A new season

Greetings to anyone who might actually visit here. It's the spring of 2010 and time to think about a new season of beach cruiser cruizin'. The first week of May is going to be an Oregon Coast cruzin time....let me know if you are interested.

It's a Burley baby!

For those of you who have not riden with us, we frequently will pack gourmet picnics to enjoy on our rides. These picnics include a variety of sandwiches, salads, cheese, breads, fresh fruit and "refreshments". Therefore, we pack a cooler and picnic bags for the journey. These delights and libations are loaded into a cargo trailer that Bob pulls. Poor Bob ends up pulling all of the weight, while the rest of us zip around..woohooo. Not really fair, so, I've looking to get a cargo trailer myself. It is, after all, only fair. Besides, when there are more than 4 riders, the picnics get too big for the single trailer. So, I found a great deal on a Burley flatbed cargo trailer (under $200) and picked it up.

On a side note, the shop that I purchased the trailer at is the same shop where I got my Felt Chief. Let me just say that my experience with the trailer has caused me to take my business, in the future, elsewhere. The run around that I received, and the ineptness of the staff was beyond belief. Actually, it was nearly fraudulent what they tried to pull. But, I concluded that it was ineptness at the cosmic level.

It's an alien

On the 5th of July, riding with friends, we stopped at Vancouver Lake Park for a bar-b-que (London Broil and Jalepeno/Cheddar Johnsonville Brats----can you say "YUMMY"). We had a great time playing beach volleyball, and decided that Parks and Rec needs a new ordinance regarding who gets to play volleyball (I would be excluded). But, I did get covered in sand from head to toe.

Well, I put my sandglasses (chuckles...sunglasses) on the Chief seat, and noticed that it looked like Alf the alien. What do you think?

Life is too rich to miss out on the details, always look beyond the obvious, find the hidden secrets in all things.

Chief

Hail to the Chief

Just added a Felt Chief to my cruiser collection. It is a cool looking bike, plus, it is a Chief. Bob recently changed out the chain ring to a 38 tooth size, which improved the pedaling immensely.

Oh where oh where have you been?

Sorry all, been away awhile. Have been riding, actually some incredible cruises....but have been photo challenged as my camera doesn't want to upload. July 5th, a great ride with Bob, Stephanie, Christy, and my new friend Zoey to Vancouver Lake Park.. What a beautiful day, and a great conversation with 10 year old Zoey. I asked her what her favorite food was...expecting pizza, or a cheeseburger, or a steak and baked potato, but NOOOO, her favorite......nigiri sake and unagi nigiri!!!!!!!!!! How cool is that...and of course, I love those as well. (for the non adventurous people hanging around.....nigiri sake is salmon sushi...unagi nigiri is eel shushi---unagi nigiri is my favorite.....yum!!!!!!!) When I was playing trumpet for the Glenn Miller Orchestra, we played in Japan for 6 weeks....I fell in love with unagi.

I promised Zoey a personal story from the Chief, which was delivered. I'll share it, only if Zoey permits. It is called, "Is it a Dream?" Elements of Japan, lions, dark green, sand dollars, ocean breezes, sand, and salty waves......hhmmmm....is it a dream....?

Just picked up my third cruiser....a Felt Chief...check it out at their website.

Be well, ride safe, ride long, live stronger.

Memorial Day weekend ride--Update

I am so looking forward to today's ride. The four of us are going to head to downtown Portland and ride a couple of trails. 20 miles on cruisers today--woohoo. Found my misplaced camera, so I'll be able to put up some pics. Check nwbeachruisers.com later for them.

-----update-----

What a beautiful day riding along the Wilamette River in downtown Portland. The Rose Festival kicked off this weekend, so the joint was a jumpin'. The waterfront was jammed with people along the fun center. Tons of bikes. Lunch outside at McCormick and Schmicks was great. The Spring Creek Trail was packed as well. Christy ended up getting her front tire clipped by the rear tire of a road biker. She ended up taking a spill, and suffering a big road rash on her left leg. The bell on her bike got scratched a little, but everything else was fine.

Some of those guys need to quit riding at 30 miles per hour on a crowded path!! There were walkers, parents with strollers, roller bladers, and the occassional spandex monster screaming down the path. Slow down guys, or ride in a place where you aren't going to be running down grandmas on cruisers. (Well, Christy is a grandma you know)

(also, "on your left" means your are going to be passed on your left side---it doesn't mean, "veer left")

Salmon Creek Brewery and Pub

On our last ride, we decided to stop by the Salmon Creek Brewery and Pub (Salmon Creek Brew Pub) for some deep fried mushrooms, onion rings, and a few other snacks. This is the place that has been very friendly to some of us more eccentric types, and is reportedly where Bad Monkey Skate and Bike plans were formed.

All ten of us arrived, pulled our cruisers up in front, and dutifully secured them with a grand crime prevention method--we locked them up. As we entered we found the place less than a third full, and the patio was about half full.

Not being a shy bunch, we went out into the patio area and asked if we could sit as a group (the tables--metal patio/bistro style seat 4). Have seen many groups here in the past. We were told no. Now, this was the first time here for some on our ride, but certainly not for me as well as several of us. After a pause, it was confirmed, we were told no.

What's a cruiser group to do? Where are we to go? There are plently of places that offer great ride munchies, so we left. So, do I talk with the waitress that usually helps us, or just blow them off? I'm inclined to find a new place, afterall they recently changed their batter for their deep fry items and I don't think it is a good as it used to be.

No! I still can't believe we were told NO!

Electramike