Breath

Yesterday, I seriously needed a breathe of fresh air. Had a perfectly nice person waste an hour of my life, chit-chatting, while I had a huge to-do list that wasn't being overcome. The whole day was like that. Lots to do, but somehow, nothing getting done. Time waster here, time waster there, everywhere a time waster. Not or lack of trying either.

After said person finally let me go (after telling me of her childhood vacations, past houses, children that have moved on and countless other details of her life) I was in a foul mood. I'd never met this person in my life. And somehow we're good to chat for an hour? While I've got things to do? Fuming at this point.

My sweet wife, knowing what's best for me, suggested I head out for a little bike ride. While my to do list was bursting, and nothing for the day had diminished it, I did agree. Going for a ride was probably the most productive thing I could do at that point.
So, I threw my old 20D around my neck, checked the pressure of the LHT tires and headed out. Nowhere in mind, but hard on the pedals. Hard on them with thoughts of piss and vinegar. Thoughts of how I'd just lost an hour of my life I'll never get back. Thoughts of how such a person has no idea of how rude that was and how detrimental it was to my business. All for what? Chit chat? I pedalled harder.
My route started routine, and I was cruising the gravel in no time. My favourite roads were unraveling before me, winding here and there with their graceful flow, but all I could think about was this horrific person (criminal by this time in my mind) who wanted to babble on for what seamed like forever about nothing that I cared, or ever would care about. By this point, I think it was adversely affecting my health, and taking a toll on my heart and veins.

I continued in the building rage.
The effect of your favourite gravel route and irrigation canal can have a very powerful, honing effect on ones attitude. I slowly was feeling more relaxed. I'd have to make myself get angry again out this incident and remember how angry I was. And I'd seem to have to do it again and again.
Then, all of a sudden, I realized, who cares? I've still got a huge list of things to do, much of which I can contemplate out here, on this great gravel route, while doing one of my favourite things. I realized how much of my time and energy I'd wasted in anger about a silly little situation. I reminded myself again that I indeed can't control everything, nor would it be good if I could. I could never handle such a task. People are people and people are different. This gal was a different flavour than I'd ever met, but she was still a person. She is still important. If she want's to tell me her childhood vacations, issues she's having with her builder, or the details of her life, I should just sit back, enjoy it and remember that indeed, she's a person too. This may not have been on my agenda for today, but, it is now and if it's made it's way into my daily schedule, I must treat it as important, and realize that indeed, sometimes you just need to let other people's agenda's have a little affect on your day.
I'm not saying that you can be loose with your time. Hardly at all. I'm the guy who just doesn't ever answer the phone, because I'm in the middle of something. I protect my time like it's going to save my life. I don't let others waste a second of it. But today, I realized again, people need to come before our "to-do" lists.

Cheers.

Back in the Day

We all used to ride to work. All five of use. That's me in the middle, sporting the #5 on my t-shirt. It started with just me, riding everyday. Day in and day out. Then a few others joined along. Then, there was 5.

Now I don't work there anymore. No one rides anymore. Kinda sad.

Sometimes by simply being seen doing, your influence can be surprising.

Ride yer bike.

Mystery Bike Revealed - Peugeot Sante

Finally I've gotten around to putting some pictures up of my 'mystery' bike that I've been slowly, very slowly been plunking away on since last summer. The idea was to get it up and on the road fairly quickly, but all too soon time was slipping away and I resolved that this would be a winter project. Technically, it ended up a spring project, but, it's done.I'd been searching for some time to find a nice, decent quality steel frame road bike that actually fit me. 62cm frames aren't the most common in local classified ads. I was pretty much sure I wouldn't find anything decent and thought that if the desire to ride a fast, skinny tired road bike bit me that hard, I'd have to save up the pennies and buy a new one. Well, I found a great deal on a bike that had been spared from being placed out in the dumpster. The gent that I purchase the bike from didn't want to see the bike going to waste, but also wasn't really in a place where he needed another bike project. In the end, I got a sweet deal on it, and now, I've finally got a really nice steel frame road bike that fits.
The bike is a mid-late 80s Peugeot Sante. Made in France, with a Renolds 531P tubeset, nervex lugs and simplex drop outs. That 531 P says so much about this bike. One of the finer tubesets that you could build a bike with at the time.
This bicycle has such an amazing ride. Very aggressive in it's riding position, but the ride itself is smooth. The drive train is Shimano Sante, which was basically a limited edition Dura-Ace line commissioned for this frame. Pearlescent paint was a distinctive feature of the line. That and the special chain-ring bolts that were smooth on the outer side. The brakes are really impressive for their vintage, and after a re-build, the shifting is silky smooth. This bike never had many miles on it. The bio-pace chain rings are in excellent condition. It's pretty cool to have a bike this old, and be able to leave so much of the original hardware on it, without sacrificing performance.
I was thinking about painting the frame, but quite quickly kaiboshed that idea. Added some white tires and bar tape to keep in tune with the aesthetic of the components and paint.
Haven't logged too many miles on it yet, but that'll soon change. Going from the LHT, to this, I'm again amazed at how fast you can actually move under your own power. Skinny tired, go fast bikes are really something.

Cheers.

alternative transportation at it's finest (or something)

Just a little update

Well, things have been pretty busy for me lately. Haven't even been out riding too much. Certainly not enough. Just wanted to throw an update out there for the cycling-blog-o-sphere that I used to be so involved in. Haven't forgotten you, and I keep up with yall on my google reader. Just haven't been contributing to it all that much.

A photo of the mystery bike will be coming soon. After a few more rides on it to get it dialled in just right.

Also, I'm giving an iPad away on my new website which is dedicated to family, wedding and lifestyle photography. I'm keeping my other site, jeremygoertz.com, for commercial, fashion and personal photography that wouldn't really interest people wanting family photography. In an effort to tailor content for different audiences, I think this separation should work well.

Now, this contest is a tough one for me. Why? Because I don't have an iPad, and I want one. So bad. Yet I'm giving one away? Yup. I wanted something fun to kick start the new site, and to me at least winning an iPad is a whole whack of fun!