DPL Teens

Remember when you were a little kid and there was nothing better than jumping on your bike and racing through the neighborhood.  The wind at your back, racing full speed into whatever the future will bring? No siblings, no parents, no teachers – just you and the breeze.  Oh, yeah.   Complete freedom.  So why’d you stop?   Now that spring is finally here why not pick it back up?  No insurance,  no worry about gas prices, just get where you’re going and have a blast going there.

So, you’ve decided to go for a ride.  Now you just need a bike.  So they’re all about the same, right?  Hmm.  Well — I guess if you are one of those people that figure a Saturn Aura is the same as a Toyota Pruis is the same as a Ford Ranger is the same as a Jaguar XK since technically they all have 4 wheels and go  — then I suppose all bikes are the same.  But if you recognize that different vehicles have different uses, then you know that just any old bike might not fit your needs.  All bikes have a few elements that are basically the same — the frame, the wheels, drivetrain, seat, handlebars and brakes.   It’s the specialization of each of these that make the difference in the the bikes use — and cost!!

OK — let’s get a basic look at the differences in the basic elements.   The frame is the first obvious component of the bike.  And the most expensive to replace.  So what to look for?  Well – usually weight is a big factor – the lighter the better – for speed, respnsiveness and just moving it around.  Mountain bikes may have a slightly smaller triangle and higher bottom bracket to provide extra clearance than a road bike. It may also have a suspension system to provide a smoother ride over the rough terrain.  Wheels on a street bike will be thin and smooth for flat surfaces, mountain bikes and beach cruisers will have fat (and fatter) tires with deep treads.  The drivetrain includes the pedals, gears and everything attached.  So — how many gears do you need?  How many terrains are you going to ride on?  You can get anything from a single gear on a cruiser to a 27 gear mountain bike.  Generally speaking -  more gears = more options – and  more to think about!  The seat is a very personal choice.  About any bike you buy will have a good enough seat.  But there are alot of choices on the market if you are looking for comfort.  Again, think about where you are riding and for how long.  The shape of your bike will be a factor as well.  Are you sitting upright on a cruiser or leaning forward on a racing bike.  Handlebars are self explanatory enough.  Rounded and under (drop bars) for speed, straight and flat for control, upright for comfort.  The most important factor in brakes is that they work.  When you’re looking at a bike check out the brake shoes.  They should be about 1/16 to 1/8 inch from the rim.  Make sure they don’t rub on the tires.  Then squeeze the brakes as hard as you can and let them go.  Check it again. If they aren’t the same distance from the tire as they were to start with have the bike person readjust the clearances.

So — ready to hit the road?   Check out these books to get a little more info before you go:

Bicycling by Peter Oliver

Sloane’s Complete Book of Bicycling by Eugene A. Sloane

Now — go ride!

—angie

Teens – get your guitars and lyrics ready because it’s time for the 4th Annual Teen “Battle of the Bands” at the Davenport Public Library.

Numerous local teen bands will be chosen to compete for cash prizes and upcoming gigs at a public concert on Wednesday, June 17, at 5 p.m. at the Fairmount Street Library.

To be one of the chosen bands, pick up an entry form at the Main or Fairmount Street Libraries, or at the City of Davenport Parks & Recreation Office. Entry forms must be returned to the Library by June 10. There is a $20 entry fee, but all bands will receive a participation prize. New this year – solo acts and songwriters are encouraged to perform.

If you have any questions about eligibility requirements or the entry form, please contact the Youth Services Department at 563-326-7893.  This program is sponsored by the Davenport Public Library and the City of Davenport Parks & Recreation Department.

So what does Bear Gryllis read when he’s not trying to survive?  Check out his top ten list of what books he’d need if stranded on a desert island…..(now, hmm,   which episode was that??..)

10.

Seven Years in Tibet by Heinrich Harrer

9.

8.

7.

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel DeFoe

6.

The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson

5.

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

4.

Messy Spirituality by Michael Yaconelli

3.

What's So Amazing About Grace by Philip Yancey

2.

Skeletons on the Zahara by Dean King

1.

As Far as My Feet Will Carry Me by Josef M. Bauer

So there you have it –  literary survival.

– angie

Join us Tuesday night for our newest teen program, Ultimate Card Gaming!  The fun begins at 5:30 in the computer lab at Fairmount.  Be sure to bring in your Magic and Yu-Gi-Oh schtuff, as well as a few friends, and be prepared to throw down ’cause it’s about to be on like Donkey Kong.  See you then.

-Christie

As National Library Week comes to a close we’re wrapping things up with one last mini-review.

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

It’s hard to know exactly where to start with this one, as Living Dead Girl is a heavy, heavy book.  I’m talkin’ heavy.  It’s the story of a 15 yr. old girl who was taken away from her normal family life five years ago and has been kept at the mercy of a man named Ray, and at the mercy of his every desire, ever since.  I still haven’t finished the book because one can only read so much of it without stopping and wanting to throw up a little bit in their mouth.  However, the absolutely stellar storytelling and writing done by author Elizabeth Scott is so perfectly haunting, so acutely hideous, and so unshakably real for the topic she’s portraying that I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone who can handle it—please note that this book is for mature readers ONLY—ages 16 and up.

And since I haven’t finished the book yet…And since it’s our last mini-review of the week…And since there just happens to be a blurb on the back of the book by Chris Crutcher…And since it just happens to be 5 sentences…And since that fits what we call a mini-review…And since, well, I’m going to include it here and that makes it a bonus mini-review for you…

“I was knocked over by Living Dead Girl.  Most authors want to hear ‘I couldn’t put it down’ from their fans.  Living Dead Girl is a book you have to put down; then you have to pick it right back up.  The beauty of the story is that, though none of its readers will have had this experience, all will feel connected to it.  It is told in the rarest of air, yet speaks horrifically to all our imaginations.” -Chris Crutcher

-Christie

It’s hard to review Little Brother by Cory Doctorow in 5 sentences or less because there are so many great things to say about it.  But 5 sentences it is…

It is such an understatement to say that THIS BOOK RAWKS!!  It’s perfect for cool, smart, tech-savvy teens who are bored with life and just don’t like to read.  Little Brother flows at a rapid pace and digs its hooks into your mushy mind instantly…never letting go.  By illustrating just how easy it is for the government to cross its boundaries Doctorow’s tale provides an all too real depiction of what the very near future might hold for us, while highlighting the true power that today’s teens possess in terms of protecting their privacy and executing a technological revolution lively enough to make the whole country turn its head—-for reals.  Little Brother is by far the best book I read in 2008 and Cory Doctorow is a seriously freakin’ awesome dude.

Nuff said.

-Christie

What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell

If you’re a girl in 8th grade or higher this just might be the book that you’ve been looking for. Winner of the National Book Award, What I Saw and How I Lied is a sophisticated coming-of-age mystery laced with a mix of both young love and budding adult romance. Did I mention scandal?  Readers are quickly transported by Blundell’s amazing tone to the era of the late forties, where even her brief mentions of lipstick and cigarettes paint a most vivid picture. Treat yourself to this one and then be sure to give it to your Mom AND your Grandma…it’s just that good.

-Christie