When ducks attack!

We take Duchess the Wonder Dog to the park for her daily walk. She belongs to Lyndsay, but since my daughter has an erratic work schedule through the summer, I've been the designated dog walker recently. Duchess is very good at 'reminding' us that it's time to go, and she does this by prancing around in the house until we open the front door. The dog knows the word “walk” so it cannot be spoken without sending her into gyrations.

Last week, She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed wanted to go along and feed the ducks. Mary hasn't walked with us for a while because of the heat. It's hard on her, so she normally stays home. But there was stale bread in the kitchen and she hadn't been to the park for a couple of weeks. She wanted to visit the ducks. So Mary, Lyndsay, Duchess and I all piled into the car.

 

At the park, she walked to the edge of the pond where the ducks spotted the bag in her hands almost immediately. Every duck in the northern half of the county converged on her! Lyndsay, despite being an animal lover, was creeped out by the sudden crowd of ducks around her feet.

Duchess saw this as too much encroachment around her 'mom' and ran the ducks off. She raced toward them and they bolted into the water. Duchess would not pursue because getting into the water is entirely too much like getting a bath – something she avoids at all costs. But when she moved to the left, the ducks moved to the right and came back up on the bank looking for more bread. Meanwhile, Duchess was eating whatever bread she could find. This back-and-forth went on for a few minutes until one of the larger ducks tired of the game. The next time she lunged at them, he stood his ground and pecked at one of her front paws!

Duchess yipped and jumped back. She limped away holding the paw well off the ground. Lyndsay rushed over to look, thinking that she'd stepped on a fish hook or a thorn, but the dog was just being a drama queen. The duck called her bluff. Within a minute or two, she was walking normally again.

So be careful in our local park. There's a gang hanging out there, and they all quack.

A bit of fun!

I went out east of town this morning to take some photos in a lovely valley that reminds me of Pennsylvania. Any other time of the year, there's enough foliage to hide the houses all around this spot, and believe me, the houses in these gated additions are huge.

These shots above were taken with the Kodak Z1285. Those below were taken with a Canon 590IS. I couldn't resist shooting some film too. It's still in the Nikon N6006. Just for fun, there's a jpeg from the Nikon taken in the aftermath of our latest snow storm.

I didn't see any deer this time, but the wind was still and I could hear all the birds calling. It's not the same as the dawn chorus that comes later in the year when they're singing their hearts out trying to attract mates. The stillness was exceptional. I could hear traffic a couple of miles away as well as the occasional jet engine as commercial aircraft came and went from Tulsa International.

As you can see, I love that stone bridge. And I love the backlight along that stream early in the morning. I'm planning to go out there again in the spring when all the trees bud out. Everything will be bright green, not the deeper, darker green of mid summer. It should look very nice when backlit.

For comparison, here are two shots from the fall at the same location.







I'm not entirely certain, of course, but I think this is how you go ice fishing in Oklahoma.

Saturday Musette

21JUN2008

The following items are not specifically related to bicycling, but since I have a general interest in transportation, I've included them here. I'm especially excited about the mini-truck bill because small, fuel efficient vehicles have great utility here in Tulsa. The average commute is about 5 miles, so these small trucks and vans will be popular......Ed

(Image from KTUL. Note the bike rack on the front of the bus.)

Tulsa Transit Mulls Route to Suburbs

By RHETT MORGAN World Staff Writer

Tulsa World, 6/20/2008

Owasso and Collinsville are excited about a proposed bus route to downtown Tulsa.

The Metropolitan Tulsa Transit Authority is considering the addition of an express route from Collinsville and Owasso to downtown Tulsa.

Leaders from each city support the single-bus line, which would cost the suburbs a combined $40,000, said Tulsa Transit General Manager Bill Cartwright.

"Representatives from both cities are excited about the idea and feel like it's something that they need to do and implement as soon as possible," he said.

"I think that they feel pretty confident that that's going to happen."

Approval from Owasso's City Council and Collinsville's City Commission is needed for the plan to go forward.

Neither town has placed it on a meeting agenda, although that could happen this summer.

(Link to more)

(Image from Off Roaders)

Urban Tulsa Weekly, JUNE 18, 2008

First of Mini

New law paves the way for Japanese mini-trucks to roam Tulsa streets

BY BRIAN ERVIN

They're somewhat of an exotic species here in Tulsa, but Japanese mini-trucks might soon be as prevalent in urban and suburban Oklahoma as they are in Asia, thanks to a new state law that passed this year.

"They're like European smart cars, but Okie-style," state Rep. Don Armes told UTW.

...They're currently in use as off-road vehicles by an unknown number of ranchers and farmers throughout rural Oklahoma, but some are predicting that mini-trucks' miniscule appetite for gasoline will make them a common sight in Tulsa and other urban areas within the next year or so, once they're legal.

They get between 30-40 miles per gallon, depending on the model.

...They max at about 55 mph, though, so they won't be allowed on interstates or turnpikes, but they should be perfect for getting around Tulsa's city streets.

Most Americans are already familiar with the manufacturers that make them, like Mitsubishi, Mazda, Honda, Suzuki, etc.

(Link to more)

Owasso YMCA cycling

From the Owasso Reporter:

The YMCA Leisure Cycling Club will meet at 6:30
PM on Mondays, 6PM on Wednesdays, and 7AM
on Saturdays. The group gets together to ride nearby
routes and areas. They start and finish at the Owasso
YMCA, 8300 N Owasso Expy. Rides will be on average
20-25 miles.

There is no need to sign up, just show up.

360 Sports: New bike shop in Owasso

A new bike shop opened in Owasso today. Jon Ray, owner of 360 Sports, will be interviewed for CycleDog and TAOBIKE in the near future. He has a variety of bicycle types including, road, hybrid, triathlon or TT bikes, mountain, and comfort models. I got my first close up look at an Electra Amsterdam, a very nice commuting bike.

Some floor space was devoted to cycling clothing and there's even (gasp!) a dressing room! In all my experience of bike shops, I believe this is a first.

There really wasn't time to do an interview today since the shop was busy. So I'll get that done later next week. Brian and I talked about doing interviews as a regular feature on TAOBIKE, and I'm looking forward to it. This will be more about the people who own and run the shops rather than an overview of their products.

Tuesday Musette

The last couple of days have been very busy. I'm excited to share this information will all of you because these 'happy accidents', when all the good stuff seems to converge at once, happen very rarely.

Patrick Fox/info re Google Maps

Patrick Fox, Multimodal Transportation
Planner at INCOG, caught this one I'd missed. 
It's from the National Bike Summit that
concluded last week.  Patrick said:

hey Ed...

Check this out...

http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/03/06/bike-network-20/

From Streetsblog:

One of the more intriguing stories at yesterday's National Bike Summit in Washington D.C. came from Nicole Freedman, who was appointed Boston's first bike czar last September. A planner and one-time professional cyclist, Freedman was charged with building a bike network out of nothing, in a city routinely ranked among the nation's worst for bicycling, on a shoestring budget.

Well, you know what they say about necessity. Freedman invented a rather ingenious method of planning a bike network. Her team created a modified Google Map that enables cyclists to log on and trace the routes they ride every day. Watch the data pile up, and voila -- sensible bike routes. "We found out where the actual desire lines are," she said. "Using existing technology was great."

In addition to figuring out where to stripe lanes, Freedman is using Google Maps to rate streets on bike-friendliness. "Anyone can go onto Google and rate a road," she said. "Is it good for beginners or just for experts?" The results will be reflected in Boston's first official bike map, which Freedman touted as an example of the city's strategy to personalize bike education and training. (Did I mention they're starting from scratch?)

Total cost? Next to nothing. "Basically the public is creating the map, and the sponsor will print," she said.

Update: While trying to track down the Google Map, which reader Eric Fischer links to in the comments, I found this explanation of how riders use it from Boston blogger Velo Fellow.

Let's be clear – this is a free resource that we can use to determine routes used by real cyclists, rather than lines on a map drawn up in a planning office somewhere. A tool like this is very beneficial to area cyclists, INCOG, and our bureaucrats and politicians. It supplies genuine data, not assumptions or conjecture, and that's precisely the kind of information necessary to serve area cyclists.

Trail updates and Green Traveler

(This is part of an e-mail Patrick Fox sent out regarding trail connectivity with the AA Maintenance Base. Used with permission.)

As far as completing the Mingo Valley Trail, that trail is either constructed or funded to be constructed from 91^st Street South to I-244. The un-constructed portions of the trail, which are generally between 81^st St. South and 41^st Street South, and between Admiral and 244, are being managed by the City of Tulsa Public Works department. I believe that they are currently in the final design phase with anticipated construction to begin in 2009.

North of I-244 the trail is planned to follow Mingo Creek past the Airport to connect with Mohawk Park, with a potential for a spur west towards the American Airlines facility. That extension North of 244, however, is not funded. We generally rely on either Federal Transportation Enhancement Funding and/or private charitable funding to pay for these amenities. The Enhancement Funds have paid for the Mingo Valley Trail to this point, with the matching funds (20%) coming from the city capital improvements fund.

Another project underway is the construction of the Mohawk-Owasso Trail which originates on 76^th Street North in Owasso, travels south on Mingo to 66^th Street North, then follows 66^th St west to Memorial, where it again turns south until the Trail intersects with Mohawk Park. From that point trail users can access the park and its facilities, or travel through the park to the North side of the Airport boundary, near American. What has been completed to date is all of the survey work and some preliminary design work for the project. Construction of the project should move quickly now that the field work is complete.

I also want to let you know about Tulsa’s “Bike To Work” Program. This is an annual event, which roughly coincides with our Ozone Alert Season. The kickoff is in May, during National Bike To Work Month. Our event extends through the Ozone Alert Season and ends in mid-September. The event is designed to encourage people to ride to work when they can. The incentive, other than personal satisfaction and exercise, is that we provide an online miles ‘Tracker”, in which participants can log the number of miles they commute each week. We have two to three Bike to Work “get-togethers” in which we reward the participants who have ridden the most miles throughout the season with prizes, gift certificates, etc. Plus, we usually spring for coffee and bagels. It’s a good opportunity for cyclists around the region to get together and talk about cycling and cycling issues. The Bike to Work info can be found at: http://www.incog.org/transportation/trails.htm

Another ‘green’ alternative to biking is sharing rides with other American Airlines employees. INCOG sponsors a website named Green Traveler, www.green-traveler.org, which provides instant online access to locating potential carpooling partners.

Anyone who has computer access can fill in their commuting schedule in just a couple of minutes. They can limit matches only to fellow workers who work the same shifts they do. In a few seconds they can get e-mail contact information on other American employees near them who would like to carpool. Phone numbers and specific addresses are kept private until participants decide to give those details to potential ride partners. Sharing rides saves money, expands commute options, and is good for the environment. Not only is less fuel consumed, but cutting down on the number of vehicles on the highway reduces auto emissions that contribute to air pollution. Using www.green-traveler.org is a great way to go green!

Tulsa Tough update

(From Adam Vanderberg, owner of Lee's Bicycles.)

I received a call today from Malcolm McCollam about the Tulsa Tough Kids Challenge this year. They have partnered with the Crime Commission on their Safe Escape program. Safe Escape is a very successful community program to teach kids on how to protect themselves from predators. The program is very well attended! Tulsa Tough wants to give away bikes to these kids (3rd through 5th graders.) but we need a bicycle (education) element to the program. I'm thinking a Kids 1 course might be the perfect curriculum for this age group but we need LCI's to teach and was hoping for some support from our local professionals.

I'm told that there will be 300 Trek multi-speed bicycles equipped with hand brakes this year. Assemblers will have to receive some training. Of course, I've already volunteered to provide mechanical support on the tour route and I'll undoubtedly be there assembling kid's bikes when the time comes.

Go Green and Get Lean

Our internal newsletter, Crib Notes, is devoted to green issues in the March 11^th edition. There's a long article with, ahem, me of all people promoting transportation cycling. I didn't include it here in the musette because of it's length. I'll post it separately sometime tomorrow.

TAOBIKE Blog

The Tulsa advocacy group now has a page for news and information directed at area cyclists. (LINK) http://www.taobike.blogspot.com For the near future, I'll be posting news both there and in CycleDog, but CycleDog will remain the sole site for comedy, satire, rants, and other personal observations.

Wednesday night ride Owasso

I think this makes a lot of sense. Our regular Tulsa area Wednesday night ride leaves from the West Bank parking lot near downtown. With the high cost of gas, it's sensible to initiate other local rides that don't require participants to drive to the starting point. So there's a new Wednesday ride leaving from the south lot of the Bailey Medical Center in Owasso starting at 5:30.

INCOG Bicycling Advisory Group Meeting

"We're gettin' the band back together, man."

Yesterday, we had the first meeting of the new Indian Nations Council of Governments bicycle advisory group. Since this was the preliminary meeting, it included introductions and a brief discussion of goals and brought us up to date about on-going projects. This group may be meeting once a month, so there should be more to report shortly.

INCOG BAG Meeting

17JAN2008 1130A

Members

Ed Wagner

Monica Barczak

Josh Gifford

David Darcey

Chris Zenthoefer (not present)

Tom Brown

Lisa Frankenberger

Patrick Fox

Mark Brown (not present)

Glen Sams (not present)

The Big Picture

The subcommittee is composed of people with diverse backgrounds in cycling. There are current and former racers, tourists, and commuters representing a variety of occupations.

We share a common goal – to get more people on their bikes in the Tulsa region – and we realize that the vast majority of existing cyclists are recreational riders rather than transportation cyclists. However, it's critical to recognize the impact of infrastructure, particularly traffic lights and bridges, when it comes to transportation riders. For a recreational cyclist, a road or bridge closure is a nuisance, but easily avoided. For a transportation cyclist, it can represent a major problem if it prevents riding to a destination like work. As the plan evolves, it must encompass the needs of all cyclists.

Naturally, we embrace the traditional five E's of bicycling advocacy: Education, Engineering, Enforcement, Encouragement, and Evaluation. We support the development of a comprehensive master bicycling plan, that includes elements from Complete Streets and Safe Routes to School.

The Nagging Little Details

It's easy to get bogged down in discussions about plan details. A perfect illustration: Patrick showed the group one of Portland's blue bike boxes, and we were sidetracked for a few minutes talking about it. Anyone familiar with the email advocacy groups will be aware of what I've called how-many-bicycling-advocates-can-dance-on-the-head-of-a-pin arguments. The people involved care passionately about their positions, but to the vast majority of readers, the discussion is a waste of time. Unfortunately, I'm one of those people who bite hard on such arguments.

(As an aside, be aware that I use the word 'argument' in its primary definition, a reasoned discussion. If I want the other kind of argument, the knock-down-drag-out kind, I need only say the wrong thing to my spouse.)

Monica yanked us back from that fruitless pursuit and I thanked her for it. For the present, we need to focus on that big picture up above and use it to set our goals, then develop a plan to reach those goals. The plan is a series of steps, some interlinked and some independent, almost like a road map. And the nagging little details are the individual steps necessary to achieve those goals.

Some of those steps may include:

Public service announcements modeling safe and proper bicycle use, both from a cyclist's viewpoint and that of a motorist.

Funding for BikeEd in an effort to reach school children, adult cyclists, and motorists.

Include knowledgeable cyclists in street planning as a normal part of the process.

Efforts to change building codes to incorporate bicycle parking.

Encouraging employers to promote bicycle commuting.

Promoting Bike To Work events.

Comprehensive Bicycling Master Plan, a larger document that includes the Trails Master Plan and much more.

Most of that list is nothing new, but they are popular efforts that have met with some success. As always, the devil is in the details. Another way to phrase that is the large print giveth and the small print taketh away. A plan can have glowing, laudable goals, yet if it lacks supporting details, it will never come to fruition.

Trail Projects and Updates

The locally infamous 'FEMA' bridge project over Little Haikey Creek should start moving dirt this month. The bridge was backordered. It's a pre-fabricated construction.

The Mingo Valley Trail is in negotiations with ODOT over bridge placement at 71^st Street.

The Osage Prairie Trail Extension is looking for funding to continue trail construction north of Skiatook. Ultimately, the plan is to extend it to Barnsdahl, or if possible, Pawhuska.

The River Park Trail will be re-located west of the Creek Nation Casino, possibly funded by the Creek Nation. An astounding information tidbit – the new dual trail costs $290 per linear foot!

2007 Enhancement Grant Awards

South River Parks Extension

Fry Ditch Creek Trail (Bixby)

Mingo Valley (Admiral to I-244)

Osage Trail Trailhead (Skiatook)

Sand Springs, Visual Detection

A word about Sand Springs – the city is looking to attain LAB Bicycle Friendly City status.

ATTN: All Tulsa Bicyclists

(Image from Bike Friday)

By Paul Tay (LINK)

Sharon King Davis and Dewey Bartlett Jr., leaders of the "Complete Our Streets" panel established by Mayor Kathy Taylor and City Councilor Bill Martinson, invite all interested Tulsans to attend a Citizen Town Meeting on Monday, Oct. 29, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. in the Central Center at Centennial Park, 1028 E. Sixth St. (Sixth Street and Peoria Avenue).

The panel invites Tulsans to share their comments by either speaking to the group or submitting written comments. Those who want to speak will be asked to sign in before the meeting begins.

The Complete Our Streets panel is taking a comprehensive look at Tulsa's streets. This includes information gathering, questioning of information, and decision making for recommendations to be submitted by December 4 to the Mayor and City Council.

The panel will focus on three aspects of Tulsa's streets: contracting, smart urban design and financing. A committee has been assigned to study each of these three areas. For further information, you may contact the City of Tulsa Mayor's Action Center at 596-2100.

Thanks, Paul!

Il Vecchio

(CycleDog Photo)

Italian food and cycling? Pasta and Bianchi? They're natural partners!

I never had Italian food in a restaurant until I was in my twenties. Mom made her own spaghetti sauce, and while it was good, it wasn't the same as going into some hole-in-the-wall Italian place with all the usual cliches – checkered table cloths, a candle stub in an empty chianti bottle, and a hand painted map of Italy on the wall. The main focus was the food, and I loved it immediately.

Owasso has the usual assortment of pizza places. We have a couple of franchised Italian restaurants too. But there's only one of mom-and-pop variety, and that's Il Vecchio.

The menu offers various salads, spaghetti, lasagna, and several variations of panini. That may not seem to be extensive, but there are half a dozen types of lasagna, with comparable variety in the other menu categories. Trust me, you'll find something you like. We've eaten there several times. Given my weakness for Italian food, we'll eat there often. They make their own pasta and sauces. Everything is fresh.

For lunch this afternoon, Lyndsay had a grilled chicken panini and I had bruschetta with an artichoke and spinach dip. This is actually listed as an appetizer, but I made a meal of it. Lyndsay's panini was too much for her to finish, so she brought half of it home. Honestly, you could split a panini between two people with this appetizer and have a sumptuous lunch. I'll keep that in mind for the next time, although Lyndsay sampled the dip, made a face, and said, “Ugh! Spinach!” She still eats like a kid.

Since CycleDog is primarily about cycling, I have to point out that if you're contemplating a ride through Owasso with a stop at Il Vecchio for lunch, there are no convenient places to lock a bicycle outside as you can see from the photo above. But if you like Italian food, give it a try.

Local News: The River Tax (OT)

Tulsa county voters are being asked to fund a major renovation along the Arkansas River, a project that will give the city of Tulsa a truly jewel-like river park. The proposal will cost $280 million and taxpayers will vote on raising the county-wide sales tax to 8.917% from 8.517%. We pay sales tax on every purchase, including food.

Locally, Owasso taxpayers are being asked to vote an increase in the millage rate (real estate tax) to raise $45 million for a new elementary school.

Given the choice, which is a better use of my tax money? Let's see...pay more tax monies to benefit the community I live in, or pay more tax monies to benefit a narrow corridor in Tulsa? That's an easy one.

Honestly, I do think the River Parks can be developed further into a world-class park facility. But since the benefits accrue to Tulsa businesses and property owners, they should pay for it themselves. Building a wonderful park system 15 or 20 miles away from Owasso will not have any positive impact for outlying taxpayers. Tulsa gets the benefits and we get to pay for them.

Would Tulsa taxpayers consider paying for parks here in Owasso? Or Collinsville or Broken Arrow? Of course not!

Some of the arguments in favor of the proposition have been downright silly. The latest was in today's newspaper, arguing that building a new park will attract droves of young people to area businesses, and these new folks will contribute so much money to the economy that the city will be able to rebuild our crumbling roads and road infrastructure. These people must have attended that same voodoo economic course as the Reagan administration.

Don't misunderstand me - I'm not opposed to paying taxes when the money goes to something that provides real, tangible benefits. But when faced with a stark choice - a local school or a distant park - the right choice is very clear.

Local news...

Duh! That's the sound of cognitive dissonance. Congressman John Sullivan was here in Owasso for a luncheon with the Chamber of Commerce, and among other things, he talked about widening US169 from Tulsa to Owasso. Presently it's a 4 lane limited access road with heavy traffic during the morning and afternoon rush. The C of C is all for it, of course, because more cars and more motorists equate to more money flowing into town.

But is it worth doing? If more people move here and attract more businesses, businesses that look more and more like Dallas, according to the congressman, is that really better for the people who live here? I mean, we could have an IHOP, a Denny's, an Olive Garden, and a JC Penney's - just like the suburbs of Dallas, or Pittsburgh, or Atlanta, or any other cookie-cutter community you can name.

Aside from the issues of sprawl and its consequences, there's more about the good congressman's visit, and that's his statements about reducing our dependence on foreign oil through a National Energy Policy. Excuse me, but I thought Dick Cheney and the oil companies settled all that in a top secret meeting on whose agenda and conclusions none of us - not the public, not the federal regulators, not the congress - have received any information. Besides, congressman, didn't you just get through telling us we need bigger roads for more cars? How does that equate with energy independence?

There's another account of our congressman meeting at the Lion's Club. A pair of activists somehow eluded the Lion's tight security and asked Rep. Sullivan some pointed questions...until..." At this point the Lion in charge lost composure and blurted out that "we don't discuss
politics at the Lions Club."" That's hysterical! And I'll bet it's true. They probably don't really discuss politics. They just reiterate whatever claptrap Faux News is spouting that day, while heads nod in agreement.

Here's a link to the Blue Oklahoma piece.

What follows are excerpts from the TBJ article. The whole thing hits all the usual right-wing talking points, except for their rants about our taxes being too high and government being too corrupt. I guess that when we're running a war on borrowed money and the Republicans have been in control of the government for this long, it's more than a little embarrassing to take careful aim and shoot oneself in the foot.

TBJ Article

Widening of Hwy. 169 Could Begin in Late 2008 Neighbor Newspapers 8/20/2007 Congressman John Sullivan is still amazed whenever he comes to Owasso and sees how much the city has grown over the past decade. He continued that praise Wednesday afternoon during the Owasso Chamber of Commerce's special Legislative Luncheon Series at the Bailey Education Foundation. ...Sullivan said the widening project for Highway 169 could begin as early as next year, or, perhaps, 2009. "Right now, we are going through the appropriations process on 169 and we're getting the money authorized and we are being successful with that," Sullivan said. "We want to make sure that we get everything completed and done the right way. Everything is looking good and I'm working hard along with other members of my delegation to get this project going." Sullivan said a series of tests and studies will have to be completed before actual construction can begin. Studies such as environmental impact studies and engineering studies to make sure that no flooding will occur if you block off flooding or storm water run off will have to completed before the current four-land highway will be widened, Sullivan said. ..."Owasso is booming. I remember a decade ago when there wasn't much growth. Now you drive through and see the same stores and restaurants that you see in Dallas," Sullivan said. "What's good about the 169 project is that we can show the growth of Owasso and the need to have a highway that is more safe and helps the economy. That is the main criteria when we look at these road projects. This is not a frivolous deal, it's something that is desperately needed." Among other topics Sullivan addressed; he said the country needs to come up with a National Energy Policy to help reduce the dependence on foreign oil. Sullivan said the United States gets 60 percent of its oil from foreign countries. He said the solution to spur domestic production of oil is to start drilling in the Rocky Mountains as well as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska. "The reason we haven't opened up ANWR is there are nine or so Democratic senators who are running for president who get up in the morning and shave, including (New York Senator) Hilary (Clinton), and they see the next President of the United States in the mirror," Sullivan said. "Those democrats have to please the trial lawyers, labor union bosses and the environmentalists. If we start drilling in ANWR, we can produce at least two million barrels a day, maybe more. That's the same number of barrels we were importing from Iraq before the war."

Tuesday Musette

Just two items today.

Football: Threat or Menace?

I fully expect to hear something like this on a television station here in Oklahoma one day:

“Nuclear war has broken out in Asia, but first here's our coverage of today's OU football game!”

Football is the new paganism with its own pantheon of gods, demi-gods, saints, demons, imps, and a succubus or two. In case anyone is wondering, I'm just a bit testy this morning and it's all because of football.

Number One Son is a football fanatic. He lives, eats, breathes, and sleeps football. If he's here alone, the television is tuned to the NFL all-football-all-the-time network. He may not be capable of spelling common English words, but he knows obscure football statistics and trivia. I think he's insane.

Of course, he plays football in school, and his first day of practice was yesterday. The football demons decided that it was necessary to have a 'midnight' practice. Yes, you read that right. They practiced until well after midnight. Jordan called at 1AM saying he was ready to come home. Mary shook me awake and I was off.

Traffic is very light at one in the morning. I arrived at the field house in a few minutes, spotted Jordan waiting, and promptly made the run back to the house. Along the way, we spotted a cyclist wobbling along 86^th Street, wandering from lane to lane well ahead of us. I slowed down, thinking he might be drunk, but after a few stylish zig-zags, he made a left into a neighborhood street. Need I mention that he had reflectors but no lights or helmet?

We got home and I fell back into bed only to awaken at 3AM with my sinuses dumping into my throat. I hacked and wheezed. A hot cup of tea (Red Zinger, no less!) helped me breathe properly once again, and I dozed off.

The alarm went off at 5AM, as usual, and I swung my legs out of bed feeling bad again. No ride for me today. I drove to work instead. And it's just as well that I did. I was so tired that I fell asleep at my workbench once or twice.

The Rest of the News...

This is local content. The Owasso Public Works Department unveiled engineering plans for 129^th East Avenue. The street will be widened to 5 lanes running north from 76^th Street to about half a mile south of 96^th Street where it will join an existing 5 lane section. Construction is expected to begin in September. While the road work is underway, two lanes will always be open as will access to the neighborhood streets. The plan calls for a signalized intersection at the Sixth Grade Center and an improved signal between the high school and mid-high. The schedule calls for a 450 day duration to the construction and an additional 60 days for cleanup and landscaping.

(Link to Owasso Reporter)

For cyclists, this means riding 129^th will be a definite improvement after the project is completed. The street is an average 2 lane now, and it can be difficult for motorists to pass. I've had more problems along that street than on any other around here. This is very welcome news.

Happy Mother's Day!!!!

Mom's Day

Here in the unstately Wagner manor, we're celebrating Mother's Day with hot wings, fresh baked bread, a garden salad, and home made chocolate chip cookies. I made the hot sauce. I may have to send notification to the EPA. This stuff is good, but it's almost radioactive. The kids gave me the hot sauce mix as a Christmas present, and this is the first opportunity to use it. Given my wife and daughter have an intense aversion to spicy hot food, this will probably be the LAST time I see this stuff. Jordan thinks it's just fine, but like most guys, he wouldn't admit it if this sauce made his toenails fall out.

Tour de Owasso

I did the garage sale tour yesterday morning on the Centurion which has now been converted to a single speed with flat handlebars and a milk crate atop the rear rack. Very handy. I didn't find any good bike stuff or tools, but I did come home with a copy of "Photoshop 5 Artistry: A master class for photographers, artists, and production artists" by Barry Haynes and Wendy Crumpler. This copy is from 1998, but believe me, it's light years ahead of most of the technical books I normally use.

Photos?

Are any of you seeing the photos I post? For some reason, all I see is a small blue rectangle where the photo should be. My computer may be blocking the images.