Cycling, shooting, hunting, fishing, canoeing, camping, ATVs, etc. If you like to dabble in outdoor activities & have a limited budget & limited time you'll learn your not alone. Interested in starting or restarting some outdoor activities you've never tried or haven't been active in for years? You'll see how I squeeze time and money out of a busy career and family life to enjoy the outdoors. Click on March 2009 to see how I started doing what I enjoy today.
This afternoon was beautiful, other than a wind from the West, I wanted to see how my new Bike Pedalers Felt did out on the road, so I headed acrosstown on the trails then N.W. To Raymond.
This was my first trip to Raymond and I loved the shoulders going out there and back. The Felt was at home on the road and seemed like a rocket out on the highways.
The forcast is looking much better for next week and I'm looking forward to more rides before we run out of nice weather. I hope you make time for a little two wheeled fun as well!
A good crowd was at the October Critical Mass ride tonight. Food Not Bombs was again on hand giving out free bowls of hot potato soup, it hit the spot on this cool ride!
After extensive interviews and looking at many qualified candidates, the best fit for our needs was chosen and hired with Monday as her first day on the job.
The new Bike PedalersFelt came in on her first commute confident, educated and well trained. She flew effortlessly through her assigned tasks and made the ride in quick, effortless and enjoyable.
After work I rode downtown to pick up a copy of Lincoln Ve-Low before sailing home. The Felt's first day at work was a piece of cake. She multi-tasks naturally, transitioning from city trails to urban streets seamlessly. She performs well under all conditions from the early morning darkness to taking on the afternoon breeze.
She was a joy to work with, making my job easy as I directed her and she seemed to do all the work. She was sharp and professional in appearance. She exhibited courtesy to pedestrians, was friendly to cyclist and diversified enough to blend easily with vehicles.
While she may need extra attention on crude rock trails found rurally. I'm looking forward to seeing her strength and poise on the open roads on long rides outside of town. That should be her opportunity to shine and I have no doubt she will excel.
The Felt was a great choice and I look forward to working with her for many work commutes to come. Yesterday's miles = 20.80
#20 out now. Bad-ass cover design by Hoss. Inside: downhill adventures, Cornbread interviews Moser on riding across the USA, SSWC '09, Jeff Bonsall interviewed as well as Sean Walling of Soulcraft Bikes, and of course words describing some music... that I have heard. Get your copy at Monkey Wrench Cycles or Indigo Books. All proceeds go to me. Just kidding....sort of. Or better yet, subscribe. Details here: www.lincolnve-low.blogspot.com
Just $2 to put your finger on the pulse of Lincoln's cycling scene! Take a spin downtown and pick up your copy today!
I rode late this afternoon at Holmes Lake then went South on the 70th St. Trail to the Old Chenney trail then around the South Point trail then North on the Rock Island and East on the Billy Wolff to home.
love my new Felt, it's so light and nimble and seems so much easier to pedal. Breaking in the new Brooks saddle left me in no pain so far, thanks in part to how little weight is put on the seat compared to my Comfort Series Marin.
Today was the annual Ducks Unlimited Banquet in Cairo Ne. Our youngest and I made the trip for the prime rib dinner and brought back some nice raffle prizes.
Ducks Unlimited is a conservation organization that works to improve waterfowl habitat. DU banquets are held around the world to raise funds to restore wetlands benefiting not only migratory birds, but also all wildlife that shares that habitat.
Tonight's movie was awesome as a crowd of Lincoln cycling fans filled the theater to see the Leadville 100 MTB race from the participants perspective.
Bike Pedalers invited cyclist to their store for a reception following the show giving us a chance to browse the inventory and swap biking stories and enjoy some food and drinks.
Yes, dreams can come true! Finally! I'm so excited I can't stand it!
I looked at several good bikes, but the Felt had the better components, and being a 2009 model the price had been marked down making the Felt a great deal!
Bike Pedalers has some really hot deals on 09' bikes right now. Jason sold me this sweet Felt Z70 and all the accessories today! They took it in the back and installed the clipless pedals, black bar tape, computer and a handsome new Brooks saddle.
Their bikes and low prices are awesome, and the mechanics are the only ones I count on to keep me and my bike moving safely mile after mile. This is the 6th bike my family has bought from Bike Pedalers in the last two years.
I'm always looking for the most bike for the money, and always shop around, but every time I end up back where I started, at Bike Pedalers. If you need a flat fixed on your old trusty rusty, or are looking for a fly new whip and all the bling-bling to pimp it out, or anything in-between, they'll treat you great.
Now, if the weather would just shape-up so I could try it out without drowning!
What a great day to ride! I took the bike to work and back today and was loving the fall weather. Lots of bikes on the trails. Was yours one of them? I hope so! Ken is on TV reminding us how lucky we have been the last couple of days.
Speaking of bikes on the trails, I'm deep into negotiations on a new whip. The boss says a bonus will be on Friday's check and I'm looking forward to picking up something light and quick. Stay tuned to find out more!
I pinned my wife down and got a straight answer. I am now authorised to get a much needed new bike with the bonus money I'm getting on Friday's check. I can't believe it's really going to happen! Pinch me!
What will I get? Stay tuned. I'm still negotiating with several shops to find out who's got the most bike for the money. The three I have it narrowed down to are all on closeout since their 08 and 09 models.
Today's high was a welcome 71' after a couple of crappy weeks of weather.
The ride was great, but my bike was shifting badly about 1/2 way to work and got worse on the ride home. I took it in to find out my cable was shot. A little over $4 later and Bike Pedalers had me fixed up and ready to ride again.
I've been doing some pretty serious shopping for a new bike and am looking at a performance hybrid Trek FX 7.6, a compact road bike from Specialized called a Sequoia and a relaxed road bike by Felt called the Z70. I'll keep my Marin comfort series, but am looking for something lighter, faster and more nimble that'd be better suited for the riding I'm doing. Stay tuned, it should be an exciting week!
This will be a leasurley ride in downtown Lincoln to raise awarness.
If your on Facebook find out more here.
The Progressive Student Coalition of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is organizing individuals and organizations to participate in a critical mass of bikes riding through the downtown streets of Lincoln. We will be calling for a more bike-friendly city and encouraging individuals to make more environmentally-conscious decisions in their every day lives.
For more information, or to get involved, email the Progressive Student Coalition at:
psc.unl@gmail.com
Join us as we try to get 350 bikers on the streets of downtown Lincoln on Sunday, October 25th!
The Progressive Student Coalition (PSC) is organizing 350 bikers to hit the roads as a part of 350.org's international day of action. 350.org is an international campaign dedicated to building a movement to unite the world around solutions to the climate crisis--the solutions that science and justice demand.
Don't have a bike? No problem! We have a limited number of bikes available for free rental for the bike ride! To find out more, contact the PSC at: psc.unl@gmail.com
DISCLAIMER: This is NOT associated with "Critical Mass." Critical Mass will resume at its normally scheduled time and date (the last Friday of the month - October 30 - at 6pm)
Doc was kind enough to invite me my first Husker football game today. I rode to the stadium and found a nearby bike rack with plenty of space. I didn't have to pay for parking, fight traffic, or walk a long ways. Biking is truly the way to get to a big event without all the headaches.
The game was awesome and the atmosphere was unbelievable! Truly a day I'll never forget. Today's miles to the stadium and back = 10.56
Your favorite fair weather cyclist rides again. Between being busy at work and the fact that the first 15 days of October were the coldest they've ever been in Nebraska since they started keeping track I've been neglecting my bike.
I was given tickets to a Lincoln Stars Hockey game for my involvement in a special project at work and thought it'd be a great chance to ride and avoid trafic and parking. I'd never been to a hockey game and I wasn't disappointed! The Stars took the win in overtime 7 to 6.
The ride was sweet and it felt like going home to be back on two wheels after riding just a couple times in the last two weeks. My helmet is off to those who are commuting in bad weather, but I'm glad to see some sunnier days in the forecast and am hoping to ride more before winter really sets in. Hope to see you enjoying the nicer days outdoors too.
Today's miles to the hockey game and back = 12.16.
I dropped off our youngest to Turkey hunt on the Loup River with my mom and hadn't even made it back to Lincoln when he called and said that while setting up the blind down on the river he was able to hit two with his first shot. He never misses, but this is just showing off I think! I guess I can't complain about having to spend so much money on his ammo anymore, huh? Ha!
I asked if he wanted me to turn around and come get him since his permit only had two tags and he'd used them both up already. Not one to concede so easily, he said, "no, we'll just go on-line and get another permit, there are too many turkeys down here." He loves it there, I knew he wouldn't want to come home till he absolutely had to.
Nothing like a great fall bike ride in the country to bring back old memories!
I had the day off work, so late this morning I derailed into the little ring and spun into the wind. I took the Billy Wolff to the Rock Island then South to the Jamaica North then down the Homestead about halfway to Cortland before turning back to Lincoln. Then some effortless sailing in the big ring all the way back. Back on the edge of Lincoln, I tried some single track in Wilderness Park before heading home.
Then, tonight our youngest and I took our bikes to church.
One of my most vivid childhood memories was laying on my side with one elbow on the floor and my head in my hand with the Dukes on the RCA and my orange Matchbox General Lee straightnin' the curves and flatnin' the hills of our green shag carpeted living room floor.
Then, riding my orange bike the next morning through autumn leaves as fast as I could at our rural Hall County farm, trying to get them to fly up in the air like Bow and Luke did as they tore through rural Hazard County. Yes, I would yell "Yee-Haa" too!
Today's ride reminded me of those early fall boyhood adventures. And while I denied yelling "Yee-Haa" today, I admit I did look back after plowing through drifts of dry leaves on the trail to see if they would fly up behind me like they did over 25 years ago... Sure enough, they did! "Yee-Haa!" (Oops! Did I say that out loud?)
Sure the weather is a little 'iffy' this time of year, but here's hoping you'll find some time to get outdoors for a little nostalgic fun, just be sure to get home in time to watch 'The Dukes'.
Today's rural ride and trip to church = 39.94 miles.
I grew up in Central Nebraska riding my bike to a country school, shooting sparrows around the farm with my daisy and fishing in local farm ponds or the loup river. Weekends were often spent at Harlan Reservoir. My family has always taken recreating seriously and it was deeply instilled in me. I evolved to become a avid fisherman and hunter from about age 10 to 15 then got into cars and girls and totally lost interest.
As my own 3 kids have come of age I've got back into outdoor sports and try to nurture a love of the outdoors in them.
I hope my blog encourages you to get out and play, and to include those close to you. You don't need the latest equipment or tons of time, just get out there with what you've got every chance you get. Encourage others to take part, be safe, responsible, and project a good image of the sports you love. Finally, give back, by building awareness, contributing volunteer time or money, and introducing others to the sport, so future generations can enjoy the leisure activities you love. I encourage you to comment on my posts, tell others about nebraskaoutdooraddict.blogspot.com and check back often.
