This Bloggin’ Thing is a little Strange at Times

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I don’t really spend any time going to blogs. I’m actually trying, somewhat successful, to limit my time on the computer. But, it constantly amazes me the little weird surprises that happen because I write this.

This last week, twice, I’ve had strange encounters. Well, one was really strange to me, one just surprised me.

The really strange one was that when I drove back from the airport on the way back from Tulsa, we stopped at Freestate Brewery for dinner. When I was leaving the place, there is an outdoor area, railed off, in the front, so people can sit outside, smoke and drink beer. There weren’t many people out there at 9 at night, kind of cold, but there were a couple guys that, pretty much, from their outward appearance, seemed like homeless type. Pretty scruffy, army jackets, long beards, weathered, kind of like I look on some rough days. Anyway, this one guy looks up and smiles big and says, “Hey Steve, how’s it going?” I would have bet you a million dollars that I didn’t know the guy. And that he didn’t know me. I still don’t know him. It’s going to haunt me for awhile.

Yesterday, at the Flying Monkey coffeeshop in Topeka, I was leaving and this guy, with a bike rack on his roof, drives in and sticks his hand out the window of his car as I’m leaving. I’m driving my van. He says, “You’re Tilford right? I came here only because I read about it on your blog.” That didn’t seem so strange, but for him to recognize me leaving in my van seemed a little much.

Then, last year, at Starbucks in Topeka, a guy came over and asked if I was Steve Tilford. I said yes. He said that he used to race bikes 15 years ago and had lived in Tulsa since then. He said that he stumbled upon my blog a few months earlier and read it religiously. I asked him if he rode at all and he said no. I thought it was a little strange that he was reading my blog and not riding bikes. We talked a bit, but he was heading back to Tulsa. We walked out together and he asked me if that was the van that I bought the new wheels for in Philadelphia. That was over 5 months earlier and I’d just put a picture of that during the drive to Battenkill. Man, did that guy have a memory. Kind of scary.

I get lots of emails too. I’m not sure if they are weird or just interesting. That is nearly the same to me.

Anyway, all this is strange to me, in a nice way. It never ends to surprise me to what people latch onto and what makes them tick. I think I’m writing about something totally mundane, except to me, and there are 20 comments on the very subject that was just a silly thought in my mind.

All this stuff is the enough reason in itself to do this. I don’t write. It (writing) and the ancillary subjects in school were, by far, my worst subjects. By miles. I find it strange, on its own, that I do this each day and don’t dread it. Voluntarily. I could have never imaged even just a few years ago.

Okay. I’m driving to Chicago for three days now. I’m taking a lot of cold weather stuff to ride in. Not that it’s going to be much colder than Kansas the next few days.


Totally not on subject, I saw these guys roofing the house behind the house I was pumping water out of the basement of yesterday. They are redoing a roof that they did just a couple years ago. Hail. I asked them if that was really needed and they said no, but the stupid insurance guy said it needed to be done. How screwed up is that. This is a very expensive roof. Anyway, there aren’t many people in the US that do this nowadays. They are saturating the shingles with water, steaming them and then applying them while they are malleable. Pretty artistic.


Soaking the cedar before steaming.


The square thing steams the shingles before they apply them.

10 thoughts on “This Bloggin’ Thing is a little Strange at Times

  1. Curt

    with all the driving you do, you could get some vinyl graphics on your van that say stevetilford.com. Then people will see you pass or pass you and instantly bring up your site to see what you’re all about.

     
  2. mark

    I read your blog everyday, mostly out of habit, partly to read your cross racing stories. I thought about it the other day and realized it was pretty similar to reality TV, which I never watch. I felt a little strange that I know so much about your life and you don’t know who the hell I am.

     
  3. John Adamson

    What’s with the steaming? What’s the purpose?
    I’ve shingled with cedar and it never came up.
    John

     
  4. WildCat

    I second that. But really, the stories on this blog are a great break in my days and keep me excited about riding/racing. It’s somewhat educational too really! Today’s post makes me think of when I came up to you this year at the start of the Wichita crits for River Fest, said hi, and snapped a picture of you with my phone. I’m sure you were thinking “WTF?”.

     
  5. Jay

    I enjoy your insight and sometimes ranting viewpoints comparing today’s racing to years back. Some of your postings really make me laugh out loud. Yea, everyone has the mundane daily tasks to tend to and that makes it easier to relate with you in some ways. But to me, the “Cool” factor is you’re still out the racing.
    Merry Christmas!

     
  6. Brady

    After reading your blog for over a year now, the first time I identified you in public was at this year’s Heartland Park Topeka Grand Prix. But it wasn’t you I recognized at first. It was Bromont. After Bromont, then I positively identified you

     
  7. Just Crusty

    I second all of the above. Reading the racing stuff keeps me interested, makes me want to train a little more etc. It’s all good.
    Your posts also make me appreciate my inside desk job.
    And by the way, Merry Christmas.

     
  8. DavidA

    Steve, just think what it would be like if you were a Euro-pro-/racer who had lived and raced in say Belgium of Holland all of the seasons you have raced and in all the differant types of specialized racing you have done….you would have your own following thats for sure…. everywhere. Kind of cool…kind of creepy….goes with all the years of racing/training

     
  9. Jeff

    I read your blog sporatically and find it interesting and educational with regards to cycling and life. I am surprised when someone who posts a public blog finds it strange that people of all sorts read it. To me, its like bloggers are inviting the public to read and in turn know things about you. If you published a book, you would have no idea who might read it. I am somewhat puzzled on blogs, from the prespective of the blogger. Merry Christmas!

     

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