Two-Dimensional Sibling Sighting

I love my Sister, however, with her 'on the go' public relations world in the D and my addiction to pedaling, besides bumping into each other at someplace neither knew were going to be there, we see each other pretty much at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Life happens. 

Today, I am adding a different category to my counters of how many times I've seen my Sister, television appearances. Honestly, I see her more in the two-dimension world than in person. I've wrote on here before of her Hollywood flair pushing everything from city bike ride tours to the Detroit Homecoming to any television station needing to fill some air time. She is a public relations machine and does quite well at her craft (shameless plug for my Sis today). So flipping through the idiot box (television) this morning, there she was again. She made syndication as it was a re-run from an airing earlier in the month! We had a rare in person meeting last week visiting my Dad so that makes it an even race so far in 2018.  

Love you Sis. See you in November.

Trail Head  

Fun At Recess

Recess. Was there anything better in school? It was great for all parties as the kids got to get outside and unleash some of their A.D.D. angst playing slaughter ball/war while the teachers were allowed to saunter off to the teacher lounge for a smoke (we're talking the 1970's here so yes, smoke 'em if you've got 'em Teach). Then 30 minutes or so later we all returned to our seats to work on our multiplication tables while A.D.D. boy (me) drifted off in daydream land recreating his domination of the slaughter ball game 30 minutes prior. It was a great time to be young and stupid. 

Fast forward about 40 years to Island Lake Recreation Area yesterday morning and it was recess all over again but I didn't have to go back to class! Winter and fat tire bicycling have allowed me to return to that feeling. There is a portion of the park titled the 'Badlands' that I learned about last year; resides south of the main mountain bike loops. It isn't a sanctioned trail so the mountain bike purists won't give you a public flogging on social media for riding on it during not so great conditions. There will be no chance of a flogging as the conditions were great and a fun ride it was. I was a follower in a group of about 12 as I had no idea where I was going and let the people who knew the trail options best show the way. All in all, about 14 miles of some cool landscape and bunny hill descents with manageable climbs. I managed to get fall number one in for 2018 as a tree root under the snow grabbed me for a slow motion loop over the handlebars. The two riders behind me had a great view of the dismount. No blood. Pedal on.  

It wasn't the Apollo Elementary slaughter ball championship, but it was up there. 

See you in Homeroom.

Trail Head

weeeeee!!!!!

 

wide shot of the Badlands
with riders in the distance

chicken rider crawling down a hill

earlier ride at
Maybury State Park Saturday

Hollywood Rider is Back!

On a mission to NEVER be out-ridden again by an old fart almost twice his age (yours truly), nephew Jackson put over 100 miles on the clicker over the last 24 hours for the Bike The Blizzard charity ride to raise money for Back Alley Bikes (http://thehubofdetroit.org/back-alley-bikes/). And who better for the local media to go to when they need a perspective on the ride but none other than the local product whose been on camera before (http://molsonbiketour.blogspot.com/2016/05/leader-of-millennials-goes-hollywood.html). 

He's a natural. I've lost count between him and my sister's appearances on Fox news as there have been a handful. It wouldn't surprise me if there is a director chair or dressing room in the studio with their last name on it.

I'm happy being the key grip (best title ever) of the family behind the scenes thank you as seeing myself in HD is not on my wish list.

Trail Head 

Snowbirds Chirping

Although the holidays are over, it's still the season to...take pictures of your dashboard thermometer!!! It's a bigger craze than Poke-whatever these days as who can beat the coldest!!! For the record in this entry, -18 F(-28 C) from my Canadian friends is the number to beat. My personal best is -20 up north awhile back. Frozen boogers and bumper shagging. There is nothing better. 

The group taking the pictures in this post have many similar traits but one that stands out among all. Besides their love of temperature readings, they are all friends of mine ('real' friends; no SEND button needed to say hello) who'll do anything to help at a moments call. That is a good thing. They all come from very different backgrounds and cover three countries, however, once the calendar says Winter, it's time for the Snowbird to fly south and these individuals are all on the cover of Snowbird Monthly magazine. Some moved there on a permanent basis. I applaud the process. If you can, why not but it made me laugh that the leaders of the flock would all be taking pictures of extremely cold temperatures. I guess its kind of a warning to friends that they're getting ready to get the hell out of Dodge.
See you in the Spring bird friends.  
Trail Head  

- at least this individual is rocking

while freezing

- this was actually a beautiful
panorama shot of the river...with
the temperature

a...video of the temperature

- permanent bird rubbing it in

Canada wins the coldest award!
(yes, that is Celsius but still cold
as shit)