Breakaway News Volume No. 18 Issue No. 6 June 2013

Father’s Day

June 16th is around the corner, meaning Dad’s special day is almost here. We sincerely hope that this Father’s Day, you will get your dad something other than a tie. Because then you willll need our services! We have nothing against delivering a tie of course. Just so long as it isn’t Paisley. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Share Ware

Last week saw rollout of NYC’s bike-sharing program, and we thought we’d give it a whirl. Frankly, we’re favorably impressed. The bicycles don’t feel as heavy as they are (45 lbs), ride nicely, and are easy to use. There are quirks. We rode one to Starbuck’s and found we had to wait five minutes after docking before being able to use another. We’re trying to decide if we’re more shocked about the five minute dock, or that Starbuck’s served us in less than five minutes!

Postal Going

By all accounts, the U.S. Postal Service is on its last legs. The 228-year old institution loses $25 million every day, for a total of $16 billion last year. That’s why we urge all our customers to opt for our online billing. You can view your invoice as a PDF, review your account, and pay your bill online, day or night. If you’re afraid of switching to online because you love the Newsletter, fear not! All issues of the newsletter are online as well.

Time Lag

Relativity is a funny thing, and we’re trying to wrap our heads around the fact that our perception of time is somewhat plastic, with time speeding and slowing down under certain circumstances. As has been said, the length of one minute depends a lot on which side of the bathroom door you’re on.

Harlem Hijinks

Father’s Day isn’t the only thing happening on June 16th. It’s also the day of the Harlem Skyscraper Classic, aka the Harlem Crit. If your dad is into speed, and watching bicycle racers going flat out, come up together to Marcus Garvey Park for family fun filled with fast cycling fanatics.

US Road Warriors

Congrats to everyone who participated in the 2013 U.S. Road Racing and Time Trial Championships. The events were held in Chattanooga, TN over Memorial Day weekend. Carmen Small and Tom Zirbel won the women’s and men’s time trial events, while Jade Wilcoxson and “Fast” Freddy Rodriguez won the women’s and men’s road race events. All four win the right to wear the stars-and-stripes jerseys for the next year in upcoming cycling events.

Stump the Band

Last month we asked what color of the famous 7-line “Redbird” trains was referred to as. Answer: The deep red color was referred to as “Gunn red” in honor of its originator, David L. Gunn.

T-Shirt Question

It went farthest north and south, and is said to be the strongest wood constructed item of its type ever built. What is it? The first person to call Gil Ortiz with the correct answer will win a coveted Breakaway T-shirt.