PSSSSST!

Psssst - is usually a sound that is met with anticipation and possible intrigue. It could mean someone is about to entrust you with a secret, or it could mean you are about to get a great deal on a "ROLIDEX" watch.

But to a bike rider, psssst is the second worst thing you could hear during a ride other than snap, crackle, or pop (bones, ligaments, or tendons). Psssst means you have a flat, which can put a damper on your ride depending on how prepared you are.

It is always a good idea to have an extra tube, tire tools, patch kit, and a pump or C02 inflater handy. During this morning's ride, I heard the tell-tale pssst, and sure enough, my front tire was going flat before my eyes.

After saying many words I can't post, I dug into my backpack and found the necessary tools to change the tube. Although I didn't set any records like a NASCAR pit crew, I was able to change the tube in 10 minutes or so. Not bad, considering I haven't had to practice much.

As mentioned in a previous post, my handy MULE proved to be a wise investment. It is the biker's equivalent to Tia Chencha's ginormous purse which contained many items including Vicks, lip-i-stik, Rolaids, asprin, a 48 pack of Maxi-Pads, and God only knows what else. Everyone makes fun of Tia Chencha AND the prepared biker until THEY need something from the bag!

Remember - better safe than sorry!

IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!

If you're born in Texas, and you're male, it's almost your birthright to love football. I have been a die hard Cowboys fan ever since the Bob Lilly days when Mom and I used to listen to their games on the radio.

As I've gotten older, I've developed more ties to other teams in the high school and college ranks. Being from West Texas and enamoured with Mike Leach's offense, I can't get enough of watching the Texas Tech Red Raiders. If they ever get a quality defense, they will be in a major bowl someday. Until then, I hope beyond hope they wind up in the Alamo Bowl so I can watch them in person.

Living 70 miles from Austin and never liking the Aggies, I root for the Longhorns when they aren't playing Tech. San Antonio, like DFW and Houston, has so many High School teams, it's hard to follow them, but when you have two teams in the State 5A Top Ten rankings playing each other like San Antonio Madison (#8) upsetting Smithson Valley (#3), it makes it exciting.

I must admit, every Saturday morning, I check the linescores to see how Crane did. Driving to Matt's games a couple of years ago was a highlight of that year. It was certainly tiring for Mel and me to drive several times, but we wouldn't have traded it for anything.

Lastly, although this might elicit some boos from the cheap seats, I think it's great to see Mojo ranked again. They have been in the 5A State rankings ever since stomping Euless Trinity a few weeks ago. It reminds me of the playoff games Manuel and I used to see at Ratliff Stadium in the 80s.

The only thing that would make the Fall better would be watching this nirvana on a large screen plasma TV! One can only wish.....Better go - ESPN College Game Day is about to start!

MY MULE

Mom and David have been using their CamelBak Hydration Paks for years and I never fully appreciated the convenience until now. When you ride for two hours at a time, one or two water bottles aren't enough to keep you properly hydrated.

To counter that, I bought my MULE. It holds 70oz of liquid (water, sports drink, etc), my tire repair kit, tire tools, multi-tools, Gu packets, spare tube, and my camera, with room to spare. Yes it adds an extra 10lbs, but it is well balanced and is so easy to use, I wish I had bought it years ago.

Instead of stopping, or chancing a wreck reaching for your water bottle, you just pop the tube in your mouth and presto, you have water! Staying hydrated is critical when you are riding, as you can sweat buckets, leaving you de-hydrated.

If you plan on riding more than an hour or so at a time, I would definitely recommend investing in some sort of hydration pack.

MORE PICS

Here are some more pics from my Sunday ride. McAllister Park offers a variety of terrain, including dry creek beds, such as the one pictured here. I also snapped a couple of deer in the woods along one of the trails. You may have to click on the picture to enlarge it so you can see them. (second pic)

SUNDAY BIKE RIDE

Yesterday I went on my weekly bike ride to McAllister Park here in San Antonio. It is approximately 900 acres smack dab in the middle of the city, just north of the airport. I arrived a little after 8 AM Sunday morning and it was actually a bit cool. Once I finished my warm up portion of my ride and started on the off road trails, the sun had warmed things up considerably.

Here are some pics I took. I hope you enjoy them!

WELCOME TO THE DOG POUND!

Well, I finally decided to join the ranks of the bloggers and create a site that will probably only be viewed by ME! Seriously, I know how busy everyone's lives can be, so I figured this would be an easy way to see what I am up to these days.

Feedback? Please pass it on....

Mike