60 Of One, 130 Of Another

How is it that I rode gravel on Sunday for over 2 hours, no music except the wind in my ears, and rode inside today for an hour, and the times seem to pass at about the same rate? I rode the same gravel route I always do, stopped at the totem pole (Use the blog search for an image) for a Boulevard "Lunar" and rode back home. The gravel was sweet! About 90% snow, with a little gravel sprinkled on top. Made me want a coffee:) and it didn't hurt that I had "On The Loose" by Saga, stuck in my inter cranial MP3! Sometimes I think musicians are cyclists at heart, but that could be a cool post for later, so I'll carry on. (Seriously though, hit the lyrics for that one and read it through.) I rode the trainer today for an hour, no music this time, and it sure felt like a lot longer. Maybe it was the latest project bike staring me down, "Shine my chrome! That bike gets more love than me!" Or the gift wrapping I was allotted to get done, or the million other things I was going to do on my day off? Oh well, wheels were turning at any rate. Still, time passes at alarming rates either way doesn't it? Hoping to enjoy some good family time this week, and hope all your plans unfold for you too. Mike and Amy will hopefully be home Thursday, and my sister will be in town too. That's all the gifts I would ask for. Later!

Green Tires

Does anyone remember a 26" tire from the early 90s that was a green color tread? I'm NOT thinking of Michelins, (although they are my favorite tire ever!) or Geax. These were a skinwall tire, had an arrow or dart tread up front and a block/paddle rear tread, and were a Kevlar bead perhaps? The rubber was a pine green color. I had a pair and couldn't get them to seat onto the rim for crap, so I sent them back. I'm just curious as to the name of them. I feel like I remember "Commando" or "Comanche" or something, but could be way off. I also wish I had my old Tioga Farmer John/Farmer John's Cousins back, just for old time's sake. Panaracer "Smoke/Dart" with Magic rubber, still in the garage. Onza "Racing Porcs", gott'em. (I would kill for a set in the white rubber!) Old tires are weird. I saved the sidewall on my FJ Cousin with some Shoe Goo, got a few extra miles out of them, and then tossed them. ARGHHHH! Oh well, there's a ton of old good junk I wish I had back:( Like my first ever MTB, a yellow Diamond Back Ascent which was sold to me on the premise that if I straddled the bike, and could pull it up an inch before the top tube hit my inseam, then it was the right fit. Seriously? Wish I had the old pair of Duegi shoes that got me through the mud race at Millville in ?'92? even though they were black with neon yellow and hot pink on the tongue. Or my neon green seat leash that I bought in Algona on RAGBRAI. Every purple ano bit I ever had!!!!!! My Mavic "Sunset Ano" rims that were built up with White Industries hubs, rudely eaten by a large stick, ripping the eyelets out of the back rim:( I could go on, but will never get that good old junk back. I guess I'll just have to save more of my current junk huh? Later!

Blog Surfing

OK, I'm probably the last person on Blogger to discover this, but if you go to a blog and hit the "Next Blog>>" button at the top, you will be directed to another blog with bike content. How could I not have known this earlier? So I have become addicted to Blog Surfing and spend a lot of my online time doing it. Should cut down on porn viewing. What? No, I mean bike porn!:) I will compile a list of blogs from the linked blogs on the right, and you can see who your neighbors are. I got in about 35 miles of gravelicious crunching Tuesday. Good thing too, given today's weather! I stress tested my conversion of my poor man's 29er to a 1X6 drop bar monstercross setup. It seems to work well , stayed bolted together, and as I always say on a maiden run, "Bust it or trust it!" Later!
P.S. Find an issue of Outside Magazine and check out the "Parting Shot" on the back page! No, it's not my van, but it could be! I spy a Nishiki Alien on the lower right of the pic, two Schwinn Worlds, a GT-looking frame with a plastic pie-plate, it goes on for ever!

Sadly, I Want This To Work

An indoor trainer. What has this world come to? I bought this fluid trainer and have actually decided that it will be good to have around for the winter. I thought it would be boring (which the first 15 minutes are) but I enjoy tuning out and jamming some tunes. BTW, Def Leppard Pyromania is a gem of beats and tempo:) So anyways, the concern I have is this, should there be this much wear on my tire from 4 hours of riding?

And should there be this much rubber all over the floor from it?

I think that this is what is happening, but have no experience with rollers or trainers to go by. That is, except for the rollers I made about a year ago, but they really never got ridden for long;)

I think that the contact is adjusted right for the start, the counter weight wheel spins just a smidge when the tire rotates against it. But a few minutes into the "ride" the tire expands from heat, and there is too much friction? All I know is, there are no "Bandag Bandit" stickers on my bike, but the rubber sure does fly when I drop the hammer! Any suggestions would be appreciated, I'll run out of trainer tires in a hurry at this rate.

The top image was from a day in October up in Stratford when the hot rodders came to town, and then left in a hurry. Yum, I love the smell of spent rubber and race-octane fuel! Later!

I Guess I Better Paint All Of My Bikes Black?

I just saw this on Craig'slist DSM and got a chuckle out of it. Part creative writing homework, part coherent ramble. Read it and decide for yourself. Just watch out for me as I approach on the wheels of death and fury! "Baddest Tricross ever 4 sale" You gotta see this, trust me.

Veteran's Day

Thanks to all of the Vets in our country who have served in wartime and in peace. You can't have one without the other it seems. This year might be another year where my son's essay for the Ladies Auxiliary of the VFW could win the essay contest. Here it is:

When Is The Right Time To Honor Our Military Heroes?

When is the right time to honor the military heroes that call this nation a home? It's when America is staring down the barrel of the enemy and brave men and women stand to take the bullet for those who can't, for when the bullet strikes, when a loved soldier meets God in the life of eternity. And when he is gone you cry, you're devastated. But you must remember why he did what he did, for you. You must honor what he did for you. You can honor those war time heroes in peace times, sad times, happy times, and especially in the times that they must stand up to protect America and all of the people inside it. So I guess it would be wise and honest to answer this question as follows: The right time to honor your military and all of the people that make it is all the time in every place, way, and time. These men and women deserve America's highest regard for what they do, did, and continue doing. For all the blood shed overseas, and the sad, sad families of lost loved ones. These men and women are the pride of America. For doing what they do. This is why they should be honored at all times of their lives. For those who have a loved one missing in action, don't give up your faith, if they passed on, remember to honor them still as you live your daily life, stop and think, "I'm proud of you!" I honor my military in my heart a lot. What about you? Because as I said before, when is the right time? The right time is all of the time in every place, way, and time. Remember to honor. Honor the soldiers with all of your heart. God Bless America!

I'm going to ride over to my Dad's and visit with him this morning, and go to my Grandfather's grave and sit for a while. Unfortunately, I also have to get my car to the shop for new struts, so my day off will be full. Hope someone out there gets in a good ride! Later!

"Riding For Fun" Season

The need to ride for conditioning is over for me, so I can ride more of my non-traditional bikes now, for the hell of it! And spend time building up bikes out of junkers! Here is an old Huffy Shadow that I started farting around with. It served first as a wheel trueing exercise. The back was a little out, but the front was a mess. So I loosened all of the spokes, tightened until the wobbles were out, then snugged up the rest. So far it's holding, but hasn't had any real cruising on it yet.

I think I like the drop bars better than the drag bars, not sure though. It will also have a 6 speed shifter on the right seat stay, another bolt for the relocated seat post, (gotta get it back and low for the ratty look) and the seat post blacked out. This will be a great bike for cruising to Kum & Go for a pop, or hitting the High Trestle Trail with the boys. Might even get brakes later:)

Here's a brain teaser for you. I was making my Diamond Back poor man's niner into a monster cross setup and found these little spheres somewhere in a metal tube. At first I was stumped as to what they were. Then I cut the round one in half and it became clear. Strange I never heard them rolling around in there until I started the teardown. We'll see how the monsterizing ends up, could be a rideable bike for Jinglecross? More to come on that later. Any idea what these are, and which metal tube they came out of?