Part 1 – Stop, Drop and Roll (but not necessarily in that order)

Though I’ve been biking to work for (more-or-less) a year straight through, I wouldn’t call myself an avid bike rider.

There are several different cultures within the bike rider world, but I don’t quite fit into any that could be considered avid.  I’ve been riding for years, but don’t compete (yet).  I think fixies are bikes meant for 6 year olds, and people who like to do stunts on their bikes (though, fixie riders can revel in my shortcomings on a bike… just listen to my story).

I’m should also point out that I’m not a model of bike safety.  I rarely wear a helmet, despite the fact that I’m an over-achiever when it comes to crashing my bike.  I do, however, obey most of the rules of the road when on the streets.  Or, at least as many as I did when I drove a car.

I bike to work, but it’s more so that I have an excuse for skipping the gym, than any affinity for biking.

Last week, I had the ultimate ride, and I joined Steve Edwards on Afternoon Shift to tell it.

Part 2 – Bike Fishing

How to go from biker to fisherman in 30 seconds.

After I lost my bike, I resigned myself to waiting until summer – or, at least warmer and friendlier waters – to do a little scuba diving.  But then, WBEZ’s criminal justice reporter Rob Wildeboer came up with a brilliant idea.  Why not get a hook of some sort, and try to fish it out.  I liked the idea, but didn’t quite know where to begin.

Here’s the video of my attempt to fish my bike from the ice-cold waters of Lake Michigan

Part 3 – A Geek’s Guide to Surviving Survivor

For my final 3@3 pick, I turned from my own adventures, to those from the world of reality television.

Survivor: One World is the title of the 24^th season of the CBS reality series, Survivor.

I’m essentially a Survivor fanboy, and have been since its first season.  So much so that I lazily plot out what my audition tape might be like.  How I would build alliances once on the show.  And, I struggle whether I’d like to be one of the “heroes” (in Survivor parlance) on the show, or take on the role of “villain” – recognizing that it’s a game, and trying to avoid the emotional trappings that contestants seem to let override their strategy and gameplay.

One of the biggest “villains” from last season – who also happened to be my favorite castaway – is John Cochran.  The scrawny, self-proclaimed “geek” had a lot of game in this ultimate reality series.  I spoke with him by phone to find out a little more about how he played the game.  I also asked him to give me HIS “3 at 3” tips on surviving the game of Survivor.

Jeff Probst, I hope to see you soon on a remote island somewhere warm.  I still haven’t decided if I’ll be a “villain” or a “hero,” but I hope to take it all the way to become one of your next “sole survivors.”