On potentially rad bike trips that involve a ton of planning and commitment, where different people are in, and then out, and then the weather looks like shit, and so there's a buncha debate about whether they (we) should or shouldn't throw down, and then other random factors wander into and out of play, there comes a decision point, eventually, that doesn't follow any particular model and that I don't think anyone can effectively predict, but that once arrived at, generates radio silence.
Because at that point, everyone still involved knows for sure that it's going down, and pretty much how, and sets themselves deliberately upon the task at hand. No more talking is necessary. I love this part.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Bucket Down
A good bucket died today.
For no other reason than my vanity. (Sure, there's some functionality involved, but did it really have to be blue?)
Look, I think bike aesthetics are somewhat important. I'm just not sure where the act of murdering an inanimate object (that also looks quite nice) in order to provide a small incremental addition to your (subjective) bike bling scheme lands you, karmically. I suppose that I will find out, and probably not so gently.
In other news, the new tires seem fine. I couldn't begin to tell you if they are awesome or not, but I am fairly confident that they don't suck. There's a good amount of comfort, just in this.
For no other reason than my vanity. (Sure, there's some functionality involved, but did it really have to be blue?)
Look, I think bike aesthetics are somewhat important. I'm just not sure where the act of murdering an inanimate object (that also looks quite nice) in order to provide a small incremental addition to your (subjective) bike bling scheme lands you, karmically. I suppose that I will find out, and probably not so gently.
In other news, the new tires seem fine. I couldn't begin to tell you if they are awesome or not, but I am fairly confident that they don't suck. There's a good amount of comfort, just in this.
Friday, October 10, 2014
Baby Gots New Shoes
Those of you who know me kind of get that I have thrown down on the corporate lifestyle. There was a time not that long ago when it would have made me puke, but it has apparently grown on me, and I have come to really dig the challenge and competition of the playground skirmishes in this sandlot. The most intoxicating part of my current role is potentially having the opportunity to create a better work life for the mechanical engineers and designers that I manage, and I guess in short, that's what drives me.
So with that said, one of the advantages of selling your soul to the devil is that you have a certain amount of fatbike-tire-disposable income.
A corrupted fool and his money are soon parted, then.
The thing is, fatbike tire options are just EXPLODING. There are those options that are available, and those that are in the cue, and those that are a twinkle in daddy's eye. It is an amazing time in the development of fatbike tire options and I am glad that I have a coupla (few hundred) bucks to throw at this crazy developmental dartboard and just try some of this crazy shit out, to bring this post full circle. Since the average price of ONE tire is somewhere between $110 and $130.
Some of the crazy tread designs make really good sense in my mind and others don't, but may, over time, who knows. It's the wild west.
One or more packages have hit my front porch over the last few days and I think it is probably time to just shut up and ride.
So with that said, one of the advantages of selling your soul to the devil is that you have a certain amount of fatbike-tire-disposable income.
A corrupted fool and his money are soon parted, then.
The thing is, fatbike tire options are just EXPLODING. There are those options that are available, and those that are in the cue, and those that are a twinkle in daddy's eye. It is an amazing time in the development of fatbike tire options and I am glad that I have a coupla (few hundred) bucks to throw at this crazy developmental dartboard and just try some of this crazy shit out, to bring this post full circle. Since the average price of ONE tire is somewhere between $110 and $130.
Some of the crazy tread designs make really good sense in my mind and others don't, but may, over time, who knows. It's the wild west.
One or more packages have hit my front porch over the last few days and I think it is probably time to just shut up and ride.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Awesome Sky Tonight
My lame photographic skills can't begin to do it justice, but it was serious.
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Sunday, October 5, 2014
Progress
The concept is sound, but there's some tweakage to be done, upon initial implementation. Tweakage will henceforth occur.
I invite you to use your considerable visualization skills to frame this view with a (blue) fiberglass shell, which is on order. It may or may not get here on time. If it doesn't, we'll get by just fine, but it would be sweet if it did, from both elements and security perspectives.
That space in between the bikes, plus the extended cab space behind the seats is where our other shit will live, which includes the considerable stash of hi-lux base camping gear that will be going along on this trip. Rad.
On a side note, I've decided that I'm going blue and black from here on out. For the rest of my life. Clothes, cars, bikes, food, everything. Along with the same requirement for friends and their shit. Damn good thing that John's bike happens to be blue.
My final rumination is regarding the disparity of cleanliness between the two bikes and who should be more embarrassed about the end of the continuum they are occupying and why. I strongly suspect that there are some truths about myself that I would rather not have unearthed and aired on the interwebz, on this fine, early October evening, and so I will take this opportunity to bid you adieu.
I invite you to use your considerable visualization skills to frame this view with a (blue) fiberglass shell, which is on order. It may or may not get here on time. If it doesn't, we'll get by just fine, but it would be sweet if it did, from both elements and security perspectives.
That space in between the bikes, plus the extended cab space behind the seats is where our other shit will live, which includes the considerable stash of hi-lux base camping gear that will be going along on this trip. Rad.
On a side note, I've decided that I'm going blue and black from here on out. For the rest of my life. Clothes, cars, bikes, food, everything. Along with the same requirement for friends and their shit. Damn good thing that John's bike happens to be blue.
My final rumination is regarding the disparity of cleanliness between the two bikes and who should be more embarrassed about the end of the continuum they are occupying and why. I strongly suspect that there are some truths about myself that I would rather not have unearthed and aired on the interwebz, on this fine, early October evening, and so I will take this opportunity to bid you adieu.
Friday, October 3, 2014
Road Trip Preparedness
This is an exceedingly nerdy post, during which I will also use the adjective 'super' multiple times, which will make it that much more annoying. It will only appeal to an average of about 1 out of 1000 readers and since I only have a total of 7, on average, I recommend that you just move on. If you do choose to proceed then, it's totally on you. Just so we're clear.
The exciting thing is, though, my new-ish truck that I got a little over a year ago has this cargo anchorage system that consists of some extruded aluminum rails that are bolted to the bed. What wasn't apparent to me at the time, is that the rails are compatible with unistrut, which if you have never spent time in the industrial world, is this super-widely-universal modular hardware system normally used for hanging electrical conduit and air and hydraulic and any other kind of lines off of any industrial surface whatsoever. It's not elegant in any way, it's strictly utilitarian. But oy, how elegantly utilitarian it is.
My nephew-in-law, Greg, is this super hard-core industrial electrician. I am not intending to offend anyone who wires houses for a living, but Greg works with high amp/high voltage systems day in and day out and works in the gnarliest, nastiest environments of our modern day, like sawmills and powerplants and all manner of harsh work scenarios. He lives on the road. He could crush you and me, both electrically, and physically.
I am not sure why I felt the need to point that out but at any rate, he has the same truck as me and I like to dream that maybe this somehow puts us in the same stratsophere, which it does not.
Where this super long-winded and rambling train of thought is headed, finally, is that Greg and I were at a family gathering a while back during which he enlightened me about the unistrut compatibility. It was like, a 'wow' moment, and I subsequently stuck this super rad info in my back pocket.
Until tonight, at which time it was finally time for me to go a little crazy in the shop and start to apply this super rad system/principle to my upcoming activities. I'm not sure it will make a lot of sense at this juncture, but when it eventually all plays out, you will be worshiping my creativity and wisdom. Of this much, I am super sure.
I warned you. When will you learn to listen?
The exciting thing is, though, my new-ish truck that I got a little over a year ago has this cargo anchorage system that consists of some extruded aluminum rails that are bolted to the bed. What wasn't apparent to me at the time, is that the rails are compatible with unistrut, which if you have never spent time in the industrial world, is this super-widely-universal modular hardware system normally used for hanging electrical conduit and air and hydraulic and any other kind of lines off of any industrial surface whatsoever. It's not elegant in any way, it's strictly utilitarian. But oy, how elegantly utilitarian it is.
My nephew-in-law, Greg, is this super hard-core industrial electrician. I am not intending to offend anyone who wires houses for a living, but Greg works with high amp/high voltage systems day in and day out and works in the gnarliest, nastiest environments of our modern day, like sawmills and powerplants and all manner of harsh work scenarios. He lives on the road. He could crush you and me, both electrically, and physically.
I am not sure why I felt the need to point that out but at any rate, he has the same truck as me and I like to dream that maybe this somehow puts us in the same stratsophere, which it does not.
Where this super long-winded and rambling train of thought is headed, finally, is that Greg and I were at a family gathering a while back during which he enlightened me about the unistrut compatibility. It was like, a 'wow' moment, and I subsequently stuck this super rad info in my back pocket.
Until tonight, at which time it was finally time for me to go a little crazy in the shop and start to apply this super rad system/principle to my upcoming activities. I'm not sure it will make a lot of sense at this juncture, but when it eventually all plays out, you will be worshiping my creativity and wisdom. Of this much, I am super sure.
I warned you. When will you learn to listen?
Thursday, October 2, 2014
The Monthly BikEVENTure Plan
Jack has become a dull boy. Too much work has left him bike-starved over the last several months. Most all of the 2014 riding season, really.
He wants to do something about it.
Jack is an aspirational a-hole with a great job who is super engaged in the challenge of his work. It's a crazy-tough gig, but he wouldn't trade it for anything, unfortunately. It's pretty much how he's wired.
He does miss his riding though.
And while he can never go back to simpler days, he does have the opportunity and power to adapt, as we all do.
Jack gets all the competitive action he needs at work.
What really turns him on these days, bike-wise, is meandering exploration and high adventure.
Unfortunately, Jack cannot currently envision breaking away for even as much as a week-long trip.
Fortunately, his propensity to embrace the corporate world has left him in a cash flow position that supports short-ish or longer-ish weekend getaways to places of bike interest.
And he thinks/hopes he can get away for a short or long weekend roughly every month.
For something bikey.
And maybe it will be a one day event, or maybe it will be a four day event. But it will be an EVENT, of some sort.
But for sure it will be something adventurous, 'cause dull as Jack seems, adventure is the fire burning somewhere in his belly, or maybe that was the Mexican food he had for lunch.
Monthly BikEVENTures, you see. Says Jack.
So far, this simple-minded plan has shown great promise in Jack's world. He has lost a bit of weight and has taken some baby steps towards a better work-life balance.
More importantly, though, he has somehow carved out a bit of space for bike passion in his life again. Planning and preparation for some semi-regular and potentially rad, upcoming events will apparently do that.
The first such BikeEVENTure was the September Ocean Shores fatbike beach trip this past weekend. Which was wildly successful, relative to plan expectations.
The October one is another fatbike beach/sand deal, that's an even longer road trip and even more highly weather dependent. All part of the adventure.
Simple-minded Jack has not yet thought ahead to November. But he will come up with something, in due time.
Jack loves his solitary time (which he uses to sort out his personal problems) and he also loves company. If you have interest in joining him on any of his adventures, there's always the possibility something could work out. Let me know, and I can put you in touch.
He wants to do something about it.
Jack is an aspirational a-hole with a great job who is super engaged in the challenge of his work. It's a crazy-tough gig, but he wouldn't trade it for anything, unfortunately. It's pretty much how he's wired.
He does miss his riding though.
And while he can never go back to simpler days, he does have the opportunity and power to adapt, as we all do.
Jack gets all the competitive action he needs at work.
What really turns him on these days, bike-wise, is meandering exploration and high adventure.
Unfortunately, Jack cannot currently envision breaking away for even as much as a week-long trip.
Fortunately, his propensity to embrace the corporate world has left him in a cash flow position that supports short-ish or longer-ish weekend getaways to places of bike interest.
And he thinks/hopes he can get away for a short or long weekend roughly every month.
For something bikey.
And maybe it will be a one day event, or maybe it will be a four day event. But it will be an EVENT, of some sort.
But for sure it will be something adventurous, 'cause dull as Jack seems, adventure is the fire burning somewhere in his belly, or maybe that was the Mexican food he had for lunch.
Monthly BikEVENTures, you see. Says Jack.
So far, this simple-minded plan has shown great promise in Jack's world. He has lost a bit of weight and has taken some baby steps towards a better work-life balance.
More importantly, though, he has somehow carved out a bit of space for bike passion in his life again. Planning and preparation for some semi-regular and potentially rad, upcoming events will apparently do that.
The first such BikeEVENTure was the September Ocean Shores fatbike beach trip this past weekend. Which was wildly successful, relative to plan expectations.
The October one is another fatbike beach/sand deal, that's an even longer road trip and even more highly weather dependent. All part of the adventure.
Simple-minded Jack has not yet thought ahead to November. But he will come up with something, in due time.
Jack loves his solitary time (which he uses to sort out his personal problems) and he also loves company. If you have interest in joining him on any of his adventures, there's always the possibility something could work out. Let me know, and I can put you in touch.
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