I like Barack Obama's statements about transportation policy. From: http://obama.3cdn.net/4465b108758abf7a42_a3jmvyfa5.pdf

Build More Livable and Sustainable Communities: Over the longer term, we know that the amount of fuel we will use is directly related to our land use decisions and development patterns, much of which have been organized around the principle of cheap gasoline. Barack Obama believes that we must move beyond our simple fixation of investing so many of our transportation dollars in serving drivers and that we must make more investments that make it easier for us to walk, bicycle and access
other transportation alternatives.

Sounds reasonable to me.

What does your favorite candidate say?

Long story short, the driver in the left lane drove into the front of my car. I had zero time to react. I was only able to slam on the brakes before the impact, and some part of the dashboard cut through my right kneecap, and I broke a few other bones.

It was a lot like a crash in a bike race, one instant you're rolling along, then you're on the ground. You don't really feel the impact. It's more like a flashbulb going off all over your body. I didn't even think any bones were broken until I tried to move my leg and it didn't work. I reached down to see what was going on and felt a distinct lack of patella.

Of course, one of my first thoughts was, "shit, this is really going to set my training back this season."

The accident was three weeks or so ago. I'm starting to feel relatively good and am itching to get back on the bike. Hopefully I'll start physical therapy pretty soon. I think it will probably be a couple of weeks (at least) before I am able to ride the trainer.

The questions that I have:

• Will my surgically repaired knee work for riding?
  
• How much fitness will I lose with no riding for 4 to 8 weeks?

My first ride on the road this year is going to be sweeeeet. Does anyone have experience with similar injuries? I know Museeuw came back from a shattered knee (though I don't recall how long it took).

If you haven't seen it, take a look! Note, there were no serious injuries, just cuts and bruises.

I just got my spring classics DVDs from WCP and plopped down on the couch to watch Paris Roubaix and was quite pleasantly surprised.

I believe prior years' DVDs were produced from SD quality source material, the 2007 edition appears to be derived from HD source material. The picture is not HD, but it is as clear as any widescreen DVD I've seen.

The color of the peloton pops. It's a great visual feast compared to the fuzzy images presented by Versus and cycling.tv.

I think I'll give myself a mountain bike this christmas.

For years it was pointless to own one in my area--trail access was really limited. I haven't owned one for a looong time, and know nothing about the latest and greatest components.

I thought I'd tap the vast knowledge of PdC contributors to get oriented.

Am I better off building or buying?
What brands currently rule? My LBS stocks Felt.
What are must-have features--disc brakes? full suspension?

We're in the process of forming a cycling club.

The club I rode with in 2007 had a local company produce our uniforms. The unis were reasonable quality, but we had to purchase everything at the start of the season to achieve the minimum quantities that were required.

That's probably not going to work for us. I'd like to be able to purchase kit through the year as we add more riders.

I'm wondering if anyone out there in Podium Cafe land has experience with club kit purchases.

If you were wringing your hands about ~:>'s summary expulsion from the Tour, you can breathe easy now:

Danish cyclist Michael Rasmussen, who was kicked out of the Tour de France for evading doping controls, had traces of a blood-boosting substance in his system when tested during the race, the French sports daily L'Equipe reported Friday.

from: laykeep

[editor's note, by chris] See also Eurosport

This Sunday I raced in the first race of the local 2007 'cross series. I've raced three cross seasons. One season on a mountain bike, the second season, I rode a Kona "Jake the Snake" cyclocross bike and this year I built a bike based on a Redline Conquest Team frameset and a hodge-podge of components. I wanted to solve problems I had with the Kona (namely too heavy!), and build a bike that could stand up to my 220 pound body, and I think I've managed to do that.

Continue reading this post »

I was on my way home from doing a couple of my favorite climbs when someone shouted an insult at me from a car across the intersection. The only part I heard, was "use the sidewalk, dick!"

I was on my way to ignore it when the light changed at exactly the right time, and I turned the burners on and chased the car down.

I've been insulted countless times while out on my bike, usually I just ignore it, or can't even make out what the dweeb says. And really, drivers around here are much better about cyclists now than they were ten years ago.

This time, I read the young punk the riot act. He seemed embarassed that I actually caught up to him and called him out. I was hoping he would step out of the car and take a swing, but it didn't happen, and we went our separate ways with a appropriate venom hurled both directions.

I dislike getting worked up about anything to this degree--though I'm impressed with my turn of speed to chase him down! I probably vented my year's supply of anger in this incident.

If it were you, what would you do?

[editor's note, by chris] Although I haven't promoted these kinds of stories which aren't about Cycling, I think there's a valid point here, and anyway it's a slow news day.

I'm watching ESPN and just about gagging.

Michael Vick plead guilty to participating in a dog fighting ring that tortured dogs to death.

Every commentator spent his time talking about how quickly Vick can get back to playing football, and wondering if he'll be in shape after he gets out of prison. What planet are these people from? I think there are some more pressing issues to discuss about this case--I guess it's a shock when the former "face of the NFL" turns out to be deeply involved in something so horrible:

According to the indictment, people betting on the fights established purses as high as $26,000, while dog owners and spectators made side bets. The fights lasted until a dog was killed or it surrendered. Losing dogs, along with those deemed unsuitable for fighting, were sometimes killed by drowning, hanging, beating, shooting or electrocution, the indictment said.

from: Bloomberg

I can wrap my brain around PED use, or recreational drug use, the random DUI, or reckless driving charge. I just can't get my head around this.

Peace summary of facts
Phillips summary of facts