Som Sabadell from Onidea on Vimeo.

Cycling Is For Everyone

Cycling For Everyone from Dutch Cycling Embassy on Vimeo.

I enjoy watching these videos.

"Hell yes, we could do that here!"

A sustained string of pro-cycling municipal governments could make it happen.  The only wrinkles I can see are wide acceptance of electric cars and/or an ice age.  The ice age likely won't happen in my lifetime, but the electric car thing - that's a concern.  Being stuck in quiet, zero-emissions traffic isn't any better than what we have now.

Life and Words

I was watching these, and thought, "Hey, those should go on the blog".

Handcufflinks?

Hurm.

It has been two months since I came out of the woods, put on some cufflinks and started riding QWERTY.

I miss the woods. The gin smell of conifers, the freehub squirrels. Grouse thumping. SHUNK goes the mattock into the ground. When it's dry the dust fills the air and beams of light punch through the gaps between the branches like girders in an abandoned construction site. You can hear the cows down by the creek, polluting the watershed with explosive diarrhea. Sorry, didn't mean to paint that picture. Take it down and replace it with a curious chipmunk, darting across my path at the last possible second, tail whipping all about.

I've made a couple of trips out to work the trail since August, and I'll make a couple more before the snow sets in for good. There are a couple of puddles that I need to take care of, a section of trail that needs some smoothification.  I'd be lying if I said it was thankless work.  People thank me all the time as they ride by.  I thank myself when I ride the trail. "This kicks ass", I think. Sometimes I'm overly critical of others' work, but then I give myself a metaphorical boot in the ass and look at all the hard work they put in. Judge not, lest ye be judged, sang Mr. Marley.

I'm already thinking about next year.  I'm thinking about how I can ditch work at the start of June to go build in West Bragg, maybe learn to drive a mini-ex. I don't like diesel fumes, so maybe I'll just swing the mattock.

SHUNK. Smell the earth below the duff. Hold the soil in your hand. See the grains, the pebbles, bits of root. Listen for the wind moving through the forest, one tree at a time. Feel the ping through the handle of the Mcleod when it packs the tread.

See what you have made.

Destroyer/Creator

I've been thinking a lot about trail building lately.  Why do I like it?  Why do I do it?  

On the Road - BC Riding Part 3

Typical weather in BC during July is sunny and hot.  2011 is the year to buck the trend.  With most of Canada experiencing a "heat dome" [SRSLY], BC and AB are experiencing a craptacular weather event.  It's like May was extended and made marginally warmer for all of June and July.  Ridiculous.  Anyway, after leaving Whizgnar, we found ourselves in Squampton.  I was still feeling like crap, but the Howe Sound Inn's healing powers beckoned to me...

Despite the drizzle and cloudy skies, 18 hours of sleep had me feeling well enough to venture outside for a ride.  We rode from the Inn to the SAC, bought a trail map and then fumbled about trying to find some trails to ride.  We wound up riding for over three hours on some great trails, including Lost Loop, S+M, 7 Stitches, etc.

On the Road - BC Riding part 2

We rolled into Kamloops on Sunday afternoon, the hot, dry air a reminder of what we left in Calgary a few days prior.  We had no place to stay, but I had an ace up my sleeve - PinkGeezers.  A quick post et voila!  Monique to the rescue!  Monique knows everybody concerned with riding in Kamloops, and she hooked us up with her buddy Jeremy.  Jeremy operates DropInns Bed & Breakfast out of his home in the Aberdeen area of Kamloops.  

Space for your bikes in Jeremy's garage

On the Road - BC Riding

Sam and I had the idea to go for a road trip through BC, as we had our asses kicked by most of the trails in Southern Alberta, and wanted BC to have the same opportunity.  Vacation time was booked, plans were sketched out and not confirmed, reservations were never made.

Our first stop was Revelstoke.  We got in later than we had planned, and it was raining.  To the pub for $3 pints!  Huzzah!  The town was pretty quiet, a far cry from the hustle of the snow season.  There were a few tourists around, but we had to look pretty hard for AB plates.  After dinner we took the rest of the night off, did some reading and planned for Saturday morning.

First Ride: On-One 456 Carbon

If my last hardtail rode like this, I don't know that I would have switched back to a full-suspension bike.  No pics as yet [I haven't mastered the art of self-portraiture], but I can give my first impressions.

Fork Conundrum - Update!

I don't use technology as a crutch - it's a freakin' wheelchair!

Thanks to a great bike shop, I am now the proud owner of 2012 Fox TALAS RC2 180.

Bike Profile - On-One 456 Carbon

I haven't actually gone for a ride yet, but here are some pics:

Video: Caffeine

I would do this, but I'm too lazy to haul the pot, stove and cups all the way up...

Portland Visited

I'm terrible about updating the blog whilst on vacation, or not on vacation.  Regardless, here are some more things I noted while there.

In Portland

Sam was offered a chance to take part in a field school training thing in Long Beach, WA.  Nearest airport?  PDX.  Did I want to go?  Sure, I can find something useful to do for a few days, then she could join me for the last 48 hours.  Cool beans.

Running is the Great Satan


Did a 5 km run/walk with my wife today.  Beautiful blue skies, sunshine galore, a light breeze and suffering.  Oh my, the suffering.  People do this for fun?  Masochists!  The burning lungs, aching knees and shin splints - proof there is a Devil.  How to purge the Great Satan's effects?  Prayer?  LOL!  Holy water?  No.  Ibuprofen?  Hell yes!  Fire water?  Hmmm.  This has merit...

What If We All Rode Bikes?

I disagree with the leg hair thing, but otherwise I'm picking up what they're putting down:

In Maui

I think that pretty much says it all.

Oh, What a Day


Heaving myself out of bed yesterday morning, I was filled with neutralness.  It could have gone one way or the other, but thankfully I saw this as I walked to the kitchen:

Fork Conundrum - Float vs. TALAS, Part 2

 A while back, I was trying to figure out whether to get a Float or TALAS for the EG.  So few people have the Kashima stanchions on either model [thanks Fox - aftermarket only!] that it was difficult to find a thorough review.  There is plenty of anecdotal evidence to indicate that Kashima works, so I'll take the plunge and get the TALAS 180 RC2.  The lower travel setting will be climbable, and it's not like I can get a whole lot worse than I am now.  Riiiiiiiiight...

I'll wait until after Sea Otter, 'cause Fox will debut the 2012 version and I'll be able to make an educated decision on which fork is most bling.  Also, any significant changes will push the price of the 2011 down.  6 weeks to go...

New Directions - Part Four

My contract finished up a couple weeks ago.  I had forgotten what being unemployed was like.  It doesn't suit me well.  I've put on almost 10 pounds, Twitter has become central to my waking life and I've only made two decent contacts for potential employment.  

What I've learned thus far about my various career paths: