As the summer begins to wain into the coming later months.  As mothers wonder where June and half of July went.  I start to realize how difficult reporting on cycling events is - and would rather just get out an do the event.  Here we are - almost a week past the NIBU Fair Polo game, and I have not had a chance to update you all on the goings on.  I am so sorry.

My mind has been at work however.  Working in the next event, working on the next sticker idea, working on the next posting here, working on the next shirt idea.

By the time evening rolls around - sitting at my computer to type this out gets a little lost in the shuffle of life.

The Fair Polo event and the NIBU Crit were a smash hit.  To see participants of all ages and cycling backgrounds - is the reason we exist.  I made my first appearance at a week night polo game (finally done with youth Softball and Tball).  Adding the Monday night to the already well chalked up Sunday and Wednesday is amazing. 

Polo three nights a week, and still having to have riders sit out due to the large number of cyclists wanting to take part is amazing.

Here are some images from the polo event at the fair.

The fans found their way to the back door of the Olson Building for something they had never seen before.

Brave men waiting to find their way to the fighting pit

Game on

Ever wonder what the hell Mikey C. was writing during all those games, sitting on top of that ladder.  Well here you go.  Notice the names of those who score, the time, the assist.  This guy is the greatest friend the NIBU nation can have.

And the MVP award goes to...   Chris.  Beating Ruben by one goal (that one game where he scored 4 goals in like 5 min. didn't hurt the totals though).

As we move forward, we have come to the understanding that this stuff costs money (I knew that, but didn't expect this whole thing to take off like it has).  We are resistant to creating "dues" or fees for participation.  Our membership has come up with a great idea.  A tip jar.  A tip jar will be at all NIBU events.  You come to an event, and have a couple bucks, or some change in your pocket - throw it in.  You like what we are doing, and understand that the polo mallets, stickers, flyers, and spray paint cost someone some dollars - throw something in the tip.  If you don't happen to have anything on you to pitch in - don't worry.  No guilt.  Try to kick some in the next time you come to join us.

I love the ease, and simplicity of our little group.  Bring your friends, let them feel the warmth of the NIBU love blanket.

We are only getting started.  Way more to come!  See you Sunday at Polo.  By the way.  Be sure to check out the official NIBU Facebook page - search out Eric At NIBU.  More info, and events are put up there more often.

Olivia Newton John said it best.  I think it was in Xanadu - as she was skating around with James Bond.  

The Underground is flourishing, our events are being scribed into the history books as lore - and things are only getting better.  Tomorrow is another "Wednesday Night Polo Pick-up Game" (hockey rink, 6:00pm).  And do we have some darn good times a comin'. 

The Blues and BBQ weekend is fast approaching.  It is an annual weekend in Clear Lake where bikes take over the scene (At least until another rolling party comes to town later in July).  This years event, however, has just the finger licking good activities that should have the NIBU Nation licking their chops.

Seth and Russ.  You're up first!

It all starts off with a steamy cow pie helping of polo during the North Iowa Fair.  You heard it folks.  The fine Yee Haw- Hee Haw event for our stupendous county has invited the NIBU to put on a polo tourney during the fair.  Friday, July 9th, starting at 6:30pm.  We take our show PRIME TIME (without the Sam Donaldson toupee of course).  We will be setting up shop in the Olson building (just kiddy-corner from the All-Seasons building).  Just think.  Lighted, air-conditioned, and rain protected polo fun (and just next to the beer garden).

We are finalizing the details, so stay tuned.  Mark your calendars, as this won't be one to miss.  Our long term planning is to have a REAL LIFE - Polo Tourney Invite with set teams, and bring some of our polo brothers and sisters from some of the surrounding metro areas to let them know the NIBU can kick some big city ass.

Keep your whits about you, as the very next night, Saturday, July 10th - We take to the streets of Clear Lake to race our guts out - NIBU STYLE.  The promoters of the BBQ Criterium have asked us to put on a street race after the Pro 1-2 race in downtown CL.  Just before the Municipal Band ramps up their George Clinton-ish funky rendition of "Tiny Bubbles"  - we will be bring out the fixies and oldies for a crit only the NIBU could pull off.  

Again, details are being hammered out, so clear your Franklin, and be ready to leave some skin on the cement.

Now back to the "Let's get visible" portion of the post.  We need to let everyone know that we are here, and we mean business.  It's time to show off some NIBU pride.

I present to you.  The first (of many) - NIBU "In your face" Tees.

This shirt will be done up just for you.  Your size, and offered in light grey or white.  Long or short sleeve.  All you got to do is email me - eric@nibu.info   with your color, size, and style.

Long Sleeve shirts - $13

Short Sleeve shirts - $10

And because we are the Underground…  And we do what we please.  The shield will adorn the front of the shirt, and for an extra $4 - I will print any darn thing you want on the back (just nothing you can get arrested for - or have my hard drive confiscated by the authorities).  If you want to put a pic of your favorite fixie bike on the back - done.  If you want to put a pic of your dog pooping in your neighbors yard - done.  All you got to do is provide me with the image or text you want on the back.

Please note, you can just have the shirt without any customization on the back. 

You pay when you pick it up.  NOTICE - If you have me print up a shirt with a picture of you holding your 16th birthday cake, and stiff us for the shirt - we will make a dozen shirts with your name on the back and the words "Is a Shithead" along with 'em.  Then give them away at the NI Fair Event.  So be warned.

Drop me an email, get creative, and Let's Get Visible.

A future post is stirring in me.  Like a BM rolling around in my lower tract.  I am about ready to push it out and challenge the NIBU nation to a quest.  A quest of great importance to our fine city(ies), county(ies) and state.  I need to fine tune my prose…  But I can see it crowning in the next few days.  The challenge awaits.

You know that 'ol joke: "What do you call 50 lawyers at the bottom of the sea? - A good start."…  Well, what do you call 20 plus NIBU bikers playing six and a half hours of bike polo? - A hell of a good start!!!

Seth B. ready to unpack for a long day in the sun.  Gotta love the Xtracycle!

The words I can think of to explain this amazing day are - Amazing, spectacular, memorable, the best, friendly, competitive, exciting, thrilling…  I really don't want to pull our my thesaurus - but you get the point.

Game on!

The day started at 10 am, as the first few people set up the tents, tables, games for "Feats of Strength", the goals, the extra mallets, the grills, and got the place ready for battle.

By 11 am, everyone started to roll in.  People of all shapes, sizes, biking backgrounds, bike builds, and ages.  The games started out by creating four 5 person teams.  Team 1 vs Team 2.  Team 3 vs Team 4.  The looser of 1 v 2, verses the looser of 3 v. 4.  The winners verses the winner.  My god what fun.

The cheerleaders yelling on their favs.

After the rounds of games, then on to the first feat of strength.  Horse style barrel racing - on bikes - of course.  then back to the games.  More 6 on 6.  Then off to the next feat of strength.  Pennant racing, then Key Hole, then Poles.  

The Bell and Weaver families were kind enough to bring their portable grills to fire up for all to share.  Brats, Tofu Weinners, Pork, Adult and not Adult beverages.  We just didn't want to stop.  We even talked Councilman Max Weaver to try his hand at the pennant race ( you ride down to a 5 gal. bucket of sand that has a broom stick in it - grab the broom stick and ride back to another pail with another stick.  Stick the first stick in the pail, grab the other, and ride down to stick it into the other pail, and race back to the start line for a speedy time).  Max Sr. found a way to wipe out, spin the fort of his son's bike 180 degrees, so the handle bars were backwards.  Continue on, only to wipe a bit more at the first pail, and spin the bars another 180 degrees to the front brake cable was twisted and causing the brake to activate.  Classic!

Break out the Tofu!  it's a vegan party now!!!  Faux Dogs for everyone!

A photographer from the Globe stopped by for a few photos, and we got everyone on the rink at the same time.  Two teams of 12 fighting it out for a two point game.  Now that is congestion.  

Mike C. served as our day long official.  Keeping amazing scoring records.  Who did it.  What time in the game it was scored.  What the score was, and calling any disputing goals.  'Cause that one team kept knocking over their net just as they were about to be scored upon!

Game after game.  Hour after hour.  Different teams.  Different captains.  No one wanted the day to end.  Ever time we got to a point that people started to feel like, "ok, next goal wins, and then I'm going home".  The next goal would come and go.   A slight beverage break, and then back to the rink for another game.  It kept going and going.  

The final three left standing in the track stand comp.  Nick Q. came away with the win (After falling short during the comp at Cranksgiving).

Soon it was 5:30pm, and we had to just call it for the day.  Sadly.  I have never spend so much time in one of our city parks, EVER.  Never before had I had so much fun in a city park, EVER.  Never before had I had so much fun on a bike, EVER.  Never before had so many people of diverse backgrounds get together to enjoy one activity that really isn't physically draining, not really dangerous, full of hand-eye-mallet-front wheel coordination.  It is one of the greatest marvels on two wheels.

One of the many feats of strength.  Ride down 8 foot lengths of 2x6, 2x4, and 2x2.  Ruben W., Seth B., and Max W. were the only three to pull it off

So, like I stated at the beginning of this entry.  What do you call 20 plus riders hanging around in a city part for six and a half hours playing a simple little game on Memorial Day?  A F*****G GREAT START!  The NIBU is thumping; The NIBU is alive; and the NIBU is here.  

Get your next idea for an activity together.  Share it with us, and let's get it done.  Your imagination is the only thing holding the next event back.  You want it?  YOU GOT IT!

Click on the photos tab above to see some shots of the Polo action.

NIBU BABY.

So Floyd Landis has done it again.  Here we are, coming up on 4 years out of his "Yellow Jersey, lost the yellow, had a 'beer' and got the jersey back, wore it on the last day of the your, won it… Oh wait, blood values looking a bit suspect, go to court, hear about Greg Lemond's 'Chester the Molester uncle', drag Lance back into the deal"…  You remember the stick right?

This little soap opera was very intriguing, and had the media's ear (and not even just the cycling media like the Valverde situation going on now).  This was big news in the US, because it had Lance's name attached to it.  The implications were huge.  Greg spanking Lance verbally.  Floyd protesting his innocence.  By the time the court case was over, and Floyd lost his jersey.  A new Tour de France Champion was named named (three months after the next TdF was over)- but alas, this champion really didn't get to enjoy the spoils of being the champion.  Sponsorship deals that are usually reserved for the TdF champ were lost opportunities.  Think of all the commercials that Lance made when he was winning.  Think of all the posters and cereal boxes.  This poor schmuck who came in second, that hardly anyone can remember, lost it all.  Yeah, in the recordbook, it will still show his name as winning the Tour, but give me his name right now.  If you can.

A lonely podium in Oct. 2007.  (only 15 months late)

So, back to Floyd.  He talks up his innocence.  He tells everyone that the lab screwed him.  The WADA screwed him, and he takes his voice to the court of public perception.  He supposedly spends his life savings defending his name, and a fund is formed to get people to donate to protect his good name.

On April 30th, Floyd sends an email to USA Cycling and bears all.  Tells all about his doping doping.  Tells how long he doped for, and with what chemicals.  Then for good measure, drops a few key names along with his "I found Jesus" admission.  Levi, George, Lance and DZ-Nuts.  What a fucker.  

The honeymoon for me with Lance is waaaaaaay over.  I appreciate what he did for the cycling community; the retail side and the awareness side.  I appreciate what he is doing for cancer research, and I guess some guys appreciate what he did for the art of the "one night stand".  But past that, he doesn't have the sterling silver shine that he did say 5 years ago.

As for Levi, George and Dave; three names that have never been put into the same sentence with doping - what a slap in the face.  Three guys that I have always looked at with reverence in cycling as just being gol-darn good fellas.  (Although I have to admit that Dave got a little under my nerves, due to his success on the OTHER fast wheels)

I actually started to think that Floyd was telling the truth 3 3/4 years ago when he said he didn't cheat after hearing what Tom Zirbel was going through.  I felt sorry for Floyd.  I thought that maybe the lab screwed him, or a supplement company spiked his GU.

Then bang.  Reality punches me right in the nuts when I look at cyclingnews.com and even espn.com.  Floyd tells all, and names names.  

So why now?  He claims that the statue of limitations is his reasoning for doing it now.  Does he mean the for the other guys he is naming, or for himself?  Is he trying to purge his sins, and wanting any achievements accomplished by him to be null and void?  Or is he try to mess with others?  Is he telling us "If I go down (too late) we're ALL going down".

With today's state of doping in cycling, the mere hint of doping could keep riders out of competition.  The Valverde thing is an example of this.  Italy wont allow him to race on their soil, because of reports he was in cahoots with the Puerto gig.  It looks like the UCI may expand that, and give him a real suspension.  Does that mean that they may do that to Big George and Levi?  Does this mean that Garmin needs to suspend Dave?  Remember that ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY  they flaunt around (Tommy Z).  Do they stick to their guns and pull Dave from the Tour of CA (IN THE LEADERS JERSEY)?

Thanks Floyd.

Are these other guys guilty or what?  I don't know.  I don't know what to think of the whole thing, other than it stinks like a rotten fish anus.  The question will dog me all day "What is Floyd's angle?"  What is to gain, other than to not be the only kid not allowed to go out for recess.  But oh yeah.  That jerk has already served his two years.  He has a crappy contract, and is able to race.  Those other guys he named - if found to be true - or at the very least to be suspected of doping, would have to serve some sort of punishment.  And Floyd races on.

Thanks Floyd.  I think we should get the phone number of Chester the Molester, and have him visit Floyd's house with a big tub of DZ-Nutz.

Bike polo has taken over North Iowa.  This past Sunday, we met up at the hockey rink at Big Blue and crashed our way to two hours of blissful ball knocking.  The star of the day… The MVP of Bike Polo Sunday was none other than Amy Bell.  Man, that chick was EVERYWHERE!!!  She had more goals than anyone else, and maybe had more goals than everyone added together.   Like her husband always says, "She is Tenacious".

The morning started with a big surprise.  Waiting for me at the rink was Jason D. from Cedar Rapids.  He read the Facebook event notice, and worked until 3 in the morning creating "Eat Mallet" on his lathe (Actually we all called it Beer Keg).  Leaving Cedar Rapids at 6:00am to party with us - now that's dedication.

Beer Keg

We started the day with 6 on 6, and found our grove.  The game isn't really fast, but there are some breakaways that need speed.  Bike handling is important, and your stick and ball handling is a must.  keep your stick out of the spokes and steer straight. 

A funny moment had to be Teve B., racing front wheel first into the boards.  Word to the wise, old steel forks do bend.  A little elbow grease, a bump into the boards with the bars backwards, and ZINGER.  A fixed bike ready for more action. 

Click here to view the Youtube video

Teve also made the highlights when he T-Boned Ruben's rear wheel, giving it a bit of taco shape.  Seth came to the rescue AGAIN - with a little stomp to the rim, a couple twists with the wrench, an a mostly straight wheel ready to roll.

The parking lot (yard) for the afterparty

Ruben also had some ill luck when his baby brother Max fell into his front wheel, also giving it a bit of wobble.  But hey, what doesn't kill you, makes you a better Polo player.

Milk and cookies

After the gaming, everyone rode of to Eric F's place for milk and cookies (actually more like brats and hotdogs - and vegan food for the herbivores).  

Uhhhhh.  How many guys have to be in a paddle boat before it's considered not platonic?

We are currently planning another game the weekend of Memorial Day.  Maybe Sunday or Monday.  Please stay tuned for the notice.  We will plan on having a grill out after the game, during the game, before the game.  Eat till you puke.  We have some extra mallets for anyone who doesn't have one.  Any bike will work, but I would suggest using a bike that you don't mind crashing on, or maybe having Max or Teve crashing/falling into your wheels.

Click on the photos tab to see photos from the game, after party, and the Bikes of Bike Polo (cyclingnews.com style).

It's time to round up your horse, get 'em primed for some good jockey fun.  Bike Polo Season is here.  The best thing about Bike Polo, other than becoming a good ball blocker with your stick, is you wont have to step any steaming divots (unless a player has a little case of the backdoor trots).

First things first, though.  We need to build our sticks.  Unless, of course you happen to have a bike polo mallet in your bedroom closet (sinner).

NIBU has put together a "Build A Mallet" party.  We will meet at the National Build a Mallet HEDquarters on North Monroe Ave (The HED Cycling production facility also rents a space from B.A.M.).  This Friday, at 7:00pm.  NIBU will provide the equipment for the build.  You will need to bring about $10 to cover the cost of the material.  Bring any beverages you may want o consume during the build (just no hard liquor or drink boxes).  

If we are quick enough with the build, and the sunlight is still present, a ride to the hockey rink at big blue and a test of the new equipment.  We will be sure to keep it an early night so we can all make it to the benefit ride/breakfast on Saturday morning.

Drop a comment if you are able to make it so we can make sure we have enough stuff to build the sticks.  See you Friday.