Monday, January 31, 2005

How not to lock a bicycle

Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society ride leader Jerry Whittle sent this photo to me to illustrate the wrong way to lock your bicycle! Yes, it does help to make sure your frame is within the lock!

Roger 0 comments 12:17 AM

Sunday, January 30, 2005

Biking Across Kansas

The route has been released for Biking Across Kansas! BAK normally has three routes stretching from the Colorado border to the Missouri border. This year, there is only one route, going from the southwest corner of the state to the northeast.

It looks like I have to try to get an additional day off work to be able to do the first 18 miles, which begins June 3 at the Colorado border to Elkhart, which sits on the Oklahoma border. The ride ends in White Cloud, which sits on the Missouri River. The total route is 529 miles this year.

One of the stayover towns is Lindsborg, the community where my late brother, Wes, and his wife, Sue, had their honeymoon.

Roger 0 comments 11:44 PM

Thursday, January 27, 2005

Three-1-Three, Version 2-Point-0

The last time I had seen Amanda, the girlfriend of Three-1-Three owner Don Bailey, she was crying on my shoulders about the bar's demise on Jan. 3 at its former location, 313 E. Main St.

Wednesday night, Amanda was much happier. She shared hugs of joy with me and other Three-1-Three regulars as the bar reopened tonight at its new home, 20 Mascoutah Ave. in Belleville.

Amanda and Don now realize that leaving the old location is a blessing in disguise. The new home, which most recently housed the Caribbean Breeze restaurant, is about 900 square feet bigger than the old bar. It's in much better condition, too.

Even though Don wasn't completely finished with the bar, he decided to open up shop, and a large crowd of regulars welcomed him back. Tthe most important thing -- the bar itself, was ready to go.

The new Three-1-Three is a much warmer and cleaner building than the old building. The booths from the old bar have been reupholstered. It's simply a much nicer atmosphere for what Don wants to do with Three-1-Three.

In the next two weeks, Don hopes to have his kitchen done so he can offer a lunch buffet for people who work and shop downtown. The stage should be finished in the near future because Brian Vander Ark of The Verve Pipe is scheduled to play there Friday, Feb. 18.

I think the future bodes well for Three-1-Three. Don sounds like he a clear vision of what he wants to do with the place, and I wish him all the best!

Roger 0 comments 2:50 AM

Wednesday, January 26, 2005

More random thoughts

Three-1-Three reopens tonight: All of the rumors are true! The Belleville nightclub Three-1-Three will reopen at 5 p.m. Wednesday! Park Avenue Trio will resume its Monday night ritual on Jan. 31, and John Farrar will entertain the luncheon crowd on Wednesday and Thursday nights. Life is returning to normal in Belleville.

Renting forehead space: John Bilgalke of Beatniks and The News Rocket fame informed of this new trend on the eBay boards. People are actually selling forehead space to advertisers, and a recent search of eBay finds 308 people selling forehead space or advertising space elsewhere on their bodies. John has decided to cash in on this trend by offering a secret report that "tells you how to create a great sales pitch insuring you'll rent your forehead for what it's worth!" Read more about it here: GET RICH SELLING YOUR FORHEAD FOR ADVERTISING!!!

T-shirt ideas: Speaking of John, I'm trying to convince him to introduce a line of T-shirts based on the Belleville News-Democrat article I made reference to Jan. 15 in the item titled "Humor in the News". I think at least one of them has potential to be a big seller for Beatniks. Judge for yourself by looking here:

Example No. 1 (PDF file: 16K)
Example No. 2 (PDF file: 16K)

Roger 0 comments 1:38 PM

Friday, January 21, 2005

Author-cyclist Mike Magnuson to speak in St. Louis

Be the guest of the Gateway Council of Hostelling International and meet bicycling author and racer Mike Magnuson. Mike will talk about his new book "Heft on Wheels," chronicling his 180 degree life change that was motivated by cycling. HI-Gateway Council will also unveil the 2005 Cycling Calendar, free for all who attend.

When: Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m. Valentine’s Day, bring a date!

Where: St. Louis County Library Headquarters, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO, 63131-3598

Who: Mike Magnuson is currently a racing member of Team Mack Racing Association, the largest Masters Division cycling team in the Midwest, and has finished in the top 10 in several races he’s entered, but he has yet to win one. He teaches creative writing at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and has written for Esquire and GQ among other publications. A contributing editor at Bicycling magazine, he is the author of two novels and a memoir. He lives in Carbondale. To learn more about him, visit his Web site, http://www.lummox.org/.

Roger 0 comments 1:39 PM

Wednesday, January 19, 2005

IDOT state bike plan

The Illinois Department of Transportation is developing a statewide bicycle plan. The goal is to help IDOT determine which projects need bikeways. IDOT is not seeking information about specific roads or trails, but rather how to determine how factors such as connectivity and destination affect which roads get bikeways and determine what type of bikeway is best for projects. To learn more about this, check out the League of Illinois Bicyclists and the IDOT Web sites.

Roger 0 comments 1:32 PM

St. Louis bicycle trails

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is reporting today that with purchases in south St. Louis County and St. Charles County, the Great Rivers Greenway District is two sections closer to its goal of a network of biking and walking trails in the metro area.

I hope our friends at the Metro-East Park and Recreation District are as successful in developing a network of biking and hiking trails on the Illinois side of the river. Madison County, of course, has done a magnificent job of developing bicycle trails, and it would be nice if St. Clair County will be able to catch up someday. I would love to see a network of trails that link the riverfront into the existing trails in Madison County.

Roger 0 comments 1:11 PM

Saturday, January 15, 2005

Humor in the news

I cannot believe how many laughs a Belleville News-Democrat story this week about employees who feel cheated by their employer has elicited. Downtown Belleville regulars who are familiar with some of the people involved in this story were rolling on the floor. Even several members of the Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society who I saw the other night at our Meet 'N' Eat remembered some of the more outrageous quotes.

To sum up the story in a few words, a man who wanted to start a magazine featuring Belleville businesses duped a lot of young people to work for him. He promised them $50 a hour, use of a company car and a trip to Paris! But there was a catch: The young people had to pay a $25 fee to apply for their jobs.

But to get the full flavor of this story, you need to read the whole thing. It's even more hilarious than a Wally Spiers column!

In the interest of full disclosure, I must say that the man involved in this story tried to get me to lend him $4,000 so he could buy some audio equipment to become a dance club DJ.

Don't worry. I didn't take the bait!

Roger 1 comments 1:02 PM

Wednesday, January 12, 2005

Three-1-Three rises from the dead

It looks like Three-1-Three's demise that I wrote about last week will be short-lived! Don Bailey, the club's owner, says he plans to reopen the bar in a new downtown Belleville location as soon as next week. You can read about it at the Belleville News-Democrat.

While many of the regulars weren't happy about the move, I think it may be a blessing in disguise. With Big Daddy's "disco diner" getting ready to move into Three-1-Three's old home at 313 E. Main St., there will be more options for people wanting a night on the town in the Belleville. While some of the regulars most likely will boycott Big Daddy's, the average bargoer may be apt to hop from place to place. There's a reason why restaurant chains put their outlets close to a competitor's outlet: They really do feed off each other. The same principle applies to the club scene.

The more the merrier!

Roger 0 comments 1:41 PM

Monday, January 10, 2005

44 years of Roger Kramer

It's hard to believe, but I turned 44 -- pronounced fahrty-fahr if you live in the St. Louis area -- on Sunday! I celebrated the milestone in a low-key manner with dinner at an Alton restaurant and a tasty chocolate torte.

Roger 0 comments 6:40 PM

Bicycles in the movies

The Chicagoland Bicycle Federation presents a monthly feature of bicycle themed movie reviews. Not every movie with a bike is eligible. The reviewers focus on films that either feature bicycling related themes or key moments showcasing our favorite form of transportation.

The federation's resident critics are Greg Borzo (The Bicycle Guy) and Brad Strauss (The Movie Guy). Borzo and Strauss are opinionated, and can rarely agree on anything. But one thing is certain - whether it's an old classic, a popcorn flick, an indie, or a foreign film, if it has a bicycle theme, you?ll know about it and whether it?s worth your time and money.

In my own humble view, "Breaking Away" is the best bicycling film ever made. The acting is wonderful, the cycling action scenes are photographed well, and coming-of-age theme ties everything together very well.

For those of you who live in the Chicago area, you may want to check this out:

What
Chicagoland Bicycle Federation film critics Greg Borzo and Brad Strauss will discuss bicycle trends and themes in movies, while highlighting how the movie industry has portrayed two-wheelers, as part of the Chicago Cultural Center's "Creative Living in the City" lecture series. Borzo and Strauss, whose "Roll Film!" bicycle-themed movie reviews are posted online at www.biketraffic.org, will also present clips of some of their favorite movies and comment on their significance.

Why
Bicycles have played roles in - and been the subject of - a surprising number of films, including such classics as "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" (1982) and "The Wizard of Oz" (1939), and such lesser-known flicks as "American Flyers" (1985) and "Beijing Bicycle" (2002).

Where
Chicago Cultural Center
78 E. Washington St.
5th Floor Meeting Room

When
Thursday, January 13, 2005
12:15 p.m.

How
Admission is free and open to the public.

Who
The Chicagoland Bicycle Federation was founded in 1985 to improve the bicycling environment in the seven-county Chicago region. The Federation promotes bicycle safety, education, and facilities and encourages the use of the bicycle as an energy-efficient, economical and nonpolluting form of transportation and as a healthful and enjoyable form of recreation. For more information, visit www.biketraffic.org

Roger 0 comments 6:27 PM

Thursday, January 06, 2005

Ooglegay inay Igpay Atlinlay

Oday ouyay antway otay ebay oremay ikelay Hetey Hreetay Toogessay? Ellway, ouyay ancay isitvay Ooglegay's Igpay Atlinlay itesay!

I can't understand what he's saying. He's talking Pig Latin!

Ranslationtay: Do you way to be like more like The Three Stooges? Well, you can visit Google's Pig Latin site!

Erehay isay hetey inklay otay hetey itesay: http://www.google.com/intl/xx-piglatin/

Hanktay Oemay, Arrylay and Curlycue orfay elpinghay otay eepkay histay reatgay anguagelay liveyay! Anday hanktay Imkay Omandokay orfay ellingtay eopletay boutay histay itesay onyay erhay Hursdaytay Oolcay Itesay Ofay Hetey Ayday ewsletternay!

Ranslationtay: Thank Moe, Larry and Curly for helping to keep this great language alive! And thank Kim Komando for telling people about this site on her Thursday Cool Site Of The Day newsletter.

P.S.: If you visit Google's LanguageTools page, you can get the Google homepage, messages, and buttons to display in your selected language, including Elmer Fudd, Klingon and a few other legitimate languages.

Roger 0 comments 2:29 AM

Wednesday, January 05, 2005

New Year's goals

OK, I know I'm a few days late with this, but I figured it's time to share with you some of my goals for 2005. Notice I say goals rather than resolutions. Resolutions are almost always broken. Goals are only mostly broken!

1. Spend less time at the computer and more time on the bicycle.
2. Spend more time at the YMCA of Southwest Illinois.
3. Show more humility and gentleness in my dealings with other people, especially my co-workers.
4. Spend more time praying and enriching my spirituality.
5. Continue to improve upon my newspaper designing skills.
6. Spend more time with my friends and family.
7. Do more cooking at home and less eating out.
8. Eat less processed sugar and less processed grains.
9. Lose weight.
10. Be more thrifty.
    

To force myself to do more cycling, I've already scheduled myself to do the Bicycle Across Kansas, Around Illinois Back Roads and BubbaFest rides. I'm doing an Illinois ride this year because 2005 marks the 20th anniversary of my first weeklong ride, Bicycle Across the Magnificent Miles of Illinois. I hope to see some of you readers on one or more of these rides!

Roger 0 comments 4:52 PM

Tuesday, January 04, 2005

Three-1-Three: R.I.P.

Three-1-Three, the downtown Belleville bar best known for its alternative music shows, died tonight.

And so did the Belleville News-Democrat copy desk's Monday ritual.

After we put the paper to bed each Monday night, we went to Three-1-Three to listen to the sounds of Park Avenue Trio -- John Farrar, Jay Dover and Eric Foreman -- and to unwind.

Three-1-Three wasn't always known for its consistency. You would never know whether there would be beer on tap. You never knew for sure whether they would have wine or your favorite distilled spirit. Sometimes, the toilets didn't work properly.

But there were some consistent things about the bar that kept us coming back. The band, obviously, was one of them. Then there was our favorite bartender, Wendy, who was the model of consistency. Then there were some of the regulars, even Margaret, who convinced us to bring in a copy of the next day's paper for her and often tried to mooch beer from people by convincing them it was her birthday.

Three-1-Three did not go down quietly. Even though the bar's owner, Don Bailey, didn't find out until 5:30 p.m. Monday that the building that housed Three-1-Three had been sold and that Monday was the final night the bar could be opened, a large crowd of regulars jammed the place. Wendy, a bundle of frantic energy, struggled to keep up with the crowd, but she got everyone served.

Park Avenue Trio played inspired sets, then Don -- a member of the Belleville alternative country/rock band BOB -- hopped on stage and did a few of his favorite tune. Other musicians jumped on stage to fill out the sound.

Then, finally, Don invited the entire crowd to get up on stage. At first, I and my colleagues, Dale Parker and Dick Goldkamp, were reluctant to get on stage, but they finally moved up next to it. After I volunteered to take a few photos for one of the customers, I did find the courage to get on stage. (Dick, Dale -- you guys are wimps! )

It was a sad night. Wendy and Amanda, Don's girlfriend, couldn't hold back the tears as they hugged customers.

But it was a happy night. The atmosphere was not that of a funeral. It was one of a raucous wake.

Don is hopeful he can open a bar somewhere else, preferably in downtown Belleville. I wish him luck in that endeavor.

Three-1-Three, you may now rest in peace.

Roger 2 comments 3:09 AM