The Beautiful Sport of Bike Riding

Last Saturday Jon Dean and I took young William to get a new bike. He is ten years old and the thrills don't get much better than a new bike. The previous day Jon Dean bought him a bike at Target which needed some major adjustments. We ended up returning that one. LeDandy has quite a bit of experience with the sport of bike riding so he and Jon Dean took William to a bike store to get a quality bike.

Bikes are one of the items one really needs to buy from a full service bicycle store, even if you have to pay more. Why? Because your bike will periodically need repairs and most bike shops will provide minor adjustments for free on the bikes they sell.


Pictured above, William has a Redline 1.1 BMX freestyle bike. Oh yes, he wears a 'brain bucket' (i.e., helmet) for safety's sake.

LeDandy just had his old Rocky Mountain Fusion hardtail bike tuned up at the bike store since it hasn't been ridden in about four years. We will be doing some family riding soon.

Why did LeDandy take such a long absence from bike riding? Time. Bike riding is a time consuming activity and I switched to a stationary bike and elliptical trainer. Now that I have a riding partner, I'll be riding again.

Oh yes, what does one wear for recreational bike riding? LeDandy recommends a t-shirt and shorts for warm weather. Why would you want to wear nice clothes when you work out? As for spandex shorts, wear 'em if you can!

The Dixon-Ticonderoga Pencil

LeDandy loves the Dixon-Ticonderoga pencil. It is the classic, functional All-American pencil used by grade school students and above. Since I was a child, I have liked the grip and smooth writing of this brand's pencil. It was superior to others. Somehow I liked them more when these pencils were worn down to barely usable stubs.

Is there really something special about these pencils? I believe so. The grip is superior because of the wood and the polished finish. Most generic pencils are crude and have a rougher texture. You can feel the difference. Also, the pencils are very attractive with their green and yellow ferrule.* Simply put, these pencils look good and feel good.

What about mechanical pencils? LeDandy can't stand them for some reason. Sure, they look nicer but the damn things are impractical. The lead snaps off the tip and I find the lead too thin. When it comes to putting graphite on paper, there is no substitute for a wooden pencil. There is also a primal gratification in sharpening the pencil by hand. It gives us time to reflect while doing a productive, manual task.

The Dixon-Ticonderoga pencil is more expensive than your generic drugstore counterpart. The market rate for this brand is about $2.50 dozen compared to $1 dozen for the cheap generic. LeDandy believes this premium is well worth the difference. Treat yourself to an American classic.

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*Big word for the day. Ferrule is the metal sleeve joining one part to another. Don't worry, LeDandy had to look up this word too.

Summer of Hope

This column goes beyond the superficial aspects of clothing and answering such inane questions as "Can I wear black socks with a navy suit and black shoes?" LeDandy assumes you know the basics. The most important part of dandyism is your spirit.

The soccer program at left has a tremendous significance to me. It is the unofficial program to the Group F games held at Rosaleda Stadium in Malaga, Spain for the 1982 World Cup. Sadly, I wasn't there for these games. This program was an eBay purchase a few years ago for about $25.

At the time of these games in June, 1982 I was eighteen years old and just finished high school. It was a memorable point in my life as I held the highest expectations for my future. In a few days I would leave for a long vacation to the Middle East for most of the summer. When I got back, I would head off for college. It all seemed so real back then: a great career, women, money and happiness. It seemed all within reach and I could taste it.

The apex of this quixotic* optimism occurred on June 22, 1982 while I watched the Group F match between the USSR and Scotland. It was a 'must win' game for Scotland. The game had a wild finish and ended in a 2-2 draw, thus eliminating Scotland and propelling the Soviets into the second round. I remember the details of that game. It wasn't really the game that mattered but it did mark a precise point in time. My trip was just a few days away and I sensed a high point in my life. It was the exact point in life where one has the adult knowledge to appreciate the real world while still harboring a childlike optimism for the future.

I am sorry to say that my life took some very bad turns over the next twenty years. As with most people, life didn't work out according to my dreams at the time. Only within the last ten years has my life turned around. Nevertheless, I still recall with great fondness those magical days in June of 1982 when I thought that everything was within reach for me.

I try to keep the spirit of that time alive in me. It influences everything I do.
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* Big word for the day.

Jackson Pollock: An American Genius

Last weekend I watched the movie "Pollock" starring Ed Harris. Great subject but a horrible movie. Ed Harris overacted in it and the movie could have been improved by focusing on the art or the character of the artist. Instead, it was just a superficial narration of his artistic years.

LeDandy is a big fan of Pollock's later works, especially the "drip paintings" from the early 1950's. Many have called it garbage as it really shocks the conscience. One time about twenty years ago I visited the Museum of Modern Art in New York and saw one of his large drip paintings. It really is something in person and very powerful. One can feel the emotion and vitality of his work. The canvas was huge and the viewer can sense the textures and colors of the work. Yes, he was a very troubled man. It shows.

Pollock's work belongs to the class called abstract expressionism. On the Unauthorized Jackson Pollock website, the author states that abstract expressionism "...is an approach that involves complete freedom from all traditional aesthetic and social values and favors spontaneous, free personal expression." Sounds like Reform Dandyism? No wonder LeDandy is a fan of Pollock.

A good website for an introduction to Pollock is on the National Gallery of Art website. It is interesting to see his progression from the accepted styles of his period to his "action painting" with the large canvas.

Pollock turned the art world on its ear with his bold new work. It is inspiring to see true genius.

New (Old) Shoes... and New Socks!

Last week I discussed in a post my purchase of two classic pairs of low vamp Braganos shown above. I am very pleased with these two pairs and plan to get a lot of use from them. But what good are the shoes if I do not have new socks to go with them? I haven't bought socks in a long time and decided to take a chance on a new brand, Happy Socks. At $10 a pair and reasonable shipping fees of $4 from Sweden, it is worth a try. I should get them in about two weeks.

The contrast of the white base color with the black shoes should be a great combination. Warning: do not wear this combination of socks and shoes outside certain sections of New York and San Francisco as it may be hazardous to your health!



On a personal note, today I met my new brother-in-law. Theodore III (aka Three) resides with Jon Dean's parents in Madera. He is a healthy, happy sixty pound English bulldog. Welcome to the family, Three.

The Three Cadets Get Around!

Jon Dean and I, along with his cousin Tamara and her husband Steve, visited the Nevada State Museum in Carson City last week. It is a great museum of state and local history, with wonderful coin and mining exhibits. Of course, what is a Nevada museum without some gaming equipment? We ran across an antique slot machine exhibit which had some very interesting pieces.

One old slot machine caught my eye. It is an oddly designed machine with beautiful graphics, entitled "Three Cadets." Note the image of the three marching soldiers. This is a beautiful device and I'm glad it is preserved so well. It was made in 1936 by Charles Fey & Co. in San Francisco. Attached to the device on the right side is a gum dispenser.


The title and the graphics triggered a synapse in my brain. I've seen those guys before. And then it struck me. This logo was on an old condom tin that I saw on eBay a long time ago. This brand was sold in the 1930s, about the same exact time when the above slot machine was in use. Condom tins are very collectible and they have a strong market. I've seen intense bidding wars on eBay going into the $500 range for rare types.


Gambling and fornication. LeDandy salutes the Three Cadets.

Real Family

On Saturday, LeDandy received this beautiful Bonsai Ponytail Palm from Steve and Tamara. Tamara, Jon Dean's cousin, and her husband Steve join us on our travels. They make the best travel companions and we always manage to have a good time. Unfortunately they live quite a distance from us and we can only get together a few times a year.

Thank you Tamara and Steve for the thoughtful gift, and even more for being real family.