CYCLING ODYSSEY – DAY 31 of 30

The Final Ride of the Cycling Oddysey

So even though this was on October 1st, I will consider this the final ride of my Cycling More Consistently in September Odyssey. We drove over an hour and a half total for a 1-hour ride along the Katy Trail just North of New Haven, MO.

That being said, this might be the last official tour of the challenge but I have already recorded the next installment of Improvement Dave cycling. It is in the woods, it is mountain biking and there will be blood (literally). So, yeah, I am not going to stop cycling or making cycling videos anytime soon.

Video Evidence of the Ride

This Video Highlights the Content Below

Getting There is Half the Fun

Google Maps recommends a route that is just over an hour.

We took the scenic route for 41 minutes.

My daughter threw up right around Balducci’s winery, which was one of our favorite wineries and pizza spots until it was bought by a large conglomerate and they ruined it. Sorry, not going to pay top dollar for frozen pizza. Now the only thing useful at Balducci’s is the dumpster.

We stopped at Quick Trip to get coffee and slushies. (The slushy and the crazy backwood roads are probably what caused my daughter to “blow chunks”.) …at any rate, I was so very excited to see that the bill was exactly $5.55 after tax. I explained to my family that 5 is my lucky number.

Why is #5 My Lucky Number

In the United States (and most of the West) 7 is lucky. In China, Thailand, and most of the East 9 is lucky. So I figure I can like any number I damn well, please.

  1. The number of men is “5”. (6 being the number of the Satan, and GOD is 7 in traditional Judeo-Christian thought.)
  2. The number I swam for as captain on the J.V. water polo team in high school, was “5”.
  3. Our numerical system is based on repeating 10s so “5” is the center, to me this represents the “middle path” or the “straight and narrow”.
  4. I spent 7 lucky years in Thailand and saying #5 in the Thai language is “Ha”. So “555” is synonymous with laughter or happiness.
  5. I don’t really have a 5th reason, but I want a list of 5 reasons for why I like “5”. So, I imagine being 5 years old probably is one of the best ages to be. Self-aware, but you still have that “Child’s Mind.”

Where Were We?

Well, on my Google Maps, I dropped a pin long ago and named it “Riverside Jamz“. More specifically, we were north of New Haven, MO, due west of St. Louis, MO. Just south of a little town called Pinckney, MO. If you have never heard of Pinckney, that’s because it is in the middle of nowhere. Neither Google nor Wikipedia have a single picture or even a population count. Google Maps does not go through Pinckney and the best picture I could find online was this. (below)

The Road to Pickney, MO.

Setting Up

When we arrived I started by getting all the bikes set up.

There was only one picnic table in the shade and the table top was not level. I didn’t get a good picture of the table before I started to level it with the pile of limestone rocks nearby, but trust me it was not useable. I then leveled out the benches as well. We threw a quilt over the table and had a nice lunch of spring rolls, salad, and melon.

While we ate a few families drove by the road on little buggies, and then a family drove up in a truck pulling a pontoon boat. This made the trip feel like a short vacation away from our normal routine.

The Ride

After we ate we packed up our picnic stuff and got on the bikes. For a 41-minute drive one way we did a nice 1 hour ride on our bikes. So, that was a lot of driving for a 1-hour bike ride, but we just really liked this spot because of the old bridge right on the river. We have stopped at this little spot on the side of the road 3 or 4 times now.

The only issue we had on the ride was that a chain fell off the gear so we had a fun time working on getting that put back on as a team.

We found it one time while driving home from my uncle’s farm out in Osage County, MO. This is also known as the middle of nowhere, MO.

It was another perfect day. Living life to the fullest, sucking the sweet marrow out of life, and making great memories.

Music

Polo & Pan – Ani Kuni (CC)
Polo & Pan – Feel Good (CC)
John_Kensy_Music from Pixabay Mindfulness Relaxation & Meditation Music (CC)
To Hot to Play, Lobo Loco Free Music Archive (CC)

Consistently Cycling More Often in September 2023 – Day 30

This was the final day of the cycling more often in the September challenge.
Getting out and riding around the park right next to our house was sublime.

Video Evidence of the Ride

Enjoy the Little Things

This challenge has taught me that the process is more important than the destination. I never really rode to any specific place while riding as much as I could in September. Spending more time with my family, getting some exercise, and seeing places I never would have seen otherwise. These were the benefits of cycling more frequently in September. Being grateful for the simple pleasures in life and recognizing them as the moments that make up our life, is the secret to happiness.

Some Pictures of the Ride

…

Music

John_Kensy_Music from Pixabay Mindfulness Relaxation & Meditation Music

Polo & Pan – Ani Kuni

Music by To Hot to Play, Lobo Loco, Free Music Archive (CC)

Wandering in the Woods

In this video, I share my experience as a father. As a member of a family where we all have aspirations and we all have goals. Everyone in our family unit has their perspective and their set of objectives when I get out of any given situation. This post is a continuation (Day 25) of my September Cycling Challenge.

Consistently Cycling More Often in September 2023 – Day 25

Yesterday’s Bike Ride Was a Crash

In the video, I focus on how we chose to walk through the woods on this day because the day before I planned a bike ride in my mind where my daughter would not ride as the third wheel behind my bike. That is a format that we call the copilot in which my daughter’s bike only has one wheel and is attached to my seat post. my mind it would be great if we could go out on a bike ride and she could ride her bike by herself. This was a large leap that I made on my own because she’s really only written on her bike a few times and her confidence is still low. We can add that, but it was late in the day she hadn’t had a nap, maybe not eaten the most healthy food and she wasn’t in her best form. More importantly, I packed the car without consulting anyone and when we got to the bike ride, that’s when she realized that she would not be riding with me but she would be riding on her own. This was met with unhappiness, tears frustration, and of course, I ignored all of that, because this was going to be the best thing ever.

Inclusive Decision-Making Wins

In this post on my Vlog, I resolve to better include my family in decisions, that impact outcomes that they will be a part of. I will attempt to pause and plan with everybody included. This idea of mine, to have my daughter ride her own bike, which was not malicious, or in any way an act of me wanting to negatively impact her experience; doesn’t change the fact that it did negatively affect her experience. It was hot and sunny in the only empty parking lot we could find, and she fell numerous times. She was angry, frustrated, thirsty, tired, and she cried; and then, of course, I was frustrated and angry at myself because I didn’t get to ride my bike at all or exercise.

What I learned Don't make big decisions in a silo. Include the whole team/family Be open to possibilities you didn't expect

Ideas From the Group

We didn’t cycle the following day. My wife had a great idea to lower the bar and just go run through the woods. This turned out very well because everyone in our family is good at running in the woods.

Stepping down off the bike also enabled us to talk more, and I realized that maybe my children would like to be more of a part of my video creation. You can see in the video that the kids are interested in being involved so I started including them more.

Wondering About Consent Whilst Wandering Through the Woods

In the video, I talk quite a bit about wanting to have consent from my kids. While also not asking them to speak, or asking them to do something for the benefit of my videos.

Consent Matters

Consent is something that came up while I was on a business trip last week. We were all at a table, eating and drinking and I started recording my colleague.

I had no ill intent in this act, I just really liked what was being discussed at that time and the designer in me had an impulse that I should record the conversation.

The second time I hit record on my phone the recording app stayed on the screen and I laid the phone on the table. My colleague noticed I was doing that, and he politely said, “You need to ask before you start recording me” he was 100% accurate, especially in a business setting. I will add that we have discussed the idea of starting a podcast together, so this is a person that I know rather well, but that doesn’t change the fact that I need consent and can’t just start recording without sharing what I am doing.

I will say that I had already had a few cocktails and did not make a good choice at that moment. The next day I felt very guilty about my behavior. I apologized and he said that he was kidding, which felt good but didn’t change the fact that had a good point. Moving forward I will commit to always asking for consent before, including anyone and one of my recordings.

Music

Music by RoyaltyFreeMusic Nver Avetyan from Pixabay Technology Dubstep

Music by John_Kensy_Music from Pixabay Mindfulness Relaxation & Meditation Music

Polo & Pan – Ani Kuni

Music by To Hot to Play, Lobo Loco, Free Music Archive (CC)

Never the Same River Twice

Consistently Cycling More Often in September 2023 – Day 22

This was not a new path that we rode, but it was still a brand-new experience.

This was another Family Ride, but we got set up nobody wanted to pose for a picture, and I can’t say that I blame them. So, in the act of benefiting my children’s experience, the content on my BLOG suffers, I think I can live with that…

A Techie With Difficulties

I still managed to drive back home without switching the GPS tour tracker on my phone off, this reduced the mileage listed on the map of our trip (left) by 7.8 miles. So, instead of 14 miles we only rode 6.2 miles.

If you look at the inaccurate visual aid, to the left, we rode from the “A” in the black dot to up north toward “Saint Charles”.

We went to the “Bike Stop Cafe”, and I paused my recording, (so it would be super accurate). Then we rode back to the “A” where I did not end the recording, loaded the bikes, and drove 7.8 miles (US) home. So, the only thing completely accurate on this image is the date.

Accidental Attendance of Oktoberfest

We rode from the Family arena in St. Charles, MO on the infamous Katy Trail
up north to Old Town St. Charles. The Oktoberfest was in full swing in Old Town
St. Charles, but there were no interesting pictures to take of a mass of
Americans binging over-priced beer, pretzels, and sausages.

While I am talking down on them I’d like to mention that at this time a couple of years ago I attended that party. I drank a few beers while pushing my son around in a stroller. I would like to share that I had a great time, and although it was not inherently bad, I felt much better after a bike ride and a lot of ice water in my mouth.

Video Evidence of Our Ride

Never the Same River Twice

You can step in the same river twice but it will never be the same river. This ride runs alongside the Missouri River. I prefer this accidental experience of Oktoberfest from the outside looking in. Then the planned one where I was included in the shenanigans. This just felt better in my soul. I am not saying that Oktoberfest is a bad choice, many times it is.

However, I will share that the time I did go I had a shocking image presented while leaving. There was a couple, a mom and dad, who had probably had a bit too much to drink. Their child was strapped into a very cheap “umbrella” stroller and was screaming to get out. The child was desperately pushing up from the stroller with all their might and had been when I walked up and stood and watched, while my crew caught up. The child was still desperately trying to get out of the stroller when I walked away. Throughout the whole event, all the parents did was yell at the child without even looking at them.

I am not saying that this type of experience is inherent with children at an Oktoberfest party. However, I will say I did not experience that type of scene while riding my bike through the same environment. Sure people were aimlessly walking on the Katy Trail oblivious to their surroundings and mad when I called out “On your left”… but this only confirmed that I was in the right pair of biking shoes and on the right path for my family.

Music

Polo Pan – Ani Kuni

Music by To Hot to Play, Lobo Loco, Free Music Archive (CC)

Consistently Cycling More Often in September 2023 – Day 22

This was not a new path that we rode, but it was still a brand-new experience.

This was another Family Ride, but we got set up nobody wanted to pose for a picture, and I can’t say that I blame them. So, in the act of benefiting my children’s experience, the content on my BLOG suffers, I think I can live with that…

A Techie With Difficulties

I still managed to drive back home without switching the GPS tour tracker on my phone off, this reduced the mileage listed on the map of our trip (left) by 7.8 miles. So, instead of 14 miles we only rode 6.2 miles.

If you look at the inaccurate visual aid, to the left, we rode from the “A” in the black dot to up north toward “Saint Charles”.

We went to the “Bike Stop Cafe”, and I paused my recording, (so it would be super accurate). Then we rode back to the “A” where I did not end the recording, loaded the bikes, and drove 7.8 miles (US) home. So, the only thing completely accurate on this image is the date.

Accidental Attendance of Oktoberfest

We rode from the Family arena in St. Charles, MO on the infamous Katy Trail
up north to Old Town St. Charles. The Oktoberfest was in full swing in Old Town
St. Charles, but there were no interesting pictures to take of a mass of
Americans binging over-priced beer, pretzels, and sausages.

While I am talking down on them I’d like to mention that at this time a couple of years ago I attended that party. I drank a few beers while pushing my son around in a stroller. I would like to share that I had a great time, and although it was not inherently bad, I felt much better after a bike ride and a lot of ice water in my mouth.

Video Evidence of Our Ride

Never the Same River Twice

You can step in the same river twice but it will never be the same river. This ride runs alongside the Missouri River. I prefer this accidental experience of Oktoberfest from the outside looking in, then the planned one where I was included in the shenanigans. This just felt better in my soul. I am not saying that Oktoberfest is a bad choice, many times it is.

However, I will share that the time I did go I had a shocking image presented while leaving. There was a couple, a mom and dad, who had probably had a bit too much to drink. Their child was strapped into a very cheap “umbrella” stroller and was screaming to get out. The child was desperately pushing up from the stroller with all their might and had been when I walked up and stood and watched, while my crew caught up. The child was still desperately trying to get out of the stroller when I walked away. Throughout the whole event, all the parents did was yell at the child without even looking at them.

I am not saying that this type of experience is inherent with children at an Oktoberfest party. However, I will say I did not experience that type of scene while riding my bike through the same environment. Sure people were aimlessly walking on the Katy Trail oblivious to their surroundings and mad when I called out “On your left”… but this only confirmed that I was in the right pair of biking shoes and on the right path for my family.

Music

Polo Pan – Ani Kuni

Music by To Hot to Play, Lobo Loco, Free Music Archive (CC)

Mu Kratha of Thailand

If you travel to Thailand there is a very high probability you will encounter the Thai “Mu kratha” dinner.

What Mu Kratha Is

Mu kratha (Thai: หมูกระทะ, RTGS: mu kratha, pronounced [mǔː krā.tʰáʔ])
…is often a buffet of uncooked vegetables, meats, and various types of tofu (Egg, bean, fish, crab) and noodles (rice, bean) that are cooked on an open fire right on your table on a “Grata” or “pan”. Mu in the Thai language translates to pork, so this culinary experience is transliterated to “Pork Pan” but it is so much more than just that.

Mu Kratha originated in the regions of Siam: Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, and Indonesia, all have their version of this dish. There is also a version in the Philippines. This dish differs from the Japanese and Korean versions by the shape of the “Pan”. The Thai Kratha has a mote around the perimeter of the convex pan. The flavors tend to be rather simple, seasoned with salt, pepper, egg, soy sauce, fish sauce, or oyster sauce. The dipping sauces tend to have more Thai flavors, crushed garlic, sliced ginger, lemongrass, chilies peppers, fermented peanuts, or any other Thai ingredient that the family likes to use. The grilled meat is tender but has a crispy outer layer. This is because on the top of the pan you lay pork belly, or large chunks of fat that sizzle and drip fat down seasoning the pan.

Never the Same Meal Twice

From my experience, every Mu Kratha restaurant in Thailand does it a little bit differently. The marinade on the meats is unique, the sauces they offer to dip the cooked meats in are secret family recipes. Sometimes there is ice cream, sometimes there are Thai desserts, but there is nearly always beer and whiskey with soda water over ice involved.

A Social Event

Mu Kratha is a slow meal and it can take hours to prepare as well as hours to consume. It is a lengthy social event where people slowly cook, slowly eat, and calmly talk around a live charcoal fire.

Video of Mu Kratha on My Deck

“It [Mu Kratha]
is so good!”

Robert Minemier

Consistently Cycling More Often in September 2023 – Day 19

A special thank you to TK (Tatiwat Kananuruk) or Ngop (Thai Nick Name) for letting me tag along on his morning ride. TK, thanks so much! TK also gets credit for the Featured Image at the top of this post. Great shot TK!                                                   

The Ride!

LOREM

The ride today was 12.3 Miles
but I didn’t turn off my tracker
for the 4.2 mile ride home
so it reads 16.5 miles.

I am a grown man and I do not know how to use apps on my phone, or at least I can’t seem to consistently stop tracking when I get off my bike.

I will make this a new goal of mine:
Don’t FCUK up the map track, Dave!

Below are some more pictures that we all took. (TK, Da, and I.)

Friends, You Didn’t Know You Had

I met TK while working at Fin Japanese Cuisine in Chesterfield, MO. TK was, and is, an amazing sushi chef and I was a mediocre bartender at the time. I knew TK, and I always thought he was one of the funniest people I have met. I would say he is the funniest Thai person that I know. However, maybe he is just very happy.

Either way, we never spent any time together outside of work. When I started posting about cycling online TK appeared out of the mist. He said, “Hey Dave, let’s go biking.” … So, today we did just that. Not only did I have a lot of fun I learned a lot. TK is into doing events. He doesn’t race for winning, he races for fun, or at least that is what I understood.

I feel like today I made great progress on my Cycling Oddessy and I made a new friend with a good heart in the process.

I Rode a 9 lbs (US) 4.08 KG Racing Bike

TK thank you for letting me ride your awesome racing bike! I hadn’t even thought of asking, but then TK offered. I was shocked he would let me ride his prized possession.

Then I rode it really fast and he was probably really scared that I would crash. Check the video, when I make a joke about not wearing a helmet, he is like “Ah, yeah, heh heh…”

Video Evidence of the Ride

You can pay a lot for a bike, but it is an investment in your health.

Tatiwat Kananuruk (TK)

Cycling All Morning and Hiking All Afternoon

I continue my quest to bike as frequently as my schedule will allow in September. On Sunday the 17th it was a family affair.

Be Prepared

As I cycle more frequently I am finding a rhythm in being prepared. I always fill my Camelback with water and hold it close to carry my, car keys, wallet, phone, and of course my phone’s travel tripod. I also wear my long-sleeve SPF 50 sun shirt. (below)

Getting There

We ride out with two bikes in the Oddesy van and then two bikes on the back of the van. This works OK now because I can borrow the bike rack from my dad anytime we want. His bike rack is sturdy but it is heavy and only holds 2 bikes.

My wife is on her new TREK Marlin, my son is on his new TREK Pre-Caliber, and I am on my old TREK ZX6000 pulling my daughter on her neon green “WeeRide” Co-Pilot.

Cycling

We are all at a point on our cycling journey where we can all handle a relatively long ride. I paused the tracker for lunch, so collectively we rode 6.85 miles in 51 minutes. We parked in St. Charles just north of the Page extension, or, Highway D, or Highway 364. We drove north along the Missouri River to Old Town St. Charles.

The Destination

So, we ended our ride in Old Town St. Charles and had some drinks at the local Bike Cafe.

Video Evidence of the Ride

Spontaneous Afternoon

The weather was so amazing that we just decided to drive down to Elephant Rocks State Park. We had been to that park before but it is always such a good time. We made plans to go back in a few weeks when he leaves change!

Change returns success
Going and coming without error.
Action brings good fortune.

Syd Barrett – Chapter 24

Consistently Cycling More often in September 2023

In this Vlog post, we rode around Creve Couer Lake which was around 5.6 miles in 30 minutes at an average speed of 11.5 miles per hour. I rode with my daughter on my old Trek ZX 600 from the 1990s towing her on the green Co-Pilot by Wee Ride. (The tail end of the ride on the map was actually in the van, I didn’t ride up that treacherous bluff with my child.)

It was a perfect day for a ride, I realized I had an hour free in the afternoon so I picked her up early from her “school” (daycare). We drove straight to the park with the bikes in the back of our Honda Oddesy to have a lake-side Oddesy of our own.

Pushups

Even though my 50 Pushup-a-Day Challenge for St. Jude Research Hospital is over I am still doing pushups. So I added that to the end of this video for the fun of it. It’s nice to hear the pushup music again.

Video

“This is the best day ever.”

My daughter as we reach the halfway point around the lake near the new soccer/(International football) feilds.

From the Series

This post is from the Series I created in September 2023.

Consistently Cycling More often in September 2023

Music

polo-pan-ani-kuni

To Hot to Play, Lobo Loco, Free Music Archive (CC)

RoyaltyFreeMusic Nver Avetyan from Pixabay Technology Dubstep

September Cycling Continues Strong!

We drove in our Jeep Cherokee
and our Honda Oddesy,
We stopped at the Family Arena,
then rode on due north
along the Missouri River
to the little Bike Cafe, we know
in old town St. Charles Missouri.
The air was cool, the sun was bright,
My app might have calculated the time based off of speed and distance because it was more than 13 min.!

The Family Arena

We had seen Holiday Lights at this arena where they often have a snow machine that blows snow into your car. We had also seen the circus here so my son recalled the location after some discussion.

We made it out to the chat of the Katy Trail that connects so many of the trails in and around St. Louis, MO. I was riding with my father and my son which made today’s ride all the more special.

Video Evidance of the Ride!

This video spans the whole trip.

The Tunnel Under the Road

This video is an Instigram Reel of the Tunnel playing the song Ani Kuni by Polo & Pan. Click the YouTube video to view the English translation of this song.

Bike Stop Cafe

We stopped in to the Bike Stop Cafe in old town St. Charles, MO.

It was rad as always.

I don’t normally drink alchohol, but I had been riding a bike for a long time and felt it was a good choice. When we started getting Yuengling beer imported to St. Louis was a bout the time I stopped drinking. So We have had it for about a year and I had yet to have one. It was a decent Lager, It reminds me of road trips in the Smokey Mountains. But it is a simple Lager so it also reminds me of Thailand…

Bike Stop Cafe

701 S Riverside Dr,
St Charles, MO 63301

https://bikestopcafes.com/

Made it out to the River

After the Cafe we rode out to the Missouri River.

It felt so good to be outside on the bicycle!

“Riding my bike today was, it was just so much fun!”

My Son.