The Life and Times of Biking Brady

State of the Societal Laziness Address

2012-01-26T20:33:00.001-06:00

I don't get it. I just don't get it. I really mean it this time. I. Don't. Get. It. At. All.

I understand that I'm more of the exception than the rule. I have to put thought into driving versus bicycling. When given a reasonable option of biking/walking over driving, I'll choose biking/walking. At work, when I don't have to take the elevator, I don't.

With that in awesome lead in, I give you the reason for this post. You see, even though I often shake my head at people who literally drive three blocks (and sometime less) to work or to the classes at the University, I've learned to get over it. People are inherently getting lazier. I get that. Don't understand it, but I'm learning to accept it. People think about driving first and alternate transportation second. It's sad, and while I do my best to encourage others to bike or walk, I understand that in the end it's their decision. Today however pushed my "rant on my blog" button over the top.

I received a call that a printer for one of my departments was over at Slagle Hall, a couple buildings (1.5 or so blocks) away. I emailed to see what model it was so I knew if I needed my hand cart or not. It was a fairly good sized printer, so I grabbed the cart, threw on my coat, and wandered over to pick it up. Instead of going through the entrance with the elevator, I went through the side door, grabbed the hand cart low on the base a just took it up the two flights of stairs I had to go. I picked up the printer and had to head to the elevator for my trip down. That's where it all went wrong.

You see, there are two things at play here: First, the elevator in Slagle Hall, for some reason, is incredibly slow. Second, there are classes on the third floor of the building. I, trying to get on the elevator on the second floor, waited for an eternity for the elevator to come down to the floor. It arrived, doors opened, and there stood four very healthy looking college students (you see where this is going, don't you). A couple look slightly annoyed as I make them squish together a little so I can get on with my cart and printer. Just wait, it's about to get better.

As soon as the elevator starts to descend, one student looks at his watch and states, "With the speed of this elevator, I'm going to be late for my next class". I wanted to laugh so bad. He's right, the elevator is slow and he could have been out the door on his way to the next class by the time had he chosen the stairs. I refrained.

The elevator reached the entry level and the door opens on the opposite side that I got in. For those unfamiliar, due to the age and structure of the building, there are left and right openings depending on your entry and exit. I allowed the students to exit as I was in the back and it just made sense. Then, to send me to my current rant level, as I start to exit, pushing a printer an all, able bodied students start to get on. I kept pushing forward as I found it: a) practical for me to get off first and b) rude that they felt they HAD to get on before I got off.

One person (I'll leave the sex out) basically stood their ground pretty much blocking my exit. I looked up, making eye contact and politely said "Excuse me" and they moved a little and I walked by. After I was clear I hear "That was kinda rude, huh?" I turn around and as gave the 'did you really just say that' look as the door was closing and the person averted their eyes. An elevator full of quite able bodied young adults went up on their merry, lazy way.

Young, able bodied adults, hear me. I'm nearly 45 years old and there is a really good chance that I'm in better overall health than most of you. I do the little things to stay healthy: I walk or bike when I can instead of driving. I take the stairs over the elevator whenever possible. The obesity epidemic is getting worse. Keep driving and taking the elevator and being lazy. Seriously. Feel free.

Okay, I don't mean that. Not even as rude as that student was can change the fact that I want you to be healthy. I want you to be active. I want you to walk and bike and take the stairs. If for some reason it feels like I'm talking right at you or if any of this resonates with you, maybe it's time to change your life. Do it for a lot of reasons, but mainly do it for you.

Thus ends the rant of Biking Brady for this day, Thursday, January 28, 2012.

A Very Brady Christmas Rhyme

2011-12-24T23:50:00.001-06:00

As sure as I’m almost positive that my name is Kevin,
I bring you our abbreviated news from two thousand eleven.
A crazy tradition that was started in a far distant past,
This is not my first rhyming Christmas letter nor be it my last.
Let’s make this letter crazy and stir things around,
Instead of bottom up, let’s go from top down.
It’s been an interesting year for the Dad of this place,
busy and crazy, but filled with God’s grace.
From biking to work stuff, to church happenings and more,
it seems nary a day could be considered a bore.
Bicycling this year was again good, and before I forget and further digress,
I lost a fundraising wager on the MS150 and donned me a dress.
Okay, it wasn’t a dress but merely a skirt,
But I did receive some catcalls and a couple of flirts.
It’s time to move on to the story of the boss of the house if I may,
Laura is God’s gift to me and our household in every way.
She keeps us all going in every direction known to man,
Making sure that we get where we should be as best that she can.
Busy giving massages all day where many agree she’s the best,
With ten magic fingers with which she’s been blessed.
Austin is fifteen, a sophomore and is nearly as big and tall as his Dad,
which during our remodeling and moving of stuff makes him a quite helpful lad.
He definitely seems to be taking a liking to all things of great geeking,
from computers to gaming systems his interest doth be piquing.
Here’s hoping his love of all these things that cause him interest each day,
bring him a career that can turn that love into pay!
Marissa is thirteen, an eight grader with more interests than time,
her writing talents are awesome (hey she should be doing this rhyme!).
Another hobby is photography with which she has a great eye to set apart,
most things we take for granted around us, to her becomes great art.
You never know from one moment to the next what will excite this girl,
but there is little in life she will not chance to give a whirl.
Eight years old, in third grade, and moving from morn until night,
Carson’s a blur of a child that entertains everyone in sight.
He’s into baseball, biking riding, basketball and more,
there’s always something that awaits out the door.
I’m told the greatest curse is to have a kid who behaves like you did throughout life,
and now I’m reminded “He acts just like you” or so I’m told my wife.
On a sad note, this year we had to put down our dog Buddy of fifteen years,
It was an incredibly hard time, and we shed many tears.
After grieving awhile the void he left was driving us crazy,
so away to the pound the family went, coming home with our Daisy.
Our home is as chaotic as it’s ever been, and there isn’t a day,
that’d I’d change a thing, not in one little way.
You may find our lives may be crazy, but it causes us no pain,
for we are not crazy, you’re just overly sane!
If you’re not smiling by the end of this letter,
take two of these and I hope you feel better!
May God bless and keep you all the year through,
and know that we’re proof that He loves us all too.

My Life Summarized in One Picture

2011-10-26T14:28:00.003-05:00

Testing The Streak

2011-10-05T12:25:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe with the current 70-90 degree weather that this is coming, and I hope they are wrong, but this winter could be a brutal commuting winter. I refuse to let my commuting to work streak go down without a fight, but I may need to think about adding to my winter clothing collection.

Respect the Blinky

2011-10-05T07:40:00.000-05:00

As many of you already know, my bike IS my transportation 95% of the time. This means often riding at night. That's pretty much all the setup you need for this post.

After the USD/SDSU Volleyball game (shameful plug - USD wins 3-1 !!), I was on my way home, riding safely with my reflectors off my Timbuk 2 Messenger Bag -- aka "the man purse" or murse if you will -- and my front and rear blinky lights. It was a beautiful night and I was just enjoying the ride.

I admit I was cruising right along, but wasn't focused too heavily on anything when a car turned in front of me from a stop sign. It was no major thing, they had plenty of space and I was never in danger so I didn't think about it. Within a half block, I see them tap the brakes once, then again, and then pull over to the side of the road. As already stated, I wasn't too focused so I didn't think too much of it until I passed them and then they started to pull out behind me again. It was then the I realized that the car must have mistaken my blinky light for the police. It was the only explanation that I could come up with. Due to my lack of overall focus I don't know if they may have not completely stopped at the stop sign and thought they were busted or what, but I enjoyed a good laugh about it.

They didn't pass me for the two blocks until I turned towards my house and then drove merrily on their way. After posting a shorter version of this on Facebook, somebody stated that a "Respect the Blinky" t shirt campaign is in order. It could happen. Lord knows we need more people to use them in Vermillion. With the beauty of having many people on bicycles in this town, comes the issue of no lights with those riding at night. A campaign may just have to happen. All you designer types mock something up and send it to me.

Old Guys Win Intramural Bike Race

2011-09-16T07:49:00.000-05:00

As temperatures dipped into the 50's only the hearty (crazy?) showed up for the USD Intramural Bike Race. The race consisted of, well, Team Barking Dog Cycling Club! Craig D., Randy R., and I had a personal bike race that took some of the fun out of an actual race, but hey, we get Intramural Champion T-Shirts for our effort! I edged Randy R. by a little over :20 seconds, but it wasn't exactly a glory victory as I sucked his wheel for a good eight miles before trying to give him a little draft. He fell back and I just kept going and he never caught back up. In Time Trial mode, I probably wouldn't have won.

Best 10K Time Trial Yet

2011-09-07T07:44:00.003-05:00

I took the Bacchetta Ti Aero to a new low on the 10K Time Trial route. Official Time (according to the timer) was 14:46. I don't think I went sub 15 on the diamond frame even. I love this bike! Now to learn the fine art of turning around at the midway point, get clipped back in and up to speed faster.

Captialization IS Important

2011-08-18T13:39:00.003-05:00

In the world of hi-tech gadgetry, I've noticed that more and more people who send text messages and emails have forgotten the Art of Capitalization (using Capital letters properly); for those of you who fall into this category, please take note of the following statement:

Capitalization is the difference between helping your Uncle Jack off a horse, and helping your uncle jack off a horse.

Is everybody clear on that??

LATE EDIT: My friend Snakebite also reminds me of the extreme importance of punctuation:

Proper punctuation can save lives, too: It's time to eat, Grandpa! It's time to eat Grandpa!

MS 150 - Riding for MS - Not Ourselves

2011-08-11T21:37:00.005-05:00

This last weekend I had a great time on my 14th Multiple Sclerosis 150 Bike Tour. On a fundraising ploy, I made the challenge that if I raised $2500, I would dye my hair orange and if I raised $3000, I would dye my hair and wear a skirt on the ride. Care to guess how that turned out?

As of this posting, I have in the neighborhood of $3400 raised. I'm quite happy to do silly things to raise a little money for the MS Society. For those of you who gave me the wonderful whistles and the one marriage proposal, sorry, I'm taken.

It seemed that the banquet is where things went wrong for some. You see, the MS Society did a couple different things after the ride this time. Upon completion, you received (a very useful) head/sweat band from the MS Society. It was a trade off for patches for riding the century loop on the ride. Seriously, you would have thought that you was physically taking money away from people from some reactions.

The uproar from not getting a "patch" for the century ride -- of which I have a stack of -- somewhere -- actually caused at least one person to tell one of the MS ladies that he wouldn't return next year. *pause for effect* Yep. That's right. Somebody actually said they wouldn't come back because of the century patch. Seriously. Oh yes, it was an adult, just in case you were wondering.

I do admit, there were some 'traditional' things at the banquet that didn't happen this year that I missed: Recognition of top teams, top fundraisers (although they were on the video), rookie riders, and riders who have participated in multiple years. Missed, but nothing that would cause me major panic.

Maybe I'm 90% optimistic and only 10% pessimistic, but something really has to set me off to get THAT excited over anything. We need to remember why we are there. It isn't about us. It's about the MS Society. We are raising money for the MS Society. It isn't about a self gratification. We should be thankful for all they do for us on this ride. The support, the cheering, all the things that happen behind the scenes: It's simply incredible!

My rant is coming to a close but this has been eating at me all week so it had to come out. If the person who actually told the MS Society they wasn't going to ride over a patch is reading this -- and I hope they are -- sit back, relax, and think about it. Why are you riding this ride? For yourself or for the MS Society? Is a patch worth upsetting the wonderful ladies of the MS Society? What do you do with the patches anyway? I will gladly give you my stack of patches that are somewhere in my garage. Also, if you are reading this, I hope you are person enough to send an apology to the MS Society and plan on riding next year. It isn't about the patch, it's about people living with MS.

Get Bent

2011-08-11T16:42:00.003-05:00

Yep. For those of you who are friends on Facebook you already knew this, but now the rest of you must know. I have this:

...and it's fast! My back really thanks me for this purchase.

A Bike Commuter Moment

2011-06-30T09:50:00.002-05:00

You know you're a bike commuter when you go to get into a car and you still tie your pant leg back so it doesn't get caught in the chain.

Ignite SD Speech

2011-06-27T11:44:00.003-05:00

Kevin Brady at Ignite Yankton from Ignite SD on Vimeo.

This was my first attempt at an Ignite speech in Yankton, SD on May 31, 2011. In retrospect I should have actually practiced and not made my topic so broad, instead of just winging it. You know what? That just wouldn't be me. I may have to give this another shot someday.

Tour de Kota '11 - Sioux Falls to Brookings

2011-06-05T22:01:00.004-05:00

Tour de Kota 2011 started with an unusual late start for me as I didn't hit the road until after 0730. I rolled out alone and after skirting traffic and other bicyclists leaving Sioux Falls I stepped it up a notch as I knew it was going to get pretty warm and I wasn't too excited about spending my day out in the hot sun. I was sporting my USD Coyote jersey to make sure everybody I rolled by, got to be passed by pure awesomeness. I moved on through Brandon as I was just getting my legs warmed up. Garretson was about 25 miles in and by then the hunger pains started taking over so I wandered downtown to find the American Legion serving Biscuits and Gravy, Eggs, Ham, Toast and drink for $5. It’s hard for me to say no to two things: Military based fundraisers and biscuits and gravy.

I had a usual occurrence at the Legion though. I washed my face and in doing so, set my rather old head wrap down. Realizing I had forgotten it, I went back in less than five minutes later and it was gone. This gross, sweaty, old, ratty, head wrap was gone. Somebody was either a) a klepto, b)¬ in desperate need of a head wrap or c) a little of both.

About half way between Garretson and Dell Rapids, I slowly caught a couple gentlemen that I had met from San Antonio and New Orleans. Shortly thereafter they hooked on with me and we pounded a stretch north in the 22.5 mph range and then in the 25-27 range heading west towards Dell Rapids. One fell off and his buddy dropped back to him. Alone again.

I stopped in Dell Rapids and caught up with some friends, including my friend Valerie who I hadn’t been on a ride with since our BRAN (Bike Ride Across Nebraska) days. After a bit of chit chat, I left to move on again. On my way out I rolled into the heard of FAB riders that made me feel like Norm from cheers. Many shouts of “Kevin”, “Brady”, “k-BiLLy” made me feel the love.

On the way to Colman I ran across a few of the local riders proudly sporting their USD jersey as we moved into SDSU territory. Upon stopping in Colman I caught up with the Wynia family and Derek asked if he could ride the last 26 miles with me. I instantly warned him of what happened the last time a young Wynia decided to ride with me for the first time. I was a little more accommodating to young Derek as I backed off a few times to when I caught glimpses that he might be suffering a little.

Derek and I rolled into Brookings with both bagging any ideas of riding the century loop. I pulled off and met Laura and Derek went on to SDSU. After Laura had a couple hours of working her massage magic on a few friends, we headed back to her sister Dulci’s house for the evening.

Stats of the day:

Different College Jerseys that I spotted: University of South Dakota, South Dakota State University, Augustana, University of Sioux Falls, University of Northern Iowa, Montana State University, Kansas State, Nebraska.

Funniest add on to a jersey: Seen strapped to the back of a jersey: “I’m old so don’t hit me. Push me!”

A New Joy and an Old Rant Revisited

2011-03-29T13:33:00.004-05:00

Oh Barnes and Noble Color Nook, how I love thee. You have made reading enjoyable for me once again. You see, I've always loved to read. However, I have a visual tracking issue that makes reading print that is close in proximity difficult. I can still do it, but I often have to reread things as words try to change positions or I track to the wrong line. It makes reading for enjoyment, well, not enjoyable.

Enter: the Nook. I can change line spacing, text size, brightness of the screen and life is once again good. Since the Nook has entered our household, I have enjoyed reading a great deal once again. I know there are many people who still need to "hold the book in their hand", but in my case the Nook was something I wish I had checked into long ago.

One great thing about the color Nook is the ability to read magazines that are published in electronic format. I decided to see what was available out there and much to my surprise, I couldn't find any bicycling publications available.

Back in November of 2007 I had a bit of a rant against Bicycling Magazine that you can read about HERE. Here we are, over three years later, and it's still hard to find a bicycling magazine in electronic format.

Many of us in the bicycling world tout ourselves as living a pretty "green" life, but still our industry is failing to offer an electronic option with most of its magazines. Even the magazines that have print only options tout our green ways. I find this disconcerting and a little more than hypocritical. I know it's a small thing, but for some reason it really doesn't sit well with me. How about you? Want to change our little corner of the world? Let your favorite bicycling magazines know that you would like to see them offer a digital option.

CARtoons

2011-03-09T15:52:00.004-06:00

An Obvious Question That I've Never Been Asked

2011-03-09T07:31:00.002-06:00

Out of all the questions that you get asked by people, sometimes it's the most obvious that can throw you for a loop. In my case, it was for an upcoming article in a local newspaper mainly discussing my commuting to work by bike streak. The question:

How long do you plan to continue this biking lifestyle?

I know you must be asking yourself how such a simple question could throw me for a loop? Well, I've just never thought about it I guess. Three years ago I made a lifestyle change to commute by bike every day. Two years ago I solidified it by selling our second vehicle. Commuting by bike is such a part of me that I can't foresee the need to go back anymore. Sure things can change, and they probably will. When/Why will the commuting streak end? Your guess is as good as mine, but know that I'm VERY stubborn when I put my mind to something.

So my official answer to the interview question? Here you go: "Amazingly, this is a question that I have never been asked and never thought about. Unless something unforeseen happens, I’ll do it as long as I possibly can. That’s the beauty of bicycling, it truly can be a lifetime activity."

For those of you who could commute by bike easily but make up excuses not to, please try it. You'll feel better and be a better person because of it. Soon you may be like me and it will be tougher for you to think about using a vehicle than hopping on your bike, especially for short trips.

Have two vehicle payments and your budget is tight? I've got a solution!

Attention Cyclists With Any USD Affiliation (Past/Present)

2011-02-24T12:14:00.007-06:00

June 10th, the last day of Tour de Kota, there is a plan in motion to ride from Vermillion to Sioux Falls en mass wearing this one of a kind, special order jersey. There will be no ability to order these EVER again so you will own part of history.

Requirements you ask?
1. Sign up for Tour de Kota (all week or just the one day)
2. Get me your t-shirt and jersey size via email (bikingbrady AT gmail DOT com). Do this soon as we will be ordering within the next week or two.
3. Ride on June 10th (at least).

Let's have a sea of Coyote jerseys fill the rural landscape!

LATE EDIT FROM USD EMAIL: Team USD members will also have the opportunity to purchase, at a reduced cost, a one of a kind, limited edition USD bike jersey commemorating the event. If you are interested in riding as part of the USD team, please go to http://link.usd.edu/3563 by February 25th to sign up and order your jersey.
****For this you will need a USD Email account. If you don't have a USD email account but would like to ride with USD pride, email me.

The Obligatory 1000th Consecutive Day of Commuting Post

2011-02-18T05:13:00.001-06:00

Why Did I Get Started on the Streak?
Simple answer: I’m not sure. More likely answer: I wanted to encourage others to try it. I already had a pretty good following on my blog and decided to try my hand at making them commuters.

Worst Weather/Coldest Day:
The two are actually mutually exclusive. The coldest air temp was -28F. The coldest wind chill was -58. Neither was the worst day of commuting. Unexpected cold rain sucks the absolute worst. Getting caught without rain gear and soaked wet, cold clothing. That friends, is the worst.

Number of times I’ve crashed while commuting during the streak
In the 5-7 range, usually on ice: Three times hard that come to mind. A couple times where I crashed “gracefully” and the bike took off on the ice for a good distance longer. One crash on the “post winter gravel” last year was actually one of the hardest on my body. The concrete was the only thing to hit and I went down hard and fast.

Things I’ve been asked/told:
1. Did you get a DUI or something? Um, no.
2. Did you ride today? Usually a question asked on the nastiest of days, testing to see how psychotic I truly am, or secretly trying to be the first one to ask me on the day that the streak ends.
3. How was your ride in today? Also usually asked on the nastiest of days, but by people who have long since accepted the fact that I undoubtedly rode by bike to work.
4. I’ve been asked numerous questions about the best gear for commuting. This is always encouraging as it means people are actually considering commuting by bike.

Random Thoughts
The streak would be 49 days longer, but right as I was getting ready to leave on March 2, 2007, a good friend of mine called and offered to pick me up because she was worried that the conditions were too nasty out. They’ve been worse on numerous occasions since.

There are two types of commuting I have counted during this streak: My normal commute to work (.92-1 mile depending on the route) and my “second” job with the production team with the Daktronics Scoreboard at the Dakota Dome (1.6 miles one way). I have commuted to Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls (a 66 mile commute) to work Daktronics equipment for track meets. I’ve never counted them directly, but I usually commuted to work for a couple hours on those days also.

I have had to push my bike part of the two blocks to Main Street on three occasions (that I can remember) due to snow that was just too deep. Once on Main Street, I hit emergency routes.

Because of my use of the bicycle to do everyday tasks around town, I made a decision to sell my car. When I brought it up to my wife, she didn’t even flinch. Within a month it was sold. We’ve been a one vehicle family since March 8, 2008. I can honestly say there has only been a couple of times since that having a second car would have been handy.

Use of my Burley Trailer, aka “The Grocery Getter”, has been part of a number of conversations. I’ve often posted about the contents of my Rubbermaid container that I use on my trailer. Yet again erasing excuses for people who say the bicycle isn’t practical.

This isn't the most exciting post I've ever written, but to me the 1000th day is just another day. Is it cool?? Sure. I remember when I was excited about my 300th day. Now they just seem to be another day in a great way of life.

I will allow you this opportunity to ask questions you have about commuting or the streak. I'll do my best to answer.

As I Continue to Grow Up

2011-02-16T20:08:00.000-06:00

I never want to totally grow up. I love my ability to act 12 years old from time to time....Okay, often. However, I will never do things that will potentially make bicycling more dangerous or give cyclists the perception of being completely arrogant. We have enough issues on the road without furthering a stereotype of arrogance. Where am I going with all this? I'll try to make sense of it now.

Understand that I've been sitting on this blog post for over a year now. Partially because I was upset over a website and wanted time to think about my response (really? you needed over a YEAR?) and partially because I didn't really want to draw attention to said website that caused my angst.

Cyclists are an expressive bunch. I completely get that. From my single speed friends who proudly announce their pride with a "One F**king Speed" sticker on their chainstay to those of us who have at least one very loud, and often many, obnoxious jerseys. I want none of you to ever lose that expression. You can even disagree with what I'm about to say (and many of you will) and I'll still consider you a friend. Really.

Get to the damn point already! Damn, yes, that's a good place to start. There is a website that promotes some jerseys that I have a personal beef with. Sharethedamnroad.com started with a jersey that, as you may have guessed, is emblazoned with SHARE THE DAMN ROAD on it. Since then they have come out with the equally subtle DON'T RUN ME OVER, I'M A TAXPAYER (share the road), and others.

DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT A VIOLENT PERSON AND DO NOT CONDONE HARMING ANY LIVING PERSON FOR ANY REASON.

For just a minute, let's pretend I don't bike (Hey, I said pretend). Furthermore, let's pretend that I HATE cyclists with a burning passion. I'm out driving in the country in my SUV all by myself since it would be absolutely incredulous to have more than one person in this size of a vehicle. Suddenly, there they are, those hated cyclists in a pack spanning the whole road. What's that? They are wearing jersey's saying "Share the Damn Road" and "Don't Run Me Over" and others. I think I need to show them who really owns the road and go by as close as I can and maybe throw something at them. BINGO! Drilled one with my pop bottle! That'll teach 'em!

Okay, that was over the top, especially from me. Do you see my point though? Even for those who support us on the road but don't bicycle, don't you think that such messages might cause damage to our hope of their ongoing support?

While I do understand that is NOT the message intended to be portrayed on this website, I think they are failing. There are blogs who readily link to the site and their jerseys. There are also blogs, who like I, think a few of the jerseys do a great disservice to cyclists. I've had my say on the subject. I now jump back off my soap box and return to normal living.

Car Free America Day

2011-02-08T07:48:00.001-06:00

Today is Car Free America Day. I did my usual short commute, but I definitely didn't bundle up quite enough. I needed a couple more layers as all I had on were jeans and tennis shoes from the waist down. My Helly Hansen Parka sufficed but I had a few frozen whiskers that were exposed from my balaclava. It's hard for me to proclaim this, but today was beyond chilly. Today my friends, it officially hit COLD.

Really - It's NOT Me!

2011-02-03T07:53:00.003-06:00

A friend of mine sent me a picture of my brother-from-another-mother in Milwaukee. See Mom, I'm not the only one. Long live the year round bike commuter!!

Dear Mother Nature

2011-02-02T07:53:00.002-06:00

Dear Mother Nature,

You can't defeat me, you can only hope to contain me.

Sincerely,

Biking Brady

For Only The Hardy Cyclist

2011-01-19T07:49:00.004-06:00

USD Wellness Center - First Impression

2011-01-11T13:23:00.002-06:00

I just had a sneak peak into the USD Wellness Center and all I have to say is: AWESOME! I'm very impressed with the setup and the way things look. Things are being unpacked at the speed of light. It's going to take awhile to get the "new car smell" out of the building, but it's nothing too toxic.

The two basketball courts are much larger than I expected and the multipurpose court definitely should be cool as well (volleyball, tennis, other sports). Two raquetball courts, two fitness rooms (Yoga and other fitness classes), climbing wall, walking track, and LOTS of exercise equipment. It was a whirlwind walk through, but I'm very impressed that Vermillion will have something of this quality.

Oh yeah, I forgot one thing. Although this probably will not be the final set up of the room, I'm sure you might have an idea what room this is:

The Summit is Coming - The Summit is Coming!

2011-01-05T19:29:00.003-06:00

Don't delay, register today!

Brady Christmas Rhyme of 2010

2010-12-19T21:01:00.001-06:00

There’s not much time before Christmas and with lots on our plate,
I must write this greeting before it’s too late!
So here is our electronic message to make you all glad,
Unless you are stuck without internet, and that would be sad.
Our youngest is now seven, and he’s awfully busy,
By the end of the day, Mom and I oft feel quite dizzy.
It’s been a rough year for Carson and he’s often in pain,
Teeth have been lost and stitches been gained.
Snoozing is the only time you won’t hear a peep,
Except for those nights he talks in his sleep.
Marissa at twelve found it quite nifty
That she was finally old enough for the MS One-Fifty.
As she trained real hard on the back of the tandem bike,
It was the miles of bonding that Dad sure did like.
One night Laura texted me while buying shoes for our teen,
Austin is now moved from shoes to skis as he hit size thirteen!
At fourteen years old, he’s around two inches shy,
Of being eye to eye with his Dad and soon shoot right by.
For Mom and Dad this year the word water draws a shiver,
As not once, but twice, our basement resembled a river.
When not working on making the basement back to a livable space,
We seem to run kids all over the place.
Bicycle advocacy efforts are still heavy on my plate,
As I currently serve as President of our local club and the Coalition of the state.
From sunrise to set my day’s always full and busy as heck,
Meanwhile Laura has been keeping our household in check.
I’m still at the U and Laura is still the best massage therapist around,
Make your appointment early when you know you’ll be in town!
If it’s been awhile since we’ve seen your smiling face,
Drop us a line and we’ll meet at your or our place.
That’s about all we have to say that you’d want to hear,
So have a great Christmas and an awesome New Year!

Winter Bike Parking at Work

2010-12-15T07:52:00.002-06:00

Last year I had to complete a few phone calls to remind the nice people on the grounds staff that it was unacceptable for my parking space to be so buried that I couldn't even see the rack. Their solution was acceptable: They came by with a bobcat and at least got it to the point where I could lock up.

This year I made a single phone call, catching their voice mail. I was very kind in stating that it would be nice if they could cut out at least a couple spots in the bike rack as I commute all winter and I'm sure that building maintenance staff probably doesn't appreciate me bringing my bike inside, making a mess as the snow and crud melts off it.

Return voice mail message: "I apologize for it not being cleaned off as of yet and I'll put it on a higher priority for upcoming snowfalls. We will have it cleared of later today or early tomorrow."

It's good to be the king.

Winter Commuting

2010-12-13T12:34:00.004-06:00

I managed to survive until this weekend to put on the studded tires. The strange part of waiting until the last possible second to put them on is the fact that I actually enjoy winter commuting. I know, I know...WHY?!?!?! Allow me to explain a few reasons:

1. Crisp clean air. There is something about the air, cold as it may be, in the winter verses other times of the year. If you can find a side street with little traffic, the air seems so pure in the Winter. Of course, I'm speaking from a rural South Dakota perspective. On the other hand, I have also noticed that I can tell when a car that has a smoker in it goes by, even with the windows up. Car exhaust also seems stronger if you get behind a vehicle with nasty exhaust. I'm not sure what causes the senses to be so heightened in the cold, but it's definitely a wonderful experience. Thankfully my route is usually car free, so I get a much more enjoyable crisp air experience.

2. The sound of the studded tires on a quiet snow packed street. There is simply no describing this one. You just have to experience it.

3. No "warming up" of my vehicle. Contrary to my failed attempts at talking my kids into "warming up" my bike, I don't need to plan my morning around what time I need to start the vehicle to have it warm enough for when leave for work. Gear up and go!

Even after all these years of commuting, I still get some pretty strange looks on a day like today when the temperature starts below zero. It's really not as bad as people think. The right equipment/gear on plowed streets, and winter commuting is a breeze. A calm winter day like today is actually one of my favorite commuting days. What's stopping you from commuting during the winter?

Author's note: I'm not crazy. I have a psychiatrists full analysis stating so.

My Record is in Danger

2010-12-08T21:47:00.004-06:00

**Note, I started this about a month ago. I'm REALLY trying to get better about blogging!!

No, my consecutive number of days riding my bicycle to work is not in danger. What is in danger is the number of times that stitches have been received. With new technology, it's only fair that I add "gluing" and "staples" as well.

I truly believe that Carson was born just so I could have a child that reminds me of....well....ME at each age. It really frustrates me to no end too. I'd like to take a moment and say: "I'm really sorry Mom and Dad for being this naughty." I am pretty sure that Dad helped in the creation process of Carson. He's up there nudging God saying "Why don't you make him JUST like Kevin was at that age". I can even hear his mouth-full-of-Copenhagen giggle as he says it. Good one Dad.

Let's set this up on a case by case basis:

Kevin - Accident 1 - First Stitches: 5 years old. Two layers on the chin hitting the side of the pool going off the diving board. Unsure of the total number, but was in the 14-20 range.

Carson - Accident 1 - First Gluing: 1 year old. Marissa, who would have been six at the time, was trying to help her brother out of the crib, lost her balance and accidentally hit Carson's head on the edge of a table. Ever pay $1000 for a tube of glue? We have.

Kevin - Accident 2 - Second Stitches: ~7 years old. Hit in the head by a tractor loader by brother's friends. Wish I had a fancy story on this one, but I'm sure the visual is plenty clear on this one. A loader was flipped up from the down position clipping me on the head.

Carson - Accident 2 - First Staples: 4 years old. A friend of our oldest son was holding the screen door open for Carson and he came up the stairs not paying attention, with his head down and ran into the side of the door with his head.

Kevin - Accident 3: ~ 8 years old. Slipped on ice and fell into the wall of the Post Office. Told Mom later that I was feeling warm and she told me take my hat off, which was half full of blood. Off to Viborg Memorial Hospital once again.

Carson - Accident 3 - Glue #2: 4 years old. About a month after the staples, Carson was "swinging" between the table and a wall at Taco Johns and lost his balance and split his chin open on the table.

Kevin - Accident 4 - Stitches: ~11 years old. At good old Wakonda School we had monkey bars with 4x4's in between the height changes. I was getting really good at hanging upside down and sitting back up. Then I figured out that I could do a complete rotation by keeping my knees tight and falling backwards. I was getting very good at it...until that one fateful time when I got a little sideways and drilled the back of my head on the edge of the 4x4's. The teachers were freaking out because of the amount of blood. At this point I calmly told them I was fine and to call Mom because I probably needed stitches.

Carson - Accident 4 - Stitches #1: 7 years old. Going down the tube slide at the school was much faster on his backpack, according to Carson. So before school, he managed to somehow flip over on his side on the way down with his backpack and slammed his head into the tube of the slide. Best part of this story is that Carson didn't cry. He went into class with his hood up. The teacher asked him to lower his hood and he did. She noticed his eye was red and told him to go down to the school nurse and get an ice pack, which he did. When he was done with the ice pack he asked to take it back. The teacher informed Carson to tell the nurse "Thank you for getting him the ice pack" to which Carson said "Oh, I got it myself because she was busy". That alone is a pretty telling tale of my son--how many 2nd graders, in a new school--already know where the ice packs are?!?!? The teacher took a closer look at his eye, walked him to the nurse and subsequently Laura was called to pick him up for his trip to the doctor.

Kevin - Accident 5 - stitches: age 20-something - I was playing noon basketball at the armory. When I tried to knock the ball out of Ken Havner's hands from behind, he spun around and we smacked noggins. After kicking the ground in pain for a few seconds, I knew I was in trouble as the blood was just pouring out from my eye brow area. Drove myself to the doctors office for stitches. Later in the day found out that Ken ended up in the hospital for a CAT scan as he wasn't sure of where he was at. Pretty solid smack indeed.

Carson - Accident 5 - Stitches #2: approximately 3 weeks after stitches #1. A day off from school and even though we were going to send Carson to a friends house, Marissa wanted to babysit Carson. Marissa decided to it would be fun to whittle wood with a rather sharp kitchen knife. I really don't need to tell you the rest of the story, do I? I received the call early in the afternoon: Carson cut his hand and it is bleeding pretty bad. After visiting the neighbors, they called and said that he probably needs to go in. Three more stitches.

Kevin - Accident 6 - Stitches #6: Somewhere in my later 20's - Playing softball I hit one to the left side of the infield and the throw was bobbled by the first baseman. When he finally got control of the ball, he was straddling the line and we ran into each other hard. Unfortunately, he was much taller and bigger than I. My sunglasses broke above and below my eye and I was duly stitched in both areas.

Kevin - Accident 7 - Stitches #7: 40 years old. Working on a bicycle, my hand slipped and I punctured it on the big ring of my mountain bike. It was extremely deep (and I thought fun to pull apart to "look inside") but I had to get three more stitches.

This year I had stitches for a mole removal, but in the spirit of an "accident only" record, I'm throwing that one out of the running.

So at this point, Carson is only two short accidents away from tying a record that has taken me over 40 years to accumulate. I'm competitive and don't like to lose. Should the day come that Carson ties or breaks my record, I'll feel the need to injure myself in a spectacular way. How should I do it? I need some input. Bicycle related ideas will receive special consideration.

Regular vs. Decaf

2010-11-22T16:26:00.001-06:00

I knew the truth would come out sooner or later.

A Father's Advice

2010-10-28T20:27:00.007-05:00

"Always expect the other vehicle to do the stupidest thing possible and you will always be safe." - Cecil W. Brady, Jr.

My Dad didn't always have much in the way of worldly advice, however I do remember a few dirty jokes, and a few 'songs' that shouldn't be repeated. Ever. However, the advice above has always been with me. I can't tell you the number of times that it has saved me an accident both in a vehicle and on the bicycle.

One place that I've always felt pretty safe is stop lights. If there is a place that I have always scanned with my peripheral vision quickly and merrily went on my way, it's a stop light. Enter yesterday at noon.

I was on my way to the Dakota Dome for my cycling workout. There is a new stop light by the Law School (Rose St.) that is a nice addition, because at noon it can be a bear getting across Cherry St. and it's not as busy a light from the North/South as Dakota St. -- hence, it's a great light for bicycles.

As I dropped off the side walk between the Business School and the Law School the light changed. That gives me all of about ten seconds to get across the street before it changes. I put the hammer down as the countdown commenced: 10....9.....8....7....6....5....Awesome! Going to make it with plenty of time! As I focused on the countdown and I was zipping across Cherry St., out of the corner of my eye I see a Blue Minivan type vehicle - newer style - coming WAY too fast. Yep, it's not stopping. I'm going to get thumped. I swerved as far to the left as I could (thank goodness no car was coming towards me) as the driver FINALLY noticed me and locked it up.

I would LOVE to report to you the license plate that I've become so famous for calling out, but I was so close to the van all I could see was a guy in his uniform (Army? ROTC?) and beret in the passenger seat. Far too close to SEE the license plate. I got a quick glance back at the driver and it appeared that he was on a cell phone (SHOCKING!) but I couldn't confirm that as I was too busy being amazed that I didn't get hit.

I should have stopped, but my adrenaline was on high and I just pedaled on. I did look back and hold my arm out in a "What the heck was you thinking?" motion. The van was still stopped in the middle of the intersection briefly before deciding that being in the MIDDLE of the intersection wasn't the place to be and he went on. There is a part of me that hopes this near accident encourages this person to cut down their distractions when they drive. It just may save a life. It may be mine.

Dad, I miss you but I'm not coming to join you just yet. Thanks for some of the best advice I ever received and it now will be applied at stop lights as well.

Where Did He Go?

2010-10-25T12:25:00.005-05:00

Even some of my non-bicycling friends has wondered what has been going on and why I haven't been blogging. I do admit that some of it has to deal with being able to "micro blog" via Facebook, but it's time to give all three of my readers what they want: What's going on inside that twisted mind!

This post is going to be in outline format just to get you up to speed.

I. Bicycling
   A. MS 150
    1. Completed w/ 12 yr old daughter on Tandem. Very proud Dad.
  B. Other
     1. Had injury (see II) so had to back way off.
  C. Schnoctobeerfest
    1. First road ride in two months due to injury. Did decent, but not 100% yet.
      a. My "Cannibal" Belgium Ale homebrew took home top honors in the beer judging.

II. Injury
   A. Small fracture to the medial malleolus (ankle)
    1. How?
      a. Unsure - possible roll of the ankle playing with dog in March.
  2. Duration?
    a. Ankle had mild to severe pain from March on.
   3. Why did I wait so long to have it looked at?
    a. See I-A above. Sometimes a Father's love means taking one for the team.
   4. How is it now?
     a. 4 out of 5 stars
       1. Beginning to think the diagnosis of possible slight arthritis in ankle is real as some days it takes some coaxing to get moving.

III. Why haven't you blogged?
  A. Depression/Not Motivated
     1. Unable to bike even close to what I normally bike put me in a bad funk.
    2. I blog (usually) about biking, and I just wasn't biking.
   B. The Great Flood of 2010
     1. Have spent much of the late spring/summer fixing the wrath of mother nature. Two separate basement floods equals much work to be done.

IV. What's next
  A. More blogging. I promise this time.

Is YOUR Trip Necessary?

2010-06-21T11:19:00.004-05:00

Snakebite told me to pass this along. When Snakebite talks, people listen. He's sort of the modern day E.F. Hutton.

Conditions Even I Won't Ride In

2010-05-24T16:59:00.002-05:00

Bunyan's To Bob's 2010 Spring Classic

2010-05-18T13:00:00.009-05:00

When: May 22nd
Starting Point: Bunyan's, Vermillion, SD. Will get together at Kevin's house (131 Catalina) and leave house for Bunyan's at 9:30. Park at the Vermillion High School lot.
Time: 9:00 meet and greet (and a mandatory Bunyan Bomber), 10:00 departure
Destination: Bob's Bar, Martinsburg, NE
Cost: $10 suggested donation for ride and support and after ride festivities (can't tell you everything, but there is a special BiLLy surprise involved).

If you are planning on coming and can throw a couple lawn chairs in, please do so! If you need more info, let me know!

CLICK FOR BIG!

The BIG Commute

2010-04-30T18:29:00.004-05:00

Once or twice a year I get the opportunity to take commuting to a whole different level from normal. I get the opportunity to trade in my one mile commute for a 67 mile commute. I work at the Howard Wood Dakota Relays in Sioux Falls and for the State Track Meet when it's in Sioux Falls. Today was one of those beauty days for the commute with WSW wind around 10 mph. My ankle is still giving me a hard time (more on that in a long detailed post soon) but I managed to hammer out a little better than 22 mph average.

I'm not exactly sure how my brethren from Sioux Falls handle in town travel. There sure isn't much respect for you on the streets. Oh yeah, and to the redneck in the beat up truck with a cigarette hanging from his mouth who yelled "get the f**k off the road" on the corner of Marion/12th street, I'd be glad to sit down and discuss the rules of the road with you. If that doesn't work, I'm okay with a good old fashioned throw down as well.

A Must Blog Moment

2010-04-21T21:43:00.002-05:00

This is a little too long to Twitter about, but I hope the humor of it translates well in a blog post.

I had just completed a 31 mile bike ride when my youngest asked if we could do a "fire pit". That sounded pretty good since the wind was really low and we had a couple of downed branches to burn. After the fire was going good and Laura got home, she brought out the makings for Smores. As we were making them I leaned over and my cell phone in my pocket got bumped and the following transpired:

Phone: Say a command
Me: Shut up
Phone: Calling Laura
*short pause*
Everyone: Uncontrollable laughter as Laura's phone rings

First Idiot of 2010

2010-04-07T17:14:00.002-05:00

It's been awhile since I've felt the need to blog about poor driving in my "calling out idiots" section. The time has come.

In my crude drawing below, I'll try to set the scenario. I was coming to work and there is a one block section with stop signs on both ends. Also keep in mind that I'm not what you would call a slow commuter as a rule. As I'm closing in on the stop sign a car ZOOMS up beside me.

Unfortunately my oath to keep my cool in such situations went out the window when I realized they was trying to squeeze me out AT THE STOP SIGN after I had taken 1/4 of the lane to prevent this. I glared back, used a 'mild' expletive that roughly translates to "stupid donkey". They didn't pull up beside me completely once they realized I was mad, but I made sure to glance back to check the license plates.

BUT WAIT...The car is now in the PASSING LANE, STOPPED at the stop sign and traffic is coming both ways on the street. I can't go, they can't go. Does this story get better? Yup. A car is turning TOWARDS the car now stopped on the wrong side of the street. I shake my head, laugh, and cross the street.

For this piece of brilliant driving:

SD Plate 19AX25 - Welcome to "The List"

Barking Dog Cycling Club

2010-04-06T11:02:00.003-05:00

It's official! The bicycle club formally known as the Lane Hogs have voted to become the Barking Dog Cycling Club. Why Barking Dog? It's a part of who we are in these here neck of the woods. Check out the story of how the name came about HERE, and become a fan on Facebook. See you on the roads. Watch out for the pack.

Must. Start. Blogging. Again

2010-03-26T14:19:00.004-05:00

Sometimes I just need inspiration to continue doing what I'm doing on this blog. To be honest, inspiration has been lacking lately. Then something comes along and you realize that maybe you do make a difference to people out there on the internets.

The gang over at Environmental Science Degrees gave me a shout out on a post for "55 bicycle sites to go green and get fit". Point taken. People do pay attention and I have an obligation to continue on my motivational path. Thanks for the kick in the pants.

Why Were They Looking Anyway?

2010-03-25T14:19:00.002-05:00

Biker Down

2010-03-05T07:14:00.003-06:00

Outside of a couple slight slips on the ice this winter, it's been uneventful in the spectacular crash department. I had to wait until the roads were free of ice for that.

Yesterday on my way to the Dakota Dome, I was clipping along thanks to a south wind. It was a beautiful day, first day over 40 degrees in 91 days here in Vermillion, with winds pushing me along from the South. When you turn into the dome parking lot there is a little S-curve to deal with. I was right behind two cars having fun leaning into the curves when my front tire disappeared from under me and I slammed to the ground at approximately 15mph.

Two things I learned from this accident:
1. The sand left over from winter street sanding is like riding on marbles
2. When the front wheel goes out from under you, the chances are exponentially higher that there will be no awesome recovery, but the chance of a spectacular crash is nearly 100%.

Accident results:
1. Bloody right elbow
2. Bloody right knee
3. Gravel dimples in my right shoulder
4. A stylish hole in the knee of my jeans
5. Hurt pride

I still sucked it up and led my indoor cycling class, but I definitely felt the effects of the accident and still do.

Before Biking Brady

2010-02-27T21:56:00.005-06:00

Before Biking Brady there was Running Brady. Trust me, I'm a better bicyclist.

I felt like I had the life by the tail in 1990. This picture is from my first marathon. I ran my second at the Twin Cities Marathon that October. Less than a month later I was activated for Desert Shield/Storm. After that back issues forced me to leave distance running. I found my outlet in distance bicycling and the rest is Biking Brady history in the making.

Input Needed

2010-02-22T12:19:00.002-06:00

With the recent 3 foot law (SB70) considered by the South Dakota Senate Transportation Committee and then the Senate itself and the South Dakota Bicycle Coalition (SDBC) being a driving force behind the push to attempt to get the law passed, there is little doubt that bicycle safety took a positive step forward, even with the bill failing. The SDBC plans to move forward with a "Share the Road" campaign, which will continue to better educate motorists and bicyclists alike on the laws and the general safety of all concerned when it comes to their interaction on the roadways. All things cycling seem to be taking a positive path in the great State of South Dakota.

With these new found advocacy efforts, I need some outside input as to the name of our local bicycle club, the Lane Hogs. Please ponder the following questions and comment.

1. What is your knee jerk reaction to the name Lane Hogs?

2. Does the name Lane Hogs have no effect, positive effect, or negative effect when it comes to assisting our club assisting with bicycle advocacy in the State of South Dakota?

3. If you held the ultimate decision, would you keep your longstanding (12 year) club name or would you look to move forward with a new name?

I appreciate any and all thoughts.

Parking Update

2010-01-19T07:51:00.002-06:00

When I requested to see if I could get the bike rack cleaned out so I could park my bike there, this wouldn't have been my first choice of responses, but it's better than toting my bike inside.

My Parking Space

2010-01-14T07:54:00.005-06:00

Okay, the "storm of the century" has passed three weeks ago. At what point do I get to complain that MY parking space isn't cleaned out? Just as an FYI, I'm parking indoors until the issue is resolved (or the snow melts) as a protest.

15 Minutes of Fame

2010-01-05T12:02:00.003-06:00

Okay, it's not the Argus Leader like many of my biking friends up north have been published in, but recently I was featured in my awesome home town of Wakonda's (population 350 -- SA-LUTE!)area newspaper, The Tri-County News. With permission of the Editor, and author of my story, here is the article filled with lies and made up facts. She really should have told me she didn't want me to lie or make up facts!

Neither Snow, Nor Cold, Nor Ice Keeps Brady From Cycling
by Riva Sharples

Nearly everyone who knows Kevin Brady -- even his mother, Beverly Brady of Wakonda -- admits that the Wakonda native is “a little crazy,” but in a good way, of course.

Brady, a 1985 graduate of Wakonda High School who now lives in Vermillion, is a cycling enthusiast who has made his bicycle an all-terrain, all-weather mode of transportation -- and his only one at that. For the past 695 days (and counting), he has traveled the one-mile to work from his home using only his bicycle. In winter. In ice and snow. With sub-zero windchills fighting against him.

In subzero weather like the area experienced last week, Brady breaks out his cold weather gear that makes him look kind of like a creature from another planet, he admits. He wears, in addition to his usual Parka, ski goggles, wind pants that go over his jeans, and a Headsocz that he uses as a balaclava. To combat the cold, he has fitted his bicycle with giant gloves over the handlebars, which he customized from a pair of ATV handlebar covers. In winter, his bicycle also sports studded snow tires to help him navigate snow and ice.

Though it seems extreme to most, Brady says that for the most part, cycling in winter is like cycling any other time of year, and that’s it’s only tough on the very cold or blizzardy days.

“Unplowed streets probably cause the biggest issue,” Brady says. “If it’s untouched snow, it’s fine, but if many cars have travelled it, it’s tough as it moves underneath you. The two blocks I travel to main street is the biggest issue for me. Once there, I’m on ‘emergency snow routes’ the rest of the way. That’s when the studded tires take over and add the extra grip on the roads.”

Brady has been a cycling enthusiast since the 1990s when he had to give up his first love -- running -- due to back injuries.

“ I call myself a ‘recovering runner’,” says Brady. “After a couple of marathons in 1990, and managing to qualify for the Boston Marathon, I ended up getting activated for Desert Storm. Shortly after returning, I was in a car accident that seemed to really push my back issues to a new low. I kept trying to get back into running but found running anything over six miles too hard on my back.”

In 1997, when Brady was hired at the University of South Dakota as a Senior Computer Support Specialist (the job he still has), one of his colleagues introduced him to the world of cycling. Brady has been hooked since, and has gotten others, including his wife and children, involved as well.

“We are a biking family,” says Brady. “We have so many bikes in our one-car garage that there isn’t room for the van [the family’s only vehicle, which is used by Brady’s wife and for family trips -- Brady sold his car in 2008 because he wasn’t using it].”

Brady’s wife Laura has recently become interested in cycling as well and has started to go on some rides of her own. Brady’s three children -- Austin, 13; Marissa, 11; and Carson, 6 -- participate in family bike rides and often ride their bikes to school and around Vermillion in nice weather. Sometimes, they like to go along with Dad when he hooks up the “grocery getter” (a bicycle trailer) to his bike and heads to the store.

That’s right. Brady is so serious about cycling that he uses his bicycle to run errands, including going grocery shopping. At work, he hauls computers across campus using his bicycle. He says he sometimes gets funny looks from people, but most people are used to his unusual ways at this point.

“For awhile, I’d get comments from friends like, ‘Hey, they make cars for that,’ especially when I am pulling my trailer that I affectionately call “The Grocery Getter,” says Brady. “Then, there’s always the “Did you get a DUI or something”? Living in a smaller town like Vermillion, most people know me and get used to me riding everywhere under every condition, so the comments are not as frequent as they used to be. The biggest challenge seems to be if my streak of consecutive days will end. On a cold, windy day or a rainy summer day, I get the “Did you ride your bike to work today?” question.”

Brady didn’t start out to set a record with his running tally of days commuted to work via bicycle. It’s just something that happened, he says, when he started blogging about bicycling in 2005 (http://
bikingbrady.blogspot.com). At one point, Brady’s blog was attracting approximately 2,000 readers per month, many of them cyclists from around the world. Through his blog, Brady wrote (and continues to write, though not as frequently) about all things cycling and about his own experiences as a cyclist.

“As my blog started to motivate some people, that’s when I started keeping track [of the number of days commuted by bicycle]. Partly to prove that I could get to work just as fast as those who drove, partly to prove that there doesn’t need to be such a dependence for people to drive a few short blocks all the time.”

Brady says that he wishes all people could -- or would -- take the time to experience the world from atop a bicycle. There are a lot of “cool things” out there, he says, that one just doesn’t see when traveling in a vehicle.

“Deer just laying in the tall grass in the ditch, the sights and sounds of wild turkeys. The absolute silence you get when you stop for a break in the middle of a dirt trail or gravel road on a mountain bike ride.”

During his rides, Brady says he’s found a variety of treasures on the road, including: money (“You’d be amazed at the amount of money I’ve found!”), a brand new squeegee, a crescent wrench, pliers, and a complete spool of bailing wire. He didn’t try to take the bailing wire on his bicycle, as it weighed somewhere near 80 pounds, he estimates.

Of course, Brady’s preferred time to cycle is not in the winter, but in the spring, summer, and fall when he can go on long rides. During warmer weather, Brady routinely rides 150-500 miles per week, with daily rides of 20 - 50 miles per day. In warmer weather, Brady rides with a group of cyclists who take daily rides around southeastern South Dakota. He also goes on rides like the Tour de Kota. One of the hardest rides he has ever completed was the Highway 212 Gutcheck (http://www.gutcheck212.com), in which cyclists ride from the Wyoming border to the Minnesota border in under 48 hours.

Says Brady: “The year I chose to try [the Gutcheck], it was cold, rainy (including a bad storm that took us off the road because we couldn’t see), included a 20 mile detour, and we had to deal with headwinds all the way across. The race is 412 miles, but with the detour was 432.”

In winter, beyond his one-mile commutes to work and short rides when weather allows, Brady spends his time training indoors so he’ll be ready when better weather appears. He teaches a cycling class at USD, and also works out on his own equipment at home.

One of Brady’s students and “success stories,” he says, is Wakonda resident Cathy Logue, who took a cycling class from Brady six years ago and got hooked on cycling.

“I just love it,” says Logue. “At first, hearing everyone in class talking about their experiences, I never imagined it was something I’d be able to do, but they inspired me to try.”

Logue admits that she is nowhere as intense as Brady is when it comes to cycling. She says she brings her bicycle in when it drops below 40 degrees usually, and among her cycling friends, she doesn’t know many that keep their bikes out year-round like Brady.

“He’s one-of-a-kind,” says Logue. “I’d never be able to do that.”

Wakonda resident Beverly Brady, Kevin’s mother, says that she sometimes worries about him out there in the cold, riding his bicycle in all kinds of weather.

“He’s always been athletic-minded,” admits Beverly. “But some days, I think he’s just crazy, the way he rides his bicycle around like that.”

Oxymoron: "Fair" and -16

2010-01-04T07:33:00.002-06:00

Anybody else see the irony of "fair" and -16? There is nothing "fair" about -16 my friends.

The Brady Rhyme of Two Thousand and Nine

2009-12-24T21:13:00.002-06:00

We are getting the Brady Family Christmas wishes in just in time,
It was a whirlwind tour in two thousand and nine.
President of one organization and VP of another does show,
Kevin still lacks the inability to utter the word “no”.
Throw in church activities, bicycle riding, Coyote games, and family time,
You’re lucky that he has time to write you this rhyme!
Laura is busy too with massages, being Mom and taxi to three tykes,
Of course when it’s nice, she makes them ride bikes.
She is still riding bikes when she can break free,
Either solo on her bike or on the tandem with me.
Marissa’s interest in riding long distances is growing quite nifty,
Her goal for next year is to join her Dad on the MS One-Fifty.
On the clarinet you can now oft hear her play,
She’s really quite good, getting better each day!
She’s now eleven years old, going on twenty-one,
and tortures her mother, I swear, just for fun.
We really had to talk to her and raise quite a fuss,
when one of her grades was not an A plus.
Austin can be seen on any given night,
basking in the glow of the computer monitors light.
I hope this fancy on which much time he doth spend
leads to a career in which he can always depend.
He’s now thirteen and growing quite tall,
now taller than Laura – no longer small.
He does understand, even with his tall size,
Mom is still boss, and this thinking is wise.
Carson, now six, is also wise beyond his years.
The problem for us is that he doesn’t have fears.
It’s hard to find him awake at a time that when
his speed (and his volume) is not turned up to ten.
With a few days to go till the end of two thousand and nine,
No emergency room visits have we had, not one single time!
We’ve become quite accustomed for his need for speed,
and his ability to crash, and then roll, and then bleed.
Regardless of how crazy was this year of oh-nine,
the Brady’s are plugging away and doing just fine.
We look forward to what the Lord brings in the two thousand ten year,
Plunging right in to it without any fear.
From our crazy world that we spread forth our light,
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a night!

Cold Weather Weaponry

2009-12-15T11:08:00.006-06:00

Below zero temps? Pish-Posh. Gear up and ride!

To My Fellow Bicycle Commuters

2009-12-15T08:14:00.004-06:00

I don't care who you are or what distance you commute, if you are from my neck of the woods and made it in today, welcome to the world of the dedicated bicycle commuter.

A New Approach to Indoor Training

2009-12-14T21:10:00.000-06:00

Many of us hearty die hard idiots who live in the ever changing climate that is the Upper Midwest tend to ride all year, no matter what. We are a macho breed and we tend to put off training indoors if we can help it. However, I tend to want that little extra riding that even my adventurous nature can handle outside. That, and teaching indoor cycling classes for the University of South Dakota always have me looking for new ideas. Enter the Global Ride Video Series.

I have many of the Spinerval DVD's and a few of the Carmichael Training Systems DVD's. While each of these are focused, outstanding workouts, the one thing I get sick of is watching sweaty people on bikes over and over. I'm one of those sweaty people working out, I don't need to be reminded by looking at it over and over again. Again, enter the Global Ride Video Series.

My review of this product is two-fold: for my indoor cycling class and for my own personal indoor training. My final rating at the end will be two separate ratings because of this.

The series I received was for Hawaii. Three DVD's each set up for different workouts, and each with amazing backgrounds of riding various roads in Hawaii, usually from a first person cyclist view which I found very attractive. Once in awhile they would flash back to the cyclist as they were riding, but the focus was on the scenery and the workout, not a suffering cyclist.

Another thing I found interesting was the various audio options. You can either just watch the video, watch it with light background music, or your choice of three different instructors, including an actual class scenario. Having audio options to match the mood you are in is a great thing. Some days I like shutting my brain off and just allow one of the instructors instruct me and some days I want to "rock out" so I turn off all audio and just use my own music.

One of the most ingenious thing I found with these DVD's are the non-cycling training at the end. Each DVD had a different workout specifically geared for cycling. The 30 minute sessions include Strength, Yoga, and Pilates. I'm always looking for cross training that still focuses on cycling and this fits the bill nicely.

This is a brief review, but as you know, I don't like long posts as I feel most people don't take the time to read it all anyway, so I cater to the people with short attention spans like me! My review from the standpoint of a cycling class instructor is 9.6 out of 10. There are a few things I'd like to see like maybe a countdown of how much time is left overall and between potential segments of training (hills, flats, etc). I know that Global Ride is continually looking at feedback and are implementing them in future "rides".

For personal training, I'd give it 8.9 of 10. I'd lean more heavily on the timing feature here. Often I have a limited time to ride, so it'd be nice to grab sections you wanted to focus on, which you will after watching these enough times. These workout DVD's, like any workout DVD's, are only as good as the effort you put into it. If you don't think it's too hard, do what you have to for your needs. Same on the other end of the spectrum: If it's too easy, gear up a bit and make it hurt.

Overall these DVD's definitely make my Christmas list. Just having to not stare at sweaty people in a studio makes my rating on these DVD's jump exponentially. I look forward to more versions, especially riding in other countries. I think Global Ride has found a wonderful niche in the Cycling DVD arena. I'm very impressed at their willingness to take ideas from ordinary people to better their upcoming versions. I have nothing but high praise for these DVD's. They are trying to make indoor training bearable, and doing a great job. Ride on Global Ride!

The Maid

2009-10-19T10:42:00.001-05:00

The maid asked for a pay increase. The lady of the house was very upset about this and decided to talk to her about the raise.

She asked: 'Now Maria, why do you want a pay increase?
Maria: 'Well, ma’am, there are three reasons why I want an increase.
The first is that I iron better than you.'
Wife: 'Who said you iron better than me?'
Maria: 'Your husband said so.'
Wife: 'Oh.'

Maria: 'The second reason is that I am a better cook than you.'
Wife: 'Nonsense, who said you were a better cook than me?'
Maria: 'Your husband did.'
Wife: 'Oh.'

Maria: 'My third reason is that I am a better lover than you.'
Wife: (really furious now): 'Did my husband say that as well?'
Maria: 'No ma’am...the gardener did.'

Wife: 'So how much do you want?'

Blogging Again

2009-10-18T21:12:00.003-05:00

My self imposed blogging sabbatical is over. I'm not sure if I was just sick of blogging, fighting biking depression due to my back issues, or the fact that I'm more addicted to "micro" blogging with Twitter and Facebook. At any rate, I plan on blogging more regular once again.

Upcoming blog posts will include:

* Schnoctobeerfest recap
* What happened to the recumbent?
* A "new" commuting ride
* Ultimate Ride DVD review
* A road trip to see "Ride across the Sky"
* Bicycle Advocacy happenings

That's right, I'm back for your entertainment. Stick around, you might even learn a thing or two.

Is there anything else I'm missing? Anything you think I should blog about?

Choose Your Destructor

2009-09-25T10:51:00.003-05:00

Oh heck no! I'll take my chances in the middle of the road.

Terra Trike Experience

2009-09-05T21:38:00.004-05:00

Last night I had a little fun be-bopping around town with a Terra Trike 3.4, which is similar to what is now the Terra Trike Touring model. Going around town was fun and quick, but I decided a much bigger test was needed before a purchasing decision could be made. Today’s 30 miler to Elk Point with CDV gave me that opportunity.

There were only light headwinds when we left Vermillion but it fast became evident that a little over 17 mph was about all I was going to be able to muster and 15.5-17 was probably more the norm on the way down. The comfort of the bike was very acceptable as the newly chip sealed road did not seem too bad to ride on. I still noticed a bit of vibrato in my voice from being bounced around, but it was bearable. Pulling into the BP station in Elk Point, I was ready to get up for a stretch. The legs felt a little rubbery, I’m sure from a different style of riding. The feeling went away fast and after a Gatorade we were on our way home.

I was able to hold around 18 with a tail wind push most of the way home. For fun, I pushed my back against the back of the seat and pedaled hard and mustered a little over 22 mph but that was about all I had in me. I could tell towards the end that my legs, and quads in particular, had partook in enough of this fun for one day. Coming up University hill back into Vermillion proved to be entertaining as well. I shifted incorrectly and went into the large front sprocket and almost instantly came to a stop. Hmm…now what? I released the breaks lightly and started rolling backwards. Grab breaks again and think about it. Hold onto one brake, let go of other and do a rolling backwards turn. SWEET! Roll back down the hill and start over making sure NOT to repeat the previous performance.

I have an email off to the fine people at Terra Trike about the 26 inch back wheel along with asking about a bigger high end chain ring. I have the need for speed. 16-17 mph isn’t cutting it for me.

Ten point rating system of the Terra Trike Experience:
Comfort: 8.5
Handling: 9
Speed: 6.5
Hills: to be determined
Headwinds: to be determined
Probability I’ll buy: 75%

South Dakota Bicycle Maps

2009-09-02T17:31:00.002-05:00

Since our recent Warm Showers hosting, I've had something that keeps popping into my thoughts so I need to get it out here: We South Dakotans need to pool together to build an network of bike maps. I've tried to accomplish this to a degree by starting a second blog named "South Dakota By Bike" and begged some of you to pitch in and help me with some local routes. Your enthusiasm for my little project, for lack of a better term, sucks.

More than just loop rides, I'd really like to get are various "how to best get across state" maps. I was helping our Warm Showers guests try to figure out a way to cross the state and once I hit near Winner, I was at a loss. I actually ended up sending them down into Nebraska because I know those roads better from years of BRAN. As an advocate of bicycling in South Dakota that makes me a little sick to my stomach. I want to show off MY state, but I don't know the roads West River very well.

So, my plea is to get some help with the best routes to get all the way across the state East to West, and even some South to North routes. I know it's not possible in all cases, but I'd love to see the nice quiet back country roads as well. So, in no particular order, I'd like:

* East to West routes (maybe a bottom, middle, and top of the state)
* South to North routes (maybe five - six routes)
* A list of places to stay in various towns along the routes, including camping, hotels, and potential host families for a touring cyclist.
* A list of any historical facts along each of the routes that people could potentially visit as a break from biking.

My long term goal would be the creation of all these routes and facts in a foldable map similar to any other state map to be given out at to all interested bicyclists. I think I may have to approach the Department of Tourism and get the South Dakota Bicycle Coalition on board with this.

Bike vs. Car - August 16-31

2009-08-31T22:42:00.003-05:00

Nothing too exciting. Thanks to a friend with free tickets I ended up taking the family and some friends to the Sioux City Explorers baseball game. A trip to Ponca State Park mountain biking was also in the mix. Lastly, a ride and dine bike ride which was also a surprise wedding reception for Joe and Abby -- which we dubbed "A Lane Hogs Wedding reception" was a good reason to have to catch a ride back to Vermillion. Still a pretty good report. Here's hoping it stays good as the weather gets colder!

Another Warm Showers Hosting

2009-08-30T21:13:00.008-05:00

Last night we had the pleasure of hosting another family via the Warm Showers website. What started out as a family journey was cut short when the father had to go back to work as a teacher, but the mother and 14 and 12 year old sons are carrying on. It is destined to be a journey that they will never forget. I can't help but be a bit jealous of them! Starting in Maine and heading to the West coast, they already have many stories to share. Some of their stories are on their blog as Angelika updates it. Check it out at "Our Daily Ped". We had a great time getting to know them in the short time they were here.

A funny side note to all of this was church today. Our pastor was discussing the "radical hospitality" of reaching out to others. He asked the question "When is the last time you had somebody at your supper table that you didn't know". Um...does last night count? Check that off my spiritual to do list!! I won't be having THAT hanging over me!

Here are a few pictures of our guests and their equipment:

A Co-Motion Tandem and a Surly Long Haul Trucker are taking this family across the country.

Like me, they chose the Burley line for their cargo trailer. They went with the Nomad.

A game of basketball is a break from cycling for the boys.

A quick picture of my kids and our guests before they headed out this morning.

Lane Hogs, Inc.

2009-08-28T09:28:00.005-05:00

It's official. After all these years as a hodgepodge bike club, our bicycle club is OFFICIALLY known as Lane Hogs, Inc. a non-profit bicycle club! Major props to Caitlin Collier for doing all the legwork/paperwork to make this happen finally!!!

Texting While Driving Video PSA

2009-08-27T09:34:00.002-05:00

This is causing quite the stir amongst people all over. Is it too graphic? Maybe. Does it get the point over to the "this won't happen to me because I'm a 'careful' texter crowd"? I hope so. I have seen quite a few drivers over the yellow line while texting when I'm out on the bike and it scares the crap out of me. Talking on the cell phone is scary enough. Texting is just stupid. Laws need to be put into place and the fines need to be heavy.

Margarita Ride VIII - Register Today!!

2009-08-25T13:53:00.001-05:00

No more excuses. Register today so we can get an accurate shirt count for Margarita Ride VIII on September 12th.

Details and registration at http://www.margaritaride.org.

Credit Cards now accepted through Google Checkout!

Cash For Clunkers Viking Style

2009-08-21T13:59:00.002-05:00

Bike vs. Car Report: August 1-15

2009-08-17T07:24:00.003-05:00

The only insides of a vehicle I had to endure for this period was for my favorite cause, the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Margarita Ride VIII - September 12, 2009

2009-08-13T11:35:00.001-05:00

The simplified Margarita Ride information:

When: September 12, 2009
Why: Because you love to ride and we love to support the MS Society.
Online Registration: http://www.margaritaride.org
Registration Deadline: August 25th, 2009
Day of Registration Time/Packet Pickup: 0700-0800, September 12, 2009
Ride Time: 0800-????
Start Place: Eagles Club,114 W Main St, Vermillion, SD 57069 (across from Court House)
Afterwards: A full Mexican buffet and a tasty margarita!

More Margarita Ride Info to follow!

Change in Plans

2009-08-11T21:08:00.013-05:00

Child 2 & 3 met me for lunch for a super nutritious meal of Chicken McNuggets. You just can't beat a .99 cent 6 piece on Tuesday. The following conversation incurred:

#2: Do you want to play disc golf tonight?
Me: Sure, but I'd like to get a ride in first.
#2: Where you going?
Me: I'm not sure, probably Elk Point and back
#2: How far is that?
Me: 30 mile round trip.
#2: I've gone that far before with you, can I go with you?
Me: Let's see how the rest of my work day goes.

Well, I got home and she wasn't back from the pool and when she came in she had forgot our discussion about going for a ride. Then a friend called and conversation number two occurred:

#2: Can I go to the pool with *friend*
Me: Sure, but did you want to go for a ride with me? You don't have to, and it won't hurt my feelings, but I will go with you if you want.
#2: (to friend on phone) I can't tonight, I'm going riding with my Dad!

She was pretty stoked. She got to wear Mom's shoes -- yes, my 11 year old has the same size feet as my wife -- and clip into the Crank Brother pedals for the first time and did amazingly well at it. She also got to put on the Tandem-Com, our communication system on the tandem. After a slight -- and only slight -- dropping of the stokers seat, we were off for a quick ride to Mulberry Point, a little over 16 mile round trip. It was incredibly hot and humid with little to no air moving, which became more evident when we stopped on top of Mulberry Point.

Sometimes a change in plans is just what you need. Sure, I could have went out solo and hammered 30 miles. I've been in a rut and probably needed a good hard ride. However I also want to encourage my children to ride and that is of utmost importance to me. I want them to know and love the freedom and lifestyle of cycling.

Tonight was time well spent. I now have a weekly date on the bike with my daughter, if not more.

No matter how fast we went, we just couldn't shake these two on our ride.

All smiles as Dad takes a shot over his shoulder.

Eating a few grapes during a quick break on top of Mulberry Point.

Bike vs. Car Report: July 16-31

2009-08-02T22:11:00.004-05:00

A trip to Fremont, NE with the family to see Thomas the Tank Engine and a trip to Sioux Falls for the start of the MS 150. Boring report. Boring is good.

Margarita Ride T-Shirt Voting

2009-07-29T12:02:00.004-05:00

Vote early, vote often for the t-shirt design you think should represent the 2009 Margarita Ride on September 12 (voting on the right side pane). Also, in the comments section, a few of us have been talking about the plethora of t-shirts we own and have talked about making cycling socks for the event in years to come. What do you think? Is the t-shirt just too classic or would you rather have cycling socks with a cool Margarita Ride logo?

MS Bike Tour - Pedal the Plains

2009-07-28T07:02:00.000-05:00

The MS Bike Tour is making its way from Sioux Falls to Vermillion again this year and I'm looking forward to seeing many familiar faces once again. If you are not doing anything, there is still time to sign up and ride with Team Road Kill by clicking HERE.

If you can't ride, would you consider a donation to the cause? Helping the MS Society has become such a passion of mine that any help you could give would be appreciated. Only have one (1) dollar that you can give? GREAT! Have one hundred (100) dollars to give? SWEET! Something in between? AWESOME! You can donate by clicking HERE.

Have more questions? Leave a comment or email me at bikingbrady AT gmail DOT com.

Sometimes You Need A Release

2009-07-21T21:36:00.002-05:00

As most of you know, I've really been babying the back as of late so I haven't really done many hard pushes on the bike and my conditioning is showing it. I needed the stress release tonight as a few computer issues that I've been working on are driving me crazy. I took off into a 10-15 mph wind on a solo ride and realized I was holding about 18.5 mph. I decided to keep pushing to see if I could kick the overall average above 20 mph.

Results: 20.5 mph average including in town riding. My back, well, it might not be ecstatic about my push, but it isn't completely disowning me either. I also had a couple thoughts about my computer issues along the way. Bike therapy complete. Cost = free. Paid in full.

A Day With Thomas

2009-07-18T20:38:00.012-05:00

We took two car loads (10 people in all) to a family fun day and went to Fremont, Nebraska to see Thomas the Tank Engine. Austin and Marissa didn't seem real excited in the beginning but by the end, they would be hard pressed to say they didn't have at least SOME fun.

We took "the Grandma's" along: Grandma's Laura, Bonnie, and Beverly along with Laura's sister LeeAnn and our niece Adriana and all the Brady Bunch. I think everybody who went had a great time. I even have pictures that prove that my "too old for this" 13 year old had fun. Without further ado, our day in a few pictures.

Carson standing in front of Thomas.

The model railroad of Thomas was also pretty awesome. Only thing missing from where I was sitting was Gomez Addams blowing it up. Sorry for those who miss that reference.

Carson resisted the urge to smile on the train.

So Dad offered a little tickle assistance.

Carson meeting Sir Topham Hat

Thomas on the move

Austin busted having fun too.

Carson had fun on the Thomas bouncy slide too. He was making others nervous while I just laughed.

FABRAD 2009

2009-07-17T11:47:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm way behind on blogging, but I had to throw some kudos out to the boys from FAB for a great FABRAD 2009 on July 11. I loved the route, the weather, the food, and seeing almost every area cycling blogger.

We had a great paceline going until we hit the hills in Iowa and then things spread out a bit. After a stop in Inwood, IA --possibly my first EVER trip to Inwood-- to regroup we were off again. CDV and I took off ahead of the main group and it quickly became evident that he was not feeling good. As we would learn later, without going into details, it was NOT biking related and he would be moderately incapacitated the rest of his Saturday. He survived the 60 miles and I stayed with him even with his pleas that I leave him to die in peace.

I put the route out on the South Dakota By Bike blog. Now that there more Garmin users out there, I could use some help getting some of your favorite routes out there as well. If you have deeper detail on the roads we took for FABRAD, let me know that as well and I'll update that post so others have a great ride route.

Bike vs. Car Report: July 1-15

2009-07-15T22:55:00.003-05:00

Pretty tame report. Went to a couple area bike rides and had a couple family gatherings with my Niece being back from Colorado. Also got picked up when the BBT (Big Blue Tandem) flatted around Elk Point and I figured out that I had a Shrader valve tube for replacement. DOH!

Of All Things Gut Check

2009-07-14T21:08:00.002-05:00

Although it hasn't been stated on here, many of you know that the Gut Check is out for 2009. At least solo. The back issue and very busy job of being Dad has made it evident that the thought of doing the Gut Check solo may never appear again. Maybe I'll get a wild hair to do it again, but at this point in my life I wouldn't count on it.

My reasoning? Well, I like to walk. Many of you don't see when I have my "bad back" days. It's not fun. Easy long rides don't bother me. When I ride really hard I struggle. Of course, some would argue that what I consider an easy ride, really isn't anyway.

Another reason is that I really don't have anything to prove. I completed the Gut Check. On the worst weather year that the ride has had, with an additional 20 mile detour, a torrential downpour from a storm that about wiped a town in the Black Hills off the map, and a relentless headwind that would break the will of many a person that year.

What it comes down to is the fact I'm not a professional. I'm not getting paid for this. I do want to push myself, but I want to enjoy my cycling years as pain free as possible. Something has to give. Somewhere, the voices start getting a little smarter and tell you what you need to hear, whether it's what you want to hear or not.

The last final thought on 2009 Gut Check: I'd entertain the thought of doing a leap frog team with 4-8 guys who want to hammer it and get done fast (Hey, I didn't say I wasn't still a little competitive!). I need to know fairly soon however if you are interested in a leap frog team otherwise I'm planning another camping trip with the family. For those who don't know, a leap frog team is a team that take turns on the bike and can go as long as they want to go and then trade off with another teammate. Please email me or leave a comment if you are interested.

The Bed Arrives

2009-07-09T22:56:00.004-05:00

The bed that I had the honor of helping Laura's Grandpa build came this weekend and is duly installed. Not without funny stories of it's own. We tried our best not to have to take it apart.

Attempt #1: We tried to take it through the front door and the railing was in the way. No matter how we tried, it wasn't going to fit.

Attempt #2: Through the garage. It too couldn't make the angle to get into the kitchen due to the wall configuration.

Attempt #3: Remove the front railing and go in the front door. SUCCESS!!! Well, not completely. We got it into the hallway heading to our bedroom and it became evident that it wasn't going to angle into our bedroom. Sigh...

Attempt #4: Last ditch effort. Took the screws out of the middle of the bed to separate it into two halves. Off came the screen and windows and we moved it right into the room with two people on each side.

If there was any neighbors bored on a Sunday late afternoon, I'm sure they got some cheap entertainment watching it all go down.

In the process of preparing for the bed we moved everything out of the room. Laura had done some checking under the carpet and the wood floor underneath looked in great condition. Long story short, up came the carpet and now we have a brand new bedroom. A purple paint job, wood floors and a new bed. After a night of "knob installation", pulling up all the carpet tacks and tack strips, and Laura cleaning the floors, it looks great! Without further ado, our "new" bedroom.

The headboard and drawer front wood is from a tree that was native to Brunswick, NE. Grandpa Hertel actually planed the boards down himself.

Seven drawers per side and a look at the wood floors that were discovered.

Bike vs. Car Report: June 16-30

2009-06-30T22:45:00.004-05:00

Half the year is over and I'm happy with my bike versus car number. I have a high end goal of riding and driving less than ten percent of the days for the year. I've come to the realization that when you have a family, sometimes you have to drive or ride to some things. I expect that to get worse as the kids get older as well. Still, the thought of only being in a car around twenty percent of the days of the year is pretty amazing in this day and age.

MRI Results on My Back

2009-06-30T11:51:00.001-05:00

Man did I cause a stir by Twittering about the fact I was on my way to get an MRI last week. Nobody really knew and it was one of those "Hey I got you an appointment and it's like NOW" appointments. I have been struggling with radiating pain and general low back pain. It was getting pretty bad.

Now I'm used to dealing with back pain. Most people have no idea how I struggle, but I still continue to bike but not much else because of it. I can't take the pounding of running, basketball, and such sports anymore. As much as I want to, and no matter how much I love them, that part of my past is just that, my past.

I've already discussed my results with a couple of people who say that it helps them understand my pain. Stuff that without explanation would make no sense to me. The one that my wife caught was "moderate bilateral neuroforaminal stenosis" which she explained to me perfectly and I believe is what is causing most of my pain. You can read about it on WikiAnswers HERE. Another thought is possible early onset of arthritis in the area. Great news there.

I had a "tube" MRI a few years ago that came back with a diagnosis of a spondylolisthesis. You will notice that with this new "Open" MRI that I am not diagnosed with that anymore which is a good thing. Unfortunately, I'm still dealing with the pain, but hey, life goes on and you'd be lucky to ever hear me complain when I'm out riding unless it's really bad.

Anyhow, I'm releasing ALL my info here for you, the experts, to analyze and comment on. Now you can't tell me that you don't know EVERYTHING that's going on in my life.

MRI Lumbar Spine
Technique: Multispin echo study of the lumbar spine obtained with images acquired in the sagittal and axial planes.

Positioning: Sitting neurtral, flexion, extension and standing.

FINDINGS:
T12-L1: The intervertebral disc is normal in morphology and signal characteristics. No evidence of disc herniation or bulge.

L1-2, L2-3 and L3-4 demonstrate minimal degenerative changes anteriorly. The thecal sac is normal.

L4-5: There is desiccation of the intervertebral disc. There is a small centeral protrustion. There is minimal impingement on the thecal sac. No focal disc herniations. There is moderate impingement into the bilateral neural foramina. Mild retrolesthesis L4 on L5 noted with flexion.

L5-S1: The intervertebral disc is normal in morphology and signal characteristics. No evidence of disc herniation or bulge. There is bilateral spondylolysis of L5. There is no evidence of spondyloisthesis. No subluxation in the standing position. Moderate bilateral neuroforaminal stenosis.

The vertebral bodies are unremarkable. No evidence of fracture or dislocation. The vetrebral bodies and posterior elements are well aligned.

The cauda equine and conus medullaris are normal in morphology and signal characteristics. No intrathecal masses or fluid collections.

IMPRESSION:
Mild degenerative disc disease as described. Spondylolysis of L5 without evidence of spondylolisthesis.

There you have it. Comment away with what you know/think you know.

2009 Tour de Kota Day 4 – Gregory to Chamberlain

2009-06-28T22:25:00.000-05:00

Leaving Gregory you instantly start climbing with some decent rollers. Again I got a late start from camp, but at least I was out by 8:20 or so and I wasn’t the last one to leave camp. I caught many people on the rollers north of Gregory and some were walking a couple of the tougher rolls. If they knew what was upcoming, they probably would have sagged in right then and there. When we turned back towards Platte, the real climbing fun was about to begin. There were a couple of hills before the river that had me in my lowest gear (36 x 23) BEGGING for a couple more gears. Uphill at about 6.8 mph and about 40 rpm’s is not my idea of fun. They were definitely a couple of long challenging hills. The sad part is that it was hard to enjoy the decent on the other side due to the cross winds whipping through the valley.

I caught up with quite a few familiar faces at Snake Creek across the river and rode with Tammy W. all the way to Academy. At Academy I hooked back up with CDV, Triple G, and Duane B. It started to spit a little rain at us again and it was still a little chilly but we found refuge in the middle of a long stretch of lonely highway with a stop on a gravel road that included grilled burgers and watermelon. I fueled up and we were off to Puckwana. We had a brief stop at the side of the road where we were QUITE pleased that one of the ladies there had decided early in the day that it was cold so she grabbed the church coffee pot. A couple cups of coffee and we were off on the last stretch into Chamberlain for the night.

Laura had called me on the road somewhere after Academy telling me that she was sick of being cold and wet on this trip. That, and remembering how cold the wind could be at the campground in Chamberlain by the river, the thought of camping didn’t excite her. Taking the hint well I told her to check into rooms at Chamberlain. She found a Best Western that had reasonably priced rooms and would take our little dog and….wait for it…had a hot tub!! Sold. We picked up a room for CDV as well.
When we pulled in we got unpacked and headed for the hot tub to get our core body temperatures back to normal for the first time all week. After getting comfortable in our room, CDV and I discussed that we too were sick of the rain and cold. Looking at the weather it appeared that more of the same was on the way. There was talk that if the weather was bad in the morning of forgetting the rest of the tour and going home. Luckily the weather was better, albeit cool in the morning.

The funny story of the day was when I walked through the lobby and noticed that the breakfast room didn’t open until 6:30am. Knowing that many bikers would be getting up early and be gone by that time due to many people choosing the century (100 mile) route to Pierre, I called down to the front desk to ask the possibility of opening a little early due to the fact that most of us would be gone. The kid at the front desk seemed less than willing to make a command decision, or work at all for that matter, and said that it would be better if I talked to the lady who came in at 10:00. So I did.

I called down at 10:00 and explained our plight and she said that nobody would be in until 6:30. I thought all was lost. Then she said the most amazing thing to me: “…but I can just give you the key to the Breakfast Room if you’d be willing to set a few things out and watch over the place a little and drop the key off at the front desk.” That’s right, somebody delivered the key to the Breakfast Room to me. If I’m ever in a need for a room in Chamberlain in the future, guess where I’m going! Many bicyclists got a chance to eat before taking off and it was a super cool gesture on the staff’s part.

2009 Tour de Kota Day 3 – Wagner to Gregory

2009-06-28T12:38:00.003-05:00

After the tent fiasco of Day 2, I was pretty drained. I woke up somewhat early, but heard light rain outside. I rolled over and went back to sleep with the family in our new (Wow I’m not wet!) tent. Then when I finally did arise, my motivation to move quickly and get on the road just wasn’t there.

I was beginning the thought process of getting on the road when Laura said she would like me to help take the tent down the first time to make sure she could do it on her own after that. That process is a long one when you have to get the kids up and motivated to help pack the van. By the time the van was packed and ready to roll, I was the last one out of camp…by a long ways. It was 9:20.

It wasn’t until the Ft. Randall Dam that I finally even caught of a glimpse of another bicyclist and I was hammering along pretty good to catch up too. A couple tough climbs started bringing a few people back to me so I didn’t feel deserted. Sometimes solo days are good days to have as I just did my own thing most of the day. I did catch up with the world famous Dr. Spiderman and his wife and rode with them a bit. It wasn’t an easy catch either. Once I had them in my sights, it was a good five mile catch at 20+ mph to run them down. They are good strong riders and it was fun to share a little road time with them. I probably would have rode into Gregory with them, but I stopped off at Burke for a piece of Strawberry Rhubarb pie, my personal favorite.

Gregory was another stop that the whole town seemed to show up to greet us. Food everywhere, a plethora of local entertainment, and people who seemed fascinated by the variety of bikes that they got to see. Triple G – Gregg Drube – provided the local kids entertainment as he let them set in his recumbent trike and he pushed them up and down the street.

2009 Tour de Kota Day 2 - Yankton to Wagner

2009-06-27T23:55:00.004-05:00

Better late than never. It's been a couple busy weeks so I'm trying to catch up on my blogging about Tour de Kota and other things. Thanks to my wife driving to Bike-A-Palooza in Sioux Falls today, I was able to catch up on a couple days of Tour de Kota blogging on the way. Here is day 2 of Tour de Kota, also known as the crazy tent day.

Waking up with water in far too many places in our tent was just the beginning of an eventful day/ride for us. No matter what I tried, I could not get my Garmin Edge 305 to turn on. I was devastated to think that my new Garmin had just bit the dust. I put it on the bike anyway and met up with Cycling Cathy, Ride Vermillion, and Jim Wynia at Hy-Vee for a large order of Biscuits and Gravy and some Starbucks coffee.
After breakfast we rolled out of town and it was very evident that it was going to be a pretty decent headwind on the ride. As we dropped down by Gavin’s Point Dam I noticed that The Owner was assisting another cyclist on the side of the road so I handed him my Garmin, explained the situation and rode off to catch my contingent. I caught them on the big climb back to Hwy 50 and suffered along with them during the climb.

On the road to Tabor for their world famous kolach’s , The Owner went by us on the road and pulled over ahead of us. He held up my Garmin and had it working again. Apparently it’s a common issue as it was the number one hit on Google. So, if you ever have issues with a Garmin not turning on, hold down reset, mode, and the power button to reset it. Tip of the day. You’re welcome.

After Tabor – and eating kolach’s and getting to see the Czech Day’s Queen -- we rolled into Tyndall where there not much was going on as far as welcoming the TdK into their town. There was even a report that the owner of the DQ refused to open before his appointed opening time even though there were many bicyclists outside and he was there anyway. Um…DUH!

We received the opposite reception in Avon where it seemed that half the town was in the park to welcome us in. Food vendors everywhere, reusable grocery sacks made special for the TdK, and people everywhere striking up conversations. The only issue was the temperature as we had worked up a decent sweat by now and the cold wind was definitely making our body temperature drop quickly.

Leaving Avon into the wind, we tried to keep a pace line together but young Master Wynia was out front and soon looking back our line was down to three. A couple more miles in, Bald-n-Surly said he was going to back off as well, leaving me to get dogged by the youngster. We took a quick break at the last rest stop before Wagner and fought our way into the wind through the last eight miles.

Now for the drama of the day. Laura called me as I told her to check various places in Yankton for a better tent since ours definitely seemed far less than rain proof. I received a call saying that nothing really met what we needed for and wanted for a family tent. I told Laura to just come to Wagner and I’d go to Cabela’s in Mitchell and get a new tent for us once she was there. And so I did.

The lady at Cabela’s was really good at explaining the tent features and after discussion found a Cabela’s tent that worked for exactly what we were looking for. So it was purchased. I noticed a set of poles in plastic on the outside of the tent box and while I found that strange, I didn’t put much thought into it. Back to Wagner – about a 150 mile round trip – to put up our new buy.

While putting it up, the excitement was mounting. The tent seemed so huge compared to our old one. Down to the last couple poles we realized that the poles seemed really long. CDV and I determined that they must be the top poles so we replaced the poles we already had in place and started to stand it up. Um…something is wrong here. There is no way these poles are going to fit in their appropriate notches. We tried to bend it to make it work, being the manly men that we are, but we realized that the poles were simply the wrong size. Almost on cue, as we looked puzzled at each other…. RIIIIIIiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiipppppppp went the seam that the pole went into.

I called Cabela’s and explained my quandary. It ended up being that some of the first boxes of this tent were minus a set of poles and that’s why they put them on the outside of the tent. After some discussion, I was offered the “opportunity” to meet them half way, which initially they wanted to be Parkston (about 25 miles from Mitchell) and I quickly offered a point considerably closer to halfway (Tripp).
I’m happy they righted the issue, but I have to admit, I was a little more irked when the lady (whom I DO appreciate) showed up with a single box with no poles on the outside. Now tell me, if you have a tent you know has everything in it, wouldn’t you sell THAT one first? I understand wanting to rotate inventory, but this little mix up cost me another 70 miles of driving and about three and a half hours of frustration. While their customer service to make it right was stellar, I’m not sure I got the best end of the stick on this problem.

Back in Wagner, the tent went up perfectly fine with the right poles, and I had time for a couple quick beers and conversation before crashing for the night.

The day from my Garmin, starting a good distance in due to my Garmin issues noted above. This chart missed out on the good early climbs leaving the river valley.

Bike vs. Car Report: June 1-15

2009-06-21T22:13:00.003-05:00

For those who actually follow this crazy little report, I apologize for being late. We had a "few" extra people in and out of our house this week and I'm behind in all aspects of blogging including my need to catch up on Tour de Kota blogging. I'll be trying hard to get caught up on that as well. Due to Tour de Kota, my numbers were far from stellar this period.

2009 Tour de Kota - Harrisburg to Yankton

2009-06-13T09:13:00.002-05:00

On Sunday of the Tour de Kota, the tradition of rIdE_wIth_ thE_kErnEl Day was kept aloft on day one of the 2009 Tour de Kota as many folks met up at the Casey’s in Harrisburg at 8:00 am – thE kErnEl is not one to get on the road too early – for adventures in biking and camaraderie. As was going to be the norm for the week, it was chilly, overcast, with spots of rain. The beauty of the day was that the winds were out of the northwest and we, thankfully, were headed southeast.
After a “Premium” Grain Belt at Worthing, we rolled towards Beresford at a decent clip and then the fun began: A tandem came by and kicked up the speed to the 25-28mph range. Many fell in behind the tandem and we zoomed along clicking off the miles. Doug from Pierre was wheezing so loudly behind us that he had us worried that he was in cardiac arrest. He decided that the pace was a smidge fast so he dropped off a bit and caught up with us at the breakfast stop in Beresford as did many others.
After the breakfast stop the large contingent of riders broke into smaller groups and we enjoyed the wonderful tail winds as we pressed onward to Yankton. First up was a quick stop at Hub City, hosted by Pastor Kwen Sanderson (fellow Lane Hog) and congregation. From there we soldiered on to Volin where I got a piece of my favorite Strawberry Rhubarb pie at the Volin Café.
We made quick work of the remaining miles to Yankton and without even pressing very hard we averaged 20 mph for the day. However, once in Yankton and the tents were up, the rains started in. By morning we realized that our tent wasn’t going to cut it anymore due to its inability to keep us and everything dry and we would need another one if we were going to continue. That story an more in the Day 2 of Tour de Kota posting.

Tour de Kota - Day 0

2009-06-06T11:27:00.004-05:00

The packing process has begun and Oh Great and Powerful Steve (aka the Ford Freestar) is in the process of being filled up. The dogs are getting their baths in preparation for the week. Buddy is going to Grandma Brady's and Deeohgee will be partaking in the Tour de Kota festivities with us. Marissa and Carson will be coming with so the number of bikes the Brady family will be bringing is 5 and a 1/2. They will not be riding the route, but the plan is to get a few "bonus" miles in during the tour.

This is probably the worst part of the week -- packing and getting ready. Let's get this show on the road!!

How to Plan a Group Bike Ride

2009-06-04T06:45:00.002-05:00

Here is how you plan a group bike ride in Vermillion: Don't let your "hammerheads" plan it. Usually when BiTeBiLLy, Cactus-Eyed Joe, or myself plan a ride, we get the usual crowd -- those expecting to go fairly fast no matter if we post a slower pace or not.

Enter Cycling Cathy who puts out an email to our list about a "No Spandex Required" ride and a slower pace. The result:

Photo Credit: Dan Letsche

That's right, instead of 3-5 riders, there were 15 (plus or minus) last night who did the 30 mile Meckling Loop, including Mrs. Biking Brady who was doing her first group ride that didn't include me (can you tell I'm the proud husband?). Also included were some who have never partook in a Lane Hogs group ride before. Where was I? Being the good husband, I took Carson to T-Ball and allowed Laura her time on the bike.

Good things are coming to the Vermillion Bicycling scene....stay tuned!

T-Ball Never Ceases To Amaze Me

2009-06-02T12:32:00.003-05:00

Last night was Carson's first game of T-Ball. Now understand I've seen it all during the years as I watched my older two play as well. I've seen kids try to run bases the wrong way, gloves on the wrong hand, playing in the field in foul territory, and many more oddities too many to mention.

That was until last night.

Imagine if you will a plethora of little four-five-six year old people already on the field with half of them chasing after every ball that is hit. Now picture base runners on the field at the same time. Got that mental picture? Good. Now see the ball come off the bat "screaming" towards the outfield followed by about six little people playing the field and...wait...what the...the kid from first base, helmet and all, has diverted the base path and is chasing the ball too! Not just chasing mind you, diving in the pile to get the ball. Now there's something I will never see again. Until the next inning when it happened all over again. Different kid, same great laughs.

Moral of the story: If you are bored with nothing to do during the week, go find a T-Ball game. You need the laugh. Trust me.

Bike vs. Car Report: May 15-30

2009-06-01T17:20:00.002-05:00

This is more like it. One blemish where I got all my driving out of my system in one day on a trip to Lincoln to drop off my oldest for a trip to Denver for a month with his Aunt/Uncle and Cousins and driving back from Yankton on that same day. I'm not quite at all three of my target percentages, but I'm at two out of three. Still shooting for 90% days biking, < 10% driving and passenger.

Bunyan's To Bob's 2009

2009-06-01T00:18:00.018-05:00

For some reason, this was about as nervous as I've ever been hosting a ride. Even though I have one of the best friends a man can ask for in BiTeBiLLy (newly ordained this weekend) asking me how he could help, in my mind I had it all taken care of. For the most part I did too. I forgot maps for the newbies and the directionally challenged returnees, maybe a cool B2B banner for the front yard, but other than that, it was under control. Shirts made it in plenty of time, Bunyan's and Bob's were notified of our arrival, even let the Dixon Co., NE sheriff knew that we would be riding on their no shoulder Highway 12 hoping that they could patrol a little closer -- props on the way down as I saw on Deputy in the three short miles that I spent on it before taking the gravel route. All that was left to do was ride.

About 0815 in came the onslaught of cyclists, most of the out of town people coming to my place. The MOST WONDERFUL Mrs. Biking Brady made a trip to the store for donuts, OJ, Milk for the early arrivals along with the fixings for the after ride gathering. I also forgot to warn all my neighbors except one about the influx of visitors on Saturday morning...oops. I'm sure that many awoke to the sounds of bikes being removed from bike racks, back of pickups, and trailers.

After getting everybody tires aired up, we stopped by Bunyan's for the quickest Bunyan's Bomber ever as we were already late...so late that some took off when we got there. Oh well, nothing was going to stop us from our bombers! After pounding one quick, on the road we went. I'll spare you the details of the ride other than to say the few of use that chose the gravel route were the real animals (substitute stupid, idiots, crazy dudes, etc) of the ride. The route was challenging as always.

Upon hitting Bob's we ate ourselves into a coma as always. Ginormous burgers, fries, cheese balls, were consumed and we made our way back. That, followed by a ride home with FULL stomachs, set us up for the celebration that followed. More food (thanks Laura and Bonnie!) and wonderful Hopluia beer (thanks eDLoNNie!) was consumed until around 10:00 pm. It was a great ride, great friends, and great camaraderie. As nervous I was going into the ride about everything going right, I was quite pleased with the result.

Below are some pictures that I scored from T-BiLLy of some of the festivities. I'm sure there may be more pictures popping up on other blogs, but at this point, I could only find a nice slide show on the Hooterville Mayor's site.

Bunyan Bombers - The pre-ride drink of champions!

thE_kErnEl ends his gravel stretch in style with the Surly Long Haul Trucker.

Your's Truly (aka k-BiLLy)

BiLLy's @ Bob's

The last fifteen miles is all downhill. Um...sure..

Ride is complete...Tap the Keg already!! The Beer Box protects the keg of Hopluia from Spilker's in Cortland, NE.

Arguably the best part about riding: The party afterward!

Bunyan's To Bob's Last Minute Prep

2009-05-29T13:05:00.003-05:00

I'm leaving work today at 2:00 (hopefully if I can get everything done!) to do the last minute cleaning/lawn mowing, what have you, in preparation for the arrival of the CiTy BiLLy crowd and BiLLy WaNNaBeeS.

Shooting for a carnival atmosphere after the ride with food, beer, games, and movies in The Man Cave. A good time is sure to be had by all. You're not coming? Sucks to be you!

The Man Cave

2009-05-24T21:05:00.004-05:00

I gussied up The Man Cave (aka the garage that doesn't house a car) partially because it drastically needed it and partially in preparation for the post Bunyan's To Bob's gathering next Saturday. It could serve as a great place to be banished to if the wife ever gets angry.

BiLLy's - I'm getting prepared for you. We have The Man Cave that will be set up to show bicycling movies all afternoon long as we partake in festivities.

Dealing With Dogs Update

2009-05-24T11:09:00.005-05:00

It may take longer to do all the research, but a well written correspondence definitely will help your cause in the case of a dog attack. In my last post found HERE, I was not impressed with the response from the dispatcher about the resolution to our situation. This morning I received both an email and a phone call from a deputy in Union County and he was most cordial and apologetic for not getting back to me yesterday.

The reason, which made our problem pale in comparison, was that they had spent most of the day finding the next of kin from an accident fatality. I'm definitely fine with being put on the back burner for that. He was truly apologetic for at least not calling, but spent a great deal of time on the phone with me discussing our situation. Long story short, he will be giving the owners their free warning that should it happen again, the dogs may certainly be removed from their premises. The deputy told me that he will update me on the meeting with the owner.

Things to remember if you should be in this situation:

1.) Details. Get as many details about the incident as you can. Giving an exact address is great, but if you don't want to start round two with the dogs, then at least get landmarks and the nearest roads. Try to remember time of day as well.

2.) Photos. I have to start carrying my camera all the time. Without Kathy's camera yesterday, I'm not sure we would have such a strong case. The deputy thanked me over and over for the photos saying that he couldn't have better proof of the dogs being out of line.

3.) Know the laws in your area. By copying the South Dakota Codified Law section on "Vicious Dogs" into my email, it both educated and saved the deputy time and effort. He said that his first step was to have the dog owner read that and see what he had to say.

4.) Keep a list of all the Sheriff's Departments in your area of riding. Yesterday I was caught without my list so I did not report it until a couple hours later. I'm debating about adding them all to my cell phone now.

5.) Be professional with Law Enforcement. They understand you are upset. There is no need to go down that road again. My conversation with the Deputy ended with him telling me to contact them any time with further issues. That's the feeling that I want right there, the one that says 'we are here for you', not 'quit bothering me'.

Overall, it was a positive experience. Dealing with the owners is not what I want to spend my time doing. Dealing with the law enforcement allows them to take ownership and be informed on the situation for future run ins. It will forever be my first line of contact from here on out. I humbly suggest you make it yours as well.

Dealing With Dogs

2009-05-23T23:32:00.008-05:00

I admit it, I've simply had it with dogs and I'm refusing to deal with them anymore. If a dog chases me on rural roads beyond their property and on to the roads in an attack mode, and do not respond to a "GO HOME" shouted at them, I'm calling the Sheriff's Department of that county to report them. I simply don't have time or the will to talk to every individual dog owner anymore.

Since CDV was bitten a couple weeks ago, he's been pretty gun shy on the roads when it comes to dogs. Today got my guard up a little as well. CDV, Kathy R., and myself were headed up towards Spink. Kathy had no more talked about dogs that had come at her last June and here they came. I was hoping they would remain on their property, but it wasn't to be. They worked damn well as a team too. While I was yelling at the one on my right to go home, I suddenly felt hot breath as I had one nipping at my left heel. I accelerated to get away but CDV had already dismounted and was using his bike as a shield between himself and the dog. That worked for one, but like I said, they were working VERY well in pairs and Craig had his head on a swivel watching both dogs. He slowly walked down the road watching the dogs, with his dog spray in one hand.

The dogs didn't give up for the better part of a half mile. I didn't settle down all day about the incident. When we got around to Elk Point I called the Sheriff's Office. There were supposedly going to contact me later. They didn't. I called back later in the evening and I received a "Um, I'm not sure, but we had a deputy in the area and I *think* he talked to them." Um...not good enough. I turned it up a notch by emailing. We will see if I get a response. The email? Allow me to make it public here for conversation:

Dear Union County Sheriff's Department:

Today at about 1:45 pm, between 317th and 316th street on the Spink Oil (473rd Ave.) we had a major dog incident. As bicyclists, we have encounters with dogs and are skilled in how to handle them. Most of them, with a simple "GO HOME" will turn tail and go home. Most never leave their yards and are just protecting their property line. These two dogs did not respond to many very loud "GO HOME" yells and were very aggressively bearing their teeth and working as a team to approach me on each side of the bike, one nipping at my left heel.

My friend, Craig DeVelder, dismounted his bike as he was recently bit by a dog in Meckling, SD and is understandably a little "dog shy". He was keeping his bike between himself and the dogs as we know as the best method from articles we have read and from other riders. These dogs did NOT tire of the chase as he continued to walk his bike away from them. The dogs were no less than a 1/4 mile away from their farm and closer to a 1/2 mile before they gave up finally.

Kathy Roberts from McCook Lake, who was also with us today, has had a run in last June with these same dogs and stated that the owner was outside and managed to get one of the two back but one still was on the road before it finally turned around.

Based on SD Codified Law 40-34-14, I see no reason for these dogs to not be on record as vicious dogs. To save you having to look it up it is copied below:

40-34-14. Vicious dog defined. For the purposes of §§ 40-34-13 to 40-34-15, inclusive, a vicious dog is:

(1) Any dog which, when unprovoked, in a vicious or terrorizing manner approaches in apparent attitude of attack, or bites, inflicts injury, assaults, or otherwise attacks a human being upon the streets, sidewalks, or any public grounds or places; or

(2) Any dog which, on private property, when unprovoked, in a vicious or terrifying manner approaches in apparent attitude of attack, or bites, or inflicts injury, or otherwise attacks a mailman, meter reader, serviceman, journeyman, delivery man, or other employed person who is on private property by reason of permission of the owner or occupant of such property or who is on private property by reason of a course of dealing with the owner of such private property.

Source: SL 1988, ch 330, § 2.

There is no doubt in my mind that these dogs are both well within the realms of being labeled vicious and I would appreciate them being labeled as such. I refuse to give up one of our training routes because of dogs. Once these dogs came on the road and were nipping at my heels, the line was clearly crossed. Attached are some pictures that Kathy Roberts took during our ride today.

Please feel free to contact me anytime for further information or to inform me of the action that was taken in this complaint. I have also cc'd Craig and Kathy so you have their emails if you have further questions as well.

Sincerely,

Kevin Brady
Vice President, South Dakota Bicycle Coalition
*street*
*town - zip*
*phone*

We Interrupt Training Time

2009-05-20T23:28:00.006-05:00

We interrupt training time to bring you some family time down by the Vermillion River at our "special spot". It was a hot, windy day, but it always seems so peaceful down on the river.

Bike vs Car Report: May 1 - May 15

2009-05-16T10:07:00.003-05:00

Pretty standard couple weeks for me: ride lots, drive little. Hoping the next couple weeks will be even better. June will bring on Tour de Kota so there will be some transportation days involved. Secretly hoping to get my days driven and my days as a passenger under ten percent (10%) for the year, but even as car free as I am, it's not easy!

Bunyan's To Bob's 2009 Spring Classic

2009-05-15T05:59:00.002-05:00

When: May 30th
Starting Point: Bunyan's, Vermillion, SD (Directions from Exit 26 on I29)
Time: 9:00 meet and greet (and a mandatory Bunyan Bomber), 10:00 departure
Destination: Bob's Bar, Martinsburg, NE
Cost: $20 - includes a totally rad t-shirt and after ride festivities (can't tell you everything, but there is a special BiLLy surprise involved).

Still not convinced? Check out some of the past B2B fun!
B2B Fall Ride 2008
Spring Socializing Recap on B2B Spring Edition 2008
The B2B ride itself with Gravel and Road routes

STILL not convinced? You must simply not be a real bicyclist. This is where it's at people!!!

First Time Trial in Some Time

2009-05-11T05:48:00.002-05:00

Last year our group didn't run Time Trials. No real reason why, we just didn't. I'm not sure how much I'll run this year as I'll be after more distance than speed, but I decided to show my face at the inaugural time trial for the year.

I was a little disappointed as only four people showed up. I was more disappointed that at four-tee-two (42) years old that I was the youngest there. Where are all the young speedy guys? Do us old people scare you? Are you afraid of being embarrassed? Well, I can understand that. You don't stand much of a chance with Randy R. now coming to time trials!

Not doing this in over a year, I couldn't find that comfortable pace. Although I'm a "decent" time trial rider, I wouldn't call it a specialty by any stretch of the imagination. Looking at my Garmin stats, my mile marks were not very consistent. I didn't run my self to the verge of upchucking either. I'm not sure how often I'll time trial this year as distance will be much more of a focus in preparation for the Gut Check, but I may show up once a month or so to see if I can better the initial time.

Bike vs Car Report: Apr 15-30

2009-05-05T22:45:00.004-05:00

The mere tardiness of this report should tell you what my life is like right now...a little crazy. The trips to Nebraska are drawing to a close for a variety of reasons, all most all the reasons are sad. Grandma and Grandpa are moving to Arizona to be closer to other family who can help them better and Laura's Aunt Julie passed away from the cancer she was fighting. Cancer sucks. We will miss Grandma and Grandpa Hertel and Aunt Julie. Life goes on.

Return of the BBT

2009-04-29T22:32:00.003-05:00

I wasn't sure if I'd get back in time to do a second ride with Laura last night so I suggested that we ride the Tandem (BBT) to Elk Point and back. She's been trying to do more solo rides, but ANY ride is better than no ride. Like clockwork when we ride the tandem, that means the weather will be brutal in one way or another. Well, it decided to be "interesting" both directions.

On the way to Elk Point we battled a strong headwind in chilly temperatures. Shortly before we left Vermillion, Ed F. stated "We're going to get rained on". Nah..it's not going to rain. Rule #1: Never second guess a guy with 60+ years of life experience. We had a mist on the way down and it looked like we were in the clear. Then CDV called his wife who stated that it was raining in Vermillion. Crap. Sure enough, even though we were hauling 20-25mph (quite easily) on the way home, we quickly ran into a drizzle that was with us most of the way home.

Even the rain and the wind didn't dampen our riding spirits by the time we were home. The ride was a great workout and it was great to get Laura out on the BBT. It was also great to have a couple more riders (Kwen S. and Ed F. -- and yes, they are both 60+ in age for the rest of you wusses who duck the weather) join us for this trek. Hopefully some more of the Lane Hogs will reappear from their winter biking cocoons.

Ride on. Without excuses.

Momentary Lapse of Rational Thinking

2009-04-22T22:49:00.007-05:00

Laura and I made another trip to Brunswick, NE today. I helped Laura's Grandpa with some minor drawer details to our "Captain's Bed" that we are building and then we planed some boards that will eventually be the headboard for the bed. There will be a much longer post on this when it is done and delivered, but for now, the teaser is that the drawer fronts and the headboard are all "native" wood. The boards have been ripped down and planed from a couple of ash trees that were cut down in Brunswick. It's been amazing to me watching a "tree" become a "board". Yeah, I know...it's the simple things that entertain simple people.

On to my lapse in thinking/ability to do math. Laura was late getting back into Brunswick and after we loaded up a cedar chest and said our goodbyes, it was already getting late. I had the bike with and I really wanted to get a ride in. So, I started doing fuzzy math/logic in my head: "If you drop me off in Laurel, I'll have a bit of a tail wind and cross wind and should be able to make it home before sunset". Sounded reasonable, after all, it was only 6:15 or so when I said it. Problem was, we had 45 minutes of driving before Laurel.

By the time I got out and dressed at the Gas Station in Laurel, got the bike tires pumped up, chain lubed, and got rolling it was 7:22 (okay 7:21:59 according to my Garmin). Oh yeah, from that station to my house is 35.72 miles. I took off at a good pace, and quickly started redoing math and realizing that it was time to go into race mode. Whatever you got, it's time to use it up.

The stretch from Laurel to Hwy 12 has decent rolls in it, but with a tail wind of around 10mph, I made pretty decent work of those. Hwy 12, turning back slightly SE, I went back into the wind a bit and really had to push because NOW it was getting dark fast. Luck was on my side, because on this road with NO shoulder (white line IS the shoulder) I was passed only by one car in that stretch. A few oncoming, but overall pretty quiet.

As soon as I turned south towards Vermillion, I had to take my sunglasses off, even with the orange lenses in them. It was getting THAT dark. I got passed shortly before the Missouri River bridge and I went as fast as I could so I would not get passed on the bridge. When I turned off on Dakota Street heading towards the airport, my cell phone rings: "Where are you at?". Luckily I was in coming-in-for-landing mode because the Mrs. was in worry-mode. She's usually pretty calm about my riding but this time she was justifiable in her fears.

Oh well, I made it. I'm alive. Now I have one more story to tell over beers with the biking buddies.

Dear cycling class...tomorrow may be a pretty easy day for you all. I'm sensing parts of my body that may not be happy with me.

Bunyan's To Bob's (B2B) Teaser

2009-04-21T10:30:00.002-05:00

May 30th, 2009 - Mark your calendars.

We shall attack in all directions. One if by gravel, two if by pavement!

LBL Recap

2009-04-20T23:39:00.002-05:00

What a great weekend away from Vermillion. Ride Vermillion and I, along with our families, headed to Omaha on Friday night in preparation for our short jaunt to the "Hell of the Midwest" -- LBL -- on Saturday morning.

Looking at the weather guess on Friday night it wasn't looking too promising. Never throughout the day was the chance of rain less that 60%. Upon waking up in the morning, it was indeed already raining. We headed out to Lincoln anyway and in a couple spots it was really raining hard.

As we pulled into eDLoNNie's house, it was not raining as hard. By 9:45, it had quit completely, the skies opened up, and the sun was shining beautifully. After a wonderful breakfast and a Schmaltz He'Brew Pomegranate Ale, we rolled out towards our first destination of the day: Denton, NE. After suffering through one frosty mug of Miller Lite, I asked for a little tomato juice to make it bearable on the second. I found out that went down very well. Too well. Order a second (red) pitcher well. You guessed it, that wasn't such a grand idea.

The rolls between Denton and our second stop, Crete, allowed me many opportunities to relive how wonderful those red beers tasted. I started getting that "beer headache" between Denton and Crete, so I opted for Coke at our lunch stop to get my caffeinated life back on track.

After a great lunch we rolled back to Lincoln where we found out that the MuSCLe had a flat and they had to go back and get him, and that eDBiLLy and John were "lost". Shortly after eDLoNNie left for the MuSCLe, eDBiLLy and John showed up after taking their "alternate" route. All was well in the universe again.

After some chili, a giant cinnamon roll, and a second round of Schmaltz brewing called the Messiah Bold, CDV and I rolled back to Omaha to be with the family and go out for dinner.

After packing up in the morning we parted ways as our clan went to Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo. If you live and the area and you've never been, you should. I'm not sure I could ever tire of the zoo there. We spent five hours walking around until everybody had hit the wall of energy expenditure and we made our way back to South Dakota.

Up next in the biking world: Bunyan's to Bob's - May 30th. More details to follow...