Moving On Up!

Number seven in THN's Power ranking! Dallas deals the Preds a notch in the L column. Jere and Ribs are firing on all cylinders. Good net minding from Turc. Avery is becoming a bad memory. Dallas has pulled to second in the Pacific division. Bring on the 'Yotes!

Mmmm. Stars are Playing much Better.

I now the Ranger game was an anomaly, but things are still looking much better. 7-2-1 in the last 10 games and currently finishing with the Preds.

The Elusive XC Pro Crank

Damn it! Why can't I get a an old XC Pro Crankset for a reasonable price? Ebayers suck!

Breaking Up is Hard to Do...Hockey & Punk Aint

So I've been stuck in Ike ravaged Galveston Area for a few months and am back in Austin. My girlfriend broke up with me on December 7th...A day that will live in infamy personally for reasons other than Pearl Harbor.
Came back to Austin and watched the Hanson Brothers (NOMEANSNO incognito).
The next day I went to see the Dallas Stars lose to the Coyotes. Marty Turco stood watching as the game winning goal floated into his abandoned net. To salt up the wound a little more an empty netter to end the game.
I was sitting next to some little punk wearing an autographed Turco sweater. He had been verbalizing his 12 year old coaching commentary. It was quite annoying. When Marty let in the game winner, I stood up and yelled profanity that Turk had to of heard. This kid parents left the game early. Good for them.
Took the train back to Fort Worth.
The Stars currently have an IR full of All Stars.
I got Lehtinen's number put on my sweater at the Arena. At least that was cool.

Traverse City Prospects Tourney

Cool to watch the future of the Dallas/Texas Stars franchise today. James and Michael Neal shined. It was also nice to see the Ludwig name on the blue line again. They honored the Stars sweater by knocking off the St. Louis Blues for co-manager and Blues/Stars legend Brett Hull.

Bear Vs. Teacher on a Bike = Internet Wins!

Photo by MICHAEL GALLACHER/Missoulian

Jim Litz has a broken bike helmet and bruised ribs to show for the 25-mile-per-hour collision with a 300-pound black bear Monday morning while riding his bike to work from his home in upper Miller Creek. “I was lucky. I was truly lucky, because I accosted the bear and he let me live,” Litz said, while recovering from his injuries Tuesday afternoon at his home.

Jim Litz is accustomed to pedaling past 300-pound black bears on his morning commute to work.

“I've come close to them this time of year,” Litz said, clutching his side and grimacing. “I know bears. The entire creek bottom is just hammered by bears. That's the beauty of living here. But typically, they're crossing the road and I have plenty of time to avoid them.”

That wasn't the case during Litz's Monday morning ride down Bear Run Creek Road, up above Miller Creek. The 57-year-old man passes slender serviceberry branchlets and dogwoods festooned with bear feed, and frequently spots the animals noshing berries on his way to work at Target Range Middle School, where he teaches science to seventh- and eighth-graders. Usually, the animals barrel off the road and out of sight.
*
This time, however, Litz was clipping along the dirt road at 25 mph when he came upon a rise, spied a massive black bear 10 feet in front of him, and pedaled directly into the animal, T-boning its broad side.

“I didn't have time to respond. I never even hit my brakes,” Litz said.

He tumbled over his handlebars, planting his helmeted head on the bruin's back, and man and beast went cartwheeling down the road.

The bear rolled over Litz's head, and its mass cracked his helmet. As the duo toppled over one another, the bear clawed at Litz's cycling jacket, scratching his flesh from shoulder to buttocks before scampering up a hill above the road, where it stopped and whined.

Litz's wife drove by soon after and took her husband to Community Medical Center, and he immediately called Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks to report the unusual collision. Game wardens told him they didn't think the animal was seriously injured, but was more likely suffering from some bruised ribs - just like Litz.

“Yep, that's my bear story,” Litz said Tuesday afternoon, too sore and bruised to go to work, but certain that he'd be back in the saddle by Friday. “That day it just happened to be on that particular corner of the road, and all the stars were lined up against me.”

The rib contusions are painful, and the scrapes down his back aren't pretty, but Litz figures he made out on top given the circumstances.

Litz's wife rides her bike to work, too. But she drives down past the feeding gauntlet on Bear Run Creek Road and parks along Miller Creek Road before pulling her road bike off the roof of her car.

As for Litz's bike, a cyclo-cross, it survived unscathed aside for the front wheel coming slightly out of true. But pointing to his cracked helmet, Litz hopes the story inspires his students to wear their helmets.

“I was lucky. I was truly lucky, because I accosted the bear and he let me live,” Litz said. “I truly respect them. They're beautiful creatures.” By TRISTAN SCOTT of the Missoulian

Politics?

During a conversational 15-minute speech, Obama poked fun at himself telling the crowd that when he was photographed last weekend riding a bike with his children, he looked like Urkel.

Obama Pledges Funding for Cycling


CHICAGO, IL (BRAIN)—Barack Obama, in a private 20-minute meeting with members of the Bikes Belong board of directors, told them if he were elected president he would increase funding for cycling and pedestrian projects. And the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee also said he would support Safe Routes to Schools programs.

He also told them he seldom makes promises on what he would do if elected president, but that this was a promise he would keep. Tim Blumenthal, executive director of Bikes Belong, laid out the industry’s position on boosting funding for cycling-related projects and for Safe Routes to Schools at the meeting.

Stan Day, SRAM’s president, said that Obama “gets it.” He pointed out that Obama understands that bicycles can be part of a solution to issues as diverse as health care, obesity, energy and environmental policy. “He does his homework and he can connect the dots,” he said.

Tom Petrie, president of Velimpex, who flew to Chicago Thursday afternoon, said he didn’t expect to hear Obama lay out a specific agenda for the bicycle industry. “However, it was refreshing to see somebody trying to unite the country instead of trying to divide it with wedge issues. I find it refreshing and, frankly, necessary,” Petrie said.
—Marc Sani

Okay, based solely on this issue (and there are others I care about), I am supporting Barack.
However, lets examine bicycles in recent politics.

When John Kerry was running for president he was photographed riding a Serotta Ottrot. It is a $8000 custom road bike. Obviously very specific and something an avid cyclist would choose for himself. Note the Sidi Genius cycling shoes.



W rides a Trek Fuel 9.8. A carbon fiber $3100 "American" mountain bike. Who the hell rides carbon fiber Mountain Bikes other than racers and douche bags? Note the running shoes. The bike was sent to him by John Burke of Trek. Do you think you would ever see him ride this anywhere other than his ranch? Probably not.

Here's a picture of fomer President Jimmy Carter on a Rivendell. Note the casual attire, no helmet, and loafers. I admire his sense of style. No longer a focus of media attention, he looks like he riding for fun.

The image of Barack shows him on a Trek Hybrid. Much less expensive. He's wearing everyday clothes and pulling a tag-a-long with his kid. I won't bitch about the low rear tire pressure and cross shifting (rookie mistakes). Looks a lot like what an average voter can afford and would most likely ride. Kudos to Obama. Urkel aint so bad.

You can also get these sweet spoke cards at www.obamaspoke.com