tilting at old ghosts

Via a recent exchange of emails:

Hevi: "...we are still talking about the 5 hour night ride"

Yours: "what is being said about the 5 hour night ride?"

Hevi: "5 hour night rides are uncommon...Oh you know, things like: 'Are they making 20mm axle dynamos* yet, cause I know a whole bunch of Rye whiskey drinking jackasses that would want one?' "



Which I suppose is all true.

I understand the night riding "season" is winding to a close for many. More hours of mandated daylight at the end of your shift and all. And, trails (heck, even roads) are much easier to follow in the harsh light of day, sure. But. People, people the coming dark does not mean you have to run home to the safety of the electric screen.

That is where a dynamo powered light is your special friend. They are not just a dorky commuter accessory, they are your ticket to the nighttime. (That's assuming the moon is less than 3/4 full, by the way. When the moon is full, a light is...bull, I guess) You can just keep on getting rad as long as you can keep on. Your little battery powered lights don't cut it.

And if you do find yourself several beers deep in the woods with only a battery powered light, turning it off whenever you can will save you some juice.

For what it is worth, using several different Shimano dynohubs, I've had real fine use of the Supernova E3 Triple, riding hard- both on and off road. The stand light, though it may help Europeans at stoplights, is something of a drag for me because it makes it harder to hide in the shadows, but I can live with it.

Spring isn't all daytime.

*maybe not 20mm...

the patient may die

Just for the record, if you find yourselves wondering, the Tektro hydraulic line for the Auriga/etc model disc brakes will   

edit: WILL  NOT work with the Shimano Deore lever and caliper BR-M615...


further edit: there is slight weeping at the lever connection. Dammit, it was too convenient to be true. So now it's the brake swap. Feck.

It has been my understanding that Tektro produces the Shimano brakes in their factories, and they sure look the same, so I figured I'd give it a shot seeing as how we had the Tektro line but not the Shimano. The Tektro is a cunt hair bigger (apologies to the ladies, but sometimes) but when I checked the connector bolts they threaded right in so I used the hardware included and so far it is holding oil and feels great! Well, yes, it is just in the stand. But I'm a ride that bike to work tomorrow and brake check the shit out of myself so hopefully all will be well in the real world.

If not, it's a last minute brake swap from the other bike. Cross your fingers, toes, and eyes.


Y Flaco es el hombre.




...and the trombone?!? Dang.

restore your health for good

Breathe in.



After days on this bike and days on that bike, it was the Black Cat SS for 2 days running. Back to back rides on the rocket ship. We been working on dismantling the 1/2 pipe down the road to reassemble it here at HQ (for the eldest son) and it has been some time constraint style, get in and get out, pack the most fun in the smallest time, guerrilla single speeding. Dress all in green, get on the drab brown bike and GO!

Super jumpy. That bike is so quick (REspeck, but- especially compared to the piggy rigs I been pushing) I forget. People forget. Summertime? A nimble SS? Uh hunh.


So and also, switcherooing will highlight the differences in fit from one bike to another. Now, we all allow for the built in differences- even celebrate them- but some stuff is given; take seat height/angle. The OG Moots post on that bike holds the BRooks right where I want it, but this or that has put that saddle slightly nose down and low, too. The pinch bolts are a shitty design

which has been changed between the then and the now. Wonder if I could get them to put a new head on that post for less than lots of dollars...





And, my wife is getting a birfday surprise...

It's for my wife!!

It will be perfect for nervy, flexy cruising. It needs some work (duh), but it is OG 1972. The Schwinn Twinn. Double mixte?!?! Hell yes, hell yes. Came with the original paperwork, which Schwinn propaganda is worth posting on it's lonesome, and receipt for $148.11 (in 1972 monies) out the door. In 2013, it was worth $350. Inflation. Look for it parked outside some of our classlessiest bars soon.





Breathe out.

inform the bartender and doorman

 Take this advice and don't you never forget:

 

the infinite use of finite means

 You know why. I know why. Because lashing a 3'6" x 5lb4oz crosscut saw to a pedal bike seems like a fine idea.

 And it is.

 It's not an idea you can just roll around promoting anywhere so after you wise up, best to tighten up with a clever disguise. I got to rig a bag for that tool. Keep it stealthy. Looking at that bundle, you'd never know it was there. Just another of the unwashed, DUI lowlifes using bikes instead of cars.

 Most of the time and effort that went into clearing trails today was spent prepping to cut; stripping the limbs of bark, removing hindrances to movement or vision, planning the cut in accord with potential to bind and/or jump. I like to cut as few times as possible, but Smart and Safe are more valuable to me than Fast and Loose. In this instance if in no other. So I  hang out in the woods and think about how to best cut wood. Somebody's got to.

 Surly junk straps are good for restraining loose ends. I cut the 1st limb and then moved to the 2nd...

 and took a lousy picture. Sorry. I will take some better pics- this saw is worth examining. I got it recently (thanks for the B-day present, mom!) and this is the 1st opportunity I've had to use it. All that talky talk is now action. All them logs that have plagued us are on notice...

I'd planned to take out that one log, but it was too out of bounds today given the unknowns. So I headed further over and cleaned up that big tangle, then looped back around to sweep the downhill.

Low lying infuriator?

Done and gone. And the waist high flow stopper? Removed and a beer drunk on it's spot. It's ours now. Again.

I am filled with Power. Glowing, looming, impending. Nothing but smooth trails where trails should be smooth. Nothing but judicious restraint and reckless abandon. It's all downhill from here.

complete, unexpurgated shameless gypsy trollops

 Things happen that are beyond the scope of this webblog. People of Moab: I had an excellent time! Thank you for everything.

In the interest of packing as much Good into the Times, we rallied Monday morning before my train ride home with a quick jaunt up to the La Sals to ride Hazard County and UPS...

 Rim Tours came through HUGE with the shuttle, the loaner bikes, and the expertise...Thanks, people of Rim!

 It was super super riding with OG Moab. Including, but not limited to B?!? That brother don't swear he nice, he know he nice. Yeah, boyeeee, yeah!.

 It is SO much cooler up there.

 It was not lost on me, the fact that this UPS could have been the final leg of my Kokopelli...

The End.





Youtube thought I should watch this:

Wow. That's a hard situation. I think, having seen this, that I would wait until the guy got on the bike and then knock him over and start kicking. The momentum is there for you that way. It is especially effed that the security jerk asks him why he doesn't park where he's supposed to; as if that were the problem.

____ful despoilers of everything decent

What follows is a list. It may or may not mean something to you. What it (shall I say "should"? No. But it would not be inappropriate if I did.) could mean is this:


Road riding is just as kickass as mountain biking. It can be as good as...a powder day! That's right, you heard right. Have you forgotten throwing your weight into the deep and solid arc of the sweeping asphalt switchback? Has it been that long since you put everything you had on the pedals and then did it again? And again? And again? And again? Is the thrill of one lane undulating through Redwoods too farfetched? Oh...

Trout Gulch. Fern Flat. Rider Rd. Eureka Canyon. Highland Way. Soquel San Jose Rd. Redwood Lodge Rd. Schulties Rd. Old Santa Cruz Highway. Mountain Charlie Rd (and never to be mentioned save in whispers- it is that good). Glenwood Dr. Granite Creek Rd. Branciforte Dr. Mountain View Rd. N Rodeo Gulch Rd. Etc.

Can I say something? We family. If you are not on board with the road riding, you're doing it wrong.

Oyez. Oyez. Oyez.

It is further noted: there is a new sheriff in Santa Cruz with the revelation of the Redwood Lodge Chapter, a branchito of the Church of the Sweet Ride. Welcome! All rights and privileges are hereby accorded to they and theirs (a.k.a I&I people) under the tutelage of Padre T___, Diocesan Social Director. FYI, Redwood Lodge Rd is a magic carpet of Ewokian proportions; a single lane of rough asphalt flowing as fast as you dare through shady goodness. Really. As fast as you dare. That's fast.

I am so full of Summer, it is bursting my seams.

all the time playing the same licks

Every time I come across a new(to me) trail is a Good Time. We've been living here for 11 years now, and just last week I rode some new(to me) singletrack that will make your head spin while you see purple spots. My favorite option is singletrack. Most of the time I ride my usual routes, occasionally mixing up the direction or shuffling trail order. I ride along and ignore that one faint side-trail because I checked it out a few years ago and, even though I can't remember why now, it doesn't pay off. It goes somewhere wrong or it's too oaky/poorly routed/rooty/whatever to warrant riding. Sometimes I find a good connector on the fringes that adds a funner or quicker or safer option. Last fall I began systematically poking around the edges of that neighborhood at the bottom of the hill, trying to find more and dirtier ways to get to and from work. It paid off, and well, a couple months ago when I found that magic route that gets me to and from trails in 5 minutes. That type of thing.

Point being, there are new trails to be found even after all this time. I especially love that. It helps that I am more willing than some to ride places that are closed to some. We do what we must.

So. I'm gonna be test riding some things in the next couple of days that I really hope work out. The kind of trails we only talk about in person.


Friday night was some trail riding switching up usual routes and shuffling orders. It worked out great. With my crappy handlebar light and my Petzl (shoulder crash wrecked my light) that kept slipping off my helmet and hitting me in the neck or face it felt like we were going dangerously fast, when really we were just going dangerously. When we rolled out on Carmel Valley Road at 12:46AM the sheriffs were there to greet us. We watched 2 patrol cars roll past as we exited our fireroad, our lights off for safety. After they had gone, we fired up our red blinkies and began riding back to home. A different sheriff's deputy rolled up behind us and pulled us over. Because our headlights weren't on was the probable cause."We leave them off to save the batteries and turn them on when a car comes." And our blinkies weren't fixed to the bike (we'd clipped them to our pockets). "You always ride your bike at this time of night?" "Sometimes." She ran our IDs as another deputy joined the party. The Sirs and Ma'ams crept into my speech as stealthily as 2 mountain bikers sliding out from a questionable trail. By the time they'd stopped us, on the pavement, everything was legit except for the mussette full of empty beer cans hanging across my back. I pretended solid citizenship while keeping my back away and the cans from rattling. No warrants/etc we were advised to ride on the opposite side of the road so we could see the cars coming and sent on our way. I scoffed at that. "You wouldn't stop us for that?" "It's what I would do."

Don't take ride advice from the cops. We crossed the street so's we could take that other section of sneaky connector singletrack. Not much by itself, but all those pieces add up to fun.

every clown has a silver lining

Every interbike has it's seamy side. There're lots of quality photos and words on the computer screens regarding the new bikes/parts/etc. I will add these words: beers, fat tired bikes, bourbon, brownies, go-karts, lost wallets.

Lost my wallet. Several hundred in cash, my credit cards, ID...In the parking lot of a casino. In Vegas.


Thank goodness for kungfu bicycles and Priscilla Presley. In large part, their influence enabled me to gladhandle my friends into enough cash to drive home.

Friends- THANK YOU!

You will see your dollars come back to you.Whatever version of the story you heard is the Truth, and anyone who says different is...misinformed.



I will further say that Surly employs the worst kind of trash. The squirt guns, the ring tossed tires, the insults, the lowbrow conversations. It's almost enough to put me off the cold beer and the Pugsley I will be purchasing.

reDirected

After all this riding around on the Salsa Fargo, I can say: "Damn it feels good to get back on my custoptimized Black Cat cyclocross bicycle."

That thing is quick, where the Fargo is cumbersome. It is jumpy where the Fargo is sluggish. It is light where the Fargo is heavy. I notice I wish the Salsa Woodchipper bars had a little more bottom. (If only they were just hella flared Nitto Noodles, I'd be so happy.) I notice the front end will get a shimmy, both loaded and un-. People forget. Forget they're hiding. Now don't get the wrong idea- the Fargo is a fine bike, and it will serve it's purpose well. It is nice to spread the riding around so there's more of it to Love.


Anyhow, riding bikes is fun. I been keeping up with the foam rollering and boy howdy! is it making some nice differences. My legs/hips/back feel much better. For real. You should do it.


Also:
In my current neck of the woods, a log across the trail with room to ride beneath is a "trail feature". Once it rots or slips down further, it will become a "trail blockage" and I will remove it. For now, I relish it for it's challenge and interest, and though it beats me every time it is part of the fun.

you should occasionally

Sometimes a ride is just a ride.

Yesterday, a ride was sublime. I suppose I should be feeling strong at this time of year, but let's be honest about what passes for training around here and be happily thankful about some strength when it is there.

I drove to Santa Cruz solely to pedal. (I know it's not right. If I can't come clean to you people- well.) I parked my personal power plant, and unloaded the SS. I had a water bottle. I will not ride with a pack unless under duress. I wished I'd brought 2 bottles. Even 3. But I had 1.

I don't know about you, but I like to climb. I will happily climb for hours, joyfully hurting. It doesn't make sense, and I don't have the natural aptitude for it- but there it is.

Might as well suffer.

I pedaled up that dirt road for a while. I passed the "top of incline" in a bit of a personal haze and had to think about it to realize where I was on the climb. It felt so early to be there. A sign of good fitness things, and so- confusing. Everything is working right now (knock wood) for full body shoving on the pedals. There are several road climbs in my neck of the woods which match that climbing profile, but none in my current rotation of dirt (maybe Toro Park? It needs exploring...) In that manner, overlook reached and passed without stopping. The 2 ugly steeps following, I stood up and stomped on without stopping. Briefest of pauses at the top to don helmet/gloves and into the woods on Northernlumberjackdomesticporkcutlet, twisty singletrack. It's a much different flow than my local trails. My timing is waaaay off for that type of shimmying and it shows; fun, nevertheless. Segue to Upperswine, and thence to Swine and Deviousswine. All good. Back up the road to the Westsideoftheridge and down down down swoopy down.

Sometimes a ride is just a fucking Good Time.

mysterious stranger at your door

I'm talking about feeling so Good it's Bad. I'm talking about riding a bike so zippy and so responsive, it's got a little name inscribed on it. Says _______ ______. Feel so good I have to holler for help!




tears off shirt and runs around the room looking for chests to full-body high five.



And that's just my commute. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

about that

Damn, it feels good to be a gangster. Bushwick must have ridden a singlespeed. I don't know what this new Good Feeling thing is all about, or from whence it has come, but (well OK, mid 60s and sunny helps yes) I'll take it!

Rode singlespeed yesterday in Santa Cruz on that one trail- the one that is so awesome up and down- for some perfectly tacked and bermed narrow ass singletrack. Traction so good you could stand up over the front end and tug on the bars with your whole worth just to keep upright for one more revolution, and again, repeat...I could feel pedal contact from my foot to my hip and up and out to my hand...unh!

Then there was the swoopy downhill. That was fun too.



Damn, it feels good to ride a bike.