BJ Not BK

I remember my first cool bike. I think I was 7 or 8 when my parents gave it to me, not sure if it was a birthday present but I remember the bike like it was yesterday. The paint job was yellow and brown. The seat was one of those long banana seats with the chrome accents on the back. The handlebars looked like something you would see on an Orange County Chopper, and the back tire was about 4 inches wide and looked like a racing slick. Yes, I was cool, I don't really remember not being cool, but the bike was more than image, more than style, more than mere transportation around the neighborhood...to me, the bike was freedom. Freedom to go, to go slow, to go fast, to feel the wind blowing through my mullet. Freedom to chase other kids down and the ability to run away from them. I wore that bike out and in return that bike made my lungs stronger, my legs stronger, and it made my sense of adventure stronger. There was a group of kids that got together every day, sort of our own bicycle...

Another week gone, yet this week I am asking the boys to keep the armored car in the garage in an effort to reduce my carbon footprint, besides, I didn't have enough material this week to warrant the trip to Iron Mountain. 1. Friday is for photos: This was taken while out with the family. I didn't realize how serious Pirates were about their education (zoom in on the back of the bus). Who would have known? I also like the "Hug Life" on the side. Several of you have asked to see pictures of the new summer home. I normally try to keep my personal life secret but thought I would share our new "little" getaway with you. If you like great photography make sure to visit Steve Mckoy's Friday photos here [ link ] and Joe Thorn's here [ link ]. Want to see your photo published here? Submit all family friendly photos to bjnotbk@gmail.com for consideration. Please note that I reserve the right to publish or not publish any submission. 2. The new template may be...

Today is the day. As I write this post I must confess to you that I am hidden away in a small villa in Italy receiving a blood transfusion. The truth is that I can't keep up with the younger bloggers so I have resorted to blood doping to boost my performance. I have also finished another round of steroids, ingested cases of creatine, and am back on my diet of cream rich foods....mmmmm cream rich foods. My hopes are that by the beginning of next week I will once again be back on form, back on top, and posting like a machine fueled by my new found roid rage. Thank goodness the blogging world hasn't followed suit of other professions such as the NFL, NBA, MLB and instituted a drug testing policy. Speaking of professional sports, I know no one in America is watching the Tour de France but did you see where they just pulled the leader, Rasmussen, out of the race for allegedly doping? I am told that the only cyclists remaining are two guys from Belgium and an elderly lady with a thick...

In case you were not aware we are on the eve of the 2007 Tour de France. "Tour de what?" You might ask if you are the average American or the disenchanted cycling fan as many have long abandoned the once fabled race over doping allegations by many of the top riders as well as a recent slew of confessions by previous greats. For many the Tour de France is nothing more than a blip on the radar screen, a glimpse of spandex clad men climbing mountains quickly passed over during a normal bought of channel surfing. For others the Tour is a sports spectacle, one of the great events of all time as it is a test of machine, mechanics, timing, strategy, and the human body and mind. The Tour de France had a golden opportunity to not only promote the Tour but to promote the sport of pro cycling across the globe during the 7 years Lance Armstrong reigned as champ. Lance was to the Tour as what Tiger Woods is to golf. Lance's heroics both on and off the bike introduced cycling to a set...