Tara's recovery

There's a site up to help Tara Llanes with her hilarious US medical bills...

I think she's an inspiration, as in fact i do anyone dealing with such a traumatic injury with such bravery and humour. No, i really don't mean that to sound patronising...

anyway, the site is here
i've given a little, would be lovely if someone else could too...

I've gone and done it...

...ordered a airnimal that is.

after much deliberation, a lot of help from the nice fella at velorution and a great deal of patience from my hun keito who sat quietly as i test rode and whittered about wheel sizes... i went for the explore, figuring it gave me plenty versatility with the fatter tyres and hub.

Now I just have to wait 2 weeks (I hope)... It feels like xmas...

Boris...

now... i'm not saying it would make me vote for him... i do like boris on a person level, he's highly entertaining and refreshingly blunt, but he is a bit blue for me...

but, i'd be surprised if his opinions on cycling don't win him a lot of friends.

apologies it's from 'the sun'
boris hates bendy buses

God.. what a depressing day...

'Tara Llanes paralysed after crash'

go here now:
tara's myspace

Much respect(s)

Slightly out of place on my blog, which is generally used for cussing and posting pictures of bikes i like...

But, i was saddened to see that Jane Tomlinson died today...
You can read more here

If you don't wish to follow that, Jane was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2000 and told she had 6 months to live, she then dedicated her remaining time to fundraising events, including the ride across america, impressive enough in itself.

sad... very sad...

On the subject of bike hugger

check out this bad boy:
Ti commuter

not sure i could justify (or afford) it, but it's lovely...

loads more eurobike pics here.

those cannondale's are crazy...

Another in the 'fold' hur... hur...

found this on bike radar from bike hugger...
'Dahon launch "lightest ever" folder'

I'm really coming around to folders, i used to really hate them, thought there were the domain of city pricks in 'driza-bone' or whatevers... stupid little wheel nonsense...

then my mate james' got one, which was a shock, and i looked at airnimals... and pacific reach... and... etc.

anyway, i'm loving the attention to detail that's been put into some of these bikes, whilst i realise a lot of them are limited edition, i think they're pushing the boundaries much more than conventional bikes. I mean, check out that crankset...

Anyway, I'm adding the 'Smooth Hound 6.0' to my list of possibles. it looks crazy... i like...

Thank you RMT

It was weird riding in today... I'd completely forgotten about the tube strike. I guess it's one of the joys of relying on pedal power to get you to work...

I had noticed the hilarious amount of traffic in camberwell and the back ups at elephant and castle, but i didn't think much of it, just wallowing in the joy and self righteousness of riding and not burning up fuel/patience.

By the time i got to hyde park corner, i realised something was up... a huge wall of cyclists were coming my way. i mean, it's usually busy around here, but not this mental, then riding through hyde park it started to feel like the velorution had come, bike, upon bike, upon bike...

then it hit me, dur! tube strike! everyone has dusted off those bikes that only come out when there's no other possible option.

apparently the tube 'drivers' i put that in inverted commas as i'm not sure pushing a stick forwards and backwards is 'driving' are very unhappy with changes down to metronet that could jeopordize their 4 day weeks, 30K pay packet and very generous holidays. i feel, really i do...

Anyway, I have to confess to still enjoying it, somekind of 'dunkirk spirit' 'we'll get there no matter what' and i have to confess to feeling a slight sense of pride in london, a bit like after the bombings, everyone gets on with it, business as usual. I pictured the queen mum (god bless her) if she was still with us of course, out on her british racing green brompton popping down to paddy power for a dead cert...

ah!

then i realised there were a lot more cunts out here than usual.. i had people ride at me, cut me into traffic, wobble dangerously in front of me, have no idea what fucking side of the road they should be on... etc. etc. and most of them oblivious with ipod connected ears...

so, i'd just like to thanks bob, for putting all of those cunts i normally avoid by cycling rather than tubing right out in front of me.

ta, really! thanks ever so...

only two more days to go *sigh*

No, no, I'm sorry you are...

When you drive straight at me, when i have right of way, cutting it rather fine, I'm entitled to call you a 'cunt' you can't come back at me, as by your actions my description is accurate.

It's akin to pushing some down some stairs or tripping someone up, it's cuntish behaviour.

so... don't try and defend yourself or get angry, you have done wrong.

I have illustrated the incident for clarity. If there is any confusion said 'cunt' or 'taxi driver' is clearly identifiable by the large cock drawn in the vehicle.