The Calm After the Storm

HAMM:

Go and get two bicycle-wheels.

CLOV:

There are no more bicycle-wheels.

HAMM:

What have you done with your bicycle?

CLOV:

I never had a bicycle.

HAMM:

The thing is impossible.

CLOV:

When there were still bicycles I wept to have one. I crawled at your feet. You told me to go to hell. Now there are none.

Right out of Endgame by Samuel Beckett. Why was my shortwired brain resorting to this reference? I

received this fine package at work on Monday.

So, I have the tubulars, but no wheels. Rumor has it that the rims shipped out today, so I may have them built up and glued by the end of next week. We won't hold our breath though...

I spent most of this past weekend enjoying the fine outdoors of central PA. Saturday was spent on a 32 mile ride through rails to trail for one of my classes. The main group of us spent most of the ride at a casual pace, just enjoying the scenery joking around. I spent the first half of the race perfecting the removal of knee warmers while on the bike. Now I just have to figure out how to put them back on without dismounting... amateurs have so much to learn. For the last quarter of the ride, the Euro racin' powerhouse Jim Camut and I decided to pick up the pace. It was a healthy pace for me, as my legs were definitely feeling heavy by the end (who know a rails-to-trail could actually give you a workout). The most important part of this ride was the ongoing Rock-Paper-Scissors game between the two of us. I, Tim "thrower of all things rock" Darwick, reigned supreme for most of the day, though I imagine there will be challengers soon enough...

I spent a good portion of Sunday hiking around in Rothrock with NMBA to take care of the devastation from the past week's storms. The trails were in really bad shape. On most trails, you were unable to ride for more than 20 seconds before finding another impassable tree fallen. After six hours of trail work, we successfully cleared Charcoal Flats and Lower Shingletown. Having missed breakfast that morning, I was pretty whooped from the day's work, and spent the rest of the afternoon lounging.

My plans for Cyclocross Nationals are almost finalized. Just a few more minutia to figure out, then I will be well on my way to the mystical Bend, OR. I am in love with the place already, and I haven't even stepped foot in the state yet. But, from everything I hear from those who know best (ie. people who are from or have spent time there), the place very well may be perfect for me. A few more weeks and we will find out for ourselves. However, the transition will have to wait for a while, as I just committed to another year in State College. It will be interesting to be around town and not be involved with the university. Actually, interesting is not the right term... relieving is more like it.

For your enjoyment, here is evidence of the "cross-perfect" conditions from Granogue and Wissahickon. I just got around to loading my phone pictures to the computer, so here ya is:

I suppose I should get back to some of that schoolwork, though the motivation certainly is lacking. If you've made it this far, you deserve to know that Stevil, former Swobo employee and architect behind How to Avoid the Bummer Life, has reincarnated his brilliance in a new blog of recognizable form: All Hail the Black Market. Definitely worth checking out. The man has some stories to tell.