Brain Bucket and the Contents Therein.

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My new Brain Bucket. It makes me go faster since my wallet is so much lighter now.

Reason to celebrate: new bike goodies.

Reason number 1 to ride: lost my job so I have a lot of free time now.

Reason number 2 to ride: new toys.

Reason number 3 to ride: It was 67 degrees in Colorado Springs today.

Reason number 4 to ride: you don’t need a reason to ride, you sick fuck.

 

Nice April day today in Colorado. Trails were soupy, and it was 67 degrees outside. I'll take it.

I didn’t stay out long because of other obligations today (ya know, the dog ain’t gonna wash itself), but I’m glad I rode. Trails were soupy, but it felt awesome to have the sun on my back. Short sleeves and shorts today…nice. Three days ago I was bundled up and riding through snow and ice (also tons of fun), but then yesterday I rode the rollers (far less fun). I took Caveman’s advice and stopped riding in place. I think I’ll apply that to other areas of my life, too.

 

When I lived in Maine, winter was always followed by mud season, which lasted until mid-summer or so. This was real mud…you rode until your hubs were below the surface, then you made your best effort to not sink into the soup where the black flies and mosquitoes were making babies. Colorado doesn’t have that kind of mud…Arizona doesn’t have mud at all, unless you count the entry-level pottery class Sedona turns into after a rain. Today’s soup was close, though. Pretty good mud.

It's been a good long while since I've seen real mud. This came close, but you can still see the tread on my tire, so it doesn't count. Also, my derailleurs still worked. Surefire sign that you're not in real mud.

The Gunnar Cockpound held its own today, I must say. Was actually comfortable on it for once, and nothing broke. I did have a chronically leaky rear tire, but even that’s bearable on a day like today. Sometimes the ride is just perfect. Today, the ride was just damn perfect.

That's 67 degrees of sunshine right there...and a really fast helmet!

As for the Giro helmet: I have a huge dome. Seriously. It’s big…mostly empty, but big. And I’ve got a ridiculous amount of hair to shove into a helmet on top of that. Giro helmets are the only helmets that have ever fit me well, and this was no exception. On top of that, this Atmos helmet is light as hell. I’ve had farts that weight more. I’m digging it. Let’s see if it can withstand my sloppy riding style and penchant for slamming into trees with my head down.

 

Thumbs up...except for the chronically flat tire. That's thumbs definitively down.

 

On that note, I’m off to work on the motorcycle. As I sand away at the gas tank, it’s nice to remember the chill people in Flagstaff who helped me out when I needed it. Bryce over at AZ Bikes was good enough to introduce me to the world of motorcycles…even basically taught me how to ride. When I read some of the comments posted here on DC, I remember that not all the locals there were rabid. Most were downright accepting…more than accepting: gracious and giving. Every moment I spend on a bike or working on the motorcycle is one more moment that I remember good people, not those who choose to be exclusive and petty.

 

It’s a good world. I’ve got a good feeling about 2012…

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About D2

I am a writer and a photographer. I never killed a man in Reno, but I once rode a bike through a casino in Vegas. Bikes are cool, huevos rancheros are for breakfast, whiskey is for dinner. Denver, Colorado, USA

63 Replies to “Brain Bucket and the Contents Therein.”

  1. Hey! This is Daniel…where’s that cheap rear tire I gave you?? That thing’s made for the mud and rides like that:)

    I’ll see you soon though. Glad you rode today

  2. Mr. Byrd. I am ashamed to say your tire never made it on my bike…the snow came, and then the holidays, then my new tire finally arrived!

    I was thinking it could make a good tire for a bike down at the shelter, unless you’d like it back!

    See you tomorrow at Palmer, if you’re riding…

  3. Thanks for the nice words about flag, it seemed flagstaff was getting bad rap lately. Cheers to you, you are always welcome back here . Bonne route!

  4. Hey Hurben, give the lad a break! And anyway I see two yellow armbands around the biceps of the rider in your avatar? It’s not really you, is it? ;)

  5. Damn right it’s me, coming in at the end of the Molesworth Muster down in the South Island, 80 KMs down an old stock mustering route in the High Country.

    The yellow bands are part of my ASB Bank cycling top, they have nothing to do with the monoballer, I’d cut them off if they did.

    You’re just stirring here aren’t you :).

  6. check your science D2… brycycle is not a local. that’s probably why he was nice to you… perpetually compensating for some perceived void.

  7. …ol’ bob sounds like he’s got hisself a case of anal / cranial inversion…

    …deetoo…it’s winter & there’s no confusing the seasons…well, with the crazy weather patterns everywhere i guess the seasons can be confusing but i said i’d get back to confusing the seasons & i have, from the beginning…

    …just (re)started if ya know what i’m sayin’ & surely you’ll be the only one who can interpret what i just said…

  8. D2 thanks taking the time and potential heat for supporting Bryce, Spent some time in Flag and Bryce was always most hospitable and to this day supports my cycling and racing.

    Sully

  9. Bryce is alright as long as you do not have to work for him. He’s a jaded and angry man otherwise, and an incredible amount of potential for AZ bikes has been lost through too many bong hits as he copes with the real truth that it take a bit of work to make shit happen.

    Ask anyone who works for him, and it’s the same story. I guarantee it. D2 is keeping shit polite.

  10. I did work for him. And we didn’t always see eye to eye. I’m choosing to focus on the good in people, not the bad. He’s a tough guy to work for, I don’t disagree at all. But like I said: I remember Flag and the people therein for what they gave to me, what they did for me…not how they screwed me, pissed me off, or alienated me.

    No reason to bash anyone personally on a public forum, that’s for sure.

  11. stupid is as stupid does. happy to have slapped brycie around. it couldn’t have been easier. some things never get old…

  12. umm, yup. the only thing that keeps this thread going is your complete lack of anything coolness. Like your photos of muddy gunnar riding insignificant trails.. don’t get me started on muddy trail protocol. and in all, your photos sucked. so too does the new lid. and bout’ all things brycie… wright cycles? are you kidding? dis screams copycat albeit super sucky attempts at riding the coco cycles bandwagon. advice 4 brycie… please stop it. shameful.

    you fail, kid. sorry. truth hurts. stick to taking pics of whores on waxed up motorcycles and the greasy such. bj, gnome, et al., plz stop these young dicksformouths from posting (err… degrading) your otherwise esteemed and quality site. cheers – elgruppomutanto sitting on da alpine curb. we could always settle this via a resurrected (cosmic) soulistic race… we’re in.

  13. I doubt it BGW, because I doubt whether either of these two fuckwits even knew who spawned them, probably found in a basket outside the local orphanage gooing something like ‘wocalswool’ & then soiling themselves.

  14. …hurben…ya, when these kinda fuckwits (bwahahaha – nice colloquialism) act like they do & then talk about others “…degrading your otherwise esteemed and quality site.” obviously they don’t give a rats ass about anything but their own concerns, which seem to be pretty fucking weak to begin with…

  15. @BGW

    Sadly it’s just classic intard webs, anonymous trolls hiding & trying to get a reaction from someone.

  16. …i believe mr writer is addressing the same ‘fuckwits’ we were…

    …& speaking of which, i’ll ultimately decide what i think of his overall storyline concept once i’ve finished mr. deetoo the writers novel ‘confusing the seasons’ but i personally think highly of his writing style, what i see as authentic dialogue & those undefinable traits that create emotions regarding the story within the reader…

    …thus far, i’m impressed…

  17. I like you, Fatbob. We should hang out. I’ll come to Alpine Pizza and you can show me around, then I’ll take you somewhere else and show you what good pizza tastes like.

  18. Whatcha’ wanna’ bet they moved to Flag in college and stuck around. Now everyone who comes after them is an interloper. Hypocrites. Happens everywhere. I see it in Austin all the time.

  19. Yeah Bob, I love degrading this site. And you love coming back time and time again to read it. Even when you chime in with your ignorance, we still win.
    Your shit is tired and played out. I would only hope the rest of my friends here will follow my lead and just ignore you from now on.

  20. Ha! Had a spare moment at lunch, and thought I’d hit up the site.

    I was born in Bethesda, Maryland. Then I left the Naval Hospital after 4 days (or a week, I really don’t know for sure), and have never returned. I know absolutely nothing about Bethesda, Maryland. But, apparently, that is the only place on God’s green earth that I am 1) allowed to live, 2) allowed to write about, and 3) allowed to ride a bicycle upon.

    Thanks, bro. I’ve been fucking up all these last 41 years due to my own ignorance. Spore is as spore does.

  21. I, for one, am glad for both Fat Bob and Rabid Local. Without them, this silly post about my new helmet and some muddy trails would probably only have about four comments on it. Thanks for all the help, guys! You help make Drunkcyclist great! Keep up the good work, you bitter, ridiculous, probably-too-stoned-to-function douchebags!

  22. I for one have lived in the same Western Maryland shithole for half my 60 years. Quickest way to insult me is to mistake me for a local.

  23. BJ – none of this is directed (personally) at you. Really. Rather, our motivation stems from the douchebag clingons who have so soiled your website as of late. It’s entirely reasonable for you (and even Gnomer)to be too busy to post regularly. but the poser tripe-spewers who have filled the void are too much to tolerate, even for such reasonable people as ourselves. seriously, nobody gives a flyingfuck about r2d2’s new lid or his crappy muddy trails. if you’re gonna outsource, fine. just screen the hired help a little more thoroughly. and el gordojefe – piss off. i’m more worldly than you and your whore will ever be…

  24. Shall we put it to a vote? DC contributors or Flagstaff douchebags? Oh gee, this is tough…

    Fucking morons.

  25. Yeah! Fuck that D2 guy! Fuck him and his douchey helmet and his stupid muddy trails! Get off DC, you poseur spore!

    Oh, wait. Sometimes I forget which side I’m on.

  26. Don’t worry guys, as bad as we are at posting, at least we don’t make sarma out of each other’s penis skin…That would suck.

  27. ‘I was born in a dump
    my momma died &
    my daddy got drunk
    they left me here
    to die or grow
    in the middle of
    Tobacco Road
    Tobacco Road
    Tobacco Road’

    …well, actually, none of that is true but it’s as relative as anything fat-douche or rabid-douche have to say, so i’m just sayin’…

  28. Yeah, I’m with Bob. Let’s put this to a vote. Is D2 a douche, or is he a super douche that should go fuck himself in the face??? YEAH! LET’S DO THIS!

  29. @FB, (again): What. Ever. I could give a shit about your little world, but if you ever find yourself in central Texas, hit me up. I ride bikes, you ride bikes. I’ll show you proper hospitality. We’ll have a beer and go on a ride. Maybe you can break out of your myopic view for a little bit. Peace.

  30. I’m with Dirty Biker so this will be my last response to this, (probably, depends on the lure of the troll).

    My vote is that FatBob & Rabid Local should raise the drawbridge & declare the Republic of Flagstaff. Sadly their national anthem will be “Dueling Banjos’ & within a week the normal greeting will be “you got a purtty mouth, squeal like a pig!”

    Which is a sad end for FB, him being a Star Trek fan & all.

    @D2, hang around, I enjoy having you here.

  31. @ gnome, it doesn’t come off until you throw them in the washing machine. and then you have shit in the washing machine.

  32. It’s coming time for a helmet so thanks for the quickie review. How’s the airflow when climbing?

  33. I dig it. Lots of ventilation, lots of space for my big dome. Comfy, easily adjustable. I’d recommend it, though I’ve only got a few rides on it.

  34. Some climb faster than others… Me not so much anymore so good ventilation at less than zero miles an hour is a good thing.

    My dome without hair is frigg’in huge. There is a pile of cycling caps next to the sewing machine waiting to be up-sized for said big dome.

    Any other helmets you might recommend.

  35. I’ve been running the herein mentioned Giro Atmos for a few seasons and I really dig it, the coolest (as in cool air over my sweaty head) helmet I’ve ever worn.

  36. I really don’t care much for helments. Nothing up there worth saving anyway.

  37. I know Big S is not very popular in these parts lately, but I have both a Prevail and a Propero II. Both fit great and are well ventilated. The Prevail is really nice and very adjustable, but the Propero is only a small step down (the straps are mounted differently, it’s slightly heavier, and slightly harder to adjust) and half the cost. Giro’s never really fit me (which is strange because Bell did and they’ve been the same company for a while now.)

  38. hey r2d2: Brown Tie Media called and they want their penis back. sorry. you just haven’t been using it. Please try Black Flag Media, they may have a pocket pussy for rent in your size.

    Thanks, buddy.
    Stay away from Flagstafftown.

  39. Thanks Jefe, fit and function first then morals. My last helmet purchase was some twenty years ago so a few new things to look into.

  40. Daisy, if you like the fit of Giro helmets, you might consider a Trek helmet, too. They apparently use the same molds for their helmets, and the Trek version might be less expensive. Can’t guarantee that, though. Just heard rumors and such.

  41. Helmets should be replaced every 4-5 years, whether they have been crashed or not. Safety standards improve and the polystyrene degrades. If a helmet has been crashed or shows any substantial damage, it should be replaced. They are designed to take one hard impact.