The Bike

Yes, the Bike! This was bought for Michelles B-day last year and has became the subject for many discussions at gatherings. It seems that everyone notices "the bike". Always the bike but never any mention of my art-like sculpturing of the bushes, or magnificent landscaping lay-outs!Now a little story goes with the purchase of "the bike" so follow along.

Last summer as I sat in the Barbers Chair @ the Point Plaza Barber Shop here in Butler, Daryl (the barber) and I where talking about riding bikes. He expressed the intrest to get something to ride since he recently had hip surgury and the doctor told him riding would be good. As most people, he said he didn't want anything expensive and would really like to find something used. I mentioned Rapps Bike Shop in Butler has lots of used stuff that they fix up for the kids bike rodeo giveaway. Instantly Daryl got excited and asked if I would go with him to check some bike out. Now Daryl didn't have his drivers license due to mistakes he had made so I offered to take him over to the shop if he could leave for lunch. He finished up my "cut" and we drove off.

Pulling into the shop parking lot we could see hundreds of used bikes leaning on each other. Daryl rumaged thru the piles like a bear in a landfill, while I noticed this single bike with fenders, chainguard, and basket. Michelle has always said that she wanted an old bike in the yard with flowers in a basket. Being her b-day in a few days I realized that because of Daryl (the barber) I had just found the golden egg!

I quickly pulled the Owner away from Daryl and explained why I needed this bike. He said it really wasn't for sale but since it was so perfect for my needs he would let it go. I offered him $10 and he said the basket was worth that! Come on, I don't want to spend more than that on a "flower pot"! He agreed and before he could change his mind it was loaded into my car and I was dragging Daryl off.

Now Daryl never did get a bike there although he did buy one at Target a few weeks later and it took Michelle months before she set the bike up in the yard, which ended up being around Christmas. Instead of flowers it got lights, lights and more lights strung all over it. And thats where the conversations started......


Ok you're all wondering "who hangs out with their Barber? Well thats another story, I have known Daryl since I was in High School. The reason for the whole explaination on "the bike" came from Michelle and I going to a friends house last night for an outdoor gathering. These friends, Brian & Jen along with many others there all commented on "the bike" and this caused me to explain the situiation and how the bike came to be. Most of the people there also know Daryl because around the time I was in high school they where all hanging out together in the local car scene which Daryl was also a part of. Its not that I hang out with my barber but in a small town like Butler where you still go to school with almost 1,000 other students (in your class alone) you end up knowing people....... even your barber!

Traveling Companion

This was a common sight at the D & Q Sizzler in New Jersey this past weekend. Most everyone who raced there ended in this position. With unbearable heat and humidity the fast twisting race took everything out of its particapants. Michelle sits here after 3 laps of the 5.5 mile course for a third place finish. I, like her, did the same thing after my 4 lap race but managed to hide from the media and their cameras! Most intellegent folks probably stayed home or went somewhere with central air but a few did show up for this race(D&Q SIZZLER), that I believe was named for the temperatures encountered during it.
Now before and after this event the exciting things happened! If any of you have ever driven around philly you would understand the traffic. I am unable to figure it out. There are 2 ways around (76 &676) Both interstates and both slowww moving. I have never seen an accident, fire, or major mudslide yet traffic never moves steady! Two weeks before this event i traveled thru Lancaster where the Amish horses & buggies are everywhere and yet, the motorist like myself managed to maintain a steady forward motion, free of abrupt stops and lingering moments of stillness. I have asked Michelle (who usually reaches a point of not talking to me during these "traffic situations") how on a roadway littered with one horse power vehicles (buggies) the average speed can be greater than that on an interstate full of cars with horsepower ratings in the mid 100s? Now All who really know Michelle know that she is Public Defender #1 and she will chime in on my moment of asking "what in Gods name would be holding these people up?" to explain that maybe people are looking at the skyline or there is a nervous driver ahead, or even the possibility that a squirrel is crossing the road and someone is avoiding it! At this time we start the discussion of saving the squirrels life in relation to causing the injury to humans who are rear ended because of the screeching stop. Shortly during the debate I usually get the chance to scan the local radio stations as I realize she has chosen to end any conversation with me until I will talk rational with her. This period can last anywhere from 15 mins to 30 mins before she will test me with a subject and possibly continue to talk if we have gotten past the troubled area. Now you're all wondering how much fun could this be for two people? Well, its a blast! All in all I love traveling w/ "Johnson, Johnson & Johnson Law" and have found some of our greatest debates have been over what others do on the road. She is a wonderful girl and always "open" in her judgement and at times I wish I could do the same. But, untill then I'll continue to rant about things in which I have little or no control over at all. In the past two years her and I have spent many hours in a car and I look forward to the driving in our future. Two, Three, four or even 6 hour drives never seem that long with her there. One things for sure... she is my traveling companion.......

Who is Travis......

I am a dynamic figure, often seen scaling walls and crushing ice. I have been known to remodel train stations on my lunch breaks, making them more efficient in the area of heat retention. I translate ethnic slurs for Cuban refugees, I write award winning operas, I manage time efficiently. Occasionally, I tread water for three days in a row.

I woo women with my sensuous and God like harmonica playing, I can pilot bicycles up severe inclines with unflagging speed, and I cook 30 minute brownies in 20 minutes. I am an expert in stucco, a veteran in love, and an outlaw in Peru.

Using only a hoe and a large glass of water, I once single handedly defended a small village in the Amazon Basin from a horde of army ants. I was scouted by the Mets, I am the subject of numerous documentaries, and when I am bored, I build large suspension bridges in my back yard. On Wednesdays, after work, I repair electrical appliances free of charge.

I am an abstract artist, a concrete analyst, and a ruthless bookie. Critics worldwide swoon over my original line of corduroy evening wear. I dont perspire. I am a private citizen, yet I receive fan mail. I have been caller number 9 and have won weekend passes.

Children trust me.

I can hurl tennis rackets at small moving objects with deadly accuracy. I once read the Star Wars trilogy, Moby Dick and the Chronicles of Narnia in one day and still had time to rearrange an entire dining room that evening. I know the exact location of every food item in the supermarket. I sleep once a week; when I do, I sleep on the couch. While on vacation in Canada I successfully negotiated with a group of terrorists who seized a small bakery. The Laws of Physics do not apply to me.

I balance, I weave, I dodge, I frolic, and my bills are all paid. Years ago I discovered the true meaning of life, but forgot to write it down. I have made extraordinary four course meals using only the George Foreman grill and a toaster oven. I breed prize winning snails. I have won bull fights on San Juan, cliff diving competitions in Sri Lanka, and spelling bees at the Kremlin. I have played Hamlet, I have performed open heart surgery, and I have spoken with Elvis.

But I have not yet won the MASS Series.

Fair Hill July 16th

After a wonderful day of racing at Fair Hill I got a chance to meet up w/ fatmarc who created the vivalasinglespeed blogspot for the defunk Singlespeed class of the Mid atlantic super series. His wife, chunky monkey, was kind enough to snap this shot for us! Marc is just one example of the many great people who attend the MASS races, which is alot of the reason I travel 4+ hours average to these events.

Well here it is....... my first posting on the new blog site. As my webcreator Jesse said, "its pretty easy" and I must agree. SInce the Dirty Harrys site doesnt get updated often enough I felt the need to get moving on something where I can post race reports and results on a regular basis.