Ask Dr. Wally

Dear Dr. Wally

What are the proper libations to serve after a cold winter ride? One of my friends said the traditional Italian drink is something called grappa, but I've never hear of it before. Is he pulling my leg?

Buzzed in Bartlesville

Dear Buzz

Don't drink grappa. Try kerosene instead. You'll thank me for it. Grappa is made from what's left over after grapes go through a wine press. Supposedly there's 'good' grappa and 'bad' grappa, but only someone who drinks cleaning products for recreation would know the difference.

Besides, alcohol causes skin capillaries to dilate, increasing heat loss. Consider another warming drink instead, like espresso since we seem to be stuck on an Italian theme. You can impress your friends with a complicated and expensive espresso machine, or you can make equally strong coffee in a humble mokka pot like any Italian grannie.

If you simply must have alcohol, wait until after cooling off and taking a shower. Then open a bottle of stout or porter. They actually have a lower alcohol content than beer, but they have far more carbohydrates, sort of like a Power Bar in a bottle.

Dr. Wally

Next month: Sauerkraut - the new cure for saddle sores!

Very dark gray Friday

Lyndsay contemplates cooking Thanksgiving dinner.
(Canon Canonet GIII Q17, exposure unrecorded)

I was up at 4:30, not for shopping, but to make coffee and see my daughter off to work. She's lucky enough to have a hospital job that doesn't require nights, weekends, and holidays, but like most employers, her's doesn't recognize Black Friday as a holiday. Not that any of them should, of course, since it's a day devoted to the basest of human desires - low, low discount prices.

My scanner is busy. In the last hour, the local cops settled a dispute over housewares and sheets at the W**Mart. The were called to a possible road rage incident nearby, and some heartless POS stole a purse from a woman in a handicapped cart. The W**Mart is so crowded the police are having a hard time moving around inside.

I too, have to do some shopping. That means I have to get some money from the ATM first, and my credit union is - you guessed it - right near the W**Mart. I don't want to go there. In fact, I'd prefer to avoid the area until sometime in February. Since I have to pass the airport, I'll stop at the maintenance base and use the ATM there instead.

Now there's a dispute going on in lawn and garden. That's where the Christmas stuff is located. I have a perverse hope that it's two shoppers duking it out over a nativity display. I have a taste for irony.

Yesterday's dinner went well, but I forgot to take some photos of the table groaning under the weight of all that food. We had a six pound turkey breast because we gave the big turkey to a woman across the street. That six pounder fed the five of us, and in the evening, Lyndsay loaded up a plate for Mrs. W., one of her former clients from her home health care job. Mrs. W. can't travel, and all her family was out of town. She lives in an assisted living apartment complex. Lyndsay and I visited with her for almost two hours. I have to report that I was yawning and getting sleepy, partly from all that food, and partly from just being tired at the end of a long day.

One other happy moment came after we returned home. Mary discovered a forgotten cache of beer in the garage! I had three bottles of Sam Adam's Winter Lager out there. Okay, okay, my excitement threshold is fairly low when it comes to beer, but after that dinner I was really looking forward to a glass of beer. I thought I was out, and there wouldn't be a chance to get more until Friday. Sure, the grocery store was open. I could buy beer there, but if I'm going to pay the same price, why not get good beer from the liquor store?

Now there's a call about a suspicious vehicle driving slowly through one of the neighborhoods. It's stopping in front of houses, then moving on. It would be a perfect time to do some home burglaries as many people are out shopping already.

The eastern horizon is brightening. Jordan's alarm just went off. He has to be at work this morning too. This is kinda nice - watching my kids go off to work while I sip coffee!

I'll post this, then make some breakfast to power Jordan through his morning. Afterward, I'll leave for Tulsa and my very own shopping adventure. Fun, fun, fun.

Thanksgiving morning

My usual workday starts at 4:30AM, but today I was able to sleep in until after the sun came up. What luxury!

As I write this, it's still early. The house is quiet. Mary and the kids are asleep. I'm in the living room, sipping at a cup of coffee. The cats insisted that I feed them immediately once I opened the bedroom door, and now that their bellies are full, it's romper room time. A toy mouse is taking a battering and a piece of purple ribbon seems to be a favorite at the moment. They can be awfully noisy.

I like quiet mornings like this one. It's a good time to write, and given the hectic cooking festival coming later today, it's a welcome respite, a calm before the inevitable storm breaks.

Holidays make me think of what my children have missed. Mary and I grew up with big, extended families that had enormous holiday dinners. Those of you of a certain age may remember a television commercial with the line, "Bring out the second turkey!" My family actually did that when we had nearly 20 people in the house for Thanksgiving.

Maybe my kids aren't missing out on being relegated to a card table in the living room at mealtime. It's just the four of us here, though our friend Wade will be joining us for dinner. He gets a turkey dinner by presenting She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed with a two liter bottle of Pepsi. He knows a good deal when he sees one.

It's traditional to reflect on those things we're thankful for on this holiday, and like most others, I'm most deeply thankful for my family and friends. My children are growing up and soon they'll be out on their own. I know there will be holidays that they won't be able to spend with Mary and me, so our tradition will be changing once again. That's painful to contemplate, but it's equally inevitable.

I'm also deeply grateful for those of you who read this. Every writer has an audience in mind, and I'm no different in that regard. It's humbling to realize that CycleDog has had some influence on other cyclists and their own writing. Along with that realization comes a responsibility to keep an open mind and pursue the best practices that provide real benefits to real cyclists.

It's almost 10AM now. I'm going to post this, make more coffee, and cook a big brunch. Chances are, the aroma of food will bring the kids out of bed. Pancakes should do it. Then I'll clear off the kitchen and get ready for the afternoon onslaught.

Again, my thanks to all of you reading this. If you're in the US, enjoy the holiday. But even if you're not in this country, remember this and cherish your family at that next big dinner. Ultimately, the only real treasure we have are those people around us who share our table and the joys and sorrows of our lives.

Canon Canonet GIII Q17

I've been playing with this Canonet for awhile now. I'm impressed by the sharpness and contrast of its 40 mm lens. These photos were taken with an ISO 200 film in heavy overcast at the Ronde Van Oakkenberg cyclocross event a couple of weeks ago. I dropped off the film for processing at our local Drug Warehouse where they offer a CD with the prints. The files are about 5 megs and I've reduced them for display here. They've also been sharpened slightly.


This is an enlargement from the full size photo below. I was surprised at the fine detail at this magnification. Any larger, however, and you could see the grain.

This afternoon, I loaded this camera with an ISO400 black and white film. And I spun a yellow Y2 filter on the front of the lens. I know I can get the same effect by using color film and altering the images in Picasa, but I want to experiment. I've had very little experience with black and white film.

I won another camera at auction last week, a Yashica Electro 35GT - a very sexy all black rangefinder camera that's about as old as the Canon. One big plus is that much of the maintenance and repair information is on-line, so I'm planning to work on this one myself. But first, the old Minolta Himatic 9 will be going under the knife - my first victim. It's expendable.

Wish me (and the Minolta!) some luck.

And now, a word from our Wally

Some of you may remember the Crank Index piece from a couple of months ago. In it, I proposed an index consisting of the following points, to be used whenever we encounter anti-cyclist comments in blogs, newspaper articles, web forums, and the like. Here are all eleven:

(1)Bicyclists need tags, licenses, and insurance.

(2) All bicyclists are scofflaws. They run red lights and stop signs all the time!

(3) Public roads are for the use of all, and it's clear that bicyclists have an equal right to that public space. But they shouldn't ride on busy roads when there are other, less traveled roads and parks nearby.

(4) Bicyclists don't pay taxes.

(5) They impede traffic.

(6) They should ride on the sidewalks.

(7) They should stay on the trails.

(8) Motor vehicles must slow down to avoid cyclists, risking a rear-end collision.

(9) Bicycle travel is dangerous. You may be right, but you'll be dead right.

(10) They just don't have any 'common sense.'

(11) They wear funny clothes that make them look gay.

Yeah, I know, it's eleven. Just like that guy in Spinal Tap said, it's one louder.

Since I wrote that, I've been reading various newspaper comment sections here in Oklahoma and out there in the rest of the world, and so far, no one's scored a perfect eleven. But there's one outstanding contender for the highest score on the Crank Index.

Drum roll, please.

The winner is...the petition to ban cyclists from rural roads in Iowa! I know, I know, you were probably wondering what happened to this unseemly piece of faux populism. Apparently the petition closed sometime in October after gathering only 911 'signatures'. Every post on the site counted as a signature, even if the poster was against it. Anonymous posts also counted as signatures. So even that 911 figure is grossly inflated.

As near as I can figure, the petition scored a nine on the Crank Index, although I'll be completely honest and say that I didn't read each and every post. My stomach wouldn't take it. Especially nauseating were those comments that began, "I'm a cyclist too, but..." Here's a clue - if you don't exercise your right to the road, you don't actually have a right to the road.

The bottom line, however, is that the petition was a miserable failure.

But what of the people who signed it? I wouldn't want to play on their paranoia, but now we have a list of people who've publicly stated they don't like bicyclists. How difficult would it be to match up that list against police reports or newspaper stories involving harassment or assaults against cyclists? Say there's a hit-and-run in Sleepytown. We simply look for any posts from an individual in that town or a nearby one. That's not showing guilt, of course. It's merely a starting point for an investigation, a chance to round up the usual suspects.

Just a thought.

And now something completely different...

From Wired.com.

Toe straps for those of you who simply cannot leave your bike for any reason...perhaps because your leash is far too short. You know who you are.

Honestly, this looks more like S&M stuff rather than bike stuff. So far, the UCI hasn't ruled on its legality, though given the 'get medieval on your ass' mentality of the UCI, they'll be all for it.

I could mention the Spanish Inquisition here too, but you'd be expecting that, and as we all know, no one expects the Spanish Inquisition.

Saturday

"I don't use my brain anymore. I have technology for that."...overheard in a restaurant yesterday.

It started off as a nice day. Wade and I had coffee and solved the world's problems from our regular seats in the coffee shop. I stopped at the drugstore and bought some 35mm film and a heating pad for Mary. Lyndsay was just waking up when I arrived at home.

"I'm up early, Daddy, because I fell asleep early - about 10:45", she said. This working for a living and getting up at 4:30 AM takes its toll.

I wanted to take a broken camera down to Tulsa for repair, so I asked if she wanted to go along. "I'll get ready and go with you", she said.

It was 9AM.

I did the update for the Ronde Van Oakkenberg, posting it both here and on the Examiner. I read all my email. I played on StumbleUpon for awhile, updated my anti-virus program, updated iTunes, downloaded some podcasts, juggled cats, watched the new neighbors moving in across the street, and otherwise wasted time waiting for her.

I went back to her room twice to inquire as to whether she was ready to go, with negative results.

At 10:30, she was ready.

Note to future prospective bridegrooms - she'll make you crazy too, but she's worth it.

We went to Tulsa and I dropped off the digital camera that a kitten pulled off the table onto the tiled floor. The tech gave me a flat rate that was slightly higher than the manufacturer, but the company wanted that much just to look at it. Repairs could involve additional charges. This camera has better resolution than my Canon A590IS and a better telephoto as well. Chances are that Lyndsay will end up with it anyway.

After a few more errands, we stopped for lunch at a Mexican restaurant, site of the hilarious comment up at the top. Two women left a nearby table and were passing behind me when one ot them said it. Lyndsay had a mouthful of food at the time and I thought it was going to come out through her nose.

After lunch, I curled up around that big ball of Mexican food in my belly and took a nap on the couch. It had been a busy morning, what with juggling cats and all, and I needed the rest.

As I write this early on Sunday afternoon, the weather outside is cool and wet. There's a 90% chance of rain and the temperature is hovering in the mid-fifties. Perfect cyclocross weather! Jordan and I are leaving in about half an hour. Expect an update on the Ronde Van Oakkenberg later today.