Crane’s Day Mixtape Exchange Expose!!!–>tsurucmmntyprsts.. AdventurerNeil’s “This Time, Baby, I’ll Be Bulletproof” Mixtape!!!

November 30, 2010
By

Picture by young@art…

Hey Cranes!

It’s Neil, ya know, long-lost AdventurerNeil, checkin’ in with ya to say ‘howdy!’, and share some muzak (mmm…sweet, sweet muzak). As you may know, I enjoy my music like the cookie monster enjoys his dough…
C is for cookie... good enough for me!

You guys are nazis, man!

So yeah, sorry for being all sorts of wicked-absent and never posting… sad story: right as the last mixtapes week was kickin’ off, my computer went kaput. Since then I’ve been busy, sure, but mostly just complacent and lazy. Boo complacent and lazy! >:| My computer is still broken, but I finally decided to hijack a roommate’s computer or two, and blamo, a few searched-up gmail passwords later and I’m in bloggerin’ heaven! Lesson? Where there’s a will there’s a way, yo! Man, I really really missed this place… I’m really quite happy with the kinds of moments that are possible on TSURURADIO!

A whiles back, Tsuru posted and invited all you fine folks to come on over to the society and engage in a little Crane’s Day Mixtape Exchange action… wellsir, 20+ of us birds swarmed and signed up and exchanged all sorts of fun goodies!

(A major shoutout goes to Story, the mistress of society awesomeness, for organizing it all and having patience with my lack of checking-in, patience with my extremely-late mixtape, and for sending me an awesome package!)

Welp, I’ve been itching to share my mixtape with the world at large (I never was good at keeping my mixtapes “for your eyes only”… gotta share that s#%t!). It’s basically a massive homage to the awesomness that is TSURURADIO…. which is to say, I owe credit to the blog and society for 85%ish of songs that appear on this mix. Regular readers might be sadfaced at how familiar the tracks look. But so what! I love them, and they sound damn good together, and include much of my favorite music from 2010… so what more can ya ask for?!

Anywho, less chit-chat, more rock!

The TSURURADIO Community Presents… A Special Crane’s Day Mixtape Exchange Event… With Lots Of Capitalized Words And Suspense-y Anticipation… AdventurerNeil’s “This Time, Baby, I’ll Be Bulletproof” Mixtape!!!

1. Colin Munroe – Bulletproof Monster (La Roux X Nicki Minaj Revox)
2. Hudson Mohawke – Rising 5
3. Small Black – Search Party
4. The High Wire – Odds & Evens (Twins Remix)
5. Javelin – Too Many Feelings
6. Wintersleep – Trace Decay
7. Dominant Legs – About My Girls
8. Arcade Fire – We Used To Wait
9. Generationals – Faces In The Dark
10. Kori Pop – Nowhere Near My Heart
11. Beach House – Used To Be
12. Local Natives – Airplanes
13. Mndr – I Go Away
14. Junip – Rope And Summit
15. Coconut Records – Summer Day
16. Small Black – Photojournalist
17. Avi Buffalo – Coaxed
18. The High Wire – It’s No Secret
19. Goddamn Electric Bill – Ten Thousand Years
20. Ocean Age – Dalvik Tide

I like this mix. A lot. Tons of electronic, lots of pop, some rock, a hint of twee, a smidgen of post-rock, and many many healthy dashes of pure, unadultered longing…
…that just bleeds through in every song. It follows my basic mixtape formula… start like a lion, end like a bedtime story… RAWR!Zzzzz… (don’t tell anyone my secret formula). I hope you enjoy the living bajeezus out of it! :D

Over and out for now!

-Neil

PS. What a freaking ridiculously amazingly abundant year for music, eh???! Thanks to goodness we have papa Tsuru to help us enjoy the new stuff and share it… I’ve been looking forward to end-of-year madness ever since it happened last year!! Hours and hours and hours of new great epic stuff…! Or as Tsuru might say…

It’s A Hot Summer Night And I Want To Walk Around With You!! NEW Summer Mixtape By AdventurerNeil!

July 28, 2010
By

Aw snap! It’s summertime, biatches! Happy summer. :)

Ever since I can remember, summer nights have sparked something odd within me. It’s like, I GOTTA GET UP AND GO MAN!!! I dunno. Maybe Colorado just has so few hot nights that when I get ‘em, I gotta make good use, ya know? Hot nights remind me of lower climes, places where you can be out all night in your shorts and flip-flops and not freeze…
This phenomenon may have its origins when my neighborhood buddies and I would have sleepovers that lasted multiple nights… we were always together! All summer every summer. Playing games, sleeping out on the trampoline, and most importantly, sneaking out of the house at night to go enjoy some fresh air and mischief. Girls were often involved. But the girls were never our accomplices or sidekicks… nay… they were our mission objectives, waypoints, dangerous beauties to be enjoyed from afar. Legend had it that if a girl ever made actual eye contact with you, she would turn you to a statue! Now that I’m an adult, I know that’s definitely true. :) Zap!
Anyway, so yeah, we’d sneak out and go cause trouble, because we were bored, and because the world outside was just so much more heart-pumping and less predictable than the safe, structured world in our homes. Plus, after baking all day, it only makes sense to want to cool off and enjoy the world at a temperature that’s more comfortable.
So I made a mix that captures the feelings, and some of the songs, of my current and past long summer night strolls. There’s enough energy and new stuff to get ya to the disco, but enough thoughtful and old stuff to keep you coming back and thinking, smiling, nodding, foot-tapping, singing. Can I get a WOOT for that!? WOOT!

So, let’s slowly crack open the back door and pray to god that Dad doesn’t hear us as we…!

The TSURURADIO Community Presents… AdventurerNeil’s “It’s A Hot Summer Night And I Want To Walk Around With You!!” Mixtape!

MIXMIXMIX

1. M83 – Slight Night Shiver
2. Bag Raiders – Shooting Stars
3. Wild Nothing – Summer Holiday
4. Ariel’s Pink Haunted Graffiti – Round And Round
5. Fishing – OOOO
6. The Bee Gees – Night Fever
7. Delphic – Doubt (Build Remix)
8. Animal Collective – Summertime Clothes
9. Flying Lotus – Do The Astral Plane
10. The Spinners – Working My Way Back To You
11. Phil Collins – In The Air Tonight
12. Bjork – All Neon Like
13. Bon Iver – For Emma
14. Fanfarlo – We Only Come Out At Night (Smashing Pumpkins Cover)
15. Ween – Drifter In The Dark
16. The Dandy Warhols – Sleep
17. Nathaniel Rateliff – Once In A Great While
18. Foxes In Fiction – Flashing Lights Have Ended Now
19. Azure Ray – Sleep

… :D Now if you only hear one song offa this mix, I’d recommend #17, the one by Nathaniel Rateliff. It’s pretty danged sexy. But really, you should be listening to the thing as whole, shouldn’t you? Yes. You should!!

Also, as for streaming, please bear in mind that the files be large, the demand be high, and the bandwidth be very limited… so I’d recommend just getting the whole shebang zipped and listening to it on iTunes (or Songbird, or what have you). There’s only enough bandwidth for like, 10ish people to stream the mix every day, which is kind of silly. If you have a good free hosting recommendation, lemme know please and I’ll gladly switch!

Til then, I’ll be wielding the boombox and enjoying these nights much as I can!
Don’t get angry with yourself. I’ll heal you.

Do you ever walk alone?

Like a drifter in the dark!

I can feel it comin’ in the air tonight… oh lord!

*Note: all most pics taken and heavily edited by AdventurerNeil to portray a night-timey theme, and are, in fact, best viewed at night. Any resemblance to real or fictional nighttimes not intended – actual nighttimes may vary. Remember to rock out responsibly, and do obey noise ordinances while blasting your neighbors with your newfound tunes.
Over and out!
-Neil

Aw snap! Tsuru’s gone and I gotta do something! The TSURURADIO Community presents…!

June 29, 2010
By

Bird faces
image by blentley

Well, with the Crane and Baby flying around over Canadia, delivering large sticks to their respective nests, I decided it’d be kinda stellar to do what’s known in the music blogging world as… “NOT DROP THE EMMER-EFFING BALL WHILE THE BOSS IS GONE!!!”…

And I was gonna review all sorts of new, fun shit… really, I was… but then I was attacked by a bunch of beautiful-but-annoying cottonwood tree-sperm, and some good old-fashioned summertime lonely to boot!

Besides, I’m usually a few days/weeks/months behind all my other crazy peeps in delving into the new muzaks. So instead, I decided to share a little sec-a-ret with you.

Ever seen that one movie? I believe it’s called, “The Truman Show” with that one Carey guy. Well, at one point he bumps into this fine young thang at the library (hawt!) and she’s wearing a little button that says..

Well, my secret is that… are you ready for this?? I know how it’s going to end!!

Please stand up with me and give a little hop as we do this thing…!

The TSURURADIO Community Presents… AdventurerNeil’s “How’s it going to END?? Well, We End Up Together and I’ll Take Care Of You If You Ask Me To!!!” Mixtape!!! MIXMIXMIX

1. Beach House – Take Care
2. The New Pornographers – We End Up Together
3. Avi Buffalo – Remember Last Time
4. Flaming Lips – Approaching Pavonis Mons By Balloon (Utopia Planitia)
5. Her Space Holiday – Manic Expressive [Exit]
6. Dntel – Last Songs
7. Dirty Projectors – Useful Chamber
8. Ben Kweller – Falling
9. Yann Tiersen – La Valse Des Montres
10. Devendra Banhart – The Body Breaks
11. Yo La Tengo – Take Care
12. The Shins – Those To Come
13. Jimmy Eat World – Goodbye Sky Harbor

Astute students of indie muzaks will note that most of these songs are the ending songs of their respective albums. There’s quite a bit of magic to be found in last songs! It was somewhat difficult to make a coherent mixtape out of last songs, but I feel like I did a decent job of making a memorable journey for ya.
I still can’t shake the feeling that I left out a few essentials, though… if you care to, please comment and let me know what your favorite ends to your favorite albums are!!

PS. If my bandwidth gets all pillaged, either mediafire it or come back tomorrow and try yerself ‘agin!

PPS. More mixtapes to come. (if you go to the dance with me)

VIDEO: The NEW Best Video EVAR?!!?!

June 21, 2010
By

Motherfuckin' Butterfly!
Photo by: batikart

Watch out, I’m about to unleash a mad flurry of furious miracles all over your screen!!

…

…

…

…

……..Now wasn’t that awesome????!

I thought not. Well, now that you and your intelligence have been thoroughly Rick Roll’ed by a bunch of idiotic middle-aged dummies who vaguely resemble KISS… let’s counteract some of that stupid, shall we?

Turns out that after seeing the above nonsense, a group of do-good-scientists in San Francisco headed out to the local ICP show and decided to educate some fans about how exactly all this crazy motherfuckin’ shit works. Watch the hilarity:

…and remember, friends don’t let friends even mention ICP in conversation. We’ve already got a surplus of stupid in this world!

Tune in next time for some mixtapes that are definitely NOT omfg-lol stupid!

Introducing Folk Legend JOHN CRAIGIE!! Montana Tale + Exclusive Interview!!

May 14, 2010
By

So a few weeks ago, I caught word that John Craigie was coming to my town to play! I was stoked, you see, because John Craigie is AMAZING live, and I’ve been wanting to see him again ever since our paths randomly crossed one fateful night at Burning Man back in 2008.

There I was, wandering around the desert with a few buddies, when we stumbled into…

The Lost Penguin Cafe!

…which happened to be a pretty chill little cafe on the Esplanade.

We sat down, and started listening to John Craigie, who turned out to be one of the most entertaining performers I’ve seen. The unique about the show was his captivating and memorable storytelling, both in-song and as pre/post-song banter. According to his Wikipedia page, his music and performance style has been compared to Greg Brown, Bob Dylan, Dan Bern, and Mitch Hedberg. The Mitch Hedberg part is true, too, because he quips little things that are downright LOL-inducing.

I guess sometime after I first saw him, I signed up for his mailing list, and hot diggity damn, when I got back to a computer…  he had friended me on Facebook! He and his team are super-amazing at e-mailing ONLY when he’s playing in Colorado, so I’m informed and invited, but never bugged by e-mails of shows that are far away.

I was touched by his music and his stories, so I jumped when I got the chance to see him recently. Sure enough, I was rewarded with some great folk, and more great storytelling. He even featured a song about Chuck Norris, in which audience participation is key!

After the show, I approached him and told him I’d seen him at B-Man back in 2008. I also told him I wanted to buy a CD, and that I wanted to feature him here on TSURURADIO.  John was then kind enough to hand me a second CD for free! Woohoo!! (Take note, Ari, and be sure to use your powers for good…)

Anyway, I’d better link up his new album “Montana Tale” for you, and get to our interview. Montana Tale is completely road-addicted, and reminds me of my days of being a rambling vagabond. It sounds big, rugged, beautiful, and at times a bit lonely…   just like the West itself. (Incidentally, if anyone knows anything about the artist that did the album cover, John Craigie is looking for info.) Enjoy some Americana at its finest!

Montana Tale

1. Gone
2. As Tragic
3. Labor Day
4. Will Not Fight
5. Mama Nashville
6. 28
7. Easter Sunday
8. Resurrection Bay
9. Anna Rose (Part IV)
10. All Through Montana
11. Map of Dallas

Some John Craigie love: Official | Myspace | Download

Now I’ll be the first to admit that I’m much more likely to listen to the new Avi Buffalo than good old Bob Dylan. But I really dig this! And the music is nowhere close to as engaging as it is live, where the essence and power of folk is truly found. After you buy the album, SEE CRAIGIE LIVE!! You’ll love him and his stories, and he’s constantly touring!

Now, onto the interview, where Neil asks some seriously intriguing questions, and then proceeds to ask some gratuitous, ridiculous questions for everyone’s a/be-musement. Keep in mind that this was done over the phone, with me furiously typing while talking, so at some points I paraphrase.

…

10 Questions for John Craigie:

1. What is your Name? What is your Quest? What is your Favorite color? (my second Tsuru throwback to Monty’s Holy Grail!)

JC: My full name is John Craigie the 3rd. My quest? To bring folk music back, not that it went anywhere, one person and one song at a time. My favorite color is a shade green that’s on my guitar…

2. How long have you been playing folk?

JC: I started playing guitar in 1996. In 1998 it was my senior year of high school, and my teacher gave a copy of The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, which inspired me to write the song “Nalgene Bottle”. This was one of my first big hits and the beginning of my journey into folk.

3. How healthy is folk? Alive like rock, or dying like ska?

JC: I think folk is somewhat immortal…   it’s not just about the music, it’s about the words, the meaning, and the history. One of the things I like about folk is that it is hard to market, hard to commidify, and so it has to live in people, not things. There are some offshoots, like Jack Johnson, that borrow heavily from folk. I’m not sure it’s doing as well as rock, but folk will never die.

4. What artist(s) have you been listening to most recently? Why?

JC: Greg Brown, Todd Snider, and Dan Burn = modern folk. I also like Fleet Foxes, M. Ward, etc. and listen to them for enjoyment…  and to keep a pulse on  what people are interested in. I try to study and live by the greats like Arlo Gutherie, Bob Dylan, etc. I make sure my guitar absorbs a lot.

5. I often hear that musicians get screwed when it comes to getting paid for their work. Do you feel that musicians get screwed? If so, who’s more to blame – fans who download, or record companies who set prices and deals?

JC: Part of being an artist is really checking what you’re in it for, why you’re doing it. When you make art, you don’t own it. The muse–this essence that all artists can pull from–it’s a pool. I feel that as an artist, the days of Madonnas and U2s are winding down. I think the internet will level the playing field enough that music will become a good, working-class job, like it used to be. Sometimes I feel that venues will cheat you a little bit, because they can. There’s no shortage of musicians to play there, so they have more power.

But I’ve never been negative about it. I knew about everything at the outset.

In the 60s, when a new Beattles record came out, you could only hear it on radio or if you bought it. That’s just not the case anymore. As a musician, you have to accept it. Really what you have to do then is focus on your music, and make sure it’s good enough that people WANT to keep you alive. You can put some blame on the record companies, because they aren’t handling the changes very well, and I think they are on their way out, too.

6. If I were a performing artist, I could imagine writing something really personal, and being so overcome by emotion that I couldn’t perform it live. Do you ever experience anything like that?

JC: That has happened…   when you get on stage, you have to get into your meditation state. But really, songs…   keep you from breaking down! They are healing. When I’ve played something live, it healed me. The songs are therapy. (editor’s note: so true! That’s exactly how it felt to churn out Bring Out Your Dead! (heart) Compilation…)

7. How has your style progressed since you started playing? What life experiences have influenced you?

JC: The main thing is the traveling. My first few albums were done from a person, in one place. But now, the more I travel, the more that affects the songs. The ideal folk song is the song that can bring the world together…   think “we shall overcome” and “amazing grace”…  those are definitive.

…and now for some joking / light-hearted questions…

8. Which is hotter: naked girls on bikes, or girls in bikinis on skis?

JC: I think naked girls on bikes, yeah, I like that. (editor’s note: please cast YOUR vote in the comments below!)

9. HEY WANNA RIDE BIKES!?

JC: Haha. Yeah! I don’t actually own a bike, but there’s one that I borrow every year for Burning Man, so if you’re going to be there this year I’ll definitely ride some bikes.

10. Marijuana is NOT a drug. Now cocaine, there’s an addiction. You ever suck some dick for marijuana?!???  (a shameful but hilarious Half Baked throwback)

JC: Hahahahaha…   *laughing*. That’s never come up.

11. Zooey Marries Ben Gibbard – way lucky and smart and cute, or “she could do better”?

JC: Yeah, she could’ve been with me!

I think two musicians in a relationship can be kinda weird. Relationships are kind of puzzles pieces…    it’s nice to have each person fill in the others’ gaps. With two musicians, it can be like, “I wrote this” “Oh yeah? Well I wrote THIS.”…    If I’m interested in a girl, and she plays guitar, then it’s less mysterious for her than it would be if I were to date a girl who didn’t know guitar…

But, they’re both celebritites, which is good. Zooey could ALWAYS do better, she could have anyone she wants.

…

Anyway, that’s the end of the interview, and of this post! Thanks for stickin’ around, kiddos, hope you enjoyed!

THE END

The TSURURADIO Community Presents… Logan’s “The First Mix of the Rest of Your Life” Mixtape!!!

May 12, 2010
By

spring time

Photos by: me

Hey music fans! AdventurerNeil checking in here. Don’t have a ton of time or energy right now, but I wanted to share a mixtape that a friend from work gave me a little bit ago. It’s pretty darn good, and I’d promised him I’d make it appear on the old ‘RU. Finding time and hosting has been a bit of a challenge, but I think I got this…    (if not, I’ll mess around with it some more tomorrow).

So without any ado, really…

The TSURURADIO Community Presents…   Logan’s “The First Mix of the Rest of Your Life” Mixtape!!!

——–>Fully zipped here, for her pleasure! :-O

1. Alberta Cross – Old Man Chicago BOOYAH!
2. Annuals – Carry Around BOOYAH!
3. Blitzen Trapper – Furr
4. Delta Spirit – Strange Vine
5. Dr. Dog – Old News
6. Fruit Bats – Tegucigalpa
7. Gomez – How We Operate
8. The Hold Steady – Hostile, Mass.
9. Iron & Wine and Calexico – History of Lovers
10. Midlake – Bandits
11. The Moondoggies – Ain’t No Lord
12. Okkervil River – A Girl in Port
13. Portugal. The Man – Colors
14. Surfer Blood – Take It Easy BOOYAH!
15. TV On The Radio – Crying
16. Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings – Inspiration Information
17. Wintersleep – Weighty Ghost BOOYAH!
18. Wood Brothers – Pray Enough
19. The Wrens – Happy

I like this mix because even though I’m passingly familiar with around half of the artists, I had only heard ONE song on it before.  So new to me = good! This mix also scores very high on my timeliness measure, with plenty of artists that are hot hot hot right now! I’ve placed an inconspicuous “BOOYAH!” next to the songs I like most on it at the moment.

Check the bands out, and if you like them, give them your money!!!  >:-|  I mean, you could give them stocks (which would pay them a dividend) or bikes (which would get them from point A to point B), but maybe they already have those things. Maybe they just want some cash for their work. You know, sweet high-liquidity c-a-s-h. IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK!!??!? That’s right. It’s not. Now raid your stash and make with the cash, Nash!

Anyway, it’s tired, and I’m late, so beddy-bye for me. I’ll see you in the not-too-distant future with an artist interview and more epic mixtapes, of course!

-N

spring spring

I’ve got a mild fascination (with dancing, banjos, and REGINA!!!)

April 13, 2010
By

This post is mostly a thinly veiled/disguised/masked/mustachioed post to test out some mad youtube embedding skillz…    and here we go!

I’ve got a mild fascination for collectors dancers! SO FUN!

And also, I have a mild fascination for banjos! And hustling places by bike, of course.

…Are these songs starting to sound familiar? Good! Then you’ve been doing your Tsuru homework!

How’s about this one? Pretty darn great – I always *HEART* me some Regina!

…Yeah. I think that’s enough cute for now!

Oh wait. I was wrong! Lovers of the vast world of mixtapes will definitely not want to miss such an enchanting website AS THIS ONE RIGHT HERE. It’s like Napoleon Dynamite mated with Juno, who subsequently mated with Tsuru!! WEE!!!

-AdventurerNeil

AdventurerNeil Plays The Hits!! And Recounts “The Ride”!!

April 8, 2010
By

WEEEEEEEEE!!

Heellllooooo all you beautiful Tsururadio listeners!! AdventurerNeil checking in here, from sunny/snowy/schizophrenic Colorado.

“Who the freak is AdventurerNeil?!?” You may be asking yourself, while quizzically furrowing your brow in consternation. Well, I’m the newest contributor to TSURURADIO! You may know me from such mixes as Quarterlife Recession and/or Bring Out Your Dead! (heart).

I must say, I’m honored Tsuru has invited me here…  and also quite intimidated to walk these sacred halls! I honestly feel like this is one of the best, most open, friendly, no-BS, uber-epic-quality music communities out there. And I’m so thankful to be a part of that! (Speaking of which, didja download walzac’s new mixtape yet? Pretty amazing! My iPod is gonna be so over-sexed after this mixtape week has its way with it! Hawtsauce!)

Enough with fanfare – this post has music! And video! And pics! And my experience of Tsuru’s Super Awesome No-Frills Ride For Breast Cancer! WOOOT!

Let’s get you rocking with some music that has lodged itself WAY inside my head over the last week…

Apples In Stereo – Told You Once (from the freakin’ amazing Eileen mixtape!)

Givers – Up, Up, Up

Generationals – When They Fight, They Fight

Cults – Go Outside

…RIDICULOUSLY SICKENINGLY CUTE MUSIC!! I can’t wait to buy the new Apples In Stereo album when it comes out on the 20th of this month!

Also, a co-worker shared this with me, and I thought I should post it for the community’s enjoyment. Please enjoy a live performance of the much enjoyed and bally-hooed Excuses by The Morning Benders! My favorite parts of this video include watching the lead singer, and hearing his thoughts on the meaning of the song before and after they play.

Hm. Well, WordPress somehow keeps eating my embeds and disliking anything other than youtube, so we’ll see if that actually ends up posting. If not, you can still watch it here! while I iron out the kinks.

…

So, after being a fairly fervent follower (yay alliterations!) of TSURURADIO for the last 6ish months, I decided to hop in my car, and then hop on my bike for TSURURADIO’S Super Awesome No-Frills Bike Ride For Breast Cancer this last Saturday. Huzzah! It was a fairly epic adventure, just getting out to Ohio, but I gotta say, the Midwest charmed my pants off in a way I had not expected. Columbus’ short north immediately felt like home, what with all the college kids, old victorian homes, bikes, etc. The people (aka Tsuru and Baby) were extremely nice! And hawt damn, if it wasn’t in the 70s, humid, and NOTHING LIKE COLORADO. Yay!BIKES BIKES BIKES

After arriving, meeting my hero, and eating some fantastic local foods, we made a toast to the following day’s ride: a toast TO NO FLATS!!! Well, the gods of riding must have heard us, because I don’t think a single person got a flat tire, which is pretty great!

The next morning, we were all giddy. When we got to Park of Roses, there was an impressive crowd, and I had the pleasure of blasting some Tsuru tunes via boombox. I wanted to go around, meet peeps, maybe casually sip a beer, but there just was not time – I had to take pictures and cram myself full of calories and liquids! Here’s Tsuru and baby, all suited-up and registering the crowds:

:)

When we took off, I felt pretty badass, I must say. I was in the company of many clearly veteran riders, and I was the newcomer! On the Olentangy bikepath, we were an elite little group, a disciplined unit, like a dog pack racing across the Iditarod. Then, we found “the hill”. I hit it kind of unexpectedly, and in a much higher gear than I should have been, so I lagged behind and barely made it to the top without dismounting. My lungs were racing for the next 10 minutes… good thing Ohio is lower than Colorado! From there, we started heading north on some smaller highways. With plenty of energy and the desire to keep up with the big dogs, I was pedaling hard in my highest gear, zooming along at a zippy ~25mph! I felt much more comfy around the vehicle traffic than I’d imagined. When we neared Delaware, the northern point on our loop, we all stopped at a gas station to food and water up. Aaron mentioned what a nice tailwind we’d had (I didn’t even NOTICE it!), and noted that going back might be hell.

:)

Well, if you read Aaron’s write-up of the ride Monday, then you heard about the wind. OH-MY-FREAKING-GOD THE WIND. It slammed into us at 40, even 50mph gusts and made us ache, long for a simple 10mph speed into the howling headwinds. At times, it felt like a gust could’ve easily blown me into a car trying to pass me. But then, I’d put my head real low, switch into a lower gear, and grit my teeth. Actually, if you must know, Told You Once by Apples In Stereo was in my head most of the ride back, and I was found myself laughing into the wind, “I told you once, I told you twice… I’m gonna treat your baby nice!!”:)

By the time we got back on the the Olentangy, my body was hurtin’ for certain. The wind, 4 hours of hard pedaling, a vague exhaustion from traveling, and the tail-end of a small cold completely overwhelmed me. Whatever energy I’d gained from my 4 downed energy bars was long gone. After what seemed forever, I finally cruised back into the park of roses, completely starved, but also completely happy. TIMBER!!!!

:)

I would like to take this time to admit that I was definitely the last of the 50 mile riders to finish the route. I think Aaron and Tucker probably smoked me by a solid 30-45 minute window. But, but BUT. I ran with the big dogs! And I finished! And raised $200+ for the cause from myself and pledges from my family! Not bad for a first timer new to road bikes and races! I grew up a casual rider, mostly riding low-end mountain bikes, so I feel glad to have broken into a new scene. And honestly, I couldn’t have done it with any cooler people, or at any better time!!

Big thanks to Aaron and Baby for creating the whole sch-bang, being willing to host my roving ass for a few nights, and for being pretty awesome in general!

This is AdventurerNeil signing off for now!

:)