Thumbs Up

Couldn't say it better myself. Rock on little guy!!

A question

In my last post "A Change"  a reader named Vannevar asked:

"what clothing combos are you using to stay comfortable? I'm on an EverLastingQuest for the optimal winter riding kit."

I was going to just post a comment to reply but as i typed, and typed I realized it would be better to answer it this way.  so this is my answer to that question.

My gear is pretty simple I have a pair of fleece lined pants that I wear when it is cold. I have a balaclava that I Got at REI and pair of thin arm warmers. My biggest change is I used to wear a hoodie - flannel combo but the wind went right thru it. I have a fake leather jacket that cuts the wind completely. I have riding gloves that have some kind of wind breaker material on the backs of them and a thicker pair of gloves for when it is really cold. on my feet I wear a simple pair of leather sneakers.

The only thing I haven't manged to get yet is something for my eyes. I wear glasses but don't need them to ride. so I'm looking at getting some ski goggles or something like them. the wind when I'm flying down liberty is just a bit much.

Most of my keeping warm has to do with the Fat Guy part of being a fat guy on an orange bike. as it is when i get done with a ride I have to turn my jacket inside out to let my sleeves dry out. since while they block the wind and I'll bet provide some protection from when (not if) I slide on the ice later, they also don't allow any moisture out.

A Change

Winter is here and I am still riding. This is the latest in the year I have ever ridden. I want to boast but I know that part of the truth is that the weather so far has been rather mild. It is also true that this year I prepared myself with the proper gear that helps me stay warm while the air is cold. I have also noticed that I have changed as well. Temperatures that I would of once thought of as to cold to ride in are now just numbers that don't seem to mean much to me anymore.

This became a little more real to me over the past few days I headed down to visit a friend, actually I was going to Dog-sit for her while she attended a funeral. Without much thought I threw some clothes into my backpack, grabbed my gear, and hopped on my bike. It was snowing. I ride down to her house in the snow and loved every second of it.

“You're effing crazy. You know that?” she said when I knocked on her door, still damp from the wet snow and still smiling.  “I could of come and got you.” she said. Her face told me she really thought she was making sense

“What and miss out on ride like that.” I said, thinking that I was making sense as well. It was then that I began to realize that the way I was thinking was changing. Thinking back now I see how I think now and think of it as normal but I can also remember how I used to think and how that was normal as well. I don't pretend to understand how such opposite thoughts can both be considered normal.

On Monday I headed to town to volunteer my services as head towel boy and servant at Bike-Pgh as I left my house I remember thinking “What a nice day for a ride.” I agreed with my thoughts as I rode through East Liberty and headed toward the South-Side. I had already decided to take the long way around and enjoy the fine day. I was struck again with how much I had changed when I passed several puddles near the trail that were frozen. Now to be honest the trail is in a hollow (the Panther hollow trail) so it gets less sunshine than most places I ride. Wondering, I stopped and checked the puddles. A half an inch of ice on top of the puddle. As I crossed the Hot-Metal bridge I stopped. I always stopped on the bridge and looked down into town. You see I really enjoy that particular view into town. The wind was blowing up the river and it felt great. Two girls were walking across the bridge from the South-Side. I waited standing on my bike till they passed me. (I try to never miss a chance to smile as a pretty girl) I noticed they were bundled up like Nanook of the north.

Like I said, I guess I'm changing. Even now as I sit here and type this I can feel the dryness of my face. I can feel the beginnings of chapped lips.

        I'm thinking this kind of change is a good thing.

Toe Clips

These are the toe clips I picked up today at Thick bikes, which is without a doubt my favorite bike shop. The price for these bad boys was really good to, about 23 bucks installed (Bazinga!!) Still I had a feeling that these clips would be trouble.

I remember my last foray into something similar Shimano Clipless Pedals and road shoes. Yeah I was riding with geek warp factor of 10+ (at least in my own mind) as this was before I got to know the great people that make up the cycling community here in Pittsburgh. I also remember how after a month of "Getting Used" to the clipless pedals and trying to learn to walk in those freaky shoes, I still managed to fall over at stop signs about once every two days.

Not Pretty

So it was with great foreboding I tried out these pedals. I found that things weren't as bad as I thought they would be. I ended up taking the straps off for now as I am wearing my giant leather shoes to keep the cold out and they kept catching on the strap. without the strap they worked just as I hoped they would and I found that I was able to slip my boat like feet (size 13 wide) in and out with only a little trouble.  I am sure it will get better with practice.

One thing I noticed almost at once was the difference having my feet even nominally attached to the pedals made. Even now as I sit and type this I feel a tightness in the backs of my thighs that I do not normally get from riding my bike. I take this to mean that I am also pulling on the up stroke now as well.

All in all my first impression of these pedals is a good one. I give them a solid BUY if you are looking to move from platform pedals to something a little more functional and either don't want to go all in and go Clipless or like myself you simply lack some interior wiring that allows you to use clipless pedals with comfort.

Hello Hills

Canton Ave Pittsburgh Pa

I have never really liked hills. (Shocking I know) Being a Fat Guy on an Orange Bike hills have been my eternal enemy. However something happened yesterday that while it didn't change my feelings toward hills, it may have lightened it just a bit. I am getting ahead of myself, so allow me to start at the beginning.

Monday was my birthday (so now I'm a Fat Old Guy on an Orange Bike) and I had hatched a plan to make a batch of mead (honey wine) on my birthday for my next birthday. It was a good plan, I was going to make make a couple gallons and all needed to do was pick up some honey and some yeast from the homebrew store.  Little did I know that my birthday is of such great importance that even the homebrew stores closed to celebrate (granted they said they are closed every monday but I know the truth) So alas I had to wait until yesterday (Tuesday) to stop and get the supplies I needed. 

I had my bike with me and after work I threw it on the bus and headed to the Brew shop. I picked up the 10 pounds of supplies I needed (and some I didn't need but wanted) and packed these things in my backpack and headed back to town on my bike. Up Noblestown road. (yes I know many of you out there don't think of that as a hill but it is and I do. I was surprised to find that I made it up the hill with little problem (granted I didnt break any land speed records) and only stopped to get on the proper side of the road. Even with the heavy backpack I managed it just fine. 

So this morning I started to (once again) re-plan my different routes to and from work.

Vacation

Been on vacation since saturday and I am so happy to say that one of the reasons that this is the first post I have made is pretty much because This is the first chance I have had to actually sit down and write out a post.

You will forgive me if I still keep this short as I still have lost of things I want to do.

Sunday = Church
at least it does for me and I have always felt that going to church to be something important for me. Instead of actually going to a Church on sunday I headed off for false cape, and the bike trails that wind their way through this fantastic state park.

I went along the trails until I encountered sand to soft to ride on. I ended up at wash wood educational center. looking out over back bay all to my self. 

This was my church and I felt so happy and lucky to be alive. 

Pretty much all my time has been spent bike riding and fishing. As it turns out I really like to fish and while not exceptional at it I did have quite a good time surf fishing for a fish called Black drum. (or striped donkey fish as we call them) I caught and released at least  a dozen of these fish. one of them was huge at about a foot and half.

I really hope that my busy fun days continue.. Perhaps if they do I won't have time to post again until I get home and back to work on monday.

Cargo bike love

Found this on EcoVelo and I just love this (small minus for both very short political rant and an F-bomb) so be warned before you click play.

Head on over to lizcanning.com for more info

Hot Bra Bridge

This is what I saw the other morning while I rode to work. This is the Hot Metal bridge that crosses from 2nd ave to the Southside. All across the Ped/Bike lane hangs hundreds of bras on a wire. Since it is October this is done for breast cancer awareness, and is something I am a huge supporter of. I have had to many relatives that have had to face this terrible foe. This is why I do the relay for life, and why I support research in whatever way I can.

I'm also a fan of boobs in general. As I heard it, once you see one set of boobs you pretty much want to see them all.

Look Ma no hands!!

"Golden Tree" by Martin Brooks from Ninian Doff on Vimeo.

It's called KIT

Cycling Clothes, Its called cycling Kit. Special clothes that you wear for just cycling...

I know what your thinking, I made fun of them as well.

Until I bought my first Cycling Jersey. I picked up an Arrogant Bastard Cycling jersey in my size (double extra tubby - 4XL - yeah I really am that big) and I bought pretty much cause it was a beer shirt, and the beer was one of my favorites. Still I was not prepared for just how wonderfully comfortable the shirt was. it pulled the sweat away form my skin and allowed air to flow. it almost felt like I wasn't wearing a shirt at all.

I started to think that maybe, just maybe, these people who designed these actually knew what they are doing. so a few weeks later while I'm at REI looking at a set of padded shorts and I come across these padded boxers - which will give me the comfort of cycling shorts without actually making me wear cycling shorts.

I almost broke down and cried. - yes I know it isn't manly but it is the truth.

I bought them. I'm not ashamed to admit it. Now my biggest problem is I have to do laundry all the time so I have clean cycling clothes to wear each morning for my ride to work. (I don't wear the shirt all the time but I refuse to ride without the shorts - yes they do make that much of a difference.)

I guess next is the rain and winter gear. we shall see.

Pannier

I just took my first ride with my new pannier I got from Performance Bike. I bought the TransIt Grocery Bag Pannier (http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1023647_-1_1596009_20000_400103) I it was great to be able to go on a longer ride and not have to wear a backpack. I was able to put my little tools, two spare tubes, my lock, and my lunch in the pannier and even had room for a G2 and my helmet.

I really love my new pannier. However,

I just took my first ride with my new pannier and it is driving me crazy! I believe the phrase is “Heel Strike” and after a few miles of it I began to pray God would make my feet smaller. Since it looks like that is one of the only options I have. Over the next few days I plan on trying to move the pannier around and see if I can find a spot on the Rack that will allow me to use the pannier.

Until then I’ll just have to try and deal with the thump thump thump of my heel.

Transportation

A strange thing happened to me over the past few weeks. Well I don’t know if “strange” is the right word but it was the first one that came to mind. I have been riding my bike a lot more than what was usual. By ‘more’ I mean more in the last week than most of the summer.  According to the Car Free Calculator (http://car-free.bike-pgh.org/) I logged 18 miles in July, 75 miles in August, and over 200 so far in September with 70 of those miles being just this week. So yeah I’m riding more. At some point I began to view my bike, and my riding differently.
You see I have always looked at cycling as recreation, something I did for the fun of it. Even when I would ride to work, it would be something out of the ordinary, something I did because it was fun and the day made for an enjoyable trip.
None of this has changed, I still find a great deal of recreation in getting out to ride. What has happened is that biking has starting to become transportation as well as recreation. Nothing made this clearer than the Friday night ride with flock of cycles. As planned I threw my bike on the bus in Pittsburgh and headed off to Oakland. After being on the packed bus with the 700 other people who also wanted to get to Oakland I began to think “I could of ridden there faster!”
After the ride I was watching the clock figuring I could ride into to town, I ended up realizing I could just ride home. I realized then that I had started to seriously consider my bike as my transportation. It wasn’t until then that I realized that I hadn’t considered my bike as transportation.
This thought has led to a day of serious consideration, and it is something that I am still considering. I am hopeful that my bike doesn’t lose it’s recreation feeling and at the same time I am excited at the new ideas and thoughts I have when thinking of my bike as a serious form of transportation.

A little let down

This is what I found when I got on Liberty Ave. in Bloomfield this morning. I have seen the banners for the festival go up over the past few weeks and I was even toying with the idea of biking to it tonight before going home. The brand new bike lane has been taken over (for the weekend) by the Italian Festival. Both bikelanes on the street are like this (its a little hard to see in the picture but you can see the tents set up on the other side of the street as well.

I am not upset by this. I am not like some other cyclists ready to burn the place down at the first imagined slight. I am, however, a little let down. Just a few days after we finally get actual bike lanes on Liberty (replacing the sharrows which I have mixed feelings about)

Still I'm not going to worry about it, by the time I have to ride it again the festival will be over and things will be back to the way they were.

Did someone say rain

This was what I expected to find when I got up this morning, since this was what it was like when I went to bed last night. So when I got up at 5:00 am this morning I was expecting to look outside, see the rain, and go back to bed.  It looked damp outside but it wasn't raining so I decided to give it a try.

I'm so glad I did. The weather was cool but not cold enough to warrant breaking out the long pants. i.e. The weather was just perfect. I realized as I rode down the brandy newly painted bike lane on liberty that I am really enjoying riding more and more each day. While I am still finding it hard to get moving in the mornings I am surprised at how good I feel once I get moving.

Granted in the evenings now I'm just waiting for it to get dark so I can go to bed.

Been Busy

Been kind of busy lately, First off last week I had Four flat tires and three days, that would be one more than three and one less than Insane. I have to admit I was starting to rethink the whole Riding My Bike Into Work thing. Still some new tubes (slime is your friend) and some new tires and so far so good. Been riding long enough now that I am starting to get more comfortable with being in the streets in the morning and I am beginning to notice all the other riders I see.

I am pleased to find that I recognize many of them from Bike-PGH.

I don't drive, I don't own a car nor do I have a driver's licence and I say this not in some strange tree-hugger I'm better than you kind of way, but I write this to explain the increased freedom I feel from being able to actually get out and go places and have fun. Instead of just staying at home I now plan things around where I want to go, and not just where I can get a ride to.

Not to mention that I am once again feeling better, and feeling better about myself. So if you're wondering why I haven't been writing much the reason is that I have been spending my time outside riding.

Go Ride

Truly Hardcore

Found this over at Copenhagenize. Riding to the Hospital with contractions!!! The next time I complain about getting caught in the rain will one of you kindly tell me to shut the HELL up!!!

Seriously Welcome to the world Viggo Good luck trying to get something over on a mom that tough!

Oops

Stopped at the bike shop yesterday to pick up a new back wheel. (mine had snapped a spoke and I wanted to get a nwe wheel and then fix the old one up as a spare.) I asked all the questions I could think of and found the new wheel I wanted.

I took the wheel home and decided to swap the cogs over this morning. This went without a hitch and I was feeling really good about the whole thing. when I got the Cog off I saw why the spoke broke. Im guessing something really bad happened when I wrecked since half the spokes (outward facing ones - the same ones that I broke) were all chewed up. So I felt really good that I was replacing the wheel and would replace all those spokes before I used the wheel again.

My good feeling didn't last, when I went to put the tube back on I noticed that the hole for the valve looked a little narrow, and sure enough it was Presta instead of schrader.

Not only do I not have any Presta Tubes but I dont think My floor pump is presta either, also my front tire is Schrader so I either have to carry two different types of tube or figure something out to use a presta tube on my front wheel as well.

Some Days it just doesn't Pay to be motivated.

Art You Can Ride

Found on MakeTV

Been Riding a Lot Lately

I have found myself Riding more now than I have this summer. The last ride with Flock of Cycles really inspired me. So for the last week I have been putting a lot (for me) of miles on my bike. It feels so good to get out there and ride. I know this. I know that I am happier when I am on my bike than I am at any other time. Still I find myself finding excuses to not dig out my bike, excuses to not go on a ride.

That had to change.

Sure I have to get up early to ride part of the way to work.
Sure I am sore and tired.

But I am happy.

So if you need me, chances are I wont be home.

Get out there and ride.

I so feel like this sometimes

http://xkcd.com/945/

Bike Ride

Took a bike ride today. Only 6 miles and I feel both energized and drained. I haven't been out riding much this season.

it shows

Everything about me is even softer and fatter than usual. Getting out to ride today was Hard. I won't deny it. I did not want to go out riding, and I had a whole list of excuses and an even longer list of just plain crap reasons. I have been feeling pretty down lately, and I knew that if I went out riding that I would feel better.

I didn't really want to feel better, I wanted to revel in the black mood that's been settling on me.

I had to force myself, and I forced myself. -- I a, so happy I did.

That mood that clung onto me so deeply just couldn't keep a hold of me as the miles and laps clicked on. Eventually it just fell off and for now, for a short time I am free.

Art Bike - Mock up

So I took a few min today to throw most of the parts back on the frame to get an impression of what the bike will look like when it is finished. The batteries in my camera were dead so you will have to get by with  a pic snapped from the Iphone. Still it should give a good idea of what the finished product will be.

Art Bike - Forks

Got the Map laminated onto the forks today, but I need to get another waterproof map to finish the bike. hopefully I can find a place that has some. Still so far so good. The bottom of the fork will have a black band around them between the map and the red of the fork

Art Bike Progress

Got the head badge and seat tube, Got the tape on the tube, holding the map tight until the glue hardens.

A different Kind of Art

Danny Macaskill is an artist at what he does, and what he does is ride a bike like no one else.

Enjoy

New Project

Been thinking about this project for quite awhile. I guess I finally got around to stripping down the Ventura so I could pretty much begin again. I cant remember where I got the Idea from but I think it is a smashing Idea. I took the frame of the ventura (this is a 70's - 80's steel Lugged frame) and I currently laminating the BikePGH Bike map onto the from from lug to lug. I am currently working on the top tube. then the seat tube, and finally the down tube. Not sure what I am going to do with forks or the back part of the bike.

I plan to seal the whole thing with several coats of clear coat when I'm done. Then put the whole thing together. Minus the front break, it keeps hitting the frame taking chunks out of it.  Not sure what I am going to do with the bike when I am done, I'm to big and heavy to actually ride it.

Ant Bike

Ant Bike Mike Makes an Antbike from zak lee on Vimeo.

And some people wonder why I love bikes so much.

Cycling Manifesto

Alright I know this Isn't new and it isn't mine. If you know where it first came from please let me know so I can give credit.

Update: David Troyer commented on the source of the Cycling Manifesto as Skip Bennet of Surly Bikes http://www.surlybikes.com/blog/2514/

Thanks David.

The Cycling Manifesto

- If you think your bike looks good, it does.

- If you like the way your bike rides, it’s an awesome bike.

- You don’t need to spend a million dollars to have a great bike, but if you do spend a million dollars and know what you want you’ll probably also have a great bike.

- Yes, you can tour on your bike – whatever it is.

- Yes, you can race on your bike – whatever it is.

- Yes, you can commute on your bike – whatever it is.

- 26” wheels or 29” or 650b or 700c or 24” or 20” or whatever – yes, that wheel size is rad and you’ll probably get where you’re going.

- Disc brakes, cantis, v-brakes, and road calipers all do a great job of stopping a bike when they’re working and adjusted.

- No paint job makes everyone happy.

- Yes, you can put a rack on that. Get some p-clamps if there are no mounts.

- Steel is a great material for making bike frames - so is aluminum, carbon fiber, and titanium.

- You can have your saddle at whatever angle makes you happy.

- Your handlebars can be lower than your saddle, even with your saddle, or higher than your saddle. Whichever way you like it is right.

- Being shuttled up a downhill run does not make you a weak person, nor does choosing not to fly off of a 10 foot drop.

- Bike frames made overseas can be super cool. Bike frames made in the USA can be super cool.

- Hey, tattooed and pierced long shorts wearin flat brim hat red bull drinkin white Oakley sportin rad person on your full suspension big hit bike – nice work out there.

- Hey, little round glasses pocket protector collared shirt skid lid rear view mirror sandal wearing schwalbe marathon running pletscher two-leg kickstand tourist – good job.

- Hey, shaved leg skinny as hell super duper tan line hear rate monitor checking power tap train in the basement all winter super loud lycra kit million dollar wheels racer – keep it up.

- The more you ride your bike, the less your ass will hurt.

- The following short answers are good answers, but not the only ones for the question asked 

29”

Brooks

Lugged

Disc Brake

Steel

Campagnolo

Helmet

Custom

Rohloff

NJS

Carbon

31.8

Clipless

Porteur

- No bike does everything perfectly. In fact, no bike does anything until someone gets on it to ride.

- Sometimes, recumbent bikes are ok.

- Your bikeshop is not trying to screw you. They’re trying to stay open.

- Buying things off of the internet is great, except when it sucks.

- Some people know more about bikes than you do. Other people know less.

- Maybe the person you waved at while you were out riding didn’t see you wave at them.

- It sucks to be harassed by assholes in cars while you’re on a bike. It also sucks to drive behind assholes on bikes.

- Did you build that yourself? Awesome. Did you buy that? Cool.

- Wheelies are the best trick ever invented. That’s just a fact.

- Which is better, riding long miles, or hanging out under a bridge doing tricks? Yes.

- Yes, you can break your collar bone riding a bike like that.

- Stopping at stop signs is probably a good idea.

- Driving with your bikes on top of your car to get to a dirt trail isn’t ideal, but for most people it’s necessary.

- If your bike has couplers, or if you have a spendy bike case, or if you pay a shop to pack your bike, or if you have a folding bike, shipping a bike is still a pain in the ass for everyone involved.

- That dent in your frame is probably ok, but maybe it’s not. You should get it looked at.

- Touch up paint always looks like shit. Often it looks worse than the scratch.

- A pristine bike free of dirt, scratches, and wear marks makes me sort of sad.

- A bike that’s been chained to the same tree for three years caked with rust and missing parts makes me sad too.

- Bikes purchased at Wal-mart, Target, Costco, or K-mart are generally not the best bang for your buck.

- Toe overlap is not the end of the world, unless you crash and die – then it is.

- Sometimes parts break. Sometimes you crash. Sometimes it’s your fault.

- Yes, you can buy a bike without riding it first. It would be nice to ride it first, but it’s not a deal breaker not to.

- Ownership of a truing stand does not a wheel builder make.

- 32 spokes, 48 spokes, 24 spokes, three spokes? Sure.

- Single speed bikes are rad. 

- Bikes with derailleurs and cassettes are sexy. 

- Belt drive internal gear bikes work great too.

- Columbus, TruTemper, Reynolds, Ishiwata, or no brand? I’d ride it.

- Tubeless tires are pretty cool. 

- So are tubes.

- The moral of RAGBRAI is that families and drunken boobs can have fun on the same route, just maybe at different times of day.

- Riding by yourself kicks ass. You might also try riding with a group.

- Really fast people are frustrating, but they make you faster. When you get faster, you might frustrate someone else.

- Stopping can be as much fun as riding.

- Lots of people worked their asses off to build whatever you’re riding on. You should thank them.

the Hottest thing I have seen in a while NSFW

Ok I dont do this and some of you may be angry, but this is the hottest thing both bike and person wise i have seen in while

Enjoy



Любовь к велосипеду (bicycle strip) from Entropy on Vimeo.

Thank you Violet

Longest 5 Miles of my Life

Photo Credit: joiseyshowaa

Dear God in heaven,
  I know you are there, I can hear the chuckling. Just so you know I think it is kind of funny as well. just a little less since I am the one who for some reason thought a nice 5 mile ride would be good today. Even as I knew that a 5 Mile ride would not be good.

Still it was what I needed  --  And you knew that. I guess that is just one of the perks of being God.

So the truth is I'm sore, I'm tired, and my butt hurts. I am also feeling much better than I was when I forced myself to go out riding. FORCED is the right word for it. I had to go and get my bike twice, since the first time I talked myself out of it. I told myself that the walk to the bank and back at lunch was enough. Thankfully I talked myself out of it and went riding anyway.

There is something magical about going out for a ride, even if it is just to ride in circles. You see I have things going on in my head. All the time. Nothing spooky like voices telling me do things, just thoughts, worries, daydreams. that kind of stuff, it is always there, clamoring for attention. A lot of the time those thoughts are less than pleasant. They are thoughts about being out of shape, being alone, worries about work, and worries about money. Still when I'm on the bike and riding those thoughts all stop..

it

is

silent

and the silence

is wonderful.

Yet, not everything about the ride was all sunbeams and lolipops. At first the plan was to ride 10 miles (what the hell was I thinking?) but as I rode the laps around the School by my house I soon saw that while 10 miles was a pipe dream I figured 5 miles was a good start. I might not have made it that far if it wasn't for the woman walking her dog who was just way to cute (the woman not the dog) and I kept going around just one more time to get another look.

I may be a dirty old man but I'm a dirty old man who takes his inspiration where I can.

Starting Odometer: 285.10
Odometer reading: 290.23
Total Miles for the Year: 21

Make Live - All about Bikes

Make: Live airs tonight! Don’t miss our bikes episode where guests Nick Normal and William Thomas Porter join us with pedal-powered projects. We’ll also be giving away some tools from Digi-Key to one lucky member of the chat. Giveaway prizes:

A Big Fat Fail of a Weekend

Yep, that was pretty much me this weekend. Try as I might I just could not get organized enough to actually get ANYTHING done.

No Biking
No Brewing
No Writing

It is a rare that I manage to Fail so completely. So I have decided that I am going to AT THE VERY LEAST write a list of things I want to accomplish so that at least then I will be able to define just what I have managed to fail at.

Here is my list (in no specific order)
1. Ride in the 2011 Keg ride
2. make it to at least 5 flock of cycle rides
3. Put 400 miles on my Bike
4. Brew Something (beer mead wine) every 2 weeks
5. Write 2 poems a week
6. Write 2 short stories a month
7. Post here 3-5 times a week

I am sure I will add more to this as the weeks go on, but it seems that right now i have some serious work to do.

Been A while

Yeah I know, its been awhile, and the truth is that i found it hard to write a blog about biking when I wasnt doing any - Biking that is.

Here it is April and it FREAKING Snowed Yesterday! I did get to go on the Viking Spring Ride.

you can see pics of the ride here

So im still waiting for the weather to improve before I get back on the road, Im just to much of a sissy to go riding in that much wet cold weather.

I have decided however to write about more than just my bike here. so you can expect more posts in the future.
(I hope)

Going Crazy

Photo Credit: Jiuck

Yep this is pretty much how I feel. I guess I could best describe it as "less than Stable" while I think others might describe it as "Smoldering powder keg of violence". I have always thought that the others are a bit over dramatic.

I haven't ridden my bike since November, and it shows both in my state of mind and my state of belly. Which is well on its way to declaring it's own statehood. I'm down to 3 days a week for work (which is at least one day a week less than what I really need to live on) So lots of happiness there and I am seriously considering taking up alcoholism as my new hobby.

There are few other things that I just don't feel like talking about here on the interwebs but I do see at least a little light ahead (with my luck they are Headlights)

The weather is getting better, well to the point that I should be getting the bike out soon. If I can find time to ride it (Please please please) I am sure it will help at least a little. if not....

I never had much use for sanity anyway.

Homebrew

Photo Credit: Anders Adermark

Well this winter has been a tough one. I will admit that I am not one of those who ride all year. while I did enjoy riding much later into the winter than I usually do I just am not all about the wind chill and frostbite. So I have had to find other things to occupy my time.

Relax, Have a Homebrew

That is just what I have been doing. I like 2 million other people got a MR. Beer for Christmas, and if you are one of those people who turn up their nose at Mr. Beer, that's fine the world needs narrow minded stuck up a$$holes. Im not sure what the world needs them for but then that is neither here nor there. So i have spent the last month and half with something in the MR. beer constantly. and I have gotten to drink a surprisingly small amount of beer.

This must be remedied.

After all I have standards to maintain.

Still what got me thinking about this is just how similar this hobby is to my cycling hobby, and perhaps this is a common factor in most hobbies but it seems like all spring, summer and fall I always had that one more thing I needed to buy. just one more tool, one more part. one more brake cable/innertube/bottle of lube. I kept telling myself that I would eventually achieve a critical mass of sorts where I wouldn't have to run out to the LBS everytime I wanted to do anything with my bike.

That Never happened.

Still now as I go about switching watt output and gear ratios for Specific gravities and IBUs I find myself facing the same creeping problem. Just like in the summer when I couldn't walk past kraynicks without being sucked in and spending about 20$ more than I had planned, 'discovering' that i just had to get that left handed penny farthing spoke tightener 'just in case'. I now find that my new cash flow nemesis is South Hills Brewing Supply. Bottle capper, bottles, oak chips, yeast energizer (think red bull for a fungus) hydrometer refractometer eleventy dozen little bits of plastic can upon can of sticky stuff (I think you get the picture)

Of course after reading what I just wrote I'm not sure if this a common factor of the hobbies or is it just me?

Fixed Gear Fun

FIXED GEAR FUN from Sipakorn Kungsapishart on Vimeo.

Found this over at Urbanvelo.org and I know I haven't posted anything in quite a while so enjoy. I loved the music on this.

Whats been going on

Hey all you may be wondering what has been going on, well I can answer that question with one word

Snow

Yeah that white stuff and lots of it. So while I know that lots of you are all excited about the idea of riding your bike all year long, and I think that is awesome, that is just not me.

so i have been hanging at home trying my hand at several new things

Brewing homemade beer
Making homemade soda
Building paper models.

since none of these are bike related (except the beer thing maybe) They don't really belong here but I am sure the weather will be getting warmer before I know it and the ill be dusting off the Big Orange Bike.

Cheers.