forced to reevaluate your goals

I figured I had this bike, the $15 complete, 1989 StumpJhumper (the J is silent I understand), just cluttering up the joint with it's horribly good looking but dissatisfyingly small and spinny 26"edness. A bike around with which it would be possible to tinker. There is a lot of talk about the new new- when is there not in the bike industry?- and it is true I do not love the 26" for myself and my style of riding.

[aside: I feel that wheel size should be chosen to best match rider size/style and that 27.5"/650b-if-you're-nasty has a valid place if you are looking to retrofit a 700c bike with a larger volume tyre for some hott action ungettable on 25mm, or maybe if you are between 5'6'' to 5'11" and are real damn particular, otherwise it is a straight punch to the hard sell and some buy-it-because-you-lack type of snake oil.]

Anyhoo, I had nothing to lose and possibly something to learn, so I ordered some rims (25mm wide Velo Orange Diagonale 32h) and some tyres (2.2' wide Maxxis Ardent front and Crossmark rear- that Crossmark hooks up like a champ, too) and away I went.

27.5" and 26" respectively, in a science shoot-off.

There used to be a stop in the drop...

which I chopped. And later cleaned up with a file.

That derailler was crapped out and got replaced.

Clearance looks good.

I thought perhaps I might retain the Paul's cantis, but nope. For kicks, I put a v-brake arm on the boss. However the tyre is so tall the cable canoe rests atop it. It is times like these that allow me to bask in the warm glow of my bike-part hoard, though....WTB Speedmaster cantis c.1995. That is OG, son. The leverage is unfortunately reduced by moving the pads so far up the arm,but it runs and don't cost nuthin.

 Booty bin almost matching King hubs?!? Yep.

I been sitting on these for a while. This seemed like the time. It's been years since I rode a King rear, and I forgot how instantaneous pawl engagement is. It is a fucking delight.





Swapped out the dirt drops.

New parts are rims, tyres, cables/housing and purple lock-on grips because obviously. It's so nice at this point, I'll trade out the poopy chainrings and BB.



 Yes, I have been riding it. It's fun. The thing I notice most is the King's snappy get-up. The less than optimal cantis feature, too. As for the real point, the wheel size; the 27.5" climbs punchy or steep well. It is a slog on the longer stuff. I notice it's zzzzzzzzzzsmallness, just like a 26", and pine for a bigger momentum. Same on the flats. It handles nicely in the tight singletrack- speaking of which, the new 49?

 Holy shit. I have to say- whoever routed that, you did a real nice job. Thank you! Seems like you were constrained (by BLM distance regs?), and there were a couple too-tight serpentine folds that I think are going to wash out, but you clearly had to dump elevation and your mandate was clearly Good Times. That's a man date I like to go on. Well routed, player. Fun up, fun down.

In the end so far, I remounted the rear baskets and threw on the porteur rack and it will be a fun townie and spare camping bike. It's fun, but not a dedicated trail bike for me. Also, I could potentially use those wheels on that old Salsa La Raza, whenever I actually get that running again.

If, for whatever reason, you got an old 26" bike you wanna swap over, it is likely doable. Even easier if using a disc specific wheelset.

That is all.

close your eyes and hold your breath

October.
October 2nd.
My birthday.

My True totem reveals itself?



Yes, my (current) totem may be the skunk with it's head in a jar. If one were to judge by the smell of my bike and clothes, anyhow.

Since no one in Monterey will ride with me, I spend lots of hours alone in the woods while pedaling. Typically, this is just fine with me but it does set the scene for some thrilling moments in the dark in the woods on the trails. I set out after work last evening to check on the shrine- it is still there, undisturbed. I'm happy with it's placement after coming upon it in situ, and with fresh eyes. It's subtle but bold.




After rambling out to the Caprock (which needs a resupply) for sunset, it was some dark trail riding back. How am I not going to take the funnest trails? No how, that's how. After MAching Gun Flats to #68 to Blair Witch and fireroads to the low entry to Freedom I found myself back at the shrine, where there was still a bottle of Basil Hayden's and a cold beer I'd left there on the way out.


A brief interlude followed, in which I summoned the spirits.





Then it was on the trail with what felt like dangerous amounts of speed. The 30% waxing crescent Hunter's Moon was juuuuust enough to throw a shadow in clear spots. I do have a small headlight mounted on my helmet (the amazingly useful PrincetonTec Eos) but I prefer not to use it. I like riding in the conditions the night gives me as long as possible. It's better.

Riding the quiet fixed Crosscheck without a cone of separating light I blend into the night and roll with the flow. It's magic.

It's also a fine way to all of a sudden come upon a skunk. At first I didn't know what it was, just a darker spot in the trail so I reached up and tapped on the light to reveal him (tail aloft) facing me. I think he'd hit the gas right then, but I'm unsure. Those damn skunks, they are so entitled. They never give up the trail, they just lift their tail and act self righteously indignant. He began waddling down the singletrack and I kept what seemed to me to be a fair distance- pressing him but not close enough to receive any unpleasantness. Like a skunk does, he just kept heading down the trail, tail lifting higher whenever I closed the gap, but not making any moves to get out of the way. I began to heckle him. I believe he was a rookie of the worst sort. I believe he sprayed his spray and had nothing left because the more he waddled and was taunted, the lower his tail got. But he never did let go the trail. That right hander? Yep. He had options, but he opted for the easy line (read: established trail) every time. I began to think he was just messing with me.
In the end, he took the main trail by all the junk and I took the sneaky line over under the tower and we parted ways. When I slowed and began walking up the steep section is when I became aware of a terrible smell. It was me. Meet the new totem, same as the old totem.

Happy Birthday! I feel the skunk with it's head in a jar is a fine summation of what I have achieved with my Life.

We've called the roll, neighbors. Now let's GO!

1stly, this is not a music web diary, but- when was the last time you listened to A Tribe Called Quest?



Well, that's too long. Midnight Marauders was on my headphones on this commute, and it sounds fresh and relevant.


Any commute by bike is a good one, but dirt is better. I'm lucky and thankful to have this option.

After repositioning my shifters and brakes, repairing the busted/short chain, replacing the broken Ti B17 with a steel railed stand-in, and reattaching my super dorky yet so practical seat post bottle mounts (I don't like to ride with a pack) I was ready for a full squish dirt commute.

I went into it with nagging hip issues compounded by nagging rib issues; also, a head full of "problems" and low level anger feelings. I ran short of time after stopping to clear several stands of poison oak off the trail, so I took the quick connector down and rediscovered a section of trail that used to be debris strewn and now is rideable. Bonus.

I came out of it with nagging hip issues compounded by nagging rib issues and a whole new outlook. When I arrived at work, I was cheerful and willing. The day went smoothly. I had a dirt commute to look forward to at the end of my shift.

Homeward bound, after checking out a potential neighborhood sneak entrance (denied), I rode sweet singletrack ribbons up and across the hill. On pavement, at the top (the very tip top) I was halted by several wraps of caution tape across the road and downed power lines. This required me to take the paved option back down the entire hill to climb up a different/clear route.

It was fine.

I love The Chief!

Thanks, Windom Earle.


My spirit animal is a c.1954 ice cream delivery bike modeled after a great white steam engine with a chicken head for the smokestack, and 2 deep olive painted metal trash cans riveted on the sides for panniers. It has a bench seat with red triangles painted on it, and in black script it says: I LOVE THE CHIEF. It was revealed to me in a dream, and after much adventuring in the wild, as all true spirit animals must be.

I had this dream on my second night sleeping in the dirt, as I'd forgotten a tarp. After 2 solid days of idly shuffling around the Arroyo Seco River, in what has become my summer retreat. After 2 days of biking and snorkeling and clambering over uneven terrain. After seeing turtles on the bottom and swimming down to pick them up like the low lying fruit that they are. (I totally could've eaten you, Turtle!) After losing my flip flop to the current, and regaining it by swimming into a scary eddy far up a slot canyon (YES! The rumors are true. The river does indeed narrow to as little as 4' between sheer limestone faces. For quite some ways.), and after losing my Goodwill scored mask/snorkel ($3.25!) in the same deep depths but decidedly not regaining it. After drunkenly mishearing the directions to "the Pit", and more drunkenly wandering all the way down the river to the parking area. After walking back that 2 miles to where we'd stashed the bikes in the bushes, with scraps of paper as moleskin to keep my flip flops from tearing holes deeper into my out steps. After all this...The Chief.

Here's some pictures:










































All the good pictures are stuck in my head, because I do not have a sweet waterproof camera that takes pictures underwater, etc. But that is a nice shot.

And, FYI, campfires are no longer allowed this season at Arroyo Seco. It's stoves only, and those with permit (they're free and you can get them from the entrance staff). Bummer, but totally understandable. I will henceforth abide by this sensible restriction.




Ideas for next time include more snorkel gear (the water is SO clear, you can see very many things. I myself found treasure to the tune of $6, a pair of cheap white sunglasses and many, many empty beer cans. Even a busted back pack to keep them in...) And rafts. RAFTS! It's very doable to float from the narrows to the parking lot. Ride up, float down, hike back up to camp....yeeeeeesssss. Other things.

O Chief, I will follow you where you lead me.

Short Duration Personal Savior

This guy is my current shordurpersav. I'm telling y'all, I keep coming back to him. I found him by searchin for "whip that ass" and it is a long story and not really relevant.

What is relevant is how kick ass he was. This guy got out and did stuff. Stuff he loved, and in the face of huge obstacles.

Hell yes!