Featured Posts
Of Flesh: David Foster Wallace, Roger Federer Moments, and Cycling
The context David Foster Wallace sets up describes the incredible ability Roger Federer, possibly the best tennis player ever, has to make seemingly impossible shots. "Matrix-like," Federer's moves defy physics and reason, inspiring awe in those who bear witness. Wallace coins these occasions 'Federer Moments.'
Just Shy of Improbable: Nice – Genova, the Hard Way
Riding bikes doesn’t have to be just about riding bikes. These machines are catalytic; they open and expand possibility like no other technology can. Sometimes the adventures they underpin unfold as planned, but if we’re honest, these aren’t really adventures, are they? Our day spent riding, scrambling, and hiking from Bordighera to Limone Piemonte, Italy, was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Solstice 200: In Winter’s Teeth
It’s Monday morning, and I’m a wee bit hobbled. Yesterday was HARD; I’m wondering whether it was my hardest ride of 2021. I’ll go with yes, and feel tempted to say it was ‘epic,’ because I wasn’t sure I was going to make it home without calling a life-line until I was 10km from home.
The Alchemy of Fun
Through thick and thin, trials and tribulations, why is cycling a life-long passion for so many people. Why do many of us refer to ‘riding like a kid again’ as an experience that renews our love of riding bikes when we find ourselves struggling? Is there a spark at the core of the matter?
Winter Solstice Quest: 200km before dark
Two-hundred kilometer rides every month through winter; doable? All I actually needed was an objective, something to look forward to through the dreary days of November, as daylight hours diminished rapidly, and the stark reality settled in: winter was coming. And not just any winter; COVID-winter.
Duration, path, and outcome.
The early phase of the pandemic threw me for a loop; not right away, it took time to settle in. Work on the computer, Zoom meeting after Zoom meeting; I struggled. I read a lot of fiction in an unconscious effort to escape a reality I had little control over. When do we ever have ‘control’? Never. But we think we do. I had to ride my bike in a way I’d never needed to before.
Appeal to the stone
Smooth surfaces, in the form of narratives and infrastructure, gloss the past and physical spaces that constitute each of our realities.
MATTER: UniTerra’s Nomad Manual Espresso Machine
Curiosity drives this orientation to coffee. Brewing and extraction brings art and craft to the fore, into our hands, and turns the process of experimentation and discovery into a daily ritual.
Understanding the Cyborg Cyclist
In cycling, technologies that quantify performance have supplanted keen attention to sensations, yielding what has been referred to as a ‘robotic’ riding and racing. Honestly, it makes me cringe a bit whenever I hear riders say: ‘The numbers were good.’
The Art of the Possible.
I believe life is for living. It has taken me years to manifest conscious thoughts about gratitude on a regular basis, and for me, gratitude is always associated with the recognition that I’m fortunate to have a healthy, strong body, or rather, to be in this moment, a healthy, strong person. Now. Later? I don’t and can’t know. All I can know is whether I’m capable now.
Holiday Gift Guide
“When we gift we are in a position to jump through hoops to create something special, and it’s from this perspective that I’ve created this gift guide.”
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Read, listen, or both. I sat down with Castelli to talk about getting the most from their line of cold weather clothing, which dipped into general principles, and numerous tips and tricks riders can use to steepen the learning curve and create great winter cycling experiences. The blog post elaborates on numerous threads within the podcast, and functions as a complementary resource.