Thursday, September 27, 2007

The other green monster

Sorry I haven't been posting much lately. I've been scrambling on (yet another) long overdue house project. There's not much to say, except a big THANK YOU to CTLP and FLAT TIRES for coming over this weekend and jumpstarting it. The key component showed up at 5:45am today, and it's gigantic, wicked heavy, and gorgeous. We stashed it safely in the back corner of Flattire's garage until things are ready on my end. Stay tuned for updates...

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Red Bull Soapbox Race - Providence

So, other than the fact that Greased Up Deaf Son is due on October 13, 2007, the second most anticipated event in my relative universe is the upcoming Red Bull Soapbox Race. This unique event competes with whiz-bang soapbox-style go-karts down the always gnarly Waterman Street of famed College Hill in Providence. I'm assuming that I'm out for said event, however, I thought I'd spread the word to mark your calendars as I'm certain this will be an unbelievable event to watch. Check out the website and be sure to play the game while you're there.


http://www.redbullsoapboxusa.com/Providence-2007/event-day.aspx

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Food for thought

GardenGirl's post and CTLPs record length comment reminded me I've been wanting to post this for a couple days:

Farming in Brooklyn

Until you've tried to grow your own food, it seems easy. Dig up dirt, stick some plants in the ground, and water. Well, at our old house I had experimented quite a bit with organic gardening in raised beds. The organic part is easy: Compost everything. Raised beds are a no brainer for increasing yields. But...even so its very tough to grow food. It's a skill that only recently was lost. My grandmother told me stories about raising chickens, rabbits, etc on their farm (early 1900s) so it's only been during the suburban explosion post WWII that these skills were lost.

Theres quite a bit going on these days with the local food movement. You've probably heard of the 100-mile diet, 30-mile diet, 'localvore'... etc. If not, Google. Supposedly the book "The Omnivore's Dilemna" lays this all out well, but I don't have a free minute to get to the library to check it out.

With the coming end of the oil age, food that travels 2000 miles in the back of a refrigerated semi grown using water from an ancient aquifer using industrial farming practices will no longer be an option. Then, driving 10 miles to the grocery store isn't going to happen either.

Monday, September 17, 2007

Summer's Bountiful Harvest



Ok, so this is my first post on the blog, which I've been meaning to do all summer...so don't feel bad about the procrastination tactics, Mr. 40. Anyhow, I hope it's alright...BBW told me I was allowed, even though I'm a chick and all. I hope it's not too boring for you!

I guess the threat of frost last night and the evening's very cool temps. has got me thinking of cooler times to come...FINALLY. Along with those cooler days and nights though, means less fresh veggies from all of the wonderful local farms here in the Farmington Valley. Since I love to eat and I love veggies, I frequent them quite often.

There is one in particular which I visit weekly. It is an organic CSA (community supported agriculture) farm which has been in operation for many years. I paid a fixed amount at the start of the harvest season in June and a friend of mine and I split the weekly harvests. It is so much better than going to a grocery store and since I don't have time to have a garden of my own anymore...it rocks!!

Yeah, there may be some extra holes in some leaves here or there, but I would prefer that to chemically treated stuff any day. I have gotten way more than my money's worth and also pick up fresh daily eggs when I'm there, for dirt cheap. Each week, we are allowed to cut fresh flowers from the field and make our own bouquets...lots of cool sunflowers and stuff. I love supporting local growers, the food is super fresh and it suits my dietary needs. Good eats...I highly recommend it. It also encourages trying new recipes or just making it up as you go and trying new foods, which can be fun.

There are always many interesting animals running around and the folks at the farm are some of the most good-natured down to earth people ever...with a few weirdos mixed in for good measure. All in all a good experience, if you don't have a garden of your own.

Friday, September 14, 2007

Procrastination and Cottrell, my Belle

I'm a pretty notorious procrastinator. Yardwork, house projects, building ibuckets for friends (BBW and CTLP: I suck.. I know), posting on the blog (Thanks for writing up RAMHADAB, BBW!)

But over the summer I'm pretty focused on mtbiking, kayaking, and messing around at the lake as much as possible. Its this time of year, when things slow down and the weather gets a little cooler that I finally start to catch up on things. For example, Patching Bike Tubes.

I tend to let the leaky tubes pile up on a hook in the garage and patch them all in one night. Here's the '29er' tubes I flatted since spring.

In other news, CTLP was concerned we wouldn't finish the keg of Cottrell from RAMHADAB in time for him to restock with Stone Brewery next weekend. So FlatTires, GUDG, and I went over to CTLPs last night for some driveway drinking and cheeseburgers. CTLPs neighbor came over with his tractor from 1949. This thing just purred like it was brand new. We stood around with our beverages and admired this beautiful machine til Mrs CTLP got mad and called us in for dinner.

This weekend I hope to get started on all the projects I put off since FARTAB(official start of summer ya know).

Anyhow. Time to ride in to work. Cya.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

RAMHADAB Volume 4

So, it was another successful RAMHADAB. We had a record number of riders at 14. It was beautiful weather, but a bit warm (actually it was HOT). Most of us drank about six liters of water on the six hour ride. Besides a couple flats and a broken spoke, there were no mechanical issues.

The lake at the end was enjoyed by many. I don't remember that many people going swimming or spending so much time in the water. We don't know if was the heat or the lack of a long weekend, but I'm sorry to say, we were unable to kick the keg. Although delicious, the Cottrell was tough in the heat and humidity. I tried my best by starting at 9:30 Sunday morning while helping Sleepy Gonzalez cook breakfast, which came out wonderfully.

After the ride, we went swimming, then went back to home base. Once there, we cooked, made a fire and watched some UFC. We kept the fireworks in the closet because of the lack of rain for the past month.

Some disc golf and croquet was played on Sunday. We also tried our best to cool off in the stream.

Make sure to join us for Volume 5 next year. It'll be a big year for the core riders due to it being 1/2 a decade of rides. Hope to see everyone return to join us next year.

Friday, September 07, 2007

Leaving for RAMHADAB Vol 4: The Double Deuce

I'm packed, and am going to leave in about ten/twenty minutes when Mrs 40 gets home from work.

I'm going to attempt the great Cross-Beermuda-Triangle bike ride tonight to get to CTLPs house. Wish me luck.


Yes, Those are hose clamps.

Thursday, September 06, 2007

I can wait. Really.

Just like a true friend, I will wait for everyone to arrive before pulling drinks.


Honest....


I swear!









GAH! Hoisted by my own petard!
Tapped it to make sure that we are settled and pouring smoothly. Normally I follow my brother's advice and dump the first bit that comes out, but I just could not help it after spending a couple of hours at the brewery this morning with nary a sip...
Speaking of- in two weeks I am heading down to bottle 'Gloria' with the Newport Storm guys- a Pumpkin Spice variety. Normally pumpkin beer is not on my list of favorites, but something tells me that this one will be pretty good. Mrs. CTLP will be psyched!

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

The beer has landed.

And is currently chilling, untapped in the silver chamber of keg hugginess.

We need to finish this keg this weekend (or 40 is going to have a lot of work in front of him in the coming week). I know it was not an issue last year, but I have a feeling that Chas does a better job of filling his kegs than the light pouring pansies at Flying Dog...

I am not overlooking the golden deliciousness that is this years beverage, but while at the local beer vending store (fantastic people, great selection of rare hoptastic brews) I found out that they are getting Stone Brewery in next week. I already ordered a barrel of Arrogant Bastard (the first to be delivered to RI), and don't have to travel to Mass to get it.

SWEEEEEEEET!

Game on. Don't forget your imbibing shoes.

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

ORAs and other MLAs: RAMHADAB VOL 4 is in T-Minus...

So this weekend while wandering around the woods with the little pup Snoopy (on Federal land, dogs allowed) we ran into a couple of folks that I am declaring O.R.As (My new MLA...Multi Letter Acronym).

Old
Rich
Assholes.

I swear something happened in the last, say, ten to fifteen years around Charlestown. It's as if all the old mellow local hippies that built and lived in their tiny woodland shacks either sold out (unlikely) or died (more likely). And were replaced with some Old Rich Assholes from Connect-icut, Massa-chew-setts, New York, and *GULP* New Jersey. Now, if you like the atmosphere of the area, will fit in, and won't tear down the house you're buying, Sure.. head on down. Crack open a beer, light a campfire, and relax. BUT.

If you are moving or (even worse) buying your Second or even Third vacation 'property', which you intend to tear down, replace with some f'ing plastic and particle board, gold plated, piece of shit, that you light up every freakin night like its the Taj Mahal then go to Cape Cod.

If you don't like people mountain biking on the trails that they have been riding on for the last 20+ years, don't go pseudo running on them in your $300 "trail running" shoes. Stay in Joisy.

If you don't like cute-as-hell puppies lopiing up to you to say hi on trails that are completely open to Dogs (he was on a leash!), drive your gawd-dam $100k mercedes over to some other park to walk your fat rich @ss at instead of this one.

But, I guess now that just about every local has died and their greedy prick kids sold their shack to some other ORAs, you think its cool to be a d*ck and buy one yourself.

It's never cool to be a d*ck, I don't care how rich you are. Please just pack up, get your pasty @ss back to florida at the first sign of frost. Then we can get our state back.

In other non-related MLAs, RAMHADAB (Ride around CTLP's house and Drink Allota B**rs) is THIS WEEKEND. Just three more work days, then it's on.

Oh Yes. We'll be riding more or less down the North South trail down to the previously mentioned mecca of ORAs, for some swimming and then back up to CTLPs for drinking, burning, go-carting, disc-golfing and camping. Check in the archives for previous year's adventures. Search the dates around the first/second week of September. Yeaaaaaah..

See you in a few days! -40.