Out with the old, in with the new.

It seems like we were just going over this.

Holy cow… What a year. Among others, David Bowie, Prince, Merle Haggard, Gene Wilder, Steve Dillon, Leonard Cohen, Arnold Palmer, Florence Henderson, Kimbo Slice, Dave Mirra, Muhammad Ali, Pete Burns, Carrie Fisher, and George Michael?

Granted, I didn’t know any of them personally, so it doesn’t effect me in the way that say, an actual friend or family member passing would, but what the heck universe? Why the hell are Ted Nugent or Dick Cheney still walking around?

Then again, I guess you can’t die if you don’t have a heart to begin with.

So aside from that, how has everyone’s holiday times been? I sincerely everybody has been working diligently on their submissions for the 2017 Nerd Off;

I thought for sure I would be working on mine well into February, but as it turns out, when the OCD kicks in, there was literally no stopping it, and so here I sit today with a completed submission that will blow at least one or two minds. So as to keep the playing field level however, I’m keeping my effort under wraps until the great unveil.

I know for a fact that there are several new players in this year’s competition, one of whom is Masters 40-44 Cyclocross World Champion Mr. Mark Savery;

He is clearly no stranger to the top step of various podiums, but this is an entirely different sort of competition. Instead of going completely anaerobic for sixty minutes, the individual who comes out on top will be one who is capable of breathing paint and glue fumes for much, much longer than that.

For those who potentially don’t recall, this is the submission that took top honors last year;

This was built by KB from Cat Six Cycles up in Portland, and I know for a fact he has it there in the shop if folks would like to breeze in and take a look-see for themselves.

So, that was the bar that was set. Now it’s up to the rest of us to do our worst.

And in a late-breaking bit of news, I’ve uncovered one of the wool Bandit replica jerseys I made a few years ago in a size large that I’ve decided will go to the winner;

You like apples? Then I’d reckon you probably like those apples.

In other news and onto other topics, might anyone have any new year resolutions in place for 2017?

For the most part, I feel like resolutions are just a promise to yourself to fail. The beginning of a new year is a good marker, because once you’ve eaten Twinkies for thirty days in a row, or whatever your specific challenge is, you always have the first day of the first month as a starting point.

Personally, in general I do not, nor have I ever, (aside from the one time in third grade when I vowed to learn how to ice skate, (the plan for which never really grew any legs). Though this year I’ve set a goal for myself which from my perspective seems easily attainable;

At least the last one is.

Riding bikes more, or at least to an equal amount is also on that list somewhere as well. Life seems to have given me a bit of a kibosh in that regard recently though. For a week after returning from the SSCXWC my right knee blew up like a balloon. With time and rest it got back to normal, and my schedule was as it ever was, but on the 24th of December, I did a full east Bay jaunt, which left me swollen and confused once again.

According to my surgeon, apparently I’ve developed a fair amount of scar tissue on the graft I received in my ACL repair surgery last year, and could potentially be looking at going back in for a little bit of clean up. Certainly another multi-week span on the sofa, and bummer life inducing physical therapy is most definitely not the way I saw 2017 starting, but like I always say, “when life gives you lemons, find a secure hiding place in the bushes with at least three escape routes, and throw them at passing cars.”

Unrelated to that mostly completely, and though I’m a bit off the back in posting this here primarily because I’ve been somewhere else, I’m always happy to bow my head and salute any time a new Chris Akrigg video is released;

That guy is something else, and without exception makes me feel terrible about my own skills aboard a bike.

In a final bit of news from the mail bag, ace Bay Area photog Pamela Palma made with the contact regarding a project she’s got cooking to help you remember what day it is;

Hi Stevil,

How’s it going?

I’m peddling my ladies bicycle calendar, no pregnant ladies this year- totally PG-13… Just regular women and one girl. Check it out;

$25 local delivery or $28 with shipping.
Pay pal me ppalma(at)pamelapalma(dot)com
See preview here

Word,
PP

There you have it. One year, or I guess at this point, 365.2422 days worth of true blue dames on bikes.

If you ask me, it’s not a bad way to start the new one.