#18milesperhour

[18milesperhour]

Mr. Haring later combined his art and bicycles just a bit more.

Use a bike to see the work of Keith’s modern-day contemporaries.

And you can still use your bike to help with the fight against the disease that took Keith from us.

Have fun. And be kind out there.

[18milesperhour]

SLOW RIDE SUNDAY Right smack in the middle of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, I found myself enjoying my kind of non-branded, Thanksgiving weekend day: Slow Ride Sunday. I forced myself to slow down (way slower than 18 miles per hour), not go as far, but stop often to take in scenery that I normally head right past. And the secret to sticking to this plan is in the kit – or lack of one. Choosing to ride the cyclocross-commuter bike, I wore khaki shorts and a plaid, button-down shirt. The casual wardrobe forced me to ride casually and in the end, this is something I vow to do more often. Why? Because the meditative, relaxed nature is just what my soul needed just as long, fast Saturday rides are just what my body needs. Now, given my time-constrained weekdays, it’s tough to give up one of my weekend days. It’s tough to not go long and/or fast when the leash of time is removed. But what I get in return is of the utmost importance. What I get is a different relationship with my bike. Going at this pace, and in this style, and with this calm mind, it’s as if I’m just letting the bike take the lead instead of me hammering it and bending it to my will. I’m letting my bike carry me for a change. It’s the least I could do after all it gives me. Slow Ride Sunday. Try it if you dare. Your bike will thank you. - Brian

[18milesperhour]

MERCREDI CLASSIQUE: TIME ATAC. UN HOMAGE. Les Pedales Time ATAC Le flot naturelle est un don a mes vieux genous Tu ne t'entrave jamais de boue Et tu me decois jamais Si tu etait une femme je mettrai mon penise dans toi Mais tu n'est pas une femme Donc je le ferrai pas

[18milesperhour]

Have a good, spooky, haunted, clever, and safe ride. Now, the links.

Ghost Riding.

Wicked Witch (Miss Gulch). 

Zombie bicycle.

And my favorite Monster.

[18milesperhour]

NATURES HECKLERS #1: THE SUICIDE SQUIRREL. On the trail I occasionally come around a bend and startle a loitering bunny. I don't blame them. They're just hanging. On the road, however, the offending animal is this guy: The sociopathic, suicidal, sadomasochistic squirrel. A diminutive, darting dickhead. You know the dude, who waits until the last moment before darting for your front wheel. Why always the front wheel? Because he knows - he KNOWS - that it will inflict the most physical harm if you get vaulted over the bars. I don't like his behavior. I don't particularly like him. That's how I feel in the moment anyway. Then I come to my senses. And listen, I always do whatever it takes to avoid him. Not because I feel he's as litigious as the illustration suggests. But because, even as angry and startled and freaked out as his surprise attacks make me, I'm always aware that it's his world. I'm just riding through it. So maybe I should give him the benefit of the doubt. And a wider berth. And perhaps some therapy.

[18milesperhour]

WEDNESDAY CLASSIC: UNIVERSAL TRUTH OF CYCLING #1: THE RED LIGHT FOOT BUTTON. Do I even need to explain this? If you’ve even gone on a half dozen road rides in your life you know what this means. You pull up to a red light…you stay clipped in and pause…surely the light’s gonna turn…you track stand…any second now…wait for it…waaaaaait for it…nothing…so you relent, unclip, and as soon as your foot touches the ground, blink! It turns green. Son of a…! Is there a device buried in the pavement that reacts to your cleat? A magnetic trigger? Unless we dig up the street with a backhoe, we’ll never know.

[18milesperhour]

There's one wonderful thing about 24 Hour races that is not often discussed. Something I always look forward to as much as all the other, oft-shared adventures. Besides the exhaustion and fun and pain and joy, there’s one beautiful element that always has me awestruck throughout the entire weekend of a 24 hour race: It’s the fact that anyone gets to ride the same course at the same time as the very best in 24 hour racing. It’s like a weekend, rec-leaguer stepping onto the hardwood at Staples against Kobe. The pub-links duffer stepping up and teeing off at Augusta right in front of Arnie. I mention a legendary player like Arnold Palmer because my last race had me kicking up dust right next to no less than one of my idols, Tinker Juarez. Sure, he passed me like I was standing still at least 3 times in that 24 hour period, and I was more an obstacle than a competitor, but it doesn’t make it any less awesome – in the truest sense of the word. And as a solo, single-speed racer it's not uncommon to get cheers and a pat on the back from other pros as well…yes, as they passed me right up. So in short, at one time out there, there’s the best of the best. And the people who’ve focused their life on this for months. And there’s me. And for a few glorious minutes while you’re toeing the line, waiting for the gun to go off, you’re all equals. Anything can happen. And it does. For one, great day. - Brian

[18milesperhour]

SHE DID IT. On the weekly, family Trader Joe's run. All of us in a steady pace line for the 3 mile return trip. An easy grade once we settled into our rhythm. A hundred yards from the final turn into the final climb and I got lulled into complacency. I looked to check on my son behind me and, when I looked back she was gone. Off the front. Steadying the bag of groceries on my front rack I took off in pursuit but it was too late. She did it. Legitimately. Smartly. Ferociously. Finally. - Brian