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Friday, February 26

Selfie Fence

Warning.  Long post ahead.  I dare you to try to read the whole thing.

So yesterday... I seem to get this sort of comment every so often (scroll down to the tiny orange octopus wearing a top hat if you've already read the comment and my response):

Anonymous Steven J said...

"So, again, you spent the entire weekend not being a part of your family? I dig reading about your adventures, but I cannot think of a more self centered person on earth. I think you live in a hilarious bubble world of Rich. There has got to be a part of you that actually wants to spend time with the people who care about you. I presume the Pie probably wouldn't mind hanging out with you sometime. Maybe show that little girl you are "helping" raise that you are a good dude too? There has to be some sort of Rich that wants to maybe go do something with his family once and a while, rather than the Rich that we all see, that spends all his time plotting his next beer, his bed bike ride, his next race, more bike parts, etc. Why didn't you go to the zoo? Sounds like a great way to spend a Sunday, especially after spending all day getting drunk with your bike friends."

To which I responded:

"Wow! A Fan!

Thanks for the kind words Steven J.

Anonymous is correct. I spend plenty of time with my family, being all husbandy and parenty.

This is a bike blog. I write about bikes. Why didn't I go to the zoo on Sunday? Sometimes our family does things together. Sometimes apart. Two full time working parents with some separate interests and occasionally competing schedules (they were supposed to go to the zoo on Friday but rescheduled because of weather). You won't see The Pie going to a bike race (or going out for a bike ride), and you won't see me running a marathon any time soon. I certainly don't bemoan her when she needs to do a four hour training run. If anything, now that she's running, she has a better understanding of what my "training" has been all about these past... I dunno how many years.

So yeah, they're at the zoo... I squeeze in a one hour bike ride, work on my bike and straighten up some things around the house on a beautiful day so I don't have to waste an after-work evening that I'd rather spend with them, and I do our taxes... something The Pie and I had agreed to do together but I decided I didn't want to waste our time together crunching digits.

The Pie and I are a team. Sometimes, I get home and there's a hot dinner waiting for me. Other days, The Pie has to work over, and I go straight to the kitchen and get on with it. And every once in awhile, we get to work together on dinner... something we both enjoy, but don't always get to do.

I'm responding to you, Steve J, because just deleting your comment would be wrong. I don't feel like I have to defend this bike blog, but I'm also not going to dismiss someone so easily.

Thanks for your concern.

Dick

And fair warning: The family will be headed out of town this spring on a family vacation. I will be riding my bike while I'm there. When I come back, I'll probably blog about riding my bike and not the family stuff... because that's family stuff. And this is a bike blog."

Maybe I'm reading my audience wrong.  I guess perhaps they wanna hear about a "birthday date night" with The Pie the other night.  We were planning on walking to the Pizza Peel, eating, and walking home, but then the radar showed imminent and unscheduled rain.  She grabbed the keys to the car, I said, "I've got plenty of Gore Tex," she hung the keys back on the hook, we walked there in the rain, ate salad, drank beer, and walked home in the rain.  During the meal, we had plenty to talk about.  We always do.  Be it at dinner time, on long walks in the evening (pretty much my favorite thing to do after dinner), whenever we're together...

I might be wrong, but perhaps we have something to talk about because we go out and pursue different things.  She's going to an adoptive moms conference next weekend.  Obviously, I'm not.  As per the usual, this means Nia and I are going out for chicken wings (The Pie is a vegetarian, so she does not share our love of eating fried bird limbs).  We'll probably rent/go see a movie with as much  "pew-pew" as a person can stomach.  If the weather is nice, there very well could be a forced march or some trail work.  Who knows?  As things are with The Pie, I'm pretty much happy to be around my kid... unless homework, chores, or other such non-fun parenting activities are involved.  I really don't like those things, but if you want a kid who goes out into the world prepared to do adult stuff on their own, you gotta do the grunt work.

I'll admit, I probably took the comments from someone I don't know a little too personally.  Hard not to.  It's just that The Pie and I have been together since '92, we've been through two separations, we've worked hard to make our marriage work, we've raised a baby person into a pretty decent adult, we've got a second one who's doing quite well, and we've dealt with plenty of bumps and rough patches along the way.  The Pie and I make a great team when it comes to all the things in life.  We both agree that it would be very difficult to find someone who fits into our lives the way we do.

I guess I coulda just said, "Why the fuck are you reading this mindless, bike-related drivel written by a dickless, narcissistic has-been when you could be spending every waking moment with your loved ones so as to assure that you will never be harshly judged by a stranger on the internet?"

I think that's enough of that.   Now stupid bike things.

Here's something dumb and bike related.  The other day, I spent at least thirty minutes trying to figure out how much my new wheels/tires would weigh (at work, so as to not cut into family time).   I felt like I had to know... even though the wheels will be here any day, and I'd have actual weights instead of guesses.

I'm going from 29" 24 hole NOX Farlow rims on Industry Nine Torch hubs/spokes with an Ardent 2.4/Ardent Race 2.2 tire combo to 27.5" 32 spoke NOX Kitsuma rim on Industry Nine Torch hubs/spokes with a Rekon 2.8/Ikon 2.8 tire combo.

I have all the tires in hand and one wheelset.  So many other variables tho.  Spoke count and length.  Unknown rim weights on Industry Nine's website... and then a couple days later, I figured it out.

I don't know why I bothered, but I did.

And it ended up being right about where I thought it would.   I'm only gaining about 1/4 pound over my NOX Farlow wheels while still being lighter than my old aluminum rim setup from 2014 and earlier.  Such a waste of time to figure that out, but time is something I have in February.

Steve Tilford'esque segue

I ran over a squirrel on the way home from work the other day.  I can't believe that's the first time it's happened.   Ever since my commute started leaning more towards neighborhoods and got away from bumpy sidewalks, bike lanes on busy shit roads, and just plain ass scary roads, I've been rolling the dice with these guys.  So many close calls and "oh shit" moments.  I never saw this one coming.  There was no left-right indecisive juking for this guy.  He took the brunt of my front wheel, almost taking the bars out of my hands, and was spit out right under the back wheel.

Then he was gone.  All I ever saw was the flurry of motion beneath me.

I hope he's okay... and learned a lesson.  I've passed by the scene of the incident a few times, and I didn't see a body.  I guess he walked it off.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well said Rich. The family bit, not the pointless drivel about your wheels. I find far too often that people love to sit in dark corners and cast judgement of others online. What you put out there is your business and your personal life doesn't belong to anyone else. Keep up the silly bike content and as for Steven, he can go back to typing with one hand while he celebrates how much better he is than everyone else. I hope he stocked up on lotion.

Anonymous said...

I found this blog a while back trying to find helpful info about riding and racing single speeds and have been returning for the humor and solid writing. You do a fantastic job walking a fine and interesting line on how much family to include in your blog. There are other bike blogs with pictures of kids and family and I frequently find myself wondering about how the rest of the family feels about being on the blog. I'm super impressed at the frequency of your posts and really appreciate how much work you put into this. Thank you. Excellent work! Keep on keepin' on!

Old E said...

I'll give you $500 cash and a 12 pack of Old English for the Plus wheelset..your too skinny to pedal around Plus sized wheels..momma didnt tell you so...weiner...weiner...chicken deiner

Chris T said...

Last time I checked this blog it was called "Bad Idea Racing" not "Bad Idea Parenting" am i right? I'll be honest, when I read about the zoo, I was like "why is he not going?", but then I realized, it's none of my fucking business.
Hell, I'd rather ride my bike in the woods then go look at a bunch of sad animals behind bars. But does that make me a bad parent, I don't think so. We all do what we do and do what we can when it comes to that arena, and sometimes parents go their own way on the weekends. My wife enjoys Yoga, I do not. I like riding bikes, my wife does not. It is what it is. I think people who make comments like that probably have some issues in their own life and take any opportunity to knock anyone else they can, especially behind the cold, dark veil of the interwebs. So keep riding bikes,drinking beers and writing about all the mayhem associated with that. That's the reason why I come to this blog.

Anonymous said...

Stay the course. Don't sweat worthless comments chucked from the cheap seats by miserable anonymous bastards. Someone should explain how the internet works to Stephen J, reading this blog is not compulsory.

RIP Squirrel.

Montana said...

This blog sux. You didn't even say wat flaver was the birthday salad dressing. I spend all my time with balsamic.

Moe said...

Nice post. I too appreciate the frequent posts and the fact that you keep it mostly bike related with a little family mixed in. I look forward to reading your posts every morning at work (except Wednesday).

Steven J - Maybe this list would have something more your style... http://www.circleofmoms.com/top25/top-family-blogs

Anonymous said...

I've been wasting 5 minutes of my morning reading you shit from the beginning. Don't waste in more of my time giving me details of your family life. I think I know your true colors in that regard; nothing to prove here. Shout out from Ohio.

Anonymous said...

Wow, I already thought your blog was awesome but the way you described your relationship with the Pie (always wondered why you call her that) was so sweet and now think you are even more awesome-er. This Stephen person is just jealous. Who cares what he thinks? I feel bad that you felt the need to defend yourself to him, but your explanation makes it clear how solid your relationship is and how much you and your S.O. really love one another. Good for you. Goes to show you, you can't judge a relationship by what is limited and provided via blog posting..oh wait, no one ever made such a ridiculous claim did they except for judgey Steve?

runninggunner said...

Keep up the great blog Dick. This is a bike blog and I love reading the content you put it.

Anonymous said...

Well put, Dickie. For the record: I am not confused that your bike-related shenanigans/bad decisions/thwarted plans/failed life goals have come at the expense of your family life.

You've been making me laugh and inspiring me to have more fun on bikes for years now. Thanks for that.

-Chris

Anonymous said...

that guy sounds like a complete dick head for sure... I greatly admire the balance you have in your life. You take on homeless dogs, have a wife that works hard and two kids that you adore. Biking is part of your venture. Its not as though you're doing biking every night till 2am in the morning, like me :) I'm an addict. Trying to break that habit :) lost two relationships that way... oh well, hard lesson learned on my part. But, I still love my biking. Its part of me. Otherwise, I'd be some crack head drug addict.
At the age of 13 I turned to drugs and gangs. Hung around with some of the biggest drug dealers in town and did some really bad shit. Luckily, my aunt got me running. I ran and ran then weight lifted 6 hours a day. My addictions turned to sports rather than drugs. I feel again in my late teens and hung around with some bad asses that would shoot out buses, steal cars, do a lot of drinking, one of them even killed a whole family while they street raced drunk... had my share of lessons.
Then got married with a girl who's dad was a monster (was going to take a shot gun to them etc... very abusive). Divorced, jumped into another bad relationship ( her mother abused and neglected her, called her garbage etc...). That was a nasty divorce. Ended up in a deep dark hole after that one, a place where no one wants to go. Luckily I had biking or I'd be a crack head right about now... I nearly lost it all. Lived in my car after I got out of that deep dark hole of disparity then picked up the pieces. I'm glad i still bike, it keeps my sanity. I don't see my kids all that often, I'd love to see them everyday but my ex is a btch... she put me down for she hates men (really hates what her dad did to her)... So, I deeply admire that you spend time with your kids, its important and some of us don't have that quality time. Glad to see/hear you managed to keep a balance in life. So so important. I lost my family pretty much, but I still have my biking which keeps me sane. Thankfully. Without it, I'd be some lost crack head some place. God bless man, keep up the good work!
enjoy reading your blog every day.
Screw the bastards that say otherwise, they just hang around with their cock out in their mom's basement masturbating all day long. Fck them...

jac

Anonymous said...

only one person to fear - trump!

sperho said...

Good post. As are many before it. I have been with my better half for nearly 20 years, married for about 16 of them and I, as well as my better half, appreciate the fact that not every activity must be an AllFamily activity. We all must find our own ways of maintaining an existence on this side of insanity and what works for one family doesn't necessarily work for another. Most get that, some do not - especially when they don't have the whole story. You know, like many of us who read this blog who don't really know you. Blog on and do what you need/want to do. I've only been reading what you write in near real time for less than a year, but have read many older posts and I hope to read many more in the future. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Do you want to watch my kids so I can start a BLOG?

Buck

Unknown said...

Damn Richard this is the most attention you've got in years...now he feeling all warm and fuzzy on the inside...good for your miserable self.

TippycupSeattle said...

My personal opinion of course...a simple go fuck yourself Steven J. would have worked. Judgmental pile of absolute shit!!

Anonymous said...

Squirrels with death wishes, I feel ya buddy. I surprised one coming down a hill at a downhill park, a big fat one too. He was sitting in the trail, turned around to see me coming, then started booking it down the trail. I shaved the hair off his fat squirrel ass before he took a left and avoided the spoke grinder. Judging from the pitch of the tone wailing from my freehub, I had to be going 20+ when I saw the squirrel and laid into the brakes. I think we both needed new underoos that day.