Soon To be New House

In the process of getting the money and loan together for this house. Small 3 bedroom 2 bath, but plenty big enought for us and the price is right. Super stoked. If all goes well we might be closing before Thanksgiving.

Just another day of bike commuting

Amazingly waking up at 5 AM becomes easier over time. Didn't feel like getting on a bike to ride to my co-works house after running with Tara and the dogs. But once I was on the bike I was stoked to ride. Left the house about 10 minutes earlier and traffic was cut in half. Able to zip through UT campus without having to lane split. Makes me think we are nothing more than machines. Everything starts and ends at the same time and we just jump when told.

What's up with Hyde Park? Two coffee shops I passed were still closed at 7:20. People need to go to work and get some coffee.


Well, buying a house is happening for me. Put an offer in, it was accepted, and we should close by end of November. If I drive my commute time will be more than halved and it looks as though I can ride to work. Probably be about 15 miles one way so it might not happen everyday. But if I do it 2-3 times a week, I will be stoked. There is going to be one stink ass in my office pretty soon!

Signs of Hope and Signs of Anger

Well, it was an eye opening weekend. The damage is unbelievable. What was spared is too. Even though is seems the place is flater than Nebraska, the difference of a block can mean the difference between a flood or not.

Lots of people are out and have returned. There is a huge task at hand. I hope the city can be saved and rebuilt. I hope politics can be transcended and a plan can be put forth where some of the flooded land is used for green areas, wetlands, and places to allow flooding when the levees are in danger. I believe the city has a chance to really shine and come back better than ever. One thing I've learned is sometimes the good comes from the bad.

Anyhow, go to New Orleans. Support this city and go there, listen to music, eat the food, and give her your money and love.

Lakeview

Lakeview was the worst area that we saw. These pics don't even do it justice. Increadibly sad. Pretty sure this area is adjacent to the 17th street Canal from a map I saw in the paper. They also published a lot about the people and geography of the dead. People are really coming out about all the back scratching and corruption. Hopefully New Olreans is cleaned up on the surface and also from the top.

http://www.timespicayune.com

Lakeview

Lakeview

Canal Street

The top picture shows what happens to a grocery store when it loses power and remains shut for a month plus. Fortunately it doesn't let you know what it smells like.

Is there any post neede for this?

Near Magazine Street

Upper Magazine was pretty cool. Opening back up and looked as though escaped some flood damage. Just a couple of blocks away it wasn't so cool though.

Kelsey's house in Fontainebleau

Pretty much fine. The bottom floor basement was flooded and gutted, but everything else was sweet. The landlord did an awesome job. Even the 'fridge was cleaned. Her neighbors weren't so lucky.

THE BIKE IS OKAY! JUST A LITTLE RUSTY AND MOLDY

Fontainebleau

It amazes me the storys about religeous icons that survive disaster's unscathed, such as this. Kelsey's friends landlord lives in this place. It was a mess, but this statue was unmoved on the table. Notice the waterlines and mold line above the statue. Now I'm not a religeous person, but sometimes stuff like this makes me wonder.

Fontainebleau

Even the Nebraskans are getting in on the clean-up action.

Pitt

The B&B we stayed at on Pitt. Close to Tulane and Arbor Park. Not much water damage here. Everything in this neighborhood was up and running. Except for some downed trees and wind damage, there wasn't much evidence of Katrina.

New Orleans

Finally got to New Orleans. Met Chris from Florida in New Olreans at the B&B we were staying at. Trying to help get temp workers for the rebuilding effort.

Rita

Little prelude to the damage to come in New Orleans. Damage from Rita somewhere west of Beaumont, TX.

Moving on up

Well, Tara and I just got approved for a home loan. Looking at some places up in North Austin around 2222. It'll be sweet. Bigger houses, yards, and closer to work. It'll help avoid the around Austin congestion on the afternoon commute. Plus I may be less than 15 miles from work. That is rideable and I can avoid this riding to a co-worker's house to carpool bullshit.

Riding to work is nice

Another day on the saddle riding to my co-workers house to drive to work. Funny, I am the one driving this week and I am still riding each day. Been leaving my truck parked on his street.

Today's ride was awesome. I felt a lot better than I have the past couple of days. Been fighting a chest cold and allergies. Riding everymorning before work probably hasn't helped. Breathing through your mouth cause your nose is plugged, sucking diesel fumes doesn't do much for a scratchy throat. Other things I partake in don't do wonders either.

But today was good. Avoided a bowl of cereal and milk before the ride. That helped with the flem and stomach.

Most importantly, I saw a ton of moms and pops riding with their kids to school on bikes. It was sweet. Saw a dude with two bikes attached to the back of his bike in tandem. there were also two other kids riding with him. There was also a mom who had a bike attached to her's and then a trailer attached to her daughter.

Hyde Park, gotta love it. Too bad you can't afford to buy a house there.

New Orleans

Going to take some time off of work Friday and head out to New Orleans. It isn't really going to be much of a vacation. Tara's sister goes to Tulane and hasn't been to her apartment since before Miss Katrina hit. Tara, her sister, and mom are heading down there to deal with all her stuff and see if the place is livable. Being the nice guy I am I offered to go and help.

I am excited to get a first hand look at how the city is recovering. I'll be sure to share a lot of pics once I get back.

Got two Lincoln bike shop jerseys that I wear out here. Before I left, Carp gave me this old jersey of his. Pretty stoked on it especially since I cut off the sleaves. It's nice having no sleaves.

My Post beer, ride

Well, I didn't get to do a super fun beer ride with my buddies from Lincoln this weekend. I am sure my drunken logic was surely missed. Well, I am sure it will be an annual event so maybe I'll make number 3.

I did drink a lot of beer on Saturday though. The warm keg of the Taddy Porter clone is flowing like a champ and we decided to invite over friends and break out the grill. Low on carbonation but still good as hell. Drank a lot and then headed over to my neighbors to drink some more. A going away party for going of to sea as a merchant marine.

My buddy Anthony told me he was starting to ride the greenbelt on his old Trek 830.

Right on dude, lets go tomorrow.

I'm slow you don't want to have to wait for me.

Fuck that, dude. I know some sick shit out there and will be stoked to show you.

Anthony was down. Rode Lamar Rd to Toys R Us and hit the downhill. Anthony walked a lot but by the end he was keeping the feet on the pedals and off the ground. From this section on Toys R Us he went a long time without a dab. Best of all he learned a valuable lesson, a little bit of speed makes it a hell of a lot easier.

Some dude on a Crack n' Fail blasted past us. Anthony was like, "let's ride fast!" So we did through some rock gardens to the end of the trail.

Looks like we got another convert.

Martin Lake Steam Electric Station

Kind of weird looking across the lake from a State Park and seeing a coal and lignite burning steam electric station.

Been gone awhile

Was up in Martin Lake, TX last week doing some work. Stayed over at Martin Creek Lake State Park. Pretty sweet! Saw that they had some mtn bike trails so I decided to bring the cross-check. First night it was completely dark by the time I hit the trail. Kinda hard negoitating trails for the first time in the dark having them lit with an LED Cateye. It was fun though being out in the dark woods trying to figure out if I was still on a trail and how I should get back.

Went out just before sunset on the second night. Nice to have some extra light to see the trails. Pretty fun, not too long or technical but it was all tight, smooth single track. Not bad for east Tejas.

Red Hook

CVO, this shot's for you! Can't resist when this stuff sells for $11.55 a twelver. You got to switch it up at Oso though, bro. Start drinking Negra Modelo. The shits the bomb. Nice Mexican style dark German lager. Love the dark beer. Negra is a little less hoppy than I normally prefer, but so are about 99% of the beers out there.