Thanks

At Christmas, let me give some thanks for things I've gotten from bike blogs this year. Purely in order of their most recent post, and noting ones that I've been inspired about for a while:

Big Oak Bikes - Appropriately, he occasionally provides glimpses of his Tricross. Next year, I look forward to hearing about HIS first cyclocross race.

Carbon Trace - Andy has inspired many items on my blog. Most influential has been his provoking of the "Honk Project."

SpringfieldCyclist - A Surly is the next best thing to a Tricross and a LOT more bike for the buck. Plus, there's a lot of general support from Tracy.

Ear to the Breeze - For a darn LOT of great scenery.

Doohickie, and Beginning Bicycle Commuting, for keeping me from getting too snobby about things and for a few unintended nudges not to backslide in my riding technique.

CommuteOrlando, for help on many subjects, including encouragement in more ways than I can name. But I'll name three off the top of my head - Buddy (thanks to LisaB), Do rags, and shoes. My only regret is these guys are a thousand miles too far east by southeast too far away.

Lovely Bicycle!, for a different perspective that I've often found valuable. I'm a vicarious follower of the "co habitant," but it was the half finger mittens that made it on to my Christmas list. They beat out the infectious enthusiasm for Dutch bikes that had me taking a serious look at the Gary Fisher Simple City bike.

BikeSkirt, for coming out of the closet about Cyclocross. I got "Pure Sweet Hell" for Christmas, y'all!

Let's Go Ride a Bike , for clueing me in to Bern helmets, amongst many other handy tips, in that blog for those that care to find those nuggets. I find I like that blog more the longer I follow it.

ChipSeal , for snooping around this blog before I even made my first official post, and for generally giving me a reference about where and how I ride. It gives me hope that Yeti are more than just imaginary, at least in some parts of Texas, even if he denies visiting Bedford. He gives me even more amusement and inspiration than I give him.

CycleDog, perhaps an agent of Satan, but certainly an inspiration to get the old Praktica out of the closet and now I'm even trying to get my slide projector working properly again.

GreenComotion, for putting up the picture of the Lone Star Cyclist, without which I would have never noticed she was standing in front of the very store we were in, and for getting me to be a little more "touristy" than I would have been otherwise, even if I still feel that kickstands are "more than a pound" of dead weight.

Rat Trap Press, for wool jerseys. Lots of other things, too, but wool jerseys. Especially wool jerseys for summer riding.

Pondero, for a reminder of a whole different kind of riding, and of another time and place, and for Kelly Kettles, too. I'm glad I went.

Suburban Assault, for some perspective I sometimes agree with, sometimes disagree with, and always an open mind worth listening to.

Rantwick Eh?, for reminder about my own roots, and cycling tidbits that are often funny and serious all at the same time. He'll have to imagine the DFWPTP Rantwick salute picture unless he clicks here.

Citizen Rider , besides his relation of restoration of a Singer, his story about his old friend is an inspiration and one of the best posts one might read.

Many others, as well, but this post is getting a little long already. I could, for example, mention how amusing Lowest Gear posts are, and how I want to hear what Lizzylou is up to lately, or Suburban Bike Mama and her stories about travelling about with kids aboard, but I've got to wrap THIS post up.

But finally, I have to mention Cycle*Dallas, for, among many other things, being the inspiration for adding Kermit to Frankenbike, and for the encouragement to start this blog in the first place.

Kermit the bike squeeky frog!