The Smell of Melted Tar.

Its hot in the motherland for a change today. A strange object was seen hovering over Ireland today. Ancient records were consulted and this circular object turned out to be a body known as the Sun. A massive fusion powered furnace approximatly 93 million miles from Ireland, note that this distance is greater than the distance between Belfast and Cork. Whenever this object appears Ireland gets hotter. RV gets hotter, cycling gets harder.

Two wheels good, four wheels bad.

Two wheels good, four wheels bad.
Two wheels good, four wheels bad.
Two wheels good, four wheels bad.
Two wheels good, four wheels bad.

If we also had a banner ad for the new Ford super thunder patrol meister at the top of our page that would make my day.

If This Isn't Love...

I don't know what is.

Happy Bastille Day!

-RV Girl
Listening to Beirut

We Have No Home...Yet

So, I lost our flat prospect today. It wasn't my fault but just the circumstance of life.

I was sad and she, the owner, was too but I was already preset for other options. Something inside me told me it was too good to be true.

It wasn't the biggest or cheapest...or best, it was just perfect...

I have a few other places lined up for tomorrow and I have hopes they are just as interesting. My feeling is that no matter what I find, we'll be alright.

RV and I had a gray evening yesterday, the thoughts of life changes taking it's toll in our own forms. We both needed a connection to eachother while still feeling disconnected and frustrated by all else. As time nears, I think we are both under duress. I realise this is completely normal and find that it even makes me (and hopefully him too) feel better that we are going through similar emotions.

Some kind a wonderful!


-RV Girl
Listening to CocoRosie

So..Cars Are Bad..Bikes Are Good

Alright RV, I hear ya.

I'm still tired from an embaressing mishap yesterday on the train ride back home as France lost the World cup title. Training through Geneva is lovely, dreamy and word of warning, always wear underwear...

I arrived home, full of joy to speak to RV again after a few days of stolen chats and texts. I'm back online and wondering what could this be??


It just looks so damn cool. Come on baby, give us some hints!


-RV Girl
Listening to Cat Power & Karen Elson I Love You

Cars Grrrrrrrrr.

I suppose I should provide an explanation as to why the bicycle is my chosen and prefered mode of transport. Well my fixation began early, I got my first bike at the age of four or five. It was a christmas present a red bmx with white plastic spoked wheels, I was mobile. After several years I graduated to another red bike a road mountain hybrid (12 speed) of indeterminate brand which I think is still at the back of the garage somewhere, I remember this being a very heavy item. When I outgrew this is I proceeded to my fathers old (1980s) tubular steel framed Peugeot racer, a wonderful bike on which I passed many miles and many years. My brothers still use it today although I recently had a go and found it immensely painful to ride due mostly to the weight and the fact that none of the gears are not working properly anymore. Somewhere in there I remember an ancient blue ten speed racer to but the peugeot was always my choice if it was available.

I grew up in ireland were it was not common for a teenager to have a car because of expense and the fact that it was not a necessity. So I used my bike to get around and soon realised there was no point in getting a car there was often no were to park also I couldn't drive a car after drinking and as drinking is a popular pass time here the car would be redundant most of the time. Also a bike doubles as a handy crutch for the walk home.

After leaving school I proceeded directly to college were I had little time to work and so for monetary reasons was forced to utilize public transport most of the time and my bike on the weekend. But sitting on the bus every day looking out at the thousands of people in their cars not moving for up to ten minutes at a time because of the traffic as the bus sped by in its own lane or QBC to quote the proper term (Quality Bus Corridor). I felt I had made the right choice in not enslaving myself to two tonnes of metal a bank & an insurance company oh and lets not forget the government, all of whom are supported to a greater or lesser extent by car ownership. I suppose Im letting you see the anarchist in me, disruption through denial.

I feel It must be pointed that the car is the slowest most expensive and most polluting way to commut but I do realize that for some it is a real necessity even their livelihood but for the majority it is not. It is also claimed by many here in ireland that the public transport system is inadequate and unreliable, this is partially true as not all areas are served by the dart and often getting from one satellite town to another means going via the city centre. This is mainly due to poor urban planning but if it were not for the thousands of people sitting one to a car clogging up the roads at rush hour the journey times for these commutes would be greatly reduced and so would become tolerable.

These days I have been cycling to the train station about ten kilometers from my house from there the train only takes about 15 minutes to reach the office making my total journey time just over thirty five minutes, if i were to take the bus it would be anything from one hour to one hour and a half and by car even longer. True I do have to suffer driving rain, sky grit, fog, dogs, dangerous drivers, sub zero temperatures, high winds, potholes, birds, flies and a whole range of other dangers and discomforts but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

Anyway I will suffer all this and more for the freedom my bike gives me financial freedom and a sort of moral freedom, I am superior to the car lover. I am harder, fitter, angrier and I will not be pushed to the roadside. Maybe i am joking or maybe i am the cycling equivalent of the unabomber. I have always cycled and I will continue as long as i can and i will try to promote the most efficient form of transport there is whenever i can.

Can't Sleep but...

I miss you.


-RV Girl
Listening to Ampop Eternal Bliss

Cycling on the Web

NETJETTERS – SUSAN

The Guardian has been running a online series called, “NetJetters”, for some time now. Recently, Susan Greenwood won the competition to promote eco-friendly travel by cycling through America, East to West. You can read about her 3 month journey here on her blog.

BIKE AND SEE

Two Americans hatched a plan to raise awareness for the benefits of cycling by traveling cross country on bike. Read about their ongoing trip here. You can listen to their audio blog here.

WOODEN BIKE

Just a really cool looking bike from China posted on Make Magazine's flickr site. You can see the original post here.

CYCLING & BECKETT

And to end this short post, here is a beautiful essay titled, “The Joy of Cycling with Beckett”, written by German writer Friedhelm Rathjen.

- RV Girl

Listening to Jim Noir

TEN

[00:36:37] RV Girl says: what do u think about

[00:36:54] RV says: all kinds of random things

[00:36:58] RV says: i very scattered

[00:37:00] RV Girl says: like....

[00:37:04] RV Girl says: for example

[00:37:28] RV says: i think of u i think of the future i think of the end i think of the journey

[00:37:43] RV says: i want the feeling

[00:37:59] RV says: i want you

[00:38:31] RV says: i think alot about failure

[00:38:42] RV says: ithink alot about death

[00:39:09] RV says: i dwell on the beauty and horror of our personalites

[00:39:21] RV says: we are meant for each other

[00:39:37] RV says: but it will not always be easy i know

[00:40:00] RV says: i want to tell u all even if it not make sense sometimes

[00:40:35] RV says: i need you otherwise i will grow slower

[00:41:02] RV says: im tired of waiting for change i need to act i need to do more for others

[00:41:11] RV says: i start by doing more for u

[00:41:25] RV says: i do ten things

[00:42:34] RV Girl says: ok....

- RV Girl
Listening to Mornington Crescent – Belle & Sebastian

Introducing the Micro Stove...

Ok, im not new to this camping business but I have to say that the equipment now available is pretty amazing. My tent weight something like 2kg, my sleeping bag would fit in a large coat pocket and all the tools and bits and pieces that i've collected for my mission are made from super light alloys and composite plastics.

I thought id seen it all until yesterday when I bought a little camping stove from a local outdoor adventure store. I have bought these things before and they are pretty basic, you simply attach the gas canister to the stove bit and there you have it. But most of my previous cooking thingys were quite a bit bigger and crapper than this little gadget.

Honestly you could put this in your pocket. Im stunned. It only weights a few grams it seems pretty strong, the box claims it can boil a litre of water in a few minutes and will burn continuously for an hour. Perfect for my purposes. I love it and its probably the most usefull thing ill have with me in terms of a comfort items.

Equipment.

I've finally decided on what i regard as a bare minimum list of cycling and camping equipment. Its a bit long sorry about that.

Basics:
Tent
Bike
Bags Saddlebag/Messenger
Belt Pouch
Sleeping Bag
Survival Bag
Ground Mat

Tools:
Allen Keys
Tyre Levers
Adj. Spanner
Snips
Swiss Army Knife
Hammer Mallet
Zippo Lighter
Bicycle Pump

Spares:
Cable Ties
Heavy Duty Tape
Spare Tubes
Patch Kit
Gas
Lighter Fuel
Batteries

Water:
Steel Water Bottle
Plastic Water Bottles
Water Purification Tablets

Navigation:
Maps Google Maps/Michelin Road Map
Lonely Planet Cycling Guide to France
Compass
Torch
Bike Lights
Notebook

Cooking Equip:
Gas Stove
Mess Tins
Knife/Fork/Spoon
Cup/Plate

Emergency:
Phone
Whistle
Med. Kit

Misc.
Wash Bag
Sun Cream
Sun Glasses
Hat
Helmet
Bike Lock
Spare Key Bike Lock
Straps, Bungie Cords
Plastic Bag
Toilet Roll

He Slurs, I Wake

So what do you have for breakfast when you wake at 11pm?

Interesting, I just got a drunken phone call from RV as I was writing this...

He doesn't do this often so what this basically means is he's just enjoying himself ,which he totally deserves, yet he is so ecstatic he must call me because he can't write on his bumpy ride home a similar sweet text. I find it hilarious! You drunk boy, I love you.

So I think I found us a home this week. I've been racing all over town looking for a cheap but funky pad to adopt. The price is reasonable but if you saw this humble palace on the walk up to the 5^th floor, you'd be impressed. It has alot of potential and loads of character. I told RV I was already planning my interior design as the current tenant was talking to me...I like decorating. It is spectacular, small, perfect. I cannot wait to make it ours.

Looks like I've got a mini trip again through Switzerland next week. The destination is a neighboring town close to Zurich. It will be my first time there and by cheap train, about 7 hours travel. I'm excited because I am working on a film project there and gifting a painting I created for a friend's birthday. I am really enjoying these spontaneous creation inspired travels. The other evening my kitchen was defaced by another artist friend. I've got graffiti at home!

Art everywhere, that's the idea...

31 days left RV.

-RV Girl
Listening to Syd Matters