the little frustrations-- suffering is not enough

Too easy to forget that the best victories, in life, in cycling, in food, in art, in love, in battle, in peace-- are when you can overcome the small frustrations and difficulties. The bit of a bad luck balances out the meaning behind the result. My evening was no exception.

I really got to enjoy myself, in the company of m'lady. Who treated me to a lovely brunch of a sauteed onion & spinach omelette, some lovely black cherry & cranberry juice and a coffee, freshly pressed. All in the truly wonderful and gorgeous weather on the high-level deck patio, the home of which she is currently housesitting. From there, it was decided that we'd walk back to my apartment, wrap up the bars on her new singlespeed version of her Bianchi and go for a late evening ride.

The walk was very lovely, she would remark about some observations about the city, in addition to texting out conversations with others, while I just enjoyed the sunlight of the early evening, the company I was walking with and the walk itself. Upon arriving at my apartment I found that my rear wheel was flat--- good thing I have a small cache of 700 by 23C tubes on hand, for just such an occasion. I went about changing the flat. I soon found myself in a struggle of wills between myself, the seated flat tire and the tire lever to unseat the tire from the rim. It got so heated that I misjudged how much pressure I was applying and gouged a good portion of the rim. The rim in question is a Velocity ELVs rim--- the reflective coating is fairly soft and susceptible to gouges and scratches. Either way, it was the cause for a "sigh". I went about finishing the flat tube change and inserting the right amount of pressure so I can get riding without delay.
My ladyfriend arrived with her Bianchi and I quickly went about wrapping her drop-bars with some new cork bartape (Quickly should be confessed that I enjoy the act of wrapping bars, very aesthetically satisfying and rhythmic too.). She refreshed herself with some water and opened up a package she received in the mail, which was a replacement birthday present for myself--- a wooden iPhone case-- the previous one, I had broke on a cabin getaway with her back in June.
---All done. Okay, so time to wash the hands and a quick change of clothes would see us getting out on the road when an obtrusive "Puh-SHHHHHHHHHHHH" was a brief soundtrack to the moment. Another flat in the same rear-wheel tire?!?!
Instantly, the second-guessing begins: Had I done the installation of the tube and seated the tire correctly? Did I apply enough air to the tube and tire? Did I add too much? Did I seat the rimtape properly--- wait, that's it. Crap... there it is, the little frustrations. Sometimes the care of doing something with diligence and attention to detail, mistakes can still be made. And with that, my evening of riding in some very lovely weather with my very lovely loved one ended. We parted ways for the evening-- she rode off to meet some friends to enjoy a theme night at a club and I stayed back at my apartment, smiling and changing my iPhone's case "CRACK" "SNAP" "CRIC-CRACK"

--- crap. Broke another iPhone case.

one year: in between the times

A year!
To show my faults at upkeeping a digital journal of thoughts, points of view, biographical exploits (for a book that I'm sure I'll never write) and accomplishments.

Well, there is nothing like a year of dust in an old account to start a new and do some cleaning! I've been starting with a good amount of hesitation in starting up this project as I have the horrible knack for dilitant-ism and non-stick-to-it-ness, which is something that I've struggled with. I always felt there would be someone to pick up the slack and run with the idea further than I can. Don't start thinking that I've been doing some ground-breaking that I'm looking for others to build there foundations on, hardly. --- wait, I'm starting to make declarations and those tend to get me into trouble with my truant-ism in the creative pursuits.

The time has come to start making the things worthwhile materialize and come to fruition.

2 months...

Wow! It has been two months away and gone and away again. So what's been with you? Hope the weather has been fairing well for you to get some riding in and some great eats in!

Myself? Well, I've been celebrating some summertime birthdays in June. July has been spent glued to the television watching the Tour de France and reading regular ticker updates when I could watch the live broadcast. On a side note, when reading the ticker I was imagining Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen reading it in my head, which made it fairly enjoyable.

In between fetes and tours, I've been riding intermittently putting some haphazard kilometers down on the road. When not in the saddle, I've been concocting little delights for the tastebuds that I'm going to be sharing here very soon. Not only food but some art is going to be referenced to as well. It is safe to say that there will be a few tweaks and re-invents along the way.

Wheel spin

So to represent the "road club" aspect of the writings to come, I'll go with cycling and the various goings-on in my neck of the woods. A prime example is, our boy, mega-Matt doing a bar-spin in the shop. After-hours entertainment. Note the distinguished onlooker in transfixed amazement.

Mmm not real

...and the illusion is complete!

kudos Meaghan on another cupcake creation!

The survivors

The emergency crews were awesome and they managed to save these two. The final amount of the survivors is still unclear and remains unknown. Viva El Penguins!

*Big credit goes to Meaghan (get used to hearing about her, she's my foodie in crime) who made these penguin, with her own bare two hands, cupcakes! Too bad for sudden stops.

Penguin massacre

ugh... the carnage of penguins and birthdays!!! This is why penguins' birthdays should NOT be celebrated.

Also, if you are going to be transporting penguin cupcakes on their birthday have the courtesy to at least buckle the little guys in! WOW!! This is just out of hand! And a heck of a mess in the trunk.