Good afternoon fellow bike riding karaoke good-timer's. I trust all the mother's out there had an exceptional Mother's Day! Well... the June bike ride is on its way and this time we are changing it up a little. This June, the bike ride will take place, in Uptown, on the Katy Trail. The ride will start at 6 and we will take a ride around the safe neighborhood of Highland Park and down the Katy Trail. We will head south to American Airlines on the trail, and from there we will double back and head on over for a Karaoke good time . I have not yet nailed down a venue, but I will soon find a place where we can all let it rip. I hope to see everyone in attendance for the June event as it is sure to be a nice one. Remember to tune up those bike, bring a helmet, and plenty of water. Enjoy this blast from the past!

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?feature=related&v=2w323nx8q1c

I know this post may not have anything to do with my monthly bike ride,but this is my blog and I can do anything I want to do...As I mentioned earlier on this blog is a living, breathing online news publication filled with everything I am passionate about.

By the way the May bike ride will be held on Saturday the 4th at 6 o'clock. We will meet at Bishop at corner of Bishop and Davis.

Music News:

One of my favorite bands...MGMT will be back for their third album. Their Alien Days  single has dropped and is absolute genius. Great going Ben, Andrew, Matt, James, and Will. Hope to see you in the south soon! Make sure to check out the link for the new single.- Andrew Torres Karaoke Cranker's

Happier Times in Boston...

Boston was truly a beautiful and wonderous destination for my wife and myself to visit while in Maine. The following photo's were taken around August 2009 and the weather was spectacular.

 

Sylvia (my wife) and myself were in Maine for my friend's Kevin and Amanda's wedding...Amanda was that beautiful song bird you heard at my wedding, in Dallas, who was absolutely amazing (love you guys). During our week-long hiatus in beautiful Maine, where the weather for the day was in the lower 80's, we were able to make the trek to Boston, Massachusettes for a night. It was marvelous...the food was great, the people were totally cool, and the history was inspiring. It would be hard to believe that anything so sinister could ever happen to the wonderful people of Boston.

 

This act that took place in Boston, was done by nothing more than a coward who, in my opinion, is a hollow shell of a person. I don't want to make any assumptions here, so I will keep my opinions regarding that to myself, as we have so many individuals who in the last couple of years have been  nothing more than homegrown terrorists, who are citizens of our United States. To stage an attack knowing all too well that children would be in attendance is the work of an evil person or group.

Their is no excuse for any one group to carry out the absolute carnage that it inflicts on our people. We are innocent...our children are innocent... we are not to blame. We want to live in peace just like anybody else. When will the madness come to an end, I ask.

I want those person's who are responsible for this horrific tragedy to know that we as a united people are stronger and more resilient, and we will continue to remain united no matter how many of us you maim or kill with your cowardly tactics or your dirty little bombs.

 

Now on a lighter note I would like to share a few personal images of some happier times in Boston and Maine.



First Saturday's May bike ride

First Monthly Bike Ride with The Karaoke Cranker's

 

Our First Saturday's monthly bike ride went off without a hitch. The day was beautiful...a little windy but nice. The pics below were taken behind the Belmont Hotel in Oak Cliff, TX. If you would like to join this bike ride we will have another one on the first Saturday in  May. The ride was excellent and the scenery was marvelous as well as those drinks over at the Belmont enjoyed by Sylvia (Gear's), Andrew (Highball), Noele (Squeak's) & John (The Peddlar). It was highly enjoyable, so if you like to exercise and sing a bit, come out and have a great time with, The karaoke Cranker's next time. Ta! Ta!



 

 

Yakima Highlite Bike Rack -A work of Art

How is everyone doing on the eve of the Karaoke Cranker's monthly bike ride. I was out at Sun & Ski with a good friend of mine yesterday choosing a mountain bike for Saturday's ride. Sun & Ski was having their annual tent sale, so we had to check out what they had. My friend Noele chose a Raleigh which by the way is a great bike for the price point. While we were there...I found this awesome bike rack by Yakima. This rack system puts my rack to shame. It weighs less tan 20 pounds and is easy to use. This rig even has a built-in cable lock. I was really quite taken by it and felt that I should probably sell my existing rack and buy this beauty. It is just way easier to cart around. a great hitch mount and looks quite nice in the white color option. I have included a pic of the rack in question for you to review. Enjoy!

Karaoke Cranker's Eve

It is now the eve of Karaoke Cranker's 1st monthly bike ride through Oak Cliff...Oak Cliff is actually a lovely place. Saturday is set to be an amazing day filled with some nice scenery and a great night filled with some awesome or not so awesome talent but some good clean fun. This ride is sure to be a real crowd pleaser. Once again...meet us at Bishop Arts at Lockhart's for the bike ride. Lets have some fun in the sun and enjoy a little Karaoke. See you there.

Karaoke Cranker's 1st Saturdays Monthly Bike Ride

Karaoke Cranker's first annual "First Saturday's Bike Ride" event

The weather for this weekend's ride seems to be cooperating as the forecast calls for partly cloudy skies with just a  chance of rain. This event will prove to be a hit and will be the precedence for ongoing Karaoke Cranker's bike rides in the future. If you are interested in bike riding, having fun and being a goof ball while singing karaoke number's onstage, then this event will prove to be a great outlet for you. Please join us at Lockhart's BBQ for a fun-filled and scenic bike ride through Oak Cliff. We will meet at the corner of Bishop and Davis streets at Lockhart's at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday the 6th, 2013. As I mentioned before the bike ride will take us through Stevens Park Golf course to the Belmont Hotel where we will enjoy the sights of the vintage motorcycles. We will return to Bishop where we will sing karaoke, eat, and have some fun!




Get your five day weather forecast here:

http://www.weather.com/weather/5-day/Dallas+TX+75203:4:US

 

This photograph was taken in Marble Falls over the Easter Weekend break.

My spouse is the lady who is front and center in this picture followed by me (Andrew) the Karaoke Cranker's coordinator as well as my sister-in-law (Cris) and brother-in-law Brian. Now... Brian nor Cris will be at this event, but they will be with us in spirit as they reside in Corpus Christi, TX.

Abel Reyna Sunset High School Principal

I just learned about a long time acquaintance and colleague, by the name of Abel Reyna Jr., who passed away recently. He was a great mentor and all around wonderful person who I will always remember for his warm heart, great personality and comedy relief. He was a Principal of Sunset High School back when I was thinking of changing my career and looking into becoming an educator. A candlelight vigil was held for Mr. Reyna at Sunset High where previous friends, colleagues, and students were in attendance to remember his legacy.

I would like to have been at the vigil to remember Mr. Reyna, but as I am a new father I have little time to even watch the nightly news. As I am riding my bike this Saturday along with my wife and friends, through Oak Cliff, I will take time to remember Abel Reyna and all the wonderful things he was.

This is nuts and soothing at the same time. This video will blow you away. Downhill riding is a very extreme sport, so no riding your bike off  the roof.

The Breakup

Not really KARAOKE, but quite amusing.

Bicycle Crash Stories

Added on March 18, 2013 Its was a simple mountain bike ride on a trail in Houston. The weather was perfect for a ride. About a quarter of the way through there was a ten foot hill with several roots on the downslope. I had a choice between hitting a tree or a large root in the ground. My braking action threw my body forward so i couldn't lift the front tire and so i hit the root, flipped forward off of the bike and my head landed onto a concrete block sticking up from the ground. The impact was so several the helmet was cracked in several places. That the lord and giro helmets for my life because not only was i able to finish the ride, but other then a small amount of neck soreness and scratches i have absolutely no injuries! Thanks giro and people please always wear your helmets! You never know when it will save your life! Added on February 12, 2013 My daughter's helmet may have saved her life. This blog posting is about the performance of a child's helmet with cheap taped-on-shell construction that did its job. Added on August 31, 2012 On August 26, cycling with friends downhill on Mulholland Drive, in Los Angeles, I flipped over my front handlebars. My cyclometer shows I was traveling at about 23 mph when I did my flip. I landed on my back, and the back of my head hit the pavement, too. The foam on top and on the back side of the helmet is crushed. Obviously I don't know what would have happened if I didn't have my helmet on my head. I'm glad, though, that I was wearing it, because my head suffered no injury. Added on August 5 and 7, 2012 I had a minor accident today but am convinced my helmet kept me out of the hospital. I was riding along Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans at only about 10 mph when I saw a man fishing, who hooked something just as I was approaching. This was along a restricted road with no cars or traffic whatsoever, so my attention shifted from the road to watching this man to see what he was about to reel to shore. In an instant I flipped over the handlebars after running into a 6" high buckle in the concrete, something not uncommon here. I rolled over the bike and consciously twisted to land on my left side, hit the ground and rolled onto my back in a somewhat controlled maneuver, and was about to roll back up onto my feet when SMACK I hit the back of my head on the concrete. When I got to my feet I removed my helmet to see it was flattened on the rear left corner and had a 3 inch split from the base toward the crest. Obviously I hit very hard and am certain without the helmet I would have had an ambulance ride to the hospital, and if lucky would be too punchy to write this tonight and possibly much worse. Instead its 800mg of ibuprofen with some banged up joints but not even a headache. Thank you Specialized. I have been replaying the incident the last couple days, and I was very lucky since I do not always wear a helmet. It was quite a surprise to hit my head. I was more or less "finished" with the wreck and rolling onto my feet, knowing I was not seriously hurt when the back of my head smacked into the pavement. In that instant I thought about 10 things - how could I have hit my head from this position and in this very minor wreck/that was very loud - why does it not hurt at all/wow I am wearing my helmet/holy crap I would be bleeding and unconscious if I were not. It was an enlightening experience. You expect the helmet to come into play in some nasty accident involving high speed or a car, but this was about as simple and low speed an accident as you could have. You all have a nicely designed and informative site and glad to find it after this incident. Added on April 15, 2012

To wear or not wear a helmet...that is the question.

To be, or not to be: that is the question: 

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause: there's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,
The insolence of office and the spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscover'd country from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pith and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action. - Soft you now!
The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons
Be all my sins remember'd.

Now...while this is quite a nice thought that one is absolutely immortal...it is not 

based in reality. Wearing a helmet will save your skull and keep your skull from being used

as a prop. Lets be safe by wearing the proper gear, using lights while riding at night,and 

riding safely by adhering to all traffic laws. 

We are sure to see a lot of these bad boys at the Belmont Hotel among other vintage styles. Remeber the bike ride takes place on April 6, 2013 at 4:30. We will see you there.

Spring Bike Tuning

By all means make sure your bike has been tuned up and that you have any necessary tools to bring with you on your ride in order to change a tube. You can also use a product called Slime for tires.

Great bicycle scene from ET!

The Cable Guy

This Karaoke scene was taken from The Cable Guy. This one is really corny, but fun to watch. Remember to bring your "C" game.

Pee Wee's Big Adventure

Remember people we live in Dallas...bring your bike chain!









Don't Stop Til You Get Enough video from Rush Hour. This is one of my absolute favorite movie series starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. This scene is funny as heck!

This blog is a living breathing document and as such it does evolve according to demand. I have discovered that since this is a Saturday bicycle ride that it might be a great idea to offer earlier hours in order to accommodate those riders who may be on the fence about night time riding. Lockhart BBQ provides Karaoke every Saturday night between the hour of 7 and 12 midnight. The new hours for the bike ride begin at 4:30. I realized that it might be easier for riders at the end of the bike ride to get home to their families if they leave their vehicles at the destination of our event, so I have tweaked the itinerary a bit.

The bike ride will be about 5 miles in length and there will be plenty of stops along the way to rest. We will traverse across the Steven's Park Golf course, in and around the Winnetka Heights area, and over to the Belmont Hotel. There is an area behind the Belmont that has been developed where we can rest and watch the cityscape and if time permits we can pay a visit to the Belmont as they will be hosting a vintage motorcycle rally . We will then make our way back to Bishop Arts and practice our chops while eating some chops and enjoying a drink or two.

Karaoke every Saturday

Vintage motorcycle rally at the Belmont Hotel on Saturday, April 6th

I hope this has been informative and that you will come out and enjoy a Saturday afternoon with us.

A map with route information will be provided to you shortly.

Karaoke Cranker's bike ride will start at the Belmont Hotel on April 6, at 6.

 

We will start our ride at the corner of Sylvan and Fort Worth Avenue. We will ride up Sylvan through Winnethka Heights and to Steven's park Golf Course and through the neighborhood and on down to Bishop Arts. The bike ride will be about an hour and a half and there will be plenty of stops along the way to smell the roses. We are having fun not competing. We will compete at the karaoke bar.



 

 



Karaoke Cranker's 1st annual -First Saturday's leisure bicycle ride

April 6th 2013 will mark the 1st annual Karaoke Crankers first saturday's monthly bike ride. This bike ride will be a leisurely one, so don't worry about competition style riding. This bike ride is being set up as a fun social experience ending with Karaoke. April's ride will consist of a leisurely stroll through Steven's Park golf course, Winnethka Heights area, the Bishop Arts area and ending at Lockhart's BBQ in Bishop Art's for Karaoke and eat's.

****Bring a bike lock and lights for your bike!*****

Let the fun begin!!

 

 

Here is the cog I mentioned in my last post however upon further research I have discovered that although the darn thing looks awesome it really would not change the resistance as I have found that city riding...in my city anyway demands more resistance. In Dallas there aren't a whole heck of a lot of hills here.


The front chain ring is Boone Ti 32t chainring

 

 Boone Ti 32t chainring



 

 

 

 

First Saturday bike ride through oak Cliff w/ the Karaoke Cranker's

Just purchased this new rig or new to me 29er single speed bike. This bike is no nonsense and fun to ride. It reminds me of my GT Pro Performer that I had back in the 80's but way better. When riding a 29er it feels like your on top of the world. The bike without all the gears and shifters and dual suspension is way cleaner looking, lighter, and a great all around bicycle. I will be purchasing a new cog for this made by Boone. It is a 20 tooth Titanium Cog and it looks awesome. At the moment I am getting ready for my first annual night ride through Oak Cliff that includes Karaoke at Lockhart Smokehouse on the first Saturday of the month satrting on April 6th tentatively. Join me for a ride that is sure to turn your wig back and realize your inner Neil Diamond.

Biking has always been a great outlet for me and one where I could absolutely be one with myself. I started my love for mountain biking in college. A couple of my buddies started out rather slowly. It started out as an avenue for me to merely get from one point on campus to the other but I soon became infatuated with the sport. There was not a week that would go by where my friends and I would find ourselves at the local trail in Lubbock. Yeah that's right Lubbock, Texas. There are actually some really nice trails in that area of complete flatness. This love for riding gave birth to competitive mountain biking where I actually raced around these trails with a number plate attached to my bike. I eventually became friends with some of the wrench turners at the local bike shop. It was here that I found a great replacement for my old rig. I found a slightly used KONA MANO MANO that was in great shape and stayed with me til my senior year in college. I became so infatuated with the sport that I introduced some friends back home who are still avid riders themselves. Fast forward ten years later I am still interested with the sport however my interests have changed as I am now happily married and now have a baby girl who is all of 5 months old. I simply can't wait to introduce my baby girl to the riding bug. As of lately I have placed the riding on the back burner as there has been no time for it. It is still on my mind though, and until recently has been nothing more than an after thought. I phoned a good buddy of mine in San Antonio who has been riding quite a bit nowadays and has told me about a monthly event in SA called first Friday where a group of say 300 riders of all types congregates in the downtown area. I do remember those days of just riding in San Antonio but it was never at the magnitude that it is now. My love has come back to me however I would like to share it with the people of Dallas, Texas. I feel that Dallas certainly needs more of this type of outdoor activity where people with a similar love for riding can get together. As my good friend George put it, "It's nice to just get out and smell the roses, and riding your bike certainly allows one to experience this." I agreed with him and felt that I needed to start a bike ride that brings like-minded souls together in laughter and harmony. There are plenty of great rides out there at the moment, but I would like to set up a bike ride that not only allows one to ride their bikes and exercise their legs but allows one to exercise their lungs through the Japanese past-time of "Karaoke". I mean who wouldn't love biking and Karaoke. There are plenty of Karaoke bars in this great city of ours, but there is one that comes to mind first and foremost...The 303 Bar & Grill in Oak Cliff. I will be working on the logistics soon but would like your feedback regarding this new event. i believe it would be a great way to fill our lives with laughter while infusing the Bishop Arts district with some publicity as a worthwhile destination. Keep following this blog as I will update you with the first ride.