an old school man-of-the-world

Close your eyes and dream you up a camp-out.



See the lights of town dwindling and get all tingly...





What with the daughter all grownish and driving, it's pretty easy to arrange a pick up these days. That'll extend your range. I'm not above receiving a helping handout. So, it was ride out the valley and turn right. All by meself, and just after dark I slithered through the gates, paid no fees, and rolled on through that dark, around the corner to dirt, and on up the hill. Climbing and breathing for a little more than an hour gets you to the camp spot. It's just a little up the hill from the spring, flat and clear.



You'd think I'd have some skills at this by now, but nope. It's always something*. Setting up in the dark, sure- 1/2 in the bag (flask of Michter's rye, though that is subject to change)- you might make some rookie moves with your tarpage. You might. So, sure, the rain (40%) came up and sat. What with the coastal range holding it up from progressing inland, it sat for several hours. I dozed fitfully as a result. All night with an ear to the storm, ready for quick action should it be required. Sunrise brought a settling in the weather, and I slept in because I could. Camping by your lonesome is nice that way. Nobody's business but your own.




So that there is the set-up sans tarp. You can see how the bike is the center support. The front wheel is propped up with rocks and the guy-line (absent in the photo) to further support the tarp. It is a real clever system, as it requires no poles or trees and keeps the bike out of the weather too! There is plenty of room under there. Another person, were there one in this rider-forsaken locale who enjoys this type of hott action, could easily fit. Even 2 more people. The Crazy Creek tarp is a real fine piece of kit, and your local bike shop can get you one.




The next day saw me sweating my way along, down, through, across and up to finish with a ripping down...to the sunset over the Pacific.








 Hasn't gotten old yet.



When I reached the bottom, I set up my waiting room on the shoulder. My daughter wasn't due for a couple hours, so I reckoned I'd catch up on sleep. The party lights (eno, and your local bike shop can get them...) are to keep people from driving over me.



This is one way to do it.




*Hey R__k, I learned the taut line! Now it's all gonna be cake.

buying speed

On the other hand, I love stuff. Some stuff. Stuff that I love.




That category includes, but is not limited to: the delicate harmonies of the Louvin Brothers, DOING things that are fun (versus talking about same), the feel of the clunky while smoooooooth shifting Shimano Deore SL-M700 thumbshifters (I won't lie- the incongruity of these when paired with shiny modern componentry is a visual delight for me), the manageable heft and tradition of a 3' crosscut saw (with the add-on peg style handle for better 1 man use or real hott 2 person action), and these 29+ tyres are pretty fun.

So. Stuff and talk. I recently "finished" the Krampus build. I'd had the 29+ set up offset on the Pugsley as a trial and liked it waaaaaaaaay better for actual riding. The 4" fat tryes are just so piggy, it makes getting to trail heads not worth it. I do love them for the chunky trail stuff, but that's not everyday, people. And I've been riding the 29+ front wheel (with the dyno hub, because only a ashhole goes on adventures without a dependable light) to good effect with it jammed up in the Ogre fork. I'm pleased with the bike. It's fun. It floats pretty good.

The other day, I tried out the Revelate Designs harness I had gotten and never gotten around to slinging. One of the finer points of a small overnight is the opportunity it affords for virtually consequence-free gear trials. I was drawn to the harness because it seemed like (a good idea at the time) a practical way to lose the weight of the front rack for some hott off-road action.

the new:



2nd thoughts were thunk while rigging. I found myself looking over at the Ogre (yes, they's a lot of Surlys up in here...they work great and my builder has a back log) and thinking "I could just lash all this crap onto the front rack and hit the road", but I reckoned the fussing would be worth it and I'd get the hang of rigging this new buckle heavy jobber soon enough, etc.

the old:

I don't love the harness.

I used to could plop down the sleeping bag, the tarp, a ground cloth wrapped around my z-rest (I know, I got to get a smaller pad, but the z-rest is so foolproof, and I have no illusions about my foolishness), and have potential for quite a bit more. With the harness, I could wrap my sleeping bag, jerry-rig on the sleeping pad (all off the front and liable to shifting), and...that's it?!?  I also got the clip-on pocket, which is nice for ez access small stuff, but hardly makes up for the SIGNIFICANT decrease in haulage. And, plus the harness buzzed the tyre because it was "overloaded"?!?! I am finished with trying out this bit of gear, and will now move the rack over to this new adventure machine. Weight be damned. I can fit a case and a half on there, and it won't never hit my tyre.

But, friends, you know even a buzzy front end can't ruin a nighttime sneak over hill and dale through darkened streets and dewy trails. I called in my order to the taqueria because it was getting on to closing by the time I hit Cside(!). The matron there thinks I'm a weirdo for voluntarily sleeping in the woods, and this time she told me to my face. I laugh and cannot argue the point. Then I cross the street to the liquor store to validate it. My vacation is your worst nightmare being a DUI homeless man? 

Trails' end...

with the party all set to go. Sleeping bag beers are the best!

Woke up quick, at about sunrise.

When I got to the place, it was in a shambles. No less than 7 empty beer cans were scattered around, and there were candy wrappers on the ground. In all honesty, it could well have been us, as the last time we rolled through it was pretty far into the evening and details are...fuzzy. I hope it was, because that means the spot is not blown up. It is one of my favorites.

Finally, for all y'all who have been axeing if Satan is real...

Don't kid yourself.

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 perfect occasion

 achtung! SON (Schmidt's Original Nabendynamo) is now producing a dynohub with a 15mm thru-axle...I think you know what this means. I see it is available through Peter White Cycles*(scroll down a bit), and looks to retail in the $ohmygoodness range, but it is what it is. I'm excited and you should be too, if you like to go adventuring off road on your bike where it is rough and you're smart. Or soft I guess. I am those things in spades.

There have been several "incidents" involving demo bikes and the use of a guy's personal normal dynohub, and they aren't optimal. The 15mm thru-axle makes a big difference in stiffness. I say all this while resting on my laurels of notorious discontent with the marketing of bike related items solely based on the "new" and "improved" monikers (does anyone still recommend bike stuff based on how Xtreme it is?). For real, this is exciting stuff. I'm shtill vaiting for ze huge groundswell of support needed to convince zose Germans zat a 135mm spaced dynohub is worth making...fat bike riders rise up and take your stance!

*your local can get these parts from Peter White Cycles and sell them to you for retail pricing, if you prefer. Because you aren't the kind of casual asshole who walks into the local shop expecting and demanding discounted everything.

tactical rehabilitation

Are you taking for granted X, Y and even Z? Does your morning coffee without that hint of woodsmoke fail to satisfy? Are your clean, crisp sheets not a luxury to be savored and regarded?

You have grown soft and your outlook is dim. You need some suffering in your life. Get on that.

2 days off. 65 miles of pavement down the Big Sur Coastline. Hot. Calm. Pleasant mindless spin- so much so that the only thing that stays in my mind is the shirtless weirdo who'd parked his stickered up 80s vintage VW van at one pullout and was cruising the pullouts in his way-too-short cutoffs aboard his 29"wheeled Rockhopper toting his Yorkshire Terrier in a home-made dishrack/basket. I played leap frog with the tourists in rental RVs- Fun Finder X?

Lucia at sunset and climbing Nacimiento Ferguson in the dark. I dropped the backside in the dark, too- passed the 1st campground and stopped at the 2nd. I misremembered there having been a spigot there. The fee was $15. The camp host was still there (this late in the season? at that out of the way spot?) so I put $10 in the envelope because it was $5 over or $5 under, and I opened with under. I figured I could bluff if it came to it. Settling in for the night was quick, and I will tell y'all this: the instant garlic mashed potatoes from Trader Joe's are conveniently packaged in 2 2person servings and are super easy/great camping food! I was tired enough (that Nacimiento Ferguson is a hard climb!) that I really appreciated the ease.

That picture there is from breakfast, when I was done cooking and just wanted a cheery twig fire. The Kelly Kettle boils some water like no other. It requires far less time spent gathering/snapping/sorting twigs than I am used to, and uses way less fuel to bring a given amount of water (say, a large water bottle's worth) to a rolling boiling in about 5minutes. It is worth looking into if you like that sort of thing. It is very bulky (it took up the entire front rack) in comparison to the Esbit, more in line with your gas powered JetBoil. Everything is a trade-off. It is of little use to actually cook on, because the water inside boils and spits out the spout (some of it dribbling into your fire pan base) and you either have to keep refilling the reservoir as you cannot use it dry, or figure out what you want to do with your boiled water and then refill, etc. So- cooking not so much. Boiling? Hell yes.

I liked it quite a bit for making coffee happen so fast.  But, I will likely not be taking it on solo outings in the future. For that application, the trade-off is not worth it. Now I know.

Anyhow, after breakfast I had to leave as quickly as possible. I didn't want that camp host coming over for his $5. All the long and hot way through Fort Hunter Ligget I distracted myself with scenarios involving disgruntled camp hosts seeking retribution. And it was a long long and hot way. Every ride through there it seems like they add a section. By the time I had taken a wrong turn and ridden several long and hot miles out of and then back into my way, my shirt was stiff and salty.

 That's my crowded handlebars. No pack, so the water bladder was in the frame bag and it's hose you see. The white cable is the USB cord to recharge the iPhone via the Plug (worked like a charm). I listened to Ry Cooder's I, Flathead on repeat.

I have, now, in my possession, a plastic spoon which is the spiritual equivalent of a Golden Eagle feather. That's what you get, on your vision quest, when you hassle a wild Golden Eagle. Right? When you actually make the effort to get offa your bike and walk over to underneath where said magnificent bird perched. Right? If a feather from your (ahem) totem is unavailable, then you must avail yourself of the spiritual equivalent in situ. Probably, there is more personal magic in that sun hardened plastic spoon on account of giving a hoot and stopping pollution and all. Anyways, I have my mojo working.

 By the time I stopped for lunch, at Escondido Campground, I had made several bad choices regarding water. I had a hard time focusing. It took a while to sort out the order of doing things to make food. The new cook system wasn't helping. Coffee and space packaged Indian food.

 I had enough water to last to the spring past Hanging Valley, so I just decided to keep pushing. Once there, I laid in the shady spot in the dirt for 20 minutes while sweet, cold water trickled into my bottle. Dripped down from the very finest ferns and muck, that water is the best in the whole world. It is sweet and cold. The best.

That right there is the Good Place. Seems like ever time I'm there, though, I'm too worked to appreciate it fully. The Ventana Wilderness is magic.

Then it was all downhill for a while. Then pavement and dark to home. Somewheres in the neighborhood of 140 hot, hard miles in 2 days. I am relishing the comforts of home today.

Listen. Let's get down to brass tacks. How much for the ape?

Feels just like yesterday. That is a picture of the Fargo's front end, as it stands. What you are seeing is the test ride, which verified the Minimalist rack configuration viz light position and 8 beer minimum capacity. Those beers are now resting behind that one log along that trail, so the focus is really on the light. It is that Supernova E3 (remember? the dynamo-powered 800lumens?) and it works grrrreat. I'm not certain the placement is optimal, but it's the best I've figured out so far. The lighting quizality is top notch, though, and that's what counts.

This is gearing up to the ill-advised train trip/Kokpelli ride next week. I wisht I could take a squishier bike, but this is the set-up that works given the hauling and (more) lighting needs. This trip will be taking place in the dark of the New Moon (you can't force me into your categories!) and during the hottest month of the year, so I'll ride a bunch of night hours...


If you need bike lighting, the E3 is totally bad ass. And it never runs out of battery! It's available through your LBS (QBP carries them) and, as of now (sadly too late for this trip), so is the Plug- Supernova's top cap USB charger. That's some sweet technology.

flyness be the reason that my shi_ cracks

whether in Dada jeans or crepe silk slacks..perhaps a dirrrrrrty apron.

Today was Bike Repair Day here at the House of Dick.



First up was finalizing L's Crosscheck handlebar swap. Yes, the Moustache is back. Classic Bianchi Celeste tape. "There are several contradictory myths concerning the origin of this colour - it is the colour of the Milan sky, it was the colour of the eyes of the former Queen of Italy, for whom Edoardo Bianchi once made a bicycle, it was the serendipitous mixture of surplus military paint."- wikipedia. Whichever, it is a great "colour" with a rich history.

Here's hoping the ride goes well for her ash. Friend C____ (birfday gal) was speculating that her teammates might push the pace and frustrate L by dropping her to the tune of a couple hours. WTF?!? I said (and do say still) "it's a Birthday Ride- not a race. Those 'teammates' are lame if that's how they behave. You have your own Good Time, and if you feel like stopping for a snack and some wine, go right the hell ahead. It's a Celebration." You'll notice I added the light, though, in case...



All fired up, it was N's townie next. The school bike gets some love:

Lowered generator light mount for better basket access, better lighting, and less chance of middle school random vandalism.






That's right, bicthes. True dirtbags don't need no fancy Gino/Paul's mount (which is admittedly very nice). Nor the Velo Orange mount (which I do covet). And, plus, this reeks of class and sophistication. Possibly just of cheap wine.

I swapped some parts around on some other bikes, and splashed a bunch of TriFlow over everthing. Feels good to have working bikes working good.

thoughts about Grandads and library runs and commutes

My maternal grandfather, Grandpa Tom, knew Jerry Clower and we used to listen to his records together. I laughed and laughed.



We all rode to the library on Saturday. We had very little time to spend, because I'd gone to the shop for brake mount posts for the Karate Monkey's latest incarnation as Camping Bike. I, uh, lost track of time. I came home to the doghouse...










Sunday I rode to work on this bike:


Who can say what it is? Some old English racer, probably a Raleigh, that was given to me years ago and has been many incarnations of itself.


Today it is a 5-speed mixed-group beat-on Campy drivetrain, with Diacompe centerpulls and Mafac levers. Jitensha flat bar. Brooks B68. Nigel Smythe bag. I decided to go with downtube shifting in order to keep the bars clean, and I figured I could use the front lever for controlling the generator contact. {after not being able to find the correct cable end to fit into the bracket on the generator and riding this set up with it's impressive reach to shift- I'm a mount up some thumb shifters instead}


The heart of the bike is the lighting. I had this Union-Marwi BB mount generator powered headlight/taillight that's been sitting for several years. The Shimano generator hubs are so much more efficient feeling that I've let this set up languish. But a true beater is a beautiful thing, and the ratty looking wires spiralling around the tubes really add an air of dilapidation which communicates to potential bike thieves that they should move on, that this is not the bike for which they're looking.


Those ______-____ing pedals are on my short list. They blllllow.

So, roughly 22 miles total commute, and it feels real nice. Though the lighting wires are something of a pain in the ash in spite of their awesome tattiness. I had a lot of contact adjusting fiddling to do in the dark by the side of the road tonight...