Great weekend!

I can't remember a nicer weekend. Lots of visits from family and friends. Watched the cyclocross races at Liberty Lake. Walked up to The Scoop for ice cream and coffee. Nice runs and rides. Homebrew after the ride. All the while, the fall foliage provided an unbelievable backdrop!

Kendall Yards' First Residents!

Years ago when the Kendall Yard project was announced, and the city couldn't move fast enough to remove tax impediments for the struggling developer, so this great thing could rise out of the superfund site, I told friends, "I'll believe it when I see it." Well, last week I was proved wrong.

Carnies have moved into Kendall Yards. Unfortunately, they only stayed a couple of days, and now it looks like they are moving out.

Actually, the carnival was set up for a movie they are making in Spokane, Give 'em Abalone, Mahoney! They needed a bleak backdrop for a haunted carnival set.

Spoiler alert - Mr. Withers, final act.

Strange copy on a billboard.

"Todd is a single parent and proud father of his daughter, Ciara."

I don't know what this has to do with his work as a county commissioner. Maybe the wheat ties it all together in some subliminal message. I don't know.

The strangest thing about the line is that it mentions three times in one sentence that Mr. Mielke has fathered a child - single parent, proud father, his daughter. They really want to drive the point home - in a very over-the-top fashion. Why?

Is there some doubt that Todd could not procreate? Ciara looks like she is related to her dad.

The intent of this sign always leaves me flummoxed. Am I missing something here?

Very Sad...

Woke up this rainy, dreary morning to a heart-breaking sight on our kitchen window.

People, remember it's time to bring those yellow jackets (and their nests) inside for the winter. And let's not forget the black widow spiders and, their larger cousins, the venerable seagulls. Pest ownership has its responsibilities.

South Ben Burr Trail is all paved up... How about you?

They've built a lake next to it. It looks like they have put some sweet jet ski jumps in, as well.

A candidate with intestinal fortitude?

Saw this when out for a walk today. You could pile on the puns all day, I suppose.

Turmoil in their political home, I would imagine...

Observers of this yard have seen an escalation. A flag and garland for Obama. McCain got a bigger sign and a bigger pole (He probably needed it).

What's more telling is the back side of this sign. There's nothing behind McCain. Well, there you have it.

The music will be loud, out of necessity.

Back when mullets were first sprouting, I would cruise Riverside in my Chevy Vega, singing along with Foreigner on the radio. Back then, I never would have imagined that 1. we would have a casino in Spokane. 2. That FOREIGNER would be coming to it. 3. That the concert would be presented by the American Association of Retired Persons.

I suppose songs like: Urgent, Head Games, Cold as Ice, Double Vision and Died in Your Arms Tonight have taken on a whole new meaning with this concert. Rumor is that they have rewritten Blue Morning, Blue Day into Blue Morning, Blue Hair. I look forward to hearing their GILF take on that.

I might go. Although, I really don't like to drive at night, especially after the Dulcolax kicks in. PARTY ON!!

Spokefest - a huge success! And a side of rant...

Congratulations to the organizers and volunteers of Spokefest. Yesterday was a great day. The ride was beautiful. I couldn't believe how many people turned out. The newspaper said there were over 1200. Bikes ran the gamut - from tricked out Stingrays to some beautiful racing machines. It was fun running into old friends and meeting some new ones. A lot of folks had questions about the Xtracycle.

Anytime we can get a lot of bikes on the road, it's good for us cyclists. Also, it's good for Spokane's drivers. They get used to having to share the road, and the sight of a bicycle not on a sidewalk doesn't freak them out.

Which leads me to my rant. I've been seeing more and more nice bikes riding on sidewalks. We've all become long accustomed to the indigent, transient population wobbling around on sidewalks, but lately there have been well-dressed, obviously well-off bicyclists on their fancy cruisers blasting down the sidewalks downtown.

It really gets your attention when they use the crosswalk at about 15 MPH. Hey NumbNuts, no driver (or cyclist) is expecting a speeding bicyclist in a crosswalk. They expect a slow moving pedestrian. As a driver/rider checks to his left, you are not there. When he finishes his left hand turn, your bike is on his front bumper or wheel. And, it's your fault.

Stay on the street. There are times in the winter, or maybe during some road construction where you may be forced to to briefly get up on a sidewalk. Don't ride any faster than you can walk. It's your responsibility to not hit a pedestrian and to make sure cars see you. Get back on the street ASAP. Your best bet (and the legal thing to do) is to walk your bike, if you are forced onto a sidewalk.

If you are too frightened to ride your bike on the streets downtown, don't ride downtown. Better yet, conquer your fear and ride on some of the less busier routes and work your way up. Remember to claim the lane as your own. Watch for people pulling out of parking spots or those in zombie-mode looking for parking. Stay clear of opening car doors that will clothesline you. Generally, drivers are very courteous and will give you a wide berth. But, don't let down your guard.

Seeing all the cyclists yesterday leads me to believe that we are really on the verge of a cycling revolution in our town. Thanks to all who are making it happen!

I-Home 2Go - a sound system for your bike!

I've been using this for the past 3 or 4 months. Rechargeable batteries seem to last a very long time.



The remote attached to the stem is simple - volume, pause/play, F, R, but it works very well.


The whole thing comes with a charger, a carrying bag and the cage-esque device in which the device sits.

I try to keep it turned fairly low. It's far too easy to become obnoxious with it. And you can turn it up pretty loud. My youngest son and I went out late at night, this summer, and played old French songs softly while slowly pedaling about. I wonder what dreams were spurned as Charles Trenet drifted into the open windows of those who slumbered.

Here is the link to the manufacturer

A much nicer ride to Deep Creek!

Last year Sarah and I rode out to Deep Creek and the weather was inclement. 45 MPH winds and freezing rain.

This is the first time we we've ridden together there since then. Last year, I took the XtraCycle. This year, Sarah and I have faster rides. I am savoring these last hot days. It could stay like this for a very long time, as far as I'm concerned.

As seen Downtown...

Trying do THAT with a bicycle!

The bees are back!! Swarm now to protect Mayor Verner from nincompoops!!

For the past seven or eight years, we've had a vegetable garden in our front yard. It's a practicality issue - the backyard is far too shady. In the last few years, I've made a truce with the many flowers that sprout up and intermingle with the eggplant, beets and beans. Flowers are now very welcome. They also attract bees of all varieties that seem to enjoy pollinating my vegetables as much as they do the flowers.

Besides attracting honeybees, the conversations that you have while weeding, with walkers and cyclists who stop to chat, are great. Also, many of them don't mind taking a zucchini or some beets home with them. Fantastic!

Lately, there seems to be a new push for an "urban homestead" mentality. I like it. The rising price of fuel, scarcity of water and disconnect from where we get our food has driven much of this. It would be cool to have some bee hives in our yard, and more fruit trees.

Mayor Verner has been taking a lot of heat for her water conservation platform. I don't think the Spokesman-Review did her any favors in the way they framed her stance. But hey, they have never really liked Mary and that's how they do business. The letters to the editor have been especially angry. Cha ching!

Rumor is Mary has received some telephone threats against her person regarding her desire to move Spokane toward common sense in its water usage. I am sure the threats have been anonymous. Oh well, I am sure these irrational bullies are a miserable lot - no matter what.

All to say, putting in a vegetable/flower garden in your front yard is a great way to meet neighbors, save water, enjoy good food and do something "commonsensical" in a society that has, for a long time, favored the detrimental "nonsensical." Our dwindling bee population will thank you too.

If some of these anonymous cowards spent more time pulling weeds in their own garden - making it a better place, maybe they would think twice before threatening people who want to make Spokane a better place.

It's Back...

Well, whatever it is, it's back for Hoopfest weekend. I think the cement blocks for the guy wires holding up the mast is a change from last year. I will have to go back and look at old pictures. The whole thing is still unmarked. Definitely cell phone looking antennae.

















A nice juxtaposition with the Vietnam War Memorial.





If it is a Homeland Security thing for Hoopfest, Evildoers may have found its weak link, as it appears to be unplugged.






















I have never seen a receptacle like this at Miller's Hardware. It looks like you would have to special order it from Homeland Depot.

Back from vacation...

Took a great trip down the coast to San Francisco and back up through Sacramento and the interior of Oregon. My family and I had a great time.

Used to be that going to places like Eugene or SF would make me think about moving there. Not anymore. Instead, this trip has renewed my belief that Spokane is a great place to live.

Every town in Oregon and CA that we visited had dedicated bike lanes and most had plenty of bicyclists on them. With gasoline costing $4.80 per gallon (NoCal), it's no wonder.

California was hot - really hot - pushing 100 in the city. It was also very smoky from all the fires. Lake Shasta is almost dry and there isn't much snow left on Mt. Shasta. I've never seen more people in the Bay Area. It is packed. One local writer stated that San Francisco is now just a playground for the Uber-Rich. There's not much of a middle-class there anymore because of the high cost of housing. There are plenty of street people, however.

Having spent my youth in this area, I don't think it would be possible to have the kind of outdoor, neighborhood and cultural experiences that were there in the 60s and 70s. When you have the richest one-percent owning over 50% of the stuff in the world, the Bay Area is all bought up. For sure, the economics of this disparity even effects the housing market here in Spokane.

Spokane is a great place, with great people and a great future. It is truly good to be back!

Sunday Morning - Always a great time to ride a bike in Spokane!

When I go to work or come home from work on Sunday mornings, I sometimes like to pick a route that is usually jammed with cars on a weekday. Bicyclists own the streets on Sunday mornings. The trick is to be on the road before the church-goers (usually running late or pressured for a prime pentecostal parking place) start their engines, squeeze behind the steering wheel and careen to worship.

They are sincere in their desire to slip the surly bonds of this earthly plane, and sometimes that sincerity can't help but spill into a desire to send pedestrians or bicyclists to see Jesus in a very real, immediate and violent fashion. Maybe it's like sending an advance person. I'm sure one would be in their prayers after one became one with their mini van.

Anyhow, the streets were clear this morning. Broadway, in front of the court house, was abandoned. It's hard to think of a more emotion-packed, life-changing place as this court house. It is always interesting to be there when court is in session. The place is packed. You can see the tension, the sadness, the relief and anger on people's faces as they stream in and out of the place. This morning - nothing - just peace and sunshine.

When the street is empty of parked cars, another little story gets told. What looks like grease spots on the pavement, under each parked car's engine, is more than just a spot. The multitude of hot engines, leaking oil and other precious automobiley fluids has, over time, eroded the asphalt into evenly-spaced craters - sometimes right down to the old brick.

Cars, judgment, oil, time, destruction, habit, Sunday, church, and the indestructible brick underneath it all. Somebody wiser than me can tie this whole thing together in a nice philosophical package. As for me, I am heading out for a Fathers Day bike ride with my boys!

Hints about the disappearance of Camrytron...

No longer seen in the neighborhood, but perhaps this footage sheds some light...

Short survey on walking in Spokane.

This is from the SRTC to help Spokane walkers. I think the results will be similar to the work being done on the bicycle end of things. If you want to make Spokane a better place to walk, please click the link above to take the 5 minute survey.

Don't Forget Cereal Sale At Rosauers!

This is not a paid endorsement of Rosauers or of cereal. But, if you have big kids in your house, you need big cereal (with a big, big bite). Not enough of our reusable shopping bags for this trip, so I opted for paper, with the usual big plastic thing to protect the goods from rain. This plastic wrapper dealio makes Fun Unit Two (FU2) even more durable.

Years ago, when we bought our home, location was key. It was nice that we were close to a grocery store. Now, I think it's more than nice.

If I had a choice, I would never live farther than a comfortable walking distance from a grocery store. It's like having a pantry and deep freeze that takes up no room in your home. You can decide what you want to make for dinner every day by walking down and seeing what looks good or is on sale. I can't think of the last time I had to get in my car and drive to a grocery store. Before we moved here, a lot of time and fuel was spent "going to the store." And that's back when gas was around a buck a gallon.

When S gets off work, we walk down, talk about the day and walk back with groceries. It's a great part of the day. But for the cereal sale, you need FU2.

Jesus likes new bike...

Well, why wouldn't he, with its Italian heritage?

Took a little shakedown cruise up to Immaculate Heart Retreat Center. It's quite a different ride than the XtraCycle (which weighs close to 60 lbs). Clipless pedals are new to me as well, so there were some exciting moments along the way.

Thanks to Tomas at Two Wheel Transit for getting me all set up with this very sweet ride (Masi Speciale CX).

Now I have to hook up FUN UNIT 3 to the XtraCycle and go buy some manure and stuff.