First things first; buy the Project Tandem book here.
It really shouldn’t surprise any of you how much I would enjoy having this bike.
While we’re at it, I also want this one.
And then there is this, which really speaks for itself.
Category: Bicycle
Rain City
January has been unseasonably dry here in Seattle, which is unfortunate because I have recently picked up a wonderful piece of watertight bike gear. Meet the SealLine Urban backpack. I know what you’re thinking “Adam, that looks like a typical rolltop watertight backpack.” That’s precisely where you are wrong Sir or Madam. This is the BEST rolltop watertight backpack ever made, because I bought it, that’s why. Seriously, if you’re in the market for a backpack that is reeeeeeeally comfortable and reeeeeeeally watertight and reeeeeeeally beautiful looking, than this is the backpack for you. Did I mention that it’s got killer features like one handed fastening/unfastening? Or the waist AND sternum straps? Or that it’s filled with candy when you buy it?*
The material they use feels like it’s going to last forever. I can’t verify that it will because when I set my time machine to Year Infinity it trips the breaker in my apartment…so…
Here’s where I get critical. The inside of this bag is total devoid of any organizational compartments. It’s an empty bag. I’m pretty cool with that, but other people might not be. There’s no special rigid compartment for your phone. There’s no holster for your Klean Kanteen. There’s definitely not a padded sleeve for your laptop. You can deal with it, like me, or you can buy an assortment of accessories to solve even the smallest of your problems…Yes, even that one.
The bag comes in two sizes, big enough and way too big. I got the big enough one because I actually like being able to see over my shoulders when I ride.
If you’re not into two straps, check out the Shoulder Bag. Hmmm, not too shabby.
Thanks for joining me in today’s installment of “Adam Tells You What To Buy Yourself.” Come back soon and you’ll get to hear me tell you what kind of long underwear to buy (Spoiler Alert: It’s Ramblers Way!)
*Total lie.
BONUS:
Ashlinn found this quiz. Can you spot which piece of furniture is made by Donald Judd and which piece is sold at Wal-Mart? I don’t want to brag (actually I do), I got 100%
That Crazy Colbert
This is a clip from the November 30th episode of The Colbert Report, featuring a representative for The Ploughshares Fund in a Better Know A Lobby segment. This is clearly the best impression of a nuclear explosion ever. My favorite part? Well the part with the bicycle of course.
The Link!
Ballard Bike Race!
On Sunday a bike race was held just a few blocks from my apartment. It’s called Second Ascent Twilight Criterium, and is obviously put on my Second Ascent, a local climbing and cycling store specializing in used equipment.
As you can see, the road surface is either brick or less than pristine asphalt. The divot in the last picture blew at least one racer’s tire. He managed to stay upright though, which is more than I can say for the guy in orange ( I think it was him.) He fell hard on that corner, slammed into the hay bails lining the curb. Then another racer came around the corner and (I think) ran over either his stomach or ribs. It happened pretty fast, but he seemed OK.
Higher quality pictures can be seen here, but they’re not mine!
Let’s FrURL This Club Up!
See if you can find the connection between each of this weeks FrURLSday links. The answer is at the bottom.
Topless Coffee Shop – Maine has been acting stranger than usual lately.
Nintendo8.com – Play tons of Nintendo games online. Yeah, you need to use your keyboard, which is the worst thing about emulated games, but it’ still nice to see that fat Italian play golf.
Project Tandem updated their website. It looks pretty spiffy. Can you believe they did this while riding a bike? They also have a sweet new blog, powered by WordPress!
Brenton Hamilton added some new content to his IV gallery. You should check it out!
SAT Scores vs. The Music You Listen To – This is interesting, but it thinks I’m not smart enough to listen to The Killers. Are you kidding me? Oops, apparently they can levitate.
Jumpman – A super fun and very addictive game. So simple and it comes with a level editor.
Skate 2 Create-A-Spot – Create-A-Spot is the coolest new feature in Skate. 2. I can’t stop moving dumpsters, benches and kickers. I found this video on da ‘tube of someone recreating Stairs to Nowhere, nearly verbatim (unintentionally, I’m sure.)
Spider drawing – The email conversation between a woman trying to get her money and a man who doesn’t have the money to give her. Very very funny. Courtesy of Mat-Thorne.
Glass Top Pool Table – Very strange, but I want it. Also, I think I just found a website Bagwell will like more than Jalopnik.
Ha, I’m just kidding, there’s no real connection.
Ultimate FrURLSday
To make up for last weeks lack of dedication, this weeks FrURLs will be of the highest quality and even broken down into categories. I hope you enjoy!
Top Priorities:
The Adam Carolla Podcast – Aceman lost his show this week. He plans to eventually podcast
Videos:
Nanerpus Denny’s Commercial – I could watch Nanerpus for hours.
Dissapproving Rabbit Eats Parsley –
Instructables:
Soda Can Stove – Cheap camping stove you can make yourself!
Downloads:
Garry’s Mod – If you happen to own a Valve Source engine, you should download Garry’s Mod. You can learn more about what it actually is here.
Lostify – Not as Lost related as you think. It’s an app to edit the metadata in MP4 files, which is very useful if you have a lot of videos in your iTunes.
ThriftMac – An excellent source for Mac freeware!
Food:
Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo – Make this, send me some.
Red & Blue Salad – Please don’t make fun of me for reading Men’s Health.
Misc:
Rolling Resistance – At the very least, it’s an excellent name for a bike issues blog.
1000 Anagrams for Adam Belanger – My favorites would have to be “damnable gear” “a beard mangle” and of course “anal bead germ.”
Things Maine People Like & New Year’s Resolutions
So I mentioned to Ashlinn that New Year’s Resolutions never really work for me, and I am going to start doing New Month’s Resolutions instead. She told me that was the most Adam Belanger thing she’s ever heard and I should sue myself for impersonating my own self.
Regardless, before February I will:
1. Finish refurbishing and sell my Bardwell & McAlister 2k fresnel.
2. Finish reading World War Z
3. Eat more vegetables.
I just got back from the holiday in Maine and I noticed a few things. I present to you Stuff Maine People Like:
1. Boots – My parent’s breezeway has a shelf containing only boots. Some of them don’t even fit anybody’s feet. One look at L.L. Bean’s boot page will confirm this.
2. Typar – I’ve never seen as many houses covered in Typar as I do in Maine. Apparently you don’t have to pay as much for home insurance if your house isn’t completed, so people will put off certain parts of construction for as long as possible. That’s yankee ingenuity right there.
3. Uncle Henry’s – Mainers hate throwing anything away if it can be reused for something else. If we finally do come to the conclusion that we have no use for something (or we have better use for it’s worth) then we go straight for the back page of Uncle Henry’s. It predates Craigslist by nearly 30 years, and is still printed on an ancient material known as “paper.” Even the Wall Street Journal can’t stop raving about it. I especially like the part where they talk to Warren Sylvester, owner of Warren’s Wood Stoves in Warren, Maine.
4. Coffee Brandy – The Champagne of Maine is the top selling liquor in Maine for over 20 years. The 1/2 gallon bottle of Allen’s Coffee Brandy sells 98,000 cases every year, and it’s only competition is, of course, the liter sized bottle of Allen’s Coffee Brandy.
“It’s an ideal food for crime” says Portland defense lawyer Thomas J. Connolly. More hilariously disturbing quotes can be found here and here, which includes a photo from former Rumford dive, The Barn Board.
5. Patrick Dempsey – I don’t actually know if Mainers like the Grey’s Anatomy star and Lewiston native, but they certainly have reason to. In the last few years he has donated butt loads of money to cancer research and treatment, and has recently funded the opening of The Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope and Healing at CMMC with a cool quarter million dollars. The DCCHH is not only trying to help fight cancer, but also putting a lot more emphasis on education of cancer with a cancer resource library, a dedicated space for support group meetings and a toll-free assistance line providing information on local, state and national resources for those living with cancer. Just last week Dempsey announced The Dempsey Challenge, a 100 mile 1 day cycling event that will bring more funds into The Dempsey Center. It takes place in October, and Dempsey himself will participate in the ride.
Bicycle Tax?
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
This guy has shit for brains.
Here’s a slightly more appropriate reaction from The Stranger. LINK.
In awesomer news, Bagwell sent me this amazing video.
Maine to Ohio
The following are a few photos from Ashlinn and I’s bike trip from Maine to Ohio. I didn’t start shooting until we reached a high point in New Hampshire. From that point on, I kept my camera closer to me so I could shoot more often. If you want to read about each picture, you should go to my Flickr page and read the comments.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
AdamBelanger.Com 
