A tribute to my father

Hello Grant!

Yesterday Tiffany rode 3 miles with me on the Meramec Greenway, love that girl!  This morning I got up early (100 degree days) and hit the Grants Trail for the first time.  It's 8 miles long and I rode all the way to the end and then biked back to my car in 1 hour and 45 minutes...

THIS IS WHAT I LEARNED:

1st Half of my ride:  Downhill baby!

2nd Half of my ride:  All uphill dude...

1st Half of my ride:  I feel like I'm 12 again!

2nd Half of my ride:  I feel like I'm 45 years old...


1st Half of my ride:  The Honeysuckle is intoxicatingly sweet!
2nd Half of my ride:  The Honeysuckle is sickeningly sweet...


1st Half of my ride:  Two people said "I love your bike!"
2nd Half of my ride:  Nobody talks to you while biking...


1st Half of my ride:  Love this old rusted Ironworks! 
2nd Half of my ride:  Already seen the old Ironworks...


1st Half of my ride:  Goes by incredibly fast!
2nd Half of my ride:  Goes by incredibly slow...


1st Half of my ride:  My heart is singing!
2nd Half of my ride:  My butt is complaining...


1st Half of my ride:  I will definitely ride Grants Trail again!
2nd Half of my ride:  I will definitely ride Grants Trail again...

The second 9 miles is harder than the 1st...

Just got back from my second 9 mile ride on my new bike.  Whew, it kicked my heiny.  I got up earlier this morning but not as early as I planned.  I messed up my alarm so I didn't get up at 5am to try biking in the dark (and at cooler temps.)  I did get going before 7am so that was good.  I love my new bike and I love riding.  Just call me Rice Krispies...



snap krackle pop in the morning...



Just got back from the 1st ride on my new bike...

And this is what I learned:

1. It's been too long since my last bike ride :)
2. Front Springer Fork performance is over rated
3. I like watching the squadrons of dragonflies patrol the meadows next to the bike trail
4. Your butt can actually file a Formal Protest with the Security Council of the United Nations
5. People smile at you and say hello when you bike past them
6. You have to wear workout clothes with wicking capabilities even at 7am
7. Gatorade tastes good
8. It's been too long since my last bike ride :(
9. My new bike looks great
10. I walk like an old man after a 9 mile bike ride
11. My new bike rides good
12. Even though you see the bug at the last second you can't stop from inhaling it

David<~~~~~~~~~~~~Biking fool!

"Glen Beck is a Rodeo Clown"

Glen Beck is an entertainer, author, and talk show host.  He is NOT a political commentator.  He says things to sell his books and increase his rating because that makes him more money.  I don't believe he believes half of what he says.  Through past experience he knows he makes more money when he riles up the Tea Baggers and Conspiracy Theorists.  It's just about the money people...

Thought for the day...

"Some people are like Slinkies.

They're not really good for any-

thing but they sure bring a smile

to your face when you push them

down a flight of stairs."

Should I care?

For the record: 

 ANY TEACHER IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN
ANY FOOTBALL PLAYER OR TEAM OWNER.

(like anyone cares about Millionaires arguing with Billionaires)

In case you are taking notes...

DAVID'S FAVORITE PLACES

1. St. Louis, MO.
2. Columbia, MO.
3. Chicago, IL.
4. Omaha, NE.
5. Ft. Riley, KS.
6. Ft. Monroe, VA.
7. Copperas Cove, TX.
8. Edinborough, Scotland
9. Dublin, Ireland
10. Pitcairn Island, South Pacific

(and someday I hope to get to Pitcairn!)

Just read the Owner's Manual

(I know, who would've thunk it?)  The Manual is about 10% useful information and 90% DON'T DO THIS AND THEN SUE US!  Currently listening to Duffy on my Amy Winehouse PANDORA Radio Station...

 ::Every Day I'm Shufflin::

Truth be told...

I am not talented or patient enough to attempt to assemble my new bike on my own.  I have to borrow the considerable talents of Tiffany's Dad in order to ride my bike.  It arrived today via UPS and I carried all 63 lbs of it down to my apartment.  I opened the box to look at it but I did not remove any parts so that it will travel safely to Imperial MO for assembly.  So I won't be able to actually ride the bike untill Thursday morning at the earliest.  Cross your fingers.  Today my rear tail light showed up and after Mickey Dee's I'm heading to the hardware store to find a replacement bolt for the reflector that I'm installing on my back fender.  Needless to say, I am very excited about my new bike...

David<~~~~~~was shaking when I opened the shipping box

While waiting...

THE RIDE IS THRILLING

It's early morning
and the dew is cold
the sun is rising
the night is old

It's Monday morning
and my bike is loaded
the ride is starting
the thrill is goaded

It's a gorgeous morning
and I am driving
the path is before me
the song is jiving

It's early morning
and I am riding
down the path
my heart is flying

It's Monday morning
people I'm passing
smiling they are
good looks they're casting

It's a gorgeous morning
and I am living
the sun is shining
and my ride was thrilling

DAS

My new bike arrives on MONDAY!

And I can't wait!  Tonight Tif & I are meeting friends at the Barenaked Ladies Concert underneath the STL Arch.  It should be lots of fun, a good excuse to eat some fair food anyway.  Just in case you have forgotten what my new bike looks like here is the photo again...

(Rambler)

Found the font I want the decals made in...

 

Rambler

CAPT AMERICA here I come...

Tonight I'm heading to St. Charles to see CAPTAIN AMERICA-The First Avenger at midnight with my buddy.  Should be a great movie.  This is the first in a series of movies about the Avengers and I cannot wait to see Iron Man, Capt America, the Hulk, and Thor all on the same screen.  Going to be cool!  I do hope they put Giant-Man and the Wasp in the movie also, that would be perfect.  Am I a nerd?  You decide...

munchmunchmunch...

...LITTLE SMOKIES ARE THE FIZZLE!

Now I sit here...

...and wait for my bike to be delivered!

I'm purchasing accessories for a bike that I don't even have yet...

flag holder

bike bell

metal sign

rear light

valve caps

A brief history of David's bikes...

1. Save up money to purchase a Schwinn Classic 7 Deluxe bicycle
2. Order Schwinn Classic 7 Deluxe bicycle
3. Schwinn Classic 7 Deluxe bicycle never arrives
4. Buy cheap Schwinn Riverside bicycle instead
5. Ride the hell out of the cheap Schwinn Riverside bicyle
6. Cheap Schwinn Riverside bicycle gives up the ghost
7. Save up money to purchase a Custom Worksman Cycles bicycle
8. Find a Schwinn Classic 7 Deluxe bicycle on ebay at the last moment
9. Buy a Schwinn Classic 7 Deluxe bicycle instead
10. Cry like a baby when the Schwinn Classic 7 Deluxe bicycle arrives

(a pictorial history)

What I paid for but never arrived

What I saved up for but never purchased

What I actually bought with the money I saved

David<~~~~~~~~~~~~one happy dude!


 

My Prediction

FOX NEWS

WILL BE CAUGHT UP IN THE MURDOCK SCANDAL AND IT WILL BE SHUT DOWN.

Spanish Translation

I have a program that runs on my journal that tracks who visits my site and from where they visit and what they look at.  I like following the links backwards and seeing what people googled and how they ended up at my joint.  I can pretty much can figure out which visitors are my friends and which ones are strangers to my strange world.  Having said that I came across something today that I didn't expect (nor even knew was possible).  I followed a STL link to discover that someone had translated my journal to Spanish, I assume so they could read it.  Cool huh?   I have lots of international visitors (thank you Samurai Knitter), and quite a few of my Facebook buddies that read my Journal.  It just never crossed my mind that I could click on a link and see everything that I had written, in Spanish.  ::shakes head::


David<~~I'm not internationally known. But I'm known to rock the microphone!

A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men...

A LITTLE BIT OF NONSENSE

the finger was knuckled
the belt has buckled

the clock has hands
the sun it tans

the floor it squeeks
the birds have beaks

the Irish have luck
and Twain was Huck



(and so it goes)


David<~flexing the most important muscle

 

Our 3rd Gig...

I'm a travelin' man...

EARLY tomorrow morning I head down to Tejas to shepard mi Mama to the Sedation Dentistry office in Austin TX.  She's going to have about 2 months worth of work done in 2 hours.  Then I get to drive her home and nurse her back to her normal self.  If she rambles incoherently I promise to put the video on YouTube...

Lots of trips

My Grandmother has passed away so Tif and I will be traveling down to the Bootheel this weekend.  The first week in July my Mom is having Oral Surgery and I'll be traveling down to TX to help drive her around and stuff.  Lots of trips in my immediate future...

David<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Traveling Man!