The Bacon Challenge Accepted!

A few months back I bounced a post from McAuliflower detailing her venture into meat flavored alcohol. In a comment she dared me to make a batch myself and I admit for a few months there I was scared. Then a few months after that I was merely cautious, and for these last few months I have been pensive. Now, I am happy to say that I accept this dare and after 6 months and five days I have sprung into action like a hungry badger!

Per McAuliflower's directions:
1. Cut a hole in a box Cook some bacon.


2. Eat some of the bacon. (tee hee)
3. Put the rest of the bacon in a clean mason jar.
4. Fill jar with vodka.
5. Put the jar in a dark cabinet for 3 weeks.I also took her advice of throwing in a pinch of ground black pepper.

So now we wait... and daydream about the many possibilities of bacon flavored vodka. I think the first thing I will try is a mixed drink where I salt the rim of a highball glass with smoked salt. Maybe heating up some maple syrup to mix in as well.... yeesssssssssss.

Post your bacon vodka ideas and I will try out the best one.

Stay tuned and thanks again to McAuliflower for the inspiration.

UPDATE:
See Bacon Vodka Part Deux

Set Stolen Bikes On Stun!

One of the more interesting ways to stop a bike thief comes from liseman, who rigged a mobile phone to a stun gun hidden in the bikes water bottle cage. When the phone is called it activates the stun gun.

This dude creeps me out a little.

My question is would the rider actually get shocked? Rubber grips, soles, and seat might insulate the rider from the charged bike frame. You might have to run a copper wire up the seat post onto the seat. That'll give em the ole "how's your father" right in the coin purse!


Thanks to Shryke for the link.

Dupont Circle Gets A Ghost Bike

WABA

It's a sad thing that everyone needs to see.

The Commuter Bonk

I have been riding to work consistently for a little over a year. My commute is 7 miles and it takes me around 25 min each way. With such a short ride I never gave much thought to the possibility of bonking. It's only 25 minutes and bonking is something that happens 2 hours into an epic ride or during a race with 8 miles left to go. Bonking is about being ill prepared, it's what happens when you don't think your ride through before you do it or forget to bring that extra cliff bar. Things that don't enter my mind before I head off to work.

This morning I bonked. I suffered almost all the way through my 7 little miles and now feel like I just did my 3 am lap at a 24 hour race. My regiment hadn't changed yesterday or this morning. I ate the same breakfast I have eaten for years (bowl of cereal with a cup of yogurt on top), and had nothing spectacular for dinner. So what is so special about this morning that in this 25 minutes I actually began to long for the comfort and ease of an automobile? WTF? Have I taken the blessing of bike commuting for granted? Was this the cycling god's way of telling me to stop and smell pavement? Or maybe I just had some bad chicken last night. Either way I think I will pay a little more attention to this my shortest of rides but perhaps my most significant.

Have you ever bonked on a short ride?

DC Commuter Killed

link

A 22 year old woman died this morning after being hit by a garbage truck just above Dupont Circle. There are no other details at the moment. This is a terrible tragedy and my heart goes out to her friends and family.

FOLLOW UP--
A letter WABA sent out this evening.

WABA's Response to the Death of a Cyclist in DC

As many of you may have heard, Alice Swanson, a 22-year old cyclist from Washington, DC, was struck and killed yesterday morning by a trash truck at the intersection of 20th and R Streets, NW in Washington, DC. This tragedy has hit the cycling community in the DC area hard, and serves as a reminder that much more work remains to be done to make the Washington area a place where anyone who wants to ride can do so safely.

In response, this evening starting at 6:30pm at the intersection of Connecticut Ave and R Street NW, WABA will be holding a press conference to call for a full investigation into the crash and to highlight the need for improved traffic enforcement, increased penalties for drivers who strike cyclists and pedestrians, and more safety public service announcements to encourage everyone to share the road safely. The event will also feature a "ghost bike" dedication to serve as a reminder of the tragedy and as a quiet statement in support of cyclists' right to safe travel. I hope that you will be able to join us.

On behalf of the staff and board of directors of WABA I want to thank you for all your support for better bicycling. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us at waba@waba.org.

Please ride safely.

Sincerely,

Eric Gilliland
Executive Director