Where have you been all my life?

Barney Gumble, speaking to a beer: "Where have you been all my life?"

That's how I felt about two new additions to the Jabberwocky. Tonight I was able to get out for a rip in the woods testing out two new products: Stans No Tubes with Arch rims and Ergon GX2 grips. Both worthy of a Naked Gear Review. Don't get too excited . . . . I'd like some more ride time using these two products before I drop my drawers. After tonights ride I was VERY impressed with both, so expect something in the next month or so.

Ergon GX2 Magnesium grips
these grips make me want to join the Happy Hands Club

Happy Hands

Stans No Tubes ZTR Arch 29er
extra suspension and grip-chun to boot - these we un-freakin'-be-lievable!

At the intersection of Pete's Wicked and Outback, out in the South March Highlands, there is an inukshuk marking the two trails. It has seemed to become more of a shrine of un-needed bicycle parts. Whether the reflectors, pump attachments, fenders, and other crap placed on it was meant to be a form of worship/sacrifice to the mtn bike Gods, or merely a place where newbie riders realized that all that shit they've been carrying on their bike is pretty freak'in useless for trail riding. Perhaps a combination of the two.

On and off

I've started a new teaching position at a different school this year. Bonus for me is it's really close to home - I can either walk or bike (which I do) each day - which means no driving in traffic. I hate traffic. Also, my day is shorter this year, so I can get home and out on the road bike right after work a whole lot sooner - meaning I have that much longer to get a road loop in before it gets dark.

Despite the crappy, wet weather yesterday, I was able to get a good ride in. I did get rained on & off about a half a dozen times while in the park, but nothing that lasted so long to soak me to the bone. A good thing too, cause it was chilly yesterday, nearly perfect temperature (with wind chill) to get hypothermia.

Second time in the park over the past few days, and the second time seeing some wildlife. This momma deer and her young one along the road at the base of Pinks.

brrrrr, chilly ride yesterday . . . . first time since the Spring that I've had to don arm warmers

Since returning from France I've felt like I've been struggling to find my legs. Sunday's long ride must have shaken loose some cob webs. I bettered my best time by nearly 3.5 minutes on the Gat loop and upped my average speed by nearly 2km/hr. Whoot!

Baby got beat

I felt pretty good yesterday putting in a long day on the single speed, however my body is telling me it's tired today. How do I know my body is tired? One, my legs don't like going up or down stairs, and two, I eat anything and everything that gets in my way.

So instead of going for a ride today, listening to myself pant and wheeze while climbing hills, I got to listen to this instead.

It was our first listen to the heart beat of our itty-bitty baby. The little guy (we don't know if it's a boy or girl, just using 'guy' in a generic sense) must be spinning his/her legs cause the heart beat was at 150 beats per minute. Whoot!

15 weeks and ready to roll

Cool September Gatineau Park Ride

Today's goal was to get a good long single speed ride in so to get the legs ready for 100 km at Paul's Dirty Enduro, which is coming up in a couple of weeks. I was able to recruit a few fellow riders to keep me company for some of the ride.

Mystery rider. Haven't seen this guy's ugly mug since the beginning of July.
Anyone know who this might be?

Play nice Richard
both of these two clowns bailed just after we turned down the 50 an headed towards Wakefield

Steve-O, stuck around and did the full loop with me

On our return trip back to Kingsmere, I was making the comment to Steve about how we hadn't seen any wildlife all day (which is pretty unusual in Gatineau Park), and not five minutes later we come across four deer. Then . . . .

. . . on our climb up to Camp Fortune Ski Hill, we were rounding a corner in the road when we looked up and saw a big one of these standing in the middle of the road staring at us.

and only one Bigfoot sighting (and a hitch hiking seed pod) - courtesy of Sock Guy

On my way home, I stopped and took this photo looking across the Ottawa River over to Quebec. Fall is on it's way - colours are changing.

B4H

It wasn't a wasted day today despite the rain here in Ottawa. I was able to spend a couple hours at the Bicycles for Humanity warehouse getting about 50-60 bikes prepped to be sent over to Namibia later this month.

we whipped through about 50-60 bikes this morning, getting them prepped for the container

Tobin had some time to donate and came along to help out Rob and myself to remove pedals, turn handlebars and do whatever else prepping that needed to be done before the 300+ bikes are going to be put in a transport container. There is still opportunity to donate money, drop off bikes and/or soccer equipment, and volunteer some time to load bikes on the transport. (clicky clicky for more info.)

All work and no fun makes Tobin a dull boy.
Someone donated a tandem this morning and they weren't even out the warehouse before Tobin was all over it.
Late edition: Thanks Seb for sending the photo
Rob, me and Tobin & lots & lots of bikes

Last tid bits of France

Okay, okay, okay . . . . enough. This will be the last of my photos from my trip to France. I had a good time and it was a great trip. Can't wait to go back and do a lot more cycling over there.

To be honest, not a lot has been going on since I've been back to blog about . . . . just a preggo wife who is getting larger daily, a start of a new job, six out of seven days of riding since returning home, the end of summer . . . .

bikes, bikes, bikes everywhere

baby eating statues

great bike shop in Paris - Cycles Laurent
I am half asleep

bike shop crammed full of stuff

the bath tubs were small, but I was determined

Tour bikes just outside of Briancon, France

Monaco & Monte Carlo - just stooooopid
filled with lifestyles of the rich and famous

my reflection is the closest I'll probably ever get to being in a Lamborghini,
taken just outside of the Casino in Monte Carlo

from Lamborghini's to Citrons (which is more my style and price range)

to electric three wheel vehicles

no shortage of great signs
no wonder the owner of this van is singing the blues

some wicked bad gas on this street

sign in Monaco
and I was about to walk around in my whity-tighty all day

Eiffle - day

Eiffle - night

cobble stone roads
this one was the road on the Avenue des Champs Elysees

great street entertainment
you can't see the empty, and half empty, bottles of wine at this guys feet

people of France were relaxed, naked and really helpful (got directions from her!)

Fine French Dining

Perrier as big as the Eiffle Tower!

breakfast each morning - coffee and chocolate bread . . . .mmmmmm, yummy

Sausage

lots of market cheese

super ass gyros

Pardon me? Would I like fries in my gyro?
But of course!

French cafes

Swiss chocolate shops (Curvy Butt would have gone mental in here)

Baguette sandwiches for lunch

Éclairs, best I ever had - and I've been known to eat an Éclair or two in my time

After eating such delicious foods, something happened . . . . while walking around Paris one day I was struck by how many McDonald restaurants there were - seemed like on every corner. Then it got me thinking of Pulp Fiction and the scene with Jules and Vincent discussing living in Europe:

“And you know what they call a quarter-pounder with cheese, uh, in Paris?”
“What do they call it?”
“They call it a Royale with cheese”
Dialogue between Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield, Pulp Fiction

Well, I couldn't let an opportunity go by without paying tribute to a classic film:

. . . . so I present to you zee Royal with Cheese (or, Royal avec fromage)

Yes, I ate the entire thing.

*I cannot remember the last time I ate at McDonald's - must have been after a drunken binge while in school and the feeling afterwards was the pretty much the same . . . . blah . . . .