How to break the news of expensive bike purchases to your spouse - Page 17 - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

03-05-2005, 07:53 PM

In article <d0dp4e$jfe$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
"greggery peccary" <.@.> writes:
>
> "Claire Petersky" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
> news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
>> "TomP" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].com> wrote in message
>> news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].com...
>>
>> > Where's Claire?
>>
>> I'm here. I'm thinking about leaving when individual.net goes away. I got
> an
>> offer for free usenet access which I haven't figured out how to configure
>> quite yet, but maybe I just won't. It just seems like not much is really
>> going on these days on the bicycling newsgroups, and my interest in having
> a
>> newsreader just to read rec.humor.funny is pretty small.
>>
>> --
>> Warm Regards,
>>
>> Claire Petersky
>
> this one's gotten worse lately. lots of trolls, some sort of jesus-bot and
> vitriol from crossposts. there are still some good ng's out there, but IMO
> rbm is no longer one of the better ones. think i'll just join a bike club
> and speak to folks face to face...

I think we've just hit a seasonal low point, and it's starting
to get better again. The rec.autos.driving x-posts seem to
have stopped, the abortion thing is eminently killfile-able,
and people seem to be hauling out their bikes again (and
putting away their trainers & rollers) as their respective
local weather becomes more clement. I think that'll bring up
more interesting real-life bikes-&-riding stuff to talk about.

Riding in Vancouver lately has been heavenly. The daytime
temps are just right for comfort, the cherry blossoms are
really coming into their own right now, and night rides
have a mystical serenity about them. So even though the
pavement is suffering from all the recent freeze/thaw,
and a lot of streets are blocked off because they're being
dug up (usually associated with house construction, of which
there's a lot happening here) I ain't complainin' ... much.

I guess it's initially a bummer to suddenly be pre-empted
and detoured from one's favourite shortcut or route to
wherever, but it's also an opportunity to experience less
familiar environs. At one such nearby streetwork site, the
detour led me past a house that has these wonderful, /huge/
sculptures of a dinosaur, giraffe and dragon in the front yard.
I love lookin' at that stuff. Another favourite sight I
often ride by is a house, painted white with red polka dots,
and a matching detached garage (Lakewood & 3rd, for locals.)
Gawd, I wish I had a camera so I could put up some pix and
post yez all a URL to 'em.

When riding around dinner-time, I've been catching whiffs
of what people are cooking at home. There seems to be a
lot of onion frying going on lately. The aroma of fried
onions sends my appetite into a frenzy.

I'm afraid that's all I've got for now in re: cycling.
I guess everything's going too smoothly to have much
interesting stuff to talk about. But that'll probably
change, sooner or later.

cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

03-05-2005, 10:58 PM

Sat, 5 Mar 2005 20:53:57 -0800, <5d2e0d.ju5.ln@bud.garden.local>,
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Tom Keats) wrote:

>Another favourite sight I
>often ride by is a house, painted white with red polka dots,
>and a matching detached garage (Lakewood & 3rd, for locals.)
>Gawd, I wish I had a camera so I could put up some pix and
>post yez all a URL to 'em.
>
I _must_see that one in its King of the Mountains colours. Maybe it's
Fabrizio's new digs or Richard Virenque bought a home here!
(He holds the record of seven polka dot jersey wins)

I recently heard an interesting piece on CBC about how "polka dots"
got their name. It seems many things were named polka this or polka
that from the mid to late 1800s. A bunch of manufacturers cashed in on
the public's polka craze by creating products with the word polka in
it, including polka hats, polka curtain ties, and polka- dotted
fabrics. These had nothing to do with the dance, but the items sold.
When the craze ended, only the polka dot survived because it was
pretty much the only product that was unique.

>When riding around dinner-time, I've been catching whiffs
>of what people are cooking at home. There seems to be a
>lot of onion frying going on lately. The aroma of fried
>onions sends my appetite into a frenzy.

Forty-fifth Avenue is a garlic lover's dream east of Main St.

One of my Thai neighbours almost took my breath away with their hot
peppers today.

When I was into lots of peppers I gained the respect of a Korean
landlord who visited around dinner time. His white bread joe-boy
manager started coughing when I opened the door.

He'd wanted LOTS more rent because my wife from France had recently
joined me and I kept refusing to pay it. He came back alone the next
day with a bottle of whiskey, insisted I drink, and we reached an
amicably reasonable agreement.

I find the smell of edible sacrificial animals to be totally gross.
I'd puke living downwind of a KFC or Mac Donald's

I love the smell of popcorn but no longer make it because the cold
dead oil is disgusting and hot air poppers have never cut it.
--
zk

03-05-2005, 10:58 PM

Sat, 5 Mar 2005 20:53:57 -0800, <5d2e0d.ju5.ln@bud.garden.local>,
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Tom Keats) wrote:

>Another favourite sight I
>often ride by is a house, painted white with red polka dots,
>and a matching detached garage (Lakewood & 3rd, for locals.)
>Gawd, I wish I had a camera so I could put up some pix and
>post yez all a URL to 'em.
>
I _must_see that one in its King of the Mountains colours. Maybe it's
Fabrizio's new digs or Richard Virenque bought a home here!
(He holds the record of seven polka dot jersey wins)

I recently heard an interesting piece on CBC about how "polka dots"
got their name. It seems many things were named polka this or polka
that from the mid to late 1800s. A bunch of manufacturers cashed in on
the public's polka craze by creating products with the word polka in
it, including polka hats, polka curtain ties, and polka- dotted
fabrics. These had nothing to do with the dance, but the items sold.
When the craze ended, only the polka dot survived because it was
pretty much the only product that was unique.

>When riding around dinner-time, I've been catching whiffs
>of what people are cooking at home. There seems to be a
>lot of onion frying going on lately. The aroma of fried
>onions sends my appetite into a frenzy.

Forty-fifth Avenue is a garlic lover's dream east of Main St.

One of my Thai neighbours almost took my breath away with their hot
peppers today.

When I was into lots of peppers I gained the respect of a Korean
landlord who visited around dinner time. His white bread joe-boy
manager started coughing when I opened the door.

He'd wanted LOTS more rent because my wife from France had recently
joined me and I kept refusing to pay it. He came back alone the next
day with a bottle of whiskey, insisted I drink, and we reached an
amicably reasonable agreement.

I find the smell of edible sacrificial animals to be totally gross.
I'd puke living downwind of a KFC or Mac Donald's

I love the smell of popcorn but no longer make it because the cold
dead oil is disgusting and hot air poppers have never cut it.
--
zk

03-05-2005, 11:31 PM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
Zoot Katz <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> writes:
> Sat, 5 Mar 2005 20:53:57 -0800, <5d2e0d.ju5.ln@bud.garden.local>,
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Tom Keats) wrote:
>
>>Another favourite sight I
>>often ride by is a house, painted white with red polka dots,
>>and a matching detached garage (Lakewood & 3rd, for locals.)
>>Gawd, I wish I had a camera so I could put up some pix and
>>post yez all a URL to 'em.
>>
> I _must_see that one in its King of the Mountains colours. Maybe it's
> Fabrizio's new digs or Richard Virenque bought a home here!
> (He holds the record of seven polka dot jersey wins)

Head up towards New Brighton Park via cutting through Jor by
ohn Hendry Park (Trout Lake), and straight up Lakewood. You'll
see the house on your right. It has one of those lawns that's
a garden of whatever naturally and natively grows, but is
cultivated and maintained, which adds to the effect. It's sort
of a flat-roofed cottage thing. The polka dots are all different
sizes, which is very animated and lively. No matter what sort of
mood you're in, the sight of it will cheer you up like a bowl of
noodles on a cold winter day.

If you hang a left off Lakewood onto 8th or 7th and head east,
you can get a lovely roller-y ride, enough to keep your rear
shifter pretty busy.

cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

03-05-2005, 11:31 PM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
Zoot Katz <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> writes:
> Sat, 5 Mar 2005 20:53:57 -0800, <5d2e0d.ju5.ln@bud.garden.local>,
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Tom Keats) wrote:
>
>>Another favourite sight I
>>often ride by is a house, painted white with red polka dots,
>>and a matching detached garage (Lakewood & 3rd, for locals.)
>>Gawd, I wish I had a camera so I could put up some pix and
>>post yez all a URL to 'em.
>>
> I _must_see that one in its King of the Mountains colours. Maybe it's
> Fabrizio's new digs or Richard Virenque bought a home here!
> (He holds the record of seven polka dot jersey wins)

Head up towards New Brighton Park via cutting through Jor by
ohn Hendry Park (Trout Lake), and straight up Lakewood. You'll
see the house on your right. It has one of those lawns that's
a garden of whatever naturally and natively grows, but is
cultivated and maintained, which adds to the effect. It's sort
of a flat-roofed cottage thing. The polka dots are all different
sizes, which is very animated and lively. No matter what sort of
mood you're in, the sight of it will cheer you up like a bowl of
noodles on a cold winter day.

If you hang a left off Lakewood onto 8th or 7th and head east,
you can get a lovely roller-y ride, enough to keep your rear
shifter pretty busy.

cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

03-05-2005, 11:41 PM

In article <v4fe0d.kh6.ln@bud.garden.local>,
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Tom Keats) I wrote:

> If you hang a left off Lakewood onto 8th or 7th and head east,
^^^^

D'oh! I mean, /right/. East. Toward Burnaby (the Enlightened
Land.)

cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

03-05-2005, 11:41 PM

In article <v4fe0d.kh6.ln@bud.garden.local>,
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Tom Keats) I wrote:

> If you hang a left off Lakewood onto 8th or 7th and head east,
^^^^

D'oh! I mean, /right/. East. Toward Burnaby (the Enlightened
Land.)

cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

03-05-2005, 11:42 PM

Sun, 6 Mar 2005 00:31:27 -0800, <v4fe0d.kh6.ln@bud.garden.local>,
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Tom Keats) wrote:

>If you hang a left off Lakewood onto 8th or 7th and head east,
>you can get a lovely roller-y ride, enough to keep your rear
>shifter pretty busy.

Shifter?

That neighbourhood, so close to Commercial Drive, is designated fixie
and chopper territory.
--
zk

03-05-2005, 11:42 PM

Sun, 6 Mar 2005 00:31:27 -0800, <v4fe0d.kh6.ln@bud.garden.local>,
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Tom Keats) wrote:

>If you hang a left off Lakewood onto 8th or 7th and head east,
>you can get a lovely roller-y ride, enough to keep your rear
>shifter pretty busy.

Shifter?

That neighbourhood, so close to Commercial Drive, is designated fixie
and chopper territory.
--
zk

03-06-2005, 08:11 AM

Tom Keats wrote:
> In article <d0dp4e$jfe$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
> "greggery peccary" <.@.> writes:
> >
> > "Claire Petersky" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
> > news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
> >> "TomP" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].com> wrote in message
> >> news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].com...
> >>
> >> > Where's Claire?
> >>
> >> I'm here. I'm thinking about leaving when individual.net goes
away. I got
> > an
> >> offer for free usenet access which I haven't figured out how to
configure
> >> quite yet, but maybe I just won't. It just seems like not much is
really
> >> going on these days on the bicycling newsgroups, and my interest
in having
> > a
> >> newsreader just to read rec.humor.funny is pretty small.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Warm Regards,
> >>
> >> Claire Petersky
> >
> > this one's gotten worse lately. lots of trolls, some sort of
jesus-bot and
> > vitriol from crossposts. there are still some good ng's out there,
but IMO
> > rbm is no longer one of the better ones. think i'll just join a
bike club
> > and speak to folks face to face...
>
> I think we've just hit a seasonal low point, and it's starting
> to get better again. The rec.autos.driving x-posts seem to
> have stopped, the abortion thing is eminently killfile-able,
> and people seem to be hauling out their bikes again (and
> putting away their trainers & rollers) as their respective
> local weather becomes more clement. I think that'll bring up
> more interesting real-life bikes-&-riding stuff to talk about.
> cheers,
> Tom
>
> --
> -- Nothing is safe from me.
> Above address is just a spam midden.
> I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

How can anyone post anything about bicycles when its too cold, snowy
and rainy to ride one? I joined this newsgroup when I bought a bike.
Since then the weather has not cooperated and I have not been outdoors
to ride.
I stayed on the newsgroup to find out more about the people who post
here.

That way, when I participate in the rides I have signed up for in the
spring I could post more bicycle experience and also know something
about you all. Is that a bad thing?

It's nice to know more about the people who are posting, instead of
just the type of bike they ride or where they ride or how they fix or
build their bike. It's nice to read about other aspects of their life.
To see the whole picture.

If you think Bicycles.misc is a newsgroup that goes off topic, just
look at some of the others. If a group is not moderated, it goes off
topic. I think it makes for interesting reading when someone adds a
little personal information to their post.

We all have our own unique personalities and I love to watch a thread
start out in the east and end up in the west with a few north and south
detours. It's life, it's fun, it's interesting, and it's bicycle chat
with extras. When a newsgroup is controlled, it becomes boring. I would
never post on Bicycles Tech or whatever that is..I would not want to
piss off the technical people trying to mathmatically calibrate
something.....but it seems Bicycles.misc. should contain the MISC. as
well as the bikes. Thats why new people choose the MISC. Life is
Misc. Thats what makes it fun. Fun is a good thing. ;-) Isn't fun a
GOOD THING???
All Good things,
Maggie.