staying indoors. Part of me would love to be outside frolicking, but the part that is sort of lazy and likes having an excuse to sit inside and stare blankly at my computer screen is uncomfortable. At least this year we have a very good reason to get outside and show our pasty skin to the world - Alaska!

That's why we have to remember: no excuses, no compromises! We cannot let our moods prevail- we must remember a larger goal! The worst thing would be to get to Alaska and not feel prepared. The training will commence full time this Wednesday when our wheels are done being built! I ended up getting bright yellow disc-only wheels. I didn't really want to commit to disc-only but in the end it was a decision made based on timing and the fact that, really, who wants to go from disc brakes to rim brakes anyway? I've been riding my new Brooks saddle and it is very, very nice. Still a loooooooong way from broken in, but there's nothing like the feel of leather underneath your toosh. Now it's just a matter of getting the wheels, putting it all together, and crossing our fingers for some of that guilt-inducing beautiful spring weather.

It's about time.

Let's get things rolling.