PI

Hello all! There has been a delay in posts due to my travels. I am posting from the Philippines! Even though there are modern amenities here such as the Coffee Bean that I am posting from, a lot of the country is still very poor and behind technologically and thus my lack of access to the internet.

I have added a Picture gadget to the blog and posted an image of a "tricycle" as they are referred to. Here in the Philippines, any and all modes of transportation are used. There are modern air-conditioned taxis and public transit like buses but there are also other forms that are more affordable to the lifestyle of the people here such as  Jeepneys and bicycles, both motor powered and man powered. The streets share all these vehicles and on several instances I've even see horse-driven carriages.

Bike Wiki !

JudyNV had posted http://bicycle.wikidot.com  as an example wiki on our Wiki Assignment, an informative and organized wiki that I hope to add  more to. Luckily, my blog is also on the topic of bicycles.

Here is a link to as well as a small contribution to that wiki. The article is on how to travel with your bicycle. Information about how to pack it and ship it in an economical fashion are described.
 http://bicycle.wikidot.com/bicycle-on-airplane

2011 NACCC

Earlier this month was the NACCC, or North American Cycle Courier Championships, which was held between October 7 - 9 in Austin, Texas. Cycle couriers, or more commonly known as "messengers", across the country were invited to hangout and compete in races and other events in Austin. The NACCC is an annual event held in a different city every year by messengers, for messengers. 

Events common to messengering competitions are goldsprints and alleycats. 

Goldsprints are a form of racing done on stationary bicycles. These bikes are docked onto bicycle rollers, which is a device that offers little resistance for a cyclist may train and develop form. Computers are connected to these rollers to collect data such as the speed and revolution of the rollers. This data is transferred to a "dial" chart that is projected onto a screen or a wall that can be seen by spectators. Whoever spins through the dial the fastest wins.

Alleycats are races that emulate the everyday job of a messenger. Several checkpoints are given and at each one, the messenger must present a manifest and have it signed. Some alleycats involve the actual carrying and delivering of items, just like a messenger would do at work. There is no fixed route, the messenger can go whichever way they want (or are forced) to go. 

Messengers form a tight-knit community around the world - when visiting another city, they have friends that have them stay at their place or show around the city. The most important part of these events are the connecting and networking aspects. People that ride bikes for a living, just having fun.

Great coverage and awesome photographs may be viewed from John "Prolly" Watson's Blog here.

Across Country

It is amazing what sort of feats people can do. In the modern age of cars and hotels, there are an adventurous few that would partake in the strenuous danger of bicycle touring.

As I was riding today, I bumped into this guy. I recognized the type of bicycle he was riding by the bags that were slung on the side of the rear wheel. It is a touring bike, which is used for long distances, where one would ride with loaded paniers  (bags that attach to the bicycle for carrying larger loads) full of essentials: clothing, food, shelter, all of which is used on the journey. Different sets of clothes are for battle the different types of weather that one may encounter. Food is obvious, proper sustenance is required to keep the body going especially when cycling for double digit hours at a time. And shelter is used for the many stops taken on the journey for rest and recovery.

I had followed him for about 200m where we talked a bit. During our conversation which was interrupted by passing traffic, I never caught his name but what I was told was where he came from and where he was riding to. He lives in Ohio and had ridden all the way over here in Las Vegas. He mentioned something about California and the horrid weather coming here; I'm not sure of what route he had taken exactly.

Talking to cyclists is enlightening and sustains my respect for others not only with similar interests but with the spirit and courage to do something amazing like this man.

My friend, Sirashoke, moved to the east coast almost a year ago. He posted up a photo of the remodeling of the shop that he works at in Tennessee.

Check out Midtown Bike Co. Downtown Memphis's Facebook here.

Post #1

Hello, my name is Michael and welcome to my cog blog. You might ask "what in the world is a cog blog?" First break down the two words. Cog, a part of a gear system, such as one found on a bicycle. Blog, a web log much like any other site you would find on Blogger.

Here, I will be sharing knowledge of bicycle culture throughout the world. Learn how bikes have influenced cultures and subcultures internationally and on a much smaller scale. I would like to introduce great personalities to others and share the rich culture of cycling.

Enjoy!