3-Speed Blog and Occasional Keyboard Shortcut Trading Post

Office Characters

2011-12-21T15:20:00.002-06:00

Fear and Loathing

2011-12-06T10:35:00.001-06:00

I just finished reading "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" by Hunter S. Thompson. A friend of mine, whose opinion I hold highly, recommended this a long time ago. Many years later, I've read it.

A few chapters of drug induced stupidity began to take away my enjoyment of this book, but I stuck with it. Near the end, it was all worth it. By then, I'd come to understand the main character and I enjoyed his critique of American culture and politics. I adapted to his humor and was left laughing out loud in a few places.

I checked out the movie trailer and I don't know if I want the movie to alter my impression of the book.

Did any of you enjoy the book and the movie?

Autumn Lunchtime Off-Road Ride

2011-10-20T15:37:00.000-05:00

I see a pattern in my life: Each fall, I realize that Autumn lunch time rides are one of my favorite activities. Today, I rode at Theodore Wirth park in Minneapolis.

This was a particularly interesting ride for two reasons: a guy crashed right ahead of me on the trail and probably dislocated his shoulder. I tried to help him, but he managed to walk back on his own and we were not far from the parking lot.

I assume his tires lost traction on some leaves. The leaves are covering the trail and the dirt is dry and hard with lots of shiny roots exposed.

Then a little while later, I smacked my foot on a trail-side tree and my shoe came off but stayed clipped into the pedal.

Cuyuna Off-Road Trails

2011-10-17T19:54:00.001-05:00

I rode Cuyuna Lakes State Trails this weekend with some friends. We've traveled to the Chequamegon trails in past years, but decided to try these because they've gotten such great reviews. The reviews are right on -- these are fantastic trails. The videos and photos don't do them justice. If you have a chance, ride these trails. No matter what your skill level, you'll like them. The trail system is built like a downhill ski area: green, blue, and black trails.

My favorite trail was the Sandhog loop. It had the toughest climb, the best hilltop view, and one of the best downhills.

New bike for me

2011-07-05T09:46:00.002-05:00

I bought a Surly Cross Check from Hiawatha. I added my Brooks Imperial and aluminum VO fenders. I also got a great deal on a Tubus rack.
This bike cures the ills of my old one and rides like a dream, whatever that means. I don't really care about the "why" right now. I'm happy riding and that's the important thing.

20 Miles for Me

2011-05-30T15:52:00.000-05:00

It's Memorial Day and I took a slow, meandering ride that amounted to 20 miles or so. This is my longest ride of the year and I had no complaints from the ankle. This is very good news for me.

I installed a Brooks Imperial saddle on the Davidson 650B conversion. The saddle seems comfortable, but only time will tell.

I apologize for the bad fender lines. This bike has no fender mounts. I used p-clamps and zip ties. I'm considering having real mounts installed and a repaint.

Recovery Status

2011-05-25T11:24:00.000-05:00

I had surgery to remove a bone growth from my ankle about six weeks ago. I've been out of the immobilizer boot (a cast you can take off when you want) and walking like a normal person for a couple weeks. I've been taking small bike rides during which I've found riding to be more comfortable than walking. I'm going to start building up the ride distance a little every day.

During the down time, I've continued a couple bike projects. I bought a CETMA 7-Rail rack from a Craig's List seller for $75. It's new. The rack didn't fit her bike so it sat unused. I'm the winner on that one. I have to decide which bike it should go on. I just set the rack on top of this little Bianchi folder (why the hell did I buy that?) and it would fit nicely. I also tried it on my 29er off-road bike and it appears the rack would fit it also. I think the CETMA is very adaptive.

I also have been "normalizing" some of my bikes so I can sell them. For example, I removed the dirt-drop style bars from my Novara Buzz and installed straight bars. It's getting a triple crankset and smooth tires. I hope this makes it attractive to more people. Are you working on any projects right now?

Porteur Racks

2011-04-27T21:28:00.001-05:00

This is not my bike. This is a photo I grabbed from the internet showing a type of rack that I'm interested in for my bike.

I've been looking at front racks that provide a flat surface on which to place your load. There aren't that many out there. I found the following, most of them are pretty expensive. The ones made by hand are the most expensive and I'm sure they are worth the price. Please let me know what others are available.

VeloOrange
CETMA
Paul Flatbed
Civia Pizzeria
Pass and Stow
Pret a Porteur (this one is my one of my favorites)
Henbrow Frame Fixing Rack (I like the mounting of this one)

I found a couple do-it-yourself versions too:
Instructables
Bicycle Quarterly (you have to buy this issue to get the plans)

Some of you may remember that I had a wire basket mounted on top of a narrow front rack. I liked the setup, but I want something less restrictive regarding the load shape and size. A basket limits you to the shape of the basket.

Transporting Coffee while using Crutches

2011-04-27T19:31:00.000-05:00

The biggest problem with wearing an immobility boot and using crutches is the problem of carrying coffee from the kitchen to my rat's nest (that's what I'm calling the area I've taken over in the TV room). Here's my solution: I pour the fresh coffee in a thermos, put the thermos in a backpack, put the backpack on, then carry it to the rat's nest for drinking.

My New Shoe

2011-04-17T19:00:00.000-05:00

This is my new shoe, just for the right foot. I've been watching lots of Netflix and reading. The surgery went well -- so far. I could still get an infection though. The doctor didn't need to cut me open, he used a "scope."

The Kids

2011-04-15T10:38:00.000-05:00

I gave my daughter a black eye last week with a baseball while playing catch. I really felt like crap because no parent likes to see their kid hurt especially when the parent is the cause of the injury.

The only way to avoid childhood injuries is to keep our kids in the house all the time. Since that's not an option, I'll just have to worry silently and let then be kids.

My son rides his bike to school and it worries the shit out of me, because there are lots of people driving cars who aren't taking it as seriously as they should. If their kids were out on the road, I'm sure they'd be more careful.

I remember being injured quite a few times when I was kid -- bicycling, skateboarding, and fights.

This is a link to a blog post in which the author's kid crashes into a tree. It feel sad for the dad.

Saturday's HC Ride (April 9, 2011)

2011-04-12T17:52:00.001-05:00

Last Saturday's HC ride took us, among other places, to the current end of the Cedar Lake Trail. The city is building an extension that will take it all the way to the Mississippi River and the extension is almost complete.

This photo shows the group reaching the end point and turning around.

Here we've gathered after the turn around and are discussing Raleigh decals or something.

Here we are discussing which brake levers fit best on Lauterwasser handlebars.

Here we are discussing which one of us is dressed better.

We stopped at the Astor Cafe which has changed to table service -- a bit more upscale. We all decided to give up drinking coffee, at least until the next morning.

After the ride we stopped at Hiawatha Cycles. Someone asked how far we'd ridden and no one knew. I suspect it was more than 15 miles and less than 25. Some of the riders continued on and rode much further.

Raleigh Sports for Me

2011-03-27T17:37:00.001-05:00

I bought a Raleigh Sports today at MMRB's 3-speed sale. The bike needs a seat and tire work before I can ride it. I'll even do a little more. I don't have any plans to make it look like a showroom beauty. I want a rider.

I recently bought some Lauterwasser bars from Soma Fab. I may install them on this bike -- the bars need to go somewhere.

Why do all these old bikes that have lived undisturbed in garages have hair wrapped around the pedal spindles? It's a little gross. Click on that photo to see a large version of ugly.

Someone used a shoestring to keep the hub shell clean. What are those things called? A hub shiner? That sounds dirty.

I really want a pair of Panaracer Col de la Vie tires for this. Who has them in stock? I should just go to Hiawatha and have them order a pair for me. I've been thinking of a bike just like this for a couple years and Panaracer Col de la Vie tires have been part of my vision all along. Without them, I have failed this bike.

A Personal Note

2011-03-24T10:24:00.000-05:00

I'm having surgery next month to remove a floating, bone growth from my ankle. I thought I had a bad Achilles tendon, but that was wrong. This has been a problem for two-and-a-half years. During that time, I've gone from an active, sporting cyclist to a plodding, occasional rider. I'm hopeful that I'll return to my old self after healing from the surgery.

I won't say much more about this, but I thought I'd reveal this to those of you who may be interested. The rest of you can just ignore this.

The growth is officially known as a Haglund's deformity. That has a nice sound, doesn't it? If you look it up, I want you to know that I don't wear pumps.

BBC Bicycle Photo Album

2011-03-11T07:30:00.002-06:00

I like this photo album of bicycles provided by the BBC.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-12668503

CRC Closing

2011-02-24T10:37:00.000-06:00

I'm disappointed to see that CRC Coffee Shop is closing. I had lots of good pints of coffee in there and I even bought a bike there. I don't live in the neighborhood so I didn't visit as often as I wanted.

They served their coffee in pint beer glasses. I like that and have adopted the same thing at home. Watch out, though, that pint glass i shot!

2011 Twin Cities Bike Swap

2011-02-04T08:27:00.002-06:00

Anybody going to the bike swap this Sunday? I'm going and if you want to share a ride, let me know.

Sunday February 13, 2011
9AM – 2PM
Schwan Event Center
National Sports Center, Blaine MN

Portlandia, a TV Series

2011-02-01T12:30:00.004-06:00

I've watched two episodes of IFC's sketch comedy series Portlandia. One of the sketches had a bike messenger riding through the streets screaming about cyclists rights. It was pretty funny especially if you know any militant cyclists. I can't find the entire sketch, but the trailer for the series includes most of it. Watch it by following this link:

http://www.ifc.com/videos/portlandia-the-city-of-portland.php

EXIF Data

2011-01-26T15:33:00.004-06:00

This is an experiment. I'm trying to find out how to extract GPS coordinates from a photo's EXIF data when the photo has been posted online.

Saturday Bike Work during a Snow Storm

2010-11-13T19:11:00.007-06:00

I installed a front rack on my Maruishi today. The rack is a Berthoud I bought used from Kevin at Hiawatha. I can't resist putting French stuff on my bike. In the past, I've installed Berthoud fenders that are still there and an Ideale saddle. The saddle was the most effective form of torture known to man. The CIA bought it from me and I'm living off the proceeds.

The rack also has a built-in light mount. This is convenient for me because it gets stuff off my already crowded handlebars and mounts the light in a position that prevents the light from being blocked by a handlebar bag. You might be wondering what other stuff I have mounted

on my handlebars. I have a blinking light, a coffee-cup holder, two computers (one in kilometers and the other in miles), a bell, and a perch for my bird. The bird is really my daughter's, but the bird likes me best.

The light I mounted works with a dyno hub and I already own one of those. I've had the Shimano dyno hub for a couple years and have never liked the amount of drag that I noticed. I immediately thought the bearings were too tight, but everyone assured me that's not a problem. I accepted that for a couple years until recently I read an iBob post by a guy who adjusted his Shimano dyno hub bearings and found it reduced the apparent drag.

With this in mind, I adjusted the hub and holy shit! it made a noticeable difference. Now, I've got the whole rig installed: rack, light, and dyno hub.

Does anyone have a decaleur for sale? I initially intended to install a basket on this rack, but it's so cool that I changed my mind and I want a proper French-looking handlebar bag that mounts with a decaleur . The real reason for this is that it will allow me say Berthoud and decaleur in the same sentence. Both of those words sound really cool when spoken with an exaggerated French accent, which I will use. After speaking this sentence, I may find my tongue in a knot, but I'm willing to risk it.

Tomorrow I install the Nokians because it snowed today. I've also have a Huret rear derailleaur in a box somewhere.

The last photo shows the most important tool on the bench and it's not the Allen wrenches -- it's the reading glasses. They let me see what the hell I'm working on.

Errands on the Way Home Today

2010-11-11T19:02:00.003-06:00

I like the walk-in ATM access at the bank. It means I don't have to lock my bike outside and this saves me time.

I also like orange bikes. I sat on the one in back and I think it has the most uncomfortable saddle ever, a real ass hatchet.

It's dark, remember your lights.

Do Klingons have Xmas?

2010-11-08T13:56:00.003-06:00

My wife found this flyer at a local coffee shop. I don't like their coffee or prices, so I won't give them a plug, even if my blog only has .5 readers.

Isn't this flyer fascinating?

I'm not questioning the legitimacy of this event, but the name "Commedia Beauregard" made me wonder and caused me to imagine the possibility that a prankster could produce flyers like this just for amusement. I apologize to anyone associated with this production if they take offense.

I realize I can do a search or two and quickly find out if this is legit, but I think I'll leave it as a mystery for now -- it's more fun that way.

Fixed Gear, Off-Road Riding

2010-11-01T10:18:00.002-05:00

I've been taking a little cutoff lately that includes a dirt trail. This is pretty fun on the fixed-gear bike. The trail is not technical with only a couple roots and rocks to maneuver around. I had only one pedal strike.

Next, a fixed-gear, off-road tandem?

Little Things

2010-10-28T17:11:00.004-05:00

It's the little things that matter, although big things matter too.

Either way, I changed the brake pads on my fixie (that's what other people call it) and now it stops like someone threw a stick in the front wheel. The close up photo also exposed lots of ugliness that appears when a bike doesn't get cleaned very often.

Old pad

New pad

What is this Giant Antenna?

2010-10-26T07:55:00.003-05:00

Tell me what this is? I saw it on my ride home. The van had no markings.

It looks like something I've seen when the Fox news station parks at the local lake after a drowning.

Photo Collage

2010-10-19T18:38:00.006-05:00

For several months, when I upload photos, I get the "float" attribute included automatically, regardless of the layout I chose. I'll have to look up the easy cure for this. I'm tired of removing "float" from the tags.

The Golden City -- not really, it's just Minneapolis at sunrise.

The Saturday Hiawatha Cyclery ride ate at a place with chandeliers. They'll probably be "full" next time we arrive.

Twirly swirly (overly saturated, grass field under stadium lights)

Minneapolis bus speeding through an intersection (probably has cyclists stuck in the wheel wells)

A red Cadillac that caught my eye

Typical Fall Bike Photo

2010-10-11T10:19:00.003-05:00

Here's my contribution to the collection of fall bike photos. I took this on what might be my slowest ride ever to work. My legs are tired.

I got my fixed gear pretty much setup and I look forward to riding it more than my other bikes.

HC Ride, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2010

2010-10-10T12:41:00.004-05:00

Before Saturday's HC ride, I rode to Ft. Snelling and saw a flock of turkeys. I want to call them a herd, because they don't do much flying. Anyway, I expected them to flee when I got close, but they hung around.

We ate at the Aster Cafe. They have great food and coffee in a nice setting.

Saturday, Oct. 2 HC Ride

2010-10-03T08:44:00.004-05:00

I took a strange route to the start of yesterday's HC ride.

Riders are gathering and chatting about the finer points of Nervex lugs and bike routes.

A bike ready for groceries or hunting.

A really nice Raleigh that I shot from the non-drive side on purpose. I've thought about conking the owner of this bike on the head and stealing the bike. It's that nice. The owner keeps wine in the handlebars (pretty smart, huh?).

Some guys got cold before the ride started, so they staged a coup and moved into the sun.

This guy rides a different bike every week.

We ate at Victor's Cafe in Minneapolis. They have fantastic Cuban food.

This is the nastiest port-a-crapper in existence. It was nearly overflowing and that was not the worst of it. But going in one of these beats getting a public indecency charge any day.

Ride Home Photos

2010-10-01T18:25:00.003-05:00

I really dread this intersection. The cars from the left are coming off the interstate and they usually pull into the bike crossing without looking as they are preparing for a quick right turn on red while still rolling.

This is on the Vento Bridge --Minneapolis in the background. It was a nice ride home, very nice.

New Pedals and Bureau of Mines

2010-09-28T19:18:00.004-05:00

Old pedals bent.

New pedals not bent. New pedals shiny too.

This is the second set of bent pedals I've replaced this year. I'll attribute it to bad luck and crappy, used parts.

This is the abondoned Bureau of Mines facility in Minneapolis, near Ft. Snelling. It has always fascinated me that this dump is allowed to exist. I bet the cops spend too much time out there running off partying kids and ne'r-do-wells.

This is Coldwater Spring. It's located within the Bureau of Mines facility.

Found Items

2010-09-27T08:37:00.005-05:00

I found a Surly beer cooler sleeve on yesterday's ride. If it's yours let me know and then I can think of you when I drink a beer.

A few weeks ago, I found this Park tool kit.

I also found a fire hydrant.

Weekend Photos

2010-09-23T09:25:00.004-05:00

We went to a farmers market on Sunday morning. What would you do with all these habeneros? Lots of vendors had baskets of these. I'd take a few, but I don't need a basket of them.

I went on a ride with my wife on Sunday afternoon. It was the best ride I've had in a long time. Here's the fixed gear next to a newish fountain at the Wabun Picnic area near Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis.

I did not crash and felt more at home on the fixed-gear bike. It needs fenders.

Murphy Ride

2010-09-18T18:32:00.004-05:00

This photo didn't do the job I expected. So I'll tell my side of the story. Today turned out to be a beautiful day in many ways. One of which is that the local off-road trails dried out and I rode my favorite -- Murphy Hanrehan in Savage, MN.

This trail is mostly a woodsey sexperience. The trail throws you into a prairie or two and the contrast between woods and prairie is breathtaking. The prairie portions are short and that makes them especially striking.

The only thing that could have improved on the ride was if I had planned ahead and found someone to ride with.

I accidentally type "sexperience" when I meant "experience." I started to correct my error and decided to leave it as a fun malaprop.

Minneapolis Diagonal Trail

2010-09-17T14:21:00.002-05:00

I like this view, but I don't take the time to stop and enjoy. I ride through it almost every time I ride my bike to work. I have to watch out as I take the left-hand curve at this intersection -- it's a blind turn and often I see other cyclists coming around corner. If someone is not paying attention, we'll have some bike-on-bike action.

Weekend Things

2010-09-16T09:12:00.007-05:00

This is a photo of Jim (Hiawatha Cycles) riding his very specialized tandem. He's got a kiddie crank setup on the stoker position, an Xtracycle installed with a seat for a kid, and he's pulling a baby trailer. He doesn't get going very fast, but it allows him to bring all his kids on the ride. I hope his wife appreciates what gem he is.

This is a photo of an over-the-top cupcake/birthday cake thing. What is that? A snail with legs or a caterpillar carrying a rock on its back?

We ate it anyway.

Newest Misc. Photos from Bike Rides

2010-09-08T20:24:00.006-05:00

I've been taking photos with a new cell phone camera. If I remember to respect the light, it takes pretty good photos. The video is good too, but it's tough to hold such a small device still.

Here's my single-speed bike with a broken freewheel. I discovered this in the first mile of Saturday's Hiawatha ride.

If you look closely at the photo, you will see the freewheel hanging loose. Later in the day, I converted it to a fixed gear and then crashed. Maybe fixed gear riding isn't for me. How can I unlearn 40 some years of coasting whenever I want? If you have some experience with this subject, let me know what you think. I'm not sure it's possible to unlearn very old habits, but I enjoy riding the fixed gear bike and want to make it work for me.

Dramatic skies make better photos. Look at the plants blowing in the strong wind.

This was a sunrise shot with the sun at my back (long shadow).

I turned around and looked into the sun for this photo. Can you see the people down the path? They were kissing when I passed them a couple minutes later. It was about 7 AM.

This was another windy day. I saw quite a few riders on the Minneapolis Light Rail bike path so I pulled out the phone and caught a couple of them then the train rolled by. You can see the riders struggling against the north wind. It was a fun ride in the other direction.

Funny Contraption

2010-08-28T12:53:00.000-05:00

This thing made me smile:

http://www.glidecycle.com/videos.html

Lots of Misc Photos

2010-08-28T12:06:00.004-05:00

I try to take a few photos while on my rides and here's a miscellaneous sample:

This guy is lucky to be alive. I was traveling the same route as him and a couple blocks before this intersection, he was almost hit by a car as he ran a red light. He skidded, the car skidded and they avoided each other by a small margin. I guess he decided to stop at this light.

Minneapolis recently installed public rental bikes all over the city. Here is one of the racks. I pass six of them on my way to work. Some racks have lots of bikes and others are almost empty. I see a few of them on the trails. I'd like to try one someday. They look really sturdy.

I saw this sign and mural behind a restaurant on Lake Street in Minneapolis. Look at the shrimp who appears happy to sacrifice itself for your dinner and the bizarrely shaped bicycle. It says Nike on the seat.

Clean Streets

2010-08-13T10:58:00.004-05:00

It rained heavily last night and I found all the broken glass washed from the streets this morning on my late ride into work. This tree was down across the Minneapolis Diagonal Trail.

12 Year Old DUI

If you’d like a laugh, take a minute to read the linked article about the drunk 12-year old. It’s one those that should appear in News of the Weird.

Catching Up on Projects

2010-08-06T10:36:00.004-05:00

I installed a new Tektro brake on the rear end of my 3-speed and it works. Previously I'd tried new pads, different cable and housing combos, and different brake levers, but nothing made that rear brake work well enough to count. Now it does.

I attended Minnecycle with the Hiawatha bunch. It was fun and I wanted to buy a couple hand made frames. It's something to think about.

This is a Capricorn single speed.

This is my bike rack. I built it from left over lumber and PVC plumbing pipe. The photo would be more helpful if I'd parked a bike in the rack.

A parting thought:

"Don'tmistake my silence for approval of what you're doing."

Kayak Trailer for a Bicycle

2010-07-15T16:25:00.004-05:00

I enjoy kayaking at a lake that's about a mile from my house. I've been strapping the kayak to the roof of my van, driving to the lake, paying for parking, and unloading the kayak. When I'm done paddling, I have to reverse process and it's a bit of a hassle loading and unloading the kayak on the roof of the mini van. I don't like paying for parking and I really dislike wasting gasoline.

Here's my solution. I converted the old kids trailer into a kayak trailer. I cut the trailer's tongue in half and installed a 7-foot extension. I used PVC pipe as the extension. It was, as you might expect, a bit wobbly. So I added a steel pipe inside the PVC pipe. This corrected the problem.

It's a perfect reuse of a trailer.

New 3-Speed Shifter SLS30

2010-07-15T16:16:00.005-05:00

I installed the new Sturmey 3-speed, bar-end shifters on my Raleigh Sprite a couple weeks ago. I also changed to a set of randoneur-style bars and Mafac levers. The previous bars were fine, but I wanted to try something different. I previously had a pair of black, Tektro aero brake levers on this bike. They worked just fine, but they were out of place.

I've been trying to dream up an appropriately clever description of how out of place they are, but I realized the reality of putting black, aero levers on a '76 Raleigh 3-speed stands by itself with no clever comparisons necessary.

The three changes are really nice. I love riding this bike. The randoneur bars are very comfortable. I think they were the original ergonomic bars. The levers feel nice and the shifter is perfect. The shifter clicks are more positive and the movement between each click is less mushy than the original shifter.

A couple people have told me they thought the shifter would only work on the Sturmey Archer SX3 fixed hub. I found out that Sturmey has two 3-speed, bar-end shifters. I have the SLS30 which is intended for the AW hub. Just in case you wanted to know, the shifter intended for the 3-speed, fixed hub is the SLSX R3B.

Her-Cu-Matic (how do you capitalize that?)

2010-05-27T20:21:00.002-05:00

I rode the Lake Pepin 3-Speed Tour last weekend. My ankle seems fine as I was able to ride the grueling slog without pain.

I have a few photos that I hope to post. This is the one that caught my eye as I browsed through the photo collection today.

I want to invent something so I can create a name for the invention similar to the Her-Cu-Matic in the photo -- the Rig-o-matic or something similar.

No Serial Number?

2010-05-18T08:04:00.005-05:00

Update: I found the serial number on this bike, thanks to this linked website. However, the paint is applied so heavily that I can't read the number. Instead, I recorded the Minneapolis bike registration sticker numbers. 1981-83: 2027124, 1978-80: 8051375

When this bike is out of the bomb shelter and on the road, it can only mean one thing; the Lake Pepin 3-Speed Tour is near.

In an effort to continue recording serial numbers of my bikes, I tried to find one on this machine. But I can't find it. I can't find one on my other 3-speed either.

The presence of this little house along my ride to work can only mean one thing; it's spring and I've ridden along the sidewalk that borders the golf course.

Here's an Interesting Idea

2010-05-01T21:17:00.003-05:00

This conversion fork is impressive.

http://www.jacobsgreen.com/

How Many Butts Fit on This?

2010-04-29T15:07:00.002-05:00

I saw this multi-seat bike a few days ago in Minneapolis (near Portland and 32nd Street). I bet some of you know the story on this thing?

Today's Lunchtime Ride

2010-04-23T15:10:00.002-05:00

Here are a few photos from my lunchtime ride.

I found a totem pole on a very familiar trail that I haven't been on since last fall.

Bike Inventory

2010-04-21T18:47:00.007-05:00

I've always wanted to create an inventory of my bikes and record the serial numbers, in case one is stolen.

These are most of the bikes that were sitting in the garage when I showed up with motivation and a camera. I missed two of them that were slouching in the corner and there are a few more in the bomb shelter.

Yokota Twin Peaks Tandem - T9108252

Wife's RB2 - 520223
Davidson (I couldn't find the serial number)

Raleigh Sprite - MN02711-131770 (This is hand-etched on the chain guard. I couldn't find a factory SN.)

Novara Buzz - F05031954
Fisher Sugar 293 - WTU013TO 32V
Dahon Helios - TGO111183
Maruishi Wanderer - GH73128
I had this one repainted last winter and it wears mostly new components. I'll install fenders soon. I wish I had a silver rack. If I find a nice one, I'll spring for it.

3-Speed Fixed Gear

2010-04-08T08:21:00.002-05:00

I rode a bike with a Sturmey Archer S3X hub last night. It was really nice. I noticed a little lash, but it shifted smoothly and I could imagine enjoying fix-gear riding more if I had one of these. I have no plans to get one though.
This photo is not flopped. The drive train is on the left side of the bike. Cool.

I got this chance because I returned a couple frame straightening tools I had borrowed from Bikesmith Design. Mark (Bikesmith Design) had recently assembled this bike and allowed me to ride it.

I'll post photos of my straightening work soon.

Found While Riding

2010-03-24T09:52:00.003-05:00

I found an ankle strap on this morning's ride. Coincidentally, the other day, I decided I needed one of these.

1st Ride to Work in More than a Year

2010-03-19T14:50:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, I rode my bike to work for the first time in more than a year. It was good.

I had to ride my third-string bike. The starter bike is still not built after being repainted and the backup bike had an awful noise coming from the bottom bracket. I think the noise is cause to overhaul the BB bearings. I didn't jump into that job because it's a cottered crank. I need new cotters and the loan or purchase of a cotter press. What if it needs more parts than just bearings and cotters?

Each winter, I have big plans to finish bike projects during my down time, but it never happens. Then spring arrives and I hurry to complete my projects.

Here's my list of bike projects (this will help me remember):

Straighten fork on folding bike
Overhaul BB on three speed
Finish rebuilding Maruishi
Finish converting cross bike to geared machine
Sell single-speed road bike (install bar tape, tires, other small items)
Sell coaster-brake cruiser

I just saw a bike on Craig's List that I have wanted for a long time.

p.s. I removed comment moderation. What the heck was I thinking anyway?

3-Speed Barend Shifter is Here

2010-01-28T17:30:00.006-06:00

Here's my 3-speed, bar-end shifter. I may be one of the few people who owns one of these right now. I'm guessing most people don't want to own one, but I won't let that diminish my pleasure.

This means I'm an early adopter -- a term that rarely describes me. Although, it's questionable whether the term should be used to describe someone who buys a slightly different version of a 3-speed shifter. It's like buying a laser sight for your muzzleloader or a like putting grandpa in a Wolverine mask for Halloween.

I apologize for the blown out flash thing in the photo. I'll do better next time.

Stuffed Dog

2010-01-27T08:13:00.004-06:00

I found this photo on my cell phone. I'd forgotten that I'd taken it back in the fall.

It's a giant stuffed dog that someone abandoned in the woods behind the parking lot at work. This dog is about four feet high. It's so big that someone could be living in it.

I wish I had someone stand next to it to provide scale.

Russian Brides

2010-01-27T07:56:00.002-06:00

Every morning I look over my spam mail folder before deleting the contents. At a glance, I can quickly determine the latest favorite topic of the spammers. Lately, I've seen lots of watch and jewelry spam. If you know me, you know that I don't go for that stuff.

I've also seen lots of Russian bride spam. I mentioned this to my coworkers and we all think it might be a nice idea to bring a helper into the house. Don't you think it would be nice to have someone dedicated to keeping the house in order? Maybe she could teach the kids a new language too?

I searched for "Russian brides" on the Google and found lots of hits. I'm surprised how beautiful they all are. Who would have known that all Russian women look like pro football cheerleaders in their underwear?

If we bring one of these brides into our house, we'll let her know that she has to wear less revealing clothing.

An Adjustable Stem Would be Nice

2010-01-25T08:40:00.002-06:00

Take a look at this adjustable stem listed on ebay. I've always wanted one, but I bet this goes for a fortune.

3-Speed Bar End Shifter on the Way to Me

2010-01-23T22:16:00.004-06:00

I ordered one of these the other day. I intend to put it on my orange three speed and mate it to a to-be-built 3-speed hub. That will be the coolest setup ever.
Thanks to SOMA for bringing these in stock and I grabbed the image from their site.

Strangest Conditions Ever

2010-01-23T22:11:00.002-06:00

I rode today in the strangest conditions I've ever experienced. We have a layer of snow and ice on the side streets and bike trails and it's raining. The layer of ice has nearly turned to slush and goo. Riding on it is very similar work to riding in sand. It's hard work. I put in an hour of riding today and found I enjoyed the work -- happy misery, if that makes any sense.

I'm guessing the temps will drop below freezing and turn it into a skating rink very soon.

The single speed is working nicely, but the slush made me want a lower gear.

Vista

2010-01-22T08:37:00.003-06:00

Vista has installed two updates in the last two days. The updates sometimes take a moment and don't require a restart. Other times, they take a long time to download, install, and then require a long restart. This eats up lots of my time. I wish they could bundle them so I don't see them two days in a row. They don't often happen back to back, but my laptop's update history shows it happens once in a while.

Generally, I believe the updates are important for security reasons. That's why I don't delay installing them unless I'm in the middle of something.

After each update, I look at the update history to see what's been installed. Today, I counted the updates that have been installed through 2009.

Guess how many?

How did you guess?

66. That's right, I saw 66 packages of updates last year. Many of the updates contained several smaller updates (sub-updates?).

Disclaimer: I use the computer my employer provided and it has Vista installed. They were going to upgrade to Windows 7, but they might be purchasing new computers. I guess that's what prevented us from upgrading.

Snow Bike or Mike Hatch Lives!

2010-01-18T08:47:00.004-06:00

Here's my current winter bike. I installed the coroplast fenders the other night. That's a fun project. It only takes a few minutes and the results are significant. I used Mike Hatch campaign signs, just in case you wondered. I have a Colleen Rowley sign too.

As Seen on TV

2010-01-18T08:37:00.005-06:00

We discovered this product while shopping for a gag gift for my wife's birthday. (The expression "gag gift" raises my eyebrows. Maybe the expression has a replacement.)

My son thinks it's ironic that the tool designed to help you "stop struggling with those stubborn plastic packages" is sold inside one of those darned plastic packages.
The woman on the packaging who is using her teeth to open the package must be a real tiger.

Painted Maruishi

2010-01-10T19:32:00.004-06:00

I picked up my Maruishi touring frame from the painter this afternoon. It looks great. I think it looks too nice to take into the snow, salt, and wetness. I'll build it and ride it when the roads are clean again.

I doubt this frame looked this good new.

I also traveled with the Hiawatha crew to Madison, WI for the Cronometro bike swap. I bought brakes and a seatpost for the Maruishi to replace the broken down parts that were on it. These items were exactly the ones I wanted (NOS Diacompe cantilevers and a Suntour Superbe 26.8 seatpost). I almost bought a new crankset for it, but I waited too long and someone beat me to it.

Paint the Bike

2010-01-01T12:38:00.005-06:00

I took my Maruishi commuter frame to a local guy for paint. I chose silver and I'm looking forward to seeing it with a new finish. I'll post a photo or two when I get it back -- maybe this weekend.

In the meantime, I cleaned my basement workshop. It's still cluttered and embarrassing, but now at least it's functional. After cleaning the workshop, I installed studded tires on the single-speed road bike I built. I have to admit, I'm not eager to get out in the ice ruts even with the studded tires.

I took some photos of the work area and this gives me a chance to show off the results of my new flash unit. I received it as a present recently. It really makes photos of people look much better if I use the bounce flash feature.

Here's my pile of discarded tires. They are all in good shape, but I won't ride them again.

Return to Cycling

2009-12-22T08:47:00.003-06:00

I just finished a spirited 45 minute spinning class at the local YMCA. I had no Achilles heel issues, so I think the ankle is healed. I feel as if I could ride to work if my bike was ready.

I disassembled my commuter bike to have it repainted. It's the only bike that has clearance for studded tires and I'm not riding without those, so I'll have to wait until I get the bike back together. Until then, I'll try a few more spinning classes.

Maybe someone will buy me a Pugsley for xmas. Pugleys don't need studs.

Status of Me

2009-01-24T13:52:00.004-06:00

I am explaining, just in case someone is curious, why I haven't blogged lately.

I've been pretty busy with work and don't have as much free time as I need to fit in blogging. This will change pretty soon and I'll be back at the freetime keyboard.

I've been trying to take photos of my daughter's cockatiel for a couple months now. I've probably taken 50 photos of him. They are never very good. He is almost always in motion. He is not interested in posing. His gray color mushes into his normal backgrounds.

Out of all those photos, this is the best. I think I'll try to put him in front of something colorful that will help his shape stand out. In this photo, I blurred the background which helped him show up better. His name is Milo and he's a nice little bird. He spends lots of time out of his cage, sitting on someone's shoulder.

A Bicycling Curiosity

2009-01-02T17:15:00.006-06:00

I received this saddle a couple of years ago in a mass purchase of saddles. The logo says, "Rido" and has no other markings, not even the country of origin.

I never rode it (why would I?) and had no plans to until recently. An author of an article in Velovision magazine said he found it a very comfortable saddle that he used on his everyday bike. I'd never seen the saddle anywhere else, so I was interested by his recommendation.

One important thing mentioned by the article's author is that unlike many other new-fangled saddle designs, this one has a nose and the nose is important for steering your bike.

I pulled the saddle out of the parts box and washed it off. I noticed the yellow part is hard plastic and the blue portion is flexible rubber. I may give it a try if I find a suitable bike. The bike would need to provide an upright position and be colorful. Perhaps a clown bike would do.

I'll let you know what I think about it after I ride it. Until then, please don't order large quantities of them, OK?

4-Speed Again

2008-12-30T13:33:00.011-06:00

This is the third time I've converted this bike to an internal gear (Sturmey Archer 4-speed). Maybe I've gotten it right this time.

I've had two problems using internal gear hubs with this bike in the past. The hub slips in the drop outs as if I hadn't tightened the axle nuts enough. This happens no matter how tight I make them.

The second problem is this bike has short horizontal drop outs. I haven't measured them, but they are just short enough to make it difficult to get the chain tension correct with certain cog/chain ring combinations. It seems that the ones I've tried are all difficult ones.

I've tried a few cures, but they didn't work. I mentioned this to Bikesmith and he sold me these beautifully made Sturmey Archer anti-rotation washers shown in the photo below. Previously, I'd only used stamped washers with a single "tooth." The new ones provide more surface area for the hub to bite into the drop outs. The new ones looked like they'd work, but they made the second problem worse by shortening the effective length of the drop outs. I tried this anyway and couldn't get the chain tight enough to stop the chain from jumping off the cog. So I put a rear derailleur back on the bike a month or so ago.

Compare my drop outs shown below with the array of drop outs shown on Sheldon's website (scroll down to the entry for drop outs). If my bike had long drop outs, setting chain tension would be easy.

A few days ago, I decided to try the anti-rotation washers again and add the chain tensioner mentioned in the last post. I installed it all today and gave it a ride. It seems to work. I've learned, however, that it'll take more time on the road to determine if it slips. Last year, I had it working until I installed clipless pedals in the spring. Then it started slipping again. I have hope for this setup though.

It's snowing and there are lots of ice ruts hidden under the snow. This prevented me from really putting the pressure on the pedals. It's time for skiing anyway.

Back from Vacation & New Bike Project

2008-12-29T18:33:00.006-06:00

I returned from vacation. My family and I traveled to see my dad and brother. I had secret dreams of getting out on a bike, any old bike would do, but it didn't work out.

I'll share a few photos out of the hundreds I took. The digital camera gives me more freedom to experiment with photos and one or two of them turned out nicely.

Back home, I tried to ride my winter commuter and found the new chain rusted into an orange mess. I tried to loosen up the stiff links with oil and by gently bending it sideways. I didn't see much improvement. The bike is unrideable. I've had this problem before, but never to this extent.

I have a solution, a permanent one. Tomorrow I'll install the 4-speed hub again. Some of you may remember I had chain tension problems with that setup. This time, I'll use a chain tensioner.
The newest version of the Surly Singleator impresses me. I owned one of the originals, before it was called Surly, and it was less refined. The old one worked, but it required fiddling. The new features on this one look like they'll address the old ones shortcomings.

The work will begin tomorrow, because I want my bike ready for the HC New Year's Day ride. If it's like last year's, it'll be memorable. It was on that day that we got to see more of Jim than we expected.

Vacation

2008-12-19T09:33:00.003-06:00

I'm going on vacation today for a week.

It's with great pleasure I leave you with this YouTube video I found on BoingBoing. Have a little patience -- the fun starts about 25 seconds into the video. I'll never be able to dance again.

Dec. 13 Hiawatha Cyclery Ride

2008-12-13T14:32:00.003-06:00

About ten riders turned out for today's HC ride. Most of us complained of being overdressed as the temperature had risen to 20 degrees F and kept climbing throughout the ride. By the end of the ride the snow was mush and didn't provide the oatmeal quality it had earlier in the morning. Oatmeal sounds funny, but it makes handling difficult. It never lasts very long though, because it can only exist in a certain temperature range. When the temps warm up, the oatmeal turns to pudding and when the temps go down, it turns to angry ice.

The sun came out and I think the ride was one of the best ever. I can't tell you why, but that's how I felt.

After the ride, I attended our neighborhood holiday party and ate my weight in egg dishes.

Old Blog Posts are Worth Reading

2008-12-12T10:18:00.005-06:00

I was looking through my old blog posts for a certain photo. Which photo is not important to this purpose of this post. The important point I want to make is that it's fun to read the old posts and the comments. I laughed and laughed.

The posts in which I describe bike projects are useful too. They helped me understand the progression of bike changes.

It's nice to reread the posts and remember things I'd forgotten. Over the past few months, I've questioned the value of a blog. After looking over the old posts, I have the answer: my blog is valuable to me.

Maybe all of you already found that answer, but if you haven't, I recommend you take a look at your old posts.

The Photo?
I took the photo on yesterday's ride to work. This is the Minneapolis skyline from the top of a hill north of downtown Minneapolis. I think that someday I'll capture the photo in a way that pleases me. But I haven't done it yet. I took this with a pocket camera steadied on my Frost River saddlebag. Yes, a better camera and a tripod would help. I set the shutter speed to about 1/4 of a second. I tried lots of other shutter speeds and froze my nipples off in the process.

Shopping Season Music

2008-12-12T08:41:00.003-06:00

I went shopping the other day for xmas gifts. I heard lots of xmas songs while wandering around the stores. Lots of them are old songs with a beat track added, like Bing Crosby's version of White Christmas with a fake drum beat added. I don't like it. These songs become really stale after being over played, but adding hip-hop beats doesn't make them better.

I tried to find an audio clip that I could put in my blog, but I had no luck in the 30 seconds I spent searching.

For a good example of the bad music I'm referring to, go to this link and listen to any song on the list -- wait, first put a bucket in front of you to catch the puke you're gonna spew.

Dry-Skin Season Tip #1

2008-12-03T09:09:00.004-06:00

I found another advantage of having a shaved head. During the dry-skin season I sometimes put too much lotion on my hands and need somewhere to wipe the excess. My shaved head is perfect for this.

A Little Snow

2008-12-03T07:29:00.004-06:00

I rode the winterized commuter to work for the first time today, because we had a little snow. It turns out that the amount of snow was too small to deserve the studded tires. I know this because at the end of my ride, the snow tongue was tiny.

But the headwind was huge. I don't know the wind speed, but it was enough to make me cold. The good side is that I'll fly home, unless it changes direction. If it does change and I ride home in a headwind, I'll whine about it here.

I saw tracks of three other bicyclists along the Diagonal Trail in NE Minneapolis. This trail doesn't see much traffic so it was nice to see others out at such an early time of day in the snow.

Winterized Bike

2008-11-23T15:49:00.006-06:00

I installed studded tires on the commuter bike today, because the crappy weather is here. The studs don't show any indication of wear from last year.

While I had the bike in the stand, I installed a "new" rear derailleur, cassette, chain, rear brake pads, and new brake hoods.

The right hood is purple and the left one is green. I bought them as pairs at the Hiawatha Cyclery sidewalk sale and mixed them together. No one has ever accused me of having good taste in colors. But the crazy colored hoods make the bike faster, really.

I also installed platform pedals. The only way I can keep my feet warm in the winter is to use heavily insulated boots and that requires platform pedals.
The winterized machine in its entirety.

Saturday's Lonely Ride

2008-11-22T13:28:00.003-06:00

I stayed in bed this morning and missed the HC ride. I went out alone. I found less than an inch of snow had fallen overnight.

I discovered a new trail had been built. It's at Minnehaha Falls Wabun picnic area. Ride up there and give it a try.

Friday Lunch Ride

2008-11-21T12:53:00.003-06:00

I rode the Sekai today on the lunch ride. The bike rides great. I need to make a few changes:
1. Replace the saddle. I've got one in mind that I like the feel of and it will match the bike better.
2. Replace the brake levers. I want a set of old Mafacs. Anyone? I started with a set of aero levers, but they looked like grandma using a bluetooth earpiece. The current levers feel wrong and slip. When I tighten them, the lever binds.
3. Tape the bars with tan cork.
4. Install metallic fenders. I like hammered Honjos, but Mellow Velo nearly convinced me they are too fragile for regular bikes.
5. The gearing is too tall for me. The crankset, to which I am attached, has a 47 tooth chainring. If anyone can find me a smaller three-arm SR Custom chainring, I'll be happy. But with a 20 tooth cog on back it is a little steep for me.
6. Build a dedicated single-speed rear wheel.

That's it.

How many miles of trails?

2008-11-20T08:52:00.004-06:00

Tex69 asked how many miles of bike paths exist in Minneapolis/St. Paul?

I didn't know, but I recognize a good blog topic when I see one.

I spent a couple minutes researching this question. Here's what I found.

The City of Minneapolis website says 123 miles of paths already exist and 45 more are funded for construction in 2009-2010.

I'm already thinking about lunch.

St. Paul's website says they have 101 miles of paths. Neither of these figures include bike lanes and routes of which there are many.

I don't know how many miles exist in the suburbs, but there are lots of paths out there also.

A few of the paths are not very well designed or implemented, but most are very useful. My ride to work is about 10 miles. I guesstimate I can ride on bike paths for about 2/3 of my route.

We have lots of trails around here and I use them when it makes sense.

I created this post in Google Docs.

2008-11-19T12:53:00.002-06:00

I rode to work in the daylight today. I like light. I think light is important. It makes photos look better, even from the creepycam like the photo below.
I created this post in Google Docs.

We Like Letterboxing

2008-11-15T17:10:00.007-06:00

I regularly read Midnight Rider's blog. He's written about letter boxing and it sounds like fun. I read about letter box locations in my area (Minneapolis, MN) and thought my kids would enjoy it. Today, I picked one location and we found it.

The letter box is located between Ft. Snelling State Park and Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis. The directions were a bit vague, but I just followed what I felt was the spirit of the directions and we easily found it.

My kids immediately liked it and planned to search for more letter boxes. They even talked about creating our own.

After finding the box, we hiked around the area. It's right next to the Mississippi River.

We found a benchmark too.

Hiawatha Ride, November 15

2008-11-15T16:54:00.004-06:00

We rode to the St. Anthony neighborhood in St. Paul, MN. This took us near the home of Primate Brow Flash. Red Alaska was in town and rode his 72.5 lb Murray cruiser. People from Alaska are tougher than the rest of us.

We stopped at the Finnish Bakery which is co-located with a Dunn Bros. coffee shop.

Nice rack.

They roast their own beans at each location. It's one of my favorite coffee shops.

Lots of Icy Bridges

2008-11-11T20:25:00.002-06:00

Ice fell during the day and I rode home on mostly melted ice. I don't have the studded tires installed yet so I'm glad I didn't need them.

I noticed something a little different though -- every bridge crossing was still icy and there are lots of them on my ride home. I never thought about how many bridges I use, but without them my ride would be much more difficult and dangerous. The bridges take me over interstates, railroad tracks, busy roads, and water (the Mississippi River).
You can't see the ice on this little bike/pedestrian bridge, but it's there. When I stomped on the pedals to take off after taking this beautiful photo, the rear tire slipped. I cleaned, lubed, and adjusted this bike last night and the ride home was wonderful.

Latest Project

2008-11-10T20:25:00.003-06:00

I hastily put together a little project this weekend. I hastily took a few photos of it and was really disappointed with the photos. The sun was setting, so available light was too low for good images. The photos also highlighted some mechanical and visual shortcomings of the bike. So I'm not showing much of it until I correct a few things.

Anyway, here's a single photo. This crankset will stay. This bike is a garage sale Sekai. I really like the ride and so I'm building it up just the way I want it.

Saturday Hiawatha Ride (Nov. 8)

2008-11-08T19:50:00.004-06:00

We toured the city and our toes were cold.

We saw these anti-Scientilogists (I misspelled it on purpose) on Nicollet Ave. in downtown Minneapolis. I like their guts and the cops were keeping an eye on them too. "Don't taze me, Bro!"
Later in the say, my wife and I visited the Reuse Center in Minneapolis. This bell is the size of a washing machine. I'd love to add a belfry on my roof and install this bell. I'd get a hunchback costume to wear when I ring it at dawn every day.

More Talk about Bike Trails

2008-11-07T15:57:00.003-06:00

On the way to work the other day, a truck driver pulled up next to me and began screaming. He spewed the usual stuff about riding on the bike path and the millions of dollars we spent on paths.

I told him to use the highway and rode off. He passed me and gave me the bird. His behavior exceeded my expectations. I felt really stupid the rest of the day, because I should have come up with better things to say.

Here's some background on this trail. The reason I don't ride that particular bike path is because it's a gloried sidewalk, or at least that's been opinion. I rode the path one time before. It has a railroad crossing that is so rough, my tire bottomed out on the rim. I didn't get the expected pinch flat, but I decided to ride on the road instead. A couple months ago, I stopped to help a rider near the same crossing. His bike had a pinch flat probably caused by the rough tracks. The crossing on the road is pretty nice in comparison. Another reason I didn't use the trail is that they didn't plow the snow on it last year. Also, just last week, I noticed a large construction dumpster parked across the trail. It was there for a couple days.

On the way home, the same day the trucker yelled at me, I noticed some repairs had been done on the bike path railroad crossing. This morning, I decided to try the trail again and found it serviceable. The trail avoids a busy intersection that I feel is dangerous. Using the trail also allows me to avoid a left-hand turn at a four-way stop in the dark.

I guess I'm rethinking my decision to not use the trail. But if the trucker sees me on the bike trail, he'll think yelling at people is the way to get things done.

I'm thinking of wearing a big sign that says, "To the trucker who yelled at me: I'm riding this trail because I chose to not because you yelled at me. And fuck you anyway!"

I think that sums up my feelings pretty well.

I'm Cold

2008-10-28T07:30:00.001-05:00

It's cold this morning (27 degrees F). I didn't wear enough layers and my skin is bright pink. I'll do better tomorrow.

I hope there's hot water in the shower.

Big Dummy Ride

2008-10-25T17:09:00.005-05:00

Today's Hiawatha Cyclery Ride had two big dummies in attendance. One of them carried a pretty large pinhole camera mounted on the board. I think this may be a niche market.

We rode over Interstate 35W in Minneapolis on the 42nd Street pedestrian bridge. The interstate is closed today for work. With no cars underneath us, it was really quite and nice.

I converted my commuter bike to a 4 speed. Through a trade, I got the 4-speed guts and installed them in my already built 3-speed wheel. The shifting is pretty stiff. I'll lubricate the hub and all the shifting pivot points. That may improve the situation.

Click on the photos for the larger version. The detail captured by the camera was pretty good, because the light was very nice.

Comments

2008-10-24T07:18:00.002-05:00

I received lots of spam comments the other day and I've implemented the Blogger comment approval system. I'm sorry if this is a pain in your butts, but it's the only defense I have against spam comments that I'm aware of. If you have suggestions, please let me know.

Before I started this blog, I had my own using bblog. It had no anti-spam measures at the time. I spent too much time deleting them with a SQL script and making software updates to bblog. I got sick of that and decided to go the easy route instead. Spammers made email a damned mess and they're working on ruining blogging too. What's next?

I mention comments because I've noticed a sharp drop-off in comments on my blog lately. It could be because I haven't been posting as often as I used to or it could be that I haven't been leaving as many comments on other blogs. It all goes together -- leave a comment, get acomment. It's two-way communication. Kinda like if I say hello to someone, they usually return the greeting (not that crazy-eyed guy I see in the hall at work though).

I shouldn't overlook the possibility that my posts are boring. I'll work on that. More provocative photos.

Booze, Guns, and Bicycles

2008-10-23T11:55:00.005-05:00

I traveled to the Chequamegon National Forest last weekend with six other cyclists for our annual off-road ride. The trails are located near Cable, WI. On the way to the trails, we stopped at the New Moon Bicycle and Ski shop. I bought some fantastic tires (Kenda Nevegal foldables for $17.99 each) and we found out we were there during a special deer hunting season. They created the special season to reduce the number of does, so they said any antlerless deer could be shot.

One of the bike shop workers told us to wear blaze orange for safety. Then we made a few drunken hunter jokes. One guy suggested we put antlers on our helmets.

A woman standing in the store overheard us.She told us it was an unfair stereotype to lable all hunters as drunk and irresponsible.

I agree with her. Like your teacher told you, it only takes a few bad apples to spoil the whole bunch. We bought orange vests. You'll see photos of that here later.

Putin Looms

2008-10-15T09:28:00.002-05:00

I realize this is a little stale, but it makes me laugh so I wanted to share it.
We have a map of the world in the break room at work. Some smart alec pasted Putin's head looming over Alaska. I took this photo of it.

Saturday Hiawatha Ride (Oct. 11, 2008)

2008-10-11T21:02:00.005-05:00

The leaves are changing.

We rode to a coffee shop near the University of Minnesota Minneapolis campus. They serve warm muffins.

We then rode north using the Diagonal Trail for part of our route and took a group photo on a hill overlooking downtown Minneapolis. It's been a beautiful day.

Digital Negatives

2008-10-10T19:27:00.002-05:00

My phone camera is stuck in negative mode. I can't get it out. Here are a few photos that have resulted from this problem. I like the effect, but I'll tire of it really soon.

Bathtub Cycle, and More

2008-10-10T18:04:00.002-05:00

I just saw this photo on Boing Boing. It may provide a good theme for an upcoming Hiawatha Cyclery ride. I recommend clicking on the link to see the rest of the photos too (the rest are not cycling related).

Info. on Minnesota River Bottoms Trail

2008-10-07T08:28:00.003-05:00

EclectChick asked about the Minnesota River Bottoms Trail.

Here's the link to a page that describes it.

http://www.morcmtb.org/wiki/index.php/Minnesota_River_Bottom

One part is now or soon to be under construction. I recommend avoiding that portion and starting at the Lyndale Avenue parking lot. Ride west from there and you'll miss all the construction.

Hurry, because they take the ferry out of the water pretty soon.

Friday Lunch Ride

2008-10-03T18:01:00.004-05:00

I rode the familiar Minnesota River Bottoms trail today although I started at a different trailhead and went the opposite direction from my usual. This small change made it seem like a new trail.

While riding, I noticed something that's been brewing in my mind for a while. When I start a ride, I feel distracted by thoughts of work and other responsibilities. After about 20 minutes, I allow my mind to settle and I forget about my responsibilities other than the trail in front of me. My mind still wanders to subjects other than just the trail, but it seems more relaxed and able to make sense of things. This is one of the many great things about riding.

Here's a photo of the barge used to cross 9 Mile Creek. You have to pull yourself across with a rope.
It's pretty adventurous. But be careful not to lay your bike on the coil of rope. As you pull yourself across, the rope uncoils and will pull your bike with it if you've set the bike on the rope coil. This happened to me, but out of the corner of my eye I saw the bike moving across the barge.

Saturday's HC Ride (Sept. 28, 2008)

2008-09-28T13:00:00.007-05:00

We stopped at the Hard Times Cafe. This is the Ham's Bear. He's been demoted from serving as a famous beer mascot to dispensing free condoms.

After the ride, I looked around the shop. They received a few Rawlands frames. Mark was in the process of building this one. I really like the fork crown and rear dropouts.

I also like these white Schwalbe tires. I've seen them before, but I thought they were only available in 559 (26"). I feel silly when I say SCHWAL-BEE. Its that the right way to pronounce the name?

Then I found them in 622 (700c). Tires are fun. These are on my list now.

This old Continental is very nice. I'm fighting the urge.

How many bikes does a person need? That's a rhetorical question, please don't try to answer.

Heavy Weather

2008-09-24T09:52:00.003-05:00

This is a photo I took yesterday afternoon while riding home. The sky was so dark, most people turned on their headlights even before it started raining.

I didn't run into the heavy rain. It started right after I arrived home and stepped into my house.

Run Outlook in Safe Mode

2008-09-23T09:36:00.003-05:00

Warning: If you don't care about Microsoft related crap, ignore this post.

I've learned a couple of methods to start MS Outlook in safe mode:

1. Hold down the Ctrl key when starting MS Outlook until it starts. It will display (Safe Mode) in the title bar.
2. In the Run window type outlook /safe. (How do you get to the Run window? Window key + r or Start>Programs>Accessories>Run.)

Q: Why would someone want to run Outlook in safe mode?
A: If you find it unreliable, this will start it without add ins that seem to be a common cause of Outlook's instability.

Saturday Offroad Ride

2008-09-20T19:33:00.003-05:00

I rode the Minnesota River Bottoms Trail this morning, starting at the crack of dawn. I saw two deer, three hikers, and one wedding party in a photo session.

I also stopped and read this sign.

"Site of Chief Cloudman's village. He had moved here from Lake Calhoun in 1839. A friend of Gideon Pond. He tried farming."

I'm going to research this a bit and get back to you on what I find. I can't imagine farming in this exact spot. It's at the base of a cliff with a marsh and river on the other side. Stopping here in any season except winter is foolish due to the number of mosquitoes. I had a flat tire in this area one time and the mosquitoes forced me to ride on a flat until I found a better spot. But if you're moving, it's a beautiful area.
It's possible that in 1839, the area was much different. The Minnesota River may have been further away then.

Replacement Saddle

2008-09-19T20:52:00.003-05:00

I replaced the broken saddle mentioned in a recent post.

Here's a photo of the broken saddle. It popped off the rails in a crash.

Here's the replacement. It's a Fujita and is the only comfortable, narrow leather saddle I've ever had.

Here's a photo of the entire bike ready to ride.