Commuting by your own POWER

As many of you know I have been riding my bike to work whenever possible. Ultimatley, I began this to save money on gas. The ridiculous gas prices and my ridiculously fuel guzzling truck motivated me, but I have gained so much more than saving money and doing my share to be "green" in a non-liberal inspired way, nothing against liberals, but they aren't the only ones who care about the enviroment. Yes, to get to work in time I have to leave earlier. I began leaving an hour and a half before I had to work, more than I needed to get there, its only 12 miles if I go directly, but it gave me enough time to cool down and stop sweating before I clock in. But now it takes 35 min tops to get there. Only about 15 mins more than driving, not too bad. This is both because I am much stronger now, and I've learned the lil secrets in riding with cars and how to use my driver/pedestrian status to bend laws (safely) to save time.

Anyways, what I have found from commuting on a bike is almost a spiritual journey. Don't take that the wrong way, but by commuting on my bike I eliminate so many stresses that cars provide. Yeah, I still have to deal with cars, but I'm not one of them. On a bike you enter a different world of commute, there is no waiting behind others at red lights, no following that slow old lady who cant drive, or dealing with teh prick in the Porsche who thinks he's God's gift to the road, and no confinement of sitting in a bubble (car) enclosed from nature. As I cruise through the crowded streets on my bike I remain free. The fresh air (or almost fresh) I breathe, the wind in my hair and the adrenaline that flows as I have to react to drivers who act unexpectadley, all provide a natural high for me.

When I get to work in my car, I'm worn out from the journey, and I don't really want to work. When I arrive by bike it's totally different. I'm enthusiastic to get out there and share what I feel about bikes w/ customers who either feel the same passion or for some reason ended up there with the potential to feel what I do, all they need is that enthusiastic person to motivate them, and perhaps motivate them enough to give a try to what this guy seems to love so much. Then, when work is over, it just feels good, instead of everyone getting their keys out, we put on our riding shoes and take off into the night on our bikes. And its not just commuting, its being out on the mtn roads on a road bike using every last ounce of energy to make it up that hill, or to be ripping down a narrow singletrack, taking the drops, flowing with the trail, or just tooling around by the beach on a 50 pound beach cruiser. No matter where you are on your bike, the stresses from the world seem to dissipate...rapidly, your mind becomes free and the simple thing in life, such as just living, becomes so much more enjoyable.

So anyways, to those who can...I know not all of us are blessed enough to be able to ride through the winter...get on that bike and ride. Life becomes simpler. And as Brock Rossell told me before Thanksgiving...bicycles are the answer for world peace. Lol, so true.

To those interested, Gary Fisher actually inspired this post. Check it out here. http://youtube.com/watch?v=o7tV8pQbaxU

Why Spandexers should stay on the road

I love how after this potentially fatla crash, the friend asks..."did you film it?"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ftujM1zxis&feature=related

Doing my best...

have you ever gone into that bike shop, or music store, or perhaps a running shoe store, and just found the employees to have an eliteist attitude? In my opnion bike shop employees are the number one culprits in this. Such as when Dad, Eric and I went to that shop in Salt Lake. We were there for at least half an hour with almost no other customers in the shop. We looked at bikes, skis, boots, clothes...everything. The whole time we were there two employees sat at the front counter talking about things, that to one listening in, would think these guys are the s@%$ in the outdoors. But never once, was I asked if I had a question. Potentially, we could've been looking to buy a 1000 dollar bike (which is huge in an industry like this). Even though I wasn't going to spend any money, they didn't know that. A simple hello can I help you find something would have totally satisfied me. But nothing. I don't even remeber them saying something like thank you after Eric bought something. Honestly, I wont ever spend any money there if I ever go back. If I was their boss, I'd fire them.
Maybe I'm jumping the gun a bit on firing but it is often overlooked how important it is to make people feel welcome in a retail shop. I've been guilty of this too on occasion, but the more I'm on the other end, the more I try to never let that happen.
The more I deal with customers, put on that smiling face, and put myself into the customers position and understand why that piece of crap bike for 300 bucks is actually a sweet bike for them, I realize I feel much better when a customer leaves feeling on top of the world because they now own a bike. In my standards, I wouldn't be caught dead on the bike they bought, but to them, its their pride and joy....afterall, they can tell their friends this is a 300 dollar bike!!!!
Many customers who buy bikes from our shop say how great our customer service is. Especially people who have looked in other shops for bikes while trying to find that right one. So, although I work at the "Wally world" of the cycling industry, I feel good because someone who comes to buy a bike from me will honestly feel that they were helped w/ sincerity.

Its all about who you know...

My first year at Dixie State the freshman had to go to a seminar. The speaker was some motivational guy and I don't remember everything he said, but I do remember one key point he tried to get across. He basically stressed the fact that no matter what you do in life, how well you do in school...one of the most important things is making contacts. You never know when that one guy you met may just unlock the key to something you may have otherwise been lost in obtaining.
Perfect example is this. I want to learn welding skills. So possibly in the future I can build my own bikes, and if anything else, i can learn more about bikes. My plan was to take a welding class at PCC this spring but unfortunatley none of the classes fit into my schedule and I've had to postpone it. But today at work a fairly regular customer stopped by. An older gentleman about dad's age, but a guy who rides locally just as much as me. Although we've yet to see eachother on the trail, we both share the passion for the local singletrack. Tonight when he came by he mentioned how he built a 1950's schwinn into a trail machine. He did this by welding the essential derailleur hangars and brake mounts to the old frame. Turns out the bike was featured in a MTB magasine. And all the work was done at the PCC welding shop...with his good friend the teacher. The teacher is apparently a bike fanatic and for many years has had a passion for bikes, helping students build prototypes and other man powered "cars".
Long story short, he gave me the name of the guy and said stop by and say you're a friend of mine and want to learn, that he would be more than willing to help me learn and go out of his way to make something work around my schedule.
It's about who you know and on tuesday, the next day I'm at school I will be stopping by and saying teach me oh great one.

Anyone there?

So, I decided to start posting again, motivated by others who have rejuvenated their efforts...Ben, Eric, someone ele probably. Anyways, anyone out there? Am I wasting my time?
Just started or re-started school today, just one class for the winter intersession, but its going to be busy. The teacher expects about 6 hrs of work outside of class for every day in class. After the first day spending about 4 hrs to do the "easy" homework, I think shes serious. It'll be good though, teach me to stay on top of things. Class was good, made sure to strategically position myself in a seat next to a hot girl. Afterall, the first day is most important, everyone always seems to sit in the same place as they do the first day...so far so good.
It's good to be bcak in school, especuially because it will open up more time to ride, not having to work during the good riding times. It'll give me a chance to get to El Prieto and possibly be confronted by some I may have bothered on socalmtb.com w/ my big mouth, oh well. They cant catch me anyways. L8r

Engineering

Go to MTBR.com and view the interbike videos. Basically, short videos from various companies talking about new products. Afterwards, think about how awesome it would be to be involved in this. motivation, thats what it is for me.