know the joy of dirty living

Perhaps it is joys. Definitely joyous.

 
 Joy us. Joy for us. And I'm jumpin on it. Regular Arroyo Seco route, with a surprisingly expanded cast of characters.  4 adults, 5 kids on Day 1.


 Friend J is a seasoned PRO, as evidenced by his rig:

 Yep.


And we took on loan M____, #2 daughter of a friend/neighbor as well as our own pickneys. Remember that GT I expanded with the Xtracycle kit I had laying around from pre-Big Dummy days? Of course you do. I set it all up (back then, even) with the side-loader bits and the deck we've been using so that E____ could take his son L____ on a Spring Break camping trip that got rained out...well, they made it this time round:

 This was L's first ever bike camping trip. He has been used to the camper and electric conveniences. I believe it was eye-opening for him. He and J have been bros (what can I say? They're from Cali.) since they could walk. J was suuuuuper stoked to finally have a friend his age along.

The loan of the Xtracycle platform necessitated some last minute bike swapping as I tried to distribute all our customary Arroyo Seco gear amongst my family's bikes. A rope swing is a bulkier item than you think. And there are floaties to consider. I ended up running the Fargo and pulling the BOB trailer. It worked OK. That bike is more suited to personal bikecamping than the gypsy wagon set-up required(?) for camping with kids, but we made it work with everyone hauling something. 3 days of backcountry won't haul itself.




 Man, I sure do love turning that corner from the shitty, gangster-strewn lower level camping areas (seriously- spray painted XIV etc. on the rocks in the river, for crying out loud. Salinas needs to chillax.) and opening my eyes to the Ventana.

  Flip the switch.

 It was a stark contrast between the 2 youngest boys' experience levels. We all start where we are. Hopefully the hook is set, and inspiration follows. There was some whining. There were tears.

 E rallied on his 1st ever bike camping trip. Especially when taking into account his non-biking surfer ways. Loaded. On a cargo bike.

Day 1 was really evening 1 by the time all was said and done. Getting there and setting up camp were about all we accomplished. Fire ban= s'mores over the twig burning stove.

important stats

Just be thankful.

what kind of a cult are you running here?

Fine. Play possum. I can take a hint.


This weekend in lieu of zombification viz. sitting in peeyous, we will elect to root out the brightly colored candy-delivery packages which are to be clandestinely routed through the medium of me+bicycle on that one trail.

You celebrate your magical interpretation of seasonal change your way, without forcing your views down other folks' Rights, and I will do the same.



Unrelatedly, watch out for bike thieves...








Furtherly unrelatedly, I finished changing friend E___'s crappy GT Avalanche into an Xtracrappy GT Avalanche. That thing is now waaaaaay more comfortable. And safe. And clean (coating your drivetrain in hardened wax based lube and sand is no way to go thru life). Done on the cheap with shifter/brake combo V-brake upgrade courtesy of the parts bins. Same for admittedly questionable suspension post (the old one's head was detaching) as well as the light and functional ladies saddle.

What does he care? He's a surfer.


E___ plans to bring his son L____ camping via said Xtracrapcyle...but we all know how plans laid in California have shaky foundations. Hopefully this means my youngest will have his buddy along for the Spring Break Bikecamping Trip 2012. No, I'm not forcing them to do Coe.


Yet.

wee comparison: Xtracycle & Big Dummy

Lookit:

There's one, there's the other.




There's they rear ends.





The one.



The other.



Hold on...