You may have already scored your 2007 bicycle racing calendar published by cycling photographer Graham Watson, but there are some other cool bicycle calendars available for 2007.

One that quickly captured my attention is the CyclePassion calendar, featuring cyclists interacting with their bikes. Take for instance this picture for March (the calendar appears to be next to her right knee cap) of a cyclist washing down her Bianchi.

The CyclePassion calendar project was shot by photographer Daniel Geiger, himself a cyclist. Some of the pictures were shot on location ...   more »

Howard at the HRlaughed blog tagged me to tell five things you probably don't know about me. I fear the consequences of ignoring such a request, but I'm having a little trouble picking which obscure facts to tell. Everything seems obscure.

Here are the first five that come to mind (chronologically):

1. I grew up in a suburb of Cincinnati in a house where my dad smoked constantly ...   more »

This blog hasn't been updated for a few days because Mother Nature opened up a big can of whoop-ass on western Washington last week. She kicked my butt; and I'm one of the lucky ones.

A major windstorm struck Thursday night. Among the thousands of trees that fell was one trunk of a beautiful big leaf maple that was a home for birds and squirrels and provided welcome shade for my family in the summertime.

That's the view from my office window. The tree toppled across three back yards and crushed two fences. It missed two houses by 10 feet or less. When it gets sawed up and removed, its two standing brothers are going with it. They may be rotten too, and I can't risk endangering our neighbors.

I haven't had much time to deal with that tree, though. Until 5 p.m. Monday, my wife and I have been trying to keep the kids warm and occupied. ...   more »

Here's another weapon for your arsenal in posting a fast result in a time trial or finishing that last hill on your century bicycle ride.

The jelly bean.

The Jelly Belly Co. is in the endurance sports business now with its Sport Beans product. Basically, we're talking your standard jelly beans here packed with carbohydrates ...   more »

This might be old news to many, but it was a surprise to me because I'm so behind in my movie watching. I picked up "You, Me and Dupree" the other day and who makes a cameo appearance but Lance Armstrong.

The movie came out earlier this year, but I don't remember hearing about it. It's for rent on the two-day shelf, so it must be a recent DVD release.

Essentially, the movie is about Dupree (Owen Wilson) who moves in with his just married friend, Matt Dillon, and his wife, Kate Hudson ...   more »

A bicycle is just about the best gift any kid can get at Christmas. Groups across the country are busy sponsoring bicycle drives and giveaways this season. Here's a representative sample of some programs:

California

The Butte County Sheriff's office is giving away about 50 new and used bicycles to children who were identified by the local Salvation Army. This is the seventh year ...   more »

Women who bicycle frequently can suffer decreased genital sensation, according to a study by the Yale University School of Medicine.

But unlike men, who can suffer erectile dysfunction from an improperly fitted bike saddle, the women in the study suffered "no negative effects on sexual function and quality of life," said lead researcher Dr. Marsha Guess.

Maybe I'm getting way out of my expertise here, but wouldn't decreased genital sensation impact the quality of life?

Researchers studied 48 women ...   more »