Hasty!

Allison in Austin

2009-08-19T09:23:00.000-06:00

Last week I rode the train down to Austin and back. I wanted to visit my Sister-in-Law before the fall semester started back up. I’ve never gone down to Austin to visit her, so I thought it would be nice. I’m glad I did, we had a great time. She’s a great young lady with big things in store for her in life. I always enjoy visiting with her because she has the perspective of youth. I always take something worthwhile back with me after our great talks. Hopefully she gets something with me as well.

It was cool spending time with her. We went to Mothers Café on Duval St. , and I was very impressed. It is a kinda upscale Vegetarian/Vegan establishment with great food. She tried the Chile Relleno, a first for her, and she really liked it. I think it’s cool that she wants to try new things, and I’m glad she lets me help her. I had a roasted Poblano topped with a chipotle reduction, black beans, and grilled seasonal veggies. It was beyond excellent! This is a place I will go to again, for that and the blueberry pie I had for dessert. Who says vegetarians don’t eat well?

Afterwards she showed me Austin as she knows it. We checked out covert park, which is a really cool place that has a view of the entire city and Town Lake. I can’t recommend it enough if you’re ever in that area. Then we just hung out and talked. I had a great time, and will try to go back soon….next time with my bike and a real camera.

Some serious catching up to do...

2009-08-19T09:16:00.001-06:00

I've drafted several entries over the last couple of weeks but just haven't had time to post them. Give me a little time and I'll catch up. Been an interesting few weeks.

First Wheel Build

2009-06-25T20:13:00.006-06:00

This is the first wheelset I built on my own. The rear was done a few weeks ago, and I finally found the time to lace up the front. Haven't ridden them yet, but I'm glad I've finally done it. For people that work on their own bikes, knowing how to build up a wheelset is a big step.

With the help of my crack photographer, we thought I would share some of my work...

First a self portrait of the crack photographer:

Next, the aspiring wheel builder:

Finally, some artsy shots of the wheel itself. A Campy hub laced to a Velocity Deep V wheel with Black double butted DT Swiss spokes and red anodized nipples. 32 hole, laced 3x for those that are interested...

I'll snap some pics when I get them mounted. Hopefully they don't implode!

One small dent...

2009-06-09T13:27:00.002-06:00

While it seems like a small dent to you. To me this is a yawning chasm. It signifies many things.

First, it is possibly the end of a great wheelset. My friend Bernie built these wheels for me. I've logged close to 20000 miles and over 100 pounds of weight loss with these wheels.
I love these wheels...

Secondly, at 530 am it signifies the end of a great commuting streak. Over 3 years I've ridden my bike to work and never needed a bail out. Fortunately I was riding with my good friend Loyd who was able to ride back to his house and get his car. Bless you Loyd.
This might set me back, but it won't stop me. I will just build up another wheel and fet back on the road.

P.s. railroad tracks suck. Should have ridden the fixed gear.

Mothers Day Riders

2009-05-10T13:45:00.014-06:00

For Mothers Day, Grace and I picked up an adult sized scooter for Sharon. It's actually the perfect gift, as Grace loves her scooter and Sharon and I spend most of our time chasing behind her at the park. This allows Sharon to level the playing field a little bit... although Grace can still ride circles around us with a scooter. They had so much fun I might even get one.

This time I took the fixed gear to ride along with them and take a few pictures:

As usual, Grace was flying along without a care in the world:

Sharon put forth a valiant effort to keep up with her:

We then got to one of my favorite spots for reflections (as my brother would say):

This spot is special to me because it always makes me think of my mother.

Afterwards, a short break and some exploring along the creek:

You'll notice that Grace has a sense of style that any hipster would be envious of:

A shot of Sharons sweet new ride (and of course my sweet sweet ride in the background):

It was a great Sunday afternoon. I hope everyone else had as good of a weekend as we did.

2009-05-10T06:00:00.000-06:00

Today is Mothers Day. I thought I would share a commentary from Ben Stein. He wrote this the first Mothers Day after my mother died. I miss her terribly, but I have nothing but good memories of her so that helps greatly.

Take care of your Mother and tell her you love her.

The most permanent feature of life, when you are a child, is your mother. She is always there telling you to study more, to stand straighter, to clean up your room, to speak more clearly. She is always warning you, cautioning you, telling you what a bleak future you are going to have if you don't mend your ways.

That, at least, was my mother. She had grown up with a father who died when she was nine, had to make it through the Great Depression by studying super hard and getting scholarships, and that was the way she saw life.

And, truth to tell, I didn't like her much for it. I didn't like her paying so much attention to me. I wanted her to leave me alone.

Time passed. My mother didn't leave me alone.

When I went off to college in a city where I knew hardly a soul, a city called New York, my mother wrote me a letter, sometimes two, every day, so I would have something in my mail box at Columbia. There were no e-mails then and long distance was expensive so she sat down with a pen and paper and wrote me letters, often hilarious, about her life in Maryland.

I had a girlfriend at the University of Chicago one year and my mother insisted on sending me a plane ticket to go see her--again, so I would not be lonely.

When I went to law school in New Haven, my mother also wrote me every day. She did not want me to be alone or lonely. She had been a lonely child and she knew it hurt.

When I got married, she called my wife or me every few days and wrote us frequent letters.

When I lost my job at the White House because my boss, Mr. Nixon, resigned, my mother called her high powered friends until she got me not just one but many job offers. I didn't take any of them, but there she was, not leaving me alone, again.

She loved dogs and she loved to travel. She was in France when my beloved Weimaraner, Mary, died. She offered to come home to help bury Mary. To Los Angeles.

When she grew old, I would go once a month to visit her and my Pop in Washington. When I would leave, she would follow me down the hallway at The Watergate and look at me as if she were trying to work me into her immortal soul forever. Wherever I went, she would be on the phone calling me before anyone else. She would not let me alone.

My mother died unexpectedly of heart failure on April 21, 1997. She left me alone, and I hate it. I hate that there are no more letters from her, no more long last looks as walk down the hall at The Watergate. I still look to see if there are any messages from her at the hotels where I spend most of my time. I have a great wife and she pays attention to me, and I am old by now anyway. But I miss having someone telling me what to do, paying attention to me every single second at every moment of my life. When you are a child, it's a pain and a burden. But love it anyway. The time will come when your mother does leave you alone, and the silence is deafening. And, yes, it's lonely.

-Ben Stein, Mothers Day 2005

To leave it on a lighter note...

Marketing at its finest?

2009-04-18T12:38:00.003-06:00

Possibly the greatest entrepreneurial Craigslist post ever?

Heck, I've got tons of those here in the kitchen. I might possibly sitting on thousands of dollars just going to waste in a drawer! A veritable silver mine!

Vintage "Slide Spoons" Blues Action! - $39 (Swampland)
Reply to: sale-7w7ad-1128587198@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]
Date: 2009-04-18, 1:24PM CDT

What I have listed here are a pair of blues player's must have items.These are "slide spoons" ..... can be used on acoustic and eletric guitars! Very comfortably shaped,come in "medim" and "large" sizes as seen in pic.
I'm asking $39.00 apiece,or you can buy 2 for $49.00.I will ship if neccesary,might be around $29.00 in the US only,that's Parcel Post too.

I only have these 2...so get to buying if you want in on these !!! They have plenty of "MOJO"!!!

Email is serious!

* Location: Swampland
* it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

image 1128587198-0

PostingID: 1128587198

Sidewalk art

2009-04-15T19:39:00.005-06:00

I didn't race tonight... Had a long 24 shift yesterday so I was a bit too tired to race tonight. Stayed home, had a little Chadra for dinner, walked at the park while Grace scooted, and then had a little sidewalk chalk art before dark.

All in all I would say it was a fair trade-off...

Plus a little crazyface to wrap up the night:

Happy Easter

2009-04-11T21:01:00.002-06:00

Wanted to say Happy Easter to everyone.

While I don't have much time to write as much as usual (have a test on Monday) this counts as a shameless padding of my post count

Crit Updates!

2009-04-08T20:11:00.004-06:00

For those of you on the edge of your seats that are following my racing career, here's my weekly report.

Started off well, hit the wind and fell off the back of the pack. Seemed faster tonight that it was last week. These guys are pretty disorganized, although most of them are fast enough that it really doesn't affect them much. Instead of a peleton, it's more like a strung out paceline. Not that big of a deal if you stay in it. However, it sucks if you fall off the back(like I seem to do).

Again, I didn't finish last. In fact I managed to actually lap someone! I'm not sure how that happened. I was pretty much solo the entire race. However, it gives me hope that I have a strong chance of a pack finish sometime soon.

Here's a pic from my phone of the "B" race. Actually I'll include two:

Until next time...

Racing season is upon us once again!

2009-04-01T20:48:00.002-06:00

Some of you may remember I did my first (and only) criterium two years ago. What a whoopin!

For better or for worse, April 1st was the first running of the Wednesday night crit series here in Funkytown.

Well today I decided to punish myself further. However, I was in for a pleasant surprise. I didn't suck nearly as much this time around.

Not only did I not finish last... but I put the hurting on at least 4 people. Sure, one of them was a girl and the other was a teenage boy... but let's focus people, they were there to race and I crushed them under the heel of my Sidi's.

Seriously, I had fun and was impressed at the progress I've made. I can't wait to do it next week.

2009-03-30T20:48:00.004-06:00

So, I haven't posted in a while. I know, I suck.

I thought I'd share something at least a little funny with you. I've gone back to school (not the funny part), and I usually ride my bike (still not the funny part). It's 20 miles each way. I generally bring a change of clothes, as I'm sure no one would want to sit next to me in sweaty, smelly cycling clothes.

All semester I've been parking by the library and changing clothes in a bathroom the size of a small closet. Big fun!

Well, I found a new bike rack closer to the science building. Bonus! Last time I was there I thought I'd try going in through a different door to get there. Imagine my surprise when I realized it wasn't a shortcut through the science building, but a gym! Double bonus!!

Yes, an old guy like me wouldn't even think of there being a gym on that part of the campus. A really nice one too! With nice big changing room with lockers, showers, and everything! Not only do I have a place to shower and change, but I can also hang up my cycling clothes in an open air locker and let them dry out a little. The added bonus is that it keeps my bag from being smelly as well!

Please, feel free to have a laugh at my expense.

Another milestone

2009-01-12T21:47:00.008-06:00

Grace lost her first tooth tonight. Freaked her out a bit. She thought she'd lose her voice too. They're so cute at this age...

She finally came to grips with it, and actually perked up at the thought of the tooth fairy.

One of the first kids in her class to sport that "snaggletooth" look:

The Carnage!

Preparing for the tooth fairy...

She doesn't know whether to laugh or cry at this point, but either way it's still bedtime.

Ah, dreams of the future.

This is a big step. Makes you realize just how quickly they grow up.

Apple Fanboi's Rejoice!

2009-01-06T21:58:00.001-06:00

Apple Introduces Revolutionary New Laptop With No Keyboard

She Hearts FW

2009-01-04T23:37:00.004-06:00

Because Funkytown can always use another ambassador of goodwill...

Oh Wickles Sweet Wickles how you've cast your spell on me...

2009-01-03T22:00:00.003-06:00

Sorry, being back in the world makes one busier than I thought...

I generally hate sweet pickles. Seriously, I hate them. I will go out of my way to avoid them, won't even eat foods that have sweet pickles in them. So why is this different? I bought them by accident. We went to Central Market today to pick up some fresh produce and a few things I've been needing. While cruising the aisles I saw these:

I didn't think they were sweet, I thought they'd be like a spicy dill. I even glanced at the ingredient list to make sure. Flat out missed the sugar part. Anyway, we get home and unload the groceries. I do a little yard work, then it's time for a light lunch.

I made an awesome sandwich. Toasted Wheat, some really good Kerrygold cheese, sliced avacado, cucumber, fresh spinach, shredded carrots, veganaisse, and of course some wickles.

Before I ate the sandwich I popped one of those wickles in my mouth. My first instinct was to immediately spit it out when the sweet flavor hit my mouth. Fortunately, I decided to give it a second. I'm glad I did. Right after the sweet, was a slow fire that began to build. However it was never really hot, just comforting... like a good bowl of chili. Meaning it won't burn on the tongue but you'll feel it in your gut for a while after. Which was exactly what it did. It was that good.

I have to say, it really made a great sandwich that much greater. After eating that and some fruit, I got out the jar of Wickles and ate a few more. In fact, as I write this post... I'm still eating some. If this jar makes it past midnight it will be a miracle. The only hope for wickle survival past the midnight mark is the promise of another great sandwich tomorrow. As of this moment a stay of exocution has been issued, we shall see if it holds true til morn.

Back in the world...

2008-11-14T21:47:00.016-06:00

Well, it was a fun trip. We are now back and I have tons of pictures. First, a little bit about our tour. I didn't get to post on the road as I had anticipated because the wireless service was pretty terrible up there.

We left home on Friday and made it to the little town of Forestburg, Tx on day one. It was right at 75 miles. A hilly 75 miles with just enough headwind to make it uncomfortable. Forestburg has about 250 people in town. There's a small store that closes at 7 pm, 3 churches, and little else. We found a nice little place to camp out behind one of the churches.

The next day we headed into Oklahoma. Our plan was to make it to Lake Waurika. After battling a viscious headwind for 75 miles (this will be a recurring theme) and going up and down hills constantly we finally made it to the Chisolm Trail Campground. It was at that moment we found out the campground was closed. Thanks Oklahoma, it wasn't listed on your website as closed.

Fortunately, we found a really cool guy named Eddie that had some property by the lake that let us set up camp there. Not only was it a nice place, but it was next to a really cool little bar. We headed over to the bar after setting up camp. While the beer in Oklahoma is only 3.2% alcohol, it balances out by being incredibly cheap.

Sunrise the next day showed us headed to our destination, Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge. This is a really neat place. Wide open prairies, Mountains (close enough), Bison, Deer, and more. Very beautiful, who would have thought Southwest Oklahoma could be so awesome?

Of course, to get there we had to pass through Lawton. While Lawton was the biggest town we had to pass through, it also had the rudest drivers I've yet to encounter. When looking at the map, we noticed that there were basically two roads that passed from one end of town to the other. Apparently we chose poorly. However, if you're driving a car and you see two fully loaded touring bicycles with racks, panniers, sleeping bags, and one of the cyclist consulting his map every other block you might come to the conclusion that these guys aren't local. Apparently in Lawton this means you honk, swerve, and yell out at the cyclist as you pass them. We finally figured out that the highway was probably our safest choice. I probably won't ever go to Lawton again. I lost a new pair of Keens in that town, but there's no way you could get me to go back for them.

At the base of Mount Scott.

The next two pics are after we ascended Mount Scott. While it apparently isn't a true mountain, it sure felt like it. Almost two miles of climbing really takes it out of a person.

After Wichita Mountains we headed into Medicine Park. A pretty cool place in its own right. We did just enough riding to keep the bodies limber and in the riding mode.

Next, it was back to Waurika Lake. By now we were considered regulars at the bar by the lake. We hung out there for a few hours. Actually, we closed the bar down! (Not too hard really since they close at 8 pm...) Then it was off to bed to get enough rest for the next destination, Forestburg.

When we left Forestburg I was ready to go home. It was a fun tour, but being gone for a week was almost a bit much for me. We battled viscious headwinds, hills, more dogs than I can count and we finally made it home. 7 days on the road, 2 states, who knows how many counties, and 469 miles. An exhausting trip, but fun.

There are a few stories, some probably pretty good while others are just so-so. I'll try to post them up later this week.

2008-11-13T07:57:00.001-06:00

Looks like phone service has improved a little. Hope to be back home this evening sometime. Today I expect lots of hills for the first 30 or so miles and a headwind of 10-20 mph. Will make for another tough day. Good news is, we have gotten really strong on the bikes. I noticed this as we cruised through Oklahoma and the Big Dummy was clipping along at 25mph.

2008-11-12T16:43:00.001-06:00

Back in Texas!

2008-11-12T16:41:00.000-06:00

Back in Texas!

2008-11-11T08:23:00.003-06:00

We are averaging about 75 miles per day. Better than I expected. We have come a long way since our trip last February. We will be starting our loop back today. Pray for tailwinds... As a side note, we rode our bikes up a mountain(ish) fully loaded. Climbing was painful, but the descent was fast and cold.

2008-11-11T08:23:00.001-06:00

Early tuesday morning. Writing this in the hopes that it will be sent soon. Yes we are still alive, just trapped in an area with absolutely no phone service.

2008-11-09T07:23:00.000-06:00

Breakfast of the wayfarer. Somewhere in the wilds of Oklahoma. So cold I can't feel my fingers. Hope to make the reserve today. Bonus if showers exist...

Android Phone

2008-09-25T18:48:00.002-06:00

The Android phone was announced a couple of days ago. I'm one of those guys that's been following it since I first heard about it many, many months ago. I'm actually thinking about buying one when they're available next month. Might even pre-order one.

As much as I'd like to have an iPhone, it seems like the G1 will have a little more flexibility long term. Still, I'm torn between the two. Apparently others are as well. One person over on Gizmodo suggested a challenge to see which phone was the best in real-life situations:

Gizmodo, please do a "usability-test" - it should work like this:

A G1 user and an iPhone user sit in a room and have to do several real-world tasks - who does it faster wins:

- Look up a fact in wikipedia you argued with someone about, than edit the article it to your favor

- do a calculation of something you could have easily done in your head

- Give someone a Phonenumber from your adressbook, while you are talking to him

- Find a picture of BOOBS

- Get heavily drunk, call your GF - if you succeed, you fail

- Get heavily drunk, buy stupid things on amazon or ebay

- Find out how drunk you are with an online-calculator

- Find out how much your car would be worth if you crash it while driving drunk

What will I end up getting? Only time will tell. However, that Android phone is awfully tempting right now.

Maxxis Tires

2008-09-11T17:18:00.004-06:00

Well, I finally have to get new tires. I don't know exactly how many miles I've put on this set, but I remember buying them almost 2 years ago. I only remember this because they're 700x25. A size you don't see in this particular tire too often.

I'm guessing I probably put between 7000-8000 miles on this particular tire. More importantly, I was bombing down a hill at 45 mph on this very tire 24 hours ago. Good thing it held up.

Here's the worst of the two spots:

Second is not far from it:

You're probably thinking this is terrible.

Actually, it's pretty incredible. I've ridden these tires in some of the worst terrain imaginable for a road bike. Glass strewn streets, potholes, etc... I've only had one flat, and that was because I ran over a roofing nail. It actually stuck in the aluminum part of my rim. Pretty impressive. I've even dug chunks of glass out of this tire. Even with these two chunks missing, still didn't have a flat.

Yes, these Maxxis Re-Fuse tires have been good to me. I'll probably buy another set if I can find them in 700x25.

Random August Photos!

2008-08-29T16:15:00.001-06:00

It's the end of the month. Means it's time for a few of my random photos. It's also your lucky day as I'm submitting two post in a single day. People rejoice!

Riding with my new Stoker:

Taking a well deserved ride with the wife, and having some fun on the trail:

Commuting to work with my friend Darrin:

Just watch out when you get over to East side... apparently they don't like to leave witnesse over there. This is a desolate little stretch of road near Cobb Park and interestingly enough the burned out spot is just about the same size as a car. Can't tell you if it was rolling on Dubs or not...

Here are the pics from the much talked about (and greatly missed since I returned it) Hasselblad. Wow it takes great pictures.

Finally, some from my trusty Pentax 645. This is from an experimental roll of Velvia that I shot. The contrast this film throws around is incredible. Have to use this film carefully, probably on landscapes from now on.

Radio Ranch about 10 minutes before the buttcrack of dawn:

Downtown just as the sun is peeking out:

Main Street underpass at I-30 a few minutes later:

Some of these you've seen before, some you haven't. Hopefully they were enjoyable. I know I had fun taking them.

Sagebrush in bloom

2008-08-29T14:36:00.012-06:00

Got home from work this morning and knew it was going to rain. Our sage Brush always blooms right before a rain. If this is any indication, we're gonna get a bunch of rain! Haven't seen it this full in a while. I don't think the Bees have either.

I grabbed by little point and shoot, since it's the only camera with a Macro setting, and took some pics of the little guys at work. Amazing what goes on right in front of you and many times you don't even notice it...

This little Sage Brush is actually a nice little plant:

The camera is pretty good too. The Bokeh on this lens is much better than I expected:

The Bees were hard at work. Really didn't pay much attention to me at all:

Not to be left out, the butterflies were lounging around as well. It was such a nice day that they pretty much ignored me too. It's sorta like High School all over again...

Too bad Gracie was at school today. She would have loved watching them all work. At least I was able to get some pics of it before the rain hit (what little rain there was).

Hotter than Hell 100

2008-08-25T12:24:00.005-06:00

I met up with the team on Friday morning. We loaded up the van and U-Haul to head up towards the Falls. I was the only person that arrived on a bike carrying another bike:

Just in case there was any trouble along the way, Darrin smuggled in the Silca frame pump:

In case you don't understand the whole Silca joke, and for some reason many don't, you can find the answer here.

Rode the HH100 on Saturday. Fun ride. Actually, it was more than fun. It was a true accomplishment for me. I finally did the whole hundred there.

While I'm no Cat 1-2 rider, I feel I did pretty good. Found some good pacelines, worked hard with the two riders that were with me, and finished strongly. We ended up with a little over 105 miles. Average speed was just over 18 mph and our ride time was 5 hours 49 minutes.

Another first, I finally got to stop at mile 98. That's the unofficial bandit rest stop of the ride. Free beer, BBQ, and one heck of a party was going on when we stopped in. I really wish I would have taken my camera with me for that one.

While it was fun, it didn't feel quite the same as I didn't have my original HH100 crew with me. Even though I don't drink anymore, I did tip a glass of nasty Bud (or Bud Light, or Coors, or Miller Light- I really couldn't tell as they're all pretty awful) for my boys Bernie and Michael P. Yes you were both missed.

Now that I've done it, my goal is to have a sub 5 hour time next year. Hey, go big or go home right?

Up to my neck in cameras

2008-08-10T20:05:00.006-06:00

A friend of mine just picked up a new camera... well new to him. He actually picked it up the day before he was going out of town. Since he wasn't going to be able to take it with him, he left the camera with me. He figured he was better off leaving it in my grubby hands as opposed to just sitting on the shelf gathering dust while he was out of town for a week.

Here's the camera sitting next to one of mine(Tricky are you seeing this???):

Yep, it's a Hasselblad. The Holy Grail of the medium format film camera in my opinion. I've wanted to get my hands on a 500 C/M forever. Well this is my chance. I ran it through it's paces to see how it compared to the Pentax.

First off, this is a nice camera. Really nice. Well built and sturdy, every time I pick it up I feel like I'm holding a Swiss watch that can take pictures. It's really user friendly and pretty intuitive. I can see why this has been such a popular and well regarded camera for so long.

The glass is crystal clear and the controls are right where they should be. It's all mechanical, so in some respects it's pretty fool-proof. A good feature for someone like me. One of the things I really like about it is the fact that I can set exposure values for a range of settings off one light meter reading. This means there's I take one EV reading with my hand held light meter, set it on the bezel of the camera and it gives me a range of matched shutter speeds and aperture settings for that reading. An awesome option for someone like me who always forgets, even though I know it's really not that hard.

This is a nice, deliberate camera that is perfect for portrait and landscape work. I took it out and ran some film through it this morning. Flawless. I really like waist level viewers. Seems like I focus on my composition a little better when I use them. Of course, the true test will be when I develop that roll of film. I've got some Velvia in the fridge, maybe I'll run it through this camera if I get time before I have to give it back.

Surprisingly, it's a bit more compact than the Pentax as you can see from the pictures... but not by much.

I would have expected it to be a bit bigger due to the interchangeable backs. Apparently not the case.

Hard to say if I like it better. Really, I think it's a different camera for a little different purpose. The Pentax is a great field camera that takes beautiful spontaneous pictures because it's so quick and deliberate. The Hasselblad is a fantastic all round camera that would probably be a great choice for landscapes, portraits, and anything else where you have a little more time to get that exposure. I really like both, and while I would like a little more time to play with it... I think I could give one a good home if it showed up.

Geeks of the world unite!

2008-07-29T14:28:00.007-06:00

Today is a Woot off.

Go ahead, lock yourself in the closet with the laptop and some refreshments. You deserve it.

WOOT

All those closeout electronics and refurbished media players are waiting for you to log in.

Big Dummy news...

2008-07-26T18:38:00.003-06:00

For those of you that are interested... I'm guessing from the way many of you covet Cletus, that seems to be a large number of people.

Just posted on the Surly Blog:

18" Big Dummy framesets are going into stock at our distributor as I write this. More 18" framesets, 22" framesets, and 16" framesets will arrive next week. 20" and more 22" framesets will arrive near the end of August/beginning of September.

They cost more now. $1050 is retail. Life is hard. It still costs less than a Hummer or a Prius.

They'll go pretty fast. Again, life is hard. We're doing all we can.

You're doing a great job today. Everyone around you agrees that you are the hardest working s.o.b. in the place. So, nice work.

-Skip

Order while you can guys!

See what the garbage fairy left for me...

2008-07-24T13:10:00.000-06:00

What am I going to do with this???

One of the advantages of going everywhere by bike is that if you see something that looks interesting, you can easily stop and take a closer look. That's how I found this Beseler Enlarger. It was sitting on the side of the road.

Don't worry, I found the owner and he put it there on purpose. Didn't have time to mess with the hobby anymore and didn't want it taking up the space anymore. I think he was actually a bit surprised that I knew what it was. Yes, observant readers will notice that there are two enlargers in the picture. He gave me a second one after we talked.

I finally found something that could not fit on the Big Dummy. I had to borrow Sharons car and come back for it later. Fortunately it was still there.

Weird that it was me that even found it. Now I just need to figure out what I'm going to do about it. Small old historic homes don't exactly lend themselves to adding darkrooms when you don't have much extra space to begin with. However, there is the attic...

For those of you that are unfamiliar with this item, it's a Beseler Enlarger. A high end dark room tool that was used to make pictures from negatives long long ago. I actually remember using them once upon a time. Just never one this nice, and by nice I mean really expensive.

The results are in...

2008-07-10T13:27:00.010-06:00

This camera has the capacity to take better pictures than I have the ability to compose. Of course it's easy when I focus on my favorite subject. She's a natural for the camera too!

Feels like a natural extension for me. Makes it very easy to shoot portraits. Yep, it's a keeper.

What was I thinking?

2008-07-05T12:19:00.003-06:00

I now have to divvy up my hobby budget a little further. Found an incredible deal on a new toy.

The Pentax 645.

This is a Medium Format camera that is way beyond my Ricohflex (which takes the most fantastic pictures). Everything is electronic except the focus, which is how I prefer it.

This is a big camera. It's a pretty good size and not something you'd just stick in your pocket, but the weight isn't what I thought it would be. A good field camera, which is what it's designed for.

What in the Wide Wide World of Sports was I thinking? I don't know, but if it takes pictures half as good as it should... then this is one incredible camera.

I'll post results as they come available.

Now for the Century that was!

2008-06-30T20:16:00.005-06:00

Ok, most important thing... electrolyes rock!

After the dismal failure of last Monday, I intrepidly talked Darrin into a repeat attempt. We started a bit earlier, and planned a little better.

Endurolytes are the bomb. Sure they taste like a water bottle full of sweat, but it made all the difference in the world. Capsules might be a better idea after this jar runs out. Also added Propel Fitness water to my arsenal. Finally, Gatorade has made a product that does not suck! Generally I drink Gatorade and I fell terrible the whole ride. That high fructose stuff just makes me want to vomit during the entire ride. However the Propel is a different story. Comes in little powder packets, mixes just fine in my water bottle, and is benign enough that I can drink it all day.

The first 90 or so miles when fine. We were cruising along nicely and felt strong. The last 8-9 miles lasted forever. It was like I was trapped in this horrible time warp. I didn't think it would ever, ever, ever, ever end!

Was tired when I got home, but after a shower and a 10 minute rest I felt pretty good. Added another 12 miles to that total by riding the fixed gear to my class tonight. Glad I did that. The high cadence spin down really made my thighs feel much better. The stiffness and soreness was gone and I feel great now.

We'll just see how I feel in the morning!

Read 'em and weep boys:

The Hotter than Hell is going to be a cakewalk this year! Especially if I do another Century every Monday for the next 8 weeks... and I think I just might.

The Century that really wasn't...

2008-06-23T21:01:00.007-06:00

Darrin and I got together to do a ride this morning. On our warm up I mentioned that it would be nice to try and do a long ride. Next thing you know, were mapping out a route in our minds that will give us a Century. Yes, that is 100 miles.

It was an incredible route. We rode East to Arlington and hit Gateway Park. A very cool place to ride. Even saw a first in the Metroplex... a Bobcat. Just walking along and not really caring that we were 3 feet away from it.

Very cool!

After that we headed back. Of course since we really didn't plan for this Century ride, I didn't pack enough nutrition for the ride either. An issue that reared it's ugly head about 70 miles into the trip. Not so much due to the lack of real food, but appropriate drinks. I'm not a gatorade drinker, I usually just drink water. However, drinking 8 quarts of water on a trip like this for hydration really doesn't cut it. I washed out my electrolytes in a bad way. By mile 80 I was pretty much done. That nasty waterlogged feeling in my gut was more than I could take.

Physically I felt pretty good. I just had a hard time going on with the ride. We ended up with almost 85 miles. I got home, sipped some chicken bullion (Yay Salt!), quit shaking, and started re-hydrating.

Feel much better now.

Lesson learned. I won't do that again without Endurolytes.

Think I'll give it a shot again next week.

I'm famous!

2008-06-22T21:28:00.005-06:00

Well, even more famous than usual...

Got home from Amarillo this afternoon to find this at my local newsstand.

Didn't think I'd be on the front page. I know I told them I was photogenic and all... but really, the front page??? Wow.

Very cool, yet humbling at the same time. Hopefully it will help humanize those of us that travel by bike to those that choose to drive everywhere they go.

I think Barry did a great job writing this story and Ron was a really cool photographer that had tons of neat equipment that I would love to get my hands on. My thanks to both of them for not making me look like a total dork (a very real possibility in my world).

Amarillo, a cycling friendly city?

2008-06-22T21:04:00.009-06:00

Surprisingly, that answer is yes.

I was there over the weekend for a wedding. Sharon and Gracie were part of the wedding party, that meant I had some time to kill. Figured I could either watch crappy cable on TV, or find a way to bring a bike and have some fun with my downtime.

Obviously I chose to bring a bike...

After careful consideration I chose to bring the fixed gear. Mainly because it is super easy to take apart and stow away. Glad I did. There wasn't much room left in the van we rented after 5 females and 2 guys + luggage were on board.

Woke up early on Saturday morning to get in some miles. Unfortunately an incredible storm decided to squat over my chosen playground. After a couple of hours, it slowed down enough so I could get out. Threw on the funny clothes and headed off into the great unknown.

I'm serious about the whole unknown part. Last time I went to Amarillo, I was 12 years old. So I was in a strange town that I had little knowledge of and no map. Fortunately I have a pretty good sense of direction and at least had the good sense to know my starting location.

While I didn't bring a good camera with me (kicking myself over and over and over), I did have the phone with me. Took a few pictures.

Cool thing about this town, there are bike routes and bike lanes everywhere. I was impressed. I first headed South. Went to the edge of town, then headed back a slightly different way to try and find downtown.

Downtown isn't huge, but it's pretty cool. Cobblestones everywhere. Rough cobblestones. Here's a pic from downtown...

Also found historic Route 66. Rode it from one end of town to the other...

The other cool thing was random signage. Everywhere I went I saw these odd signs everywhere. I wish I knew what they signified. Anyone???

My personal favorite:

I had a fantastic ride, with fantastic weather. Drivers were incredibly friendly and the roads were nice. I wish I would have had a couple of extra days to tool around with my bike and a better camera (like my medium format). There were so many great things that I wanted to take pictures of.

Ended up with around 50 miles. A fast 50 miles on the fixed gear I might add. 44x16 is really working out on this bike. Almost makes me want to put the 48 tooth ring up front.

p.s. The wedding was pretty fun too.

An interesting and worthwhile item

2008-06-16T21:06:00.003-06:00

In the past week 7 cyclist have been killed or injured in the DFW area. This petition was passed onto me from BikeDFW . While it might only be a feel good proposition, you never know... it might actually make a difference.

http://bikepetition.eventbrite.com/

If you ride a bike, or know someone who rides a bike. Take a second to fill it out.

A Product Review Update that is long overdue

2008-06-14T21:23:00.003-06:00

I originally did a glove review over on the old Eight One Seven courier blog.

Well it has been well over a year, so I thought it was time for a product update.

These gloves Rock! Seriously. Mortal gloves generally tremble in my presence, the whisper of my name makes them cower in terror. However, the Taurus gloves from Planet Bike could care less about where I am or what I'm doing. They just keep on keepin on.

I originally bought the gloves on March 9th. I remember this because we were one our way to see the movie 300 when I bought them. Here I am 15 months later still using the same gloves. I have put several thousand miles on my bikes since then, worked part time as a bike messenger, commuted to work every day, ran errands, crashed(plural- no really!), changed tires, ran the kevlar patch across tires while rolling to dislodge glass bits, fixed broken chains... heck I even took these gloves on a cycling tour earlier in the year. They will not die.

It is almost too good to be true.

As far as how they look, well a picture is worth a thousand words.

This is a picture of those very gloves 15 months later:

As you can see, they are holding up well. Especially considering the gloves that hold the second longest lifespan with me was around 6 weeks or so.

$15.00 well spent in my opinion. In fact, I should probably buy 3-4 more pair as Planet Bike will most likely discontinue these gloves nanoseconds after I publish this post.

Beautiful Day to ride

2008-06-13T15:21:00.003-06:00

Since I've gotten the Big Dummy, I've sorely neglected the other bikes in my stable.

This year I'm riding on a team, so the Masi is finally getting some attention... however my poor Cross Check fixed gear. It's sat alone too long. So I took it out on a cruise running errands. Probably ended up with around 15 miles or so.

I almost forgot how much fun it is riding a fixed gear bike. It's geared 44x16 and it felt fast. Since I'm wasting away I feel a bit faster as well. Climbs aren't so bad either anymore.

So I went to the Highland Games and...

2008-06-07T17:57:00.013-06:00

had a great time with my family.

It was a bit hot, but there was some great music. Also had fun watching the games. Shopping the same booths that have been there the last 20 times I was there, and of course... watching Grace take it all in for the first time.

Most of my pics were taken with a film camera and I need to have them developed, but I did snap a few with the digital P&S camera.

Watching Grace at the games was fun. While there wasn't as much kid stuff as in the past, she still seemed to have a good time.

There were a few games:

Face Painting (which she loved):

Then, her absolute favorite part of the day...

Some fancy hair braiding. I think it's going to be habit forming for her!

Finally, a pic from Grace:

When did BBQ become so mainstream?

2008-06-04T13:16:00.004-06:00

I was reading the Fort Worthian blog concerning BBQ. It specifically regards the new issue of Texas Monthly that list the 50 best BBQ places in Texas. One in Fort Worth made the list. It is Cousin's BBQ. While I'm happy for them, there's a bit of discussion about it that got me thinking.

When did BBQ become mainstream?

I remember BBQ places as a child mostly being hole in the wall affairs that looked like they might burst into flames at any moment, or considering the amount of smoke in the dining area, already had and was just reaching the smoldering phase. The food was legendary in the right circles.

Of course the best places had everything perfect, but others might have stronger points than others. Perhaps one for sausage, one for brisket, or one just had really good sauce. You knew which was which. However, you didn't broadcast this information for the world. You held it close to the vest, like a good trump card. You didn't really know why, it was just something you did.

Maybe the information wasn't so open because you were afraid the place would become a chain and change the way they do things. Sort of like your favorite band when you were in college. Sure you thought it was cool that they hit the big time. You liked seeing them on MTV (when MTV still played music), hearing them on the radio, but deep down inside you feel like they sold out. Just a little bit of their soul was taken away...and you were afraid of the changes that were going to mess things up.

You couldn't just Google "good BBQ in Fort Worth" and get an easy answer. You either had to know, or have someone take you there. Word of mouth was always reliable. Now it doesn't seem to be that way. Most word of mouth concerning BBQ is more of a popularity contest. Who has the coolest motorcycles parked out front, which place has the hottest looking divorcees on the rebound, the coldest beer, and so on. I don't care about that. When I want BBQ, I want good BBQ. The rest is just details.

Now they're mostly chains, or not as good as I remembered them. Of course, as a quasi vegetarian, teetering on the edge of failure for that lifestyle every minute of every day... BBQ doesn't have quite the same appeal to me as it once did. Actually some good grilled veggies, or a grilled chicken breast from time to time sounds better .

Hopefully my Dad won't have heart failure when he reads that last paragraph!

However, it seems like none of these places have anything perfect anymore. There really does appear to be a dearth of good BBQ in Fort Worth. I wonder why that is? Or if I'm even right.

Sounds like a quest of epic proportions. Maybe I'll take the summer to track down the best BBQ places in Fort Worth, with a little help from some trusted friends of course.

I'll start off by Googling "Good BBQ in Fort Worth".

Shaving for a cure

2008-05-29T13:32:00.008-06:00

Dave Hickey is a friend of mine. We ride bikes together from time to time. We also ride bikes the same place at different times much more frequently. He's a good guy, however he has a bit of a problem.

No my friends, he's not wearing leg warmers. That's his leg hair. Let's just say he's been genetically gifted in a follicle sort of way. However, he's going to take advantage of this gift...

No, he's not going to donate his genetic code to the hair club for men. He's going to shave his legs and he's doing it for a cause. What started out as some good natured ribbing on the internet has turned into a bona fide charity event.

This money is going to the Susan G. Komen foundation 100%. The only thing we'll see out of it is a few great pictures and hopefully a video. I'd love to see a video, because I'm sure Dave will be laughing the whole time. Dave's laugh is infectious and part of what makes him such a great person, as that laugh comes quite easily.

While I'm not harping for donations, I think this could be a fun event and I love the fact that he wants all this money to go to charity.

If you're interested, feel free to donate as well. Here's the link:

Shave Dave

I know he's already met his goal, in fact he did it in less than 24 hours. However, nothing would make me happier than to see him get 3-4 times his goal amount. The donations stop June 28th.

Plus, if we raise enough maybe we can talk him into shaving his chest as well:

Bike to Work day

2008-05-16T11:18:00.003-06:00

Actually, every day is bike to work day for me. However, since this was an auspicious occasion... I thought it would be nice to take a few simple pics today.

Took Gracie to school today and we tried out the new seat for the Big Dummy.

Seems like this is going to be a great seat. That means I can finish painting it, clear coat it, trim up the hardware, and get it ready to go.

Gracie loves riding on back like this. In the trailer, she has a hard time talking to me. This way, she even helps me watch out for Stop signs!

The ride started off a bit chilly, however by the time we arrived it had warmed up nicely. Glad she started off with the jacket...

Hopefully you got a chance to ride your bike to work today as well.

A brace of Big Dummies

2008-05-13T05:53:00.003-06:00

Sometimes Big Dummies to travel in pairs.

Was sorting through pics on my digital camera when I uploaded it yesterday.

Forgot all about these pics from the Clean Air Fair last month...

Am I a Retro Grouch yet?

2008-05-12T21:06:00.003-06:00

Alright,

The Holga is apparently a gateway drug. I recently stepped off the deep end and picked up a Twin Lens Reflex camera. Fortunately they're really cheap because everyone has gone digital.

Here's my new poison:

Fortunately, the Big Dummy makes it easy to carry around.

The pics are ok, mainly user error since I didn't have a light meter and I'm getting to know the camera. Had to guess settings. Still fun to use. Once I get into the swing of it I think it'll take some great pics.

Who needs a family car?

2008-04-30T16:34:00.007-06:00

When you've got a Big Dummy and a Burley Trailer?

My friend Bernie was talking about being car free with the Big Dummy over on West and Clear. I thought I would share an example of how it's done.

My lovely model shall demonstrate...

Hooked up the trailer, and picked her up from school today. Incredible headwind on the way home. The Big Dummy actually rides very nicely with a trailer.

A good time was had by all...

Holga, where have you been all my life???

2008-04-23T15:22:00.011-06:00

Oh that's right. You've been available, but like so many other things in life I had just ignored you...

For those of you unfamiliar with the Holga, it's a medium format film camera (meaning much bigger negative than the 35mm that most of us use). Let me rephrase, it's a cheap plastic medium format camera with a plastic lens, controls that might or might not work, that has the ability to make incredibly striking images... or just be a waste of overexposed film.

Sounds like a great deal right?

Well, here are some shots from my first roll. As usual, I just kind of rode my bike around downtown taking shots that tickled my fancy. I wanted to compare the pics to things I had shot before so I would know where I went wrong and where I could improve.

Anyway, the results:

1.Sleeping Panther statue just across the street from the courthouse.

2. My Big Dummy doin' his thing downtown while I shoot some pics.

3. First Christian Church Downtown (well the dome anyways).

4. The Panther Pond on the South end of downtown

5. Historic Eddleman-McFarland House (I don't know what makes it historic, that's just what everybody calls it).

6. A random Longhorn image in a bridge piling on Lancaster Ave.

7. Fred's Tx! Historic watering hole and home of the killer Chipotle Cheeseburger.

8. "Woman Addressing the Public" Sculpture at the Kimbell Art Museum.

9. An odd running flower sculpture in back of the Kimbell that always makes me smile for some reason.

Overall, I have to say I'm impressed with the Holga. I think it will be my go to camera for quite some time. My next roll has some night shots and a few portraits. I think portraits might actually be a strength of this camera. Hopefully the girls will tolerate me while I find out.

Life on the farm

2008-04-18T16:15:00.003-06:00

Took Gracie out to visit her Grandpa this weekend. She likes the baby goats the best. They were born on Monday, so they're about 5 days old now.

They're cute at that age...

When they're little they call them Kids.

As they get older they refer to them as Cabrito in these parts.

Priceless...

2008-04-05T08:25:00.004-06:00

Seen in the Austin Chronicle:

So if you're down in Austin, don't hit him. If you're in Fort Worth, don't hit me either...

Interesting...

2008-03-12T10:58:00.001-06:00

http://dothetest.co.uk/

I wish I could embed this, however it doesn't seem to be the case since it's flash.

Details, details, details...

2008-03-06T19:16:00.004-06:00

Alrighty.

Here are the finer points of my Big Dummy build for those of you that are interested...

The frame is a 20 inch Big Dummy that I ordered as a frame and fork from my LBS.

A little background here. I'm about 5' 11" and this 20 inch frame rides nicely with drops and
100mm stem that has about a 10-15 degree rise (I don't remember the exact rise sorry). Granted I do have more torso than legs and was going to order an 18 inch frame, but this one fits nicely.

My overall impression is that this frame is very well built. Nice clean welds and a very good job on the powdercoat.

The only thing I had to do to prep the frame was chase the threads on the bottom bracket.
Other than that this frame was good to go.

For the build I used components that I've been hoarding since I first read about the Big Dummy
at interbike 2006. Yeah, I'm one of the dorks that's been waiting 2 years for this frame.

The only component I didn't have were the wheels. Everything else was in a parts bin or off
another bike.

Also, I haven't ordered my xtracycle components yet. I wanted a bike in hand before I ordered
the rest. The other thing I'll add is a front disc when my wheels are finished.

Here's a list of my components:

Salsa Bell Lap Moto Ace bar

Tektro Road Brake Levers

Dura Ace Bar End Shifters

Paul Touring Canti Brakes front and rear

Campagnolo Veloce Triple Crank (52/42/30)

Miche 112mm Bottom Bracket

Shimano Ultegra Frond Derailleur

Shimano XT Rear Derailleur

Shimano XT Cassette 11-34 9 Speed

Brooks Team Pro Saddle

Thomson Elite 27.2 330 silver seatpost

Maxxis Overdrive wheels 26x1.75

The wheels are some Araya wheels that I had laying around. My real wheels aren't done yet.
However when they are, they'll be Shimano XT hubs laced to Salsa Gordo rims. Front will be a
disc compatible dyno hub, while the rear will be disc compatible. All black.

The bike went together easy enough. There were only a few challenges that were easily solved
just by looking at the problem and applying a little common sense (and some outside the box thinking
from time to time).

The brakes work well with this bike. Also, Paul Canti's have to be the easiest Canti Brakes
I've ever set up.

Initially, I thought the rear Canti would be more difficult to set up. It was a looong way from the
seatpost to the straddle wire on that Canti. Luckily, I was able to attach a rear cable hanger
and route the cable well enough. Works much better that I expected it to.

Drivetrain went in easily too. The big problem I was expecting was my front derailleur. The
Big Dummy is designed to use a Mountain Bike style Top-Pull derailleur. Well, since I was
using Campy cranks, that was out of the question. There are no Top Pull FD's that will
cover a 52 tooth ring. I thought about removing the big ring and putting a bash guard there and
just buying a FD that would work with my 42 tooth ring, really how often would I use a 52 crank
on a Utlilty bike anyways ? (...I know you're all thinking that...) However, you really don't see
many bash guards on the market with a BCD of 135. So I thought it out.

Problem Solvers makes cable stops that would generally work great in this situation. I had actually sort of anticipated this and ordered one a while back. My goal was to place it on the downtube about where bar shifters would go and just route it like any other cable. Unfortunately, the downtube on the Big Dummy is huge. Almost 35mm IIRC. So that didn't work. I ended up using a few zip ties and putting the cable stop on the seat tube. It works pretty well and was much cheaper than having to buy a new derailleur.

The chain is a little longer than 1.5x a regular chain. I also put some tape on the cross member
to prevent any chain slap. However that hasn't been a problem yet. As you can see I have plenty of chain clearance. This pic is about middle on both ends of the drive train.

This bike rides very smoothly. Handles well, but does take a little getting used to. I think
one good 15-20 miles ride should make you about as comfortable with it as you can get.

However, I would also recommend putting a little tape of some sort on the rear of the frame on the part that looks like footsies. Until you get used to the extra length of this bike, you're gonna
turn a few corners too sharply. Trust me, I know this because I've already scuffed the powdercoat in that very spot. In the picture below it's the semi circle in the bottom right hand side of the picture.

Man I love this bike. Reminds me why I went car free two years ago. Hopefully it will
help ease some of the hard parts about being car free as well.

Inaugural ride on the Big Dummy

2008-03-03T23:31:00.002-06:00

I think I shall call him "Cletus"

Got it built up and it rides better than I could have expected it to. Smooth and comfortable.

Of course, it had to snow while I was out riding. Still, handled nicely. Will do a longer ride tomorrow and check it out.

For now here's a teaser pic:

The Big Dummy has landed

2008-02-29T14:53:00.001-06:00

That is all.

New Rest stop on the trail.

2008-02-28T14:50:00.000-06:00

For those of you that ride the trinity trail from downtown towards the East, it looks like you've just received a new rest stop.

It's nice to see them finally put something out in the no mans land part where it crosses under I35.

Looks like it will have running water too.

Surly why must you torment me so???

2008-02-28T12:13:00.004-06:00

Since I first saw the pictures of the Big Dummy from interbike 2 years ago (yes 2 years) I've been waiting on this bike.

We're now down to the wire and they still haven't made it down here yet.

So what does Surly do to placate me?

They do a news story!

Yes, they tease me.

It just makes me want it that much more. Especially since some people have already gotten one.

How do I keep missing the boat on this?

Almost forgot one review...

2008-02-27T07:37:00.004-06:00

While going through my pictures, I realized that I didn't go over the final item I utilized the most on my trip. The one item that, without it, would not have been a bike tour.

Yes, my Surly Cross Check.

The Surly Cross Check is primarily designed as a Cyclocross racing bike (something that appears to be constantly up for debate on most internet bike forums) and a bulletproof commuter bike (not even close to being up for debate on those very same forums). However, everyone seems to pretty much agree on one thing. It's not made for touring, with the exception of credit card touring (where you don't carry much, if any, equipment with you and stay in a hotel every night).

Well I've been riding the Cross Check for a little over two years now and felt pretty comfortable with the idea of setting it up for a real tour. This bike is a workhorse. I'm constantly amazed at the types of loads it can carry without getting squirrelly. So putting more racks and some panniers on it didn't seem that far fetched to me.

First off, I'll give you an idea of how it was set up:

For my drivetrain, I have a Campagnolo Veloce triple up front. The chainrings are 52/42/30. I was able to keep my Ultegra front dérailleur on the bike, which works perfectly. Which is odd considering that it is a double and made by Shimano. Ponder that one for a while.

On the rear wheel, I have a Shimano XT Mountain bike cassette 11-34 with a Shimano XT Rear Dérailleur. This was the best way to give me the range I needed for loaded touring. Believe me, I used it too. I was never so glad to have a 34 tooth cog on the rear while we were fighting the hills and headwind on that first day.

I was able to get away with this unholy mix of components by using Shimano Dura Ace Bar End shifters. With the friction actuation up front, it allowed me to ignore the spacing of the Campy triple and set it up how I wanted to. I understand why they are the end all, be all for touring shifters. Pretty much bulletproof, allow for both index and friction shifting, cheap, and they flat out work. Friction shifting was very nice up front. I basically had infinite trim to adjust my front shifting patterns. Nice when I was going up a hill and trying to shift under a full load. Triples sometimes have a bad habit of not wanting to shift in those instances.

For my pump, I chose to bring my Topeak Road Morph pump. It's small, works great, has a pressure gauge, and fit nicely under my downtube without getting in the way. Which was good, because when I got done I didn't have much space left for anything else.

It's really an awesome pump. I don't carry it with me nearly as much as I should. I generally carry my full size frame pumps with me. While bigger, they are sleek and fit under my top tube nicely. However, it is nice to be able to take a compact pump and use it like a floor pump. The foot peg and T-handle make up for the short stroke. I'm glad I brought it, I'll probably start using it more often. It was especially useful for me, as I like to try and check my tire pressure pretty regularly. The inline gauge really made that easy.

Of course you'll also notice my yellow fenders. I like to be noticed and yellow really seems to get peoples attention. Not only in low light conditions, but during the day as well.

The wheels I used for this bike were my Velocity Deep V's laced to a set of Shimano 105 hubs. 32 spokes in the front, 36 in the rear. A bulletproof, handbuilt wheel from Bernie at Panther City Bicycles. I can't even tell you how many miles I've put on these wheels, but if it has not been ten thousand, then it's scaring the heck out of that number, and they still roll as true now as the day they were built almost 3 years ago. I'm a big believer in the Deep V's, I don't mind a heavier wheel as I'm a heavier guy. The added strength that these wheels give me is a great peace of mind. Especially since other wheels I've had in the past have given me problems.

My tires are Maxxis Overdrives in 700x38. In reality, when I measured them with a pair of calipers they are actually 40mm wide. I was a little concerned about using a tire this big on tour. It's a big heavy tire that isn't really fast and I generally prefer a narrower, faster tire (700x28 is the perfect commuter tire IMO). Once we got under way though, I'm really glad I had this tire. Under load, it rolled smoothly, soaked up the bumps, and handled very well. Even on some pretty fast descents.

The Kevlar belt makes a difference too. It the picture, I've probably got about 60 goathead thorns in that tire. Still no flat a week later.

When it got to the racks, I wasn't sure what to do. I have a set of Sackaroo front panniers (made by Arkel- a stealth deal if I ever saw one) and I wanted to utilize these. When I use them for daily commuting, I just throw them on my rear rack and go. However, I knew I'd need more space so I had to find a way to mount them on the front.

I was going to buy a nice Tubus front rack, or even an Old Man Mountain, but it was hard to justify spending $100.00 on a rack that I'd probably only use once as the next bike I get won't need a front rack (hurry up and get here Big Dummy!). So I searched around online and found one available at Performance Bike for $14.99. While I generally prefer to shop local if I can, this was a good enough deal to drag me over there. Money well spent. Fairly easy to install and get centered. It did the job and held my panniers nicely.

The smaller silver rack you see above it is my old Nitto Campee rack. Not very easy to find, but if you want a small front rack... this is the one to get. Designed more for supporting a large handlebar bag like those crazy Europeans use, or for smaller higher mounted bags. They don't call them the Campee anymore, but I think you can still get them from Rivendell bike if they ever have them in stock.

I mounted it to hold my tent and help support my handlebar bag. It was the perfect size for my tent. I'm very glad I thought of it. It's a bit heavy, considering the small size of the rack... but it did the job nicely. Also, if you're the type of person using dyno powered lights, it has mounting tabs on the front and bottom side for your lights.(notice the Bar End Shifters mentioned earlier)

The rear rack is just an old Topeak rack that was designed for their trunk bag system. I've had it longer than most other bike stuff I own. I have more than gotten my money's worth out of this system. Coupled with my old MTX trunk bag, I have a secure platform that is easy to install or remove. It also has small panniers. A definite plus for me on this bike. Those smaller panniers kept me from killing myself on this tour. The Cross Check has shorter chain stays than a "real" touring bike, so using full size panniers on the back would probably mean that I'd hit the heel of my foot on the bag with just about every pedal stroke. This could either be a mild irritant, or incredibly dangerous, depending on the amount of strike.

Even with the smaller rear pannier space, I really didn't feel like I was short of space. Sure I was crammed to the gills, but I didn't leave anything behind due to lack of available space.

In hindsight I should have!

Completely loaded, my Surly Cross Check was able to carry me and about 70-75 pounds of gear. That's a bunch of stuff. It was heavy, but steered well. At lower speeds I could feel a little wobble in the fork. However, Bernie was riding a Long Haul Trucker and his fork felt about the same. After my first day in the saddle, I had acclimated myself to the new ride characteristics imparted by the heavy load. It didn't feel quirky or overly sluggish with the steering.

I will say this though, riding a loaded touring bike is not like anything else. I noticed my position in the saddle changed. It didn't change very much, but it did change enough to give me a few new tender spots that were never a problem before. Also, I couldn't really get up out of the saddle to stretch. Pedaling while out of the saddle is out of the question, unless you want to fall over. There were a few times that I was able to stretch briefly, but only on downhills. I never really "coasted", so I had to take advantage of stretch opportunities when I could.

Another thing I noticed was mounting and dismounting wasn't as easy. Part of it was all the equipment piled up on back, part was the weight, and part was just being tired. A sloping top tube would probably me a little easier to deal with in this respect.

Overall, I'd say if you have a Cross Check and want to tour... go for it. While you might think there are limitations, take a little time to think over those challenges and you'll do just fine. For a cross country tour, you might think about some extra storage in the back, but I had mine set up for 7 days with no real deficit. I'm sure an experienced tourer could probably help you address those issues. Mine did great, handled the loads well, and was as comfortable as it has always been. About all you can ask for in a loaded touring bike.

Ali G Approved as well.

----------------
Now playing: Harald Johnson, Jarle Vespestad & Tord Gustavsen - Curtains Aside
via FoxyTunes

Review number 3- The Press-Bot and Mora Knife

2008-02-21T21:33:00.005-06:00

Alright, we're getting towards the end of the unique products. This one is actually pretty cool. A very innovative product called the Press-Bot. Another simple one. I like simple.

Don't feel like carrying around that extra bulk of a dedicated French Press? You can just add the Press-Bot to a wide mouth Nalgene bottle and Viola! you now have a multi-tasking water bottle.

It's an easy system to use. Just measure out your coffee, put it in the bottle, put the Press-Bot in place (remember this part- do it before you add the water. Makes a mess if you add the water before the screen), add water... and you're set.

5 minutes later, slowly press down... and you have freshly brewed coffee.

This system worked well. The only thing I had a problem with was really my own fault. When I was pouring in water, I tilted the handle off to the side. This allowed some of the grounds to rise over the top of the screen.

For storing the Press-Bot, I just left it in the Nalgene bottle after a good cleaning. Didn't affect the taste of the water, as far as I could tell. Most tap water taste pretty terrible, so if anything a little coffee flavored water can only help.

The other item I wanted to mention is the Mora knife. These little knives are incredible. Inexpensive and well made, this knife is held in very high regard as a serious bush knife. Many survival schools actually recommend this knife if you attend their schools.

I've had one tucked away in my flight suit for almost 4 years now. I decided to bring it along with me on my trip.

This is a laminated carbon steel knife that holds an edge well, is lightweight, and like I said... is cheap (plus the carbon steel will strike a flint, unlike most stainless knives you see on the market today). These knives run about $10.00 each, including shipping.

While I prefer to buy most things locally, this is one of those items that you will probably have to order online. Go into most shops (even specialty knife shops) and you'll be met with a blank stare when you ask for a Mora knife. I was even told by one salesman that there was no such thing.

I got mine from Ragweed Forge. It's listed in their catalog as #510 and sells for $9.00. If you're looking for a decent survival/camping/bush knife, this one is well worth checking out.

Stove and Pot Cozy Review

2008-02-21T08:10:00.004-06:00

This is a two for one deal. I'm reviewing my alcohol stove and pot cozy together. Pretty simple combo.The inspiration for my alcohol stove came from Zen Stoves. If you're a do it yourself kind of guy (like I am) then this is a great website. My stove is known as a pressurized jet stove. A really simple build, just take 3 aluminum cans and follow their template. About 15 cans later I had my first working model.

I have since made two more models. Experimenting with different numbers of holes on the top regulate burn time and the heat output. The most difficult part is finding

the compromise between the two that works for you. For me it seems to be 20, however my next one will have 22 holes.

Here's the stove:

The next thing to do was add my potstand and windscreen. The grand total for that bit was around $7.00.

The nice thing about this stove is that it all rolls up into my pot. Makes for a compact package.

My realistic burn time on this, about 15 minutes with 2 oz of denatured alcohol. More than enough to boil a quart of water. I was also able to fry some sausage, simmer dirty rice, and fry up some bread. Plus I didn't have to carry extra canisters for fuel. Denatured alcohol can be found at most hardware stores or some paint supply stores. I'm told you can use Isopropyl Alcohol, but it doesn't burn as well due to a higher water content.

A great stove, with a great price. Plus I have the satisfaction of knowing I made it myself. It also goes along great with my pot cozy.

Pot Cozy

I know what you're thinking, what the *&^% is a pot cozy?

This is a pot cozy:

This is something so incredibly simple about this that you'll kick yourself because you didn't think of it on your own.

Basically, it is a piece of reflective insulation with a top and a bottom. It doesn't have to be tight fitting, but make sure there are no gaps around it. I basically formed mine around an older tupperware container. For the insulation I used a cheap reflective windshield protector that was left in my barn by the people that owned our house before us. The insulation looks like bubblewrap with a foil backing on both sides. I then wrapped it with aluminum foil tape.

The purpose of this item is to save on fuel. After you get your water to a boil, place it in your baggie. Then seal this up in your cozy for about 10 minutes. In addition to saving fuel, it allows you to either cook something else at the same time or focus on another task without the worry of leaving a flame unattended.

Also, if you're cooking something that takes a bit longer (in my case it was steel cut oats) you can boil your water the night before and enjoy it in the morning. It worked out very well for me. Or if you are cooking something like barley, boil up your water in the morning and enjoy it in the evening.

If you're going to do any freezer bag cooking, a cozy is a nice way to make this easier. Not only is the cozy lightweight, but takes up a surprisingly small about of space.

Packing List

2008-02-20T19:29:00.003-06:00

I've had a few people that are getting ready to do their own tour ask me to assemble a list of what I took, what worked, and what didn't. While my tour wasn't all that long I got a good idea of the things I liked and the things that I didn't. This will also help to serve as a packing list for next time.

Touring Pack list:

Front Left Pannier (Kitchen):

Inside main- Freezer Bag Meals (quart Sized bags) x5
Steel Cut Oats- 3 Cups
Pink Salmon Foil Packs X2
Chicken Breast Foil Packs X5
Ramen Noodles X7
Cous Cous
Dirty Rice Mix
Mora Knife
Hot Chocolate
Granola Bars
Sun Dried Tomatoes
Dried Dates
Dried Apricots
Dried Blueberries
Fresh Pecans (shelled)
Jerky (about 1/2 pound)
Scotch Flask (300 ml about the equivalent of 2 5th bottles)
Dry mix to make Navajo Fry Bread

External Pocket: Salt/Pepper
Onion Soup Mix
Olive Oil (8 oz squirt Bottle)
Chipotle Hot Sauce (3 oz Squirt)
Denatured Alcohol (4 oz Squirt)
Titanium Fork and Spoon
8 oz bottle Honey
Heed Packets X4
Tea Bags X6
Magnesium Fire Starter
P38 Can opener (also doubled as striker tool)
Lightweight Plastic spatula (even lighter after I broke it in half- cheap dollar store version).

Thoughts about this Pannier. I brought too much food. I could have cut the Oatmeal amount by 2/3's, reduced the amount of foil packaged chicken breast to only 2, left the hot chocolate at home, brought about 2 or 3 of the Ramen noodles, and done just fine. The dried fruit and jerky was great. I either snacked on it or added it to my breakfast. Since I didn't know what to expect I tried to prepare as much as possible. I was still in the backpacker frame of mind where I thought I needed to carry all my food and water with me. I could have gotten most items on the go, every day we passed through at least one town that had a grocery store that I could have picked up supplies at. I think just keeping enough food for 24 hours would be sufficient.

Also, while making my own bread on the trail was nice... I brought too much of it as well. I thought we would eat more of it, and we did eat quite a bit. It was nice and filling, but it took up too much space in my pannier. I could have reduced it by about 50% as well.

My Freezer bag meals came from www.freezerbagcooking.com . There are some really good recipes on this website. It's easy to get carried away with some of the recipes (trust me). I was lucky enough to have about 90% of the ingredients in my kitchen. The only thing I really had to buy was the foil pouch chicken breast.

Things I'm really glad I brought in this pack... The honey helped sweeten things up and was an easy source of energy. The Chipotle sauce made a few questionable meals fantastic! The Spatula helped with quite a few things. I brought sausage for the first night and it was very helpful cooking that. Also indispensable in cooking the fry bread. Bringing a good quality Olive Oil was also nice. I actually used more of it than I thought I would. Magnesium fire started and P38 can opener are nice, like a match that always lights. Plus I don't have to worry about them getting wet or finding something to strike them against. Just scrape and go.

The final weight on this bag was almost 15 pounds. I could have reduced it to less than 10 pounds pretty easily by just getting rid of all that excess.

Front Right Pannier (Clothes Closet):

Inside Main- Two T-Shirts
5 Pair Socks (4 cycling and 1 cotton)
Scrub Pants x1
Extra Jersey and Base layer
Thermal Tights (no chamois)

External Pocket- Sunglasses
Extra Gloves
Bike tools
Nightrider light
Extra baggies- both gallon and quart sizes

This pannier was actually packed pretty well. I originally started off with a dry bag for my clothes, but it really strained the dimensions of the bag. However I needed to keep them dry as we figured we'd have at least one day of rain. Then Bernie reminded of that I could use Gallon Ziploc baggies. This worked even better. I was able to match my clothes up (yes I'm weird that way, but I happen to like order), pack them pretty flat, and not have to completely empty the bag every time I needed something. While I could have gotten by with just one T-shirt, I don't mind having a spare in this case. The scrub pants were great, I picked them up at Old Navy on clearance for about 8 bucks. They tie at the waist and the ankles, so if I was riding with then I could make impromptu Manpris out of them and not get tangled up in my chain. Plus they take up about the about the same amount of space as a pair of lightweight shorts. Pants would have been much bulkier.

An unintended bonus, I was able to put the dirty clothes in the empty Ziploc and keep the rest of my clothes fresh.

Left Rear Pannier (medical and extras):

First Aid Kit
32 oz Bottle Denatured Alcohol
Candle Lantern with Reflector shield
Small Pelican Flashlight
Toiletry Kit
Baby wipes

This Pannier is part of the MTX Trunk rack system. While it's not a huge pannier, when coupled with the Trunk bag itself I held more than I could have expected. It sat up a bit higher than true touring panniers, but I don't feel that it effected the handling of the bike adversely.

My toiletry kit had the regular things, toothbrush, toothpaste, lip balm with sunscreen, 4 oz campsuds, personal meds, and a microfiber towel. Very lightweight and compact. The baby wipes are a nice way to wash up without wasting water.

I probably could have had a bit more room in this pannier, but I have a pretty well stocked first aid kit. Since I'm a Paramedic I probably put different things in a kit like this than most other people would. However, I wanted to be prepared in the event that something bad did happen... especially since I would have the ability to do something about it in most situations. Most others could probably get by with a standard prepackaged first aid kit that would take up much less space and weight.

However, I would recommend a few of the things I had in my kit:
Triple Antibiotic Cream
Hydro-cortisone Cream
Benadryl
Tylenol
Band-Aids
Large Multi Trauma dressing
4x4 gauze (or 3x3, whichever is cheaper)
Tegaderm dressing (can help with blisters)
Kling
Saline Eye Wash

Right Rear Pannier:

Extra cycling bib
cycling shorts x1
extra base-layer x3
Extra Cycling Jersey X3

Again, I packed all my clothes in Ziploc bags.

MTX Trunk Bag (Electronics and other goodies):

Cook-set (pot, windscreen, pot stand, bowl)
Stove
Two Extra Bandannas
Pot Cozy
Sleeping Bag (20 degree)
Thermarest pad
Gorillapod Tripod
GPS
Shortwave Radio
Sudoku book
Inflatable pillow
large dry bag
Simple Cable Lock

Hindsight being what it is, I could have left the GPS and shortwave at home. I thought I would use them more, but my smartphone really did a great job picking up their slack. If I did it over again, I'd still bring the shortwave. It's small, light, and a great source of news when on the road. Everything else was very useful to me.

My alcohol cookset fit into the pot along with my bowl. This is probably one of the better things I brought with me. It was cheap to make, small, and it worked. I even had the ability to buy more fuel for it along the way. Denatured alcohol can be bought at most hardware stores.

I'm also glad I brought the pillow. I just can't sleep without one very well.

The Thermarest pad and sleeping bag fit nicely on the back of my bag with bungee cords and tie down straps. The first two days I kept my pad and bag in the dry bag. I didn't want them to get wet. It was a bit troublesome at first to get it situated, but once I got it the way I wanted to I didn't have any trouble with it.

Front Rack/handlebar Bag:

Topeak Bikamper EXP Tent
Cell Phone
Camera
snacks/gels
Map/ Mapcase
Compass
Wallet
Sunglasses
15 feet Paracord

This rack worked well too. Everything in it was placed about right. Took a bit of fiddling to get it situated exactly right, but when it was in place it was perfect.

Overall, this system worked for me. Keeping things in a consistent spot helps. I knew exactly what pocket to open to get whatever I needed. Helped me to minimize any confusion when we stopped too. Of course, this was only 4 days for me. However, I think that even for a longer tour this would have worked out just fine. With a few of the changes I mentioned above it would be great.

Solio Solar Charger -Product Review 2

2008-02-19T18:56:00.003-06:00

The second item I'll be reviewing from my trip is the Solio Classic.

The Solio is a really unique device. It is a Hybrid Charger, meaning I can either store power in it while plugged in or open it up and use the solar cells to charge it up. What can I do with this power? Well I can charge just about anything that I took on my trip with me. The provided tips work with several popular mobile phones, however the only two tips I needed were the universal female USB tip, and the male mini USB tip (able to charge my phone, camera, and iPod with these two tips) . The retail price for this item is around $90.00, however it was money well spent in my opinion. As I'll be using it extensively for the next few years.

Yes, with the supplied tips I was able to charge anything I brought on my trip. Of course for me that was mainly my phone. It worked out perfectly, just plugged it in and left it alone. It was this item that allowed me to blog while we were out on the road.

When I wasn't using it, the Solio folded up nicely and the weight was negligible. It's incredible that technology has progressed to the point where I was able to carry a device like this with a weight penalty that was about the same as my smartphone. When folded out, it fit nicely on my rear bag. As you can see in the picture, I ran a cord through the center hole. This allowed me to loop it securely. On the rainy days I was prepared to put it in a gallon sized ziploc, but I didn't need to. It actually held more than enough power so this wasn't necessary.

Charging the Solio was simple and is done two different ways. By plugging it into the wall with the supplied cord, it achieved a full charge in about 4 hours. If you wanted to use the sun, just open it up and let it charge. Leaving it out all day provided enough power to charge me up when it was needed. However, the provided literature stated that it could take up to 2 days to fully charge the device with solar power. Available sunlight, cloudcover, direct exposure, can all be variables.

On a full charge I was able to power up my phone twice. However, on the second charge I wasn't able to top it off completely. The phone would initially show a full charge, but would quickly drop to 75%. Still, it worked as advertised.

As a side note... probably the most useful non-essential items on my trip were this Solio, and my Smart Phone (T-Mobile dash). They worked out extremely well. Not only was I able to blog while we were on the trip, but I was doing weather checks so we could stay ahead of the storms, and I had stored phone numbers for the Chamber of Commerce for small cities we were going through- which was a lifesaver more than once. When we fell behind schedule I was able to use those numbers to find alternate camping locations for us while on the road. Plus I had loaded USGS Topo maps into my phone for the areas we covered. While we didn't get to use these maps, it was nice to know that I had them. If you want these maps and you have a phone capable of viewing pdf files, download them here... http://tinyurl.com/4qol6

Here are the Tech Specs for the Solio:

Solio Classic
Rated Output: 4 -12V, 0 - 1 Amp (max)

Solar panel output: 155mA @ 6V

Weight: 5.6 ounces

Internal Battery: Rechargeable 3.6 volts, 1600mAh lithium-ion

Wall charger: 6v / 420 mAh Global travel adapter with US/UK/EU/AU/NZ adapters

Dimensions (LxHxW): 4.7 x 1.3 x 2.5 in.

Temperature Range: -20°C to 55°C ( -22F to 131 )

First Product Review- Topeak Bikamper

2008-02-18T15:43:00.003-06:00

Yes, these tents do actually exist. The only thing rarer in this world is the elusive Surly Big Dummy (which may, or may not, ever show up). When I was researching for the trip, this was a tent I was interested in but couldn't find any information on.

It has both good and bad points. We'll start off with the tent itself.

This tent is incredibly light. My packed weight was right at 2 pounds. Incredibly compact as well. It fit perfectly on the small Nitto Campee front rack that I had on my Cross Check (it's the silver rack above the front fender on the other pics- the tent is the grey bag).

Inside that grey compression bag is a silver bag that contains the tent, stakes, and poles.

Topeak actually did a really nice job on the storage bag. Separate pocket for stakes and the two diminutive tent poles. While there is a larger mesh lined pocket for the tent itself.

The tent actually lays out quickly and easily. I can get it completely set up in about 5 minutes. There are really only 4 parts. The tent, the stakes, the poles, and the odd tire shaped parts.

The tire shaped parts are tubes covered in mesh and support fabric. The smaller one is a 16 inch tube, while the larger is a 26 inch (or 700c) tube. Both tubes were included with the tent, an unexpected surprise. As a side note, this also helps with your overall weight as one of your spare tubes can be this one. Since they only hold about 15 psi, even if you shred one of your spares it will probably hold up well enough to support this tent after you patch it.

A pretty ingenious design really. Helps reduce the number of poles needed to set up the tent. This not only saves on weight, but the space needed to pack the tent down.

The tent stakes out very easily. With vents located on each end. Airflow is not a problem with this tent.

Bryan referred to these tents as space coffins. Fairly close to the truth. However, it does have the nice option of a hood scoop. It really helps with the air flow.

Also, you'll notice on the side of the tent is this odd tie down (On the right side of the pic). At first I just assumed it was for ventilation only. However I did learn another perk to this design. Bernie, if you read this before you get back... it also helps shed water and adds support in the middle. Something it would have been nice to know about in Hamilton.

Entry is from the side. In addition to the side, there is a nice mesh. There is more than enough ventilation, however I felt just fine when the temps were in the low 30's. Just orient it appropriately with the wind.

Here is the view from the inside. It is more than long enough to get comfy in, there is also more head room than I expected.

The high points of this tent:

1. Incredibly light- a 2 pound shelter is nothing to sneeze at.

2. Packs down very small- It is about the size of a football, perhaps a bit smaller.

3. Quick and Easy to set up. Takes me about 5 minutes, or a bit more.

4. Carries an extra tube for your bike.

5. If you have do any stealth camping, this tent offers an incredibly small silhouette that would be incredibly easy to conceal with just a little bit of work. Especially if the foliage in your area happens to be yellow and silver.

6. There is no fly for this tent. A great plus if you're trying to throw up a tent quickly to beat a rainstorm or the like.

The low points of this tent:

1. It is basically a beefed up Bivy shelter. If you are claustrophobic, then this is not the tent for you.

2. It can be a bit cramped, when you put in your Thermarest pad, and a nice thick sleeping bag you will feel pretty close to the roof. However I think my summerweight bag would be just fine in this tent.

3. There is no vestibule. Your equipment will either have to sit out in the open, or you will need to bring a small tarp to cover it up.

4. Not much room to change clothes. Changing clothes in this tent is probably pretty much akin to throwing on some clothes under the bed and preparing your escape while an enraged husband is looking in the closet for you. Merely speculation on my part, but both situations seem pretty uncomfortable.

5. If you want a footprint for this tent, you'll have to come up with something on your own. I haven't seen anything on the market yet, but I'm sure you could find something.

6. While this probably isn't much of a problem it is worth mentioning, the included tubes have schrader valves. If you don't have a compatible pump, it can be blown up manually with provided adapter/cap.

7. There is no fly for this tent. In this instance, the single wall construction can be a bad thing. When I was sleeping in my tent through the rainstorm, I fared pretty well. However, my shoes were touching the sides of the tent and they got a little wet. I think it was mainly condensation, but a double wall tent or a tent with a fly probably would have prevented with this.

Overall, I like the Topeak Bikamper EXP. While it doesn't offer me the same room as the Big Agnes Seedhouse SL1 (the other ultralight tent I was considering), or a Hennessy Hammock (which seems to be wasted money in most parts of Texas)... I think it will serve me well.

If you're looking for an ultralight touring tent for cycling, that is fairly easy to set up and offers simple shelter on the road, then this could very well be the tent for you.

The Touring Rigs Loaded up

2008-02-18T15:17:00.002-06:00

In Granbury, I took a pic of all the bikes on this tour (yes all 3). While we all chose bikes made by Surly, they are all very different. However, they all fared very well even though Bernie's bike is the only one listed as a Touring bike.

My bike is a Surly Cross Check. Touted as a Cyclocross bike/Commuter/Urban bike it has shorter chain stays than a true touring bike. Also, the front fork isn't really designed for supporting front racks. That said, it worked great. Yes there was a bit of shimmy with the steel, but probably not that much different than the other bikes. It handled the adventure quite well. Loaded with Sackaroo front Pannier bags, and the Topeak MTX trunk bag on the rear. More than enough space for what I needed. Especially since I only had a few pounds less than Bernie's bike.

Bryan is riding the Karate Monkey, the 29er Mountain Bike in the Surly line up. As you can see, his was loaded with only a rear rack. Loaded with the great Ortlieb bags. It held everything he needed.

Next up is Bernie on his Long Haul Trucker. This is the quintessential touring vehicle. Plenty of places for bottles, bags, racks, and just about everything else you needed. This thing is designed for heavy loads. It had the heaviest load, but did just fine.

Pics of the Trip

2008-02-18T14:18:00.002-06:00

Here are some pics of the trip I took with the better camera. I didn't take as many pictures as I anticipated, as I spent most of my time just surviving. If I had it to do over again, I would have taken more pictures. There were several times where I wanted to take a pic or two, but I was falling a bit behind or it was halfway up a nasty hill so I opted not too. I was also trying to save as much of the battery as I could for Fredericksburg. Tip here: Just go ahead and take the pics as they come.

These are the initial pictures of the first day:

Trinity Trail, if you look closely you might even see the Turkeys that ran off into the brush:

Our first stop before the wind really went crazy:

377 is a terrible place to try and travel. Fortunately Bernie did a good job of routing us around it as much as possible. He found a few great backcountry roads like this for us:

Finally we hit Granbury and took a well deserved break in front of the courthouse:

Unfortunately I didn't take more pics of day one. Other than our bikes. That'll be the next post.

Now this is a Dinner

2008-02-17T17:51:00.000-06:00

When I first started reading about touring by bike, the thing I read most often was about how much Touring Cyclist eat. As someone who does most distance cycling in a quasi-competetive setting, the idea seemed a little strange... and a bit overblown.

Now that I've done it, I completely understand. You spend most of your time fighting a negative deficit. Lugging around a hundred pounds of bike over hill and dale really sucks the energy out of you. Even constantly snacking and drinking while you ride doesn't change it much. I know I'm a big guy, but I don't eat quite as much as most people might think. However, wow... I have found myself eating almost constantly on this trip and I still think I have burned much much more than I've taken in.

This bounty of food is from Underwoods BBQ in Brownwood. My final stop. I've met up with my Dad and Brother and we are headed to their house now. While I'm a little sad that my tour didn't go quite the way I expected it to, we were able to make the best of a few bad situations, go with the flow, and have a lot of fun.

I have learned more about touring by bike the last 4 days by actually doing it, than I did just reading about it. Some things I expected to be difficult went really well, while some of the easy things were harder than I ever expected them to be.

Just because the tour is over, don't quit reading if you've been following this. After I mull things over a bit I will do a more concise write up on a real computer with a real keyboard. I also plan on doing product reviews on the things I used the most. That was actually one of the most difficult things to research, as there isn't all that much out there on many of the items I was using. While other reviews were just glossed over press releases.

Also, if I hear from the Tailwind Boys... I'll post the update here.

Thanks to all the support and comments from new readers. It really did make a difference for us.

And a special thanks to Dave Hill for calling and seeing if we needed any help, even though he didn't bring us any whiskey.

Chris

Hello West Texas, welcome back headwinds

2008-02-17T11:43:00.002-06:00

Things went well as I left Hamilton, gentle rolling hills and trees. Then as I got close to the county line... BAM West Texas. The transition was so sudden I just had to stop on the side of the road for a minute and soak it all in.

I'm a West Texas boy at heart. It's where I was raised and home to the landscape I love.

Of course having the headwinds hit me so hard and so suddenly like I was suckerpunched had something to do with it too.

The boys should be making great time, if they haven't made Meridian already. They should at least have a kickin' tailwind.

Have a safe trip boys and we'll talk soon. Right now it's about time for lunch.

Saying goodbye to friends...

2008-02-17T08:52:00.003-06:00

Today is the day my friends and I part ways. My journey continues on to Brownwood, which I should make by nightfall. Bryan and Bernie are headed back to civilization, by way of Meridian (and a few other stops).

I'll post more on this later, however it has been a great time. I've really enjoyed my first touring experience and I'm glad I was able to do it with these guys. We've learned so much and had a really great time. I can't wait to do it again.

Hopefully my next post will be around dinnertime.

Be good and safe out there.

Boys, I'll see you in a couple of weeks!

Chris

Finally, a real computer!

2008-02-16T10:15:00.002-06:00

We stopped by the Hamilton Library to hop on their free internet for a few minutes while we could. I thought I would update a couple of things for those of you that are following us.

There are some great pics of the beginning of our journey (before we became "Road Hardened". Go to www.westandclear.com

Hopefully Bernie will be able to blog soon as well. I just can't type fast enough on that cell phone, however I am trying to keep the updates coming. Since we're blowing over a storm today we might have some good hijinks to post (not too sure about that one though, as this is a dry county and we hit the Scotch pretty hard last night).

Thanks to those that have been following. We really appreciate the comments.

Home away from home

2008-02-16T07:28:00.001-06:00

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Finally enough light to show a pic of our campsite.

Bernie and I are in the space coffins, while Brian has the luxury of a real tent.

6 am coffee never tasted so good

2008-02-16T06:55:00.000-06:00

This message was not sent from an Apple iPhone.While I managed to stay warm all night, I just couldn't sleep anymore past 0530. While the Bivy is nice, it is pretty small. That and it rained so hard last night that the top portion of my tent pooled water prety badly. Enough so that I was able to feel the weight of it on top of me.

Still, not a bad little tent. While not completely waterproof, there was condensation on the insides of my tent, it did the job. I stayed safe and dry.

The pic you see is my little Dr Pepper can stove. I have really enjoyed that stove on this trip. It is light, cheap, and it works great.

Now I'm going to go enjoy my coffee and wait for the boys to wake up.

Hamilton Texas

2008-02-15T22:05:00.001-06:00

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It is now 2115 hrs. It is about 28 Degrees outside and misting. We have opted to retire to our Bivy shelters. While I might not look too comfy, I'm actually quite warm. Listening to my iPod and getting ready to go to sleep.

Tonight we decided to go try Mexican food. Not too bad, and nice and cheap. We mainly just wanted to sit somewhere warm for a while. This place happened to be across the street.

As far as tomorrow goes... we're just going to have to see what happens. Some pretty severe weather is supposed to move in during the night. While I welcome the idea of the predicted 70 mph tailwinds, I don't exactly look forward to the large hail and lightning that will accompany it.

We will probably spend an extra day here in Hamilton. What does this mean for our tour? Well, we probably won't see Enchanted Rock anytime in the near future. We aren't quite covering the distances we anticipated per day and that is a huge factor since we only had on buffer day and we are so far behind already.

Things we have learned...

1. Headwinds suck

2. The Hill Country of Texas is a fickle mistress

3. 80 miles per day is an unrealistic goal for us while riding bikes with a curb weight of about 100 pounds each (sans rider)... 60 is more realistic, this time of year you run out of daylight quickly.

4. There are some good people out there. The kindness shown to us by total strangers has been incredible, and a loaded touring bike is a great ice-breaker. Tonight we are staying in an RV park right off the town square. The owner even left a storage building open for us in case we needed better shelter.

5. Every ounce you pack really does add up, I now understand why some guys cut the handles off toothbrushes.

6. Headwinds still suck.

Sorry this post isn't more interesting. It's been a pretty dreary day, but we still feel pretty great and spirits are high. The miles even felt good today.

p.s. For the much venerated Truman, we are getting around 60 miles per day. We could probably push further each day, but it is pretty tiring and the daylight is a huge factor.

Peace Out!

Lunch!

2008-02-15T13:37:00.001-06:00

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Hico, Tx

2008-02-15T13:24:00.000-06:00

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We survived the night. Sorry I missed this morning. We were eager to get on the road.

After a great breakfast with Dr. Wotherspoon, we hit the road. What a difference a day makes! Sure we're still tired (touring is hard work) but we have a bit of a tailwind with the coldfront that came in this morning.

The hills still suck, but we made good time heading into Hico.

We are now eating lunch in this great little place called the Koffee Kup.

Gonna try to make Goldwaithe by early evening.

Road Angels

2008-02-14T20:05:00.000-06:00

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Touring Cyclist have a term for a special group of people that go above and beyond in this journey we call life. They call them ''Road Angels''. Our new friend Mr. Wotherspoon is one of those people.

We were lagging along, seriously beat down by the wind. Way behind schedule and hoping for a place to camp. We came across a small sign by the side of the road that said ''Motherspoons, visitors welcome''.

While we would usually be a bit leery of something like this, we were completely wiped out and weren't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. I am glad we didn't. Today was an incredible day. It went from being completely terrible to absolutely incredible. Not only did this incredible man invite us into his home, but he has completely accepted us, and he is a great guy as well. I won't go into too much detail, as this is still from my phone and difficult to type. However, if I turn out to me half as good of a man as he has, then I've lived a good life.

Mr. Wotherspoon,I know you will probably never read this, but thank you from the bottom of our hearts. May the Good Lord Keep you and Bless you!

Lunch!

2008-02-14T13:42:00.000-06:00

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That headwimd is brutal and oddly enough it has all been uphill. So far we've only made Cresson. Hopefully after a break we can make up some ground.

The journey of a 1000 miles...

2008-02-14T06:57:00.001-06:00

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Begins with the first pedal crank.

630 am is too early to be starting a tour. However, it's going to be windy today. We are expecting headwinds around 20 mph, gusting to 35, so we're trying to take advantage of all the sunlight we can. Hope to be in Hico late this afternoon.

I'm going to try and blog the whole trip by phone.

Wish us luck.

Getting down to the wire...

2008-02-11T20:11:00.000-06:00

Well there are only a couple of days left until we start on our trip. Tonight I loaded all my bags up, checked the weight distribution, and made sure nothing was going to fall off, or be otherwise unwieldy, while riding.

Front panniers are right at 7 pounds each. I still have to add some food to the left one, but it won't add that much more weight. My front rack is rated at 40 pounds, so I have plenty of wiggle room left.

Rear bags are around 32 pounds. That's including my sleeping bag, pad, clothing, and extras. Really I didn't bring as much stuff as I thought I would. I guess I've gotten better at thinning things down that I don't need.

Add that to a bike with a fighting trim of 34 pounds (including fenders, Deep V rims, 700x40 touring quality tires, and front and rear racks) and I've got a curbside weight of around 80 pounds. It gets heavy when you start touring. I'm so glad I've got a triple with a mountain bike cassette on the back.

If only the Cross Check could support a Pletscher kick stand... or any kickstand for that matter.

A couple of things I am bringing that are really worth mentioning:

Solio makes an incredible universal charger. Not only does it have a portable LiIon battery that will charge your device on the go, but it also has the ability to recharge with solar panels. I can charge my camera, phone, iPod, and just about anything else I can plug into a USB cable to charge.

Very cool device, well worth the money.

Another item that has found its way into my kit is an alcohol stove.

A cool item that I made for pretty much nothing. Just a few discarded cans, a few hours painstakingly poking pinholes in the top, and a few frustrated moments joining the two together. The final result is an incredible stove that only weighs a few grams, and fits into my 2 quart pot (along with windscreen, potstand, and fuel) that cost less than 5 dollars to make (and that price includes the windscreen, potstand, and fuel as well).

It boils water in the same amount of time that my "ultralight" camping stove does for 1/10th the weight. Plus I don't have to carry fuel cartridges with me.

Bike Tour

2008-02-07T09:07:00.001-06:00

Well I'm pretty stoked. I've got a bike tour coming up soon and I'm going through my equipment to see what all I've got, and what I need. This will be a self supported tour that will last about a week. Meaning, I am left to my own devices for about 7 days... camping on the road, carrying my own stove and food, etc... I had really hoped this would be the maiden voyage for the Big Dummy, but alas it is not meant to be yet. They will probably start shipping the frames out while I'm on tour.

This means I'll be taking the Cross Check. While it's not really meant to be a touring bike, I've heard of people doing it. The chainstays are a bit on the short side- meaning the length in the back between the pedal and the rear wheel isn't as long as a touring bike and the heels of your feet will hit whatever bag you have on a rack back there. I added a front rack so that I could use a smaller rear pannier on the back. I think it'll work pretty good. I've done a few test runs and didn't have any problems, even with 40-50 pounds of gear on there.

Here's a pic with some gear on it that I used for an initial shake-down cruise:

Back in the day I used to do quite a bit of ultralight camping, however stuff has gotten much, much lighter than it has when I used to do it. Still just as expensive though. Luckily I had most of the stuff I needed already. I did add a few things, a new stove a pressurized alcohol jet stove(of course I built it myself since I'm strange that way), a new ultralight tent (2 pounds), and a few other odds and ends. Luckily I was able to get everything else nice and light since I am not light by any means.

Of course technology has gotten way cooler as well. I can now take my GPS with me, and I was able to download USGS survey maps to my phone. Incredible! Of course, we'll still rely on cue sheets and a good old fashioned road map as well.

In addition I'll be able to post blogs from my trip by phone.

Next time I go I might even be able to take Gracie with me. As you can see, she not only has quite the set up to get her base miles in:

She has been practicing loaded for a tour as well...

I need to start saving up for that Co-Motion Co-Pilot now!

Sheldon Brown

2008-02-04T16:03:00.000-06:00

This is an e-mail I just recieved...

An email just came in from the Massbike list. It's hard to know what to say:"Sheldon's wife Harriet sent out mail this morning saying that Sheldon Browndied of a massive heart attack last night."

For those of you that have seriously tinkered with bikes, you'll know who he is. The man was a wealth of information and his website set me straight more than one.

I've been on many of the same e-mail list as him and enjoyed reading his thoughts. He will be missed.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/index.html

Finding the perfect Scotch to go in your perfect Scotch glass...

2008-01-11T15:18:00.001-06:00

So, the glass is nice. Unlike most glasses which start off narrow at the bottom and end up wider at the top, it has a nice curve to it that just feels right in the hand. It's heavy, thick, and a pleasure to drink out of. Think of it as holding a baseball. It just feels right.

I've found more than a few Scotches that I really like. The Macallan 15 year old pictured with the glass is one of my favorites. So how do you find your favorite? I'll throw out a little starter for you. Of course, this is my opinion... however if I was doing it again I might start here.

Jon, Mark and Robbo's Easy Drinking Whisky

These guys have a few pretty decent whiskies that run about $25.00 a bottle. It's an inexpensive (as far as Scotch goes) springboard into a world that can get much more expensive very quickly.

However, the great thing about these guys is that they've come up with a few blends (yes I know... blends are usually taboo, but you're learning so it's ok) that will let you know exactly what you like in a Scotch. Do you like a sweeter fruity scotch? How about one with smoky after tones? Perhaps something with a little spice is more up your alley? Well these guys have captured the essence of all three (separately of course, those flavor would taste odd mixed together) for you to see which route you'd like to take. Of course, there are other flavors. Citrus, chocolate, etc... It's all about the aftertaste.

Then, I'd head over to Liquor Snob and see what they've got to say about some of the Scotches out there and match them up to the flavors you liked best. (This should go without saying, but a place like Liquor Snob might not exactly be safe for work- that's up to you). Pick a few of them out and give them a try.

Viola' you're on the path to draining your bank account faster than you can find the perfect chainline on a Huffy.

Just please don't drown it in ice cubes, or water it down. Those things just make bad Scotch take longer to drink and muddle up the taste of a good Scotch.

Finally, the perfect Scotch glass...

2008-01-07T20:40:00.000-06:00

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I've been looking for this glass forever. At long last my search for the perfect Scotch glass is over (and yes there is such a thing). Going to give it a test run tonight.

I'll report back later.

Can it be done???

2008-01-05T21:02:00.001-06:00

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Blogging by phone. The final frontier. I was just reading up on some blogger tips when I noticed this great little blurb about submitting info by phone.

This is me trying it out and the pic was taken with my phone. If this is the case, then blogging has not only gotten easier, but it's now capable of being done on the fly.

Very cool.

Big Dummy I love you...

2008-01-03T17:37:00.000-06:00

Finally, there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

http://www.surlybikes.com/spew19.html

If they're talking about it then it can't be far off. Mid February by their estimates.

Someone I haven't heard from in a while...

2007-12-30T18:47:00.000-06:00

I was going through my iPhoto album the other day and came across this picture...

This reminds me of a great day I had riding with someone I haven't seen in a while but really enjoyed riding with.

Attention!

2007-12-18T08:57:00.001-06:00

When you lack certain proprietary utensils... home canning sucks.

It is very doable, but still sucks.

That is all.

Wear your helmet...

2007-12-08T22:36:00.000-06:00

I think my daughter would love this one.

She always comments on people not wearing their helmets on bikes, skateboards, and motorcycles. She even yelled at some guy the other day. Not every day you get chastised by a three year old.

The wire sculpture is by Terry over at Bent Objects. An incredibly creative person who does some really great things with common household objects. I think he has a coffee table book coming out soon. You should buy it.

Parade of Lights

2007-11-24T11:01:00.000-06:00

This year marked the 25 year the Fort Worth Parade of Lights has taken place. It also marks the first year that I wasn't working and Gracie was old enough to sit through a parade that happens after dark.

It was an incredibly fun event, if a bit long. If you were unable to attend, here are a few highlights. Sure there are tons of pics... but it's a parade so you gotta take pics.

It finally darkened enough for the parade to start (yes, a parade of lights generally takes place after dark).

We found a good spot and waited for the floats to start their pass. We were at the end of the parade, so it was a bit after 6 before the festivities began.

Gracie and Sharon took their spots:

Along with our special guest, Aunt Liz:

Finally, the first float passed:

Followed by the Fort Worth Mounted division that acted as the color guard:

Followed by marching bands:

Bicycles:

Unicycles:

Stagecoaches:

Old Cars:

Pirates???

Fire Engines:

Both new...

And old...

As well as more traditional floats:

(some a little more commercial than others...)

More than a few Elvis' (would that be Elvi?) showed up on motor scooters:

Not to be outdone in the large men in small vehicles category, the Shriners made an appearance.

And of course, more horses...

The Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl float was judged Best Overall :

Gracie was getting antsy though. She came all this way, braving the cold and crowds to see Santa. She was ready for some results!

Finally, after about 200 floats, at least 600 horses, several hundred dogs, and a gaggle of unicycles... Santa finally made his appearance (only to have his face blocked by some random fan):

Afterwards, a tired Gracie wanted to get something to eat and then go home. So we opted not to stay for the tree lighting. We'll leave that adventure for another time. Perhaps when we take her to visit Santa in the upcoming weeks.

One I forgot to add...

2007-11-06T15:26:00.001-06:00

On my Dad's las visit he brought some Overalls. Pretty good fit if you ask me...

They go well with her pink boots too.

Halloween!

2007-11-01T18:01:00.000-06:00

It's pretty cool when your child is old enough to actually enjoy Halloween. The concept of dressing up, going out and getting candy, getting trampled by rude children older than them... who should know better but don't... it finally starts to make sense to them.

Pics of the Island Princess:

Ryan Place is a really cool neighborhood in the sense that they really embrace these holidays. It's more like a block party than anything else. Adults sit out on the porch handing out candy and drinking a little wine. Great concept really, especially if you know anyone on that particular street. Gives you a chance to fill up yourself while your child loads up on candy. Nancy was really loading Gracie up with candy at this stop!

I'm glad she had fun, because I really enjoy Halloween. Now I can enjoy it that much more through her...

If you live in Fort Worth and ride a bike...

2007-09-16T20:15:00.000-06:00

Or live near Fort Worth and ride a bike, or are thinking about riding a bike in or around Fort Worth (you get my drift). Then take a look at this survey the city is doing at this time.

Please take the time to fill this out and send it in. The effort required is only a few minutes, but the effects could reach much further than that...

That is all.

Quite possibly one of the greatest blog post ever!

2007-09-14T08:34:00.000-06:00

If you don't read Bike Snob NYC, you should. There is some great stuff in there. Here is an example, quite possibly one of the best post I've read in quite some time. Pithy, yet poignant...

::linky::

I’m going to come right out and say it—there’s been a lot of arguing here lately. Messengers vs. non-messengers, roadies vs. commuters, and everybody vs. the so-called “hipsters.” Hey, I’m not going to get all self-righteous. I’m all in favor of passing judgement and name-calling. It’s fun! At the same time, though, as cyclists, it’s time we set all that aside for a moment and teamed up against something together. No, not triathletes. (Not today anyway.) Cars.

Look, I’ve got nothing against cars in general. We need them. Many of us own them. That’s not what this is about. This is about being cyclists first and foremost, and about being at the bottom of the vehicular pecking order when we’re out on our bikes. Regardless of whether you don’t own a car or you own three, when you’re riding you’re inevitably going to encounter coffee-slurping, text-message-spewing morons who think the fact that some bank gave them a lease on an Explorer makes them important enough to try to run you off the road.

I thought about this as I read a short piece in the “Talk of the Town” section of The New Yorker this morning about the Smart ForTwo. If you’re in Europe, you’re of course familiar with this car. But here in the US they’re only just appearing on our radar, and will be available for the first time in January 2008. Apparently the president of Smart USA recently visited Manhattan in a Smart car, and the piece offered up an irritatingly delightful sketch of how the locals were alternately charmed, perplexed, and nonplussed by its diminutive size and unusual appearance.

It is small. It is inexpensive. It gets excellent gas mileage. We’re supposed to admire it for these qualities. I don’t. As cyclists we’ve been bossed around by cars for too long. And like the Yorkshire terrier at the dog run who after constantly being terrorized by Rottweilers finally gets a chance to hump a Chihuahua, here at long last is a car we can intimidate and dominate. This car has a shorter wheelbase than a recumbent, the same passenger capacity as a tandem, and a curb weight lower than most people’s Rivendells.

When you’re the kid who gets picked on in school, what do you do when a new kid transfers in who’s nerdier than you? Do you become his friend and team up against your oppressors? No! You pretend to be his friend, and then when the cool kids are looking you push him into the girls’ bathroom.

So I say when these things hit the street we in turn hit them with everything we’ve got. You Euros might not understand this, but here in the US we’ve been “sharing” the road with vehicles that are, on average, larger than your homes. This is our chance to exact payback for years of oppression. And the great thing is that every segment of the cycling population can take part. Just imagine:

--Three or four bearded guys in “One Less Car” t-shirts with SPD sandals and panniers full of organic groceries stopping on their way home from the food co-op to tip one over;

--The Sunday morning group ride swarming around one and forcing the driver to take part in a mandatory motorpacing session;

--Locking your bike up to one when you run into the store. What are they gonna do about it? Or, better yet, just locking the car itself to a street sign;

--Using them for skitching. Messengers have long skitched off of trucks, but like pilot fish they did so surreptitiously and with no say as to the destination. With a Smart car, now’s your chance to be the shark. When your legs get tired, just grab onto the side mirror, rap on the glass, and say, “Dag Hammarskjold Plaza—and step on it!”;

--Some nutcase in a neon windbreaker on a recumbent overtaking one on a stretch of country road, taking quick stock of it in his helmet mirror, and running it into a ditch.

The possibilities are endless. So next time that Hummer driver ignores your right-of-way and almost flattens you at an intersection, take a deep breath and just let it go. Soon you’ll be able to grab a Smart car by the bumper and hold it there while you berate the driver.

Confessions of a Bag junkie

2007-09-09T21:11:00.000-06:00

Ok, I can admit it. I'm a bag junkie. It all started off innocently enough when Gracie was a wee tyke and I bought my first bag to carry stuff for both her and I more easily. It was the Maxpedition Jumbo Versapack. An all around great bag for anything you might want to carry. Juice cup, snacks, knife, wallet, phone, camera, gun (if you're into that sort of thing), gum, handi wipes, kleenex, keys... you name it and it'll probably hold it.

I love this bag. It's well constructed and holds just about everything you might need for a day out on the town.

When I started riding, it just fed into my bag obsession. If you want to collect bags, cycling is the way to do it. There are bags under the saddles, and even bags to carry your phone in on long training rides so they don't get sweat all over them...

I just picked up another nifty little bag today at the gun show. It's another Maxpedition bag, a smaller version that is just the right size to wear on my waist when riding the fixed gear. It's called the M-4 Waistpack. Holds a spare tube, mini U-lock, wallet, phone, and CO2.

I think it will work out perfectly.

Another bag I like to use is my Topeak Trunk bag. I throw it on the rear rack of the Cross Check when I commute into work. It holds everything I need perfectly.

Of course, every now and then I find a bag I may, or may not, need. A few cases of this are the Nascar phone case (with Nascar label conveniently taken off- hey it was on clearance what can I say). Which is the perfect size for those small items that get lost in bigger bags.

The other clearance bag I bought, was this little Crumpler. Found it at REI in their little clearance closet one day when I was looking for something to use my dividend on. It's a handy little bag.

Of course, the pride of my collection is the Chrome Metropolis. It is the end all- be all of man bags. I can carry more beer than I can drink in a day, or a months worth of diapers (don't ask me how I know both of these facts, just trust me). It is tough, waterproof, and easy to carry stuff in. I've used it to commute with, run errands, and work the hard streets of Funky Town as a bike messenger (well, not too many days as a bike messenger... and the streets of Fort Worth aren't really that rough), and even won an alleycat with this very bag.

I like this bag so much, that it even has it's own bag on it to carry my phone. Yes, a bag within a bag within a bag...

Now I will say that I get some grief from time to time. Mainly from people at work, or my wife, or friends, or... well you get the idea. Things like manbag, Metro, Murse, Manpris, Shants, etc... are thrown out. That's fine, since I don't have (or need, or want) a car, I do need something to tote all my stuff around in. Women should understand how handy a bag is to carry everything in. Other men, well I give them the benefit of the doubt as they just haven't tried it yet. If they did, I'm sure they would enjoy it as much as I do. I know one other guy that enjoys a man bag as much as I do... if not more.

A little bonus for Tricky...

2007-09-03T15:08:00.000-06:00

Because I know you live to read my blog (and I've left you hanging for so long)...

A little attempt at photochopping with the Gimp.

The Anatomy of a Rally

2007-09-03T14:34:00.000-06:00

Today was the big rally to try and save the Trinity Trees. A very good turnout in my opinion. Here are a few pics of the event...

There was info presented by both sides...

However, my bias shows a bit. I very much preferred to see what Trinity Trees group was offering. Instead of glossed over information, they handed out more trees to plant. Ours will go in the front yard on the parkway, something we've been planning anyway. However, it is even more special since the symbolism ties in nicely.

The people were great! Everyone seemed motivated by the same purpose... a nice picnic and a good time for a good cause.

And of course there were bikes. You know it wouldn't be part of my blog if I couldn't tie in some bikes!

A rare portrait of our Hero...

However, as much fun as we had at this event... it's important to remember the two reasons why we all showed up:

The trees...

And the reason it's so important we save them:

FW Cats games rock!

2007-08-24T22:35:00.000-06:00

Baseball games are fun. Especially when you get to ride your bike there with a group of friends.

It's even more fun when you get to yell at the overprivileged Rivercrest rich kids in front of you for lighting up a cigarette in the stands.

Must do that again soon.

That is all.

Fredericksburg

2007-06-24T15:54:00.000-06:00

Last weekend Sharon and I went to Fredericksburg for a little vacation. A nice weekend get away if you will. I'm glad we did it, it was very relaxing. I thought I'd share some pics. This is a great little town with great history, good shopping (if you're into that), tons 'o wine tasting opportunities, and some pretty good dining as well.

Here's the room we stayed in. It was right in the middle of downtown on the main street. Perfect location really. Beautiful rooms, it was actually a little apartment, and a nice relaxing balcony that overlooked the street. We could go downstairs, be right in the middle of everything, or go back up and be isolated from it all. A very well designed space.

The balcony was especially nice. We could sit there in the mornings an drink coffee while enjoying the peace and quiet, relax in the afternoon and watch the old people shop, or drink some wine in the evening and wind down in the nice glider bench.

We took full advantage of the balcony. It was especially relaxing as the whole town pretty much closes down at 6 pm.

I'll post more pics later this week.

My first Crit!

2007-06-20T20:28:00.000-06:00

A little secret here. I purchased a racing license a while back, like March or so. Until today I've always come up with an excuse not to use it. Today was the day I ran out of excuses. I'm glad I did. This was definitely an experience.

The crits are sponsored by Team Bicycles Inc. this year. It's a pretty good set up, and not too far from the house. I rode over as a warm up, checked in to get my number (I was in the C race with the Cat 4's and 5's), and took a few laps around the track to keep warm and to get a layout for the course.

It's a 1.7 mile loop with gentle bends and not too many elevation changes. I got to the start line right as the race started (for the record it started about 5 minutes early). I wasn't quite ready for the start, so I was immediately behind. A gap of about 5 bike lengths from the start. Of course, since this was my first race I wasn't sure what to expect, and frankly I was a little nervous. Let me tell you it's not like the charity rides I've done in the past. These boys started off fast and stayed that way. For the first loop I averaged 24 mph, and they shelled me off the back quicker than peel and eat shrimp at an all you can eat buffet. I certainly didn't expect those guys to be as fast as they were!

I tried to gain some ground in the second lap, but somehow a car got onto the course and decided to go 15 mph. I actually had to hit my brakes so I wouldn't run into the back of him. Unfortunately, there is a center line rule in effect so I couldn't pass the auto. The other unfortunate thing was that I had to follow him about halfway around the course. When he finally turned off I poured it on. I can't tell you how fast I was going because this was the point where my computer quit working. The display froze at 23.5 mph and didn't change for the rest of the race. Since they were so far ahead of me, my goal was to just finish. I tried to push my frustration aside and make up as much ground as I could.

Eventually, around lap 4, the leaders caught up to me and lapped me. I tried to tuck in behind them, but I was pretty much worn out by this point. Riding alone as long as I did, at the pace I did, with the wind against me had taken its toll. I was only able to keep up with them for about half a lap. Luckily I was able to finish without losing too much ground.

My observations about this ride:

First... I've never spent so much time in the big ring in my life! Wow, that was an experience in itself. 53x12 will definitely wear you out!

Second... 12 miles doesn't seem like much when you're getting in some training miles. However, in a crit... it's a whole different experience.

Third... The six mile ride from home is more than enough of a warm up for me. Especially when it's 90 degrees with 70% humidity outside. The two additional laps I took when I arrived to stay warm were probably overkill.

Lastly... I need to muscle my way up to the front in the very beginning and do everything in my power to stay there. It's much easier to cruise at 27-28 mph in a pack than it is to struggle behind on your own at 24 mph. Especially since I don't solo at 24 mph often... make that ever!

Also, a special thanks to my cheering section. It's always nice to see a friendly face at something like this, and I had several in the crowd. Micah, Carola, and their kids just happened to be there to watch the crits and they became my own little fan club. They really helped out. The last two laps were agonizing for me, especially since I had been lapped by the main group. I wanted to quit so badly, but every time I went past the line they were there cheering me on. I just couldn't give up and let them down. It's too bad Sharon and Gracie couldn't have gotten there earlier, I would have loved to have seen them at the finish line. However, their train didn't get in early enough. Oh well, maybe next time. I do appreciate them picking me up and giving me a ride home though.

Next week I'll be more prepared!

Important meeting concerning FW Rail Corridor.

2007-06-19T11:38:00.000-06:00

This week, the "T" is having meeting concerning the future of our rail corridor. I would have posted this earlier, but I got back into town last night and just found out about it.

From the City of Fort Worth website:

Input on New Rail Corridor Solicited for Public Meetings

The public is invited to attend a series of public meetings on the proposed Southwest-to-Northeast Rail Corridor project. Presented by the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T), the meetings will take place June 19-21 in Fort Worth and Grapevine. Meetings will cover the project scope, schedule and activities. During the event, attendees will have the opportunity to comment on the proposed rail project.

Times and locations for meetings include:

* 6 p.m. June 19; TxDOT Regional Training Center, 2501 SW Loop 820, Fort Worth 76133
* 12 p.m. June 20; Intermodal Transportation Center, 1001 Jones St., Fort Worth 76102
* 7 p.m. June 21; Grapevine Community Activities Center, 1175 Municipal Way, Grapevine 76051

The proposed commuter rail route would follow existing rail lines from Fort Worth’s Granbury Road/South Hulen area through downtown area, northeast to Grapevine and into DFW airport. The recommended route would connect to the Trinity Railway Express in downtown Fort Worth. Cities in the corridor area include Colleyville, Fort Worth, Grapevine, Haltom City, Hurst, North Richland Hills and Watauga.

For more information or to make a comment about the Southwest-to-Northeast Rail Corridor project, call 817-215-8785, e-mail info@sw2neRAIL.com or visit www.sw2neRAIL.com.

I can't tell you how huge this could be. While this is being proposed as another commuter rail, this could be a next logical step towards a viable light rail for Fort Worth. Plus, a commuter rail that connects us to this part of the world would be great. I know many people that would love to have the same options that are available to people that commute between Fort Worth and Dallas by rail.

If you have a chance, head down to one of the meetings. If you can't do that, at least e-mail your support so that they know people are interested.

Finally, number one!

2007-06-07T19:31:00.001-06:00

Actually, there are two that are my favorites right now. I've been debating all week which one to give the title to and I still can't decide. Well, I did decide one thing. I'll leave it up to you, my faithful blog reader. Well, all three of you actually... which is nice as that should help alleviate a tie.

Watch both, decide which one you like the best... then vote on it.

Contender number 1:

Team Hoyt, an amazing Father/Son team that is humbling beyond words.

Or, contender number 2:

Just a nice feelgood video that always makes me appreciate not only my life, but those in it that I love... and some that I miss dearly.

Free Hugs

Finally, here's the poll. Don't disappoint me. I need at least three votes to make it count, so everyone that reads this blog needs to step up to the plate!