Wear Yellow NE and Tour de Cure

Want to help fight diseases and ride your bike at the same time? Well here is your chance. There are two separate bike rides scheduled to help fight cancer and diabetes.

The Wear Yellow Nebraska bike ride is scheduled for May 21, 2011 and will take place around Chalco Hills. There is a $30 entry fee and you can choose to ride a distance of 6, 12, 30, or 52 miles. There will be raffles, door prizes, a tshirt, a breakfast (I believe it is the pancake guy that usually follows BRAN around?), etc. I did the Rollin to Colon ride last year and had a lot of fun. It is a very laid back ride, not a race. People of all ages and skill levels were out there.
http://www.wearyellownebraska.org/

The second ride is the Tour de Cure ride to help fight diabetes. The ride date for that is May 22, 2011. It is mandatory for riders to raise $150 for that ride. If interested, there is one last free registration night where they waive the entry fee (you still have to come up with $150). That night is May 12, 2011 at Nebraska Brewing Company from 5:30-7:00pm. I went to one of these at Crave in Midtown, ended up winning the raffle for a really nice biking jacket with their logo!
Tour de Cure - Nebraska

If you can't make either of the rides, donations are always welcome. Paul still needs help raising his $150 for the Tour de Cure. You can find his page here. Help the guy out will ya? For those of you that know him, he puts a ton of time in trailwork and always provides a place to meet after MNRs. He always has cold beers in his fridge and has never asked for money. Crunch time is near and he needs another $65 to make the minimum fee. If you don't know him, but still want to sponsor a rider, then I'm open to donations also. Here is my page for online donation. Thank you readers, friends, and fellow bike riders!!!

A great Mayday bday!

A little late, but last week was a super long week. Birthdays usually come and go, but this one seemed to drag on forever. But nothing wrong with that! Friday we went to Stir and listened to the 9's play. I've never heard of them, but I would best describe them as a rock/blues/funk type band from Omaha. Maybe a little bit like Maroon 5 type? Afterwards, we hit up downtown and went to Havana Garage, Barry O's, and Nomad. Nomad tried to pull off a royal wedding party. Yeah, luckily the hype was over by the time we got there.

Saturday was a VERY long day. I had bought tickets for the Creighton/Bradley game off of the LivingSocial deal of the day. Heck, two CU baseball tix for $10? Can't beat that! And I wanted to see the new stadium, which is very nice if you haven't been yet. Well then popped up the Groupon special for the Beer Extravaganza in Elkhorn. Nobody had heard of it, but supposedly it was a fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (which is funny because I didn't see anything out there about it, more about HyVee sponsoring it). So Jena and I said why not? We get there and there were a ton of people in there along with probably about 30 different beer vendors from around the midwest/rockies. I was in beer heaven! You know how HyVee has those beers that look fancy pants with nice colorful labels and expensive price tags? Yeah, well most of those vendors were in there promoting their drinky. Also more common labels such as Leinenkugel, Empyrean, Sam Adams, Mike's, etc were there with some new summer brews for you to try. Okay, so if you have never been to a wine/beer tasting, you need to understand that you will consume a lot of liquids in a short amount of time. Yes, they only give you a small sample. But you keep getting sample after sample of 5-10% Alc beers while going around the room. And the vendors didn't care if you tried one or all of their products one after another. In the 3 hours that we were there, we had only made it around the room once! So we picked and chose our favorites at the end and made our way back for more. HyVee was also grilling up brats which helped to fill the stomach. Beer extravaganza was fun, hit up the game afterwards, then out to Upstream with some friends to shoot some pool.

Blue Moon with their new summer honey wheat which was really good!

 Leine had their summer shandy, beer made with lemonade. It was okay in my mind. Don't think I would ever buy it.

Boulder Beer had some good stuff!

Is the fancy packaging enough to get you to try their beers?

 Brats and beer go hand and hand!

TD Ameritrade Park. Creighton vs Bradley

 Don't let the lemon and cherry fool you! It was a Maker's Mark Manhattan. And this was probably my 10th hour of drinking that day. Hmm...maybe that is why I was sucking so bad when I hit Lewis and Clark the next day!

Sometimes even getting to the bottom can be a struggle. But I think the biking helped me to sweat out the alcohol from my system. 

But just when I though the bday weekend is over, Jeremy and I start back up on the drinks! Pomengranate Mojitos at Cantina Laredo. Don't bother. We switched back to the Dos XX afterwards. Plus it looked a little funny with two guys drinking those pink drinks at the bar.  

Sunday, Jeremy and other Jenna and I hit up Cantino Laredo for some dinner and drinks. Osama Bin Laden killed on my birthday! The following Wednesday, got a few presents in the mail and Thursday the "moms at work" threw a late bday lunch for me. Good times! Thanks everyone!

First hot MNR

It's hot out and we dropped it like it was hot! Now think of that annoying Sundrop commercial where the girl is dancing across the screen. Cracks me up! Yesterday's Monday Night Ride was a hot one. Probably the hottest of the year so far. Left work knowing that it was 93 degrees out. Kept hearing from patients that it was humid out also. What a bad combination! Well luckily there was a nice cool breeze to help keep us from overheating. Funny because as Dale and I were riding over to Paul's, we both commented on how it seemed warmer once we hit the pavement in the neighborhood. Probably the heat from the houses, vehicles, and the pavement. Gotta love being on the singletrack!!!


Tranquility Ridgeline-MNR 5/09/11 from DJ Chi Wai on Vimeo.
Here is a video from MNR shot with the Go Pro HD. Lost some quality during the encoding and conversion. Still working on that. I did some editing and added some music so that you don't have to listen to the wind blowing into the mic. But be sure to listen to the very first few seconds or so, it's hilarious what Greg says! It would be a shame to cut it out. Also Paul yelling "Go Mike" at 1:28 gave me some confidence behind the handlebars! Thanks Paul!

One cool thing about the Go Pro is that you can set the camera to continuously take still pictures at 2, 5, 10, 30, and 60 second intervals. You can get some pretty cool POV (point of view) shots as you are going along. No image stabilization, but that is okay. You just let it keep taking pictures and hope for one or two cool shots! For these, I have an attachment to raise the camera up a little bit, then I tilted it down and just so happened I tilted it enough to include my handlebars and hands. Pretty cool! I have a chest harness and a seatpost/handlebar mount ordered. I know that it will still be bumpy (and even more bumpy if it is on my handlebar), but I will try to get some video in the future of the full suspension working it on the trail. And I figured that IF and when I get my snowbike, that I'll get some fat tired action on the snowpacked trail. I'm all about the planning ahead! Like I said, still learning how to use this little camera. Expect a lot more pictures and videos this summer!

Riding along the creek section 

There were a good number of us on the ride yesterday, I'd say a little over a dozen? Once again, I biked there from home and met up with the guys. We did a full lap including the long trail heading up to the new north section. Nothing more embarrassing than hearing the fart noise as your rear tire gets caught on the ATV tracks and the rear half of your bike just slides sideways on the rut! Brrrppp...brrrrppp...brrrrpppp!!!

I'm glad that the log crossing on the north section is back up and running. I have a clue as to who fixed it, thanks! 

Omaha Devo was out and in full force again. Gotta love the little ones on the mountain bikes! Thanks to Paul for hosting afterhours. Good luck to those who found cracks on their bike frames (two were discovered during MNR and one a few weeks before), and to those who had their bike fall off of their bike rack and onto Fort Street. Hopefully you guys cure your bike troubles soon!

Following Greg and Paul up the inner loop 

Kind of a cool shot of Greg and I passing under the Fort Street bridge 

Some videos will be up soon

For my birthday, my sister got me a Go Pro video camera because she said that she was sick of watching my crappy quality videos. Well what do you expect? I've been running my old Canon Elph that is literally falling apart. I have to push the lens back in after I turn it off. Not kidding!!!

Anyway, the Go Pro can shoot in WVGA, 720p at 30 or 60fps, 960p, and also 1080p. I've yet to really get a feel for what the camera can do. Might have to ask Chris for some tips. I also need to find a good software program that can edit the Go Pro video. I guess after searching the web, their videos aren't compatible with a lot of programs. You first have to convert or encode first. But you will lose some quality along the way. Look for videos up REALLY soon. Oh yeah...thanks again to my sister for buying me this awesome toy!

That's a lot of orders!

You guys ever watch those shows on Discovery or whatever that show how things are made or how things happen in everyday life? I can't say that I've ever ordered from Chain Reaction Cycles (it's based in the UK), but check out this video of how the product order happens from computer order to out and into the truck. They can dispatch up to 24 orders per minute! Don't worry, I still try to buy from the LBS whenever I can, but check out the size of that warehouse!

Video: Chain Reaction Cycles – how do they do it? from chainreactioncycles on Vimeo.

Need a place to store your bike rack?

Came across this cool looking bike rack holder for your garage when it isn't attached to your vehicle. The Rick Stash! I mean Rack Stash! lol.

http://reviews.mtbr.com/rack-stash-review

Sticking calipers on Avid Juicy 5s

Annoyed as all get out right now because a sticking caliper is preventing me from hitting the trails today! Simple change of the brake pads was my intention yesterday afternoon. I know the Avids self adjust and I think that was my problem. Even after pushing the caliper all the way back in (using a box wrench), there still isn't enough clearance between the rotor and the pads.

With pads out, I've noticed that one caliper retracts very slowly and not all the way back in. Don't want to go as far as having to bleed the lines because I've heard the Avid bleed kit can be pricey. Gonna try to use some brake cleaner first to get rid of the dirt around the seal. Any other suggestions?

p.s. Fixed!!! Still might bleed the lines one of these days.

Good luck racers!

Good luck to you racers at Platte today! I'm gonna take it easy and take a leisurely stroll at Calvin Crest today.

Outside magazine's cycling issue

Outside magazine doing their annual best of the bikes. They review mt, commuter, and road bikes. Lots of bikes listed that you see in the ads of the bike magazines made the cut. Many are out of my price range, but one can dream!!! Felt, Niner, Cannondale, Jamis, GF, etc!

http://outsideonline.com/gear/the-cycling-issue-index-sp.html

Lance's latest retweet:

"RT @AskDrRuth: Lance Armstrong says that the right response to high gas prices is to @RideYourBike. I say stay home and ride your partner!"
---------
Thought it was pretty funny. Either way you'll be burning calories!

Long overdue MNR

Finally getting some biking in and I need it! Drank way too much Friday night, all day Saturday, and even Sunday evening. It's like the birthday weekend that never ends! But back to the biking. Sunday I decided that I needed a challenge and a swift kick to the b*lls. So I hit up Lewis and Clark. Wow. I'm out of shape big time! Kind of glad I rode it alone...nobody had to wait up for me because I was taking my time like crazy! Only could handle about 7 miles out there. So Monday night ride rolled around. Why not? Ladies at work took me out to Valentino's buffet today so I was loaded up on carbs.

Biked at L&C yesterday. Farm fields flooded in the background!  

The Devo kids were out and having fun! 

Tranquility Ridgeline ride from DJ Chi Wai on Vimeo.

Met up with Paul, Dave N and P, Chris, and many many others at Tranquility. Omaha Devo was taking place at the same time. Sounds like it turned out to be a great success! It was a nice moment in any mt biker's life to see the little ones learning the ropes on mountain bikes and smiling all the way! They were having fun, the instructors seemed to be having fun, and it was a good feeling to know that something you helped to build and maintain (as in the trails) is being enjoyed by people of all ages on foot and on bike!

Dave N and Paul riding over the humps. I think it's time for a new camera!

Dave P was really really trying to get air! 

TQ north, Dave, Paul, Chris, and Dave from Misterlime on Vimeo.

Tried Chris' latest project: Ridgeline. Good times! It's not easy that is for sure. Steep drop off and it is still a little soft in areas. I guess you just need to have the speed to get over it. Thanks Chris for your hard work on it! Thanks to both Daves for the after ride recovery drink and munchies.

Playing in the mud

Just one heavy day of rain on Monday was enough to create areas of standing water and muddy areas in the new section of Tranquility. It must be fixed said Dale (okay I made that up) and that we did! Dale, Chris, Dave N, Paul, Eric, and myself were out there tonight after work moving mud from the low areas and installing some drainage pipes that will hopefully take care of the water problem.

Drain system #1. No more da-dip! 

All work and no play is no fun at all! Paul in his sluggish clothes riding over the new drain system. 

Remember those hidden dips on the north north side? Well now they are much easier to ride over. Actually they are much faster to ride over. Paul and I took our bikes out afterwards and spun a quick loop on the north side. Temps were dropping fast an the wind was really picking up. Yes they are still kind of mushy to walk over, but once the mud dries up it will be hard as concrete. When your two wheels go over the pipes, you can't even tell any difference. Great work guys!

Here is the T.H.O.R. blog write-up done by Dale
http://thor-trails.blogspot.com/2011/04/pipe-bridges-for-north-tp-gullies.html

  

 Drain system #2. This is the before picture. See that standing water? Not good!

 Dig

Dig dig 

Goal was to dig the trench deep enough then throw the pipes in there and cover them with dirt

 Getting there. Now covered with dirt

It works! Great success! Water was already running through them 

Inaugural ride over the new storm drains from DJ Chi Wai on Vimeo.

A 90 sq ft apt for $700 per month?

This b*tch be crazy!!! I've slept in a closet before, slept in a doorway, even lived two years in Creighton's tiny dorms. But wow. To live in NYC and have a kitchen that consists of a toaster oven, hot pot, and a mini fridge because that is all the room that you have? Where would I put all of my bikes is the final question!

http://shine.yahoo.com/event/green/simple-life-in-manhattan-a-90-square-foot-home-2472666/

No Evil Oil

Ever stay up late and flip through channels on the tube (or LCD, LED, plasma) and watch the silly infomercials? I've started this habit of not sleeping if I have an early morning flight out. So when it was time to fly to Hawaii, I came across this informercail called "No Evil Oil". What caught my eye? This lady praising this oil that she rubbed on her neck and swore that these tumors were disappearing under her very hands! Check out the page with the video testimonial. Lady says that one leg was two inches shorter than the other, until she rubbed the oil on her leg. Her leg grew two inches! Thank the Lord for Danny Davis! Maybe I'll buy some and swim in it before the next Psycowpath race, take first place! Dave N, I'll let you borrow some. Here is the link and a second with more testimonial. This stuff cracks me up. Yet they never show a before or after picture or video.

http://pastordannydavis.com/index.html

http://pastordannydavis.com/index-1.html

Nebraska beer blog

I came across this blog while trying to look up this weekend's Beer Extravaganza in Fremont. It was today's Groupon. Half off tix. Do it. The cool kids are!

http://nebraskabeer.blogspot.com/

p.s. correction. It is in Elkhorn. Somehow I kept getting it mixed up. See you guys there.

The ever increasing cost of living

Sorry for the lack of posts, but being in Hawaii seems to be a pretty good excuse! Yes, everything is more expensive in Hawaii. And to tell you the truth, I'm not sure how the locals can afford to survive! Bananas were $1.54 per pound. Gas was $4.67 per gallon (as compared to $3.65 here). Well you think that's bad, check these prices out!

Milk is $9.79 per gallon, nothing organic. Just regular milk!  

 Yes, eggs are $5.99 a dozen. There happen to be organic but regular eggs were the same

 You like Yoplait? Well not anymore!!! Those sell for 50 cents here in NE!