Bush Quote from farewell conference

[Allamuchy Joe]

There's pictures of Obama road biking with matching jerseys and tights.

Ok, maybe that's a lie...

-Steve

Actually, that was Kerry with the road bike. Here is a picture of BO on a bike...

Seat looks a bit too low and the tires need air.

 

[Mare]

I love it!!!

 

[Allamuchy Joe]

Naw dude he def rides clipless

QUOTE]

What else is cool about the President Bush pictures is that his bike does not have a reflector in sight. A little detail that tells you the bike is being used as a mountain bike.

 

[gtluke]

Must be so frustrating for the mountain bike community that their least favorite president is the most in tune with mountain bikers and outdoor enthusiasts.
I think the environmentalists get really annoyed too that he has an very very "green" house. geothermal, recycling water... and he built it way before "green" was hip.

 

[syadasti]

Naw dude he def rides clipless

That's cause his LBS weened him from a newbie and got him setup correctly. When he started he was riding the wrong size bike and later they also convinced him to go clipless:

July 27, 2004
President Bush rides a Trek Mountain Bike

No politics here...it's just plain cool when the president of the United States rides a mountain bike. Apparently the president began mountain biking after he started having trouble with his knees from running. He was looking for a cardiovascular sport that could be done outside without impacting his knees. An Associated Press article gave a few details about the bike the president rides. He rides a carbon fiber Trek Fuel 98 worth $3,100. Ironically, the president rides with clips on his pedals and has yet to "go clipless."

Here is the full story:

The President's 'First Mechanic'
Cycling Store Owner Remembers Times With Bush
By Evan Regan-Levine Feb 12 2008

Although President George W. Bush calls him “the Pinkster” in letters, Santiago Gonzalez goes by “Pinkey” to the Georgetown residents who visit his store on M Street. Gonzalez, who immigrated to the US from Spain, is a bicycle mechanic and co-owner of Revolution Cycles, a four-store chain of bicycle shops in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. About 10 years ago, Pinkey started Revolution Cycles, now reputed as the chain that supplies Bush with his bicycles and bicycle maintenance. They also provide similar services to the Secret Service, John Kerry and locals. This week, THE HOYA sits down with the man who Bicycling Magazine dubbed “The First Mechanic.”

How long have you been working on bicycles?
Me? Uh ... too long. About 20 years.

How did you get involved in this business?
Way back when … I was a young kid, a real good friend of mine open[ed] up a bike shop, [and] I used to go hang out after school [and] do my homework and stuff. So he says, ‘Well we’re gonna need a mechanic ’cause the business is picking up.’ He left town and sold me his business.

Do you race?
I’m from Spain. ... We didn’t have that kind of means of supporting a racer, so no. ... I wish I did.

What kind of bicycle does the president ride?
He rides a [Trek] Fuel EX 9.5. There are only three in existence. We have one that rotates between the stores. XTR components, top of the line. It’s painted the Air Force scheme [like Air Force Once]. It also has the presidential seal. It’s a mountain bike.

How did you start working on the president’s bicycle?
Literally when he took office, ’cause when he took office, Trek donated 20 bikes to the Secret Service, and then from that point on, he was riding and he was not fitted correctly by whoever had sold him his previous bike. The owner of Trek was in the presidential fitness council [and] knew [the president], and he told me he was having issues with the bike. He recommended [that] my partner come and set him up on the bike, and from that point on, we became his store.

Would you consider President Bush a bicycle enthusiast?
Oh yeah. My partner has gone with him for a few rides. Some have the misconception [about] the president ‘yeah, he rides.’ He rides hard, he’s an avid cyclist; he likes the good stuff — very serious. He rides very, very hard on the bike.

Do you also deal with the Secret Service?
We deal with the majority of the Secret Service people, the Vice Presidential Secret Service. We also deal with ... the Presidential Protection Detail, the guys that always ride with him. … We always deal with the police agencies in town, even the police guys from Georgetown.

How often does he ride it?
It’d be hard to tell you. He does ride quite a bit. I would say probably often.

Have you ever interacted with (even ridden with) him personally?
No I haven’t. There’s a little issue with me not being a citizen. I was born in Spain and I’ve been here 41 years.
He’s even asked my partner, ‘When are you going to bring the Pinkster, his nickname for me, riding?’ [My partner] said to me, ‘I don’t mind if you come, but you better get your ass in shape because he’s serious.’

Do you sell and maintain bikes for Law Enforcement?
It’s like a half and half. We’ve sold half of the bikes for [Law Enforcement in the D.C. area]. They come up to us especially when they find out we have serviced the president’s bike or when they find out the other law enforcements have serviced the bikes [with us].

Tell me about your business.
We have four locations. We have one in D.C., one across the bridge, Stepford and one up in Rockville. It’s usually like a mix, local residents … people who come from all over Washington. I’ve also done Bill Clinton’s bike, one of the ones Lance Armstrong gave him. ... The second race Lance won, he gave him a replica of the one [he used].
I almost had three presidents when Kerry ran. He went bike riding; he borrowed [bike store workers’] stuff. When he came in he was by himself. There was an article in one of the magazines. ... They were poking fun [at Kerry’s and Bush’s bicycle riding].
We get a lot of clientele. ... The Kennedys, Robin Williams...

Did the president pick his bike?
That’s a good question. I don’t know whether he picked it. He knows what he wants. He chooses the certain things he wants on his bike. When he bought a newer bike from Trek, he wanted a mirror copy of the one he had. It was a new frame. ... Instead of painted [like] Air Force One … it had stars ... faded from blue to white. The Secret Service guys came in and said, ‘Spitting image of what he’s riding. Same measurements.’ Believe me there was an issue when we couldn’t get his seat post — everything had to be identical.
When he got the first bike he had regular pedals. ... After a while my partner approached him and he said you might want to consider ‘clipless’ [pedals into which special shoes fasten]. ... [The president said,] ‘Bring some to the White House and fit me up.’ He gets up on the bike riding around the White House. He was up on the White House lawn riding around with him.

 

[syadasti]

Must be so frustrating for the mountain bike community that their least favorite president is the most in tune with mountain bikers and outdoor enthusiasts.
I think the environmentalists get really annoyed too that he has an very very "green" house. geothermal, recycling water... and he built it way before "green" was hip.

Green has been hip a lot longer than 8 years (even mainstream government green programs like energystar started in 1992) and he's leaving his ranch, it was about politics, not genuine interest:rofl:

For Bush, Happy Trails to Crawford
Ranch Served as Western White House, but Couple's Next Home Will Be Dallas
By Nelson Hernandez
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, December 31, 2008; A03

...

""He thought he was going to be stealing a page from Ronald Reagan's ranch appeal," said Douglas Brinkley, a historian at Rice University. "The weird part of it is, it was going to work for a while.""

...

"But Bush will not spend the rest of his life there, contrary to the plans he laid out in 2001. Instead, he and his wife, Laura, will move to Dallas after he leaves office. At an off-the-record fundraiser in Houston in July, he said Laura had made the decision. "I like Crawford," he said. "Unfortunately, after eight years of asking her to sacrifice, I'm now no longer the decision-maker. She'll be deciding.""

 

[UtahJoe]

All the while Al gore has been living in a house that used 221,000 KWh in one year! On top of that, driving around in a car that doesnt even have a cat. converter on it. (his 67 mustang). Meantime, according to him, we should all unplug every electrical device in our home before leaving everyday. Talk about a hippocrate :rofl:

 

[Allamuchy Joe]

All the while Al gore has been living in a house that used 221,000 KWh in one year! On top of that, driving around in a car that doesnt even have a cat. converter on it. (his 67 mustang). Meantime, according to him, we should all unplug every electrical device in our home before leaving everyday. Talk about a hippocrate :rofl:

Al ought to take up mountain biking -- he's looking a bit large these days.

 

[Glancing Aft]

Must be so frustrating for the mountain bike community that their least favorite president is the most in tune with mountain bikers and outdoor enthusiasts.

The devil is known to appear in mysterious tempting ways... In this case a mountain biker...

'm surprised the bush girls never had video games at all.

Probably too busy doing lines of coke with their Dad...

 

[Norm]

On top of that, driving around in a car that doesnt even have a cat.

When I first read this, I LOLed. Cat? WTF does he need a cat for? Made me laugh regardless. Then I saw the converter part.

 

[Allamuchy Joe]

The devil is known to appear in mysterious tempting ways... In this case a mountain biker...


Probably too busy doing lines of coke with their Dad...

Inappropriate for this forum, especially the last line. Perhaps this thread should be moved to the "off topic" bin.

 

[gtluke]

especially odd because his replacment openly admits to having done cocaine.

 

[Sircrashalot]

& also odd because his replacement's election to the office is viewed by many as fulfillment of a bible prophecy that is a signpost for the end of days.

something like '& at the time when Israel is at war one will rise to power who will be loved by the masses, who will speak eloquently & promise change. But that one will be satan'

I paraphrase....very loosely....

Wasn't this thread started with a line about 'not wanting to start a political debate?
Thats working out well :rofl:

 

[Norm]

& also odd because his replacement's election to the office is viewed by many as fulfillment of a bible prophecy that is a signpost for the end of days.

something like '& at the time when Israel is at war one will rise to power who will be loved by the masses, who will speak eloquently & promise change. But that one will be satan'

Couldn't that also have been Clinton?

Not a day goes by where some prophecy isn't being fulfilled.

 

[stb222]

& also odd because his replacement's election to the office is viewed by many as fulfillment of a bible prophecy that is a signpost for the end of days.

something like '& at the time when Israel is at war one will rise to power who will be loved by the masses, who will speak eloquently & promise change. But that one will be satan'

I paraphrase....very loosely....

Wasn't this thread started with a line about 'not wanting to start a political debate?
Thats working out well :rofl:

now if Hilary was elected, the world might have just spontaneously combusted.

 

[gtluke]

meh, israel isn't at war. they are just doing some housecleaning.

 

[Sircrashalot]

Couldn't that also have been Clinton?

Not a day goes by where some prophecy isn't being fulfilled.

Yup, & lots of others throughout history. Easy to make a mold & then search the world for someone & some circumstances to fit it.....but it's still kind of interesting...

 

[sixseven]

Back on topic...

"Farewell Mr. Bush!"

 

[Sircrashalot]

meh, israel isn't at war. they are just doing some housecleaning.

I agree....

back on topic......whether you love or hate him it's cool that Bush rides. I bet the secret service got some good laughs when he was learning to ride clipless...at least if he dumped as many stooooopid ways as I did!

 

[dualfisted]

haha

I'm picturing Bush rolling up to a traffic light and slowly tipping over while trying to yank his foot out of the pedal. That shot would be my avatar right now. Haha. PS- except for the politics, this thread rules. The picture of Frank gettin some from the sheep is awesome.