Lazy Days of Summer

My Kids Read this Blog!

There's been stuff going on. I've thought many times about making a new post. Among other topics, I've got one I've been mulling around about cycling and global warming. That one won't go away and will probably become a new post fairly soon, at least if I check a certain book back out of the library soon so I can get my quote absolutely correct.

Catching up, I was reminded on Father's Day that my kids really do pay attention, on occasion, to the blatherings of their father. In fact they gave me a coffee mug to prove it. It's shown at the top of this post.

Past posts on the topic may be seen here, here, and LOTS here

New Mexico Quickly

Looking at Texas From New Mexico. Glenrio's Seen Better Days

Recently, we made a little road trip and spent time in New Mexico on the route. We mostly avoided freeways, except for a stretch where I-40 provides good access to remnants of Historic Route 66. Always a sneaky one, I suggested that we pass through Los Alamos, site of the legendary blog “LosAlamos Bikes.” Unfortunately, thunderstorms were passing through the area and so my wife vetoed the detour.

Back Before the Interstate, You Might Have Stopped Here Before Crossing into New Mexico

Going from Texas, the tour begins with the border town of Glenrio. One might have stopped at a café or purchased gas on the Texas side of the border. The motel closest to the border was seen as the “Last Motel in Texas” if you were looking from the Texas side or as the “First Motel in Texas” if you were standing on the New Mexico side of the border. Apparently, all the gas stations were on the Texas side of the border because Texas gas taxes were lower. On the other hand, all the liquor was on the New Mexico side because it was a “dry” county on the Texas side. I was also somewhat surprised to hear about the “Glenrio Historic District” from the NPS website. One wonders how you have a historic district in an unincorporated town that has two inhabited houses and a dog.

 

San Jon Gas Station's been Long Closed Based on the Size of the Tree

Anyway, in New Mexico as you head west is the little town of San Jon. As you can see, some of these places have been declining for many years. The tree at the gas station was growing out of where they used to have a gas pump mounted. San Jon has held on better than Glenrio, with 300 souls remaining after the freeway bypassed it.

 

Tucumcari's Got Lots of "Still Open" Route 66 Architecture

Further west is “Greater Tucumcari.” Tucumcari was and still is one of the larger towns in eastern New Mexico. It was a rail stop, still is a county seat, and there are lots of “Route 66” sights. Still, the city has visibly declined in the last decade. When we moved to Texas, we stayed at the “Payless Inn.” It was not too wonderful a place, but “Tripadvisor” and “Yelp” and various other sites were not available on the road in those days before smart phones. As you can see, the motel never fulfilled its promise to reinvent itself as the Taaj, and it recently burned to the ground. What’s more, we saw two other buildings in Tucumcari that also burned down.

 

Motel We Stayed at on the Outskirts of Tucumari - It was Bad Then, but Worse Now

We also stopped in Las Vegas. Nope, we weren’t hoping to visit some “History Channel” reality show, but Las Vegas is an underrated place that has a much nicer central plaza than “Sundance Square” in Fort Worth. It has real history, as a(probably of several) place where Kearney proclaimed that New Mexico would henceforth be part of the USA. There used to be a water tower in the plaza where three outlaws were hanged/shot by vigilantes, but I didn't see it, so it is probably gone. It is a mostly well preserved and enjoyable piece of the “old west.” Las Vegas is fairly poor, based on the number of pawn shops and a continuing slow decline in population. For those that aren't really excited about seeing where outlaws got hanged, Las Vegas is also the locale where the motorcyclists met Jack Nicholson in Easy Rider, and it was INVADED in the original Red Dawn movie (I guess New Mexico looks more like Colorado than Colorado)!

 

Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas - Across the Street from the Plaza

Well Maintained Las Vegas Main Drag - with Someone Going Through a Trash Can - Probably NOT a Former Dodge City Gang Member

The “Star” of New Mexico for tourism (at least in summer when there's no skiing at Taos) is Santa Fe. Santa Fe is the capitol of New Mexico and has about twice the population of Olympia in Washington State. For those that are not familiar with its history, it was well established when the Dutch first stepped foot on Manhattan Island and when the Pilgrims came to New England. I found the St Francis railroad crossings to be VERY interesting and worse than Khal portrayed them on his blog. The first time I encountered the distance between the “place to stop” and the actual intersection, we were confused and had a discussion about whether we were properly stopped or if there might be another place to stop that we hadn’t been informed about. Railroad crossings at shallow angles are rare enough that I can’t say I’m totally surprised that people on bikes get whacked or trapped. I imagine motorist collisions are not rare either.

 

Some Crossings Aren't Good for ANY Road (or Trail Users) - Images from Google Maps

 

 

Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe - it is NOT near St Francis Drive!

We Stayed in a Very Nice Old Motel that Starred in a 1989 Documentary that Still Draws German Tourists

Motoring along further we went through the “four corners” area, saw the majesty of Shiprock (and the little town named same, and enjoyed the beauty of southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado.

Shiprock in Northwestern New Mexico

 

Out of New Mexico and into Utah

 

Inspired by Scott

On occasion before, I have admitted to aviation inspiration in my cycling, such as here, here, and here. In my last cycling commute, on April 5th, I took my cycling commute inspiration from another source; a fellow University of Washington alum. Scott Crossfield.

Scott appeared in a supporting role in "The Right Stuff" as a "civilian pilot" of the D558-2 that was the first plane to exceed Mach 2. Less well known was his attitude towards flight that was demonstrated in his role as chief contractor test pilot in the X-15 program. Scott endured much in that program, including a vehicle that exploded under him, and another that broke as he performed an emergency landing. Even so, in his last X-15 flight, he followed orders and did not exceed Mach 3 or climb into space. Watch the embedded video starting 46 minutes and 50 seconds in and for the following minute.

That example was my inspiration for my commute on April 5th. I went in and came home. No close calls, no "death on my left," no attempts to advocate cycling by exaggerating its danger (no links for this one, but I'm sure my loyal reader can think of many such sites and organizations). Simply getting the job done.

Thanks, Scott. UW Aero Class of 1947. Watch starting at about 46 minutes and 50 seconds in to the video. The entire show is, IMO, worth watching but that segment contains Scott's recollections and attitude. Simply getting the job done. So now we can move on to new topics...

Scott Crossfield Gets the Job Done Starting at 46:50

 

Je Me Souviens

Coat of Arms of Quebec

Is the motto seen on Quebec motor vehicle license plates. It also sums up a lot of the last week that will probably never get posted on this blog.

Lots of Stuff Happened This Week. This is Only One.
Je Me Souviens

For reasons totally unrelated to this post, I inquired of a French Canadian colleague about the motto's meaning. She indicated that "I remember" means that they had excellent memories of the past; going into the future. At the time, I remembered Wolfe and Montcalm, and the battle, (and, only to myself, Benedict Arnold), but, as I got to ride my road bike for the first time in many days, the Quebec motto; "je me souviens" could just as well apply to many of the bike posts I have read, and even sometimes commented on, while I was up in Quebec during the last week. What's more, they apply to world news.

Those Quebecois bear close watching, and pondering, as I ride from point to point around the DFW Metroplex. And, Thomas, this morning's ride was extra nice, even though no motorist was anything other than considerate or polite. What's more, I think the Chipseal affair is wrapped up and tied with a bow.

Je Me Souviens...

Rantwick's Tree is Safe - For the Moment. Quebec Trees are in Groups!

As Rantwick Says, A Group Might Well Overwhelm the King

IMO, We, in North America, Can TAKE THOSE Europeans On!
Je Me Souviens

On My Way Home, I Noticed Rubber on the Edge of a Bike Path.
I Noticed it AFTER I Almost Suffered a Diversion Fall
Je Me Souviens

This Guy Honked From His Parking Spot. I Think, However, His Honk was Not Intended Towards Me
I was Sipping Coffee at the Time. Who Knows if He'd Have Waved on the Road
Je Me Souviens

Back on the Bike After a Week of Driving
Je Me Souviens

Unlike Tim Horton, Starbucks has Free WiFi
Je Me Souviens

Smooth Roads and Light Traffic
Je Me Souviens

Sweet Homebound Tailwind

Bass Hall, Fort Worth, Texas
The hospital dischage paperwork indicated "no restrictions." I queried the staff to confirm it meant what it said. Reading between the lines, I concluded that I'd wait to get back on the bike until I was done with blood thinning injections (Lovenox). That last injection came last night. Somehow, for unknown reasons, I woke up early this morning and the road bike beckoned to me. Conveniently, I noticed that if I took the first TRE train it wouldn't be too much of a stretch and I'd probably be back before anybody at home noticed that a bike scofflaw had flown the coop. I rolled south, into a moderate headwind. I have to say I don't mind a headwind when leaving home. Usually, it means a tailwind on the way home, which is a really nice way to wrap up a ride.

Before you knew it, I was in Fort Worth. One of my favorite sights when getting to Fort Worth is the sight of the angels blowing their trumpets at the Bass Concert Hall. They truly are inspirational.

Speaking of which, Chandra ought to find the bit of modern medical technology below interesting. They have HIGH VIS bandages! First tennis balls, then jerseys, and now bandages. Where will all this stop? High vis underwear? For now, let's just say it is a good thing this high vis bandage was on my finger rather than someplace private.

One More Place for HIGH VIS!

Cyclist-Friendly Medicine in Action

After the preliminaries, I noticed a pretty cool sign for the older set of men. Seemed like a good motto to me!

Old Guys Rule - Well, Maybe Part of the Day Tomorrow

Speaking of which, some of you may know of the name, Sundance Square and some more may know that it's more or less named after Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, but non-locals may be unaware that it isn't really a square at all in the sense I've been used to such things. It is rather a series of parking lots, such as that shown below.

Leaving, I took advantage of a way bikes are different to avoid a detour due to street construction, and got a nice view of the Tarrant County Courthouse. It's a beautiful building and, from this view, you miss some of the later additions that are more aesthetically challenged. Thankfully, I'm not alone in this view and some of the horrid stuff is getting undone.

Conveniently enough, the photo below illustrates my philosophy of road riding. 'Nuff sed.

Speed With Safety - A GOOD Way to Ride

True to promise, I got that sweet tailwind on the homebound leg. What's more, they had flags flying at the Bedford Civil War Memorial, including one you don't see fly much, though in some ways it is the most celebrated of Confederate Flags. Namely, the Bonnie Blue Flag. I can't recall ever seeing it fly before. Remember that I'm a Westerner (I will NOT accept the notion I'm a Yankee) and a lot of this Civil War stuff is not personal the way it is to Southerners.

Hurrah! Hurrah!

For Southern Rights, Hurrah!

Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag

That bears a Single Star!

Yeti in Bedord?

Legendary "Cyclaris Vehicularis." More than just a tall tale?

Yeti - a legendary, perhaps mythical creature said to ride a bike on our streets, in our very own cities, in a vehicular manner. The "Cyclaris Vehicularis." Real, or imaginary? You be the judge.

Today, while coming back from Sanger, I got a text message from my oldest daughter, Erin (shown below as "E." I'll be "D.":

E: "We just saw a Yeti!'
D: "Silly Erin! So tell me!"
E: "Abbey saw him too. He was cycling under an overpass in the middle of the 12 ft wide bike lane ..."
D: "Did you get pictures or an interview?"
E: "No. He was too fast for use - all pictures would have been blurry."

Later, E indicated he was bundled up against the cold. That has a touch of realism. Real Yeti almost surely depend on more than just their natural insulation. Some say they're bundled up like Randy in "A Christmas Story."

Now, a couple of facts stand out. Unlike many Yeti sightings, this one actually had a corroborating witness. That means it rises above the usual "one of my friends told me one of their friends saw a Yeti."

ON THE OTHER HAND, there was nothing in the way of documentary evidence, instead resorting to the "blurry picture" dodge favored by conspiracy theorists and UFOlogists.

I suppose it's possible. I may be just one of those people that never see one, just as some people never see ghosts or chupacabras. They say he remained in sight for nearly a minute. No photos. We'll have to put this one into the "possible but not definite" category.

Past reference to Yeti on this blog is here and on occasion afterwards.

Simple Green Speaks Up

Simple Green has evaporated after nine days, leaving the foil with a green gel on it, but otherwise unaffected

In my previous post, I asked Simple Green what I needed to do to get Simple Green to actually EAT aluminum. They indicated that there was some etching with 5456 aluminum. I'm not familiar with that particular alloy, but in the Aerospace Industry, we commonly use other 5XXX alloys for aluminum honeycomb core. To summarize, I would NOT suggest soaking metal parts that have corrosion-susceptible alloys for weeks at a time in Simple Green. Use it, and then wipe/wash it away. It's what I do and I have NEVER had any problem with it. You are even LESS likely to have problems if the aluminum is painted, as on a frame. Anyway, here's the story FROM Simple Green - I sense some tenderness from them on this:

Steve A to Laura tonight:
Thank you. Your answer was very complete and helpful, and explains why I have never had any problems personally with your product, unlike with many others.

-Steve A

On Dec 7, 2009, at 7:08 PM, "Laura" wrote:

Dear Mr. Averill,

Thank you for contacting Simple Green and for your interest in Simple Green products.

Many years ago, Simple Green was submitted for Mil-Spec testing. One of the tests involved required soaking a bare piece of aluminum for 24 hours in a heated solution of 1:48 Simple Green to Water. Aluminum Alloy 5456 showed some etching and thus failed the test. Although there was no effect on some other Aluminum’s, our product was thus branded as an “aluminum eater”. I have attached a copy of this test for your records.

Simple Green will not “eat” Aluminum. It may, on certain alloys, cause indiscreet etching which may not be visible to the naked eye or at most be visible through slight discoloration.

Simple Green may present some risk if one chooses to completely immerse their Aluminum, of certain grade, in a solution for up to 24 hours. Applying and rinsing off within 5-15 minutes will not cause any sort of problems. If there is any cause for concern, you can switch to our Simple Green Pro HD solution, which has passed some Boeing and Pratt & Whitney specs allowing it to be a exterior surface wash, thus not causing any sort of problems for aluminum.

I hope you find this information useful. If you have further questions about this or other Simple Green products or uses, please feel free to contact me directly. My contact information is provided below and my regular business hours are Mon thru Fri from 8 – 5 Pacific Standard Time.

Thank you again for your inquiry.

Sincerely,
Laura
Environmental & Regulatory Coordinator
Sunshine Makers, Inc. / Simple Green
---
My original query to Simple Green:
Your FAQ suggested that Simple Green might have problems with aluminum if not used according to instructions. About the same time, it was suggested to me that Simple Green would "eat" aluminum. As a result, being an engineer, I decided to do a test and left a piece of aluminum foil immersed in Simple Green to see what, if anything, would happen. Well over the course of the last two weeks, the Simple Green has evaporated and now is Simple Green gel. What do I have to do to get the Simple Green to eat the aluminum?

Personally I LOVE Simple Green, but I DO use it to clean a lot of aluminum parts and would like to better understand when it might present some risk. Clearly it isn't real agressive towards aluminum foil when undiluted and in a clean solution.
Name: Steve Averill


PS: There was also an attached pdf to the email that showed corrosion results, but for unknown reasons I can only see it on my iPhone and can't attach it to this post. For the 6XXX alloy tested (probably what bike frames are usually made of), there was no corrosion. Interestingly, though I did not ask, it appeared that Simple Green was more likely to corrode high strength steel than aluminum or other alloys, suggesting that it would NOT be a good idea to soak a bike chain in it for an extended period. I have never done this so cannot comment from first-hand experience. Apply and remove and you'll probably not have a problem with any metal. Also, while the email did not put the testing into context, it looks like it was done in conjunction with the US Navy in 1994 based on a handwritten note at the bottom of the pdf saying "from NAVSEA, 3/24/94."

FWIW, aluminum foil may be 11XX aluminum (almost pure aluminum with not much else), or 5052. 5052 was one of the alloys tested with Simple Green and experienced no corrosion. 5052 is also a common alloy for making honeycomb core. In addition to aluminum, it has a bit of magnesium and chromium in it.

Is the Simple Green question settled, Mythbusters?

Simple Green - Tired of Waiting - Let's See What Experts Say

I think we ought to see what Simple Green have to say for themselves. My foil seems unaffected. Eat aluminum - how do you make Simple Green do this? Snopes says nothing on the subject. Simple Green PROMISES a response within 72 hours.

I'll be interested to hear what they say. I use Simple Green often, because it gets stuff clean without damaging it. When doing the concours circuit, I discovered a lot of stuff that WOULD eat stuff, but never Simple Green. Castrol Cleaner, for example, I discovered would remove the paint from the underside of a greasy Jaguar bonnet. Good thing I had touchup paint. Easy Off also makes good paint remover and it WILL eat aluminum - and pretty quick.


Since the graphic at right is much larger than the solid info, I thought this was also a good opportunity for a few engineer jokes:

To the optimist, the glass is half full, to the pessimist, the glass is half empty.

To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
------------------------
Q: What is the difference between Mechanical Engineers and Civil Engineers?

A: Mechanical Engineers build weapons and Civil Engineers build targets.
------------------------
Normal people believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Engineers believe that if it ain't broke, it doesn't have enough features yet.

Cycling Mythbusters - Simple Green

Screen shot from Simple Green website about using SG on aluminum

ORIGINAL POST on Saturday, November 28

Velo, TX suggests in his comment of November 25th that Simple Green eats aluminum. He even included a link that showed some nasty looking aircraft parts, ostensibly due to the pernicious effects of Simple Green. Well, y'all ought to know better than to put such a dare in front of Steve after he's been recovering from the flu and watching an unhealthy number of "Mythbusters" episodes. I've been using Simple Green for many years to clean both aluminum and steel components with never any ill effects on the treated parts, so this "myth" seemed suspect. No Jaguar has never collapsed into a heap of rubble due to Simple Green as far as I know. Still, Velo spoke with the voice of one who's found something out the hard way, so I determined to test this myth. I got my hands on a pair of ancient and lousy wide-reach brake calipers that came off a Schwinn. Aluminum. But before I could sacrifice these brakes in the name of science, I decided to see what Simple Green said on the subject. THAT is the picture above. Basically, Simple Green do not recommend leaving aluminum to soak in a vat of Simple Green for weeks. I would also not do what the Chinook maintainers probably did - spray the stuff on and then not get it wiped off properly afterwards. I'm also going to go out on a limb and guess they didn't use the Simple Green that conformed to Boeing Specification D6-17487P. I've never done that - not until now. Spray on and wipe off has always been the modus operandi, as with other cleaners. One would do well to remember this is a water-based product. Would you leave your chain to soak in a bucket of water for a couple of weeks? And no, I don't buy my Simple Green to the Boeing Specification. I'm not in the "money is no object" class yet, though I notice that the SG Marketing people would probably love the added profit margin.

While I was reading what Simple Green had to say, my oldest daughter came to the rescue of the brakes, so our initial test will involve ALUMINUM FOIL, immersed in Simple Green (undiluted). The test vat is below. No explosions - so far. Immersion at 4PM, CST. If this turns ugly, please don't dwell on the fact that you probably used something similar to this foil when cooking your turkey yesterday. You can take comfort in remembering that you didn't spray the bird with Simple Green before cooking. If this doesn't work in a reasonable time, we may ramp things up. Based on what I read, I would NOT suggest mixing Simple Green with sulphuric acid. Interestingly, Simple Green do not recommend mixing SG with bleach or ammonia simply because those things reduce its ability to clean. No explosions. A search in their FAQs for "danger" yields nothing.

Simple Green - How long will it take to eat this piece of aluminum foil?

Updated at 4:15 - I snuck out to the garage. So far, it looks just like the picture, except the garage is starting to smell like Simple Green. Perhaps this experiment will have to move out to the driveway if my wife wants to know what that SMELL out in the garage is from. LOVE the smell of Simple Green in the afternoon! Thank goodness I had the presence of mind not to keep the concoction in the kitchen or I might be out in the driveway...

Updated at 1PM Sunday - The Simple Green smell in the garage has leveled out, thank goodness. No visible change in the foil so I tried poking it a bit. BORING! I thought about spitting in the solution, but that seemed rude. Where do you get C-4 around North Texas and where are the approved locales for detonating it?

Updated at 8PM Monday - Still the same. The Simple Green seemed a little chillier when I dipped my finger in it, but otherwise nothing...

Updated at 8PM Saturday, December 5th - COOL, most of the Simple Green has gone away. The aluminum foil seems unaffected, it's just sorta sticky and got green film on it. Some say that when I saw this, I said "Aw shucks! This here dang experiment ain't doin' nothin'. I'm done with it now, I reckon!" I'm stomping off to bed. We'll see if THAT has an effect. If not, I'm going to squirt some water back into the container and maybe stir in a little dirt.

Little Lame Prince

Jessie W Smith Little Lame Prince Illustration 1920s

Once upon a time, when Steve hurt himself, he'd moan to his family, saying "I'm like the Little Lame Prince." Everyone rolled their eyes.

Then, he actually read the book (audio book file) (text)(read on screen). Now, I NEVER say that. Instead, I think of the Little Lame Prince when people decry cyclists getting hurt by big bad cars, or blaming the cyclist victims if they get hit while on the shoulder. I just say to myself, "I'm like the Little Lame Prince."

Some things are beyond our control, or the influence of any possible legislation, or anything other than chance. It's always been that way. We can either be crippled by the injustice, or live our lives, and enjoy our journey. It's a tough; sometimes unjust world out there. But it's also beautiful, and you can really EXPERIENCE it on a bike. Be a Little Lame Prince; ride as well as you can, using your bike as a magic travelling cloak, or go hide in your bed and don't complain to me. This blog really ISN'T about bicycle victimhood, or who's fault stuff is, or all that baggage. It's inspired by the example of the Little Lame Prince.

End of rant (no wick intended), y'all live happily ever after now, OK?

Panther City

Fort Worth is sometimes known as "the Panther City." How did it come by that moniker? Dallas came up with it! The story is here, here, here, here, and a bunch of other places

Results Not Typical

I'm sure you've all seen those infomercials where the actor talks about how he/she's lost many pounds of weight. In fine print, it always notes that the results aren't typical.

Well, today, I hit the cycle commuting milestone circled in the picture to the left. From it, using the conventional wisdom factor of 3500 calories per pound lost, you'd conclude that I resembled an emaciated concentration camp survivor. Well, you'd be wrong. If I project actual weight loss versus calories burned, I conclude that if I ride my bike around the planet four times, I'll be at my ideal weight. Alternately, I could merely ride half way to the moon.

So much for the validity of the Fat Tax.

ON THE OTHER HAND, cycling to work has been an uplifting experience and I'm sure it hasn't done me any lasting harm (other than that time I put on my earphones while standing amongst fire ants). I also imagine that it's a factor in why I have not regained a major amount of weight previously lost. But these guys who claim large weight losses (Rantwick & Doohickie, you KNOW who you are), are not really typical.

Do NOT imagine that if you just ride around the block that your body will change a whole lot. All that hype about bicycles being efficient is actually true. You want to look like the guvernator, go to the gym and lift big weights. You want to have fun, ride your bike to the gym...

Yeti, UFO, or Vehicular Cyclist (Cyclaris Vehicularis)?

It's been rumored that vehicular cyclists frequent our streets. They're not as widely reported as Bigfoot (Yeti for those that are serious), UFOs, the Loch Ness Monster, and other phenomena. Like such things, documentation is somewhat skimpy. Witness the following exchange yesterday, while I was in Lubbock. You'll notice the impartiality of the interviewer (yours truly), looking only to obtain quality information. The witness's memory is, as may be seen, not perfect. The event in question took place about 5:45PM, CDT, on Thursday.

............... -Steve A


My oldest daughter believes. Making no judgment here. For your consideration. YOU decide...


(Visit here for more on Yeti, including this drawing)




Erin: "I think i saw a 'Cyclaris Vehicularis.' "
Steve: "Was it following a Yeti?"
Erin: "LOL - No, it was going down the center of his lane on Paige Street, and when it was on Squire Lane, it was still in the middle."
Steve: "Did you get a picture?"
Erin: "I tried, but he was going too fast and the street was too busy."

(Note how this starts to follow "the pattern for such phenomena" - watch most shows about UFOs for "the pattern")

Steve: "Where's "Paige" Street? Don't feel bad, they say the same about UFOs."
Erin: LOL - it is in The Colony - a busy three lane road

(further details omitted in the interest of brevity)

Steve: "Was he squished by the cars like a bug?"
Erin: "LOL - No but he did disappear like a bug."

(more omitted - notice the supernatural disappearance aspect)

Erin: "LOL - Well, I saw what I saw."
Steve: "See, that's what they say about aliens, too! We still love you."


Erin: "Sigh - Fine."

I (the poster) note that I attempted to obtain useful details such as photographic evidence, as well as about whether DNA evidence might be obtained from the crash site, all without luck. As indicated, it was much like a Yeti or UFO sighting. This is further amplified by noting that I briefly THOUGHT I was viewing a "vehicularis" in Lubbock yesterday, only to then realize it was a "Wrong-Way Guy" ("Salmon," to use a ChipSeal vernacular term) who happened to be in the middle of the lane, heading straight toward Frankenbike and me.

SATURDAY UPDATE: It turns out that things are not so one-sided if the search term is "salmon" instead of "vehicular cyclist." See the Google Trend below for proof.

Quiz #2 in the Spirit of the Tour

My candidate for greatest road race cyclist. No prizes other than satisfaction on this one and I imagine many have their own candidates. His bona fides follow:

• Finished on the podium in seven Tours de France - every one he ever finished
• Only cyclist ever to have won all three Grand Tour events more than once
• Over 200 victories in 12 years
• Still active in the cycle racing world
• Born two months and two days after me

I guess that last rules out Eddy & Lance. Still haven't figured it out? More hints

• Ranked 2nd all-time by Daniel Marszalek - only Eddy ranks higher (Lance is #15 which seems a tad low in my book)
• Last Frenchman to win the Tour de France
• Team mate with Greg LeMond for his last TdF win, and for Greg's first
• Asked if he feared Eddy "Cannibal" Merckx, he replied "He has a head, two arms, two legs, just as I"
• And, for ChipSeal's benefit, a quote - "As long as I breathe, I attack."

Give up? Answer here.