One Theory on Why Nishiki Went Out of Business

I just couldn't pass up passing this along. The following is a post by Jeff at Urban Velo.


Perhaps magazine ads like the one pictured to the left were in part responsible for the Japanese bike brand’s untimely demise…

Alleycat and Film Festival

These are a bit late, but included below are photos from the Alley Kitten alleycat and the 5th Annual Bicycle Film Festival at the Depot that followed. Enjoy!

P.S. Davey won this alleycat, too, which puts him 2-0 for the "season". Congrats.

Frenzy!

A blog frenzy in the last 24 hours, I swear! Phew! Oh well. If only someone read this regularly, then they could be as bored as I am!!!

On this day (21 May) in history...


Happy Birthday, Notorious B.I.G. This is just how I always remember him. And Mr. Combs. And Mase. Ahhh, Mase.

Happy Independence Day, Montenegro! You're home to the Casino Royale (at least in the film)!

Happy Birthday, Al Franken! Rush Limbaugh and Bill O. still don't like you. Tough luck.

Happy Anniversary, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. I'm sorry the wedding gift is 63 years late.


Does anyone wish to see this continue as a regular thing, or should I mix it up everyday? I mean, look at this last week's posts: photography, bicycles, little bicycles, history lessons! Next week could hold untold amounts of surprise. Such as real, embedded photographs (one of these days I'll have the patience), movie trivia, and celebrity gossip news. The latter, of course, will be included. I mean, do you know me at all?

Cynicism aside, I'm going to bed. Good night!

Electronical

I have had very little to do for the last 36 hours, so most of my time has either been spent playing soccer, relaxing with Elizabeth, or riding Gwenevire (pictures later). But I did come across this trailer for the new Odyssey BMX Co.'s film Electronical. So, here's the film. To those more informed than me, I know the film was released months ago, but being away from the BMX scene for two years doesn't yield me much up-to-the-minute action. So! Enjoy the soundtrack and amazing cinematography of the trailer!


ODYSSEY Electronical HD trailer from BMX Avenue on Vimeo.

I'm running late!!

This video's awesomeness is only amplified by the dubbing. Wouldn't a Jackie Chan-themed race be fun though? Enjoy:



"Why don't you use your brakes?"
"Hey, I am using 'dem."

classic.

Photography

I got a roll from my Canon TX back last week, and thought I'd share it here as well as on flickr.com. If you'd like to check it out, the link is here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/longskull/

Thanks for everything! I hope you enjoy them.

Short blog

Being without a personal computer, and relying completely on the library's 60 minute time limit, most of the blogs from here on out will be shorter than most. Hopefully I can being to use my Mother's computer again for photo and video embedding and other fancy things like that.

So, as a recap of the weeks since my previous post, I finished school, made some money, rode the new train, and began my mission papers!!

Hopefully they'll be done soon and I'll be abroad within a matter of months, so check back often and look for a post entitled something like "Mission Call" or "Dublin Ireland!" (Hopefully.) As for now, I'm off to stuff entry bags for the Salt Lake Century taking place this Saturday.

Have a good day and thank you for reading.

P.S. The fact that Elizabeth is riding her bike more often now makes me very happen. Just an FYI.

a year.

it's been almost a year since my last post and a lot has changed. i'm thinking of keeping this up as much as i can before i leave on my mission in a few months, and maybe periodically while abroad as well. if no one reads this, then it's just a place to write things down, lest i forget. secondly, if people do read it, but don't leave comments, then i hope it somehow helps them, or keeps them from boredom, or teaches them something about me or about life. lastly, if people do comment and take something from it, then i'll consider it a bi-partisan success!!! i sure hope for the latter.

so. since spring/summer of 2007 i have:

1. become committed and extremely vested in a relationship with a wonderful woman.
2. made a lot of mistakes, some of which still need working out.
3. started school at the university of utah.
4. completely two semesters, and so far 50 credits, at the university of utah.
5. visited california four times.
6. been to a funeral.
7. listened to a lot more music and bought a new turntable.
8. ridden my bike 5000+ miles.
9. become heavily involved in the salt lake city bicycle scene.
10. joined and participated on bicycle advisory, transportation, and community service boards and organizations.
11. lived without a phone for a month or so.
12. lived without a car for 9 months.
13. grown a lot.
14. lived alone.
15. made wonderful friends with tremendous amounts or humor and wit.
16. hopefully helped at least one person with one thing.
17. attended a student ward.
18. become a bicycle messenger (and subsequently put on standby)
19. had 3 jobs: albertsons grocery, salt city couriers, jason's deli.
20. seen my sister graduate from BYU in nursing and international development.

it has been a very productive year and one that i will mark as my most successful, fun, interesting, difficult, learned years. i hope this next year brings many more opportunities to help people and become more involved in my community, as well as more chances to write frequently here and elsewhere.

thank you.

www.saltcycle.com
www.ubike.org
www.slcbikecollective.com
www.superradcliff.blogspot.com
www.flickr.com/photos/longskull

-Tom

Like A Mechanical Hound

The following is an email I sent just three minutes ago to the group I am running the Wasatch Back Relay with next week, on June 22 and 23:

I know, I know. You probably thought that this was an urgent, rushed email started at 2:59 in the morning, informing all of you of some blood-borne illness I contracted in the night, rendering me unable to run my legs for Wasatch Back. 'Tis not true!! I am in perfect working order, only here to tell you of my adventures this morning. The night ended with Jean Valjean dying in the arms of his daughter, Cosette, and I thought to myself that this night couldn't possibly continue to get any better.
Upon returning home around 11:45, I slipped into bed with my computer to check forums and blog postings from the day that I had been absent for, (including Katie C's most recent post, which admittedly, made me cry) and soon told myself that I had to sleep. 1:15 rolled around and I just couldn't bring myself to end the night. So I arose. I knew that what followed had to be done. I slipped on my Avias, turned the iPod on shuffle, and just started running. And running. And running.
As many of you know, I live in a (very) suburban town about 20 miles north of Salt Lake City, called Kaysville. This fact comes in hand in a minute. With bicycle lamp in hand, I just ran, following a 7+ mile course I had set out for a run earlier but didn't take (the run I had taken earlier was 5.6 and was completed only 12 hours prior, in the blazing sun). I counted thirteen cars in all during the 7.4 mile run, three of which were marked Davis County Sherrif, and nine parked. So you know that Kaysville is quite the party.
The streets were empty, and I had the city to myself. Just me, The Beatles, and Mates of State. As I reached the high school, just 1.3 miles from my house, the clock on the marquee read 2:21. I had nine minutes to run that last one-and-a-bit back home. I knew I could do it. My head felt so heavy and the music seemed only to push me harder as I sprinted down a road bordering the nearby experimental agricultural farm. I did it. I rushed through the door, hoping not to wake my family, but still speedily trying to find a clock. 2:29. I had done it.
55 minutes. 7.4 miles. I did it.

Now, some statistics for you:

A 7.4 mile run in 55 minutes translates to 8.072 miles per hour avg and an average mile time of 7:25.946.

I truly cannot wait until next week. I cannot. We must all run on Wednesday once everyone is in town and somewhat settled. A big thank you to everyone who has included me and pushed me to do what I never thought possible. Thank you.

-Thomas Millar

Top Ten Reasons to Put Romney in the White House

I don't care that all of my post are stolen. Be quiet, and no one will know.

This one comes from my dear friend, Seth Hill of New York City by way of Provo, San Diego, and Peru. I know, quite the amalgum, eh? Hmm, here you go:


TOP TEN REASON TO PUT ROMNEY IN THE WHITE HOUSE

10) The National Cathedral could be renamed the National Tabernacle
9) NASA could commission a satellite to 'Hie to Kolob'
8) The Secret Service could be renamed the Sacred Service
7) All official government prayers could include the phrase 'that we all can get home safely'
6) Napoleon Dynamite could get someone other than Pedro elected
5) The President could not only explain things in Layman's terms, but also Lemuel's terms
4) The President could issue pardons in exchange for 100% home teaching
3) Not only could he pronounce 'Nuclear' but also 'Mahonri Moriancumer'.
2) At his inauguration he would swear on the Bible 'as far as it is translated correctly'
1) Finally a first family large enough to fill up the White House