SADDLE OF THE WEEK

The Ivan Basso signature saddle, which never made it to production, can be yours for 1,000,000 dollars or a case of Capri-Sun...

COMMUTER BIKE OF THE WEEK...

Belongs to Jim Snyder of purchasing. In addition to being the resident "cycling nut", Jim is a graduate of Florida State University. Sadly, FSU has fallen on hard times in the last few days as a possible number of 25 players could be suspended for the Music City Bowl. Nevermind that the hapless 'Noles have lost 16 games in the last 3 seasons, it now looks like Bobby Bowden has lost complete control of his once proud (and successful) football team. Looking ahead, the Seminoles will most likely be thrashed by lowly Kentucky (a basketball school!) in the Music City Bowl, lose precious high school recruits to successful football programs like The University of Florida and The University of South Florida and then suffer through several more seasons of mediocrity in a conference that has failed to live up to its lofty expectations. Perhaps it's time for Bowden to retire, or perhaps it's time for FSU to give up football all together and take up other sports/geriatric leisure activities like lawn darts or competitive walking. By the way, Jim rides a Vicious and seems like a nice person....

Open Letter to CLIF BAR

Dear Clif Bar,
A couple weeks ago, Kyle McNamee let me sample one of your "Spiced Pumpkin Pie" Clif bars. I was skeptical, as befits my nature (my great-uncle Anton was part skeptic), but after some friendly and then not so friendly cajoling, I sank my teeth into the lumpy brown mass. At first, the flavor was repulsive, like an old leather glove that had been soaked in pond water, but after a few more bites and a few more boxes (consumed in a matter of minutes), the leather glove flavor morphed into a kind of sugary-sweet fruit mush akin to Mana of the Gods. As you and your "people" probably know, we here at The Hawley Company live off of sugary-sweet mush from the months of October to August. In September, we feast upon local striper bass and rhubarb salad (locals refer to it as "love lettuce" a tradition that goes back thousands of centuries, to when dinosaurs and Native Americans lived in peace and harmony with each other). That is why I was hoping you would listen to reason and continue your "seasonal" Spiced Pumpkin Pie throughout the entire year. Sadly, I have discovered in recent days, that when deprived of Spiced Pumpkin Pie Clif Bar, my body begins to age rapidly. I am only 30, but as of this writing, my hair has turned white, liver spots have appeared on my skin, my fingernails have grown three feet, and I have been diagnosed with osteoporosis. Although I will be nothing but a skeleton covered in cobwebs by Friday, I implore you to make Spiced Pumpkin Pie a permanent offering in your stable of delectable foodstuffs. You could always replace Carrot Cake. Nobody eats that poop.
Yours Truly,
Ken Klatte

COMMUTER BIKE OF THE WEEK...

Belongs to Tony Zanca (not to be confused with this knucklehead)) of inside sales. His Bianchi Cross Veloce will serve him well this winter as he readies both mind and body for the rigors of the 2008 NC Winter Cup cyclocross series. The pearl white saddle has added approximately 400 more watts of power to Tony's already devastatingly fast accelerations while the over-sized (comical?) saddle bag (as in duffel bag) makes hauling his daily brunch of scrambled eggs, Fifth Avenue bar, random blood transfusion and Yoo-Hoo a snap! Tony frowned (swore uncontrollably) upon my inclusion of his water bottle for the bike portrait, but it's important to remind the youngsters out there that hydration is vital to dominating your morning commute...

Croc-fee

Puppet Freak-Show

Joshie's new WTB mountain road bar showed up today. With no intention of using it for cycling, the bar's real intention is made evident after a few modifications courtesy of the graphics department...

White Brothers Fork...

Lord Jim gives it his "seal of approval", then break dances uncontrollably for the rest of the day, as befits all FSU grads....

Francisco, that's fun to say!