* RE-CYCLE
Dark — and cold — this morning.
But not dark and cold enough to keep me in the sack and my bike in the garage. I began pedaling the 15 miles from Albany to Schenectady at 5:55 a.m.
This ride, my 18th home-to-work round-trip, might have been the last. The temperature was around 35 degrees when I stepped on the pedals. A thermal T-shirt, turtleneck and sweatshirt, all long-sleeved models, still allowed me to experience that frigid autumn atmosphere.
As I mentioned in a recent post, I know drivers can see me. I’ve got two red flashing lights in the back of the bike, one flasher on front, and four “headlights” on the handlebars — two Halogen lights topped with two miniature LCD flashlights. Last night, I taped another LCD to the front of the horizontal bar that runs under the seat.
When everything is switched on, I’m a pinball machine on wheels.
Aside from the morning chill, the ride is becoming pretty routine. I’m becoming more and more careful around Dunkin’ Donuts. This morning, a woman had stopped her car in the front driveway of the Western Avenue store, a white cup to her lips. She had these dark, dead eyes — like a doll’s eyes, as Quint said in “Jaws” — and she must have needed a few sips of black muck to come around. I guess America really does run on Dunkin’.
The lights worked great on the dark access road — Rapp Road — behind Crossgates Mall. It might look strange, all these lights clipped to the metal. But those LCDs are so inexpensive, and the batteries last several rides. If they let people in heavier conveyances see me a little better, I’m all for the bright ideas. Think I might have spots for two or three other LCDs.
A few other notes from the road:
* Have noticed people who light their bright beams don’t knock them down when a bicycle is coming from the opposite direction.
* Passed another group of school kids, waiting for buses. Last time out, I got “Ride that bike to school!” Today it was, “Whew! Nice bike!”
* At the end of Albany Street, took a right turn onto Nott Terrace and rode to Union Street. As I always try to follow an isolationism policy on the road — I don’t want to share the pavement with anyone — I ducked into Union College. I knew nobody would be stirring at 7 a.m., and was surprised to see a couple kids walking toward one of the dorms. Maybe they were just getting in.
Sunny out this afternoon, and I expect pleasant, late summer conditions for the ride home at 5:30 p.m. Yet another race against the sun!
Maybe, if I dust off an old winter jacket, I can fight the morning fog and freeze next week. And keep rolling along.
* FUNKY CHICKEN
I was on Western Avenue — driving this time — during a Saturday afternoon trip to my neighborhood Price Chopper.
A Brooks chicken barbecue was in progress on grounds near the road. I could see the grills smoking and volunteers preparing to serve dozens of chicken dinners.
What really caught my eye was some poor apple dressed in a chicken costume. He, or she, was just standing near the side of the road. He, or she, wasn’t waving arms or jumping up and down to advertise the lunch-dinner deal.
The chicken just stood near traffic and held a small sign that said “Eat me.”
It was equal parts silly, lewd and, I guess, a legitimate way to advertise. It was just kind of funny to see such a simple, college-tinged plea for business.
I noticed on the way back down Western, the barbecue was in full swing and the chicken was still walking around.
But the sign was gone.
On Sunday, during a bike ride up Western to the Guilderland YMCA, there was an open house at the Westmere Volunteer Fire Department. The firefighters had enlisted a guy, or girl, to wear a Dalmatian costume and attract visitors. I noticed the “dog” was really animated, really trying to get people to notice him. Or her.
I’ve seen real Dalmatians act the same way.
* KNOCK IT OFF, FRANK!
Well, every baseball fan in America knows Frank Caliendo.
Cable network TBS, which carried the first round of the major league playoffs, made sure every viewer received a complete Frank hosing.
It seemed like after every half-inning, Frank was on screen for 10 or 15 seconds, impersonating John Madden, William Shatner, Jerry Seinfeld, Donald Trump, George W. Bush or other famous dudes. After a few games, people must have been ready to kill poor Frank.
It’s not that Frank doesn’t have any talent — he’s not bad — it’s just that the constant, incessant reminders to tune in the comedian’s second season of “Frank TV” kind of makes you want to punish the guy by purposely not watching.
At least, some of the more recent ads have poked a little fun at the whole inane concept: “Hey, what’s this baseball doing in the middle of all these ‘Frank TV’ promos?” asked an oblivious John Madden the other night. Frank’s John Madden, that is.
It’s nothing new. The station that lands Major League Baseball’s post-season schedule uses games to advertise fall programming. Fox has annoyed fans for years with this constant hammering.
TBS is also trying to persuade TV fans to give “Leverage” a chance, a series about a bunch of crooks who get even with bad guys. Revenge, leverage, payback ... we've seen this routine before.
Sounds like a carbon copy of the British-made “Hustle,” about a similar team of con men, that has been repeated on cable’s AMC.
No “Leverage” for me. Never really liked “Hustle” either - and the latter stars the great Robert Vaughn.
