http://www.randomduck.com musings. thoughts. rants. enlightenment. random. Fri, 18 Jul 2008 23:03:25 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Alice Swanson was killed while riding her bike in my neighborhood on Tuesday, July 8. She was run over by a garbage truck, and very likely died instantly. As long as the investigation of the incident is open and inconclusive, a ghost bike will stand at the intersection where her ... http://www.randomduck.com/2008/07/18/friday-mydc-for-alice/ 183 miles. That was my total mileage on the bike for this past weekend. Two rides contributed to the total: a century I led from here in DC, and a more rural ride that originated about 20 miles from home. The riding was quality stuff: not particularly fast, but good mileage ... http://www.randomduck.com/2008/07/17/two-wheels-go-far-as-do-legs-powering-them/ Memo to self: keep the graphic descriptions inside my head. That's the thing I need to remember when discussing disturbing subjects with folks who would rather not hear of these things. It's a filter that I don't naturally have, having grown up in a household where few gory subjects were ... http://www.randomduck.com/2008/07/17/my-big-mouth/ My long Fourth of July weekend is over. During the weekend I went on to great rides, saw some great fireworks, and otherwise woke up early all three days (what was I thinking?) to check the weather. Friday's ride was a lovely, 68 mile loop out of Damascus, MD. ... http://www.randomduck.com/2008/07/07/thatll-be-1-plus-material-fees/ On a ride last weekend, I decided to do a little exploring around the areas adjacent to Rock Creek Park, and I wandered toward the ruins of the National Park Seminary. While technically not in DC (it's part of Forest Glen, a part of silver spgin, Maryland), it's so ... http://www.randomduck.com/2008/07/04/friday-mydc-a-reborn-relic/ I consider myself an endurance athlete: pushing myself for very long periods of time, testing my limits, riding hills long and steep, braving different climates and weather conditions. Yet the "endurance athlete" flag seems to have been wrenched from the hands of us cyclists by those who compete in triathlon or ... http://www.randomduck.com/2008/07/01/taking-back-endurance/ So sprite decided to take a stab at Entertainment Weekly's list of the 100 greatest films of the past 25 years. And while I agree with her assessment about Titanic (bombast for a sinking ship!), I've also seen more of these than she has. (Films I've seen in bold) 1. Pulp ... http://www.randomduck.com/2008/07/01/movies-ew/ To me, chains are WIPs (a nod to Sarah): constant works in progress. Chains have many connotations to me, as well. There's the bicycling connection: the chain is part of the drivetrain of a bicycle. It needs attention to work properly: proper lubrication, cleaning, inspection for excess wear. ... http://www.randomduck.com/2008/06/30/chains/ Time for the weekly "oh-my-god-he-hasn't-written-a-damn-thing-since-his-photo-post" chime in on all things that have happened since last week. Hooray? Hooray! Last Friday, I went to see the Nats host the Texas Rangers (a.k.a. the Washington Senators, who last visited this fair city in 1971, when they were moved to Arlington, TX) in an ... http://www.randomduck.com/2008/06/24/ketchup-no-catch-up/ Many people know about The Beatles and their 1963 visit to the United States that heralded the "British Invasion." What few people realize is that their first concert in the U.S. was not on "The Ed Sullivan Show," but at the Washington Coliseum (originally called Uline Arena) here in the District ... http://www.randomduck.com/2008/06/20/friday-mydc-a-fab-relic/