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A Day Off? Are You Kidding?

July 28, 2010 10:07 pm

I hit the deck at 8:30 am, yes folks that's my sweet spot, one that once I'm done at the nuclear plant I think I will enjoy forever. Had only six cups of java this a.m., a bit on the lean side for excellent health requirements according to Health Canada, but the pot had already been raided by Kristie an hour earlier, so I had to settle for a sub par start to the day. This experience just proves the old saying "the early bird gets the worm" as being totally true. Seeing I'm heading off for the Giant Summit next Monday, I've had more than a few loose ends to tie up before leaving, and I started early this morning trying to clean as many up as possible. Fall programs with Norco and Cycles Lambert were due at the months end, as well as staff pays and a very hefty HST payment to my very good friends at Revenue Canada. (I love these guys for letting me collect their taxes, fill out their paperwork, and cut them an enormous cheque every three months, all for free) So the bookings are complete, pays are done a few days ahead, quarterly HST filing is complete 3 days in advance, and all the bills are paid up so while I'm in Whistler I don't have the "Credit Cops" trying to hunt me down. By the time this stuff, a necessary evil of doing business these days, is completed, it is high noon. Time to head out for a smoking hot 10K run, push the tired heart rate up into the stratosphere levels, and get the lungs totally comfortable with absolutely screaming during next months ITT, which is my immediate focus. Apres run, I decided that, hey I'm on vacation, the guys at the shop are in total control, and today I will kick back, and that's exactly what I did. It was awesome, you know I could easily get used to having a day off once every 6 months, if time allowed for it...LOL. So I sit here now doing a minor update to the site, thinking about what a wonderful day it was, what a wonderful summer its been, and what a great week I'm in store for in Whistler starting Monday of next week while attending the 2010 Giant Bikes Summit in Whistler. It seems life just keeps getting better for those who enjoy it, yes that's me. Here is my tip of the week, always take the high road, work very hard to be your best, be honest with everyone, and always be thankful for what is given to you. You can't go wrong with a plan like this, I know its paid huge dividends for me during my last 54 years, and there is no sign of that changing any time soon. Good night from the lucky guy who is living his dream and enjoying life to its fullest.

Matt's Summer Night Dream

July 27, 2010 8:48 pm

So it's been 7 days since I last posted, and many of you are totally dissapointed with my less than predictable posts, sometimes weird, sometimes wonderful comments, but like or or lump it, thats me and the real world. So now that I've softened you up, here is the latest and greatest. Note: I've now introduced a header to my blog that may or may noy give you some indication as to what I might talk about in the post. (this is an upgrade I've liked and picked up from Matt Good + Weblog) I'm on vacation, officially, but not really officially. What the Hell does that mean? Well I'm off my real job for the next 12 days, at the shop on most of those days, and when I'm not, I'm out in Whistler with Alex, and yes Kristie is joining me this year for the trip, to the Giant Bicycle Summit, 2010 in Whistler, to be more accurate, Blackcomb, B.C. Yippee IPA, things are looking good for the forseeable future, and when I say that, I'm talking the next couple of days. You see my outlook on life is very finite, and with it, I tend to manage long term issues, by simply ignoring them. If I knew I was here for the long term, yes there would be a good reason to worry about them, but hey, I haven't had anyone walk up to me and hand me a coupon saying I won't expire until 2020, so until that happens I'll play the game the way I have in the past, day by day.

What else? I've been getting out biking and running everyday, my back problems (what back problems?) are gone forever, and I'm back/have returned to above conditioning levels I saw back in early June. Not remarkable levels, but they can be, with the right work ethic, desire, and motivation. Hey I'm 'work in progress" and I'm liking the label. The Tour, a dissapointment for me, only a two horse race, even though they were only seperated by less than a minute, it was too predictable for me. Lance? Sad to see someone so good go out so bad. Why do the great ones never know when they are done. What else? Sgned up today for M+ services on the Matt Good site. Some of you may know that I listen to his music once and a while, 24/7 actually, and was hoping to scoop up some new tunes he's working on, but I'm a real clutz with technology, and so far haven't heard or found any new music. I was introduced to a "mumblecsat" which I have to admit is inventive and may add value to this site in the future. Instead of me pecking away at the keyboard, as I am now, I can just have a few IPA, grab my IPhone, and mumble a few blurred statements about nothing into it and then tranfer it onto this blog for you to listen to. For this benefit Matt charges $25 dolars per year, so I figure with my popularity, I can charge at least $15. Get this, I actually Googled our Bikes Plus site and found out the advertising value per add is worth $1500 per year? That means there is a company out there who measures traffic, (that's you) and frequency, (thats how many times you come hear) and says that if someone wanted to advertise on this site I should charge them $1500 per year for their ad. Hmmmm.... maybe I'm in the wrong business, I mean the bike business. Perhaps I should place my blog, my demented humor, my slanted view on life and the world on a separate site, and start streaming in money from those who want a piece of my audience (that's you again) Dream on, Barry.

So here I am, just like on most nights I post, sipping on a Garrison HopYard Ale, not an IPA, which is the beer I love and lust for, listening to old/latest/newest Matt Good Volcanoes, over and over, and over, and thinking about what a great day I've had. In summary, here is how my day went. Got off work at 6:00 am, went to the shop till 7:30, home to do some accounting and paperwork, out to Sobeys for groceries to allow me to cook up a lasagna feed that all of you would kill for, back home with my chef hat on, supper made, exit stage left for a TT ride on board the Giant TCR Advanced 0, all my family is home, sip on some great Californian Zinfandel red wine (aquired a taste on our tour de California in 2008), discuss with my number one Son Jeff the benefits of becoming an Entrepreneur (with a capital E) vs working for a mega company, and then its upstairs to do a patch job on this very tired website. Finished my day with a text frenzy with my good B Ball friend Kadiri Richard from Columbia, S.C. USA. Life is extremely good here, hope the same can be said for you and wherever you are.

July 20, 2010 9:51 pm

Hi there, so how are things you ask? Well they couldn't be better, even if I was writing the script of the movie I'm living right now. The weather has been smoking hot, and if you know me, you know I love the heat. The shop has been very busy, and I mean VERY busy, especially for July. Whatever was hapenning in my back is gone, so running, biking, and training are back on for the Provincial ITT and hopefully a late Duathlon or two. At the end of the month Alex and I will be heading out to Whistler to see and ride the new 2011 Giant bikes. The setting is fabulous, the whole presentation is world class, and I'm licking my lips in anticipation of what Giant will revealing for our next season. Our three day stay in Whistler has been extended to four, as I have been requested to attend an extra day where the top 10 Giant retailers in Canada will meet with Giant Canada's top brass to discuss new ways to help provide Canadian cyclists like you and I with better services and products. Always looking to improve, always thinking of the end consumer, that's just one of the many things that impresses me so much about Giant Bicycles. What else? The Tour has been exciting to date, and still looks like a two horse race, apres Lance, although I'm hoping the Giant sponsored Team Rabobank, and Dennis Menchov can change all that in the next couple of days. Time will tell, but the "Silent Assassin" as he is called, is sitting in a nice little spot just two minutes and 13 seconds out. So we've talked about the shop, the weather, the Tour, and now we'll talk about the absolutely insane "Financial World" some follow and try to rationalize. First off let me set you straight. I don't have a lot of money, I don't have many investments, well maybe one big one, my Giant TT bike, but to the financial gurus that doesn't count. So my question is how does the world go into a tail spin one day, due to the European crisis, next day things are rosy due to second quarter North American earning reports, and then the next day head back to the gutter with a university report (a highly regarded one that bases it's results on information pulled from a large percentage of drunken and drug influenced 20 year olds) hey not that there is anything wrong with that, they're entitled to their opinion just like me? But really folks, can the world economics change that drastically from day to day. The answer is NO. Here is what I see, I see people being smart with their money, always looking for the best value, and looking to invest in their health and happiness, just like they have for many years before. So if you give your customers what they want, the economic roller coaster the media portrays to you every night when you watch the news, read the paper, or check the web, doesn't really exist. Well, I guess that's why I don't work for a government, a bank, or another big institution, because they don't want you to ride your bike, look up to the blue sky and smile, live life to it's fullest and enjoy each and everyday you have on this fine planet. They want you to hide in a hole, be afraid of the enemy, be afraid of the "economic situation", be afraid of the sun and it's rays, the list goes on and on. Listen, cut the cord on the TV, cancel the newspaper, don't cancel your internet subscription (just refine the sites you visit to a select few, like ours) and be much happier for it. Good night, I'm healthy, happy, and not afraid of anything! Hope you are too!

July 8, 2010 9:12 pm

I know, I know, it looks very suspicious, almost like a cut and paste date and time, but trust me folks, it isn't. The time is 9:13 pm , I just got off the official Matt Good site hoping to scoop a new "B" tune, or something I haven't already played a million times already, but no luck. So Matt rolls on, and on, and on. Tonight it's the "Avalanche" album, by many, considered his very best. Enough about music, what do you think of the smoking hot weather we're having? As typical Maritimers, we're surely complaining about the heat, the humidity, or the inability to sleep on these more than toasty nights. But alas, in my previous life as a lizard, or a rattle snake (still not 100% sure what I was, but know for sure I was one of these) I earned a great appreciation for the heat, actually a love and a craving for it. I rolled into the shop at six last night during closing to stage my annual HeartLand Tour Mechanics Course, and saw Brett and Andrew melting before my eyes. Yes, just like wax figurines, their faces were dripping off the front of their heads and onto the shop floor. Me, I had my vintage 90's "Roach" vest on to bring my body temperature up to about 180 degrees, a bit below the point at which water boils, which I find really comfy. So some complain, others (yes lizards like me) actually love it! While walking through the dining room on my way up to my office where I sit now, I saw roses in full bloom, flowers I have no idea what the heck they are, in their absolute brilliance, leaves on the oak trees in our front yard so green, they define the adjective green. So it's obvious, I'm not the only one who enjoys this stuff. I'm in my "Happy Place" on a sweet Summer night in July, and nothing will change that. You knew it was coming, and here it is, my "beef of the day." What gives with the Tour de France coverage this year? I've become accustomed to coming home at night and watching the greatest race of all time on my TV after my workday is done. So what gives this year? Daytime coverage only in Canada? If you have a job, and have to go to work, your out of luck! The Chonically Horrible Herald just amplifies the problem by not even mentioning the Tour in todays paper? Sorry guys, there was a stage yesterday, and you missed the boat. Even the CBC web site has had just token, minimal, almost non existant coverage of the race? What gives? So let's put things in perspective. If this is my biggest beef, I really don't have it too bad. Actually I want to acknowledge that someone, somewhere, somehow, is pulling all the right strings to make my life absolutely perfect. I sure hope the same thing is happening in your life, and that your as "lucky in life "as I have been. Hope you had a great day and that tomorrow is every bit as good if not better.... I'll see all of you soon.

July 4, 2010 9:32 pm

Hi Folks, today was one of those days that you'd love to have to take place every day of the year. Missed my traditional apres nuclear plant last night shift blog yesterday, because I went straight from the plant to work at the shop, and after working till five there and then having a wonderful supper with my family and celebrating my number two son, Nicholas's birthday, I crashed and burned at about 7:20 pm. So today started with my old body's batteries totally recharged with 13 hours sleep, a brilliant sunny day, and a day off from both the nuclear plant and the shop. So after a 10 cup carafe of "Deadly Dark" while reading all 3 pages of the "Chronically Horrible Herald" Sunday Edition, I hit my accounting program to get caught up. At 12:40 when the sun was at its peak, I laced up the sneaks, pulled on the shorts, and hit the road with a high noon rendezvous with Clint Eastwood. Yes folks, the bike shop owner was out for another 10K run? My broken back (not sure what's going on there) has kept me off the bike for over a week and a half. The run today felt good, I pushed my HR rate to levels not recently seen (not since 1957) as I try to prepare the old ticker for the up coming Provincial TT. Not being able to hop aboard my bike is a drag, but by mid week, that will all change. I've babied this condition long enough, and quite frankly had very little result. It's time to put the hammer down and break things if need be, to get things back to normal. So after the run, I showered and headed in to see my MOM, (she's been around forever, and will probably out live me, but just in case) I visit her with my two sons Nick and Jeff, where we shared Pizza Hut pizza, and some laughs. Afterward it was back home, washed the Mazda Speed 3 so that when people see me driving by they don't say, "What a great looking guy, but his car...." LOL... So after the great day I've had, I text Kadiri to wish him a great Independence Day, polish off a few more invoices and payments, and prepare to head downstairs to watch todays TDF on OLN. Here it is at 9:51 and I survey my desk, it shoes the results of my days work, I can actually see it vs. at the start of the day. I'm listening to the best of Hall and Oates, "Don't Hold Back Your Love" and already getting excited about tomorrow and the good things it may bring. Thanks for checking in, thanks for sharing with me my hope for the future, and don't lose focus of the fact that all of us can make or break any day. It's ultimately up to us. I'm ready for the challenges facing me tomorrow, hope you are too!

June 25, 2010 10:10 am

Wow, it's ten a.m. and it's already 26 degrees outside. Finished up at the nuclear plant this morning at 5:45 and headed out the shop to do up some gift certificates for the Bedford Kids of Steel Race this weekend taking place at the Lions Pool on Shore Drive. Cool kids, cool race, head out and show them your support. Afterwards I Zoom, Zoom home, grab a bucket, some soap and water and head back out the door to shine up my Mazda Speed. Now folks, if this isn't an indication that I'm totally losing my mind, nothing is. The last time a I washed my previous car?? Let's try never for an answer. After this little blurb and a short 4 to 6 K run, I plan on laying a bit of wax on the Speed 3 to make it shine even more in my eyes. Listening to some old Hall and Oates on Itunes as I spin back into the Seventies for a few flashbacks. Good stuff, fun stuff, sort of like riding a bicycle. Today is far too nice to waste, so there will be no rest today for this madman. Instead I'll dust off a few outdated pages on this site, maybe do a bit of catching up with some household chores...well maybe I won't. (Didn't take long to turf that idea did it? Guess I haven't totally lost it yet after all) Last night I got cornered to work an extra shift at the plant Saturday night, which makes my plans for being "Head and Chief Turnaround Point Official" for Al Mumford and his Breakaway Cycling Promotions two up TT this Sunday in Centreville a bit more challenging. All of you heading up this weekend for the event, please have your lead rider whistle, yell, or kick me as you hit the halfway turnaround point, so I can perform my very excellent officiating skills. Tomorrow will be a shop day, and I'll have the pleasure of working the floor with Andrew and Brett. Both these guys are super good guys, so tomorrow will be a good day for sure, looking forward to it. Well that's it for now, I think it's time to get out and hit the pavement and rattle my brain around a bit to shake off the cobwebs and get the old ticker pumping a bit more hoping that will carry me through the rest of this wonderful day. Have a great one! I know I will.

June 22, 2010 10:14 pm

Hi folks, just finished up a bit of accounting, a bit of web update, and a bit of Garrison IPA. Today was a work day at the nuclear plant, and things actually went quite well after a day from Chernobyll (or Hell) yesterday. I'll limit my conversation on that topic to what I have punched in already and move forward. Not sure what is going on, but the last two days I've had a back condition that has left me a bit uncomfortable and a tad grouchier than normal. Is that actually possible? Well, time will tell, step up to the plate and try your luck if you feel footloose and fancy free. So after 3 day of this foolishness, I made the executive decision tonight to go for a 6K run after work, and either make this situation better, or a whole lot worse. Google Map my house tomorrow morning and see if the EHS ambulance pulls up at about 8:30 am, and that will give you a clue to the outcome. Last night after work at the plant, I met with Nick Giacamantonio for a discussion about his HeartLand Tour, his vision of health care, and life in general. This guy is stoked, on a mission, passionate, letting no one stand in the way of his dream. Maybe that's why we understand each other so well, work so hard for what we believe in, and will not take "no" for an answer. Thanks Nick, for meeting with me, sharing your energy, your frustrations, and your vision. Keep in mind, frustration actually makes us work harder, so those who create it for us, make us stronger and smarter, and more able to handle the 'obstacles" they place before us. We should thank them, and wouldn't that really piss them off, LOL. Vision! Don't lose it Nick, many have it, but most don't have the energy to pull it off. Vision is only the first step, next comes the real test, of executing the vision and overcoming all obstacles that get in your way. That my friends is the difference between being a dreamer and a revolutionary. Revolution creates change, and change usually creates great things. Nick Giacamantonio is a revolutinary and so am I. We deserve each other, and admire each other! Wow, totally over the top, better let you go, have a great night!

June 18, 2010 10:38 pm

How good can a day really be? Well, how about you having a seat, and me telling you. Let me set the stage for todays performance. First off, the weather is perfect, sunny, warm, not a cloud in the sky. Very Sonoma like for those who have had the pleasure of visiting California from about now until November. The day starts as usual, with copious amounts of the best Java in the world, our very own Bicycles Plus Deadly Dark Roast, available only at the shop (please excuse me for that sinful plug, but I always say honesty is the best approach, and that is as brutally honest as I can be) Apres java, it's Zoom, Zoom to the shop via the Mazda Speed due to time constraints. Don't worry folks, tomorrow is definitely a "Le Grande Orange " day and my steed will get me in comfort, and on time, to the shop with zero CO2 emissions. The Bikes Plus team is already in action when I arrive, Alex, Andrew, Martin, and Cory, God bless them all, are totally busy at 10 am. Then it's directly into the "maximize mode" where we prioritize, maximize and minimize, all in one beautiful motion. Sound efficient and technical? Good, perception is reality, and reality is perception, enough said on that one. Got news from Martin today that he has decided not to accept the Ideal Bikes offer that blazed its way onto the front pages of the "Chronically Horrible Herald" recently. As it stands now, that is great news for the shop and all the staff, because Martin has so much to offer our customers, and we all love working with him. So stay tuned folks, this guy has unlimited potential in all categories, and if he wants to, Martin will be wearing many different hats in the months to come. What else? Well after a busy day, I got out for an eight K run and what an evening it was. I saw Paul Dunphy out for a road burn, stopped and had a "life" talk with him after our second rendezvous. It's always great chatting with customers at the shop, on the side of the road, and at the races. Tonights talk with Paul just reinforced all those feelings. For those who check in here once in a while, you may remember me mentioning that my daughter (the little Princess) Stephanie was in Europe for a trip and how proud I was of her. Well she's made it home, and she's a now a new person. She's more mature, more educated, more confident, has had her eyes opened, her expectations and horizons dramatically raised, and I'm more proud of her than ever before. Seriously folks, travel, for anyone, at any age, is an education in itself far greater and more valuable than anything a school can teach you. I didn't find this out until a couple of years ago at age "almost too old to learn but not quite" I'm so glad my daughter, who has infinite years left to do whatever she wants to on this planet, has found out what I did, but thirty five years earlier than I. So to sum it all up, the weather A1, sales and shop news A1, family stuff A1, and the Garrison IPA I'm sipping on right now, a bit above A1 I'd say. Thanks folks for taking the time to check in on our little world, thanks again for all of your support, and I hope to see all of you tomorrow at the shop for the Saturday Morning Ride. Cheers... BMan.

June 16, 2010 7:56 pm

Well it's 7:56 pm and I'm still alive and kicking. Just got a text message from Kadiri telling me he hits the court in 10 minutes, so I'll be brief here tonight as I take in a double header of B Ball, first the Sea Dawgs game and later tonight, the mother of all B Ball games, game 7, The Finals, between my LA Lakers and the Boston Celtics. Should be a great night, lots of pre game hype, lots of history, and some of the greatest names in the game involved in tonights contest. Lets rewind here and go back to the am. Finished up at the nuclear plant this morning and headed out to the shop with an alarm flashing in the back of my mind stating, "very low battery levels." No, not in my Mazda Speed, but in my body and its internal warning system. I took it easy this morning, knew I needed some rest, hit the sack for 3 hours (I know, what a waste of time, I agree) and bounced (I use that term rather loosely) out of bed and downed an 8 cup pot of Deadly Dark. Then it was off to City Mazda to get a new vehicle lined up for Kristie. Afterwards I had planned a ride or run, but the reality was there was too little left in the tank after supper for anything more than a web update, email replies, bill paying, accounting file update, and scheduling of tomorrows events. Received some sweet Nike branded Livestrong and Radio Shack (AKA Lance stuff) today from Giordanna. Funny how that works! Lance is so loyal to the companies that supported him through his illness, and Nike is so smart with their product management, that they know who to go to to produce the best product for Lance. So the short and sweet for you consumers out there who are not in the know (until know that is), Nike has never produced any clothing that Lance has worn, past, present, or future. But they're smart enough to recognize a winner of an athlete, and smart enough to recognize a manufacturer who produces the best cycling clothing in the world, Giordanna. So you put 2 and 2 together and come up with Nike branded TDF and LiveSTRONG clothing, all of which are the official clothing of Lance and his TDF team, all of which are produced by none other than Giordanna, my clothing supplier of choice. If anyone out there is looking for some maximum Wow factor for Fathers Day, at a reasonable price, well lets just say I know where I'd be spending my money. Ooops, 8:10 pm and Kadiri's game has begun, so I've gotta go. Have a great night, tomorrow will definitely be an awesome start to a superlative weekend, and from there who knows??? How much better can it get??

June 14, 2010 8:53 pm

"When Hollywood runs out of Indians, when the bar stars melt and there golden hair turns to glass" there you go folks, there is why I don't listen to music lyrics. What the Hell is Matt trying to convey here in his song "Champions of Nothing?" that I'm listening to. Now hum this tune, and "Bam", it's automatically understandable, automatically awesome. But hey, I'm a bike shop owner, not a musician, so what do I know. Last day shift at the nuclear plant today, I start nights tomorrow (oh boy, can't wait!!!) I love working from 6 pm to 6 am when the world turns black, when everyone else in the world has crawled into their hobbit hole, curled up into the fetal position, and are happily living out the daily fantasy in a dream world their foggy minds have created for them. Trust me folks, when you here them saying, "There is no life like it" beware! There, that's the dark side of me, exposed, out in the open, done with. Onward and upward, today really started for me at 5:45 pm as I burned out the gate of the nuclear plant in my Mazda Speed after being pulled over, and having my car inspected for stolen smoke or toxic chemicals that would command a premium dollar value on the street??? Just another valued employee, whats his number again? Oh ya, #6000810. I definitely get the feeling the company I have worked for the last 30+ years cares for me and my efforts when I get pulled over, interrogated and searched on my way home for the second day in a row. Oops, I said onward and upward, and to there we shall soar, my apologies again folks. So, as I was saying, life started at 5:45 pm and I got home by 6:10. On the way home, Alex sent me a text message saying today was a very successful day at the shop. Bingo, just like that, I go from average mood, to a very good mood. Funny about that, as an owner you love to be a part of a good day at your business, but it is definitely equally satisfying to hear it from your Manager any time. Great work today guys, hope you read this and know how much I appreciate what all of you do for our business. I get home and today is a run day. Yes the "closet training" continues. Training for what? Not sure yet. In good shape yet? Not at all. I've just started to measure my run, and my bike results, and things are far from rosy. If I was realistic, I'd call them embarrassing, but that's where being a positive thinker comes in. The way I look at it, it's going to be so much fun, and so easy to get remarkably better in a short period of time, that as far as I'm concerned, I'm exactly where I want to be. So how's that for positive? And while I'm on a positive roll, how about tomorrow? I'll be at the shop, doing what I love. The day will start at 6:30 am with the first mouthful of "Delicious Deadly Dark coffee", and for the balance of the day, I'll be doing whatever needs to be done at the Ten Mile House to ensure June 15th is as good a day, if not a better one, than today was. I'm already looking forward to it, hope to see you there, and hope your day is "Special" as well!

June 11, 2010 10:01 pm

Let's face it, today just couldn't be any more wonderful, period. Blue skies, ideal temps, and a buzz in the air that summer is about to definitely break through in all its glory. The shop was busy today, tons of bikes rolling in for Martin and Cory to work their magic on, sales have been strong, and supplies are dwindling. Today was an unusual day, a day where I didn't have a list of about ten to fifteen things to complete by days end. These are the best days, because the nature of the beast and how I operate, is that every day has to go like clockwork or I'm out of sync or seriously behind the eight ball. Today was a luxury day, a day I could build bikes, test repairs, price up goods, talk to customers, do whatever I wanted to do and have some solid fun. Thanks to whoever delivered the "special" day, allowed me to enjoy it, and be around to tell this story. Tomorrow I'm taking the morning off, a rare event, an event to help me balance my totally unbalanced life. I'll be riding with the Halifax Tri Club around the Aspotogan Pennisula with my wife Kristie, and I'm sure it will be the highlight of my week. Will it be fast? No! Will I have fun? You bet! You see, my love for racing has not waned, but my appreciation for the "whole" sport of cycling has definitely grown. Commuting is a blast, riding for fun with a group is a bigger blast, and yes racing is still the ultimate blast, but on any given day, any of these can be King. I'm sitting here listening to Matt Goods "On Nights Like Tonight" on auto repeat. I've heard the song at least a million times, well I'm being modest, two million times, and yet I can't recite three words in the whole song. I'm not a lyrics guy, a tune guy, a rhythm guy, yes. I can hum a tune, whistle a tune, without missing a note or beat, but ask me one word contained in the song, or God forbid a line and it's "forget it." I was hoping to watch my old Rainmen friend Kadiri Richard play tonight on the world wide web with his summer team, the Wilmington Sea Dawgs, but the web cast was not available. I miss the big guy, his big smile, and his big plays. I'm hoping there is a break in the action this summer where he may be able to visit us again before his profession takes him overseas for the next basketball season. KD, your still number one in my books, definitely "Top Shelf." Well folks, that's about it for tonight, I've got an early morning ahead of me, some more work to do on other parts of the site, so I hope you have a great weekend, hope you enjoy the sun shining in your window at 6:30 am and screaming to you to "get out of bed." These are the longest days of the year, the best days of the year, so don't take them for granted. Enjoy life to its fullest and always be thankful of the opportunity we've been given.

June 9, 2010 8:33 pm

You just knew that today would be the day of blog entry didn't you? You probably know my schedule better than I do by now. Those of you who frequent this blog know I very seldom fail to post on my first day off from the nuclear plant. Actually I'm like clockwork on this day, posting is sort of part of the celebration of being relieved of my duties there and stepping into a new set of challenges that await me at the shop in the next three days. So what gives? First off, you may remember me mentioning my little Princess, Stephanie is travelling in Europe these days, well guess what? It's sort of like an "Alice in Wonderland" story. Steph is a very quite, very conservative young lady, and today we received a call from her saying she just finished paragliding in Austria and had a blast. Like the "Champ" I said "Pardon?" My little girl, my timid little girl, the one we've sheltered all our lives, paragliding from the mountain tops of Kitzbuhel? I'm in shock, and absolutely flabbergasted by it all. Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of her, thrilled with her new found love for adventure, and just know that when I see her again, she will be a totally different person, a much wiser and more capable one. And with that being said, this is be my theme for the evening. Encourage your friends, family, and others to step outside "the box" and grow. Try new things, travel to new places, and test your limits. Build your confidence, build your knowledge, and build your capabilities. Growing is what life is all about. Tonight my hat goes off to my daughter Stephanie who is making me proud many miles away from home, learning to live life to it's fullest, and inspiring me to write this blog for you this evening. Love you Steph, take care, and good night from your Dad.

June 1, 2010 7:01 pm

Out with that slug who posted earlier today, this is the real Barry, Giant TCR Advanced in hand, red cape blowing in the wind (see above picture) and ready to take on the world. Since my last foggy/melancholy post at midday, I hit the road as I forecasted, ran, 8K and felt like, you guessed it, Superman. Got home showered up, and headed into my Mothers place to help her meet a friend of mine who will be doing some fixing up around the old homestead. Afterwards, I zoom, zoomed home, had a wee bit of supper, (have to watch my bulging Irish waistline) and then down loaded the shop file for updates, replied to my emails and thought I would "double dip" as we call it at the nuclear plant. That's a situation where somebody comes in to work on overtime and brings doughnuts, and then a second person does the same thing, on the same shift. Well I'm on OT, and my two posts for the day are the doughnuts. How's that for creative or "lost his mind" composing. My worry as I go forward is I won' be able to sleep now. You see, when you push yourself past "normal" limits, your body compensates. So six hours ago I was toast, and now I want to take on the world. I know, I know, did you have a 10 pot of Jims Java Barry? Are you on your second or third IPA Barry? Sorry folks, zippo, I'm clean, just like Lance, on my bike, enjoying an extended day, thirty one hours to be exact, and counting. So here's a question for you. If I'm already Superman, what would I be if I didn't have to work thirty one hours straight, but instead trained for thirty one hours in a row? I'd say, watch what happens in 18 months from now when the nuclear plant is longer part of my life. Better have some kryptonite in your pocket if you want to slow me down then....lol

June 1, 2010 12:29 pm

Sitting here making a very tardy posting (has it really been a week?) fresh off a 24 hour stint with no ZZZZ's after another night shift at the nuclear plant. I'd say it's almost time to go for a run, seeing the rain isn't going to allow me to jump on board the Trinity today. I have to do something to jolt me out of this suspended animation state I'm in. Just got an email from the Giant crew confirming our shops requested presence at the 2010 Giant Summit in Whistler this August. New bikes, new gear, and new ideas, love all of it and love the natural beauty of Whistler and the laid back West coast lifestyle. I'm definitely looking forward to it. Congratulations to all the members of the Bicycles Plus Cycling Club who organized, volunteered and participated in this years Halifax Criterium. It's a big job, and tons of trying work to pull off an event like that, but as usual, our Club more than rose to the occasion. If we had just a little co-operation from the "wonderful Maritime weather", I'm sure the race numbers would have been much, much higher. Just the same, the Crit continues to be a definite highlight of the BNS race schedule, and our Club should be proud of their accomplishments. All members, give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done. Next, just placed an order for a bunch of coffee from Jim Dakaios at Java Blend. Shop stock is gone and my personal stash has been seriously violated. Running on fumes for the next day, so don't get in my way when I put on my first pot of "Deadly Dark" That's about it folks, time for this dude to hit the pavement, burn some calories, and shake the cobwebs out of my head. Hope to see you at the shop this week.

May 24, 2010 12:24 pm

Was I a man on a mission yesterday, or just someone with writers block. I guess we'll never know, because in all honesty, I can't remember yesterday, that's just the way it is with post night shift syndrome. "Did you mean to blow up the nuclear plant, or did it just happen?" Sorry, I can't remember. "Did the core start melting and producing toxic ions at 3 am?" Sorry I can't remember." What time did you eat pizza on your last shift?" Exactly 8:47 pm.

So as you can see, memory loss may be selective, or protective, but always well timed based on self preservation. So what went on at the shop today? Parked the Zoom, Zoom, Mazda 3 Speed, and had a ride every bit as nice on the old Grande Orange to and from the shop. Gotta love it, just pack your pannier, head to the shed, and pull the salty old beast out, hop on board, and have the ride of your life. That is the beauty of commuting, the beauty of Le Grande Orange, and the beauty of this time of the year. The day was dialed for commuting. Sunny, pleasant temps, and dry, what more could one ask for? By the way folks, if you didn't know, next week is HRM Bike Week, so lets get with the program and start spinning. There are tons of scheduled activities to participate in, all worthwhile, including our Bicycles Plus Cycling Clubs very own Halifax Crit that you can pre register for at your leisure right here. At the Ten Mile House today, busy with sales, busy with building bikes, busy, busy, busy, and busier as the day progressed. All my staff have been working extremely hard to keep all of you happy and me as well (very difficult/nearly impossible.) So I want to thank them a bunch right now. Kudos to Alex, Martin, Andrew, and Cory for doing such a terrific job and making my life a total cake walk. And don't forget my part time helpers, Todd Banks, Geoff Murray, Brett Skinner, Marie Soehl, and last but definitely not least Jeanne Ju. Sitting here winding out Matt Goods, On Nights Like Tonight, and loving every minute of it. Trust me folks, I try to break the addiction, but I just can't find anything that is more me than Matt Good. Well that's about it, the day is almost done, a bit more work on the site, and then I'll call it a day. Tomorrow? It will bring a new day, new excitement, and new opportunities. I just can't wait! See you soon.

May 24, 2010 12:24 pm

It's just past high noon, the sun is blazing, and I mean blazing down as if it was the middle of July. Got off of a long night shift at the nuclear plant this morning and headed to the shop at 5:30 to take care of a bit of some unfinished business. I made it home by 8 am and started in accounting for my lack of accounting lately. As the coffee flows, my fingers limber up, my night shift dulled mind starts to come back to life, and the next thing you know, I've turned into a mathematical machine. The pace becomes frenzied as I jam as many numbers into my program before the shop opens at ten. Oops, pushed it to the limit, as Alex arrives early at the shop and opens up the old file with dated data. Don't you just hate employees who show up not only on time, but early? LOL. All of that is taken care of and Kristie and I head out for a walk. That's right, not a run, not a bike, a walk. Now I'm not a walking guy, I run or I bike, I generally don't like to walk, but, today with the weather being what it is, and an opportunity to spend a wee bit of time with my #1 wife, well you figured it out, I did a walk. Back home, and now I'm dusting off the old web site with a bit of promo stuff about the best cycling race in the Maritimes, The Halifax Crit, which is taking place this up coming weekend. Our Club executive and members put a ton of work into this event, so please put a smile on their face, and show up and race the race of your life Sunday on the Halifax Commons. I'm hoping everybody takes advantage of the on line pre registration and show that road racers are moving ahead with the times, and out of the dark ages. Pre registration is simple, fast, convenient, and for now it even saves you money. Don't be a RDD, synonymous with Race Day Dummy, pre register right now! Now for the disclaimer, these thoughts on pre registration are the sole and soul view of me and myself, nobody else in the World. These opinions are not in any way representative of the Halifax Crit Race Organizers (They are nice people, unlike me). I'm usually pretty mellow on my blog, but I can't impress enough how pre registration makes an event like this go so much smoother and be a much better event in every way. Need I say the word pre registration any more? Glad you got it. That's about it for now, I've got a busy afternoon ahead, a warp speed ride on the Trinity SL Advanced, and then it's into the kitchen to do some serious cooking. What's on for tonight you ask? Fresh pasta, with a Marsala based white sauce filled with Island blue mussels, along with a nice bottle of dark cherry red Zinfandel to sip on as the sun goes down. Have a great day my friends, enjoy summer in May just like I am, and don't forget, pre register for The Crit...LOL... couldn't resist!

May 21, 2010 10:56 pm

Where do I start? It's been my first two days back at the nuclear plant after an extended vacation, and the adjustment just gets a bit more difficult every time I'm off. Let's start with the alarm going of at 4:30 am, ouch! Then into the plant and things happening at warp speed before 6 am, the time my aging mind and body just begin to function. Yea, you guessed it, the first two days were challenging, but enough of that. Got off tonight at six, left the plant and spun out to the shop to help one of our customers, one on one, and then zoom, zoomed home in time to hop on the Trinity SL Advanced 0 and go for a quick burn. After a post ride shower it was beer sampling time. Tonight, a New Brunswick newcomer, Picarroons Best Bitter goes head to head, excuse the pun with my beloved Garrison IPA. How does it fair? Well I love all locally produced craft beers and their goals, and I had some Picaroon product while in Fundy this summer during my camping expedition that were great, but as expected, the Best Bitter is no match for the over the top IPA. I'm still looking for something that will totally blow my mind and taste buds, but the IPA is it, yes folks, really it! Wow what a day, and more good stuff in store for us this weekend. Summer in March, and more Summer in May. This has to be the best spring/summer on record to date. Hockey? We'll leave that one alone for now, with hopes that what happened last night, will never happen again.(Could we be that lucky?) I only watched the first period, wouldn't/couldn't torture myself for two more periods watching something as sickening as that. Oh ya, Floyd says Lance and everybody else in the world is guilty of doping. That includes you and me. What do you think? I don't know about you, but other than excessive amounts of IPA, not to be confused with EPO, in my blood on Fridays nights, I feel I'm clean and will pass any test the UCI throws my way. It's been a long day, time to get a bite and a bit of sleep. I'll see some of you tomorrow at the shop, and until then, ride strong, ride smart, and ride fast.

May 17, 2010 10:58 pm

Sitting at the keyboard with my Sugoi compression tights on, and getting ready to head down stairs to have some supper. After working t the shop today I hit the road to do a fast, at this age all things are relative, faster than before, faster than I felt like really going, so yes, a fast 8K run before calling it a day. The day/evening was absolutely beautiful, sunny, pleasant temps, couldn't ask for anything more from the month of May. Got in the door, and starting checking my emails, replying, and working on providing Giant Canada with some tidbits of info that may be develop into something very exciting in the near future. Tomorrow is a full day already, and I haven't even started the day? Getting more and more of these coming at me and not quite sure why. On another topic all together, my daughter (my little Princess) Steph is only 10 days away from her Euro trip of a lifetime, and with that, my concern starts to grow. I know it's totally unfounded, she's perfect in every way, and I definitely encourage her to go and truly believe that what she will learn on her two week trek will be more valuable than anything she learned at university this year, but hey she's my baby, and she always will be. Just a heads up to all who are out there within an earshot of his blog, "DON'T MESS WITH MY BABY" Good, that's been taken care of, and I no longer have to worry. What next? Al Mumford, of Breakaway Productions emailed me tonight wondering if I can lose 35 pounds and whip myself into shape for the two up TT he's staging in June. I told him not to worry, the Trinity SL Advanced 0 is starting to smoke on training rides, and the excessive weight I've been carrying all winter will be gone come race day, along with any chance of any other team beating us. Yup, you've got it, bragging, bravado, trash talking, I have always have scored straight "A's" in this discipline. Some things will never change. One more thing before I go. It was a real pleasure today to see a customer, an old one, well not old, but an early customer of mine from years ago come in for a visit. This person always had a twinkle in her eye, was always full of energy, had a personality that most of us would kill for, and was just a jewel in every way. Many years ago, I offerred her a position at the shop, but it just wasn't in the cards. Then she disappeared. I haven't seen her for probably 6/7 years, but today was like the last 7 years had never happened. She looked great, she was the same old Michelle, she was still very much incredible. She mentioned she had been ill, but that was behind her, and I hope forever. She is an absolutely wonderful person who can't be ill, she is far too young, and has far too much to offer the World. Michelle Harris, it was absolutely wonderful to see you today. My day could not have been any better because of you dropping in to say hello. Please don't be a stranger again, life is too short, and you're too wonderful a person for all of us at the shop not see on a regular basis.

May 15, 2010 11:24 pm

Now that's more like it, late night blogs, foolish home pages, and nothing but total nonsense available on this site. Success at last! I'm listening to you know who, while the rest of my family sleeps. Kristie has been fighting a cold, Steph is working the early shift at the bakery tomorrow, and the Nickster is out on the town hanging out? I spent a few hours today with Jeanne Ju, staff member, Bicycles Plus Cycling Club member, and well known female athlete in both the Maritime cycling and triathlon community doing a fit for both her new road and TT bike. As always, I learned something new today during the fit session, and Jeanne hopefully got a much better idea of what my fitting sessions consist of, what tools I use, and where my fitting ideas are generated from. Check out her report on the BPCC forum site if you have access to it. Yesterday I did my first two laser alignments as part of a couple of fits, and I must admit it was very rewarding. Both customers felt an immediate difference in their pedalling stroke, witnessed the knee alignment, (trust me folks, seeing is believing) and both were totally impressed with the new service we're oferring. The more theBicycles Plus fitting services evolve, the more excited I and my clients are getting about the results. I would be negligent in not commenting on the first BNS /Breakaway Promotions race tomorrow at Starrs Point. I've heard good feedback on the race, the new BNS categories, etc, the vibes are good, so I'm hoping for a really good turnout for the first race of the year with nothing but growth in numbers to take place from here on in. Good luck to Al Mumford, the driving force behind Breakaway Promotions, and all the riders who participate in tomorrows event. I'm going to try to get up to provide some help if I can manage the time. Hope to see all of you tomorrow.

May 13, 2010 8:31 pm

Today was a beauty for sure, lots of sun, lots of awesome spring weather, and a recovery day for me as I focused on prepping for tomorrows big push before the weekend hits. Two fittings scheduled for tomorrow, with a couple of fast veteran roadies from the Valley. Looking forward to blowing their minds with a new TT fit tomorrow and then Saturday brings in staff member Jeanne Ju, and we all know Jeannes credentials, for a late afternoon/early evening fit. Same thing, simple flexibility test, laser leg alignment, motion analysis review to see what has changed and how it will impact power/aerodynamics. Love this stuff, it's just so cool and makes so much sense. I planned on having a lobster pasta for supper tonight, but I spent too long at the shop and instead had a wonderful poached salmon and rice pilaf instead compliments of my favorite wife, Kristie. Also spent the day avoiding, or trying to avoid my good buddy Mark at the refinery. You see Mark is a true blue Hab fan, and right now he is on cloud nine along with his fellow loser Hab fans. He doesn't realize that his team is weak, actually horrible, substandard, pathetic, and trust me folks I'm being very kind with my words because I'm a Leaf fan, and understand the meaning of terrible. Anyways, he spent the day texting me in an attempt to bait me into a Hab/Leaf debate, one I might add he will never win. Let's just say, the Hab luck will run out, it always does, and when it happens, it will be a happy day for me, and one of dismay for all the Hab fans out there. Hey I might even have to start hoping for les Canadiennes, that will certainly put the kiss of death on them. Until the next game, be at peace with yourself, and when the next series begins, Hab fans prepare to feast on a meal of total misery....Blue and White forever..next year is our year!

May 11, 2010 9:04 pm

Awesome day at the shop, went into the day with a list that was manageable for a Superhuman like myself, and knocked all tasks for the day, and accumulated a perfect score! Sitting here punching away at the keyboard listening to Matt Good at volume levels totally unacceptable to most humans, (don't forget I'm Superhuman, so don't worry, it won't hurt me, but would probably kill you.) Busy day at the shop for sure, good sales, lots of miscellaneous things cleaned up, but also a rare day where I had a chance to take some time and talk to a few people instead of totally ignoring them and marching forward to "do what I have to do." Headed out for a 10K run early this morning to burn off some excess caffeine from the early morning ritual of 10 cups or else before heading to the shop. I felt great wearing my new compression tights from Sugoi, they really make a big difference. I lost the other pair I brought home to my son Nick, also a runner and obviously another huge fan of compression products. Tomorrow will be a Trinity 0 SL day, and depending on the weather, may consist of an early ride, or a late one, but will definitely be ride fast day. I'm slowly getting accustomed to the super low position I've set myself up on, and getting used to a pedal to the metal pro speed TT machine. I truly believe when I'm ready to go, which will be later than usual this season, I will be really ready to cook up some fast TT times. What else? Hope to knock off four fits this week and I'm definitely excited about the huge potential for our new laser alignment we're offering in our new fitting studio that is exclusive to this region. Cool stuff, technical stuff, and stuff that has been proven to generate more power and reduce the chance of injury. Sound like a good idea to you? Want to get in line for the service, then click on this link, Laser Me! Sorry, you won't be first in line, this service has definitely created a buzz in the road/TT community. Surprised? I'm not.

May 8, 2010 8:19 pm

Hi folks, I just crawled out of bed a few hours ago recovering from a tough night at the nuclear plant. But guess what? I'm on vacation again, and you know what that means. Mega hours at the shop, the odd bike ride on Le Grande Orange, or the Trinity SL 0 Advanced, customer promises made that can't possibly be kept except by me being Superhuman, etc. This morning I used the speed of my new Mazda Speed to Zoom, Zoom away from the plant as quickly as possible, and headed straight to the shop to clean up some unfinished business. Then it was out to do some lobster shopping, because tomorrow is Mothers Day guys, just in case you forgot., and my Mom loves lobsters, and tomorrow she's gonna get them, and it will definitely be a great day with all our family planning on being aound for the event. After the lobsters were cooked, (bathed in moderately hot water to be politically correct) I checked out for a short ride to Nine Mile River on the Trinity. The bike is feeling better, but I'm still testing the limits of my neck with the very low set up on the front end of the bike. Time will tell if I can ride this low, but I have to practice what I preach. The Shimano DI2 shifting continues to amaze me, the bikes stiffness in all areas continues to keep me alert during rides after night shifts, and the coolness factor of having the exact same bike as the one Dennis Menchov will be riding in the TDF reigns supreme for sure! After a post ride soak in the tub, with a few ZZZ's mixed in, it was off to bed for a scheduled two hour recovery session.(anything more would be a total waste) Things went off without a hitch. My phone was turned off, a very rare occurence, and next thing I know it was 5 pm and time for supper. Just did a quick site update, and am sipping on a Garrison Gold Medal winner. Next stop, the 46" Samsung to watch Sid the kid dismantle all Les Canadienne fans dreams from further fruition. Tomorrow? Mothers Day, bike orders, accounting, run, bike, and a bit more work on the site. Then I have to get ready for the Giant Demo Night set for Monday evening. Please join us, and test ride some great bikes that may very well be capable of replacing your gas guzzling vehicle for the Summer/Fall season at least. Have a great wekend! If you see me out running or biking, be sure to tip your hat. I'll be sure to return the favor. Signing off for May 8, 2010.

May 5, 2010 10:48 pm

Well as many of you may have sensed, I was bummed out last week knowing I had to leave the shop after a two week hiatus and head back to put in time at the nuclear plant. Well it's not very often that I get inside the control room and have, "my day made', but on Tuesday, my first day back, it was. Doug says, "aren't you on vacation again next week? I said "pardon?" And the from there the day just get better and better, as indeed it was found to be true, that vacation is just around the corner again. So next week I'll be making promises I can't keep again, filling my day with a "to do list" a mile long, and planning on riding my bike everyday, and actually getting out on it not once. Reality check folks, that has to change! I have to find a balance, a balance I haven't quite established yet. I want to help my customers, I want to take care of my fitness, I want it all like everybody else, but for the early part of this season, my customers have been the winners, I've been the loser, and because of this, I'm not race ready or happy. That will change next week. I will be on my bike, I will help my customers, I will be in a good mood with my staff, and I will once again put on my red cape, grab my Giant with my left hand, and become Superman once again. (See photo above to the left, yes that's me, next week) Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Barry aka Superman, flying though space on the "fastest bike on the planet, the Trinity SL Advanced" Look out folks when you see me on the road, I'll have my head down, and my cadence high. Don't get in my way unless you want to get hurt. Cheers...

April 30, 2010 11:14 pm

Well the month of April is now toast, and as much as I'd like to say I'm heading into peak riding condition, if I did, I would be telling a huge lie. It's been a big month, a busy month, a month that would be unmanageable if I hadn't had the good fortune of being on vacation from the nuclear plant during the last two weeks. Tomorrow I'm taking the day off, let me qualify that by saying I've got my alarm set for 5 am, and I'll be up and at em, and off to the shop to build a couple of special bikes, for special customers first thing in the morning while most of you are still in bed enjoying sweet dreams. The week has been very exciting, and very fast. I now have the Trinity SL Advanced at home and ready to ride, I have purchased a new Mazda Speed 3 from my good friends, the Scarff family at City Mazda, so I can Zoom, Zoom even faster than I ever have before. So I have no reason whatsoever for being late at work, or having poor race results. Speed, or potential speed has a way of curing most of the worlds problems. Late for work, pedal to the metal on the Mazda Speed, off the pace by a second or two at the provincial TT, push harder, hurt harder, knowing you are riding a bike, the Trinity SL 0, that really has no equal in the mere mortal world. What else? No pictures for the Staff profiles yet, website updates have been less than stellar, but in reality as I sit here beating away at the keys, I have managed everything that most could ever hope to manage. By the way, the PBL All Star weekend is taking place this Saturday/Sunday, and may I remind you it is a good chance for you to get out and try something different, and have some really good fun. I'll be there with my wife Kristie, my Son Nick, and another guest TBA. I'm looking forward to it, looking forward to a mini break from the shop. Have a great weekend folks, you won't see me at the shop on Saturday, but my guess is, Le Grande Orange will be parked outside on Sunday as I tighten up a few losse ends before I start the new week,

April 27, 2010 7:37 pm

So what happened today you ask? Well today was a planned day off, and with that, it began at roughly 5:30 am as I crawled out of bed and headed off to the shop to get a start on the day that would allow me to make a quick exit before the shop actually opened. Here is a learning that I passed onto Martin, one of our new employees this week that pops up each time I have breakfast. I now understand why I skip breakfast on a regular basis. This week I had some pancakes and bacon, and could only drink 6 cups of coffee with it. You see folks, it all comes down to caffeine intake, and food, quite frankly interferes with this process. No breakfast, and I'm good for 12 cups of coffee, eat breakfast, and I'm limited to 6. So there is another little life learning you would never have been exposed to unless you frequented this site on a regular basis. It really pays to read this blog, trust me..LOL! So what else, I checked out of the shop at about 9:30 am and headed home to place some orders and follow up on some emails. Then it was lined up that today I would get a new car, but when I arrived at City Mazda, a little hiccup had postponed this transaction by a few days. Spent a bit of time chatting with Steve Scarff, General Manager of City Mazda, a fellow entrepreneur, Bedford native, and shop customer. I like Steve, he's like me. He has a passion for his business, his family, and his customers. That's why I Zoom, Zoom to City when I need a new set of wheels, and you should too. Got home earlier than planned, made some pizza dough from scratch, prepared the select toppings, then headed out for an 8 K run, which was tough after the shop ride on Le Grande Orange yesterday. Yes folks, I'm extremely soft right now, no legs, no wind, and no brains. I got home, showered up, and cooked up two smoking pizzas and enjoyed sipping on a Garrison IPA before the meal began. Thought I'd post a quick update here, and then check out the hockey action for the evening, if there is any. Tomorrow it's back to work/play at the shop. Lots of promise, lots of potential, lots of what keeps me alive and kicking. I'll see you soon, until then, ride like every ride could be your last.

April 25, 2010 6:35 pm

Hi folks, planned on penning this one early this morning, but it never quite came to be. First off, my apologies to my staff who put up with me yesterday, I was much crankier than normal, but want to let you know mode that has passed, at least for the time being. You see it's been here for over 4 weeks, first it jumped on my back, then it started to dig it's claws in my neck, at week 3 it started to laugh at me, and finally this week, it was kicking it's heels into my side while whispering in my ears, "build me, and you will be fast" Anybody guessed what I'm rambling on about here? Bingo, you got it, my Trinity SL 0 Advanced. How can anybody in their right mind get something so sweet, keep it in a box, for 2 weeks, then pull it out, but not finish building it for another 2 weeks. Well, who ever said my mind was considered "right"? Enough said. But yesterday, come Hell or high water, it was going to happen, the bike was going to be finished, and the bike was going to be ridden today. Last night when I got home at about 8:30 I felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders. The bike was built, and after a couple of challenges, damn don't you hate challenges, fitted using my hi tech fitting studio and it's leading edge tools to perfection, the bike was deemed ready to move onto "test phase 2." Will I be fast? Definitely. Very fast? Well I have the machine, I have the perfect setup, all I need now is some training, and because I have the edge over everyone on the first two counts, with a bit of time in the saddle, lets just say I'm hoping to show some people that at age 54 there is no reason to start playing golf, riding a Harley, or any of those other things that are a total waste of time until you are about 90 or 100 years old. So today I took the machine out. How was the "precious" you ask? WOW!!! Capital letters and exclamation marks all around! I started out of the subdivision and checked out the Shimano DI2 shifting. Damn, I said, I must have somehow pinched or cut one of the wires, because it wasn't shifting,....or was it? As I looked back, it was bouncing back and forth perfectly at my request, but so smooooth, so quite, that I thought it wasn't working at all. Now for a front shift, BAMMMM.... just like on the Batman TV show from years ago, (Sorry many of you won't know what I'm referring to here) You push the shift button, hear a funny "neeaa" sound, and it's all over, you're there. So DI2, in a nutshell is absolutely amazing, (trust me folks, I don't get excited about a whole lot after years of fires and explosions at the nuclear plant) and now have comitted to saving my beans for the electronic upgrade on my Giant TCR Advanced 0 road machine. So out on the road, for the first real, well not really "real" ride of the year, but not far off, and it's sort of hang on and try to remember how all this shakes out again. There is no way I'm venturing down to the aero bars for a bit, the wind has picked up, the traffic is heavy, and the bike on the front end is very quick. I have my training wheels on, my old Zipp 404's, and the wind is testing my limited road skills (I'm an aerobic machine, not a tecnical rider) as I head towards Dartmouth with my riding partner, my life partner, and my best friend, Kristie. Is this a fast ride? No! It's a test ride, a culmination of months of planning, anticipation, and expectations. To shorten it, to rush it, would be absolutely stupid. So after a bit I drop down, way down, I repeat, way down, to the low front end I have set up, and it's like instantaneous power and speed. I envision the movie Star trek, where Captain Kirk tells Scottie to wind the Enterprise up to warp speed. Acceleration is immediate, effort is minimal, as I turn into a blur and blast off into dark space. My mind is reinforced with my fit process and training that preaches "low is good" if you can get there. I'm low, I'm fast and fearful, all at the same time, and realize the Trinity SL0 has turned me into a different TT rider forever. Isn't that everybody's dream when they get a new bike? If you're sitting on the fence, "just do it", you'll be glad you did, just like me! Whoooosh......yes that was me, going by you on my new Giant.

April 23, 2010 9:28 pm

OK, I just couldn't keep all of you hanging out there in limbo any longer. Here is a quick hit with what's been going on in the last couple of days. Put in a solid day at the shop, left at 5:30/6:00 pm, got home and immediately headed out the door for a run. A run? What's with this guy? He owns a bike shop and spends all of his time running? Don't worry folks, aerobic fitness, have you heard of it? I'll be mounting Le Grande Orange tomorrow morning regardless of the weather (actually hoping it goes down to -30 or so, but not much chance of that happening) On Sunday I will be cruising on my new Trinity SL 0 and you will definitely get an update then as to how wonderfully fast this bike really is. I managed to set up the DI2 Shimano electronic shifting today on the bike, it's super cool, but that means nothing until I actually get out and ride it under load, so please wait for my test ride report! What else? Seems customers are liking the Argon 18 product, and Argon 18 is liking me. The bikes are flowing through the shop, and why not? Sweet looking, Canadian based engineering and company, ridden by Ironman Tri Pro, Torbjorn Sindballe, please folks, don't ask me to pronounce it, especially in French. And yes, I'm on vacation, and as such, I've totally forgotten about the nuclear plant, I've been enjoying and been super productive everyday at the shop and I hope that when my vacation is over, I'll forget to go back to work and nobody will notice. Chances of that happening? Well, let's just say not good. Enough said, still on vacation, and life is splendid. So I believe I already mentioned this would be a brief blog, and that it will be. I'm off to have a quick shower, head downstairs to watch the Habs get hammered into never ever land, and then it's into bed and get ready for whatever wonderful things Saturday will bring all of us. Hope I make the grade, if so, I'll see some of you tomorrow at the shop. Keep an eye on the road for the silly bastard riding an orange bike with grey whiskers on his chin, and a smile on his face. That will be me.

April 16, 2010 8:48 pm

Fast forward two days, and here we are again. The weather has cooled off this week and with it, the pace at the shop. Just getting ready to head downstairs and check out how Sid the Kid is doing against the Senators, and then it will probably be an early exit to the evening. Mark this date down in your calendar folks, April 16, the day Barry left the shop early. It's sort of the same as the total solar eclipse, it happens once every ten years or so. I headed to Halifax to pick up a bunch more of our very popular shop tees, and then dropped in to say hi to my friend Brian Titus of Garrison Brewery. Of course, while I was there a box of mixed beers somehow fell into my arms (always seems to happen when I visit), so tonight and this weekend there will be some exquisite beer tastings happening indeed. I have to focus on the Staff page this week, so look out staffers, Big B will be snapping photos of you at the least expected moments for immediate posting on this site. Hope to have some fun with this page if time permits, so give me a week or so and then check it out with the latest updates and find out the very darkest of secrets about our new staff members. This weekend will be devoted to getting semi caught up in my accounting, and to getting the Trinity SL0 ready for riding. Monday will be a Grande Orange commute day, as will be the rest of my vacation. Looking forward to it tremendously, I've let myself turn into a sedentary slob the last two weeks as I traded my soul and my deepest desires to the Devil in exchange for keeping our customers happy and satisfied. Now that things have settled down a bit, it's time to find that balance in life that most of us find so hard to achieve, me being no exception. Have a great weekend, enjoy the sunny weather, and make sure you get out on your bike. That's my plan, it should be yours as well!

April 14, 2010 6:47 pm

It's only early, but I thought I'd seize the moment before it passed. You see I escaped through the gates of Mordor (the nuclear plant) at approximately 5:45 am this morning. Of course I headed right out to the shop, (where else is there to go at that time of the day?) because I had some very serious business to take care of. Yup, you got it, today, the first day of my vacation, would be dedicated to putting my new, faster than the speed of sound, and hopefully, faster than the speed of light, new TT bike, the Trinity Advanced SL0 together. It's been in the shop for more than a week, but today was the day that it would be assembled, tweaked and then exposed to the harsh light and extremely high expectations of the game called Ultimate SPEED. The machine is a fantastic piece of technology and componentry. I will spend the next week in my new fit studio, studying, analyzing,, and dialing in my fit, that will lead me to ultimate glory, or somewhere close...LOL. At my age, you can call it dreaming, or just plain losing my mind. Either way, is acceptable to those who haven't reached the twilight zone as of yet. I'll let you know more as I know more, but for now, I have a machine that is well above my abilities, and the challenge is to increase my abilities and challenge the bike in the up coming months, and trust me, that's my goal. After working on the Trinity, I headed home with a list of about 12 things to do, all were business related other than to cook pizza for supper. Not just any pizza, but my very own speciality pizza, for my very special family. Kristie, Steph, Nick and Jeff have all made commitments to sample (due to the fabulous culinary experience vs. the fabulous opportunity to see their long lost Bike Shop Dad) Fast forward to the Coles notes: Supper pizza is perfect, never any doubt, Kristie has headed out to Bridge World for Global Domination, yes it runs in the family, Steph is writing a paper for her final mark at Kings College before she heads to Europe for a three week tour, Jeff is on his way out from work for a bite, and Nick has gone to work until about two. I invited Kadiri Richard for supper, but he doesn't think he can make it in time (he's in London, UK) So here I sit, listening to who? No wrong, I'm listening to David Bowie, from his extraordinary album back then/CD today, called Outside. Great stuff, I bought it 14 years ago and lost it. Today was a wonder, I had a full day off for the first time in three weeks, albeit after a 12 hour nightshift. Does that qualify as a day off as far as the Department of Labor goes? Now that I'm on vacation, things will change. I'll be riding Le Grande Orange to the shop, I'll be on my TT bike, take Tuesdays off, I'll be a good boy, and I'll be at the shop/home for the next two weeks where I belong. For now, the nuclear plant is a just faded memory of the past, and that's the way I wish it was forever. Enjoy the day, seize the moment, and be thankful you're able to experience it. Thanks for listening folks...see you at the shop.

April 11, 2010 11:58 pm

Just getting ready to have some supper, but before I head downstairs, I thought I'd give you an idea of what went on today. Here goes, up at 4:20 am (yuk) to head into the nuclear plant for dayshift. I was actually awake before my phone alarmed this morning, probably still on a high from the hockey game last night where my Maple Leafs destroyed Les Canadiens, right in their home rink. Anyway, definitely a quite day at the nuclear plant although there are always Developments. I got a call from Alex early afternoon and he has blown his back and spent the morning at the hospital, looking for good drugs/any drugs that would ease his pain. That means I'll probably be holding the fort tomorrow through the day and I had to arrange for Andrew, the workhorse of the shop next to me, to come in at 4 pm to allow me to go to work all night at the nuclear plant tomorrow evening. Thanks Andrew, and hopes of a quick recovery for you Alex, actually any minute from now would be ideal. After the 12 hour shift at the plant, it was out to the shop to make mods on one bike pre sold, build another bike that is pre sold, and put together some orders that will have to be placed tomorrow morning somehow. Home at 9:30 and straight upstairs to tackle the mound of accounting that has been piling up while I've been too busy at the shop to attend to it. Just a little bit of this, and a little bit of that has been my recent recipe for success. Behind in everything, but not terribly so, and I know from experience this rush will only last for another 3 to 4 months, so no big deal LOL.... On my way into the smoke factory today I made a committment to myself that starting next week, at least one hour minimum of each day goes to me, not my shop, not my accountant, not to my website, but to me. I'll be on vacation, need to get on my bike, need to get fit, and need to take care of me, so I can be strong and take care of all of you. So there you have it, that's my day, that's my plan, and now it's time to catch a bite. See you on the road! Trust me, you will, next week. Take care...

April 9, 2010 11:40 pm

Another over the top day. Rainy days are supposed to be slow in the bike shop world, but today was nothing short of stellar. I started early and finished late, a trend I have seen a lot of lately. A quick update on this site, trying to bring it back slowly from being totally stale to marginally stale. I headed to the shop this morning and had some good ideas to pen into this blog tonight, but the long shop hours and the impending early start to tomorrow have basically turned my mind to mush. Looking forward to the Leaf/Hab hockey game tomorrow night. I'll be sending out numerous text messages to all you loser Hab fans after my Leafs knock you out of a playoff position again this year. Sunny day coming tomorrow, a busy day coming tomorrow, I'll see you then. I'm the old guy running harder and faster than everyone else, trying to keep you happy.

April 8, 2010 10:33 pm

Hi folks, just wanted to drop you a quick line before I grabbed some ZZZZ's. Yes, you heard that right,ZZZ's, and SLEEP. Another knock your socks off day at the shop, definitely a pleasure, where I got to do some mechanical work, a bit of selling, a bit of chatting with a couple of my best customers, did a bunch of whistling songs (noticed by Martin, who is surprised I'm not a musician of some sort), and some good work on the fitting studio. The weather was absolutely perfect for almost anything, and the shop traffic was proof of what the sun will do for the bike business in the early Spring. I got home after six, had Gold Medal winner, and then had a bite to eat. I'm actually ready to go into recharge mode right now, in an effort to gain enough energy to start fresh tomorrow with all of you. Hope you all had a day at least half as good as I did! If so, you probably had the best day of your life. See you soon, see you often, but make sure we see you. We can't be your #1 shop if you don't come in at least once a day.

April 6, 2010 11:43 pm

So today was very much so a recovery day, sort of along the same lines as when you train, following the hard day/easy day routine. Yesterday was a definitely a test. I had worked the previous night from 6 pm to 6 am at the nuclear plant and headed into the shop to build a bike or two, organize a thing or two, and then beat it out of Dodge before the onslaught began. Well the planned exit didn't happen. It was too busy, we were too short in personnel, and it just wouldn't be fair to my staff to jump ship during the long trans Atlantic trip. So I stuck it out as long as possible, until I had to go back to work at the nuclear plant for my last night shift. Was I tired? You bet! Chernoblyl time, as we call it at the plant, (the time that you should not really do anything for fear of destroying the world as we know it) came early last night. Even though I had followed Health Canada's recommendation for getting at least one hour sleep for every 48 hours you are awake, I was still a bit sketchy. So this morning when I headed home from the nuclear plant (yes this is really true, a customer recently told me he reads my blog and thought the nuclear plant was just make believe) I knew some down time was in order. Hit the sack at 7 am and up again at 10:30 after realizing I had slept thru my alarm. Damn. Wasted time, I hate that! Any ways, got up had my daily overdose of caffeine, showered, and headed out to buy furniture for our new fitting studio. Then I headed home and got in a good 8K run, before supper and a Gold Medal winner (Garrison IPA). Chipped away at my accounting, paid some bills, and planned the rest of the week while listening to you know who. I wanted to get a quick hit on the site before I head into the shop early tomorrow morning, so here I am beating away at the keys. We're behind in almost all categories except desire these days at the shop. Bikes need to be built, parts ordered, product priced, things cleaned up, and the list goes on and on. But hey, it's the same every year in the Spring. It's the time of the year, the best time of the year, the season shop owners and staff plan for all year and are never quite ready for. See you soon, I'm the old guy with a big smile on his face trying to do everything and accomplishing very little...

April 1, 2010 9:20 pm

So where did that vacation go? Zip, nadda, nothing. I was sadly back to my real job today, as my make believe fairy tale life comes to a close for another little while. This month has been absolutely insane, for myself, my staff, my distributors, for everyone in the bike industry. For some reason, the big fella has decided to turn up the heat lamps and let a bit of sun shine on Canada from one end to the other earlier than any spring I can remember, but hey I don't really remember last spring, so that's not much of a qualifier. Winter is over, bike shop people have had the wave wash over them about 3 to 4 weeks early, and absolutely nobody is complaining. It's a busy time, a stressful time, a gratifying time, all of these rolled into one. New staff struggle with the pace, old pros laugh and claim they have seen it all before, even if they haven't. (Experience has to be worth something, even if it's only bragging rights) I tell staff at the end of the day it was "steady", no matter how insane it really was. Out of control? No, almost, but not quite, yes that's "steady." It's a special life, the life of the bike shop in early spring. It's wonderful, it's home for me.. gotta go, too busy to talk any longer. See you at the shop soon and make a commitment to yourself to get out and enjoy the terrific weather promised for this weekend.

March 25, 2010 11:05 pm

Isn't vacation wonderful. Here I sit, with a smile on my face and posting my third blog in 4 days. Impressive indeed! Imagine how nice it will be when I shed one of my two jobs and start the easy life of retirement, which in my vocabulary means "Having only one job, not two" Today was just an extension of what the last two weeks have been, VERY BUSY! Cory and Martin are working their tales off, Andrew has been in bailing us out day after day, (I like this big guy, he loves to work like someone else I know), Alex has been sending lots of happy customers out the door with very nice bikes, and Daver has been sneaking into the shop under the cover of darkness to help build bikes and assist in anyway he can after working all day as a mechanical engineer. Teamwork, you've never seen team work like this in action before, and it's wonderful to see. Thanks guys for everything. I know I haven't mentioned Geo, Brett, Todd, and Marie yet, I just wanted to give extra kudos to all full time folks that have been working at a blistering pace trying to keep everybody happy, but yes absolutely everyone has been contributing big time. What else, I have to mention the fact that any of you who read this blog once and a while notice I have mentioned IPA on more than one occasion. Martin asked me the other day what it was, and I told him it was my Kryptonite. I envision myself as Superman, (see photo top left, yes that's me, well almost me, I'm actually better looking than that dude) and there is only one thing in the world that can defeat me, IPA. Well lo and behold, after winning the best Canadian beer of the year for 2008, 2009, Brian Titus and his Garrison crew go out and win Gold at the World Beer Championship for 2010 for best beer in the World! (hey it will probably will win the best beer in The Universe next year) Folks this is like Canada winning Gold at the Olympics in hockey for Garrison. I always knew I had excellent taste, and I now it has been proven. Brian was generous enough to share the evening with us during our recent Customer Appreciation Night, and he talked briefly about the challenges and passion one faces being an entrepreneur. Well right now Brian is riding to the top of the "Big Ride" with his hands in the air, and I'm sitting next to him, riding the roller coaster we both call small business. Congrats to Brian, and all the Garrison crew. Well done for putting Halifax on the International map, and for showing my customers I know my bikes and my beer. Mmmm...beer.

March 23, 2010 8:31 pm

Excuse me folks while I have a flashback here. It was another busy day at the shop even though Alex predicted a slow day due to the wet wheather. Got home a 6:30 and checked out what went on at the homestead (seems painting is a common theme these days with Kristie painting the basement rec room and myself splashing a new color on the fit studio walls) filtered through my email, made some fit appointments, and sipped on an Garrison IPA before having a bite to eat. At that point I new I needed some new music to listen to. I went to ITunes, filtered through various genres and settled on an oldy, but goody, the Gregg Allman Band, "Playin Up A Storm" from way back in 1977. At that time in my life I was a young lad of 20 years old, who was in the prime of his life and enjoyed the odd brewsky (that habit hasn't left me) and played Senior baseball for the Dartmouth Indians of the Nova Scotia Senior Baseball league. That's correct, cycling was not my first sport! During my youth, I was an exceptional baseball talent and spent my summers honing my talents in hopes of some day making it to the Big Show. I was a pitcher who loved to be the focus of attention, and loved to load up the bases and then strike out the side. Back then I was classified as "strange and dangerous, a lone wolf, a madman" a label that has never left me and one I'm still proud of to this day. Am I different? Yes indeed. Am I eccentric? Yes indeed again. That's what gives me my edge, my desire, my drive to out perform others. That's me, like it or not. So here I sit having a flashback, and giving all of you who didn't know me or of me way back in the day, just another tidbit of where I come from and what I'm all about. Thanks for travelling back with me to those marvelous days. I look forward to travelling with all of you into the future, which I see as being an absolutely splendid place to be. Signing off for now, enjoying a cold IPA, enjoying life to its fullest, and enjoying the music of the Gregg Allman Band.

March 21, 2010 9:37 pm

You know how some people say they have had a full life and done everything they ever wanted to, well I just that kind of day. Barry did every item on your list get a check mark along side? Definitely not, because my list is a tad longer than any mortal can humanly manage, and I'm sorry folks, but these days I'm hovering in between human and super human status, but fear not, I'm still progressing toward the pinnacle. Started a mini vacation this morning from the nuclear plant at 6 am and I have very high hopes for the next 10 days. I got home this morning and started to cook the books (accounting) I was way behind in everything due to the explosion of activity the last two weeks at the shop. Spent until eleven drinking coffee, and entering data into my accounting package. At that point the sun was out, I was starting to bog, so I slipped on the sneaks and headed out the door for an 8K run. The sun was warm, my legs were toast, and the only thing keeping me moving was the gallon of "Deadly Dark Blend' sloshing around in my belly. Got home, had a hot bath, and got ready for the biggest Rainmen basketball game of all time against Puerto Rico. Crowd was a disappointment, maybe 4,000 (should've been 6,500 at least) but the game was the most intense I've seen at the Metro Centre with the Rainmen coming out on top. Great game, and then out for an early supper with Kristie downtown. The meal was delicious, the whole day was terrific, and I felt totally full filled in every way. Since getting home I've been replying to a few emails, working on a Facebook page (not sure if I can pull that off on top of the website, shop emails, the shop hours, the nuclear plant hours, the family, the on and on hours) and slowly trying to bring this website back to some semblance of respectability. I know I've got a long ways to go, but hey it's on my list with everything else. Some hot road bikes should be hitting the shop this week, spring Dakine and Sugoi clothing orders, and Dave Muph is working a night shift to help out our swamped techs Martin and Cory. Fit studio will get a clean up, new paint scheme, and I'll be shopping for new furniture to finish up the set up. This part of the business has taken off big time as cyclists from all over the Maritimes are looking for fit assistance from our process and our equipment. Well it's getting late, well not really, 10:07 pm, but for someone who has had 3 hours sleep in the last 48, the time has come to kick back and catch a few ZZZZ's. See you at the shop or hopefully later this week on the road. Might be riding Le Grande Orange or maybe my new Trinity Advanced SL 0. Let me make a correction there, if I'm on my Trinity 0, you won't see me coming or going, and if you're lucky, very lucky you may just hear me, although I doubt it.....

March 15, 2010 11:18 pm

Good evening to all! Just a quick one here as I wrap up my day. Busy? You bet, but I wouldn't want it any other way? Managed to get two bike fits in today, place an order or two, do a repair, help where needed around the shop, pay the staff, do up the source deductions, and still squeeze in a delicious IPA at the end of the day. After this little blog, I plan on heading downstairs to have a bite to eat and check out the hockey and B ball scores before calling it a day. The weather, yes, definitely still the story of the month. Love it, love customers coming in with dreams, with goals, with big smiles on their faces. That's what we live for at the shop! Hope to see all of you soon, hope even more to get out on a ride with some, if not all of you. I just need is a bit of free time. Heck free time, any time would be good for me. Fingers crossed, a mini break happens in the near future. Until then, you know where I'll be!

March 10, 2010 8:28 pm

Hi folks, just got in the door from a 10K run after a wonderful day at the nuclear plant, if there can be such a thing, well actually there isn't, but I'm super positive this evening, so play along with me on this one. Can you believe the weather, it's been absolutely awesome! After a late evening last night at the shop, after a long day at the nuclear plant, tonights goal was simple. Head home, get out for a run, enjoy the amazing day/evening, and work up a thirst for a super cold Garrison IPA, and then swallow up a bit of work as the evening progresses. So far, I'm on track. Popped on my Sugoi Helium jacket (fabulous product) and an underlayer, fitted my Ipod, and set the selection to Matt Good, volume level 10 and hit the road at 6:15 pm. Ran, ran, and ran some more. The darker it got, the louder the music seemed to get, and the faster it seemed I ran. I tried to run until my lungs and legs burned, but tonight I could not/would not be denied. I flew through the last kilometer, felt light on my feet, and was feeling like a thoroughbred as I slammed it into high gear for the last .5 KM. I don't have that feeling of power very often at my age, so when it swells up inside of me, I take advantage of it, and tonight I did, to it's fullest. Fast forward forty five minutes, 16 email replies later, and here I am, enjoying the best Garrison IPA in my entire life, listening to you know who, and punching at the keyboard with my two index fingers and occasionally my nose when needed. The great weather has brought many regulars into the shop this last week and I would like to give you some insight on some of the new faces you will see.

Alex Gionet, Sally's little/big brother or vice versa, is our new Shop Manager. Alex has four years managerial experience with Mountain Coast Sports, the Forzani Group, and has decided to leave the "Big Show" behind and join our small and intimate setting at Bikes Plus, right here in Bedford. Alex is very keen, cut from the same cloth as Sally, who all of you loved, so no worries there. Welcome aboard Alex, we have great expectations for you. Next on the list of new faces, will be Cory Pinhey. Cory worked at Bikes Plus six years ago, and since then has held a manager position in a shop in an Eastern USA two years ago, and last year worked for that other shop in town that someone told me starts with C. Hey everybody is entitled to one mistake in their life! It's OK Cory, as big a mistake that was, there are bigger ones to be made! Here is my request to all our customers. Changes happen, they are a fact of life. As Gary Fisher said, "Change Is Good" and you know something, sometimes change is tough to deal with initially, but usually, it is good, actually very good! Please welcome these new employees, cut them a bit of slack, but not much. If you have any issues, let me know, I'll make sure they are corrected, because that's what I get paid the BIG BUCKS. LOL.... Seriously though, please try your best to make these new employees feel at home, just as they are trying their best to make you feel special in their "New World." Customers are "King" at Bikes Plus. They always have been, always will be. As long as I'm kicking, that will never change, trust me!

March 7, 2010 9:26 am

Wow what a beautiful morning! I'm trying something different here today with an early a.m. blog. Hopped out of bed at 8:30, love getting up that time of the day, not a minute before, not a minute after. Coffee was already on, Lexor our dog needed to go out, and when I opened the door I knew were were all going to enjoy a jewel of a day. Skimmed through the paper, all 10 pages of it, the Herald sort of makes you feel like a speed reader, because there is really nothing there, and headed upstairs, with mug in hand to announce and hammer out a new Pre 2010 Sale list for the shop tommorrow. I'll do a bit of accounting before heading out for a mid morning 10K run. Looking forward to that. Put the Ipod on, layer light, and head out with my Giro shades on. I'm sure I'll see lots of folks today while I'm out. Runners, tri geeks, and cyclists, all think the same. Get outside and have some fun and hey if I get fit while doing it, so much the better. Then it's into the shop where I'm looking forward to hosting the Ladies Only Mechanics course this afternoon. Always a good time, always rewarding. Tonight hasn't been filled yet, but I'm sure by the time supper rolls around, the evening will be planned. Oscars? Sports? Work? I'll bet on the last option winning out. Have a great one, hope to see you while I'm out pounding the pavement...

March 5, 2010 5:02 pm

Gee Scott, thanks for reminding me via phone of my blogging duties. Not that I had purposely been absent,(like my high school years where I skipped class to take care of the real reason I was attending, to be the handball champ of Dartmouth High School) it's been more out of necessity. After a very hectic last week, things are coming back together rather nicely. Customer Appreciation Night was a huge success, well attended, with lots of positive vibes. Thanks again to all who came out to participate, and to all of you who thanked us at the end of the evening for the fun. Trust me, it was totally our pleasure to host the event. I'm still not sure who enjoys it more, our staff (what do you think Dave?) or or our customers? Let's say it's a draw and give both sides the bragging rights. I managed to get a reprieve from the "Devil" today when I left the nuclear plant. It was looking like I'd be forced in to work an extra two night shifts this week, which would have been similar to sticking a couple stakes through the heart of a vampire. But once again, the bike Gods pulled me out of the fire and I'm now looking forward to having the next three days to take care of business, my business. What else? Our new fitting studio is coming together upstairs, doors and windows are in, walls are up, and it's really going to be quite sweet. When all this is done, I'll be able to quickly clean up my fitting backlog and help many more customers with this service. Kristie and Steph, my wife and daughter, are heading out tonight with me to view Alice in Wonderland in 5D, not really, I hear that won't be available for another six months or so. It will be a very nice finish to a busy week, but we've got to leave early to make sure we don't get squeezed into the front row by the expected masses. There's not much worse than the "dreaded front row" especially when the "Drink Milk Cow" comes out and moos and the cow bell rings many more times than most are hoping for. After that you prepare yourself for the forty minutes of previews, which set up the half hour long "feature presentation". And don't forget to pick up a $24 dollar VALUE?? pak of popcorn and pop on the way into your theatre. I just can't walk by a deal like that, but who can? LOL.. That's it folks, my hit for the day, and definitely not my last for the week, I promise. If you want something sooner, just get on the phone and give me a call. I always aim to please!

February 25, 2010 9:51 pm

Gold is the medal of choice for the ladies Canadian hockey team (yahoo!!), now it's up to Sid The Kid and the rest of the Canadian men to stand tall. Isn't it a shame for all the other athletes that when it comes right down to it, the 2010 Olympics are really just an excuse for us Canadians to stage a hockey tournament and brag about our teams? Kudos to all athletes, from all countries for their dedication, sacrifice, and efforts put into something they truly believe in. Not to belittle the concept, but to draw some comparisons, it's similar to the life of a small business owner. You put out 150% effort on an off day, 200% on a strong day, do what your gut tells you to do, and live the roller coaster ride that is the result of hard work, and good and bad breaks. This Saturday night at Customer Appreciation Night you'll be introduced to a number of local entrepreneurs. I ask all of you attending to notice the energy and passion each of these groups and individuals possess for their products. It is this belief and commitment to what they do that makes them stand out. Moving away from the philosophical side of me, (where the Hell did that come from anyway) I'm glad to say today was a triumph, a day where I stopped the roller coaster at it's highest peak on the track, got out of my seat, and screamed wooohoo at the top of my lungs. Good things happened every which way I turned. I received good news via email, and good news face to face. I sit here tonight listening to Matt Good and his song Dusk, at volume levels definitely not recommended to those who value their hearing. Basically the song has a piano background, with a chorus of voices, all Matts I believe, starting out slowly, and steadily building to a triumphant crescendo at the end of the tune. Sort of like my day, cool! OK what else? The Customer Appreciation Night preparation is on target, a busy day tomorrow running around ordering and picking stuff up, and Saturday night should be a blast, a culmination of a couple of weeks work. Heard a nasty rumor Brian from Garrison may be bringing a small box of Imperial Pale Ale along with his arsenal of delicious weapons to the event. You know how Superman had only weakness, Kryptonite? Well lo and behold, the one and only weakness I have is IPA. Saturday will be the Mother of all challenges between good (no IPA for me) and bad (too much IPA for me) Who will win, only time will tell! Stay tuned.

February 23, 2010 6:33 pm

Hi folks, just finished approximately 12 hours of work while totally under the weather. Seemed to have picked up a super bug (the type that is incurable and kills people) on Sunday, and it has been testing me ever since. So does that slow me down? Yes perhaps. Does it stop me, definitely not! Kristie and Steph braved the warm winds of the tropics today as they headed into the heart of Jamaica via Air Canada, leaving poor little Nicky, my youngest son (Lexor the dog) and myself to fend for ourselves. Yes a scary proposition indeed, lets see, no vegetables for a week, no clothes cleaned, and dishes piling up to form slopes that will challenge anything Whistler, Vancouver, B.C. can throw at us. As of tonight my list is better than a mile long, with many projects timing out at about the same time as our Customer Appreciation Night this Saturday evening. I've got a stress reprieve planned for Friday night if I'm feeling better, where Nick, and Jeff, my #1 son will head out for a bite and a Rainmen Basketball game that should blow everybody's mind that is in attendance for the evening. Puerto Rico is coming to town and they haven't lost yet this season. Rainmen lost a narrow decision back about 2 weeks ago, and with home court advantage this week, I'm hoping will hand the visitors their first loss of the season. If any of you haven't been to a Rainmen game yet, this is the game to take in! Support another local business/sports team, and show your community pride. The guys on this team love Halifax, and love their adoring fans. Please become one! Well the time has come to crash and get some rest to enable me to go at least 200% come Saturday night. Thanks for checking in. Hope all of you will make a point of joining myself and the staff this Saturday night for Customer Appreciation Night.

February 18, 2010 8:23 pm

Cardinal sin #1 for a blog, don't leave it unattended for great lengths of time, or folks will stop visiting. My sincerest apologies, I will never let it happen again....at least not consciously. Funny isn't it how a great 10K run, a nice hot bath, and a tall Garrison Black IPA (yes it's new, yes it's in limited supply only at the best Micro Brewery in Canada, Garrison Brewery, much more limited now that I know it exists, and it's absolutely delicious) can turn a day around on a dime. Where was I? Oh yes, it's funny how I get sidetracked when I talk about beer. After a challenging day/week, don't get me wrong, not a bad day/week, because I've never had one in my life, just a little speed bump I've hit this past week, I sit here with Matt Good playing Weapon and I feel like the Champion of the World. In the upcoming weeks I'll do amazing things, things not thought to be humanly possible, things totally out of character for a crusty old bastard like me, and absolutely anything that needs to be done, I'll do it, and do it with passion! Sound like I've lost it? Not really, not yet. Welcome to the real world of an entrepreneur, a world I love. You see when you take the plunge into the small business owner world, most guarantees immediately disappear, along with most of your free time. There are stressful times (now), and there are absolutely wonderful times (now as well) and you soon learn that this is a fact of life for your "New world. Tonight I'm excited, tonight I'm stressed, but tonight I'm still glad I'm an entrepreneur. Like a heavyweight boxer who has just been knocked down, I'm back on my feet, shaking my head, clearing the cob webs, getting my bearings, and getting ready to come out swinging. Look out everyone, "Here comes the Champ!"

February 9, 2010 9:42 am

Left the nuclear plant this morning shaking my head. The last two mornings I have been stopped and searched by security on the way out. I must have looked a tad shadier than normal this morning after a busy night of producing numerous tons of CO2. It's great to hear a company talk about its greatest resource being their employees, and then watch them treat their employees like criminals. But that's OK, welcome to the "New World." Well this is a bit different, it's usually am when I get to blog, but usually very early am just after rolling past the last pm minutes. My java levels are high (post a 10 cup carafe), my feet are cold sitting up here in my office, and I've got a busy day ahead of me. Just popped up a new home page to make sure folks don't think I'm a crazed gun fiend, not that there is anything wrong with being a gun fiend. Some of the best people in the world are gun fiends aren't they? I've been trying to get the 2010 staff page updated on our site, but I'm having a bit of trouble coming up with an appropriate header picture for the page. You know something tasteless and boring that folks will recognize instantly as my work. It will come, I know it, I just have to be patient and let it happen naturally. If you try to force it, that's when the mental block kicks in. Customer appreciation is coming together, the shop organization is falling into place, and the really cold weather has left us for a while, yeh! Tonight is staff training night, so I'm attempting to pull together some material to motivate and super charge my wonderful team. Sally will be presenting as well, and I'm looking forward to her insight. The day is only young, but it won't take long to slip a way. I've got some more bean counting to do, then out for a quick 10K run and then hop in the tub for a nice hot bath before catching a few ZZZZ's. Then it's up and at'em before heading to the shop for six. Have a terrific day and remember, how the day shakes out depends totally upon you. Do yourself a favour and make it a great one, I'm going to!

February 3, 2010 12:20 am

OK so we've entered February and old Shubenacadie Sam says another 6 weeks of winter. I say, if we really need to get our weather forecast from an oversized rodent, we're really quite doomed. Tell you what, some might say I have the intelligence of a rodent, so if I truly do, I will stand up and contest Sams prognosis. Being a contrarian by nature, I will go on record as saying there is not six weeks left in winter, actually I'll up the ante, and state there will only be six days left in our winter!. I can hear the cheers loud and clear from across the nation except Whistler, BC, where the ski hill still looks like it did when I was out there in August downhilling. No fear Olympians, I'll fix that too. Remember I said only six days left, but they will be six serious winter days for you in BC only. I know, I'm the best. I hear that comment all the time. Now that I've taken care of all the climate woes, I"ll resume my focus on the shop and what's been taking place in my life. Great day, things are going well and our Customer Appreciation Evening planning continues to come together nicely. Finally got my hair cut today, too many people were coming up and asking me if I was Crusty the clown. Got out for a 10K run for the second day in a row, and tomorrow is a Le Grande Orange day, so I'm staying active and having fun. What else, staff training set for tomorrow night at six, another good day for sure coming down the pipes, I can feel it, and Matt Good continues to play in the background. It's getting late, I've still got a bag of chips to eat, (just can't resist after not having any for a week and a half), so adios amigoes, see you on the road, bright and early tomorrow morning. I'll be the guy frozen solid to his orange bike with a smile on his face as wide as an open barn door...lol

January 29, 2010 9:15 pm

Well what do you know, I'm finished my day shifts at the nuclear plant, and the skies are still blue and the inhabitants of Metro Halifax are still alive. Amazing indeed! So you may notice I tend not to blog on the evenings I'm at the plant and that is definitely on purpose. My day starts very early, 4:25 am and ends rather late, 6:00 pm. Over the years the stress of the job has consumed me to the point of where I need to retire early and be prepared as best as possible to face the wrath of the "devil" the following day. It is for this reason mainly, that I'm absent from the blog board during these days. But today was a very special day, not at the nuclear plant but when I got home. As some of you know, I try my best to stay in touch with Kadiri Richard, my favourite B Ball player in the whole world who used to play in Halifax, but now plays in Worthing, just outside London, England. We text, email and phone each other once in a while, but tonight we shared a terrific laugh via ooVoo, whatever that is. It's sort of like Skype I guess, although I've never used it. We were making funny faces, laughing, and reminiscing old times just as if we were in the same room, and the only difference was it was 9:00 pm our time, 1:00 am the following day in Kadiri's time zone. It was a total hoot, I could not believe the fun we had. More on this at a later date, but be forewarned, you may yet be exposed to this technology in the very near future. So it's Friday night, the staff pays have been completed for tomorrow, and it's almost time to head downstairs and watch my Maple Leafs play (and probably lose) on the tube and enjoy my supper at the same time. For any of you planning on visiting the shop tomorrow, I hope to see you there. Take care, stay warm the next couple of days, it's going to be cold, and walk with a smile on your face. Take it from me, nobody listens if you complain any ways, so be happy, and spin life into a positive light.

January 26, 2010 12:40 am

This is the last late night finish for me this week. Had a busy day today, it was HST day, and for those of you who don't own or have never run your own business, you don't know what you're missing. You can stay right on top of your accounting, as I try to do and still lose a day or two to finish off your Receiver General quarterly report. It involves adding up all the tax you have collected for our poor Conservative government in Ottawa and then subtracting all the HST you have paid on products you never really own, but just move through the business. Without computers, forget it, it would take you forever, really. With computers, be prepared to be buried in papers for at least a day or two. Any ways, I'm standing on top of a mountain of invoices and think I have things under control. I have to comment on my latest gizmo, my IPhone which I'm finding is coming in handy for allowing me to surf the net and spend a bit of time researching things I just didn't get time to before. Tonight while ordering pizza for our staff training at Tomassinos, I had 10 minutes or so to check in on Dan Emphield and his Slowtwitch site to scoop up the latest and greatest in the Tri world. Got home at 9 pm after a staff Giant PK session at the shop with Guy Pellerin, and while I was heating up supper, had a few minutes to check on the latest Rainmen news (sorry folks, not all my interests are cycling or work related) so it's no wonder Apple just reported it's best ever quarterly results. I love my Macs, have for years, and I'm quickly learning to love my IPhone. PC's, well they are sort of like Treks, Cervelos, and Specialized bikes. Everybody has one, they're not much good, but hey everybody is entitled to a mistake once in a while. Saucy aren't I? My Mother always said I was a bad boy, and I believed her then, and still do to this day. The staff is starting to put some plans together for our Customer Appreciation Night, all of you are invited by the way, trying to get a steering committee meeting set for a shop sponsored Duathlon for 2010, trying to line up our staffing for the spring, trying to squeeze in a run or bike everyday, and trying to find something to fill the downtime I have right now that I waste when I go to bed at 1 am and lay around and do nothing until 4 am. What a waste that is...lol. Actually the bell has rung, lo and behold the clock has struck one, and it's time to call it quits for the day. See you on the road my friends, have a great day, not sure what day it is, just know it's a new day!

January 25, 2010 1:36 am

Hi Mr. Q, I know you read this blog and I know you and many others wonder how I manage to do what I do day in and day out, so here's my secret, you start at 6 am in the morning, work hard all day, finish up at 1:30-2:00 am the next day and still end up with a "leftover list" to carry over into the start of the following morning. Am I over worked? No, the way I look at it, is I'm just having more fun, than anyone else. I got up early this morning, loaded up with my favorite shop blend java "Deadly Dark" and went to work on my list of emails that required replies, then headed into the shop for some banking, product pricing, and preparation for my mechanics course scheduled for noon. Today I taught a great bunch of guys, had lot of fun, and as always, managed to carry the course well past our scheduled finish time sharing a pointer or two to the alumni of January 24. Afterwards, I headed to the Bicycles Plus Cycling Club AGM where I witnessed why our Club is the best in the Maritimes, hey probably the best in Canada. The Club is in great hands, made up of members and executives who love their sport and want to see it grow and blossom. After the AGM, home I go, have a bite to eat, and then upstairs to give the web site a quick make over. While I'm working away, I get a text from Kadiri, saying his team, the Worthing Thunder of the British Basketball League won again, that it was late, and he'd call tomorrow with an update. So the day is almost done, tomorrow I'll get out early in the morning for a long run, and then duke it out attempting to get my 2009 fourth quarter HST report completed and filed. Then I'll prepare some topics of discussion for our staff training that we're holding tomorrow evening from 6 to 8. So Ya, you could say things are pretty quiet around the bike shop these days, lol.... but if I did, I'd be lying to you. Congrats and thanks to our Club executive and members for doing an absolutely splendid job and sacrificing valuable time and energy to create something special for so many of us to enjoy. As members we should all attempt to help out in anyway we can to enhance our Club and at the same time lighten the load of those who have worked hard to get us to where we are today. Remember, the strength of our Club is the collective sum of all members efforts and contributions.

January 18, 2010 10:15 pm

Well what do you know, just like that another week has gone by. So what's been going on? The shop is full of boxes from all our distributors as we race against time to get things received, priced, and organized for the new season which is just around the corner. Sally is working on some special plans, Roger is busy dialing in all the new 2010 bikes, and I'm sitting around drinking coffee and taking it easy. I had fun this weekend putting on mechanics course #1, with the second one coming up this weekend. I did manage to get to a Rainmen game this past Saturday, by staying up all day after working all night at the nuclear plant. It was a great game with a crowd of about 4,000, so it was definitely a good time. Next game, this Friday night, and I'll be there cheering on my Rainmen. Hope to see you there, good fun, good entertainment, if you're seated in the right section, good laughs. I'm on a roll as far as carrying out my New Years resolution goes, well almost. I'm either getting out for a run every day, or riding to the shop on Le Grande Orange, so my extremely excessive weight is dropping quickly, my curly hair is growing back in on the top of my head, and I'm finding that I'm smiling a whole lot more these days. The other resolution, which was to reduce my extreme passion for Garrison IPA is not going quite as planned. I bet Brian Titus, CEO of Garrison Brewery was pretty concerned when he heard of that rumor seeing I consume probably fifty percent of his plants capacity. Well sleep easy Brian, I'm fighting a good fight, but damn it man, your beer is just too good to be denied. Over the Xmas break, I purchased 4 new CD's and as much as I enjoy them, yup, you got it, is that Matt Good I hear in the background Barry? Terrible thing going on in Haiti, terrible things have been going on there forever. It's great to see countries, and individuals doing what they can to make things better for those poor souls during these very difficult times. So the next time you feel like whining and complaining about something so trivial that it shouldn't even be mentioned, consider just how lucky we are to be Canadians. That's about it folks, see you on the road, in minus 28 degree weather, in a blinding snowstorm, and on a hot sunny afternoon. I'm the guy who's got the world by it's tail and is wearing a big smile on his face as he rides his bike into the future.

January 8, 2010 9:08 pm

You know we're only 8 days into the New Year, but it's already been the best ever and we're just getting started. Got out for a run this afternoon, listened to some vintage Matt Good on my Ipod, and ran as hard as I possibly could. My reason? You just never know when your time will be up, so live life as if it everyday is your last day. Let's face it folks, it will pretty hard to run fast tomorrow if I'm laying around dead, so give'r while you can. The shop is going great, I'm excited about our new 2010 plans, and Sally is doing a super job in her new position (keep it up Sally and remember to lead by example!). Yesterday was my birthday, 35th actually..lol, and it started at a bit early this year, actually about 8:30 pm on the 6th when I got a call from Kadiri wishing me a Happy Birthday all the way from Worthing, England, about 50 minutes outside London. We had a great chat, and then after working at the nuclear plant all night, I headed home for a few zzz's, but before I went to bed, I had a visit from Eric and Mary, Kristies' parents and they presented me with a card and a wonderful bottle of California Zinfandel. But the best present of all had already been delivered on January second, one that nobody could match. I have to take a second to talk about miracles folks, because Eric and Mary have lived one. A year ago on this blog I mentioned about someone getting some very bad news about their health. Stage four cancer is terrifying. The docs tell you there is nothing they can do, to get things in order, and then they give you a rough idea when the end will be and send you home. Well Eric has been there. He asked to have some chemo done, hoping it would slow down the inevitable and give him a bit more quality time with his family, and the doctors said they would give it a try, but not to expect much. Treatments were started. Post treatment tests were completed and showed it was actually helping. Lo and behold, a 2010 New Years call from his family doctor stated his latest cat scan showed absolutely no sign of the cancer. Unbelievable? Yes? Great news? Yes! A miracle? Yes again. So for those who are having a tough time and facing some personal struggles, take note. Things can and will get better. Sometimes it's an attitude change, sometimes it's a renewed commitment to your core beliefs, sometimes it's going to take a miracle. Either way, 2010 has already been a remarkable year. A birthday present? How could you possibly get a better one than that?

January 2, 2010 7:45 pm

Happy New Year folks, welcome to 2010. How has your Holiday break been? Mine has been super excellent, my head is still spinning because I've had so much time off in the last two weeks. (three days off is a months worth of off days for me, and to have them all happen in a week and a half period, wow!) I've enjoyed the good food, and I'm in the process of finishing off a few Christmas gifts as we speak, (thanks Sally and Todd) a couple of IPA, which I have found out over the season, has displaced the all mighty American dollar as far as the generally accepted world currency goes at the bike shop. Don't have a VISA, MC, or cash? Oh, but you have a few IPA in your back pocket, well we'll see what we can do. Just kidding everyone, you never know if Revenue Canada is reading this blog, so I've got to be careful with what I say. I've checked out a couple of movies, Sherlock Holmes, and Avitar, both good in their own way, but do they really match up against the true classics? I think not! Waynes World 1 and 2 both blow the newcomers out of the water for story line and special effects. Remember when Wayne pulls his underwear out of the dryer and they're like way too small. Now that's special effects at its' best, and what about the famous fight scene between Wayne and Cassandras' dad, the best fight scene ever to be shown on the big screen. No way, way! Anyway, this week has been very relaxing week and on the "Mother of all Eves" New Years Eve 2010, I made my secret resolutions, that may shake the foundation of the World as we know it today, or perhaps I'll just renege on all my commitments and continue on as I have for the past few years. Seriously ladies and gents, and I do believe I've set the mood for that, well maybe not, but that was my intention, I have committed to a few select changes that I'm hoping will make me a better person, and help me move into the next decade with a renewed lust for life and enlightenment. Okay, I'll stop here right now, because I have either totally lost you, or you've figured out by now that I've totally lost it. Probably right on both counts. Anyway, I'm glad we've all made it into 2010, I think it is going to be a wonderful year, full of positives and surprises that will put lots of smiles on the faces of people just like you and me (crazy people that is). All the best to you and your loved ones in 2010. Stay healthy and happy, ride your bike, and enjoy life like you never have before. I'll see you on the road.

December 29, 2009 1:07 am

Well I can't get much closer to the New Year with my blog than this. Time is quickly running down on 2009, and that's fine with me. My mind, body and soul have already crossed the border into 2010, so I'm well prepared. I hope you had a great Christmas break. How did mine go? Awesome! The skating party was great fun, although I was hoping for a few more skaters to come out, but maybe next year. Then came Christmas Eve with all my family at my Moms place for her traditional chowder and lasagna feed. Thanks again Mom, it was a real treat! Home for Christmas Eve with all my family around me, Jeff, Nick, Steph, Kristie and our dog Lexor. That's the best right there, I really didn't need anything else to happen to make it a truly great holiday, just having my children with us made the day/week. How lucky I am to have such a luxury considering some of the families of our Armed Forces who have lost loved ones this year while fighting for our freedom. God bless them and their families for all the sacrifices they make for us. We're proud of them and the beliefs they fight for. Christmas morning comes and we open our presents and then wait for the Edgar Family Christmas Meal extravaganza at Kristie's parents house. Moist turkey, the best stuffing in the world and Mary's secret recipe from the Bob Cratchett days "plum pudding" that we all enjoy after the big meal. Family, food, and the acknowledgement of our good fortunes make the day extra special. On Boxing Day, I'm fortunate enough to be in contact with Kadiri, who is home celebrating Christmas with his Mom and friends in South Carolina. He's doing well playing for the Worthing Thunder in the British Basketball League and says hello to all of you who had the pleasuer of meeting him while he was in Halifax. The Holiday Season goes by so quickly, but not too quickly for me to realize what I've known and said for years now... I'm the luckiest guy in the whole world, and very thankful to enjoy such a privilege. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and remember to focus on all the wonderful things that happened to you in 2009. I truly believe, 2010 will be even better, if that's possible. See you on the road!

December 22, 2009 12:55 pm

Well it's certainly getting close to crunch time as far as Christmas goes. The toughest job of all is getting a parking spot anywhere near the malls. They tend to lure you in and then hold you prisoner. I love the crowds, enjoy seeing others frantically buying stuff for the sake of buying, not really caring what they are purchasing, but filling the void that we all feel we are personally responsible for filling, and then rushing off to their next destiny. The parcels are loaded into the car, you check your watch as if you're in the midst of a race, you're making good time, and then it happens, the dreaded traffic jam getting out of the parking lot. Longs lines of nasty cars, with even more nasty drivers willing to take no prisoners to be the first one out of the lot. Ah yes, Christmas is upon us for sure. The shop has seen a steady flow of traffic, the 2010 stock is arriving daily, and all members of my staff are looking forward to a few days of family, food, and fun. Santa will be arriving either Wednesday or Thursday at Bicycles Plus with a bunch of premo lobsters hanging out of his bag from Yarmouth, thanks to my good Euro buddies, Jimmie, Derek and Chris. Thanks guys, love the lobsters, love Europe, and love you. Roger and I will be in the shop early Thursday morning to start Christmas Eve Day off with a bang, and then after helping some last minute shoppers, we'll head home to our families at noon. This year all the moons have aligned and I'm off from the shop and my "real job" this Christmas, sweeeet! All of you who have never had to be away from home or had to work Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, count your blessings. I've done my share and more over the years, and absolutely nothing beats the joy of being home with your family for Christmas. To all of you who have supported us over the years, and to those of you who are new friends of ours, the staff and myself wish you a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season. May good friends, good times and good memories be in abundance during this Holiday Season and God bless all of you.

December 17, 2009 9:20 pm

Hi folks, just got in the door from a whirlwind Christmas shopping spree with my #1 daughter Steph. Today was a busy day, starting off with a wee bit of a shaky start. You see last night while watching my Leafs get beat on the tube, I popped up into the pantry to see what might make for some tasteful foraging. What I found shook my spirit to the ground. On the top shelf I saw one totally collapsed bag of Java Blend beans, and no other reserves in sight. I panicked and grabbed the bag, feverously shook it to find it contained a total of 3 beans max! Now I know many of you will wonder what this is all about, but if you live to love/love to live for the smell and taste of a great morning java as I do, you'll know this is very serious stuff. So this morning, at 8:20 am on the dot, when I always awaken unless I'm scheduled for "a day in Hell at the nuclear plant," I laid in bed and contemplated whether life would ever be the same again, whether I could actually get out of bed, whether I could ever function again as a normal, well OK, not normal, but semi normal human being. So here I sit, proof that the human mind can overcome the most daunting and darkest of all challenges, such as getting out of bed without a 10 cup carafe to greet you when your feet hit the deck. Man that was definitely a true test of courage and integrity, one that I hope to never face again in my lifetime...lol. Where was I, oh yes, today was a car day, my apologies world, sorry le Grande Orange, I truly wanted to pedal in today seeing it was ideal weather for a nutbar like myself to ride in, (cold and snow are the best conditions to get true nutbar status) but I had committed to being home by four and had a late appointment at the shop with Guy Pellerin, our super Giant Bike rep, which created the need to zoom, zoom in the Mazda today. Got home for supper and then headed out to take care of business, Xmas shopping business. I'm sure retailers love to see me walk into their store. I'm one of those guys who knows what he wants, and just wants to get in and get out, and while I'm at it, break the world record for the most money spent in the shortest period of time ever. Is there anything wrong with that? I think not, if anyone out there has tendencies similar to mine, please drop by the shop in the next few days, and we'll be sure to elevate you to Christmas Superstar Shopper status. It was a fun night with Steph, and a night where I tried to impress upon her how lucky our family has been over the years, how fortunate we have been to be spared tragic events, and misfortune that tend to face too many families these days. I mention this as we drive by the Halifax "Turning Point" building for homeless Metro people, while we both talk about the heartbreaking event that took place last week in Cape Breton with the death of young James Delorey, and the list goes on and on. What I stressed to Steph is not to weigh herself down with all the terrible things that go on everyday, because that has the ability to bring down the biggest and best in the world. Instead, acknowledge the fact that you have been very fortunate indeed not to suffer the way many others have, and to celebrate and cherish the things we far to often take for granted. Life is good, life is precious, and you should never take it for granted. See you on the road, I'm the nutbar with the smile on his face, ringing his bike bell while heading towards the shop.

December 14, 2009 6:24 am

Todays plans are starting to come together as I sit here pounding back my second cup of java, one of many that I will consume this great morning. Don't look folks, but it's the 15th of December and we don't have any white stuff laying on the ground yet. I'm listening to a new ITunes down load, called The Tokyo Police Club, a band from Ontario. They produce a good driving beat, great for drinking coffee with, probably beer too, but it's far too early for that, not to say it won't happen sometime today. Where was I? I always seem to get sidetracked when I start thinking about beer. Yes, reconcile a few accounts, transfer the file, do up the pays and deliver them to my well deserving staff, pay the government their source deductions at the bank, head out to do some Christmas shopping, with a definite stop planned at the Garrison Brewery for a special parcel pick up, then out to the shop to introduce myself to our newest employee. Then it's straight home where I be piecing together an Italian delight of gnocchi and veal parmigiana this evening for supper. So other than that, I'll just be kicking back taking it easy after a full night shift at the nuclear plant. Sleep? As I've said many times, it's highly overrated..lol. Remember, please stay off the road this afternoon from 2-6 pm while I'm driving home. I find I always get my best power naps while I'm behind the wheel of the Mazda doing about 110 kph. Gotta Zoom, Zoom, see you soon.

December 13, 2009 4:11 pm

Just got in the door from a super 8K run. Spent the morning working on my accounting and a quick web site update, and then headed outside for a well deserved "burn" before heading into the nuclear plant for my first night shift. The warmer weather and no wind environment was a welcome break from the last two days. The sun felt absolutely splendid and warm as I cruised on the side of the road stretching out my stride. It's funny you know, my knees snap and pop when I bend down, my right hip cracks and pops with every walking step I take, but when I'm in full stride running, my body runs like a well oiled machine. No noises, no pain, just a huge adrenaline rush that makes me smile from ear to ear. I can't say it enough, I'm so lucky to blessed with the good health and luck the Lord has bestowed upon me. Thanks Boss. I'm just catching up on some basketball scores to see how Kadiri did in todays game. Hope things went well for him and his team mates as they attempt to move into a playoff spot. As for my Maple Leafs, well we in "Leaf Nation" are enjoying every bit of the last two weeks after being the laughing stock of the hockey world at the start of the season. The Leaf win last night, washed down with a Garrison IPA or two put me in my "happy place" as the clock struck midnight. Well I've got to get going and grab my dice, which I use to help me decide which buttons to push when things go South, and head out the door. Look out Halifax, I'm at the helm tonight at the big smoke.... Oh yes, one more thing, everybody, and I mean everybody who reads this, get your skates out and ready for next Saturday nights, Christmas Skating Party. Looking forward to seeing all of you there.

December 7, 2009 7:27 pm

What an awesome day! How else can I put it. Blew out the gate (the gates of hell at the nuclear plant) doing ninety eight m.p.h. and headed straight to the shop this morning after my last night shift at the refinery. Tackled some unfinished business, and then spent about 20 minutes chopping ice from the shop stairs and spreading salt in hopes that by store opening time, the walkway would be safe for all to navigate. So how was the Matt Good concert Friday night you ask? Unbelievable, I tell you with an exclamation point! Mother Mother was the opening act they had been hyped to be, and Matt simply blew me away with his energy, song selection, and attention to detail. Steph, my daughter, and date for the evening, was equally impressed with the event. So why do I just love this guys music, how many different reasons do you want? Worked on year end inventory this morning, and at high noon I headed out for a 10K run. I tried out my new Sugoi compression tights along with the compression socks both I and Nick (my son) will no longer run without. Impressive is the word that describes it all best. The sun was out, the wind was minimal, and believe it or not, after working all night, and all morning, I felt fast. I pushed hard, and finished with the Ipod on max and a very large smile on my face. After a nice shower, I headed out for a bit of Xmas shopping, (glad you weren't on the road during that time, I probably would have hit you) and then home to cook up some of the best pizza this side of Italy for my family. Supper was perfect, Steph, Jeff, Nick, and Kristie all home, all talking and having a laugh or two, while enjoying my fabulously baked creations. I love days when I get to spend time with all my family and have the pleasure of cooking for them. To finish off the day, I have a peek at my Palm Treo and see a note to ones self, "update blog", so here I am, before hitting the sack and calling the end to another wonderful day. Matt's playing in the background, I'm tired as Hell, but thrilled with the all the positive things I've experienced today, probably more than many experience in a week, and thankful as always that the Good Lord has provided me with much more than my fair share of "the good life" for today. See you on the road tomorrow..look for me on "le Grande Orange" heading into the shop.

November 26, 2009 8:58 pm

Tough week, that's the best spin I can put on it. I had a few things to do that you wish you never have to do, things that don't happen often, but when they do, it's really tough to deal with. But it's in the past, and the future is always bright, at least that's the way it's been for me in my life, and I won't let anything change that. So it's been a struggle up the mountain, I've hit the crest, and now I'm looking forward to going over the top. Today at the nuclear plant was a another test, a test that tells me my days at "the big smoke" are winding down. My mind and body are craving for a release from the stress, and looking forward to many (probably a hundred or more) years of riding my bike, working at the shop, running, and enjoying my family and the greatest gift one can have, my good health. Fast forward, I'm out of that zone I was just in and have instantaneously moved into my "Happy Place" again. Down loaded some new music for a change of pace, Hey Rosetta, a band from Newfoundland, gave them a listen, and just dialed Matt back in on Itunes. Am I like a broken record? Yup I guess so, it seems no matter what I do, who I listen to, I end up listening to Matt. Good news is Steph, my daughter who is struggling to get over something?? not sure what, is still pegged as my date for the Matt Good show next week. I reminded her today, and hopefully that will lift her mind and spirit to the point where she overcomes whatever "bug" she has been dealing with for over two weeks. Get better soon Steph, and remember, beer works for your Father and would probably work for you. As the famous Beatle John Lennon said, "Give beer a chance", well maybe that's not what he said, but it's close to something he said. I hope everybody can make our FREE Christmas Skating Party on Saturday, Dec. 19, at 8:00 pm at the new Rocky Lake Bubble. This should be a really fun night indeed. Bring friends and family, anyone who likes to skate, to this brand new facility, just off the Rocky Lake Road in Bedford and skate for an hour with us for FREE. Need directions, call us, we'll help you. Signing off for now, hitting the road tomorrow on "le Grande Orange" because it's really supposed to be a mess, and hope your Friday, November 27th looks as promising as mine does.

November 20, 2009 6:25 pm

Just another typical first day off after night shift, except I was originally scheduled to be working at the nuclear plant this evening. My how I miss guessing which button to push when things get a wee bit out of control. Oh well it won't be long (four days to be exact, but who's counting?) and I'll be back in the saddle at the plant, managing explosions, toxic vapor releases, and all the wonderful things that go with my "other job". The week has been absolutely fantastic weather wise, and today was no exception. So you know what that means. Stay up all day, and crash early. Starting off with the usual dosage of 10 cups of coffee to get things rolling, I then hit the computer for bookings, emails, and some new logo work that I've been attempting to clean up. By noon I'm feeling a bit bagged, so lets pick it up by heading out for an 8k run. I have to admit, getting going today was a true test of my spirit, but the run was finished, the calories were burned and it did pick me up. Into the tub, for a nice hot bath, but not too long, because it feels absolutely marvellous in there, and if any time is spent relaxing, the ZZZ production will kick in big time. After my bath, it's onto the computer for some Matt Good, some more work, and then downstairs to piece together a bit of supper. Cheese, why is it after my night shifts, I always crave melted cheese. So a modified concoction of penne pasta, left over meatballs, and cottage, and mozzarella cheese is baked at 425 for 25 minutes. MMM.. I'm such a good cook..hard to believe I'm also a terrific bike mechanic. It's obvious some of us were hanging around longer than we should have been when "the goods" were being handed out. My productive hours are now behind me, I know and acknowledge this, so at this point I look at what the rest of the evening holds in store for me. Raptors are playing tonight, so I'll try to stay up for some of that, Xmas gift page for the web site needs to be prepped, and Lexor needs and demands a "belly rub" before her day is done. So I think I'll call it a wrap for today, looking forward to riding into the shop tomorrow on "le Grande Orange", hopefully having a busy day helping customers and seeing many of you at the Ten Mile House after the group ride. Take care, take advantage of this weeks great Nova Scotia weather, and enjoy life to the max.

November 19, 2009 12:02 am

Well today ranks as a pretty cool day in the life of B Misener. Started the day far too early, at 4:25 am, and I know it's far too early, because even Lexor, our dog has absolutely zero interest in getting out of bed at that time of the day. She looks up, shakes her head, gives me a stunned look like "you're absolutely mad" and then drops her head back to her bed, closes her eyes and starts snoring again. Smart dog, I say! Spent the day at the nuclear plant and was tracking the Olympic torch all day via radio as it moved through out Metro. I heard the plans for this evening at the Grand Parade, and decided that this was something I needed to participate in. I guess I'm one of the losers, along with about 9,000 to 12,000 others that "really need to get a life" according to some of the "experts" interviewed yesterday on the radio, regarding the level of local interest being shown in the Olympic Torch relay. Great show tonight Halifax! We should all be proud! A city of losers we truly are, and darn proud of it I might add. It was great to see "Sid The Kid" run the torch into town, showing a level of class that is far beyond his years (hope he is our flag bearer, hope he wins the gold for us in hockey, hope he leads the Canadian team out of BC Place victorious overall for the first time ever in Olympic history, we know he can, and yeah, he's just another loser from Halifax that needs to get life) Enough said, I think we all know who the losers are!

Afterwards Steph and I went for pizza, because that's what you do after working up an appetite during an evening of "nation building." Got home, did a bit of work in preparation for tomorrow, when the phone rang and Kadiri checked in from Worthing England, at 1:15 am his time to give me an update on his week in Great Britain. It's always great to hear from him, I only hope I offer him a bit of encouragement and humor each time we talk. Take care Kadiri, we all wish you were here in Halifax. It looks like my list for the day has been chopped down to a reasonable size, and yes as always, there will be a hangover in the morning of stuff that didn't get done tonight, but at this time, it's more or less manageable. (the later it gets, the more manageable it looks for the morning..lol) Signing off for today, happy and content, and looking forward to another positive day in the morning when I wake up. Hope you had a great one as well....

November 16, 2009 4:05 pm

Just got home after a wonderful ride to/from the shop on Le Grande Orange, had a quick shower and am now gearing up for an early evening out at the movies. The weather has been fabulous this past week and the riding great. Maybe I've started my commuting too early this year. No ice, no subzero temps equals no motivation for me. I like the challenge of riding in the messiest stuff the Great White North can dish out. I call it "Epic Commuting" where I and Le Grande Orange become one to represent good against evil. Tomorrow will be a big day at the shop. Sally Gionet, one of our all time best employees is coming back to Bicycles Plus. Sally will be managing a segment of the store in her new role, taking on new responsibilities and we're all sure she'll do a terrific job. Welcome back Sally, and good luck! Well after the first three weeks of the hockey season, it looks like I may have to come out of retirement. My Leafs are having a tough time in goal, and are definitely in need of someone who can "flash the leather" I'll give them another week to turn things around before the call goes into Brian Burke. Back to my commuting, if you look at my CO2 reduction tally on the home page, you'll see I'm actually closing in on my first ton of C02 emissions reduction. Hard to believe what a ton of C02 looks like size wise. A pretty big cloud is my guess, sort of cool to be able to tell folks that you've reduced CO2 emissions in the magnitude of tons. Just another reason for all of you to give it a try, have fun with it, and then let it become part of your life. See you on the road later this week, and don't forget to put those studded tires on soon....Safety first.

November 13, 2009 5:28 pm

You've heard it before, left the nuclear plant at roughly 5:45 am this morning with a huge smile on my face. Why not be happy? I'm looking at four days off and a ton of work to clean up at my second home, the shop. Not going to get down because of that am I, certainly not, that's what I live for. I get home and have 8 large cups of coffee, yes I'm cutting back, and clean up my booking program from two of my major distributors that have ambitiously pushed their deadlines ahead by a month. Check, done, now onto other stuff, lots of other stuff. At noon time, my feet are frozen, I'm uncomfortably numb, both body and mind, so I decide the time is now to head out for an 8K run. It will either fix me, or kill me. Yup it fixed me, there's still lots of juice left in these old batteries, but you'll only find that out by pushing the limit. Next up, supper for my family. For those of you who check in once in a while, you know I have certain specialities that "nobody does better" Well today my daughter Steph asked me to make macaroni and cheese. What do I say? It's not on my list, it's not what I'm known for. Well you'll get to know that if my daughter asks for it, she will get it, so that was the game plan for late this afternoon. Hey I can still throw one of my "specialities", "Apple Betty" in for desert to save the day and not feel like a total fish out of the water. So supper is prepared, and I slip upstairs to check my email and dash down a quick blog. Itunes is playing #92726880_96a2c538 where ever the heck that number came from. I'll help you out there folks, Prime Time Deliverance by Matt Good who I look forward to seeing live, with my daughter Steph on December 4th, at the Cunard Center in Halifax. (Kristie won't go with me because she is sick and tired of hearing Matts' music over, and over, and over at home) Speaking of my better half, I just heard the back door close, and my name being called, gotta go, when the boss calls, you answer. Have a great weekend, listen to Mattt Good, ride your bike, and be happy! That's what I plan on doing...see you on the road!

November 10, 2009 10:08 am

Wow, it's been a week since my last post. Busy yes, a fair bit of work, but I've got hockey and B ball games pulling me away from the computer earlier than normal, and thus some things fall off the table. (looks like my blog has been one of those things) Lining up mechanics courses, attempting to get my 2010 parts and accessories orders together before the month end deadline, and....and....and.... This past week has been a good one, I'm happily back on "le Grande orange" and commuting back and forth to the shop. Where did yesterday come from, awesome, everybody that came into the shop had a tee shirt on and a pair of shorts. Gotta love the weather in the Maritimes. Hope to have a productive day today and then celebrate Remebrance Day with my family tomorrow. I watched the hockey game last Saturday night and Don Cherry paid tribute to all who have died fighting for our Country the past year, rolling through the pictures, names and ages of the soldiers, and it was frightening. Young men and women the same age of both of my sons, sacrificing their lives for their Country at such an early age. God bless them all and their families. Tomorrow will be a tough day for them..Lest We Forget.

October 30, 2009 6:38 pm

First off, my apologies folks for having a major ZZZ attack on the 28th. It won't happen again. How soft can a guy get that he actually needs sleep? After being forced to work an extra shift at the nuclear plant last night, the day has been sort of a blurrrrr. I finished off the staff work schedule for the next two weeks, pumped out the pays, polished off a bunch of bank account reconciliations, wrapped up the 3rd quarter HST report and it's impending doom..lol....and then headed into the shop for an appointment with one of my customers, who is fast becoming one of my favorites, to finish off another tri bike transaction. I simply love road/tri bikes in every way, talking, singing, selling, etc. Just like Happy Gilmour, I have a "happy place" that is all mine, and it's road bikes, and anything that has to do with them. I'm presently listening to the latest addition to my music collection, Sheva, a young female musician from Halifax, that caught my attention last week and warranted a trip into to Stayners Wharf last Thursday evening. It's strange, but here in Nova Scotia we have a habit of producing great talent that simply cannot be ignored by the rest of our great nation. Sheva is another example of this. Check out Sheva's MySpace website that is filled with her own music, videos, and lots of other cool stuff, and when you're done, why not head to the Apple iTunes site, and purchase her most recent CD, and show your support for super homegrown Scotian talent. She deserves it! I actually just received an email from her thanking me for my encouragement, and Sheva wants everybody to know that she is very busy putting together another brand new CD. Good luck Sheva, all Nova Scotia is rooting for you! That's about it folks, I'm toast, even though I'm still alive and kicking. Hope today was an 11 on a scale of 1-10 for you, mine was! I'm already excited about tomorrow and all the positive things and wonderful people it will bring into my life. Hope your riding high like I always am!. See you soon...

October 28, 2009 5:27 pm

Absolutely wiped is the best way describe me right now. I left the nuclear plant at 5:45 am this morning and actually had a lot of loose ends to tie up today. I know, you've heard this story before and yes, the day has progressed with no sleep to date and I am now of a mind that is bordering on foggy/fading. I managed to get a few orders cleared up early this morning, drank a ton of coffee (lets not be vague here, seven cups to be exact, not quite a ton) when I got home from the shop, and at midday I headed out for a 10K run, just to be sure I would be totally buried by right about now. Guess what? It worked. Spent a few minutes posting to the Worthing Thunder's web site (Kadiri's team in England) telling folks how I'm a big fan and supporter of their favourite player, Kadiri. How do we get this guy back to Halifax so I don't have to deal with the time change, and overseas connections? Bike shop owner and BBall Team owner?? The possibilities are endless. I was hoping to knock off a few fit sessions this week, but a phone call came at 3:21 am last night while at work telling me that I would be forced to work nightshift Oct. 29, so my apologies to those who are in line waiting for a fit. I'll do my best to get things going as soon as I get a day off. Any ways, tonight is a great night for a little break, TV, Raptors and Leafs both playing and hopefully winning. Can I hang in and cheer my team o......................................................................?????????????????????????????????????????????ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.......ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

October 23, 2009 8:30 pm

Good evening folks, thought I'd post a quick blog tonight before I head back to the nuclear plant for the next four days. Today was a cool day, I got up this morning and felt like doing nothing, and that's just what I did. Spent a pile of time developing a new shop logo in Adobe Illustrator, now that's a piece of software let me tell you. I can pump stuff out on its sister program, Photoshop, but I'm definitely high and dry when it comes to using Illustrator. Progress is slow, results. bad, but it is progress nonetheless. Took old Lexor, our dog for a couple of walks today, made a smoking lasagna for my family, and listened to some new music by a local artist that I was truly wowed by, Sheva. I now have her first album release on my computer and hope to have her spell off a very tired Matt Good once in a while. Check out her MySpace sight and give her a listen if you care, she lives right here in Halifax, and can be seen at various clubs in town. Impressive to say the least. Here is another little tidbit I just picked up on today. Most of you will remember Kadiri Richard, my friend from the Halifax Rainmen basketball team a few years back, well my son Nick texts me last night at 1:45 am from work telling me I'm famous in England. Just a bad dream, bad joke, bad style, just bad at that time of the night. Today he shows me the cause for his text message. Here it is, Kadiri being interviewed in Worthing, England where he is making quite a reputation for himself playing for the Worthing Thunder of the PBL. Check it out, quite cool indeed. Well, four thirty am will arrive soon enough, so I think the time is right to sign off for this evening and wish everyone the good fortune, and good health I've been blessed with during this wonderful today.

October 20, 2009 6:52 pm

Bam, just like that, it's a week and a half later since my last post. What's new you ask? Well I've recovered fully from my California trip, although it did take a while to reset the clock again. I found I wanted to stay up late and get up late, which was not conducive to good business. It seems folks don't want to wait until noon time to buy a bike, get a flat fixed, whatever. Today is my first day off from the refinery, (left the gate doing 98 this morning) and although it was a very busy day, all the work was done from home. Went for a run with Nick, my middle son, who is home for a bit sharing his dirty laundry and appetite with Kristie and I. All joking aside though, it's terrific having our kids around, albeit for a moment only. Nick is finishing up university this year while working part/full time and keeping his debt to a minimum. Way to go Nick, definitely not a chip off the old block, and a good thing you're not. At the shop, the new bikes are rolling in and I'm getting raked over the coals for my teams performance on the ice (yes I'm a Leafs fan) from friendly Hab fans that are still faithfully clinging to the loser team of all time, Les Canadiens. I had a spare moment this afternoon, actually 2.5 spare moments and tried my hand composing some music with Garage Band on my Mac. (Note to one self, don't waste any more 2.5 moments composing, life is too short, and your musical talent is zero) I'll leave the music to Matt Good while I take care of business. What else? Deadlines, I received a call today from Stats Can asking me about my delinquent file?? What file?? It seems they have emailed me forms to fill out and I haven't co-operated. All news to me. Any ways, the poor guy at the end of the phone found out that after working all night at the nuclear plant and being pulled out of bed to talk to him, that I'm not the most congenial person in the world. The request is to provide Stats Can with the same info I already supply to Revenue Canada in regards to wages, hours worked, etc. I politely (or I that was my perception any ways) told him he was wasting my valuable time. If you want the info, get it from Revenue Canada who has all of it already. That didn't sit well with him, and his tone of voice didn't sit well with me. The next thing you know, it was truly unbelievable, someone must have cut the phone line, because I no longer heard him on the other end, and likewise for him. Really better off that way I think. (Strange the phone rang 5 minutes later and worked flawlessly) OK lets finish on a positive note, because that is the direction my life has gone for years, and hopefully will continue to move in for the years to come. I ordered my Trinity SL 0 last Friday as part of my plans for a great TT/Duathlon season in 2010. Equipped 808 and 1080 Zipp wheels, Dura Ace Di2 electronic components, the fastest frame on the planet, the only thing that needs a winter refit will be my aging body. I'm looking forward to a great winter of training, by having more time on hand, less stress to deal with, and a new outlook on what it takes, and how you manage your business to be successful in todays economy. More to come on this topic in future blogs... have a great night folks.

P.S.- Don't forget to tune in and watch the Habs lose tonight on TSN...lol..

October 9, 2009 12:13 pm

Just a quick post before I head off to zzzz land. I left "the gates of hell" at 6:00 pm and headed over to pick up my little Princess, Steph, who is in the process of getting educated at Kings College and living in Halifax for the school year. We drop into "Jane's On The Common" for a bite to eat, and talk about the week we both had. Steph is a private person, a lot like her Dad, and doesn't let out any secrets, while I explain to her the excitement of my week. I bring her home, share the terrific news that I got from Krista MacDougall (Fraser) today in regards to her new bouncing baby girl, Maggie Sherrie MacDougall. Kristie, Steph, Nick, everyone in the house is thrilled. I can honestly say I don't know anybody who doesn't love Krista, she's simply the best. Way to go Krista and Dave, all of us couldn't be happier for you, and now you will truly experience what a family really is, and how remarkably wonderful a thing it is. Awesome photo of Maggie, Krista, a jewel for sure, can't say enough about how happy I am. I could probably go on for a bit here, but I won't out of respect for the biggest and best news of the day. Ladies and gents, please welcome Maggie into the world and say a prayer for her tonight for everlasting peace and happiness....and, oh yes, a new bike. You knew that was coming...

October 7, 2009 4:28 pm

That's it, I'm going to flip the switch and turn the day off. Have you ever felt that way before? Most of us have, and usually for the same reason. You scream "I can't take it any more" as you pull the hair out of your head and start to cry. But this is not one of those days, and all of you know by now, that I've been truly blessed and have never had to face one of those days. (at least not yet) So what's up? Where is he going with this you may ask? Have any of you ever had a day where things have gone so spendidly well, so positive, so exciting, so full of potential that you feel you are about to explode? Well guess what, that has been today, so with that I'm saying "Hey let's save some of the good stuff for tomorrow, there's still a lot of days left in the year, and I don't want to use it all up in one day." Yes it has been that terrific a day and then some. There has been some recent (last couple of days) developments that have the potential to knock the socks off all our customers, all our suppliers, and the world, yes, I said the world. Will it happen, time will tell, but trust me, I'm excited along with a select few others at this point. Hopefully you can feel positive vibes flying off me in every direction, so I'll keep rolling along while purposely being very mysterious about the preceding blurb. So I'm home early from the shop to dial in my presentation for our motion anlaysis fitting introduction session for next Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 7 pm. Almost a full house with just less than a full week to go, awesome! Previewed a touch with Roger today and he stated, "people will be blown away with this stuff" so, if you want to attend, please let us know. If you're not on the list by October 11th, you'll be looking in from the outside through the back window of the shop to see what's going on. Listen gotta run, not go for a run, have to get back to work, have to read the paper for some BAD news to balance out my day, lol.. I hope your day was an equal to or better than mine. Remember to stay positive and spin those cranks, the next downhill is at the top of the hill.

October 5, 2009 11:38 pm

God it's great to be home. Trips are terrific, they provide you with a change of scenery, a change of pace, and a greater appreciation of what surrounds you every day. Just got home from the shop about two hours ago, and haven't had a bite since this morning, and am sipping on a, you guessed it, Garrison IPA. This swamp water is the best in North America for sure, no doubt about it, looks like I have to move off the continent to find an alternative. Australia, Iran, Iraq, any other places out of control that may offer something as delicious? Let me know folks, nothing anywhere close in California. Only time will tell. Today was a very busy day for me, a day spent planning and building relationships for 2010. I'm way ahead of all of you, not on my bike, but in my mind. New products, new plans, new goals, that's what make life so interesting in this business. Logged onto ITunes, listening to I'll let you guess, and yes his new release, which was purchased a month ago by me, is set to be released tomorrow. Can't wait, I've only listened to the CD about 10,000 times to date! Well just looked at my Palm, and I see where I have four more items to knock off before I get knock off for the day, so adios amigos.. see you on the road.

October 3, 2009 7:01 am

Good morning folks. Yes Kristie and I made it safe and sound back from San Francisco, and we are now happily settling into our daily routine here back home. Kristie is playing bridge 24 hours a day, and I'm doing a bit of catch up after being away, but things are not looking to bad at all. Just got off of work at the refinery an hour ago, and have to head back in for "the last one" tonight at the nuclear plant, so this post will be brief. San Francisco was better than my first impressions led me to believe, (razor wire, locks, chains, gates, and sirens can be very misleading) but by far the highlight of our trip was the great bike riding through the beautiful countryside of California. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat, I believe I have just put another piece of my retirement puzzle together and now have a clearer picture of how all that will shake out when the time comes. Let me see, I plan on living until I'm at least the oldest person on the earth, lets say 125 or so, and plan on retiring a bit earlier while I still have my excellent health, maybe at 115 years young. All of this is purely tentative and could be pushed back if my "Freedom 115 plan" doesn't pan out the way I hope. That's enough gibberish for now. Looks like a great day shaping up outside today, so I'll try to get a short run in if I get any sleep today. I don't know why, but I find it challenging to a 10K run in between night shifts without catching a few ZZZZ's. Obviously my vacationing has made me soft. Give me some more work, more coffee, more IPA, less sleep, and I'll be as good as new in no time. Have a great October 3 everyone! Get out and enjoy the day, the sun, and the great country we live in and I'll see you all again in the near future.

September 25, 2009 6:01 pm

Hi folks, just made it safe and sound from Sonoma wine country to one of the big cities on the west coast, San Francisco. As we roll into the city, I get the same feeling I get going into every city, why do people want to live here? Razor wire, homeless people sleeping in the streets, every window and door that is accessible from ground level is gated or boarded up. Why do people live this way, what have we become? There is definitely a stark difference between where we've been the last few days, and where we will be for the next two. Kristie and I get to our hotel, and the young gentleman at the main desk immediately notices that yesterday was Kristie's birthday. With that, he calls the bellboy and requests a bottle of wine immediately to be sent to our room, in recognition of Kristie making it so many years with me weighing her down (no easy feat folks) The hotel choice is excellent (all credit due to my better half) and the room is small, but cheerfully bright and clean. While sipping on a bottle of pink Californian Zinfandel we discuss what we have learned so far on our trip, and perhaps what some Nova Scotians are missing as far as potential business direction and opportunities go. More to follow on this one, but all I can say is kudos to local businesses that are selling and promoting home grown Nova Scotia products and our provinces natural beauty. That is why people visit Nova Scotia, to see it, taste, and take some piece of it home with them. That's why we're here, that's what we're doing, and that's what will bring us back for more. Heading out for supper and after that an early evening, safe and sound in our wonderful little Hotel Carlton, deep in the bowels of San Francisco..stay tuned..

September 23, 2009 9:18 pm

Here it is at the end of Day 3 of our Californian tour and things are going well. Just got in the door from having an extraordinary meal at The Mazinita, a small spot in Healdsburg, CA that has a very unique menu that features great food products from the local producers. I've positioned myself for the first evening in a while in front of my Mac notebook while Kristie is enjoying a bit of tv after a busy day. Got hooked up to the internet and went straight to the Matt Good site for a refresh on his music, I've been humming and whistling his music the past few days while on the road, but nothing quite satisfies my thirst like a 2 4 of Matt Good with the headphones set at max volume. Where do I start, sweet breakfast at the Apple Wood Inn this morning, then on the bikes. Took a side trip to Armstrong Park, a State park that is home to first growth native giant Redwoods, trees so divine and stately, it seems a total shame to hear the history of how most of these forrests were decimated during the goldrush days. After this wondrous adventure, we set our sails for the Korbel Winery. This is where the most famous North American champagne is produced. We get the grand tour of the facility and it's history, which was more than just very interesting, and I'm not a history buff, and then move onto a sampling session. I didn't think I liked champagne, but this stuff is quite nice. Kristie and I have a light lunch and are on our way again to see some of the outstanding wineries of the Russian River Valley. This is Pinot country, with the climate ideal for this finicky grape to grow to perfection. We check out Arista, and Hop Kiln on our travels into Healdsburg where the trip all began three days ago. On our way we field some common questions from other tasters, questions like, "There are some hills out there aren't there?" and of course "How much can you really drink before you can't ride your bike?", yes that is the question they really all want to know the answer to. The day was a scorcher at 93+ but as some of you know, my past life as a lizard has made me immune to high temps, but Kristie has also acclimatized to it very well in a short period of time, and we enjoy the warmth, knowing it will be very short lived. So with all my sampling of Chardonnays, Pinots, Cabernets, Malbecs, and Zinfandels, have I given up on the ales I live for you ask? Certainement, non, pardon my French, au contraire. I have been searching and testing on a very limited basis the best of the IPAs while here. Nevada Brewing company makes a good one, Dogfish Brewery which gets huge ratings as one of USA's most memorable IPAs, well what can I say? I've been known for years as saying in my lifetime I've never had a bad one, well I can't say that anymore. I know many of you will gasp in disbelief when I tell you this one got dumped down the sink at the halfway point. Yup, it was that bad. Never happened before, probably never will happen again, but yes there is always a first time, always. Well it's now pitch black in the room, the air conditioner is the only thing I here in the background accompanying Matt Good, and my eyes tell me it's almost that time again, time to thank the Lord for another wonderful day on this planet and hope he'll give me at least one more tomorrow... I've put together a little photo album with some of my favourite pics so far this trip. Take a look if you feel like it, better still come and see it for yourself sometime soon. Good night to all, sweet dreams from Barry and Kristie in sunny California..

September 22, 2009 8:41 pm

Hi everybody, blogging here live from the Apple Wood Inn in Guernville, California. Wow what a day Kristie and I had. We started the day at Howards Cafe, for breakfeast. Took us about 20 minutes to read the menu, another 20 to decide what we wanted. Loaded to the gills with a wonderful breakfeast, we headed off on our journey towards Bodega Bay, home of Alfred Hitchcocks, "The Birds" a way back in the day when horror movies were just plain scary, not violent. During our visit, we had a friendly chap offer to take a photo of the two of us and wish us a safe trip?? What did he know that we didn't? The birds, are they still around, do they still attack and eat people?? Have you heard of "The Return of The Birds", the sequel, starring Kristie and I. Back to reality, or sort of reality, we head up the California coast and take in some cooler temps, and some fabulous scenery. After riding the coast, we inland following the Russian River, home of the best Pinot Noir growing region in California. We ride along the Russian River Valley with a warm tail wind into Guernville with a few side trips into some backroads that show off the tremendous Redwood forrests and homes that reminded me of what I always pictured the "Elves" lived in the Tolkien classic, The Hobbit." One of the most amazing things about California, is its diversitity. We rode a total of 68 kilometers and during that ride we saw dark roads hidden by tall Redwoods, rollings seascapes, bird sanctuaries, and inland river valleys that harbor the conditions necessary to grow varieties of grapes that are the most difficult to grow in the world. The day is topped off with a better than spectacular meal at the Applewood Inn Resteraunt where I feast on a medium rare Angus beef filet and Kristie samples a Columbian River Salmon fillet with a white corn succatash, whatever the Hell that is. One more thing worth mentioning that I have noticed since we started our 4 day tour Monday, is the wonderful smells that change at almost every turn. Yesterday it was one grape vs. another at every turn, today, it was, the scent of Redwood, Eucalyptus, salty sea air, and finally cool, moist air under the giant Redwoods that provide us relief from the 90+ degree temperatures that scorch the sides of the Russian River Valley. Tomorrow, vineyard, sampling, and new smells, and new suprises. California is awesome, wish all of you were here.

September 19, 2009 8:36 pm

OK folks, a quick blurb before I hop a bus (airbus that is) tomorrow morning to sunny California at 5 am with my better half, Kristie, for a bike/wine, mainly wine tour for me of the Sonoma Valley region. I'm finishing up on last minute stuff like sending out emails to my staff, my good friend Kadiri Richard, who is over in England getting set to play some extremely fine basketball for the Worthing Thunder of the BBL (why do the British have all the luck), and packing my bags with the usual stuff, yet guaranteed of forgetting a few things. You see that's the major difference between men and women. Men take pride in forgetting stuff, it's our nature, and we're proud of it and how we handle it (we buy stuff and laugh it off as being a man). Ladies don't forget anything, they actually take at least 50% more stuff than they'll ever need, just in case (they laugh it off as being a woman). There you go, that is "THE" biggest difference between men and women as far as travelling goes. What else? Just bought tickets for the up coming Matt Good concert in Halifax on December 4 at the Cunard Center for Steph (my little Princess and I) If you hear someone hooting and whistling along that night with Matt, it's sure to be me, can't wait. Check out his live stream of his new CD at http://www.matthewgood.org/wp-content/themes/vancouver/vc/player.php if you want to know what I've listened to about 10,000 times already now. Well it's only early, but it's getting late as far as what has to be done, so I'll bid all of you a very pleasant night and hope life has been as good to you as it has been to me today. I'll try to update this blog while in California, maybe add some pics, and a bit of a story, so if you want to see what Kristie and I are up to in the State of Swarzennegger, stay tuned.

September 13, 2009 10:24 am

I'm on a roll at 10:24 in the morning. My ten cups of java are history, I've brushed up the home page with some new misinformation, and I'm ready to post a quick blog. Today I'm heading into the studio (the shop) to do some filming for our up coming tri fitting open house on October 5. After that I'll be back home, squeeze in a 6K run before doing an hour or so of accounting and then start hammering away at my power point presentation for the Oct 5 event. This past 14 days have been a dream for me, the weather has been superb, business has been terrific, I'm totally stoked and ready for the 2010 season, even though we're still chugging along in the 2009 world. I've been at the shop almost everyday, as I've enjoyed a bit of annual leave from the nuclear plant. Yes life has been unbelievably good (seems it always is, I'm so fortunate.) I'll be back to producing mega tons of CO2 tomorrow morning at 4:30 am at the plant if I still remember how to, gotta love getting an early start on the day eh? Any ways there's a bunch of challenges ahead, and a ton of fun waiting for me to enjoy during the next 24 hours, so with that, I'll bid you all adieu, and head outside and begin to play. I hope all of you are as excited about today and the future as I am...see you all soon. Take care...

September 11, 2009 6:30 am

Good morning to all of you who frequent this site. The sun is shining again for the 100th day in a row, at least it seems that way, the caffeine is racing through my veins, I'm listening to Matt Goods brand new album stream available through his web site, and yes it's a day of celebration for my family and I. It's a birthday for my eldest son Jeff, who today is turning 27 years young today. I'll be heading into the shop until 11 or so, then home to make one of my famous black forest cakes for the big event this evening. Jeff was the luckiest of my children, or unluckiest, I guess you would have to ask him to clarify that one. You see Jeff was born before Bicycles Plus existed, and as such, had my undivided attention back then. We were best of pals and I have fond memories of pulling him back and forth to school on his sled in the winter time, visiting his "fern garden" that he proudly showed to all of our visitors, and shuttling him around everywhere I went, because we were one. Thanks for those and many more wonderful memories Jeff, we'll look back and laugh at a few of them today and celebrate a day that still stands out as one of the proudest and most cherished days of my life, the day you were born. Happy Birthday Jeff! Have a great day everyone, I'm sure going to.

September 8, 2009 9:03 pm

Thanks Tom for pointing out to me that I have missed approximately 2 weeks by marking my last blog posted as August 4 (should have been September 4.) That's why I have great people surrounding me, to point out the small details like a week or two here and there that I may miss. Let me set the scene here, I'm sitting in front of the Mac, listening to Sammy (as in Hagar) scream his lungs out set at volume setting "10" in "Learning to Fall" with his band, ChickenFoot, yes a Garrison Hop Yard Pale Ale, is close by, but not fully engaged, and my "Little Princess" has flown the coup. Some of you will find this blog hard to understand, but if any of you have ever had children, you'll understand that when the last child leaves home, it's a very sad day indeed. But for those of you who follow this blog and know, (I hope) that I like to focus on the positive, not the negative when posting, I'll show you how to put a wonderful spin on a rather major event in your life that is let's say, full of question marks. So Stephanie Caroline Misener, (wow what a title that is eh?) is heading out into the wild blue yonder to expand her horizons, and grow in life, as we all must, in her quest to make a mark in life that is hopefully truly enviable to everyone in this world, and I'm sure she will. I wish her the best of good fortune, as all of her family does, and being her Dad, and the one who has only had the pleasure of having "ONE Princess," I want to let her know that I love her, respect her, and am infinitely proud of her... Sorry folks not much great bike stuff here to sink your teeth into, but for tonight, my mind, heart and soul are not with my bike, but totally with "My Lost Princess." Love you Steph, your family is all proud of you and we all hope things go well for you as you head off to Kings College and start your new adventure....Stephanie has been one of the best things to ever happen in my life, and although she doesn't know it, has been a shining star in my vision of what is good and wonderful in the world today. Good luck from all of us Steph...you're one of the reasons I want to, and I promise you, will live forever.

September 4, 2009 8:44 pm

Good morning folks, it's good to be back. As you have noticed in the past, most of my blogs usually take place at the end of the day when everything is winding down, they are sort of like therapy for me. Missed my very usual, after my last night shift blog, this past Sunday, meant to pound one out last night, but got to engrossed in the US Open tennis on TV. So here I am, hauling deep into coffee number 6, the midpoint of my morning ritual. Here's a question for you, why do most coffee makers have a 10/12 cup limit? That's good for one person, like if I get up early enough to beat everyone else to the carafe, but on a usual morning, I have to duke it out with Kristie for those coveted cups of Java, and at least a second carafe of production is always needed. My solution, the ACME SuperBrewer, capable of pumping out an unlimited quantity of caffeine on "on line" 24/7. You see, it would hook up directly to your plumbing, for unlimited water supply, and then incorporate an out door silo, where the ever so sweet fresh roasted java beans would be stored and ground and then flow into the SuperBrewer, utilizing a fluidized bed technology. The result, unlimited coffee for the masses, folks like you and me that need at least 12 cups to rev up each morning. Well it's just a thought right know. Let me know what you think. On second thought, don't let me know what you think. I'll keep this one in my back pocket and work on it a bit more during a rainy day. Oh yes, my last blog said I was going on vacation, well I did go, and it was awesome. Everybody has a "happy place" and mine is Fundy National Park, so on that said day, I packed up a few odds and ends, Le Grande Orange, and headed off to Fundy where I did some wilderness camping and rode my commuter bike to places that commuter bikes were never supposed to see. The weather was just like today, awesome, and the mini break was a wonderful reprieve from the regular run about of most days. I could go on for quite a bit here, but I'm opening the shop this morning and have to be there by 9:30, so until next time, ride safely and ride a lot ...

August 25, 2009 6:20 pm

As of this moment, all of you are sitting around your computer, knowing today is my first day off after my last night shift at the nuclear plant, and waiting for my latest post. NOT! Out the gate at 6:00 am and straight to the shop this morning. Pieced together a bunch of orders, moved some bikes around, checked yesterdays sales, (way to go Adam and Tom), and then headed to the Super of All Stores for tonights pizza ingredients. By text last night, my family voted that pizza was the #1 choice for this evenings supper, and we all know I make the best pizza this side of Italy, so... after unloading the grub into the house, I was feeling kind of fat, haven't been real active, haven't been on my bike since the incident during the ITT, so I decided to lace up the old sneakers and go for a 6K run, and I did. Got home, showered, and started making the dough at 3:00 am, spent the next hour getting the toppings ready, and then just as promised, the ultimate pizzas were created and then sent to Hell at 425 degrees fahrenheit for 18 minutes. You guessed it, (how did you know) they were awesome. Now I'm sitting down with a PumpHouse SOB in front of the Mac, which is quite good, sorry Brian, aka Titus, owner of Garrison. (Not as good as your IPA, so not to worry, I'll continue to keep your business in the black with my stellar purchases) It's almost the end of August, and as a bike shop owner who ramps up in Mid March and goes until he runs out of gas in late September, I seem to miss most summers. But today I made a promise to not let the summer of 09 pass before my eyes. I know many of you won't believe this, but I'm taking vacation, starting tomorrow unannounced, more or less, because nobody really reads this crap, do they? I'm heading out on my own, as a chap down at work calls me, "the lone wolf" and he may not be far off with that comment. Not sure when I'm leaving, not sure when I'm coming back, almost like a free fall, and I'm loving it. Tomorrow I'll pack my bike, my sneakers, my tent and my sleeping bag and be gone. I'll roll the dice, stop when I please, ride my bike and run till my lungs scream "No Mas" and I'll be in heaven. Hope you have a great week folks, I know I will, I'm on vacation!

August 17, 2009 10:10 am

Cool, it's been a week and I'm blogging at exactly 5 days and 12 hours since my last post. Sitting in front of the Mac with Matt Goods new release "Vancouver" blazing in the background. Do you love this weather or what? I for one do. The ITT yesterday was hotter than Hell, and obviously I'm getting acclimatized to where I'm headed in the future, because I felt right at home. Another disappointing turnout for the race, but for me personally, I had a great one going, firing on all cylinders as I flew up the road to the last 3 K marker when my rear tire flatted. A bad break yes, but still a great race. I picked off a few riders ahead of me and there was no one who was going to catch me on this day, until the dreaded spsss, spsss, spsss, took place. My day of glory will have to wait for another day, but I will have it, oh yes, glory will be mine, some day soon. Got off from another night shift at the nuclear plant this morning and am gearing up for a very special day. My Mom is turning 82 today, and the whole family is getting together to celebrate the big day with her. Cake, barbecue, and fond memories of days when all of us were a little younger will be the order of the day. Happy Birthday Mom, from your favourite son....

August 11, 2009 10:10 pm

So ask me, did I have a great time in Whistler? See below... Anyway, I'm definitely back home in Scotialand, and it's great to be home. Just finished registering on line for Al Mumfords Provincial ITT coming up this weekend. Process is sweet and simple, makes so much sense, and to me as a past race director, is the only way to go to enable a director to cover the costs incurred to put on a great and safe race. I know we are all in support our race directors, so lets get with the program and allow them to get a bit of sleep the night before, instead of spending it praying to the weather Gods. OK, I think you get the message. I love TT's and that's why I jumped at the opportunity to support Al on this one. Bicycles Plus believes that events promote activity, and activity promotes health and participation. Sipping tonight on a great Lake Placid IPA compliments of Mister SH, one of my favourite customers, (I have lots of them) who was kind enough to think of me while on a recent trip South of the border, thanks Mister SH. My question is, "How did he know I love a great IPA?" He is truly amazing! Tomorrow is supposed to bring the sun, along with too much work to be done during the next 24 hours, and all the while, the last bit of my house is screaming to be painted. Oh my, what shall I do? How about being thankful I have a purpose in life, can help others in my own way, have the best health of anyone I know, and a passion for life that is without boundaries. Thanks for checking in, and remember every minute we have on this Earth is precious, so don't waste it, cherish it!

August 3, 2009 6:33 pm Vancouver time

Well if you had a chance to look at the Summit link from the home page, you'll know things went pretty well today. I was beaming with pride as Paul Nash, the Giant GRP director spoke so highly of myself and Bicycles Plus during his presentation to over 200 Giant retailers at the 2010 Summit. That "special" treatment was carried over and over by everybody that works with Giant. I had the good pleasure of having a wonderful one on one talk with Brian Kao, Giant Canada president, discussed line changes with the Canadian product Manager, Sean Kerr, thanked Paul Nash, see above, for all his help and on going assistance with our shops transformation into a GBS store, and then out to thank Luke, I dare not try to spell his last name because I will not get it right. Luke has worked tirelessly for the last 2 years carrying the Giant Demo road, Hybrid technology, and Maestro Tours all across Canada. He is just one more amazing piece of the Giant Canada Team. Absolutely everyone at Giant, including, God forbid I forget our local rep, Guy Pellerin, has bent over backwards to help our shop have a sucessful season. And that we have had. Furthermore, we're stoked on having an even better year in 2010, and we are as firm in our belief as we have ever been about our choice to promote Giant Bicycles as the best bike value in the world. Headed to the evening barbecue, have downhill riding consuming my brain, and looking forward to another terrific day tomorrow, on the hill. Yes friends, for this trip it appears I have fallen to the strength of the "Dark Side."

August 2, 2009 8:10 pm Vancouver time

Just winding the day up and looking forward to tomorrow when the Giant Summit all begins. Convention until noon and biking afor the rest of the day. Looking forward to seeing all the Giant staff that treat us so well, and riding in one of the most beautiful areas of Canada. Just heading out for a nightcap and one final picture or two before calling it a day. See you soon and check in tomorrow for some new picts and tidbits of misinformation from your Bicycles Plus man on a mission. Cheers.

August 1, 2009 12:55 pm

Oh yea, the blog. Sort of forgot about it lately, you know the lazy, hazy days of summer. Well, up and at em, I'm putting in an hour or so to get all the outdated crap I hide on this site pushed to the background. Big day tomorrow for Tom and I as we head to Whistler, B.C. to take part in the first ever Canadian Giant Summit. This is where powerful people from all over the world get together, analyse the most important of the worldly issues and sit down at a huge round table and change the world forever...NOT..It is a meeting of the minds of the cycling world in an effort to educate, assist, and mutually move forward with the concept that bicycles can be a big part of our everyday lives and help the world overcome some of the major issues facing it these days. Issues like clean transportation, world health and, how to maintain a sustainable global environment to name a few, are on everybody's mind. My solution? Just go out and buy a bike for all your friends and then they'll be able to stop worrying. It's the only civilized thing to do. Woops got off the topic a bit. Back to Whistler, we'll see all the new product, talk to the designers, provide feedback, go to school and learn some new stuff, and then take the other half of the day to RIDE.... Yes, that's right, RIDE bikes, in Whistler. I'll be heading up the mountain on a road bike for a monumental climb, while everybody else will be going down the mountain on the new Giant DH rocket ships to be released in 2010. Excited? You bet. I may even get a chance to sample some West Coast micro brewed beer to see how it stacks up against the absolute best in the world,... you knew it as coming, Garrison IPA. Now I'm really excited! Well enough rambling, I'm not making any sense, not that I ever do. I'll have lots of time to play during the flight tomorrow, so by for now, and don't forget to check the Summit link on the home page for updates on the trip.

July 16, 2009 6:09 pm

Just about time to put the jammies on. "I drove thru the gate doin 98" this morning as I left the patched up nuclear plant. Yahoo indeed, a glorious sunny morning awaited me. The only trouble was, I hadn't slept the previous day, so all told, I've been going steady for 36 hours straight now with no sleep. Lets see if the Ever Ready Bunny can do that! I'm working on the final pieces of a motion analysis fitting package I believe will be quite exciting to those who have been coming to see me and giving me very positive feedback on our program. I'm also trying to wrap up my second quarter HST report, also spent a few hours today splashing a bit of paint on the home stead, trying to finish that little task off. No bike ride today, but that was planned. Tomorrow is the day for a TT test of mammoth proportions. My goal is to get above ? m.p.h. and put myself in a position to seriously challenge for the Provincial ITT trophy for the over 50, over the hill, crowd. Can I do it? Of course I can. I'm constantly telling folks they can do it, if they work hard and truly believe in themselves, so how can I not think I can do it. My TT position is perfect, thanks to my SlowTwitch certification, I'm riding a Giant, and I'm training specifically for the event, so the net result is... a win for sure! See you on the road, maybe going very fast on the Trinity, maybe going very slow on the Trans Send, but either way, on the road, on one of my bikes, and loving it...

July 8, 2009 5:48 pm

It's definitely been a "Mother of All Days" and the end is very near. Drove thru the gates of the nuclear plant this morning at 5:30 am and headed directly to the shop to follow up on what has been going on. Roger has a bunch of service work in front of him, some new bikes have arrived, Jeanne's new Giant Advanced SL 1 bike needs its' ISP cut, and I place a Cycles Lambert order. Bing, bang, boom, all of that is done, what's next? The most important job of all, get a bag of coffee beans before heading home for breakfast, which consists of at least 6-8 coffee. (Anything else is a bonus) Today I'm greeted by bacon and eggs, followed by this mornings Tour Stage live on OLN. During the Tour coverage, I put together a seafood chowder fit for a King, which is becoming a routine after my "last one" at the plant. Post Tour coverage, and it's on to a training ride with a very specific mission that I cannot disclose. Pride is involved, as is speed, distance is not, and I'll say no more. The ride is a total success and from there it's onto answering my email and trying to get caught up in my bill paying process. (Definitely don't like this part of the day) Fast forward, and it's onto my mission of painting the house so we can take the cash saved and head to California this September for a vineyard/bike tour. This job is taking far longer than anticipated thanks to the less than ideal Scotian weather, but this will change very soon. And that brings me current with what is going on right now. I've sent a text message to Kadiri and all is well in Columbia , S.C., and at this point in the day I'm baked, and it's time for a more than well deserved rest. I'll be on the road tomorrow early aboard "le Grande Orange" so if you pass me by, say hello.. Remember to ride often, and ride safely.

July 7, 2009 1:17 pm

It's midday on the day between my night shifts at the nuclear plant and things are going well. What's new, the Tour has started, and it's been damn exciting right from the get go, so that's cool, Le Grande Orange has just received a major overhaul and is working so well that I'm in total bliss commuting these days. There's no better way to get a cyclist smiling from ear to ear than by replacing his/her toasted drive train. What else, summer is here?? or at least they say it is. Don't worry folks, this past spell of bad weather just means that when the sun breaks, look out. Have you read the book where they talk about forty days and forty nights? Well our forty days and nights of sunshine are so close I can taste them. Can you actually taste sunny days Barry?? A small update on the web site today, and for those of you who like cool sites, check the link by clicking on the CO2 clicker under Commuting 101 on the home page. You can set up your own account and see just how you are helping the Earth and your pocketbook at the same time. Lots of commuter tips, forum, and support. Very tastefully done, much like this site. Did I say that? Sorry folks it just slipped out. Those of you who know me understand that sometimes I get carried away with blowing my own horn, looks like it happened again. I'll do my best to keep myself under control in the future, but for now I'm signing out and cranking up Matt Good...see you on the road!

June 30, 2009 11:22 pm

Better late than never I say, although those who read this slop will sometimes question my wisdom or lack thereof. Anyway, it's been a stagnant past week with not much of anything getting done, no house painting, no riding, no hours at the shop, enough, enough... Today I set out to change all that. No I can't control the weather, but I can control what I chose to do and not do. So this morning fresh off a night shift at the nuclear plant, I went to work on my accounting, paying bills, doing up the month end pays, producing a new work schedule for the hard working staff at the shop, and then the good stuff. A ride into the shop on Le Grande Orange for a couple of tubes, and then out with Kristie this evening for another 40 K ride before settling down to a well deserved IPA. Added a little splash to the web site and then was going to head to bed, when I thought, why not a blog before I hit the sack. So here I am, slowing down, well almost stopped but still not curling up into the fetal position, which is really the tell tale sign that perhaps I have pushed it a bit too far. No today was my day, tonight is my night, and I'm back in control, back on my bike, and ready for anything. Have a great Canada Day folks, we should be very proud of our country and the wonderful life it offers up to us. I'll see you all soon....on the road of course.

June 23, 2009 8:36 pm

Those of you who were at WayneStock last Friday night know just how much fun I had washing back more than a few Garrison IPA's and listening to the great tunes produced by Roger's band, Deerfield. You see I have a soft spot for great beer, good friends, fast bikes, and great music, but how bad can that really be? Thanks to all who attended, and a special thanks to Roger/Deerfield for cranking out some great tunes that helped the beer go down even smoother than normal. We'll definitely do it again, oh yes we will. I'm on vacation this week until Friday, but a medical procedure that will take place on Friday has put the dampers on my training, beer drinking and blogging, for the week. So be it, all in the name of advancing science and for my own piece of mind I say. Just received confirmation today from Giant Canada that Tom and I will be flying out to Whistler, B.C. to the first Giant Canada Summit ever in early August. Pretty exciting stuff for both of us for different reasons. Tom wants to do the downhill runs on some big MTB bikes, and I want to do some epic mountain climbs on some of the sweetest Giant road machines ever produced. Maybe I'll get a photo of Tom at the base of the mountain while I'm at the top? Either way it should be a great trip and an excellent opportunity to ride and learn all about the new 2009 Giant line up. Things have been very steady at the shop and if anybody has noticed, the price of gas is getting back up to where it was last summer. Check this out, I was doing my accounting yesterday and for the month of April, I spent a grand total of $38 for my gas expense. That's impressive to say the least (kudos to Le Grande Orange) and now with the rapid price increase per gallon, all of you should be looking at other means of transportation (possibly cycling?) to save money and your planet. Think about it...it's the right decision.

June 18, 2009 10:52 am

A morning blog, very strange indeed, but these are incredible times for sure. You see the 24 hour countdown has started for WayneStock 3 and everything is going according to plan. Actually things are following the movie script to a tee. As of today there are still 10,000 excellent WayneStock tickets still available, and late last night in a dream a half naked Indian came up to me followed by the late, great, Jim Morrison who told me, "Book them and they will come". So with all that gibberish thrown out there, I woke up this morning totally refreshed and assured that WayneStock 3 will be even a bigger success than the original WayneStock (oh yea, I guess there really wasn't an original WayneStock, just in the movie,...but anyway) Late breaking developments: Thanks to our very good friends at the Garrison Brewery, those unfortunate souls who were far to busy to pick up tickets this past week, will be able to procure tickets at the event. Please see Barry, the skinny, old guy wearing a Garrison tee shirt and sporting an India Pale Ale stuck to his lower lip, for your pass to the evenings event. All fired up, all system go, looking forward to blast off, tomorrow night at 9. See you there! WayneStock 3, party on Garth.

June 15, 2009 10:48 pm

OK so I'm a bit late with this blog. Unacceptable, perhaps, negligent, probably, but at least I'm trying, and that's all you can ask of a guy my age. So where do I start. How about WayneStock 3. It's this Friday. it will be huge, it will be very fun, and you can't miss it....unless you don't have a ticket. Tickets are being sold at the shop all this week, and I'm still working with Garrison to allow ticket sales at the door, but as it stands right now, if you don't purchase a ticket at the shop, you'll be on the outside, and the laughing stock of everyone inside, so why wait, get your tickets now, and save the embarrassment. I just received an email from Brian Titus, President, CEO of Garrison, and he has promised me a keg of IPA (not many can pull this off folks) to be on tap this Friday night. That's the most sought after beer in Canada, winner of "Beer of the Year" for 2007 and 2008, and probably 2009 so get ready to enjoy folks. Roger and his band "Deerfield" are ready to bring you their best serving of Country/Rock this side of the Rockies, ticket sales are off the map, so expect the biggest crowd ever to fill the Garrison Brewery. What else? I'm on vacation for the week, yahoo, Als road race is in Riverport this weekend, Jimmie from Sea Level Racing is smashed up and recovering after racing in N.B. after staging the best race of the year in Yarmouth less than two weeks ago, Fenton picks up his very hot Felt B2 Pro from the shop this week. Lots of other stuff going on, but I only have a limited amount of time. I'll try to pump out a few blogs this week while on vacation for anyone interested, so stay tuned, and keep riding your bike...life will seem so much better if you do.

June 6, 2009 10:15 am

Where does the time go? Just finished up my last night shift at the nuclear plant, headed out to the shop for a few gels, and odds and ends in preparation for heading to Yarmouth later today for Jimmie Atwoods road race tomorrow. Note to oneself, after missing last weeks Crit start time, try to be early and awake for tomorrows race. The weather sounds promising, the course is always a joy, and the post race lobster is always sweet...perhaps the real reason I enjoy racing so much in Yarmouth. Just checking in for a quick blog, and a bit of dusting off the site before heading off to bed for a couple hours worth of zzzz's. Just a tip for anyone driving the 103 this afternoon, keep your eyes open for a wondering silver Mazda, just in case. My office is a mess...but that's normal, although at this stage of the game, getting from the door to the keyboard here is becoming increasingly challenging. Not sure if I will be able to negotiate it if I have an IPA or 2 while I'm on my days off. Kristie and I will head to Yarmouth, have a bite, watch Sid the Kid and his Penquins hopefully do Nova Scotia proud tonight in Detroit, and then tomorrow is race day. So with that being said, I better scurry off to bed, and let my body recharge so I can stay with the pack for few minutes longer than the last race...we don't want to talk about that, so see you on the road and enjoy what's left of HRM's Bike Week festivities. Cheers..

May 29, 2009 5:06 pm

A, I know it's been a while eh? Got off work this morning from the nuclear plant, pumped a couple dozen Java into me and then went outside to do some painting on the house. Afterwards, I spent countless hours on end trying to figure out why I can't hook up to the shop computer via my home Mac, but it just wasn't meant to be today. Remember one thing folks, computers are not your friends. Too tired to waste any more time on that issue today, maybe it's just a bad dream, so I decide to cook up a load of spaghetti and meatballs for supper. Sip a little vino and cook a little pasta, that's the cure for everything I always say. So here I am, five minutes away from the pasta being done, and it is officially, The Halifax Crit Weekend. Special kudos to Cynthia, the Queen bee of our Club, Gerard, Race Director extraordinaire, and about a million other folks that have worked really, really hard to make this event possible. It is the sum of all your individual contributions that create the cumulative spirit of this race. You all deserve a huge thank you on behalf of all the race sponsors and its participants. And you say SUN, for SUNDAY? Yup, you've got it. I'm a firm believer that money can buy almost anything, but I heard Gerard went one step further, and pulled out his MasterCard, so consider the amazing race day weather as, priceless. Have fun at the event, I'll see you there. Good luck to all Crit participants, volunteers, and organizers.

May 22, 2009 9:06 pm

Wow! What a day. It doesn't get any better than this in Nova Scotia. 35 degrees, sunny, and just agreed to a 3 year lease at the Ten Mile House, so folks, we're not going anywhere but up. Yahoooo! Negotiations are always tough, times are tough, but between you and me and the rest of the world, my landlord group is a good bunch of guys. Yes they're savvy business men, but realists, who worked their way to the top, just didn't inherit it. Bottom line, Ten Mile house will be home to the Bikes Plus Family for another 3 years at least, hopefully much longer if the "God Father of Bikes" has his way. Just finished texting Kadiri to let him know the weather was hotter here in good old Nova Scotia than in Florida today. Can't say that very often, but when I can, I let him know just to try to temp him back to Halifax for another year of great basketball performances and a chance to join us in our fun shop events which are happening all the time. Wow what a lead in to WayneStock 3, almost like it was planned? Got an email today from Sammy Hagar (Van Halen fame, Chicken Foot Fame, ya, were talkin major fame here folks), no way, way, anyway, Sammy wants to skip the "Concert on the Hill" and join us for WayneStock 3 instead. So what does that mean? It means folks, for $20 bucks La Canadienne you get 5 free beer, live professional music from our headliners, Rogers band, Deerfield, and ya opening for Roger will be Van Halen, Pearl Jam, Aero Smith..still a maybe, Chicken Foot, and who knows who else. My guess is I'll here from Sir Paul himself in the near future begging to see if he can be part of Waynestock 3 and ditching the venue on the Commons, what's it called? Enough said. Want tickets, get them soon, because they're going fast. Here's a plug for The Halifax Crit which is less than a week away. In years past we've hoped for good weather, and of course had none, this year we have paid big bucks to Cindy Day (TV meteorologist extraordinnaire) to ensure the race will feature sunny and hot conditions, so make sure your plans include a trip to the Halifax Commons next weekend to participate, assist, view, or perhaps join in the mass post race public ride encouraged and supported by the Halifax Cycling Coalition and HRM. See you on the road folks, I'm the good looking guy with the big smile on his face and waving at you...Cheers.

May 20, 2009 1:18 pm

Hi folks, thought I'd freshen up the old blog before heading out for a "top Secret training session" woops, guess I've blown the cover off of that one. The sun is out, so are the black flies, and Nova Scotia is on the verge of turning orange, (NDP) or at least that's what the paper says this morning. I've got one more night to put in at the nuclear plant before I get back to the shop on Friday. Looking forward to it, no not the night shift, the return to the shop. Our WayneStock 3 Event continues to move up the Google ratings and comes in at a solid #4. It's obvious this huge International event we are staging is catching fire all over the world. I was contacted by none other than Mike Myers himself this morning, way, wondering if he could purchase a block of 1,000 tickets for his entourage. So just a warning folks, get'em early before they're all gone. We also plan on producing a limited number of Special Edition WayneStock 3 T shirts, that will be available at the event only for an unbelievable price of $45 each, or if you buy two, you can save a bundle, and pay just $89.99. These T shirts will probably become collectors items and immediately increase in value to the point where if you actually own one, you will be posted on the Worlds Top 100 most wealthy persons list. No way? Way! WayneStock 3, be there June 19th.

May 15, 2009 8:57 pm

Friday night, payday, party night, what else matters?? Took Le Grande Orange for a run today into the shop to deliver pays, and take care of the government source deductions, such as UIC, CCP, and Income tax for those of you who may not be entrepreneurs. Did a bit of window dressing on the web site, and paid some bills, otherwise a rather tame day as I start to feel a bit down as my vacation from the real world quickly slips away. Yes, it's back to the nuclear plant on Sunday and with that, less time to spend riding, less time to take care of my business, and less time to relax, not that is a big part of my life. Oops, I missed the meeting with my landlord group that holds the key to my beloved building. We are in the midst of renegotiations, and hopefully the "Old Ten Mile House" will be our home for another extended period of time. I met with the group today, and we're close, but not quite there yet. Funny how that goes, but Tom said today what I expect all my employees will tell me. He loves the old house, and doesn't want to leave. I'm with you on that one Tom, all the way. Now if only I can get the staff into making pizzas and serving organic produce, to keep Lawrence in Halifax instead of flying all over the world to find his "dream bike shop" then we'll be all set. Not a shot Lawrence, just an acknowledgement of your wonderful photos and worldly insight. Love the TT photos. Tried a new beer while listening to my usual music, Pump House SOB, good stuff, actually tastes like a light Garrison IPA, so in a pinch, when the really good stuff is sold out, I'll fall back on this product as a reserve. New music?? Lots at the shop with Roger around, but nothing new on the horizon for my big Mac, Matt G, Matt G, and more Matt G... Do I ever get tired of him, the answer is NO.. See you on the road, and remember enjoy the day, enjoy your friends, and thank God that he created bikes.

May 9, 2009 6:59 pm

Splendid day indeed. Started at 6 am, as today was race day. Yup, first road race of the season, I'm on vacation from the nuclear plant, and nothing was going to hold me back. I had my 10 cups of Java and headed to the Valley of sun for race day. The weather was ideal, the race courses terrific, and the attendance poor. What gives? We all know we like races, events, so why don't we support them? I'm puzzled and won't get into details as to why racers stayed away today, but I will issue a word of caution. If you want good races, a solid schedule, that allows you the opportunity to test yourself, or just get out and race against previous warriors, then you better start getting out there. Al Mumford has stuck his neck out, put a lot of time and effort into providing us with something we have told him we want, so lets prove it to him, by attending the next Breakaway Cycling Promotion. There I have my lecture in, so what else? The race was fun, great to see familiar old faces and new ones as well. Club wise, great to see our ladies out in full bloom the day before Mothers Day, well we know we have the best group of lady riders in Nova Scotia, bar none, so this is no surprise. Great to see Jose have a top shelf day after all his hard training throughout the spring, great to see Sir Peter Dwyer at the race, thanks to all commissaries, volunteers, and Al Mumford for putting on a race that I thoroughly enjoyed. Tonight, no work, no Matt Good, maybe an IPA, but tonight will be devoted to watching Sid the Kid and his Penguins hopefully throw dirt on the casket of the Washington Capitals. Hey George H, I'm making cinnamon buns for breakfast tomorrow as we celebrate Mothers Day here. You always comment on them when I mention it in my blog, so here's an invite to join us if you want. Tomorrow at 8 am, not a minute later, they'll be pulled out of the oven, golden brown, with the rich intoxicating aroma of sugar and cinnamon wafting through the air along with a scent of Java Blend, dark roast bouncing off the walls. Almost too good to comprehend I say. Looking forward to it...Actually have to run, time is tight, the buns have to be made tonight and allowed to raise before popping them in the oven early am tomorrow morning before I head to Starrs Point..see you at the race..hopefully everybody.

May5, 2009 7:43 pm

Just finished a late supper after getting home late, answering my emails late, and sipping on an IPA later than planned. See a pattern emerging here folks? It's called small business survival. Meeting all deadlines, very important, actually beating deadlines, impossible. Anyways, looks like a bit of wet weather the next day or so may allow the shop to catch up and be totally on top of things. We're working on making WayneStock 3 happen, updating our website page by page, and selling a few bikes on the side. Excitement is continuing to build for the upcoming race season which begins this Saturday. Check the Breakaway Cycling Promotions site for the latest updates. Good luck Al, I'll be there along with many Bikes Plus racers, so don't sweat it, your race will be a huge sucesss. All the best to everyone, keep those legs spinning and your wheels turning....I'll see you soon.

May3, 2009 9:09 pm

Wonderful day to say the least. Got up at seven, had my daily ration of ten cups of Java Blend dark roast, and started in on my Sunday accounting. Boy I can't believe how easy this would all be if I didn't have a real job at the nuclear plant. That day is coming, trust me and I do indeed look forward to the day. Any ways, Matt Good is playing on the Imac, and the Blog.html is calling me, so here I go. After four hours of accounting, it's time to get on my bike and burn off some pent up energy. I head out for a hill work out seeing next weeks race, The Tour of the Orchards will be won or lost on the hills. How do I feel you ask? I have no idea, other than old. Next week, as do all first races of the season, will tell me how I really feel. So after my work out, I put together a pasta dish for supper and Jeff, my #1 son drops by for a visit. It's always a pleasure to have someone join us for supper that is so intellectually advanced that it makes your head spin. I'm still trying to figure out what day it is, and he's solving problems for the world that don't even exist yet. Chip off the old block I say, although I'm totally kidding myself, and no one else. Sundays are awesome aren't they? You can do a little bit, do a lot, or just plain do nothing, and the world doesn't seem to notice or complain. Talked to Kadiri tonight and his girl friend Laura is doing well after her surgery and has moved into the recovery mode. Glad to hear that, don't like surgery, don't like recovery, but thoroughly enjoy life without pain and disease and also nice bikes. See you on the road, and make sure you give me a honk and a smile when you see me...I'll ring my bell to acknowledge your hello.

April 27, 2009 6:59 pm

Let me set the stage... I've just cracked my first cold Garrison IPA and I'm sitting in front of the old Imac with Matt Good, Champions of Nothing, playing at a very high volume level because I'm a "very high level guy." What a day! I got off work this morning from the nuclear plant and started my two week hiatus from the place the devil built. I'm free, I'm on vacation, I'm at the shop, I'm flying, I'm Superman. Honestly folks, that's what it feels like when I pull away from the gates of the "Dark Monster". Enough said, I'm out and free for two weeks. So what better way to start vacation than looking after a few key customers that have been very loyal to me for many years, and have run into a bit of a snag recently. You know who you are, and you know I'll do my very best to help you, "because that's what I do" and no other reason is needed. Check mark, at noon, that little task is taken care of with a call to Vancouver where I spoke to Jay, the best, most understanding, most generous, best guy ever guy at Giant, who everyday goes to bat for his Giant dealers across the country and helps them in any way humanly possible. Next on the list should be sleep, but anyone that knows me has heard me say "there is plenty of time to sleep when you're dead", so that being said, I Defy, (a plug for the Giant Defy road bikes) logic and head out for a 2.5 hour bike ride on my new TCR Advanced 1. Sweeeeet... awesome ride, my mind is tired, but my body still manages to respond to my demands as I scream "Warp speed Scotty, nothing else will do" reminiscent of an old Star Trek episode from years past. Now I'm really dating myself! So after ride? You ask? I have a hot bath, and crawl into bed for a one hour sleep that just doesn't happen. So here I am, IPA on the desk, feeling great, anticipating an absolutely great day tomorrow, and as always enjoying life to its fullest. Hope to see you soon...

April 19, 2009 11:24 am

A midday blog you say? Yup, up at the crack of dawn to get my fix of caffeine, put my tie on over my T shirt, and rattled off some accounting before heading downstairs to prepare for the Mother of All Lasagna Bakes tonight. After an absolutely crazy week at the shop, I planned my day off to incorporate a family meal where we will all stuff our faces with awesome Italian food. I don't cook much, but what I do cook, is simply amazing, or at least that's what I tell myself. Tom is in Cuba this week vacationing with his family smoking cigars and drinking black rum, and maybe enjoying the sun, (ya, I feel sorry for him too) so if you drop by this week and things seem a bit chaotic, there is one of the many excuses we'll throw at you. In all honesty, it's just been insane, and yet everybody has managed to hang in there, win the battles and take the odd one on the chin for the team. Today I will get out for the very first time in five months to ride a bike lighter than 45 pounds. Yes, Le Grande Orange will sit on the back porch today as I mount my flashy new Giant Advanced 0. I'll be in absolute bliss, as I shift my brains out, hammer hills, and hopefully stay upright on my new Dura Ace equipped steed. I'm heading into the shop after lunch to take care of some unfinished business and get some orders ready in advance, because I know what tomorrow already looks like, and time will be of the essence. Speaking about time, it's up, a quick hit and then onto other things...the wheels just keep spinning.. see ya..

April 17, 2009 9:10 pm

Hi folks, another crazy day at the shop. Busy, busy, busy and yes were busy. All staff members are stressed to the limit, all are trying our best to help our customers out, and yes the sun is still shining, highlighting our inadequacies. Got home at 6 pm, had a bite to eat, checked my long list of emails, and then decided an IPA and a bite to eat may be appropriate after my body has been attempting to run for 12 hours on a multi vitamin, 12 coffees, and one banana all day. Had some spicy wings for supper, an IPA (the best beer on this planet) to wash the bird pieces down, and then sat down to watch Sid the Kid carry the Pittsburgh Penguins hopefully into the Stanley Cup finals. I figure after working 14 hours I owe myself a bit of fun and distraction. While I'm sitting down watching the game, I start to think about what is going on, what may go on, and what could possibly happen that may be a lot of fun. Wowwwww... Waynestock 2... no, we're not worthy,,,, no way, way.... gotta love it,,,, maybe. Hang tight folks, something fun, something awesome, something so cool that ties our shop into some of the best in live local entertainment available in Metro may be at our fingertips, yes, that's right, Wayne Stock 2..stay tuned for one of the highlights of our early cycling season. Party on Garth...

April 13, 2009 8:54 pm

OK here I am, showered up after my ride home from the shop wearing my Sea Dawg hoodie in respect to my #1 B Ball player, Kadiri Richard and his team, and getting ready to hammer out an unusual blog. Unusual you say? In what way? We can hear Matt Good playing in the background, we can see the IPA sitting on your desk, so what's unusual? Sounds like the normal stuff to me man. Well today was a special day, more than special actually. While riding into the shop on the "Le Grande Orange" I realized that the "Bike Shop Blog" has been centered more around me, myself, and no one else. Time to fix that right now!! So back to my original thought, today was a special day and here are all the reasons why. It's Monday, technically a holiday for some very fortunate folks and students, (not Bike Shop folks) and with it means a fair bit of extra shop traffic for our staff. I had originally scheduled thin, and after looking at what Monday might become, when then the lights turned on, I contacted Adam Arkens, and Andrew Martin, who already work a ton of hours, to see if they might come in and lend a hand seeing I had committed to a Slowtwitch fitting session which would basically wipe me out of the picture for at least half of the day. Bingo, the answer was an unequivocal yes. Because they needed the money, No. Because they had nothing else to do, No. Because they love the shop, love what they do, and always help in any way they can when I ask, Yes. Now that's special, but that's why I hired them, why they are getting the recognition they deserve, and why I appreciate their help and acknowledge it here today. Ya, so what makes that such a special day? Well there is a whole lot more. How about Tom Kavanagh, who works extremely hard everyday of the year, and even though he hopes for a loser team, the Montreal Canadians, puts forth his best efforts everyday, today included, while visions of travel down South next week with his very loved family pops into his head, but doesn't distract from his/ mine/ our plan of Global Domination of Bicycle Retailing in Nova Scotia, the Maritimes, Hell no, all of Canada. So that's it you say, no sorry, one more plug for someone who is/has done in the past a terrific job for us, Roger Nelson. Roger is our Service Manager, and #1 go to guy for service work performed at our shop. He is the key component in us turning bikes that don't work, into ones that do, and doing it within budget and within sometimes challenging deadlines. Roger is "The Man" behind our service, and Roger is presently working hard, long after the shop has closed tonight, in order to keep our service schedule on track, and attempting to keep all customers looking for that "magic touch" on their bikes to be satisfied. Thanks Roger!! So what was so special about today? How about MAJOR contributions and sacrifices by everyone in the shop, that at the end of the day often go unnoticed, often are expected by me as being the norm, and more than often are not recognized. Well dammit folks, today my eyes were opened, I'm super proud of all the members of my Bicycles Plus team, and I believe it is the contributions of all these people that make my life a bit easier and keep my business above water. Thanks again Guys, my fingers are getting tired, and my IPA is almost gone... Living life to its fullest, riding hard, and still managing to sample the odd brewsky... yup that's me.. see you on the road soon.

April 12, 2009 9:47 am

Here it is Sunday morning and I've had less than my usual share of caffeine, so excuse me if I seem just a tad off the norm, whatever that is. Looks like the storm blew over us last night leaving the roads wet, but OK for riding today. Before I'm allowed to go out and play, I've got to hammer out roughly a 3 hour session on my accounting package. Good Friday was a killer, a 13 hour session, just to get to the point where I'm only 3 weeks behind vs. 6. So today will be a breeze, and then it's into the shop to get caught up with my commitments there. Boxes of stuff piling up that need pricing, bikes that need building, orders that need to be placed. Ah yes, there's nothing quite like being involved in all the action at the bike shop in early spring. After knocking off a bit of everything on my plate today, I'm planning on treating my family to Chinese food at a rendezvous to be determined. Buff up the web site a bit tonight, and then get ready for a busy day again tomorrow. Kristie has headed south to conquer the World of Bridge for the week, so I'm home on vacation with my daughter Steph, dog Lexor, and my bike shop. Don't worry folks, I'll make out just fine, head down, full speed ahead, running on adrenaline, and enjoying life to its fullest. That's me in a nutshell...

April 8, 2009 9:45 pm

Hi Folks! Am I in the blogging mode or what?? Oh yes!! Today was my last day at the nuclear plant for 14 days. What does this mean? It means for the next 14 days, I'm at your service, it means for the next 14 days, I'll be on my bike, and the faithful Mazda Sport will be parked in the driveway. It means I'll perhaps get caught up on my work, but perhaps the higher possibility will be that I get further behind as I make promises that are nothing short of miraculous to acheive. Just finished refreshing myself with an IPA and had the sleep of the century last night as I crawled into bed at 7:15 pm and got up at 4:30 am this morning to head into work. My head and body felt very different, rested, peaceful, and definitely unusual? My life is centered around 3 to 4 hours sleep/day, and any extra boost needed is usually supplemented with caffeine from the 10+ cups of coffee I drink a day. So.... when I get 9 hours sleep, I'm all out of sorts, albeit in a good way. What do you mean? I smiled once today for sure, I was not nearly as nasty as normal with my co workers ate the nuke plant, and I even said "Have a great day" to one of my supervisors. Boy I hope I never get another sleep like that again. If so people will have a hard time understanding who I really am, and what I'm all about. Well enough rambling, (it may just be the IPA) I'm taking the rest of the night to relax and get ready for an exciting next couple of weeks. Remember to love the ones your with and enjoy life while you can... Life is not infinite, unless you're me.. See you on the road.

April 3, 2009 6:37 pm

Wow, here it is April already. As Matt good says on the track "Put out Your Light" on the CD Live at Massey Hall, "its just gonna come off" is very appropriate for the spring season which is upon us. The layers of clothing that protected me from the rather nasty elements this winter are being shed. Studded tires, well they just have to come off, long cold weather waterproof pants, they just have to come off. It's SPRING folks, whether you have noticed yet or not. Finished up night shifts last night at the nuclear plant and in my quest for always trying something different, went to the shop direct from work at 6 am, priced up some goodies, got up to speed with the latest and greatest in shop requests, and headed home and into bed for some ZZZZ's at noon. Got up at 2:30, did a hill work out on Le Grande Orange, and then touched base with Kadiri about his big PBL play off game set to go at 7:30 pm our time tonight. Sucked back an IPA, had some veggie pizza, and will eventually watch a movie tonight as I relax and get set for hopefully another monstrous sales day tomorrow. Nation wide Giant bike increase is expected this weekend which will see all my wonderful bikes increase in value by 20 to 25%. Unfortunate, but a reality. We'll just have to work extra hard to persuade new customers that their health and well being are worth more than the price increase. Everyone that is involved in cycling already understands the cost/benefits relationship, but for new cyclists it will be a challenge to help them see the big picture. Just one more reason why I'm doing what I'm doing, because I'm the best at it... See you on the road, make sure you say hello. I'm the old guy who feels and thinks he is 20 and is living life to its fullest.

March 31, 2009 9:30 pm

Got home after working 12 hours at the nuclear plant and then out to the shop for one of our staff training sessions. 4:30 am to 7:45 pm, that's a long enough day for me. Got in the door and old Lexor, our dog greeted me faithfully, as she always does, and as always, I faithfully went into the living room and gave her her due reward, a "belly rub" as I call it. You see, Lexor never fails to greet me, and I never fail to provide the "belly rub." Now that's what you call mutual respect or love. In this case it's both. Had a quick shower, grabbed a cold IPA, (thanks Brian) and just flashed up the Mac. With the arrival of April 1 tomorrow, the time has come to pay up for a large portion of our spring inventory, so it's safe to say by the end of the day tomorrow, my bank account will not look anything like it does today. The progression will be from bad to worse, but hey don't worry, I'm trying to pay the bills, not you. Usually my day shifts at the nuclear plant consume me, and today is not much different, but tonight/tomorrow morning, I have no choice, work, and more than I wish, needs attention. So with that being said, I have my exit plan set. Move seemlessly to the right of the stage, wave to our customers, and then move from this blog to my accounting and an endless night of writing cheques and pounding out Excel spread sheets for my suppliers. And tomorrow, what will it bring?? Revitalization, a new outlook on life, a wonderful ride on Le Grande Orange, new challenges, and the recognition that I'm still the luckiest guy on the Planet. I have excellent health, the ability to do whatever I want, which is running my bike shop and taking care of my Family, and what could be better than that? Good night folks, my work is waiting for me...

March 27, 2009 9:03 pm

Hello you all. That's the way Kadiri would greet you. Today was the first day back to the shop this week after a session at the nuclear plant and I scrambled all day to get up to speed and ready for hopefully a super busy day tomorrow seeing the South Carolina weather is headed our way. What's on the books for this weekend? I never thought you would ask. At the shop tomorrow and head directly to the Rainmen game at seven in Halifax. Sunday, to the shop for our mechanics course and then directly to the Rainmen game. After that, do four weeks of accounting in four hours, or at least that's my unrealistic hope. Then it's back to the nuclear plant Monday morning to scar the environment with lots of smoke and toxic gases. Yesterday we had a home made pizzafest at home, with me whipping up some great crust and unique toppings. Jeff, my number one son, was out and we had a good time and a great meal. Managed no ride into the shop today on Le Grande Orange due the Prince needing to be transported to the shop to be stripped of its shiny Dura Ace kit, which has been sold to the very smart owner of my old Litespeed Vortex frame. All good things come to an end, and it's now time for me to adopt my new wheels, the 2009 Giant TCR Advanced 0 as my "go to the race to win machine". I'm looking forward to the weight difference of about 35 pounds between the Zero and Le Grande Orange in helping me feel a tad faster this spring. Still have to get out riding with the shop crew, Jose, Peter, Graham, Stephane, Tom, etc, to get my race legs back, if they are still to be found some where. Well it's back to my accounting, I'll see many of you tomorrow at the shop before the ride. Hoping and praying that the good Lord allows me to get out with all of you soon for an unbelievable Sunday ride. I'm looking forward to it, it's a shop owners dream to get out and ride with his customers and share good climbs and good times. Actually it's what drives me to work as hard and as long as I do. When all the work is done, I'm allowed to play with my friends, but not until then. It won't be long and I'll be out with all of you, until then, hold my place in the paceline.

March 20, 2009 11:25 pm

Super busy day at the shop! Service is rolling in, and bikes rolling out. Accounting year end, check, new shop brochure, check, although it still needs to be printed, great news for our service department as Roger Nelson has agreed to come back and join the Bikes Plus team for another summer solstice. Roger's experience, and mechanical understanding along with his excellent communication skills makes him a top notch service manager and we all welcome him back with open arms. Careful there big fella. Bills are scattered all over my desk, my accounting entries are way behind, and I'm spending at least 8 hours a day at the shop making sure we're firing on all cylinders. As Maxwell Smart used to say, "and loving it" as he got totally in over his head. When things are piling up, it means you're busy, and when you're busy, the law of averages says you're maybe making a dollar or two. Time will tell on that front, but busy is usually good. Took in the new Nicholas Cage movie tonight with Kristie, and it was ??? It had a bit of everything in it, action, scenes that are supposed to make you cry, they really do, but guys can't admit to that in front of the whole world, and a bit of sci fi and special effects. Sort of like The Simpsons? Any ways tomorrow night the Leafs will be beating up on Le Canadiens, and I'll be watching front and center and texting all Hab fans as soon as the Leaf win is confirmed. Heads up Hab fans, TURN YOUR CELL PHONES OFF! Time to sign off, a busy day awaits the Bike Shop Blogger tomorrow morning. Have a great day and remember, some of your best friends are bikes.

March 18, 2009 2:15 pm

Hi folks, its' great to be back from the living dead. Just got off this morning at six a.m. from the nuclear plant and headed out to the shop to perform some professional mechanics on an Italian Stallion . Owners of these bikes always amaze me with their understanding of the fact that their Campy equipped bikes will never work quite right, actually never work period, and yet they still love them. The more grief the bikes give them, the more they love them. Sort of like a marriage I guess, whoops, I better back out of that one quickly. Any ways, after three hours, the Stallion is like new again and I head for home. I usually stay up all day and go up in smoke at about 6 pm but today I tried a different approach. Caught up on the business and sports world and then hit the sack for a 2.5 hour session of zzzzzz's. Today, meaning the day following my last night shift, I usually stay close to home and try to avoid human contact (due to my extreme grouchiness, yes I'm even grouchier than on my good days.) I have invited over my oldest son Jeff, who is a certified genius by the way, (he's got his Mothers brains and my good looks) for a huge lasagna bake which I will pull off this afternoon. Yes the secret is in the sauce, which I have on the stove now and must simmer for a minimum of 3 hours before the lasagna is assembled for baking. I won't charge you for that tip this time, but if you want any more of my cooking secrets, I will have to bill you for my expertise. Second day in a row of beautiful sun and plus 5 temps. As soon as I finish this blog, I'm out of the house and heading into Dartmouth on Le Grande Orange to burn some calories and enjoy life to its fullest. There is definitely something special about our springs and the wonderful feelings they impart upon us after our long winters. Yaaaahoooooo! Sorry I just had to get that one out, it's been building up in me for the last hour or so. Plans for the week? They are many as always. Lots of commuting, lots of work backed up at the shop, a new value pak in the works for our customers, a new shop brochure to be put to print, 2008 year end accounting wrap up, Ten Mile House lease negotiations, for starters... Nobody said it would be easy, and I'm definitely up for the challenge.. See you on the road and have a great day.

March 13, 2009 7:58 pm

So much for change. This is more like it. I'm here getting ready to call it a day after doing up the staff pays and subtracting all the source deductions that keep our Parliamentarian types fat pensions getting fatter. Matt Good is playing in the background, yes again, and I'm checking my Palm to be sure that my list for the day was at least half finished. I've been mentioning the change in weather recently, but I'm going out on a limb here and proclaim Winter is officially toast. That's right folks, get out your shorts and umbrella, and have a beer on the patio. I rode into the shop today, and it was cold, but so sunny, so spring like, that the cold didn't chill me. It's light before you wake up and light till well after supper. By golly, it's Spring! The shop has been buzzing and we're short staffed, (You don't know anybody that's a bike expert, female, gorgeous, and looking for work do you?) which makes it challenging, but the old saying goes, "make hay while the sun shines" and fortunately the sun is shining. Tomorrow it's back to the nuclear plant after a busy set of days off, so that means an early morning that begins at 4:25 am. Time to take an hour break from it all and then get ready to catch a few ZZZZ's to keep my energy levels high and my good looks intact...

March 11, 2009 4:11 pm

Here it is late in the afternoon and it feels like I have spent most of my day spinning my wheels. I'm the kind of guy that feels like he is accomplishing things as long as I'm moving. The faster I move, the more I think I'm accomplishing, whether I really am or not. Today has been a sitting on my butt day and as a result, my production level seems low. I took part of the morning to do my Fall 09 booking for Sugoi clothing. This is a tough thing to do, but it's the way the industry works, always running 6 to 9 months ahead of the real world. Here I am rejoicing about the better weather coming our way, and my suppliers want me to get my head around ordering things for Fall 09. Where the heck did the Summer of 09 go? I knew it was short, but really, that's carrying it a bit too far. This afternoon has been split between answering trick questions by my accountant, who is working on my year end, and refreshing this web site with changes that only I will notice. Tonight will be dedicated to accounting now that I have my shiny new bean counting software up and running. Things have been quiet on the basketball front since Nick and I had our road trip to Montreal. The Rainmen are out of town and Kadiri's Sea Dawg team are resting up, sitting on top of there division and getting ready for play-offs. New music is playing in the background, just to let you know that once and a while I change things up a bit. Before I left for our basketball road trip, I looked for some new tunes that might break up the driving a bit. I picked up a CD by a band called Modest Mouse, which I'm quite enjoying. This music is up tempo and I enjoy screaming at the top of my lungs along with it in the car...That's it for now, loving life, smiling, and looking forward to an IPA later this evening to put the icing on the cake, so to speak.

March 8, 2009 12:51 pm

Sunday morning and today is back to work day at the nuclear plant (actually this evening for the graveyard shift). What a great week! We had some awesome weather, especially yesterday. When I got home from the shop I actually enjoyed for the first time since December, the joy of riding Le Grande Orange up the driveway. The sheets of ice that have been there all winter are gone. It's now beautiful brown sloppy mud, and for the next little while I will love it. Funny how mud, and garbage that has be hidden all winter by snow laying everywhere can bring joy to my spirit, but it does. It means our cycling season will soon be here to enjoy in it's fullest, and I know that is something we all long for. Customer Appreciation Night was a blast, and shop traffic has certainly picked up, so there is a smile on my face these days. I've got alot to do today, so I have to be brief, I'm just hoping things are going as swell for you as they are for me. Like I've said before, I'm the luckiest guy in the world, and I'm very thankful for it. See you on the road..

March 6, 2009 11:15 am

OK folks, not much time to blog today. My plate is full, with lots of running around and wrapping up loose ends for tonights big show. To Halifax for coffee, tables, etc, to Superstore for cheese plates, snacks, and other goodies, clean up the shop until it sparkles, get my presentations lined up for tonight, and then get ready to party. Hope you can make it. See you at 6.

March 4, 2009 10:29 pm

We're getting close folks, and things are falling nicely into place. Hydration products are on order and we'll have the honor of the Top Dog from Garrison Brewery, Brian Titus, joining us for a bit this Friday evening. Music is set, with young Richard Wile, a Bedford native who released his first CD , Stalled in Stockholm, this past summer. So we have great refreshments and great music lined up, what else? How about Stephane Moulin, owner of Gleneagle Bakery and his project of building a bicycle frame out of chocolate just for our event? Tickets will be sold during the evening, and you"ll have a chance to win this one of a kind masterpiece. Very cool. Everybody knows our charity of choice is Street Connections, and to help assist in feeding the hungry families and children of Metro, we will be pushing hard for all of you to take home a bag of our 15th Anniversary Special Blend Coffee. All proceeds of the coffee sales goes directly to Street Connections. Our goal is to sell at least 25 bags of coffee and during the evening present Rob Pattison with a cheque for $200. Nick Giacomantonio, of the HeartLand Tour fame has promised to drop in for a visit, so make sure you touch base with this energy filled dynamo and congratulate him on his future goals and past success in making Nova Scotians more aware of their health and community, and understanding how the two work together. Today I caught wind of a "very special happening" that will be a huge hit with all of our customers. Surprising? Yes indeed. Can I tell you more? Yes, but somebody would kill me if I did so, so I'll just let it play out. Trust me folks, you don't want to miss this? So in a nutshell, it looks like Friday is shaping up to be a great night. Hope you can make it.

March 2, 2009 6:14 pm

Made it back from Montreal in one piece. I now realize how ridiculously lucky Nick and I were to enjoy excellent road conditions both up and back. A winter drive, in winter conditions would have finished me, I'm sure of that. Any ways, had a great road trip with my #2 son, Nick. We encountered a few speed bumps during our B Ball trip such as the two games we drove 2500 km to see both being cancelled. C'est dommage, they say in French. We did manage to get to the Bar B Barn for chicken and ribs, we did get to meet Kadiri and exchange gifts, hugs and laughs, and we did manage to follow the Rainmen to Quebec City, get lost for about an hour before enjoying the game in front of a very vocal and excited Quebecois crowd. Today was a down to business again day. Pay bills, juggle accounts, and line up my network expert, who just happens to be my #1 son Jeff, who is an absolute genius, if such beings actually exist on this planet. Jeff is responsible for getting my new accounting system set up as a multi user system. I can spell multi user, I can say it, understand what it will do for me, but admit I would literally spend the rest of my life attempting to configure it as such. I'm smart enough to know I'm a computer idiot, and therefore have no place in the kitchen with the best computer chiefs of the world. I'll leave the Chef de Master, Jeff alone in the kitchen and patiently sit at the table and await the fruits of his culinary efforts. Busy lining up CAN stuff, beer, guests, prizes, and will not start panicking until Thursday when I uncover the things that have been overlooked. I want to warn our customers now that you may be on the receiving end of a call from a staff member this week inviting you. If you get two calls, just consider your self an extra special customer who has received extra special treatment. I welcome all of you to join us and I certainly hope we have a great turnout as we celebrate the eve of our 09 cycling season and our 15th Anniversary in business. That's about it for now, I've got to get back to finishing off last weekends entries into my new software. See you Friday night, if not sooner...cheers..

February 22, 2009 7:00 pm

Good evening folks! Here I sit in front of my IMac after pulling an "all dayer" An "all dayer" Barry, "what's that?" Some of you may have experienced or at last know friends who pulled an "all nighter", well and "all dayer" is the same thing only during the day. Worked all last night to finish up my set at the nuclear plant and today is the "lost day" or day you feel totally lost, whichever suits you. I got home at six fifteen, Java"d up for the day and went head first into my list. Accounting software update, website glossing, Lifetime Free Adjustment brochure completed, pay invoices, and then hop on Le Grande Orange for a spin into the shop and then the bank with a patience of a deposit. I'm now in the midst of some serious multi-tasking. Two computers on my desk, working two different angles, yup Matt Good playing faithfully in the background on ITunes, following Kadiri and the Sea Dawgs to their second win in two nights on the PBL website, sipping on a delicious Garrison India Pale Ale, and blogging at the same time. I'm actually impressing the hell out of myself here. Maybe I should grab my harmonica and play it while I type. That would truly give me bragging rights at the shop. Awesome day again today, warm, sunny, and the snow is slumping lower and lower as my spirits soar higher and higher. Finally got a reply from my very, very special guest that I invited to our Customer Appreciation Night, and it's confirmed, she will appear. It appears that nobody will pass up the chance to join us for the Customer Appreciation Night and our 15th Anniversary Celebration. As I have said many times, I have been truly blessed although I have yet to figure out why. Well I better get back to the B Ball game before it's over, so signing out for now, but remember, as hard as it is to believe, tomorrow is going to be even better than today... see you soon...

February 21, 2009 6:22 am

Just got home from the nuclear plant and flashed up a 10 cup carafe of Java, and I'm set to go. I had a look at the Rainmen website and Section 23 to get the latest news on last nights game. Post season play now looks doubtful and my trip to Montreal this week is looking more like a close to the end of the season highlight vs a play off appetizer, but hey that's life. I start vacation after my last shift tonight, and a host of things will be happening next week as we get ready for customer appreciation night. Food, check, beer and wine, check, live entertainment from local musician, Richard Wile, check, fantastic sweets and a special creation just for this event by Stephane Moulin of The Gleneagle Bakery, check, huge draw prizes, check, special guests, check, surprises, planned and unplanned, check, and oh yes, special pricing, check. This Thursday at the stroke of midnight I'll be hoping in the Mazda, not on Le Grande Orange and doing a driving night shift as I head to Montreal with my #2 son, Nick, for a 2 day B ball road trip. Rainmen the first night, and then a chance to see Kadiri and his team, the Wilmington Sea Dawgs, play on Saturday. It should be a great time and I'm counting on the weather Gods to give us a break and provide us with some safe driving conditions on the way up and back. To the joy of all of you who read or paddle through this blog, my new accounting software is about to be rolled out into the shop. What will you see? If all goes well, nothing, or at least that is my hope and expectation. It's actually a bit disappointing that something which required as much work and effort as this did, will make no appreciable difference to you. Onto another topic before it slips out of my sleep deprived mind, or at least that's my excuse, have you noticed a change in the air the last week? I tell you, riding a bike through the winter in Nova Scotia certainly gets you in tune with the weather, and I for one can say you spring is coming. Of the past 3 rides into the shop I have made, it was pleasant, not warm, I won't stretcccchhhh the truth, but very pleasant, totally unlike the previous 70 days or so, where having the right gear and wearing all of it made it bearable. I won't say I'm excited by the weather, thrilled is a better word. Folks it's time to head into the basement or garage, blow the dust of the steed, and start dreaming about spring rides, warmer weather, and good times. They're all just around the corner...

February 14, 2009 7:38 am

What's new? What not new? Wow, in just a few days the whole world turns upside down. Let's get down to business and catch up. B ball front, so many changes I can't comprehend. Great game last Sunday, new coach, new, well sort of new Eric Crookshank/Air Canada, and just a buzz that has been missing all year since Kadiri left for a warmer climate and different team. It was unbelievably great, and then we lose Sanders, one of the top players, and now this afternoon we pick up the top scoring forward in the league in A J Millien. Excitement, you bet. I didn't even need a carafe of coffee today to get a start on my day. What else? How about bodies coming into the shop checking out new product? I know were supposed to be in a recession, but here it is February 14th and folks are out shopping for new bikes. I love it !! For those of you following the blog, it looks like I have struck gold on my accounting package. Work is going well and hopefully we'll be operating with a current version of business software vs the WW2 version my accountant always makes fun of come tax time. Speaking of tax, today is a T4, and T4 summary day. That is a day you donate to the Feds for free as you beat together year long source deductions and hope that they line up with what the Conservative Government in power wants to take from you. If not, it's sort of like the game of Monopoly where you go to jail for a specified period of time dictated by Peter Harper himself. Anything else? Yup, still waiting, hoping, that today will be the day that I hear from Mrs. X, from parts unknown, in regards to her appearance at our upcoming Customer Appreciation Night. Did I actually say that? Damn, now you know I've invited a lady as our special guest and you now have it narrowed down to 6,706,993,152 divided by 2 according to my latest Google search. It should be a piece of cake to figure out who it is now, correct? I'll be heading out later today for my first time this week on Le Grande Orange to deliver the pays to my hard working staff. Actually I don't have the pays completed yet, so I better get going. Until next time, cheers ....

February 10, 2009 9:38 pm

Went straight out from work at the nuclear plant to the shop for our weekly staff training session this evening where we reviewed our top secret plans for Global Domination of the bicycle industry. Had some pizza, shared some tips on helping customers get what they are looking for, Andrew gave us a PK on our Lights in Motion light systems, and we reviewed our modified Lifetime Free Adjustment Policy brochure. Checked my email when I got home to see if a very special person had replied to my invitation to be our super guest at our up coming Customer Appreciation Night. You all know I have a habit of inviting athletes that show an amazing passion for their sport, are leaders in the community, and are role models that we can all look up to. This year is no exception, and I've got my fingers crossed that my luck won't run out. It would be awesome to have the good fortune of sharing the evening with this wonderful person. Let the excitement build and stay tuned for updates. I had the pleasure today of chatting with another one of our good customers who says he reads and actually enjoys this blog. He claims by reading my blog he can actually reduce his coffee intake. He says reading the blog is like having a double espresso, just the talk of all the coffee I drink get him buzzing. Anyway I can help, I'm willing. Thanks for the positive feedback L.P. I know most of the regular readers won't believe this, but I've stepped outside the box with my music tonight. I'm giving Matt Good the night off, and spinning the band, Kings of Leon, Because of The Times CD, and enjoying it. This is where the blog is actually helping me become a more complete person. I realize that every day, every night, every minute of the day, I tend to do the same thing over and over and over. So to become less boring, and to broaden my own horizons, and because we all know we won't be here forever, I'm working on making myself a more complete person/monster. Shared a text message with Kadiri today where we both laughed about and at each other. How can two people from such far away places, with such different backgrounds, and such a large age difference be so in tune with each other? It's been a long day, started at 4:30 am and it's now close to 10:00, so with that being said, I hope nobody complains as I get set to call it another great day. Good night all....

February 6, 2009 7:40 am

The day is only young, but I'm already ramping it up after downing java number 5, which means I still have 3 or 4 more to go until my tank is filled. Yes sir, enjoying copious amounts of high octane coffee first thing in the morning is just one of my many bad habits, that along with being too good looking, being too modest, etc, etc. I was sprung from the nuclear plant at approximately 5:39 this morning, and as I always do, on my way out the gate, I let out a high pitched scream of joy that pierced the morning silence like a bolt of lightening. Play days are here again for another four days. I rip home in my trusty Mazda 3 Sport, grind the beans, put the coffee on, and then embark to produce a batch of the most amazing cinnamon buns your mouth has ever tasted. Pop a few, wash them down with, you guessed it, with a large steaming mug of dark roast, and then it's computer time. Download the file from the shop, check the bank account on line, same story as always, there's no money there, and then back to putting a little shine on the web site before tackling a full day of accounting as I prepare to move out of the dark ages and into the future with some new software. Whew, let me take a deep breath and I'll start again. What else is planned you say Mr. bike shop guy? Thanks for asking. I'm absolutely stoked about this Sundays B Ball game at the Metro Center. Crookshank is back, a new coach has been thrown to the Rainmen lions for shredding, more controversy is brewing, and a must win game against a leading division rival is at hand. How much better can it get? I'll be out and about on Le Grande Orange this weekend burning off those cinnamon buns I just inhaled, enjoying the beautiful clear blue skies, and thanking my lucky stars for good life and good fortune I have been blessed with for all these years. Hope you get a chance to reflect on and enjoy yours as well. See you soon...

January 31, 2009 7:55 pm

Yahoo, pay day! We all live to spend for another week and keep the North American economy moving out of its doldrums. Steady day at the shop with folks coming in checking out new rides for the spring. Lots of skates sharpened, with many folks planning on hitting the lakes tomorrow with the more reasonable temps heading our way. I did the commute today on Le Grande Orange for a second day in a row, and I must say it seems downright balmy compared to last week out there. Sitting here in front of my Mac listening to ??? your right, Matt Good, and checking for PBL updates on how Kadiri is making out this evening in Buffalo. Have I mentioned that all this commuting has turned me into a ravenous eating machine. Its true, I never stop eating, and yet I'm getting thinner every day. Tomorrow I'm spending the afternoon with Kristie and old friends ( let me re phrase that, with friends I have known for a long time) taking in a play at Neptune and then a bite to eat afterward. It's long overdue, I mean getting a little balance in my life vs. working 24/7 is something I just have to start to do. My family received some great news today, as we got word that someone very dear to us who has been battling cancer, received some very positive results from their latest tests. As I have always preached here on this blog, have faith, work hard, never give up, and you will almost certainly be rewarded. Today we have proof that good things happen to those who exhibit those qualities. Comforting news for all of us indeed..Honk your horn the next time you see Le Grande Orange and I on the road, I'll be sure to wave... See you soon, and remember to enjoy life, it's unfortunately another one of those non-renewable resources.

January 28, 2009 8:13 pm

Alright, what took place today? I went straight from the nuclear plant out to the shop to price up some new spring product and leave a to do list for my wonderful helpers that hold the fort while I'm not there. Then it's home to check emails, send and reply, do a small website update, and then attempt to make a decision on my accounting software dilema. You see ladies and gents, when your tired, you go into a "basic mode" where sometimes decisions are made more rapidly than if you were "really with it." So after some major frustration dealing with the PC world, the internet, firewalls, and anti virus issues, I wave the white flag and threw the PC out the window. MAC it is for me, signed, sealed and delivered. So with that behind me I decided to chill by cooking supper, which I must say was marvelous. Did you expect anything less from me? After supper, its back to the keyboard to do a bit more work on the site, check the latest PBL stats to see how Kadiri is fairing, and then shuffle through a stack of bills that would have Obama or Stephen Harper shaking in their boots. Hey guys, over here, throw some money my way! Anyway, it was a productive day, a good day, and as always, I'm looking forward to bigger and better things tomorrow. Have a great one and I'll see you soon...

January 27, 2009 9:42 am

Hi Folks, I'm still alive and well, just thought I'd drop by and give you an update as to what has been going on. I'm in the middle of my day/nights at the nuclear plant, and wrapping up a few small items that have been sticking to me lately. Yellow Page deadline is a week away, so that is something that will move to the top of the list today. So you think I'm totally disorganized? Well you're not far off, but as a small business owner, some of your time is consumed due to other folks struggling with their workload just like you. For instance, my Yellow ad was sent to them back on December 26th, confirmed received on January 3rd, and then this morning I get a nastigram telling me I may miss the deadline? So as you can see, sometimes being organized and early pays limited dividends. What else is new? It's cold, very cold, but you guessed it, not cold enough to stop me from riding "Le Grande Orange" back and forth to the shop. Last week was great, racked up 190 km of commuting in what some softies would call "less than ideal conditions." My accounting software dilemma has not been solved yet and this has to be done on this set of days off. I'm looking at 2 accounting packages, one that will keep me in the relative safe and comforting MAC world, the other throwing me into the scary worm and virus infested world of the Microsoft family. I'll know by the end of the week where I'm going here, and then it's onto building and running two data bases side by side until I'm ready to switch to the new one. Just another challenge I face, but that's why I love this job, it's never status quo around here. Today is federal budget day, and the government is proposing to spend its way out of the turmoil that over spending has gotten us into. Hmmm... I suppose that makes good sense? I have lined up Richard Wile, local young Bedford musician extraordinnaire for our Customer Appreciation Night. Richard played for us during our Summer Slam Event this past August, and we want him back. Stay tuned for more high level security leaks about our CAN right here and only here on the Bike Shop Blog. Special guests?... Special suprises?...who knows, we're working on having a few tricks up our sleeves for this one, seeing it marks our 15th year in operation. I have a pretty big list in front of me for the day, so for now, I'm outta here.. Have a great day and remember, attitude is everything. If you want to have a great day, you have to first believe it can happen. I know it can be a great day, hey it is a great day, you know what, I knew it would be a great day .... try it!

January 21, 2009 7:42 pm

You may have already guessed by my late blog that things have been very busy lately. My apologies to all the millions of internet savvy folks who dial this site in daily to get a true pulse on the Earth, that I have taken so long for an update. Here goes, inventory, bean counting, yes it's that time of the year, and it has been my focus for the last week. Goal: Find out if your trusty computer that tells you you have millions of dollars in inventory hanging off the walls is accurate or telling you a big fat lie. That's the what I've been up to in a nutshell., that and working at the nuclear plant and discovering over this past weekend that machines are much more like us humans than we think. What do you mean? They don't like to work when it's minus 20 any more than we humans do. This past week has been a true test of all the skills I have accumulated or lost over the 28 years I have worked at the smoke factory. Enough said about that. Yesterday was terrific, Obama is in, and the other nutcase named Bush is out. It's no longer Us against Them, it's lets get the car out of the ditch, and back on the road. Thank God, for all the good things that happen, Obama taking over is definitely one we will thank him for. All African Americans, all minorities, all groups that don't fall into being classified as mainstream have something to celebrate after yesterdays ceremonies. All those who are looking, hoping, and believing that change for the good will happen had a great day yesterday, and will continue to see their optimistic dreams unfold before their very eyes. Wow, I went way to deep there, can barely breath, let's go back up for air. OK folks, you're back talking to the happy go lucky bike shop owner here. What else has happened that I can slap down on the screen to give the good folks a reason to come back for more. That's it, Customer Appreciation Night, it"s not far off and I finally I have a date for folks. Friday, March 6th, mark it on your calendar, we will stage our famous Customer Appreciation Night, and this year will be extra special because believe it or not, we have just hit the 15 years in business milestone, don't ask me how. Yes, same theme, fun, prizes, refreshments, presentations, special guests, and the part I hate the most, excellent one night only pricing. There is the plug, nothing more will be said until next month. Consider this a perk or reward to those of you who continue to read the rubbish I post here. Anything else? Yup, Nick my #2 son and I are planning a road trip of epic proportions during the last week of February. We will be driving to Montreal to see my favorite B Ball player, Kadiri Richard, light up the night in Montreal with his new PBL team, the Wilmington Sea Dawgs. Looking forward to it? You bet. A chance to see my very good friend Kadiri play, and make the trip with one of my two wonderful sons, Nicholas, will definitely be a special weekend indeed. So much to say, but I know most of you reading this are already starting to fade, so I won't torture you any longer. My summary, the world is a much better place than it was 2 days ago, hope abounds with millions and millions of people, and good things happen to only those who believe, not those who don't, so you've got a choice to make. ... see you soon...

Day shifts at the nuclear plant are done for another week and tomorrow is Sunday, accounting day, and clean up whatever is left over from the week day. I'm hoping to get a ride in tomorrow on "Le Grande Orange" into the shop where I'll finish off some loose ends, and have a look at what's coming at us head on next week. Tonight is IPA night, Hockey Night in Canada night, where I'll watch my Leafs thump the Broad Street Bullies and hopefully during the game receive a text message from KD with news that my favourite out of town B Ball team, the Wilmington Sea Dawgs, with my all time favourite player, KD himself, have notched their first win in the early PBL season. That will complete my day where things went well, and the world kept spinning even though the media tried its best again today to stop it. Give it up guys, you can't do it, no matter how hard you try. There are too many folks out there like me that have too much positive energy, too many good things happening to them, too good health, and too good fortune, to let you guys drag us down into the mud. I say stay there, put your face in it, and take a deep breath and enjoy what you're trying to create. Meanwhile, the rest of us will adjust to the fact things have changed, but will not be that bad, and will move forward to encourage others to see the bright light that is shining strongly though all the darkness you are trying to create. Grab my hand folks, and come with me, as we face the best days of our life, not our darkest.

January 7, 2009 6:19 pm

A very special day indeed, after all, how many times do you turn 52 in your lifetime? Wait, I know what you're thinking, but don't bother, you won't get through. The phone has been ringing off the hook since the early morning with family, friends, and other well wishers, all wanting to do the same thing and wish me a Happy Birthday. OK if you really want to get a birthday greeting in, you can try emailing me, that always seems to work. So what does a bike shop owner do on his Birthday you say? Started the day with my ten cups of Java, paid a few bills on line, took my broken computer into the meat shop to have it ground up into hamburger, planned on going out for supper and got ice stormed out, so instead, settled in front of the trusty old Mac and put a quick BD blog together while listening to ????. You guessed it, Matt Good. I talked to everyone in my family, had a text conversation with KD about his first PBL game on Saturday night in Buffalo, and then Kristie cooked me up a fabulous supper of lamb chops and a veggie dish you would all kill for. My mother will call in about ten minutes and sing Happy Birthday to me over the phone (not sure which is worse, over the phone or live), something she has done since her wee little lad left home at the youthful age of 21, and that will be the day. Do I feel older? Absolutely not. I've been blessed with a body that just wants to keep going forever and a mind that hasn't really started going yet, so with that magic combination, I guess I'm good for years to come. Hope everybody is well, we'll talk soon...

January 6, 2009 11:38 am

Hi folks, this is my first blog for the New Year, and it's one filled with excitement and hope. What's new? It's a New Year, a fresh start, and hopefully a change in some old habits. How about a new US President, how about a new direction, how about less war, how about the economy turning slowly around as the world realizes we overreacted like we do with absolutely everything these days thanks to the media. How about a new basketball season and my prediction that the Rainmen will average 3000+ this season and triple their fan base? How about the commute bug getting me hooked so strongly, that I don't want to Zoom Zoom any more in my adorable Mazda that I love? What about a 2009 cycling season that sees lots of new faces getting involved for many reasons, but most of all for the fun of it? The year to come has the potential to be full of good things, all we need to do is learn again how to recognize and focus on the positives, an ability we seemed to have lost in 2008. Happy New Year everyone...2009 is going to be terrific.

December 30, 2008 8:33 pm

Wow, what a busy few days. Christmas was awesome, I had a great meal with our extended family, my apologies, not a great meal, a fabulous one. Got a bath tub and new faucet set for Xmas, what the hell happened there??? Any ways, we've visited lots of family, caught up on all the news, talked old times, ate a few lobsters and drank a few ales to boot. That my friends is what the holiday season is all about. In case you haven't noticed, Pro basketball is back in Metro, and I've been in attendance for all four of the Rainmen exhibition games so far. Fast, exciting, and I'll go out on a limb here and say they'll attract on average twenty five hundred to three thousand fans per game this year. It's great fun, good entertainment, and inexpensive. I'll be giving away tickets to games I can't make, so keep your hands out, and remember to say please when I stuff some tickets in your hand. On the topic of B Ball, just want to let you all know Kadiri Richard is doing well in Wilmington, North Carolina with his new team, the Sea Dawgs, and I'll hopefully be attendance for one of his games this season and then out to "socialize" afterwards with my good friend. New topic. Some people have asked, is it really that bad Barry? The A bomb on the home page doesn't paint a pretty picture. Don't worry folks, the event is as big as an A bomb drop, but not in a negative way, totally positive. Stay tuned!! Anything else before I go? Don't think so, it's been an absolutely terrific Holiday, with New Years Eve straight ahead. Have a great 2009 and thanks again for all of your support. We love all of our customers.....

December 25, 2008 10:07 pm

I have to admit, there is nothing quite like Christmas Day. I was up this morning at 8:00 am to put the cinnamon buns in the oven and flash up the ten cup pot of Java. Lexor, our dog, joins me for my first cup, and then the house starts to come to life. First Kristie, then Steph, Nick arrives from in town and Jeff is the last to respond to "the gifts are getting opened" call. After our gift exchange, it's time to put a serious hurt on the "just out of the oven cinnamon buns" I engineered the night before. Delightful, is the only word to describe these puppies. Afterwards the family breaks up as my two eldest sons head home to work up an appetite for the grand Christmas Feast held annually at the Edgar household. I slip out for a quick spin into Bedford on 'Le Grande Orange" for a bank deposit and an opportunity to burn a pile of calories. When I get home, I shower up and it's show time again. Turkey, stuffing, sweet potato, gravy, cranberry sauce, and yes plum pudding that Scrooge would absolutely kill for. A fabulous meal with all of our family together, and a call from our nephew who is in Australia for Christmas, and of course the family portrait of Xmas 08 to top the evening off. No pressure, no bad news, no work, just a wonderful, comfortable day, with the lasting impression that everything is going to be OK forever and ever. I hope everybody had a day a great as mine and wish all of you a very Merry Christmas.

December 19, 2008 2:53 pm

Hi folks, just wanted to let you all know I'm still alive and kicking, just a bit behind in my work, and finding no time to play. I just got in from a cold 8K run and thought I'd fire up the old blog for a quick update. Last night shift at the nuclear plant is tonight and then I'm on vacation until the first day of 2009. Woopeee!! So that means I will have ample time to work at the shop, commute on "la Grande Orange", renovate the washroom at home, catch up on my accounting, take care of the 2008 inventory count, receive the Norco and Cycles Lambert booking orders, fit in a bit of Christmas shopping, set up my new accounting package, attend the staff Christmas party, and....and.... and.... Ah there is nothing like a peaceful vacation to ease ones mind. I have to admit in my 28 years of shift work at the nuclear plant, I've spent many Christmas Eves and Days working while the rest of my family was home celebrating without me ( or perhaps they were celebrating the fact that I wasn't with them, not sure on that one. ) Any ways, I've never had a Christmas vacation until this year and I truly believe this will be quite special. Tonight I will be the little starry eyed boy wide awake, waiting for the nights darkness to recede and the early signs of daylight start to break through. Instead of running downstairs to see a tree surrounded with presents, I'll drive through the nuclear plant gate and feel that exact same thrill, knowing that for the next 11 days I'll be enjoying my good health with family and loved ones, and counting my blessing that I'm the most fortunate person on the face of the earth....until next time, yours sincerely.

December 13, 2008 9:21 pm

It's 9:21 pm and I've just finished a fabulous supper of curried chicken and a Garrison IPA ( Canadian beer of the year 2007 and 2008 and available at select beer stores and Garrison Brewery in Halifax) How was that for a plug for your brewery Brian? After spending a late day at the shop trying to get my 2009 booking orders completed, the commute home in the pitch black was a breeze on "Le Grande Orange" I'm definitely starting to feel like Superman by commuting back and forth to the shop. Home now and listening to who else, yup, Matt Good live at Massey Hall while posting this blog. Tonight I'll pick away at a couple of projects I have on the go. I'm developing a new 15th Anniversary logo that is hopefully fresh, yet respects and incorporates the past logos and our history, starting plans on our Special 15th Anniversary Customer Appreciation Night for late February, and also attempting to roll over a new accounting package to the business that will create havoc and many sleepless nights for me I'm sure. I usually allocate the odd Saturday night at home to watching a good hockey game, but there is no hockey on TV worthy of me watching. For those who need a bit more detail on that last comment, only the Montreal Canadians are playing on TV tonight, and for those of you who are true Leaf fans, you know the watching the Habs really is a total waste of time. Talked to Kadiri Richard, my good friend the other night and he led his new team, the Wilmington Sea Dogs in points in the their first exhibition game of the new PBL season. Way to go Kadiri, it proves I have great taste in bikes and basketball players. You'll always be my favourite B Ball player and that's just the way it is. Well folks, I must get back to business, but as always its a pleasure to share a bit of my day with you, albeit via the web.....

December 10, 2008 9:47 am

I'm a bit late starting my day, as the previous two day shifts at the nuclear plant had taken their toll on me. Any ways I'm topped up with 6 cups off coffee (an off day for me) and ready to hit the road. Unfortunately my "Grand Orange" is at the shop so for today I'm forced to drive the Mazda to do some pick ups, drop offs, and then bring my bike home for another series of commutes later this week. Today will be consumed by parts and accessories booking. That's where you decide what products you want to carry for the up coming season and how much of it you hope to sell. You order up and most of the product starts to roll in about a week or two later. I'm starting to run up against some deadlines, so if I don't get it done ASAP, the cupboards will be bare come spring. So with that being said, I better get moving and get a productive day under my belt. Wish me luck...

December 6, 2008 7:50 pm

Its Saturday night, party night! Let all get out there and party! I've just finished my pint of Garrison IPA, my party is finished, and I just completed an email to Garrison owner Brian Titus with a quick note of thanks for his help in our Brewery Tour/ Movie night two weeks ago. Thanks Brian, it was a blast. Today was a beautiful day and the ride into the shop on "Le Grande Orange" was awesome. No wind, sunny and temps just right. We had a good day at the shop, the Giant GBS crew has arrived, conquered, and headed home. The shop looks great, we're loaded with fresh ideas, and there is a buzz amongst the staff. These are exciting times indeed. Tomorrow is another day, with a new work list to tackle, a new 10 cup pot of coffee to be inhaled, and another great ride into the shop and home on the trusty Trans Send LX. Until we meet again, play safe, have fun , and enjoy every day as if it were your last.

There you go folks, there is always a first, and today was the day. After working all night at the nuclear plant, I went to get my car tuned up and from there directly to the shop just as promised in my previous blog to assist in the Day 1 GBS make over. I attempted to stay busy as Guy and Paul worked feverously in an attempt to transform my shop into Eastern Canadas' very first GBS store. How does it feel to be one of the top ten bicycle retailers in Canada and have your shop chosen to be a premium retail partner of Giant Bicycles, the largest bicycle manufacturer of the world? Pretty cool, you bet. So after spending all day helping out, and starting to feel quite baked, I waved the white flag, and promised to return tomorrow with renewed energy and commitment. So as I'm updating the web site, I crash, no I don't get hurt, I don't fall off my bike, I just stop, stop doing everything except breathing while hovering above the computer keyboard. I awake to,"What are you doing, go to bed" as Kristie finds me in a frozen state of mind,body, and soul. If you know me, you already know I'm much too stubborn to actually do what someone recommends I do. With that being said, I carry on regardless and finish my blog, Matt Good blaring in the background, and me equipped with the knowledge that for today I have given everything I possibly can, and that tommorrow brings another day, with a fresh start and new challenges...signing off for today, excited about tomorrows possibilities...

December 2, 2008 1:49 pm

Here we go, I'm heading into another marathon event here, so if any of you drop by the shop tomorrow and see me curled up in the fetal position sleeping on the floor, you'll understand what is going on. Heading into the nuclear plant this evening for my last night shift after tweaking the web site with some new updates. When I finish tomorrow morning at six a.m., it's over to get my car checked out at City Mazda. From there it's directly out to the shop for the day as Guy Pellerin and Paul Nash of Giant Canada join us for two days of GRPing and GBSing. New buzz words, new concept, and new excitement. I'll be at my very best, running on 3 hours sleep in the last 48, loaded to the gills with caffeine, and basically having the time of my life. If I'm still moving at the end of the day, I may consider a 10 K run, just to put the proverbial nail in the coffin. So you want to open a bike shop eh?? LOL...

November 28, 2008 9:26 pm

Another great day! Le Grande Orange and I have turned our daily commute to the shop into a mini workout. No more sitting climbing hills, we're standing and attacking, we're becoming one, an integrated machine. That's the cool thing about commuting, one challenge leads to another. The day was great though, mild and no wind. I tried something new today, and stopped for groceries on the way home. Parked the bike and went inside, and folks looked at me like I was a spaceman walking on the moon. This would freak most folks out, but as you all know (those who really know me) I love the attention. When you start your life with "red" hair, your earmarked as different forever, so as my hair turns white, I'll just have to have another reason to look totally different. I think I've found out, being a bike commuter. Next will come the curiosity stage, "Where do you ride your bike too?", "Isn't it really cold?", and on and on it will go. The market was up a wopping amount today and as I predicted the world is a better place today than yesterday, no let me correct myself, a much better place than yesterday. Cheers to all, and my prayers go out to one of my immediate family members, in hopes that his health gets better in the near future... Signing off..

November 27, 2008 9:07 pm

Just finished putting a few more presents under the tree so to speak as I've just updated the Gift Idea page again. It's that time of the year, and I'm trying to make sure we highlight some of the new stuff that our regulars may not know we have. Commuted again today and either "Le Grand Orange " is getting faster or I'm getting fitter. Today was unbelievable! Sunny, plus six and no wind, a true cycling commuters paridise. Ordered some more great Giant bikes for spring, did some web work, and now I'm getting ready to take a break and watch my Leafs beat up on thier Ontario brethren, the Sens on the tube. Even bike shop owners get to watch a bit of TV once and a while. The TSX was up again today, 4 days in a row, that's good news, and the world will be a much better place to live in tomorrow when we wake up. Signing off... see you on the road to Bedford tomorrow, keep your eyes open for "Le Grand Orange" and the very happy guy riding it, that's me!

November 25, 2008 11:14 am

I have refrained from blogging the last couple of days because of some very unsettling news. I have been receiving more than my fair share of emails telling me that you and others are actually reading the rubbish I publish here, so armed with that information I have felt obligated to share with you my views on current world topics that I feel require our daily focus. Topics like the meteor that just missed smoking our planet into a million pieces, the worlds financial market melt down, the impending worldwide plague, and other wonderful events the media likes to stuff down our throats every evening just before we try to go to bed. Good God, no wonder we're such a mess the next morning when we start all over again. HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!!! That's enough of responsible blogging, I'll now fall back to the silly dribble mode that I feel totally competent producing in large volumes. So what's new? Great turnout and fun at the Brew Tour even though I had to behave due to my early morning shift at the nuclear plant the next day. Oh well, next time. Thanks to all who braved the storm and came out for some really good times and really good beer. What else you say? For those of you who didn't know, Sally is back helping out a bit over Christmas and has the shop all "Christmassed up". We're also trying out some new Kinky Kristmas hours, Wednesday evenings and Sunday afternoons, in an effort to match the "jewel" of the retail world, and model of "Customer Service Excellence" Wal-Mart. We may be moving to 24/7 operation soon. Definitely NOT!!! Lots of cool gift ideas, and as most of you know, some shiny new 09 stuff is starting to arrive from many of our suppliers. Drop by soon and remember to purchase often. I'm getting stoked to hop on the "Grand Orange" again this week and rack up some more impressive CO2 emission savings when my night shifts are finished. After talking to a local super commuter, "Terry Walker" , I have found myself like her, slipping into the commuting world where the initial challenge grows into something more, something much greater than originally anticipated. Where the Hell was I? Oh yes, and it's fun to, that's what I was trying to say. Wow, this blog is a big one. I better go and get to work dialing in our Gift Idea page. I'll see many of you this weekend at the shop. Cheers....

November 19, 2008 8:20 pm

Sorry for not keeping my promise folks. You're right, I told you I was going to blog in the morning and damn it, I didn't. My apologies. Here goes, it was a stormy day and I had cell PDA problems and spent half the day on the phone talking to a wonderful young lady trying her best to help me out. I love good service and today I got it, once I fought my way through an endless army of talking robots ( whatever happened to the tall silent ones that just wanted to rule the world? Now they just want to talk to you all day...) for a half hour, finally achieving the pinnacle of success, actually getting to speak to a real person. Because a good chunk of the day was consumed, I decided not to commute to the shop on my trusty Giant Trans Send which has been aptly named Le Grand Orange. Good thing, as we all know it got pretty messy out there. Supper is on tomorrow night for my family, and I'm in charge, so I've gotta go put my Chef hat on and start cooking the meatballs. Until the next time, but be sure it will be 8 pm something, have fun and take care....

November 17, 2008 8:58 pm

What's with this 8 pm thing. Every time I write a blog it's 8 pm something. Some one's going to accuse me of cutting and pasting but that's not the case. I'll try to blog in the morning next time, just to change things up. By the way, no Matt Good is not playing, I think I've worn out the new CD, Live at Massey Hall. Got off this morning from the smoke factory and got two hours sleep. Went for a nice walk with Kristie and my # 1, well trained dog, Lexor, and then went back to work on numerous business things that should have been done early last week. Source deductions, WCB payments, all the normal stuff for the middle of the month. Tomorrow is a training night for the staff at the shop, so I've been busy hammering away at topics and products that will be discussed during this gathering of the great minds. Website update complete, check, and now a bit of accounting before I run downstairs and retreat to my HD TV for hopefully a winning performance by my Leafs. That's about it for today, and just remember, ride your bike, and ride it often.

November 14, 2008 8:54 pm

Wow, look at that. Almost to the minute since my last blog. What's new? Worked today at the refinery and left a great big CO2 footprint on the world, new commuter bike is built and ready to go, say goodbye to my Mazda around the shop, its a thing of the past. Thanks to all who helped my good friend Kadiri clean up on the Rainmen Fan Favourite Poll. He received terrific news this past weekend and has a scored a starting position with the Wilmington Sea Dawgs of the PBL, the same league as the Rainmen. He told me on his player profile it will say his favourite place to vacation is Halifax, Canada. We already knew that Kadiri, but thanks for the plug. What else? I've received a bunch of registrations this week for the Brewery Tour/Movie Night being held Friday, the 21st from 7-9pm. Have a look at this link and see if it's something you can swing. It should be an enjoyable evening for all. Please help the folks at Garrison to staff properly for the event by emailing me at I Like Beer if you haven't already and plan to attend. After all, what's a brew tour without enough bartenders and available beer to sample. I would call it uncivilized. That's about it, so take care of yourself, and have a GREAT weekend.

November 10, 2008 8:55 pm

Go ahead and guess what I'm listening to right now. Guess how long he's been playing for. You're amazing, how do you do that, you're the winner! Just kidding folks, no insults intended. If you check this blog daily, I have been told that you will live forever and encounter financial wealth greater than you could ever possibly imagine, so by all means read on. ( Perhaps I should be reading this blog as well? ) The day is winding down and it has been one of those days where I control the amount personal interfacing I do, basically because I'm a down right mess after working two twelve hour night shifts and getting much less than the Canadian Mental Health Associations recommended hours of sleep. Am I'm I crazy? No don't worry, I'm just in the transition stage, I'll make sure I go public when it actually happens. My campaign to get Kadiri Richard, the Halifax Rainmen fans favourite player according to their own web site poll, back for another season is entering it's final hours. So I'm pressing hard, putting work aside that I shouldn't, in an effort to help a friend. A good friend indeed, and a worthy friend. If you want to help my cause and Kadiri's, let the Rainmen brass know you want the fans favourite player on the roster for 2009. Signing off with a thank you. thank you very much... just like Kadiri would say to you in appreciation for your support.

November 9, 2008 11:52 am

It's 11:52 or so and Matt Good has been playing at full blast for 4 hours now on my computer, just like my last blog. Yes I'm a creature of habit, but once and a while I break away from the grind and try to do something special, something different, and today just happens to be one of those days. As some of you know, I became a Rainmen basketball fan last year, and as the year progressed, I actually had the pleasure of meeting my favourite player, Kadiri Richard. One thing led to another and we became good friends and our friendship continues today even though thousands of miles are between us. My hope was my #1 player would be coming back this season and up until very recently this appeared to be the plan. But as we all know, things happen, and sometimes things don't always go according to "the plan". That's what I'm working on today and it is what I feel compelled to do. Help a friend. Always a good thing to do, although not always an easy thing to do. But do what you can, what's within your capabilities and let the chips fall where they may. That's where I am now. I'm trying to make sure the Rainmen are aware of how popular Kadiri is on and off the court and that many folks (not just me) really want to see him back in Halifax this year. I understand the management is trying to assemble a winner and make the best decisions and everybody appreciates that, but as a business owner myself, I have learned sometimes the best decision is to make sure your customers are happy with your product. The Rainmen have provided that vehicle with their fan poll, I'm hoping they will respect their customers opinion. Want to help? Everybody does. If you know Kadiri and would like to see him back in Halifax, the city he calls his second home, then vote. I'm sure the next time he sees you, he'll thank you.

November 4, 2008 10:39 am

It's 10:30 or so and Matt Good has been playing at full blast for over and hour now on my computer. I have been firming up the details of our up coming Movie Night/Brew Tour, paying a few bills, doing a bit of booking for next spring, and working on topics of discussion for tonights staff training. 2009 will be here before you know it, and our staff has to be ready. The training is sort of a mix of everything. Shop news updates, customer service reviews, new product knowledge sessions, and of course the real reason the staff attends, free pizza. Tonight the world will change forever, and I'm hopeful it will bring many positive changes to the future. Tonight the United States will elect the first Afro American President in their countrys' history, and for the first time since John F Kennedy, there is a buzz and a hope that the United States will have a leader with insight and a vision that is very different from the path that has been followed by his predecessor. Exciting times for sure....

November 1, 2008 11:09 am

Just off of night shift, adding bits and pieces to the site. I am truly excited about my new commuting plans and I'm sure by the end of it all, you will be very tired of hearing about it, but I really think it's the way to go. Ride everyday all winter long? No, lets be realistic. They'll be days when the weather won't allow it, perhaps days the body won't, but I think for the most part, the Mazda will be parked a fair bit as I ride my bike back and forth to the shop, run every second day, and get super fit for next spring. Look out world, this will be the new and improved Barry, faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound....Ok, Ok, you've heard it before, but this time it's for real.

October 26, 2008 10:42 am

Sunday, the day of rest. I've always liked Sundays, even more so this Sunday, because I'm actually free to choose what I want to do today. I checked my Palm Pilot this morning, and listed as things overdue by two or three days is zip, zilch, nadding. That means I can play, and play I will. Spice up the website, go for a run, do some cooking, place some orders, and do a weeks worth of accounting in four hours. Oh yes, just in case someone out there actually reads this blog, I'm hoping to hire a new full time employee at the shop, so if you fit the description found on this website, by clicking on the "We're Always Looking" link, flip me an email, and I'd love to sit down and chat with you. This one is just for Tom, in case he was very busy last night, Tom your team lost badly while my lowly Leafs were busy racking up some more points by beating another highly touted team. It's never too late to change teams you know. That will stir up the hornets nest...gotta run..before getting stung.

October 25, 2008 8:36 am

I've been home for a couple of days and I'm slowly trying to get caught back up with the accounting, booking orders, HST reports, etc. that all small business owners love to consume their time with. The shop staff did a marvellous job of keeping everything under control while I was gone, and I thank all of them for the fantastic job they did. Yesterday and old friend dropped into the shop that I hadn't seen for a while. Peter Mushkat, one of the original founders of our Bicycles Plus Cycling Club stopped by to say hello and expressed hopes that next year he'll be back riding with the Club. I truly hope Peters winter plans go well and that on the first ride of the spring we see his glowing smile once more. Peter has much to offer the Club and his participation and friendship will be cherished by all members, new and old. Got to go, the October 31 HST deadline is fast approaching, and Peter Harper needs my remittance to keep his Tory government out of the red.

October 20, 2008 3:52 pm

Well folks, my Euro adventure has come to an end and by tomorrow morning reality will start kicking in as I start my day with a 10 pot carafe of coffee and begin catching up. It's been a great trip, we've seen a pile, and I know now that this is definitely something I'd like to do a little more of when retirement comes my way. I'm sitting on a plane halfway across the Atlantic headed for Iceland and then home. In a previous blog I reported some of my findings on very noticeable differences between North America and Europe, and while it's fresh in my mind, I like to again talk about the role the bicycle plays in the Old World. My eyes have truly been opened in regards to the potential of the bicycle as an alternative mode of transportation. Up till now my bike has been a toy, something to pull out and have fun on, but I'm a converted man. As soon as I get home, I'm gearing up a Giant Transend, decking it out and will be utilizing it as my main means of transportation, to and from the shop. I will lead by example and convince others that they too can make the grade. I've seen bankers, professionals of all fields, ladies totally dolled up with high heels and skirts heading to work on the bike in all the major European cities we've visited. Why not Metro Halifax? I know we don't enjoy the same bike infrastructure as European cities do, but it's a what came first situation, the chicken or the egg? The only way we'll get necessary infrastructure is by putting more bikes on the road, increasing the numbers of our cycling community, and as we grow in strength, then start to lobby government for improvements. The reason the European cities have the facilities is because everybody uses and demands them. Talk to your buddies, encourage and participate with your children, ride as a family, and reap the rewards that cycling can provide all of us. Clean air, good health, and total enjoyment, who will argue with that?

October 17, 2008 3:33 pm

Warning: Climbing 6,000 feet and riding your bicycle from 9:30 in the morning to 4:30 in the afternoon can be hazardous to your health. I obviously missed that warning before our ride today, hey I'm still here to talk about it. We started out from Interlaken with the goal of reaching a summit in the Swiss Alps called Grosse Scheidegg. This is the first day of the trip that our weather has not been perfect. Cool and misty was the start of the day and as we climbed for nearly three hours the weather didn't get any better. This was the first time in my life I've ever climbed anything like this. We stopped once to take a picture, and with the % slope and the fact the roads were damp we were spinning out our rear wheels and had a tough time getting moving again. I've always said I like to climb, and today I stand by that statement, because what we saw at the top and on the way down was pure natural beauty. I'll never forget hearing Jimmie say, "you've made it to the top Barry" just as I saw his silhoette in the haze of the heavy fog. The skies were still cloudy on the way down, but breaks did appear to give us a glimpse of why folks come to view the Junfraujoch, which is aptly named the "Top of Europe". By the end of the day most of us are wasted, me ten times more wasted than the rest, but still in one piece and still ready to ride another day. Until then...

October 16, 2008 11:20 am

Check this out, I know what time it is again. No I didn't buy a pricey Swatch or Tissot at a small boutique, I'm sitting in the airport in Nice waiting to take a flight from here to Geneva, and the clock is right above me. Netherlands is "fait complete", and now France is history. I feel like Napolean, I'm conquering the world, one country at a time. Here are a few observations from my trip so far. Europeans are much more active than us. Folks of all ages are active. People twice my age (well maybe that's a stretch, most of them are dead) are running, biking, and hiking. The youth are outside playing soccer, biking, or indoors doing gymnastics or figure skating on roller blades. Everybody is doing something. Another thing I've noticed is there are no fat people here, young or old, unless they are tourists. Is there a connection? I think so. One area they are behind us is with smoking habits. They smoke a lot and almost everywhere. Wine is cheap in France and takes up rows and rows of space in the grocery stores, all chilled to perfection. Beer on the other hand is found in one little section of the supermarket, never cold? What about them Canadian tourists, eh? It is definitely different than home. Bread and pastries are awesome, and the demi tasse coffees are starting to take their toll on my body. Instead of my usual 10 Canadian cups of java per day, I'm getting by on 2-3 thimble full rations of the French variety, and it is impacting the state of my body. I've been attempting to balance things out by hydrating with more than normal amounts of warm beer, but I still feel a little dry, so I will definitely focuss on this in the upcoming week. I can't say enough about the trains, it is the way to travel from country to country, city to city, or just plain getting around inside the cities. It's an incredible infrastructure and keeps the cars off the roads and CO2 out of the air. Well it's time to take my bike box over to security, so I'll sign off for now. Next stop Interlachen, Switzerland...

October 15, 2008 pretty late and dark

After today, seeing what I've seen, I now know why half the world lives in poverty and is starving. That's because all the worlds' money is in Monte Carlo. All of you out there worried about the recent financial problems, don't worry, come to Monte Carlo and see for yourself that money must really grow on trees. Sarcasm, the city is vually quite stunning, the weather, sunny and about 24 degrees again today, So ideal conditions, a beautiful city, and another great day. Up and at em early tomorrow as we go into the mountains of Switzerland, so I'll sign off for now and catch some zzz's. Can't resist saying hi to Steph, Nicholas, and Jeffrey, see you soon guys. Love you.

October 14, 2008 time, not sure

Boy, oh boy, oh boy. What a day and what a ride! Took the new 2009 TCR Alliance out of the box yesterday with no idea how I would feel on this bike and how it would compare to the Prince. Well folks, I was very impressed. All five of us are on Giants and the group was busy at the start of the ride checking out the TCR. Two thumbs up for this bikes striking good looks, but how does it ride? Here is the answer. The climbing was superb, the handling precise and predictable, and the amount of comfort this frame provides was a total surprise. We road our bikes from 10 until 4 with photo stops and some snacks, but during the whole ride, I was never once anything other than totally comfortable. When I got off the bike I felt like a million dollars. This bike will be the bike that I recommend to any new cyclist looking for a road rocket and not wanting to break the bank. The sun is starting to go down, and my wife Kristie is still out and about with friends covering as much territory as possible before our trip tomorrow into Monaco. Signing off for now and still thinking about my day on the bike...

October 11, 2008 very late and dark

Told you I wasn't a computer whiz, and boy was I right on that count. I can't answer emails (sorry customers), can't update the site, messed up the site, and yes I'm still going strong. Enough of the tech stuff, just give us the meat and potatoes. I will have some photos on the go and will definitely keep blogging. What did we see today? Bikes, bikes, bikes, and people, people, people. That's it! We took the train from Maarn into Amsterdam and headed out on a canal tour where we could hop on and off all day. Great stuff. Wonderful buildings, more bikes than I have ever seen, and more people riding them than driving cars. Get this, cyclist are kings of the road. Serious, the pecking order for king of the road competition goes like this, bikes, people and then the lowly car. It's amazing to see so many people of all ages on bikes. Oh yes we did see somthing else, trains. Trains move the masses in and out of the city with unbelievable efficiency, and always on time to the minute. We had some good food, a couple good beer, nothing yet as good as Garrison IPA or Propellor Bitters, but hey, maybe I'm a little biased. We spent from 9 in the morning till 8 this evening in the city and after a busy day headed back to the hotel. Tommorow, wait a second, 4 hours from now, I'll be hoping a train once more and headed to Paris. But that is another day and another story...

October 10, 2008 5 something am

Sorry for being so vague on my time folks, but I'm dealing with Crackberry withdrawl. No digital time, no email, no alarms, no missed deadlines, life has changed dramatically in the last day or so for me. I'm all caught up on my sleep, I think I got 6 hours last night. (That's more than I usually get in a week) so I'm up early working on the website update in the dark because if the lights go on while Kristie is sleeping, I'm toast. If I had the choice of waking a sleeping bear or my sleeping wife, well, I won't go there... Day 2 begins and everybody will be supercharged today for sure. I have to get some caffeine into me before I go blind, so by for now. Check out the Euro link on the home page for some photos and another angle on the trip as it happens.

October 9, 2008 12:20 am

Yup, the time is right. It's midnight and a little bit, the third one in a row that I've seen. I worked that last two nights at the refinery, and for liability reasons cannot disclose how little sleep I got in between the two shifts. Got home this morning, went to the funeral of one of my very best friends father. ( I cried through a lot of it because that's what I do at funerals and why I try to avoid them ) From there I spent the rest of the day packing my brand new 2009 Giant TCR Alliance 2 that I will be test riding up and down the slopes of France and Switzerland ilater this week. The wait at the airport is over, we're in the air, everybody is sleeeping, and there is one dipstick beating away on his laptop, that's me. I do have to get some sleep, I don't want to be even more grouchier than normal my first day in Europe, so I will sign off for now and fire up again after a few zzzz's. See you later.

October 5, 2008 12:20 pm

Test baby test, Test, test. Test 1,2,3, this is a test. Oops, hi folks, being a non techno whiz, I'm just seeing if I'll be able to update the web site and send back wonderful pictures of us riding in Southern France and drinking wine at every bistro we pass by. Europe is less than 3 days away now, and the excitement is starting to kick in. I've done everything possible to get ready for this trip of a lifetime, so the only thing left to do is get on the plane and start enjoying it. I'll be travelling with my wife Kristie, Jimmie Atwood and Derek Goodwin, their two better halves, and I believe three other couples. I'll attempt to keep the blog current and perhaps create a page that will change everyday, featuring the photo of the day and a quick blurb on what the highlights were. I hope someone out there is just a little bit interested. See you soon....from Europe. First stop Amsterdam.

October 1, 2008 08:51 pm

There is light at the end of the tunnel. Just 3 weeks after pulling out all the punches and hitting the books hard, I can see an end to it all. My Euro vacation set to start on Oct 9, has been subject to great debate and spectacle during recent weeks. Yes, I want to go, No, I can't get ready, has been the conscensus. But all that has changed. Today was indeed the hump day where I broke the camels back. I will be ready, I will go, and I will have a blast! Other big news today was on the BBall front. All Bikes Plus folks keep your fingers crossed, but it looks like Kadiri Richard will be a key player again for the Rainmen in the 2008/09 season. If so the big guy, and one of my best friends, will once again be seen around the shop in the not too distant future. Congrats on impressing the Rainmen brass Kadiri, you certainly impressed us.

September 26, 2008 09:53 pm

Yes computers are amazing things. Thought I'd post a quick blog before calling it a day when woops, what happened there, the page disappeared and my blog was toast. It's obvious the big fellow above is looking after me, because in a matter of minutes everything was back and good as new, no credit to my computer savvy self. So where was I? Great day, my list for the week has been completed and we had some major news (very exciting news) this week that will be rolled out shortly. 2009 bikes are rolling in, booking orders are being pumped out at a furious pace as I prepare for the final phase of preparation for my first European trip early next month. Batten down the hatches, looks like big rain this weekend. I'd recommend dropping by the shop to stay dry and get a bit of retail therapy from one of our helpful staff. See you soon.

September 23, 2008 09:22 pm

Now that's better. We're on a roll again. Well today was one of those tough but good days where you feel at the end of it all your hard just may have accomplished something. Got off work (my real job) this morning and never got to sleep. 10, no 12, no better yet, probably closer to 14 coffee later, and I'm buzzing off to meet with Brian Kao, President of Giant Canada for a viewing of our shop. The staff has worked really hard for over a week to get things looking superb, and the place is now in tip top shape. We walk, I talk, we discuss, and share information, and I really think they are pleased with how our shop looks and is run. I feel the meeting goes extremely well, I thank them for coming by and then it's a mad dash home to celebrate Kristies birthday with the rest of my family. A good meal, a cool brewsky, a small web update and BLOG and it's off to lala land for this tired dude. Tomorrow will bring on new challenges and new excitement. Check back soon to see how I'm making out. Sincerely, your mad blogger.

September 21, 2008 12:41 pm

Oh my blog! You can say that again. Oh my blog! In my feverish attempt to get ready for my fast approaching European adventure, I have neglected my site, my personal blog and everybody around me. I always try to keep a positive spin with this outlet, but today I'm saddened after hearing a very good friend, a very special friend has left Halifax and headed for home. Yup you got it, Kadiri Richard, who stayed far past his planned one week stint due to his great love for Nova Scotia and the many friends he made while here, is on the road and heading home to South Carolina. Thanks again Kadiri, for the visit, the fellowship we shared and the memories we will laugh about forever. Hope to see you back in a month or so wearing the number 5 on your back and playing in front of sold out crowds for the balance of the season.

August 29, 2008 10:18 pm

I'm getting worse not better, but I have a new excuse this time, so let me try it out on you. Kadiri arrived last Saturday, and the Summer Slam Event planning has consumed me. It is for this reason that I have not kept up my blogging. How is that for an excuse? But the good news or bad news is I should be free next week to blog the heck out of anyone that reads this. It's been a marvellous week, and Kadiri has been really embraced the shop, its' staff, and the city that he called home last year. Tonight reminds me a lot of Christmas Eve, you've worked hard to get everything in place, and now its' time to relax. Tomorrow will be a great day, the sun will shine, people will smile, and all the hard work will be more than worth it. I hope you can join us.

August 19, 2008 10:51 pm

We're winning medals, the country is happy once more, and congrats to all our Canadian athletes, especially the ones from Nova Scotia that have done us proud. It's pretty amazing for a place so small and with our infrastructure so poorly developed, that we manage to produce top level world class athletes. Go Canada, Go! A busy night indeed with the Palm buzzing all night with conversation from Kadiri. Looks like tomorrow is the day his Northern trek will begin. I asked him to pass on the highlights of his trip for his own personal blog, and he stated he expects about 500 highlights a day. So get ready for lots of reading and lots of laughs.....

August 15, 2008 8:00 pm

We did it and so did I! We finally won Gold at the Olympics and I magically have posted two blog entries in the same day. The magnitude of success believe it or not, is comparible. Today was a busy day at the shop for a rainy one, with folks timing their test rides in between the downpours. So with today now in the past, I move on to a huge day tomorow, where my sweet and dear Mother, celebrates 80 years of being in this world. Her health is great, her mind is sharp, and her love is everlasting. I can only hope all of you have a Mother as wonderful as mine. Happy 80th Mom, your amazing!

August 15, 2008 12:50 am

I'm toast. It's been a great day, with my mind spinning in overdrive putting together the End Of Summer Slam Event. Kadiri is in, ideas are popping into my head faster than I can write them down, and its all very exciting. Who would of thought we could have a summer version of our very popular Customer Appreciation Night at the summers end. Hoping, wishing, for the best. Invitations have been printed and I'll be handing them out at the ride tomorrow morning. Guess I better get to bed. I'm up and at it at 6 tomorrow. See you all soon.

August 7, 2008 10:30 pm

Wow, look at this Mom, no hands. Some days are real chores, other days are just a breeze. Today was a rare one and a breeze it was. No mile long list, no late night commitments, just a dream situation where life will take you wherever the wind blows you. Finished early at 3:30 and set out to pick up some fine food for our family barbecue. Out for a10K run, shower, post run hydration, (beer) , and then straight to flashing up the coals on the old barby. Yes I'm a dinasour, and proud of it. Anyone who says propane is as good as real charcoal would probably ride a Campy bike and say it worked as well as Shimano, but I digress... Great food, great time, and then up to the computer for a bit of fun on the web site and of course a bit of number crunching to finish the day. What will tommorrow bring, who knows, but today was a great one. See you soon.

August 4, 2008 9:53 am

August you say? Where is the summer going? I checked out some of this weekends Natal Day festivities and gave Joel Plaskett Emergency a listen live for the first time ever. Good stuff, another local boy does well. How do we keep producing such great talents right here in our own back yard? Roger, you may be next to go big time, who knows. At the shop, half our crew is away in Quebec, ripping down Mount St. Anne as we speak. Geo, Tom, Dave and a bunch of other enthusiasts blew out of town late Thursday and will hopefully arrive back in town all in one piece tonight. Those of you who had the pleasure of meeting Kadiri Richard, of the Halifax Rainmen during our Customer Appreciation Night, may like to know that Kadiri is hoping to visit Halifax this month and join up with shop owner Barry to head up a Saturday Road Ride fundraiser with all proceeds going to Street Connections. Stay tuned for more on this one.

July 29, 2008 9:40 am

Well if I keep this trend up, the next time I blog it will be about ten years from now. The end of the month rush is steam rolling down the road straight at me. HST due, pays due, new schedule due, too many bills due, look out folks, I'm going to get flattened. This past week has been an exciting one for sure. Roger didn't bring me back a pint from London, so he's been terminated (not really) The shop has been busier than ever for this time of the year and I'm thankful for that. Had the pleasure of meeting Mark and Sara Kilby from Hantsport, and previously from London, England. They didn't bring me a pint either, but did manage to drop off an absolutely wonderful bundle of Just Us coffee, tea and chocolate. Thanks a million Mark and Sara, hope to see you soon. Today I'm broadcasting my weaknesses to everyone in the world, hoping they will take advantage of me the next time they drop in. To summarize, coffee, chocolate and beer, in no particular order or magnitude will score big discount points on your next purchase. I better get back to doing what I should be doing, there's time to play at a later date, take care everyone...

July 16, 2008 6:12 pm

Wow, what an amazing day. The weather was fantastic. After going out for a 10 K run in temperatures hitting the 30 degree mark, the feeling when the run was finished, was total relaxation. Anything that was bothering me before, has vanished for another day. It seems somehow I keep losing weeks worth of blogging records. I'll have to check my pants pockets for holes. So what's new? The Tour is in its second week and so far has been very exciting. Our very own Roger, who is as talented at playing guitar and entertaining as he is at fixing everybodys bike, is in London, helping with a video production. Hope you're having a blast Roger. Make sure you bring back a pint of Londons best for me when you return, and remember to have the most amazing time of your life while there. Sally Gionet, one of our very best employees has given her notice that life at the shop will somehow have to go on without her. That's a very tall order Sally, but you know we'll all give it our best shot. We all wish you the best success in the future with your new career. Before I go, I want to pass on a big Thank You to Tom Beazley and all the Club volunteers who helped out this past weekend at the Tour de Wentworth. Everybody should be extremely proud of our Club and its' accomplishments, I know I am.....

July 9, 2008 7:50 pm

Just finished checking my emails, whew, wondering what we did before email existed? Well my days off went by before I realized I had a day off this week. Worked all day Saturday after working the nightshift before, I always pay big time for this silly move, recovered Sunday, forced into the smoke factory Monday for 12 hours, then out to the shop to get the orders ready for Tuesday. Tuesday work at the shop, and then go home to get ready to return to my regular shift Wednesday back at the smoke factory. Stayed up late last night to cheer on David Millar during his quest for ITT glory. TT's hold a special spot in my heart, and I would have dearly loved to have seen "Mr. Clean" win back his previous crown. He still has another chance before the Tour is over, and I really believe he can do it. Everybody loves an underdog, especially one that has admitted to past mistakes and wants to make up for them. Go David , go!

July 3, 2008 9:23 am

Wow, here it is, July already. The last couple of days have been a blur, wait a second, the last week has been a blur. Riding, forget riding. I haven't been on the Prince for a week. Early mornings, late nights, work, work, work. How about a 16 hour workday on Canada Day? Yup, that's the life story of an entrepreneur. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, lets just consider it an education for others who will someday follow in my footsteps. Another action packed day ahead of me at the shop before I head into the "Smoke factory" for an evening shift of bliss. Time to do a small update on the events page, see you all soon...

June 27, 2008 10:59 pm

OK, who stole the last 4 days? Any ways, that's what happens when the "smoke factory "consumes me. I got off from my "real job" at six this morning after working all night, and with three hours sleep, opened the store at 10;00 am. Another great fitting session today, and then at four I leave to take my son out to see Gerard Walsh about getting a new car. Gerard is great, as expected. He's a pro on the bike, and a pro on the floor. I'll have to get him to join us at Bikes Plus when he gets tired of the automobile industry. I finish up my fit documentation and as I sit in front of the keyboard, my toes, legs and arms start to curl up into the fetal position. My body is starting to ache, telling me now is the time to pack it in for another day. A fun day, a full day, a great day. I look forward to only better things tomorrow...

June 22, 2008 6:44 pm

My office is filled with bills, invoices, and unopened envelopes. Today is the day I pay for enjoying my vacation maybe a bit too much this past week. Back to work tomorrow at "the smoke factory" and I've got three weeks of accounting to clean up in 12 hours. Lets get the day rolling with a large pot of Java, that's it, the cob webs are dissolving after cup number four, the heart is racing after number six, a feeling of "the calm before the storm" sets in after cup number eight. Too much coffee, not possible! By mid day it's time to stress the body and give the mind a break. Slap on the Ipod, sneakers, shorts and out the door I go for a hot 10K run. Shower up, hit the accounting again and here I am, 4 hours later and just a bit further ahead. It will be another late night tonight, but I will overcome the odds, I always do.

June 21, 2008 6:50 am

Saturdays in the bike shop, it just doesn't get any better than that. The Club riders are at the shop before the staff, the parking lot fills, new faces, new friendships, the famous Saturday Morning Ride begins. The customer flow through the shop picks up and then falls back, much the sitting by the sea shore and watching the volumes of water roll in and out, up and down. The staff members scramble to get a bite to eat while the Captain stays at the wheel with a stern face and an empty stomach. He has to guide his ship and crew through the storm and there is no time for food. Saturday at the shop, leading the crew, this is where he belongs, the Captain...

June 19, 2008 10:22 pm

That's it for another day. Todays wonderful weather kept a steady stream of customers coming in the door and the staff members were all very busy trying to stay ahead. I headed out for a ride tonight after supper and as much as I want to try to keep this blog positive, all I can say is I don't understand some of our young adults these days. One car went by with a young chap obviously wondering why God gave him a finger, because he was waving in the air at me with a maniacal look in his eye. The next car full of our best and brightest went by with all heads hanging out the windows screaming obscenities at me. Very impressive guys, it's obvious your learning a lot in school these days. And last but not least, the final car full of male testosterone goes by, this time a bit bolder and showing a contempt for human life. The young passenger, a really good natured kid at heart, opens his door as they pull up along side, hoping to knock the grey ghost off his steed, but to no avail. Sorry guys better luck next time.... What is going on with our youth??? It seems the real world has turned into just another video game for them where pain, death, screaming, and violence and lack of respect are the true measure of their worth.

June 16, 2008 1:00 am

Another late LA game is over, this time my team goes down to defeat. Doesn't matter, this was just an awesome day. Fathers Day wouldn't be complete without a RiverPort Road Race. The weather was perfect, the Prince worked like a charm, and again my aging body let me down. No matter, I had a blast and a big thanks goes out to Al Huebach and company for a great race. Head back home for a cold beer, chicken and ribs fersh off the barbecue and a loving family to share it all with. Fathers Day 2008, a day to cherish!

June 13, 2008 1:00 am

The basketball game is over and Kadiri and I are happy, our Celtics have won, even without Kadiri's help on the floor. Today was a marathon day of accounting. You would think a small business would be pretty simple to run, but there is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes. After 8 hours of wearing my accountants hat, I headed out the door for a 10K run. I received a promising email from Al Mumford, who is hoping to right the road race ship for the 2009. I fully support Al's initiative and hope that he is very successful in his new enterprise. Road racers stay tuned for up coming info. Good night John boy, good night Mary Ellen, good night...

June 11, 2008 11:30 pm

Oops, looks like I missed a few days. I'm always impressed with the generous people I meet through my business and today was another one of those feel good days. On my way out of the shop I had a chance to talk to Kaarin Tae, a recent winner of the Yarmouth Road Race. We discussed the race, bikes, etc. and at the end of the conversation, Kaarin asked if I received the envelope she dropped of to my attention. Curiosity got the cat, so I headed back in to check this out. Inside the envelope was a wonderful letter stating how she felt privileged to have such good health and the opportunity to enjoy her sport, that she wanted to donate half her first prize winnings to help others who are not as lucky. She has requested the money go to our shops charity of choice, Street Connections. Wonderful people make wonderful things happen.

June 6, 2008 12:59 pm

So here it is. I've talked about doing it for a long time. I'm on vacation from my real job, and now is the time to clean up lots of unfinished business and get a little riding in as well. I will be blogging on a regular basis to help folks understand what it's like to live "the bike shop life." Many of these entries will be written late at night or early in the morning, so please forgive me for the numerous spelling mistakes and sometimes meaningless rants. It's all part of my personality.