nigelstewart.org

My First Bike Race (that I finished)

2012-01-22T17:32:21Z

I consider today's race my first since I didn't finish one I entered in Boulder, Colorado at age 20 when I got lapped very quickly and therefore disqualified.

Got up at 4:30 am this morning in order to arrive in Dominguez Hills for a USA Cycling criterium. A criterium is a closed circuit course that you ride around for a set time or a certain amount of laps.

In my case I was registered as a Category 5 rider which is the low rung on the ladder of bike racing. Glad I pre-registered since the 50 slots filled up before race day. I bought a one day license. signed a waiver, and before I knew it I was doing warm up laps with some other cat 5 riders. 4 right turns over 1.5 kms with a slight uphill finish. Pretty fun and speedy. I got up to the second row to start and at 7 am we got some info from a race official about how to race. I was only one of two to raise their hand when the official asked if there were any first timers.

The pace was fast from the start. 45 km/hr (28 mph) in the two flat sections. I took the corners on the outside and though I stayed in the middle for a lap or two I soon found myself just hanging onto the back for the most time. Saw a couple near crashes on the corners but we all stayed upright. I lost my back wheel once in a corner on the last lap but my tire grabbed the pavement when it came back down. It's always been a fear of crashing that has kept me from racing but having just had a birthday I felt like I wanted to try it out so I'd have no regrets.

I'm so happy to have done it. I think we did 12 - 15 laps. I finished the half hour long race near the back. At least I didn't get dropped or disqualified unlike a half a dozen guys who burned out. I am definitely going to race again.

The Winter Solstice 2011 Mix Is Online

2012-01-03T03:21:13Z

I actually finished this on time for the Solstice on Dec. 21 but haven't been able to publish until today. Sorry it's late but better than never.

There are 18 mp3's @ 192kbps. Enjoy! Go to http://nigelstewart.org/music/Solstice/ where you'll be able to find this season's mix whose filename is "NWSM_2011.zip" Download via your fave browser, unzip, throw into your media player and tune out. Cheers and Happy New Year.

music

Nigel's Autumnal Equinox 2011 Is Up!

2011-09-26T04:42:13Z

H/t Piknik, iPhone 3GS, Hipstamatic, Drive, and Cay for editing. Link to .zip file named NAE2011Mix is here: nigelstewart.org/music/Equinox/ 16 MP3s @192kpbs Enjoy!

Summer Solstice 2011 Mix Is Up

2011-06-21T18:23:05Z

Point your browser to http://nigelstewart.org/music/Solstice/ and download the .zip file called nssm2011.zip and you should be good to go. Enjoy!

Photo by Cay. Edit by Picnik.

Tueday Bike Ride up PCH

2011-05-03T20:22:29Z

The Spring Equinox 2011 Mix Is Up

2011-03-20T03:33:18Z

It's up! Grab the zip file from here. Enjoy the 18 mp3s @ 192bps.

Artwork photo thanks to Sam Nichol via Flickr.

Los Angeles Marathon Take 2

2011-03-14T22:56:02Z

After promising myself and Cay that I would never run another marathon after completing LA's in 2006 I will find myself breaking that promise this coming Sunday, March 20, 2011. I made the promise after injuring my left achilles tendon while training in '06 and I thought I would never be able to run long distances again.

Last year the LA Marathon announced a course that would take runners from Downtown LA to Santa Monica. The finish line is just over a mile away from my front door. I began training for last year's race after mulling over the psychological advantage I would have with the idea of "Running Home." I got to eight or nine miles on my training runs before my old achilles injury re-emerged and I was forced to give up.

This past August I had friends (JJ & JW) at work ask me about training and I became excited about trying again. I would have to change something about my technique to avoid injury and I chose to participate in the barefoot running movement in Vibram Five Finger shoes.

Running in vibrams I was feeling no pain but my training runs of 12 miles or more would prove too damaging to the skin of my toes and forefeet. I've heard from the running community that the Nike Free running shoes are a nice compromise between barefooting it and using full-heeled running shoes. I took a chance and bought a pair from Zappos in December. I also starting using Danny Dreyer's Chi Running (Thanks, NP) as a guide during these trying months. Since then I have been able to complete long training runs and I am signed up to go 26.2 miles as racer #11,361.

With this past Friday's devastating earthquake hitting Japan I feel compelled to run for a cause that may alleviate some suffering. I'm sure you've all seen photos and videos that will haunt us forever.

My Crowdrise fundraising page for the American Red Cross for Japan relief fund is here: http://shar.es/3OFxe

No donation would be too small. Please help the Japanese people. Cay and I visited their country in the summer of 2005 and we found it to be the most interesting, advanced, and unique culture we've ever been fortunate enough to experience.

As far as race day goes, you can follow my progress via Twitter, text messaging, or Facebook by signing in to http://www.lamarathon.com/runner-info/race-day-tracking/

I'm very much looking forward to the marathon. A couple of weeks ago Cay and I went up to the Baldwin Hills Overlook in Culver City and from there I could visualize the race from Dodger Stadium to the Santa Monica Pier. I hope to have a peak experience and I look forward to sharing my results and info about fundraising soon after the race.

Rose and Main, Venice CA

2011-01-29T23:32:21Z

Rose and Main, Venice CA, originally uploaded by Nigel Stewart.

My new iPhone toy @ work. Toonpaint is awesome. H/t Leo Laporte.

Camera Operator vs. Dolly Grip

2011-01-14T04:31:19Z

I threw together a little animation thanks to the help of xtranormal.com and some friends at work on the camera crew of The Big Bang Theory. There are a bunch of these production set animations that I've recently been turned onto and I just had to put one up of my own.

No one was harmed in the making of this video. NSFW sue to some heavy foul language.

Nigel's 2010 Winter Solstice mix is online

2010-12-20T02:45:30Z

Click above and from the directory download the Nigel's_Winter_Soltstice_2010 .zip file. Add to iTunes and enjoy.

Thanks to Brian Gossett (since78.briangossett.com/) and lpcoverart.com for the artwork. The music I'm sharing is DRM free 192 kbps mp3 and purchased legally for my friends.

Merry Winter Solstice Everybody!

Nigel's Autumn Equinox 2010 MIx

2010-09-30T02:48:14Z

Several days late but my new mix has finally dropped.

Head over to http://www.nigelstewart.org/music/Equinox/ and download the zip file named "Nigel's_Autumn_Equinox_2010_Mix.zip"

There are 15 mp3 tracks at 192 kbps. Enjoy.

h/t - I borrowed the above pic from Flickr user BURNBLUE.

Newest Track on the Expo Line

2010-09-13T00:31:42Z

Newest Track on the Expo Line, originally uploaded by Nigel Stewart.

I was rolling around on my bike this morning and I found myself in Culver City where Phase 2 the new Expo rail line is under construction.

Remarkably there was an opening in the fence along Rodeo Blvd. and I was able to snap some pics of the new track being laid down. Click above to be taken to my Flickr page where you'll see a link to the set along the page's right margin.

As a resident of Santa Monica I am so excited to see this project come to life. Ever since moving to Los Angeles in 1994 I have been a strong advocate for more public transportation, especially rail. In 2015 I will be able to hop on my bike to 4th and Colorado (1 mile north of where we live) and be on a train bound for downtown Los Angeles and its connected outlying cities like Pasadena, Burbank, and Long Beach.

Here's a link to the project's web page:http://www.buildexpo.org/

iPhone 3GS Vid from July 2010 Italy Trip

2010-08-15T22:33:53Z

Italia 2010 from nigelstewart on Vimeo.

LaGrange Nichols Ride

2010-08-15T21:52:41Z

iMapMyRide: Aug 15, 2010 10:04 AM
Find more Bike Rides in Santa Monica, California

4th Wall

2010-08-14T07:35:17Z

4th Wall, originally uploaded by Nigel Stewart.

Back to work!