For my entire adult life I have always purchased used bikes. Pre-Sojourn, my last “new” bike was a 14 speed Raleigh Technium I bought in the 10th grade. I worked and saved all summer for that, and if memory serves, my parents probably still kicked in. Every since then, I have picked up bikes at garage sales, swaps, ebay, and craigslist. At the end of last year I felt like I had ridden enough to treat myself to a new bike. The search went on for days and weeks and months, sure custom steel or titanium would have been nice, but it sure was hard to Justify spending upwards of $3,000 bucks on a bike. In the end I wanted something stylish, that could do it all.I certainly do not want to assume that I can tell you what a beautiful bike looks like to you … in fact for straight up looks it think it’s hard to be my 25 year old Centurion. The Raleigh looks good though, and luckily that’s only the half of it …

The Sojourn, as it turns out, is a very capable bike for me. First of all, out of the box it come with nearly everything you need to start commuting, sans water bottle cages. You’ll find a pump, spare spokes, even a bell. The bike is fitted with some real niceties, including a Brooks saddle, and matching leather bar tape, bar end shifters, SKS fenders, great tires, and a great Tubus rear rack. I’m not going to go into every spec because you can of course get them from Raleigh’s website.The bike sports a pretty compact geometry, that at first glance made the bike look a little small to my eyes, but upon riding it, I’ve decided it gives it a bit of a spritely feel. I did the build up on it myself, and one of the things I noticed right away, is the quality of the crank arms was noticeably lacking, which automatically got me thinking that the bottom bracket was a place that may have been equally skimmed on. I immediately fitted this up with some new Ultegra kit, I had. The 140mm disc on the rear was a little thought provoking as were the wheel hubs, Joytechs.

I’ve put a few hundred miles on the Sojourn so far, and I have to say that I couldn’t be more pleased. The bike is solid, stable, and quick. Not fast persay, but quick. I’ve really become a fast fan of disc brakes. I know all of the arguments out there against them, but going down Seattle hills in the rain has proven to me that they are the right type of brakes for what I use this bike for. If I was going on a 3 month tour of Vietnam, I may think twice about the discs, but commuting and light touring here in the states, I think they are just perfect. I am a little disappointed in the selection of which brakes Raleigh went with. The Avid BB-5s, seem a little light in the “feel” department to me. I gave them a chance to break in, but still they seemed to go from nothing, to stopped without much in the way of modulation. I have since switched these out for the Avid BB-7s and am much happier. The hubs and wheels that concerned me a first, have turned out to be just fine, I have dropped into many a pot-hole, off more curbs than I care to count, and into plenty of rocks on the trails, and haven’t so much had to turn a spoke. I suppose at some point these wheels will wear out (although with the disc, I don’t know how long that will be) and then I’ll think about what to replace them with, but for the time being these are great.

One thing that was a surprise for me was the WTB mountain drop bars. I have always ridden drops on the street, and never really given much thought to other bar configurations. These WTB bars, are still drops, but the have a huge flair out from the hoods down, and are exceptionally wide, too wide, I thought. After having spent some time with them though, I just love them. They are very much like the OnOne Midge bars, which I have now read many good things about.

My overall impression is that this is a wonderful bike. Great for commuting, and light touring. The specs might be a little light to consider it a fully loaded, world touring machine, but for me, it’s the perfect set up for a daily 26 mile commute, the occasional distance ride 75+ miles, and even hauling some kids around in the trailer.

Do you have a question about the Sojourn that I didn’t address? Leave a comment, and I would be happy to go into greater detail about anything you’d like … I know when I was looking around for bikes, I really couldn’t find much info on this one. I want to make sure people know what a great all-arounder this is.

From the award-winning documentary, “Playing For Change: Peace Through Music”, comes the first of many “songs around the world” being released independently. Featured is a cover of the Ben E. King classic by musicians around the world adding their part to the song as it travelled the globe.

Check Out Playing for Change

Something fun, quick, and easy until I can give you the attention you deserve.

A strange man builds a world using holographic tools for the woman he loves.

This award winning short was created by filmmaker Bruce Branit, widely known as the co-creator of ‘405′. World Builder was shot in a single day followed by about 2 years of post production. Branit is the owner of Branit VFX based in Kansas City.

This morning however I woke up to this …

So while my good friend Jake is rolling around guiding a tour group at the Tour of California (follow his twitter updates here), hanging out with Lance Armstrong, and sipping frozen beverages in the sun, we are getting up early to scrape the ice from our cars …

For those of you not familiar with the LiveStrong Challenge it’s the main event fundraiser for the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s fight against cancer.

There is a ride in Seattle this year (as well as San Jose, Philly, and Austin), so I decided to put my butt in the saddle for a much longer ride than I am used to to try to raise some money for a very worthy cause.

I’m desperate for help from you though …. I have faith that I can pedal that far (training to ensue soon), but I need all my friends and family (heck, even strangers) to sponsor me.

Please, Go to my LIVESTRONG Page and donate. Anything you can, anything at all.

http://seattle09.livestrong.org/dartanyon

I am riding in honor of my grandfather, my morfar, he died of cancer several years ago, and I remember thinking then that I wished there was more I could do. This is what I can do today, and I am hoping that you can join me in my fight!

I received this in my work inbox, from the OG Photographer, a link to his latest project. I thought the idea was brilliant and really engaging.

Here’s what the “OG” had to say about it …

The project focuses on the Destiny by Design/Citizens Schools junior high after school program and merges photo and video captured throughout the recent semester. The Destiny by Design program focuses on culture and career development opportunities within hip-hop. Working with volunteers, the kids were able to produce, write, and record their own song.

Destiny by Design Documentary from LM on Vimeo.

I don’t know if it’s because I spent my formative years in Pennsylvania, or if it’s because we are really celebrating a fat rodent, or maybe it’s because it’s also the title of one of my all time favorite funny movies.

In celebration of Punxsutawney Phil (that’s the groundhog), here is the original trailer from the movie. Enjoy.

It just so happens that the first time that I really had the time to sit down and write some new year’s resolutions coincided with both the week of President Obama’s Inauguration and with Lunar (Chinese) New Year. So welcome to my delayed edition of 2009 New Year’s Resolutions. Oh, and Happy Year of The Ox

In past years, I have had both some mundane and lofty resolutions. I think part of my apprehension about this years resolutions is that I don’t feel like I kept to last years very well. Most notably I did not go to a singe one of Kate’s yoga classes …

There was also a bit of trepidation because I wanted to bring back a 2007 resolution, and philosophically I don’t know how I feel about bringing back an already used resolution. After carefully consideration, and evaluation of the fact that the vast majority of resolutions not only go uncompleted, but also are the same year in and year out for most people … I have decided that not only can I forgive myself for not completing all of last years resolutions (using it as a reminder for continued vigilance), but also that I could recycle my first resolution of 2009.

• I’m bringing back the shiny and bright. If Timberlake can bring sexy back, I can bring this back
• Secondly, I am going to make sure my friends and family know how much I appreciate them.
• Third … Bicycles, bicycles, bicycles … Ride more, drive less; ride more, eat less; ride more, feel better!

So, those are my 3 major ones, I have tons of little ones, but they all go towards one of those three main goals.

Check out Icon’s homepage for more info.

I hope that those that believe that continued consumption of things, will look the other way for this post. I have been asked by a great number of people what we (mostly the boys) wanted for Christmas, so in an effort to compile all the most up to date data in one place. Here are links to all of our Amazon wish lists. We usually keep them pretty current all year (certainly they get a little extra love close to holidays, birthdays and the like)

… playing chess, or at least organizing chess. John (previously mentioned step-father) brings members of the Princeton University Chess Club, to play the maximum security inmates at the Trenton State Pen.

I personally think it’s awesome, but I am sure other will have other opinions. This year the event really made all sorts of news: everything from the Huston Chronicle, to the Trentonian, (a little snippet of the article)

Afterward, John Marshall of Ewing, who with his wife Osa kindly took on the $1,500 sponsorship of the tourney after Benecard dropped out in 2006, took all six students — the others included Cameron Myhrvold’s twin brother Conner, and Sudeep Dashi of London — back out of the prison to sweet freedom and off to Princeton for lunch.

Here he is on New Jersey Public Television.

And here is the AP’s coverage, no mention of John, but a little more video, because I know what junkies you all are.

Checkmate John, Great Job!

I was listing to morning edition this morning and heard what I think has to be the best advice given to a president-elect ever. It stands to reason that this would be great advice to all adults everywhere.

So as heard here on NPR’s Morning Edition (click “listen now” and it’s about 2 minutes into the segment.)

This is a memo to President-Elect Obama from the Kindergarten Class of Phyllis Palmer, in Essex Junction VT.

Mr President-Elect,

And thinking of the President-Elect’s two young daughters they asked him to not forget to: read to them, play with them, sing songs to them, hug and kiss them, and bring the to work with you sometimes.

Awesome advice to all parents and adults. Get to it!

Have a look around the Story of Stuff website, and see if you can’t find a few ways to curb your own personal consumption.

“From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It’ll teach you something, it’ll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.”

“Most of the tens of thousands of people in Afghanistan who have lost legs to land mines have no way to make a living other than begging.

But one group of “mine survivors,” as the United Nations calls them, has come up with another way to feed its families. It operates a bicycle messenger service in Kabul.”

READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE HERE