Visit from Gypsy Nick and a Global Lael

Ready to embark on the Kokopelli Trail.

I've once again been lax on upkeep of this blog. However, a recent visit from world-cruising friends has spurred me to action. Nicholas and Lael returned from exotic locales to the U.S. at the beginning of the month, and paid us a visit. They have both toured extensively in many places; in my opinion something well worthy of envy, especially from my captive suburban vantage point. Therefore, whenever they hit our town, it's great to catch up with them and benefit from the glow of their journeys.

By the way, those of you interested in tales of distance and daring aboard two-wheels, would do well to pick up the latest copy of Bicycle Times, Number 25, in which Nicholas has a featured story about his travels from Alaska to New Mexico on his purple Pugsley last year.

Yes, that's Nick's story featured on the cover of Bicycle Times.

If you happen to encounter this traveling duo, a tasty dividend may be the reward of hosting them for a night or two. Fresh from a trip to Ukraine, Nick and Lael whipped up a traditional Ukrainian meal, complete with handmade varenyky. Delicious and fun. Big Sis really enjoyed helping them seal potato-based filling into dough pockets. At the end, they made a bolshoi verenyk (correct singular form?) out of the last chunk of dough.

A special treat of Ukrainian chocolate.

My humble bike barn served as R&R facility for their bikes, as the two travelers refitted their steeds for the journey ahead. An unused Salsa Anything cage of mine was pressed into service to replace Nick's cracked equivalent. They left me with a few worn parts that they replaced with new. Their old parts will assuredly find service on one project or another around here.

Nick's Raleigh XXIX+G partway through refurbishment. My 1967 Velosolex 3800 languishes in the background.

A little more than a year ago, I donated a set of NOS Suntour XC Comp shifters to Lael's nascent mountain bike. As of now, they've logged multiple thousands of miles on her Raleigh XXIX and appear to be ready for more.

Once Lael and Nicholas had at least partially caught up on some sleep and had gotten their bikes mostly in order, they were ready for the next leg of their adventures. Watching them pack up, it is readily apparent that they are seasoned and efficient in what they choose to bring and how they carry their gear.

Hard to believe that Nick's bike is loaded with all he needs for daily life, in addition to several bottles of Ukrainian vodka and other gifts for down the road.

Lael's bike has the look of a well-honed machine suited for whatever lies ahead.

As they rode away, Scout looked up as if to ask why we weren't going with them.

As an addendum, Nicholas helped me to hook up with a new-to-me micro four-thirds format Panasonic DMC-G3 camera body coupled with his own well-traveled Olympus 14-42 lens. As is evident on his blog, he has become quite an accomplished photographer in the past couple of years, and with this equipment, I hope to make improvements to my own skills.

Thanks for the leg up, Nick! Happy travels to you and Lael, and we look forward to your next visit.

Panasonic DMC-G3 as shot by my low-resolution phone camera.

Amazing but true: Westword Web Award Nominee

A gaggle of Denver's technorati huddled beneath the comforting glow of projected LCD

Somehow, as an outcome of the intricate and unfathomable machinations of the universe, this modest, and I daresay, oft neglected blog was nominated for a Westword Web Award. That our sincere but haphazard little collection of photos and anecdotes was nominated is most astonishing because, as just about anyone in the Denver metro area will recognize, Westword is not some two-bit operation; it is the leading arts and entertainment publication for the city. Our role in this bewildering episode only came to my attention the day before yesterday when Nick, the friendly Westword web editor, sent an invitation to attend the awards party.

In the end, we didn't win. To be honest, I'm not even sure in which category we were competing, but it really matters very little. Whatever the case, the party was fun and the free beer, food and entertainment was a great way to enjoy the rarity, as parents of a young child, of being out on the town.

With any luck, those ethereal entities who pull the levers behind the curtains of the online world will again see fit to nominate us, if nothing else for the chance of another evening out. Surely, if next year there is a category for blogs about immense mute and/or cerebrally challenged bikes piloted by a father/daughter combo, an epic win is practically in the bag. Maybe I should get a head start on the acceptance speech now.

Parents out after bedtime. Virtually unrecognizable without bike helmets.