Watching water levels rise over much of the country this week, plus seeing a posting that the Snake River Canoe Race is going to require PFDs to be worn this year has me thinking about safety. I started out planning to write about boating safety, but after watching the carnage at Trans Iowa, creek levels on the Almanzo course, and dodging storms driving back from Oklahoma last weekend, I'm going to broaden out a bit and write mostly about common sense.
Years ago, in another lifetime, I was a sailor. I raced on Puget Sound in everything from 14' dinghies to 50' ocean racing yachts. But most of the time, I was racing in 24' one design boats of one form or another. And we raced in some truly idiotic conditions. Usually, foul weather gear, wool pants and a wool sweater were enough to keep you pretty toasty, but with 48 degree water, 42 degree air, and often a little rain or spray - hypothermia could be a real danger. And there's nothing like a 30knot breeze, too much sail, bad judgement and an abortive spinnaker run to put you in the water, further hampering your decision making processes.
After a couple of instances like that, I took safety a little more seriously - in fact attending a symposium on rescue techniques and survival. One of the presenters was a Coast Guard captain who talked about several incidents, and their chronology. I've never forgotten the phrase "a compendium of errors" that he used to describe the chain of events leading up to the final disaster. In most of the cases he cited, it wasn't one single event that caused the problem - it was a chain of manageable crises, any one of which could probably have been survived, but when coupled together spelled disaster. Wife unfamiliar with operating the diesel, husband knocked unconscious by the boom, poor grounding on the electrics affecting radio and instruments, no radar reflector and rapidly degrading weather. Any one or even two of these could likely have been handled, but in the end...
A compendium of errors.
I've gotten home from springtime bike rides shaking so badly that I had a hard time opening the door and stood in the shower with my clothes on until the hot water was gone trying to warm up. A flat tire would've been more than I could've handled. I've also done a quick strip on the side of the river to put on dry clothing after an untimely swim in mid-April, when staying wet would've likely been problematic - but dry and quickly warming up, I continued on for the rest of the 4 hour paddle. And I've lost a good friend in a surfski accident on an inland lake due to that same compendium of errors. Temperature and precipitation are not your friends in the spring and fall.
I haven't had a chance to talk to Trans Iowa riders yet, but I'd bet that the ones who survived and the ones who had to stop have some incredible war stories of cold, wind, rain, storms, mud and maybe a little glory. Incredible effort this year.
OK, enough doom and gloom. Whether riding, paddling, sailing or hiking in the spring (or any other time) be prepared for conditions. "Check six" as pilots say - look behind you to see what the weather is doing. If you are paddling, have a change of clothes and a warm hat. Bring a rain jacket, fingered gloves, a vest, cape or whatever. Bring a little extra food, and make sure you know the conditions. Traveling in the spring often gives you a different perspective on the countryside, so enjoy it. But be prepared for the conditions.
Coach
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
YouTube ramblings - ten videos that have almost nothing to do with anything
You know. You do it too. Everyone does it. And it feels good...
Start with one simple "I remember when [insert band] did 'x'", find it on YouTube, and then let free association (plus YouTube suggestions) steer you around until you've wasted a whole cold, rainy evening. And unless you were supposed to be finishing a project or studying for exams, you are usually better off than if you'd spent the evening with your face glued to the TV.
So let's begin:
Start with one simple "I remember when [insert band] did 'x'", find it on YouTube, and then let free association (plus YouTube suggestions) steer you around until you've wasted a whole cold, rainy evening. And unless you were supposed to be finishing a project or studying for exams, you are usually better off than if you'd spent the evening with your face glued to the TV.
So let's begin:
- The Weight - now it's without question that The Band did *the* best version in the film The Last Waltz, but a sidebar search finds Gillian Welch and Old Crow Medicine Show doing a great cover.
- Loretta - an old Townes Van Zandt song covered by Gillian Welch, David Rawlings and Norah Jones
- For a dancer - the Jackson Browne hit covered by James Dupre
- E3 Harelbeke - no, it's not a song. It's one of the spring classics bike races, another opportunity for the hard men to shine.
- Road Bike Party 2 - Martyn Ashton (and friends) incredible stunt riding on a _road bike_
- Red Bull Planica 400m - What do you do with a ski jump hill in the summertime? Race *up* it. What else?
- And over the mountains
- Down the gentle river at the Adidas Sickline
- And on flatwater with the Hungarian K4 at the London Olympics
- And what tour would be complete without Guilty Dogs???
Monday, April 28, 2014
USA Canoe/Kayak Trials weekend
Results can be found elsewhere. Congratulations to the folks that I know/have heard made teams - Ross boys, Kaitlyn, Maggie, Farran, Alison, Austin, Ryan, and probably a couple of others!
Downtown has really done a job of rehabbing a lot of the old, and inbuilding new - preserving a lot of the character while still featuring the new and vibrant areas. Bricktown has a feel very similar to San Antonio's River Walk - bars, restaurants and shops bordering a mile long promenade and canal (complete with tour boats). There's a botanical garden/conservatory that has lots of street fest type vendors, all sorts of other goings on, and then there's the American Banjo Museum. I know - lots of folks think *all* banjos should be in museums, but I like them. I was blown away by the variety and particularly by the glitz that went into early 20th century instruments.
My friends in Oklahoma City tell me the wind always blows there, but in the past few years of being down there, it hasn't been quite so noticeable, nor so obstinately across the course. It made Toli's 2nd place dead heat with Gavin all the more impressive, since he's an international and gets stuck with lane 9 on the outside edge!
Murphy proved to have a ready hand again, hanging the actuator on lane 9 at the 200m line. This meant no boats used the gates, and really put pressure on the officials to get the starts off quickly - which they really did. I've some small amount of experience as a starter in other sports, and I was impressed by the calm demeanor and great control on the line.
The announcer really needed to spend a little time with the Hawaiian contingent and learn pronunciation of names - including a number of mainlanders as well. But by and large, he did fine, and a couple of people probably have new nicknames as a result.
So lots of racing, lots of wind, and a fair amount of sun. The left side of my face and neck is noticeably redder than the right side.
One of the great things about this trip was that I had no real responsibilities. One of my athletes was there, but since she was competing in the club races on Saturday instead of Trials, I had no pressure and could visit with people and pay attention to a lot of external things instead of focusing on my club, which can sometimes feel like you are this guy:
I did make a few excursions into the entertainment side of Oklahoma City. A little setup is in order here. OKC is the possibly the reddest city in the reddest state in the country. Mostly it's conservative, and you'd figure there isn't a tax they generally wouldn't want to kill. But, they have a civic pride that seems to have overcome the reluctance to be taxed for things like ballparks, convention centers, boathouses, rowing and kayaking venues, a whitewater park. This stuff is all paid for before it's built! So why does this matter to me? 20 years or so ago, I was in downtown OKC for a day - seemed a whole lot longer... And I must say, I understand the imagery from Grapes of Wrath, Last Picture Show and other films get their inspiration. Dusty, decaying and depressing. But they have brought OKC around to where, while I don't want to live there, I do enjoy visiting!
Downtown has really done a job of rehabbing a lot of the old, and inbuilding new - preserving a lot of the character while still featuring the new and vibrant areas. Bricktown has a feel very similar to San Antonio's River Walk - bars, restaurants and shops bordering a mile long promenade and canal (complete with tour boats). There's a botanical garden/conservatory that has lots of street fest type vendors, all sorts of other goings on, and then there's the American Banjo Museum. I know - lots of folks think *all* banjos should be in museums, but I like them. I was blown away by the variety and particularly by the glitz that went into early 20th century instruments.
Food was decidedly not part of my trip this time. Cafe Kacao, which is _the_ spot for breakfast doesn't open until 8:00, and since we needed to be at the venue at 7:30... Fuzzy's Tacos is always dependable, and Earl's BBQ isn't bad, but it's just OK. Dinner was covered nicely by my friend's mom, who was in town to run the marathon on Sunday after trials. Awesome cooking, Ms M!
And there I was - kidnapped by a bunch of pretty good looking paddlers, dragged off to a bar called Cowboys, which offered 25 cent domestics and bull riding shows at 11:00 and 12:30. And dancing. Well, some people danced. My wife puts up with me, but she won't let me do two things in public - play basketball, and dance. And there's a pretty good reason for it. I mean really - N - sorry about the toes, but I did warn you I danced worse than this guy:
Thanks again to my good friends who let me couch surf, made me drink cheap beer and tried in vain to teach me to dance. It was a pleasure and a fun weekend - we'll do it again. Mi casa, su casa.
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Foundry Auger "Plus" - first impressions
Finally. The bike is all together, the bars wrapped, cables trimmed and everything torque checked and adjusted. And today was the first real ride.
We did a 30 mile road ride this morning, with a fairly consistent 15-20mph wind blowing out of the southeast, some moderate hills, and pretty good pavement. No gravel though.
If you noticed in the title, this isn't a plain Foundry Auger. I didn't particularly care for the flex I felt in the Whisky 7 fork (your mileage may vary considerably). I'll put up with a little more bump/buzz/whatever to have steering and braking that I can absolutely rely upon, and I just didn't get the feel I wanted on the stock frame. Also, since this is a disc project, I wanted thru-axle. It works well for MTB, why not use it here as well? If you've read my other post, I talk at some length about component choices, so I won't rehash that. Suffice to say that I was pleased with the way everything came together. I did swap out the Challenge Almanzos for Challenge Parigi Roubaixs for the next few road rides. Sweet tires. They feel like a great sewup, with great road feel, and really soak up the cracks and bumps. Probably the only downside is mounting them for the first time. Challenge open tubulars (like this) are very interesting to mount, and really take strong thumbs and persistence. I wound up cheating and using a quikstik to get them popped on. My experience is that they'll stretch a little bit, and subsequent mountings on the HED Belgium+ rims will be much easier. Also, I'm running Challenge latex tubes, which contribute to the great feel. Oh yeah - 85psi today. Will try them at 80psi as well.
So about riding. My ultimate comparison points for any bike are my old Raleigh Derby 531, and our Huffy Serotta. Both of these bikes were great to ride. Comfortable for a long day in the saddle, predicatable diving into criterium corners or descending off Mt Rainier at 50+mph. Just_a_bike. No quirks, no tricks, no overlap, easy to service, all those things. And (I think) the Auger lives up to that standard - just a bike - which actually aligns quite nicely with the marketing literature. It climbs pretty well, is laterally very stiff, but even on a couple of rough stretches of pavement, no twitches in steering or any fun things like that. And I love, love, love the disc brakes. Crosswinds are a real telling point, too. A bike with 'classic Italian geometry' is a real handful in a crosswind, but the Auger settled right in. Even dealing with puffs coming from gaps in hedgerows, it was predicatble, and a little lean was all it took to keep straight. Just a bike. And I did press hard into a couple of corners, and it sat on the line I asked for like it was on a rail.
In short, darn pleased for a first ride. I'm looking forward to how it behaves on gravel, but I suspect it will do just fine.
~marsh
We did a 30 mile road ride this morning, with a fairly consistent 15-20mph wind blowing out of the southeast, some moderate hills, and pretty good pavement. No gravel though.
If you noticed in the title, this isn't a plain Foundry Auger. I didn't particularly care for the flex I felt in the Whisky 7 fork (your mileage may vary considerably). I'll put up with a little more bump/buzz/whatever to have steering and braking that I can absolutely rely upon, and I just didn't get the feel I wanted on the stock frame. Also, since this is a disc project, I wanted thru-axle. It works well for MTB, why not use it here as well? If you've read my other post, I talk at some length about component choices, so I won't rehash that. Suffice to say that I was pleased with the way everything came together. I did swap out the Challenge Almanzos for Challenge Parigi Roubaixs for the next few road rides. Sweet tires. They feel like a great sewup, with great road feel, and really soak up the cracks and bumps. Probably the only downside is mounting them for the first time. Challenge open tubulars (like this) are very interesting to mount, and really take strong thumbs and persistence. I wound up cheating and using a quikstik to get them popped on. My experience is that they'll stretch a little bit, and subsequent mountings on the HED Belgium+ rims will be much easier. Also, I'm running Challenge latex tubes, which contribute to the great feel. Oh yeah - 85psi today. Will try them at 80psi as well.
So about riding. My ultimate comparison points for any bike are my old Raleigh Derby 531, and our Huffy Serotta. Both of these bikes were great to ride. Comfortable for a long day in the saddle, predicatable diving into criterium corners or descending off Mt Rainier at 50+mph. Just_a_bike. No quirks, no tricks, no overlap, easy to service, all those things. And (I think) the Auger lives up to that standard - just a bike - which actually aligns quite nicely with the marketing literature. It climbs pretty well, is laterally very stiff, but even on a couple of rough stretches of pavement, no twitches in steering or any fun things like that. And I love, love, love the disc brakes. Crosswinds are a real telling point, too. A bike with 'classic Italian geometry' is a real handful in a crosswind, but the Auger settled right in. Even dealing with puffs coming from gaps in hedgerows, it was predicatble, and a little lean was all it took to keep straight. Just a bike. And I did press hard into a couple of corners, and it sat on the line I asked for like it was on a rail.
In short, darn pleased for a first ride. I'm looking forward to how it behaves on gravel, but I suspect it will do just fine.
~marsh
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Road trip
From Palo Duro Canyon outside Amarillo Texas...
Occasionally, a song lyric gets stuck in my mind, and becomes a minor obsession. I first heard this line about 15 years ago, when Guy Clark's album "Cold Dog Soup" came out. I've been a fan of his since the mid-seventies, and this song really struck a chord. I didn't know anything about the Palo Duro - I don't think many people do, have ever heard of it, or have any idea of the history, but I found myself drawn to the *idea* of it, and the possibility of visiting. West Texas is not country for everyone. I like it, but I wouldn't want to live there! Few trees, plenty of thorny plants, and the ever felt presence of wind. I've covered a fair amount of Texas over the years, but I'd not been up around Amarillo and the headwaters of the Red River.
Headed cross the plains to the coast of Oklahoma...
I had some subliminal need to see this place. So spring of 2013, I found myself with a week before I started a my current job, and we did a bit of a road trip. 3000 miles of driving in my 1994 Suburban "Clifford". We did a 'grand tour' hitting Taos and Santa Fe, and then chasing a spring storm full of sleet and rain from Santa Fe eastward to Amarillo and the Palo Duro. As we left, we could see buckets of rain, thunder and wind. It really didn't seem like a night to camp...
So here's to Charlie Goodnight and Mr. Loving too...
Palo Duro is (if I got it right) the largest canyon east of the Rockies. It carves a beautiful path through the sandstone, and even on a cold, windy day was worth the drive. There's a nice interpretive center and gift store, with a fair amount of the history. One of the original ranchers of the region, Charles Goodnight is mentioned prominently. Charlie Goodnight led a life that spawned a thousand westerns, fighting indians, settling the land, making some of the first longhorn cattle drives north, and along the way inventing the chuck wagon. In his later years, he was also a newspaperman and started a college, even though he could not read. The west was settled by some very interesting folk.
The Prairie Dog Town fork of the Red River Flows...
A reminder of the volatile temper of Mother Nature. Palo Duro is the start of the Prairie Dog Town fork of the Red River and the signposts indicate the depth of water overflowing the road. Flash floods are very common, to the point that roads are built to be easily washed _over_ instead of bridges to be washed out.
The park has a number of hiking and mountain bike trails, several campgrounds, and apparently some kind of a featured interpretive 'play'.
Red River I know you, I know you of old...
The canyon flows southeastward in the general direction of Wichita Falls, opening up onto the plains of the Texas Panhandle and becoming the border with Oklahoma. It is starkly beautiful country, and worth a visit. One caution - there's not a lot anywhere in the immediate area in terms of food or drink. If you are afraid of small town cafes, it's going to be a long drive! In our case, we were off toward Abilene, San Marcos, and eventually Oklahoma City. But that's for another post.
Lyrics from "Red River" by Guy Clark
Occasionally, a song lyric gets stuck in my mind, and becomes a minor obsession. I first heard this line about 15 years ago, when Guy Clark's album "Cold Dog Soup" came out. I've been a fan of his since the mid-seventies, and this song really struck a chord. I didn't know anything about the Palo Duro - I don't think many people do, have ever heard of it, or have any idea of the history, but I found myself drawn to the *idea* of it, and the possibility of visiting. West Texas is not country for everyone. I like it, but I wouldn't want to live there! Few trees, plenty of thorny plants, and the ever felt presence of wind. I've covered a fair amount of Texas over the years, but I'd not been up around Amarillo and the headwaters of the Red River. Headed cross the plains to the coast of Oklahoma... I had some subliminal need to see this place. So spring of 2013, I found myself with a week before I started a my current job, and we did a bit of a road trip. 3000 miles of driving in my 1994 Suburban "Clifford". We did a 'grand tour' hitting Taos and Santa Fe, and then chasing a spring storm full of sleet and rain from Santa Fe eastward to Amarillo and the Palo Duro. As we left, we could see buckets of rain, thunder and wind. It really didn't seem like a night to camp...
So here's to Charlie Goodnight and Mr. Loving too...Palo Duro is (if I got it right) the largest canyon east of the Rockies. It carves a beautiful path through the sandstone, and even on a cold, windy day was worth the drive. There's a nice interpretive center and gift store, with a fair amount of the history. One of the original ranchers of the region, Charles Goodnight is mentioned prominently. Charlie Goodnight led a life that spawned a thousand westerns, fighting indians, settling the land, making some of the first longhorn cattle drives north, and along the way inventing the chuck wagon. In his later years, he was also a newspaperman and started a college, even though he could not read. The west was settled by some very interesting folk.
The Prairie Dog Town fork of the Red River Flows...A reminder of the volatile temper of Mother Nature. Palo Duro is the start of the Prairie Dog Town fork of the Red River and the signposts indicate the depth of water overflowing the road. Flash floods are very common, to the point that roads are built to be easily washed _over_ instead of bridges to be washed out.
The park has a number of hiking and mountain bike trails, several campgrounds, and apparently some kind of a featured interpretive 'play'.
Red River I know you, I know you of old...
The canyon flows southeastward in the general direction of Wichita Falls, opening up onto the plains of the Texas Panhandle and becoming the border with Oklahoma. It is starkly beautiful country, and worth a visit. One caution - there's not a lot anywhere in the immediate area in terms of food or drink. If you are afraid of small town cafes, it's going to be a long drive! In our case, we were off toward Abilene, San Marcos, and eventually Oklahoma City. But that's for another post.
Lyrics from "Red River" by Guy Clark
Monday, April 14, 2014
Some final thoughts about the Miesville Grinder
Thank you to everyone who came and made it a fun day. King's Place invited us back for next year already! I hope everyone had a fun ride, found a little new scenery and got a good warmup for the Mammoth, Almanzo, Dickie Scramble or whatever your next event is. Even though I didn't get to ride my own event, I had a lot of fun bopping around the course taking pictures. I apologize if I didn't get your picture in the album. I tried to grab as many as possible, but I recognize that there are more of the leaders than the back end.
We had a pretty good turnout, especially considering the conditions. I counted 70-72 riders, which isn't bad on a 100 rider registration. I discussed this some after the ride, and there does seem to be a bout a 30-40% 'no show' rate on free races. I'd assumed without dollars committed, the social contract would be less firm, and I think that is the case. Some thought needs to go into this aspect of gravel riding and the 'free' ethos.
I was pretty irritated to see someone riding without a helmet. I'll say it again, and I hate to be blunt, but - if you come to an event that I put on, wear your helmet. If you have an issue with wearing helmets, please don't bother coming to my events. This is a huge safety item, and regardless of how you feel about it, *I* view it as a safety issue, and important enough that I'm willing to risk your negative feelings about *my* event rather than have you participate. Enough said.
While I was out touring around, taking some side roads and short cuts, I did find a couple of really nice roads that I hadn't ridden on before, and I've already toyed with how to incorporate them without adding a bunch of distance. Trust me - next year will be more of the same and yet with a few improvements!
So we move on and enjoy some other events. Thanks again to everybody who came out and made it a memorable event!
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Miesville 2014 Photos
Apologies on photo quality. Next time we'll try to have someone who actually can take pictures
Also very frustrated with Google+ and blogger, which considering they own both seems silly:(
Anyway, here's the link. As a rule, my photos are Create Commons, with Attribution, which means you are free to share it as long as you give the photographer credit.
Miesville Grinder 2014 Photo Gallery
Also very frustrated with Google+ and blogger, which considering they own both seems silly:(
Anyway, here's the link. As a rule, my photos are Create Commons, with Attribution, which means you are free to share it as long as you give the photographer credit.
Miesville Grinder 2014 Photo Gallery
2014 Miesville Grinder WrapUp
[The 2015 edition of the Miesville gravel event is called the Miesville 56. New and improved promoters, minor tweaks to the route, it'll be great! - ed.]
The 2014 Miesville Grinder is done. On what turned out to be a cool, dry and quite breezy day, we had about 70 riders actually start - which is not bad considering 100 was the cap. I'm not sure how many
actually started - it could've been a few more. We had a few 'possums', a few last minute arrivals, and a few who just didn't get over to register. But I think most folks had a pretty good time.
The roads were in good shape, with some obvious work by Dakota County to grade and fill some of the worst spots (not on our behalf, but thanks anyway!).
The B road section was everything you'd hope. A little gnarly, a little muddy, but generally not too bad. Nicky Terpstra (winner of today's Paris-Roubaix) would've felt right at home on it.
My heartfelt thanks to the riders who braved the elements and came out today. I think King's Place was pretty happy as well. I counted at least 30 people at the tables, on what was probably an otherwise quiet Sunday afternoon.
Photos are now up. If you have photos from today, please send me a link and I'll post those as well.
Results... I billed this event as a no fees, no forms, no frills, but at the end of the day results are fun. What I didn't have was a finish line crew to do 'real' results, but I hung around the finish for about 75 minutes after the podium places were decided. Here are the RAW results. There are some obvious errors and glaring omissions. "Possum" is someone who didn't register for a free race. If you have a correction, have a time, but don't know where you finished, want to record yourself as a DNF or any other issues with the results, please feel free to contact me (mnswamp@gmail.com). I'll try to correct the record!
The 2014 Miesville Grinder is done. On what turned out to be a cool, dry and quite breezy day, we had about 70 riders actually start - which is not bad considering 100 was the cap. I'm not sure how many
 |
| Ready to roll out |
The roads were in good shape, with some obvious work by Dakota County to grade and fill some of the worst spots (not on our behalf, but thanks anyway!).
The B road section was everything you'd hope. A little gnarly, a little muddy, but generally not too bad. Nicky Terpstra (winner of today's Paris-Roubaix) would've felt right at home on it.
My heartfelt thanks to the riders who braved the elements and came out today. I think King's Place was pretty happy as well. I counted at least 30 people at the tables, on what was probably an otherwise quiet Sunday afternoon.
Photos are now up. If you have photos from today, please send me a link and I'll post those as well.
Results... I billed this event as a no fees, no forms, no frills, but at the end of the day results are fun. What I didn't have was a finish line crew to do 'real' results, but I hung around the finish for about 75 minutes after the podium places were decided. Here are the RAW results. There are some obvious errors and glaring omissions. "Possum" is someone who didn't register for a free race. If you have a correction, have a time, but don't know where you finished, want to record yourself as a DNF or any other issues with the results, please feel free to contact me (mnswamp@gmail.com). I'll try to correct the record!
~mars
h
| Place | Time | Name | |
| 1 | 3:13:27 | tim norrie | |
| 2 | 3:13:27 | Randall Dietel | |
| 3 | 3:13:27 | nick c vetter | |
| 4 | 3:18:18 | G$ | |
| 5 | 3:29:57 | Jay Henderson | |
| 6 | 3:29:57 | Alex Oenes | |
| 7 | 3:29:57 | Pete Schow | |
| 8 | 3:29:57 | Jill Gaulding | |
| 9 | 3:31:53 | Andrew folpe | |
| 10 | 3:31:53 | Dan Gaz | |
| 11 | 3:33:19 | Steven Yore | |
| 12 | 3:37:08 | Johnny Woodside | |
| 13 | 3:37:28 | devin palmer | |
| 14 | 3:39:41 | Pete Morey | |
| 15 | 3:39:41 | dave bucholz | |
| 16 | 3:40:52 | Bill Stuber | |
| 17 | 4:00:36 | Troy peterson | |
| 18 | 4:01:23 | bob schwartz | |
| 19 | 4:02:47 | Thomas Eibner | |
| 20 | 4:06:47 | chris petersen | |
| 21 | 4:07:02 | Stuart Raymond | |
| 22 | 4:07:09 | Adam Turman | |
| 23 | 4:07:09 | Ben McCoy | |
| 24 | 4:07:34 | Rob Glieden | |
| 25 | 4:08:42 | Mike Mason | |
| 26 | 4:08:50 | jeff ingram | |
| 27 | 4:08:50 | tess hohman | |
| 28 | 4:11:06 | alex anderson | |
| 29 | 4:11:16 | Paul | |
| 30 | 4:11:16 | Rigel Menard | |
| 31 | 4:20:00 | Joel Raygor | |
| 32 | 4:20:00 | Tony Thomas | |
| 33 | 4:20:00 | trenton raygor | |
| 34 | 4:32:55 | Tim Peissig | |
| 35 | 4:32:55 | John Powell | |
| 36 | 4:36:00 | Sveta Kovalchuk | |
| 37 | 4:36:00 | Julia Winkels | |
| 38 | 4:36:30 | Shaun Flynn | |
| 39 | 6:00:00 | Jack Rayburn (co-Lantern Rouge) | |
| 40 | 6:00:00 | Tom Engstrom (co-Lantern Rouge) | |
| 1 | 2:37:28 | Ross weinzierl (40K) |
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Almost nearly a bike!
|
| Ritchey WCS tape, plus underwrap of Cinelli cork on tops |
- Dry fit bars, stem, brifters
- Set stack height to same as existing favorite bike
- Balance on bike to try it out.
- Add 2 5mm spacers on top of stem, just to make sure
- Disassemble
- Cut steerer (ever cut the steerer on a $600 fork? It's a little daunting.)
- Figure out cable runs, end fittings
- Realize that XT derailleurs don't have an adjuster
- Get in-line adjusters from LBS (thanks NOW)
- Decide where to put said adjusters
- trim cable housing
- install all the bits
- tweak until it's right
- tweak a little more
- tape and tie in place
- install cable
- stretch, adjust
- set brakes (TRP Hy/Rd - easiest setup EVER!)
- adjust derailleurs
- Double check torque on stem, seatpost, crank, pedals, brakes
- Go for short ride!!!
And so I did. Only about a mile, but a little climbing, descending, corners, braking. Initial impressions are that "it's just a bike" - which is high praise. I won't have to learn any weird twitches or tweaks. I will have to learn the brakes. They stop better than cantis - or calipers for that matter. I do have to take a couple of links out of the chain - not used to the amount of takeup and stretch an 11-36 has and I mis-judged. And I have to wrap the bars and clip/end cap cables.
But it's quiet and quick and not too bad for weight. I can't wait to ride on gravel!
BTW, Challenge is providing me a set of Paris-Roubaix tires, and a pair of their new Gravel Grinders. Watch for a future writeup on both! I love my Almanzos, but I hate burning them up on road, so I'll be flippping back and forth!
 |
| Pardon me while I gush. Whiskey 9 thru axle fork, TRP Hy/Rd brakes, Hope EVO Pro 2 hub, Sapim CX Ray spokes, HED Belgium rims, Challenge Almanzo tires |
 |
| Shimano XT 9 spd derailleur, XT 11-36 cassette, Shimano 9000 cables |
 |
| Ritchey WCS Stem, Cowbell 2 44cm bars, Ultegra 6700 brifters |
 |
| FSA Gossamer 36-46 crankset, Shimano XTR pedals, Ritchey WCS post, Selle Italia saddle |
Mielsville Grinder Update #7
I emailed MN Bike Trail Navigator's Chris Chavie to do a quick recon on the B-road glacier, and I'm happy to report we're going for it. Barring a severe storm tonight that dumps feet of rain, the road is soft, muddy in spots, but passable. Chris suggests MTB and Fatboys will do fine. I think a lot of CX riders will do as well. It will test your skills for a hundred yards or so.
Hopefully everyone has figured out that tomorrow will be somewhat cool and maybe a bit damp. I'd love to draw analogies between riding Miesville and riding Paris-Roubaix, but alas. Paris-Roubaix will be 60 and only a slight chance of precip. I still have mental images of hard men in wool sorts, all a uniform sort of brown from riding PB in the wet. Maybe we'll get some good pictures here tomorrw!
See you in the morning!
~mj
See you in the morning!
~mj
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Biker movies
Yeah, just a short list (I don't think you can make a long one) of cycling films. Yes there are others, but frankly... Well, frankly they are so bad...
Anyhow, for the good:
The as yet unseen:
Deliberately omitted:
Anyhow, for the good:
- Breaking Away - 1979 - IMDB - quintessential coming of age movie in mid-America in the 70s.
- A Sunday day in Hell - 1977 - IMDB - it *is* all about the bike, and the riders, and the cobbles. Incredibly well shot considering that there was no GoPro to clip on the bars or helmet.
- 6 Day Bike Rider - 1934 - IMDB - Joe E Brown at his best. I've only seen this one time. On PBS in the late 80s.
- Le Triplettes de Belleville - 2003 - IMDB - great little animation about the Tour de France (kinda)
- Pee-Wee's Big Adventure - 1985 - IMDB - OK, it's not a great movie. It's more of a cult flick. Maybe not even cult - maybe more fringe group.
The as yet unseen:
- The Flying Scotsman
- 2 Seconds
Deliberately omitted:
- BMX Bandits - really?
- Quicksilver - Six degrees of Kevin Bacon? (Although it does feature Nellie Vails).
- American Flyers -- beyond schmalz
Miesville Grinder Update #6
We are good to go! Only 66 hours until we head out on a small adventure... Without jinxing us, the forecast is shaping up to be mid-40s and cloudy with a northerly breeze. Just pretend it's Tour of Flanders with the wind coming off the North Sea.
A couple of last minute points. Bathrooms may be open, (and probably will be) but space is still a bit limited. If you have a choice, go before you get there! Otherwise, King's or the gas station may be accessible too.
Parking is at the ball field. It's going to be a bit tight, so please park responsibly, and make SURE you don't block the public works building access! (very bad karma). No parking at the church either. If we get in an overflow, there's some space in the field behind the ball field (better spot for hiding to change, too); otherwise if you ask you can park behind the gas station.
There are one or two (or maybe 3) confusing intersections if you don't pay attention.
- Lewiston -> 205th -> Lewiston ---- maybe not that bad, but somebody is bound to try and go the wrong way.
- Lewiston -> 220th ->Goodwin->220th ---- Don't miss the turn to 220th. If you get to the big arrow in the sky, you just missed it.
- 220th -> Inga. ---- If you are going 56 -- TURN LEFT. This is where the 40s TURN RIGHT!.
- 220th -> Inga - Deja Vu. ---- You suddenly get the sense you've been here before. TURN LEFT!
- Inga ---- The 'b-road'. Hopefully there's a path through the glacier. It hasn't rained much, so there may still be a snowy spot or two. Enjoy the challenge, but please stay out of the farm fields!
- Inga -> 280th - 40 riders take note. The turn list omits the bend to the left and treats it as a continuation. Bad turnlist. Bad! According to the turn list, you'll go about 13.9 miles without turning off of Inga. Just follow the road.
After that, just watch out for wildlife (turkeys, deer, possum, skunk) and enjoy the ride.
A couple of last minute points. Bathrooms may be open, (and probably will be) but space is still a bit limited. If you have a choice, go before you get there! Otherwise, King's or the gas station may be accessible too.
Parking is at the ball field. It's going to be a bit tight, so please park responsibly, and make SURE you don't block the public works building access! (very bad karma). No parking at the church either. If we get in an overflow, there's some space in the field behind the ball field (better spot for hiding to change, too); otherwise if you ask you can park behind the gas station.
There are one or two (or maybe 3) confusing intersections if you don't pay attention.
- Lewiston -> 205th -> Lewiston ---- maybe not that bad, but somebody is bound to try and go the wrong way.
- Lewiston -> 220th ->Goodwin->220th ---- Don't miss the turn to 220th. If you get to the big arrow in the sky, you just missed it.
- 220th -> Inga. ---- If you are going 56 -- TURN LEFT. This is where the 40s TURN RIGHT!.
- 220th -> Inga - Deja Vu. ---- You suddenly get the sense you've been here before. TURN LEFT!
- Inga ---- The 'b-road'. Hopefully there's a path through the glacier. It hasn't rained much, so there may still be a snowy spot or two. Enjoy the challenge, but please stay out of the farm fields!
- Inga -> 280th - 40 riders take note. The turn list omits the bend to the left and treats it as a continuation. Bad turnlist. Bad! According to the turn list, you'll go about 13.9 miles without turning off of Inga. Just follow the road.
After that, just watch out for wildlife (turkeys, deer, possum, skunk) and enjoy the ride.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Miesville 40
Some folks (and I'd be among them if I were riding Sunday) asked for a shorter version of the route since the winter was long and some are not quite ready for 90K. For them I offer the Miesville 40 option. This is not a separate event, but just a 40 mile option instead of the full 90K/56mi. I tried to keep most of the fun, but cut out some of the distance. There are endless variations on the theme, and if we do it again, I doubt we'll have to use the same course!
See y'all on Sunday morning. Roll-out is at 9:00 SHARP!
GPX, TCX and a turn list are HERE
Here's a map and access to all the tools you might want
See y'all on Sunday morning. Roll-out is at 9:00 SHARP!
GPX, TCX and a turn list are HERE
Here's a map and access to all the tools you might want
Monday, April 7, 2014
Saturday Ride 4-12
As mentioned earlier, we're doing a River Falls ride on Saturday morning. Looks like the weather may be moderately cooperative, but if it's awful, I don't feel obligated to ride. I'll post a quick entry on the blog if I'm going to cancel.
The route will head south out of River Falls, cut back over the Diamond Bluff spine and back into town for about 30 miles. (should have the wind at our backs coming home!) 30ish miles, easy pace on the hills, periodic regroups. A no-drop ride (unless you are so slow you tell us to leave you for the buzzards).
If you are interested in riding, please drop me a note or comment so I can get an idea of who to look for.
When: 10:00 Saturday 4-12
Where: Hoffman Park, River Falls
Why: Because we can
Who: Three guys from Acton
GPX, TCX files are here. I don't normally print turn lists, but you can go print one from here:
http://bikeroutetoaster.com/BRTWebUI/Course/646868
Around River Falls Rides
The route will head south out of River Falls, cut back over the Diamond Bluff spine and back into town for about 30 miles. (should have the wind at our backs coming home!) 30ish miles, easy pace on the hills, periodic regroups. A no-drop ride (unless you are so slow you tell us to leave you for the buzzards).
If you are interested in riding, please drop me a note or comment so I can get an idea of who to look for.
When: 10:00 Saturday 4-12
Where: Hoffman Park, River Falls
Why: Because we can
Who: Three guys from Acton
GPX, TCX files are here. I don't normally print turn lists, but you can go print one from here:
http://bikeroutetoaster.com/BRTWebUI/Course/646868
Around River Falls Rides
Sunday Rides
Several years ago, I started a Sunday ride program out of River Falls, WI. There were several reasons for doing this, oddly enough they all revolve around cows. Dairy cows to be specific. Dairy cows are sort of a sacred animal in Wisconsin. They produce lots of milk, which dairy farmers use to produce lots of cheese (or supply their cheesemakers to produce lots of cheese). In either case, the base requirements for successful dairy farm are:
really good graze
a fair amount of land
well maintained roads so milk trucks can get to the farms easily
And those things all add together to make for a good place to ride. I've not seen too many successful dairy farms on dead flat terrain except for river valleys. Don't know why, I'm not a farmer/agronomist, but there it is. And big farms not intensively cultivated means land prices need to be reasonable, which means people aren't clamoring to live there en masse, which means not too many cars, and good roads, well...
So we ride out of River Falls on pretty good paved roads, with average car encounters at about 1/mile, with lots of rolling hills, some pretty good climbs, and great scenery. In general, people wave with more than one finger, and it's pretty rare to find a dog that feels a need to chase. Except for that one pug. And the basset hound...
The group I lead is mostly fit people of a certain age, mostly masters skiers, who ride reasonably well but aren't real interested in racing, 5 hour centuries, or riding in ultra tight double pacelines. Average pace is around 12-13 mph most of the time, and distances range from 35-65 miles. We tend to smell the roses, and have been known to stop for a photo op. Women are more than welcome (my wife really likes to have fit women to ride with). Helmets are sorta required. I really don't get not wearing one, and prefer not to ride with people who don't.
If you are interested in joining us, drop me a note or add a comment. I'll add you to the mailing list or you can check back here for rides.
(hint - the first one is this coming Saturday - to be posted later tonight, because Sunday is the Miesville Grinder).
really good graze
a fair amount of land
well maintained roads so milk trucks can get to the farms easily
And those things all add together to make for a good place to ride. I've not seen too many successful dairy farms on dead flat terrain except for river valleys. Don't know why, I'm not a farmer/agronomist, but there it is. And big farms not intensively cultivated means land prices need to be reasonable, which means people aren't clamoring to live there en masse, which means not too many cars, and good roads, well...
So we ride out of River Falls on pretty good paved roads, with average car encounters at about 1/mile, with lots of rolling hills, some pretty good climbs, and great scenery. In general, people wave with more than one finger, and it's pretty rare to find a dog that feels a need to chase. Except for that one pug. And the basset hound...
The group I lead is mostly fit people of a certain age, mostly masters skiers, who ride reasonably well but aren't real interested in racing, 5 hour centuries, or riding in ultra tight double pacelines. Average pace is around 12-13 mph most of the time, and distances range from 35-65 miles. We tend to smell the roses, and have been known to stop for a photo op. Women are more than welcome (my wife really likes to have fit women to ride with). Helmets are sorta required. I really don't get not wearing one, and prefer not to ride with people who don't.
If you are interested in joining us, drop me a note or add a comment. I'll add you to the mailing list or you can check back here for rides.
(hint - the first one is this coming Saturday - to be posted later tonight, because Sunday is the Miesville Grinder).
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Miesville Grinder Update #5
Morning Y'all.
I did a brief course recon on the trouble spots this morning, and it's good news. It looks like the south metro got significantly less snow (or it all blew sideways) than we did in the north. So unless something changes, we should be full course - with one possible exception - the B road.
We walked the B road section this morning, and it's got one spot that is - and I kid you not - a 6' deep snowdrift. There's a gully forming, and if temps hold this week, it will be big enough to ride down, but - be prepared to climb off and run/walk for a few yards in sloppy conditions!
I've had several queries about tire advice. My advice - wider gravel tires. I think cyclocross riders would be fine on 28-30mm nail treads, but if you have the option of a slightly wider tire (like a Challenge Chicane, Gravel Grinder or similar), you might opt for that. This morning the course was firm but not rock hard. Be kind to your fellow riders and clip on a fender if you have one.
On my soap box for a moment. This ride is through 'rural' Dakota County farmland, but there is a bit of residential traffic (and residences) along some of these roads. Also there are two golf courses adjacent to the course, so PLEASE RIDE friendly and cautiously, even if the locals and golfers don't! This means:
Otherwise, please just ride with your wits about you and have a good ride! This stuff is fun.
I did a brief course recon on the trouble spots this morning, and it's good news. It looks like the south metro got significantly less snow (or it all blew sideways) than we did in the north. So unless something changes, we should be full course - with one possible exception - the B road.
 |
| Turn on Lewiston from 205th - sign missing |
 |
| Lewiston |
 |
| Watch out for the locals! |
 |
| Lewiston -> 220th - if you get to the big flag, you went too far! |
 |
| Deja Vu corner - you'll hit this from both directions |
 |
| It's melted here! |
 |
| The B road |
 |
| Looking back - Will it melt? |
 |
| There is a road, no simple highway |
I've had several queries about tire advice. My advice - wider gravel tires. I think cyclocross riders would be fine on 28-30mm nail treads, but if you have the option of a slightly wider tire (like a Challenge Chicane, Gravel Grinder or similar), you might opt for that. This morning the course was firm but not rock hard. Be kind to your fellow riders and clip on a fender if you have one.
On my soap box for a moment. This ride is through 'rural' Dakota County farmland, but there is a bit of residential traffic (and residences) along some of these roads. Also there are two golf courses adjacent to the course, so PLEASE RIDE friendly and cautiously, even if the locals and golfers don't! This means:
- If you are riding in a group and someone yells car up/back, skinny up to single or double lines, not road packs. The law is no more than 2 abreast and as far to the right as practicable. Please do that.
- Centerline rule is IN EFFECT! (ok, the old cycling commissaire is sneaking its head out here, but there are a lot of narrow roads, blind corners and hilltops that you can't see through, and neither can the cars. Becoming a hood ornament is a lousy way to start the season.
- Wave (with more than one finger) and/or say hi to the locals - they live here, we just ride through. All it takes to ruin a course is one negative encounter, and the event won't grow - it won't even be allowed back!
- Stay out of the farm fields. Those are private property, and tromping around this time of year is really bad. You don't have any idea what's in them, on them, or soon will be - stay out! Oh yeah, and that 2 lane wide gang plow that's moving toward you? Get out of his way - he's working, we're playing.
- It looks like we may have restroom access at the ball field and/or at Kings. Please treat it like it's your own - I have to clean them up!
Otherwise, please just ride with your wits about you and have a good ride! This stuff is fun.
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Common sense tips for riding gravel
There's a whole cadre of really experienced gravel/adventure riders out there, and y'all are welcome to chime in with your thoughts. This post is for the new to gravel riders, who maybe are used to doing well organized centuries, club rides and weekend rides with friends - but not 4+ hour totally unsupported, where-the-heck-am-I rides in the puckerbush. (Actually, Miesville isn't puckerbush. Far from it - you are <15 miles from the start no matter where you are on the course, and usually no more than 1/4 mile from somebody's farm.)
So here goes with the tip sheet.
Know where you are - bring turn list, map, GPS, phone - and KNOW HOW TO READ A MAP!!! GPS devices have batteries that die. Phones may not connect and batteries may die. Maps seldom lie. Pay attention to your map and turns even if you are with a group. You may decide to stop for a nature break and the group may not. Keep track of where you are on the course!
Be prepared for the weather - and pay attention to what's coming. If it's 85 degrees, your biggest weather concerns are hydration and sunscreen. If it's 45, a sudden shower can bring on hypothermia. Make sure you have enough clothing to add a layer if you have to stop for a while. (I carry a jacket, stocking cap and long finger gloves on spring rides). No cotton is the first rule. Know your body and the weather is the second. Especially in the spring, be prepared for a sudden storm. If there is any chance of thunderstorms, keep an eye on the horizon - especially behind you! Spring storms can travel at 40+mph, and bring wind, rain, lightning and hail. Be prepared to find cover quickly if you see one approaching.
Make sure you have enough to eat. If you are used to road rides at 15mph, and view 60 miles as a 4 hour adventure, make sure you have enough food for 5-6 hours of riding. (400 kcal/hour is about right for most people). Eat things that sit well on your stomach, but not simple sugar based food (like candy and pop). These cause an insulin rush followed by a crash. The exception - Shot blocks or gel packs are an essential element in dealing with 'the bonk'. Quick calories to consume while your body processes better foods.
Carry enough tools, but don't go crazy. At a minimum 2 tubes, tire irons, patches (none of which you need if you run tubeless), hand pump, optional CO2 inflators, multi-tool, $21 (1 dollar bill makes a dandy boot for a cut tire), a couple of zip ties, quick link for your chain.
Headlight/taillight. It's amazing how much more visible you are when you use these. If it's a gray day, maybe a neon vest, too.
Riding habits. When the going gets rough, you need to ride more lightly. Soften up your elbows, loosen your death grip on the bars, sit lighter on your saddle, and transfer more weight to your hands and feet. And maybe click up a gear harder if you have them. And don't stare at your front wheel. It's not going anywhere, but the bumps it'll hit are up the road in front of you. Keep searching for the smoothest hardest line. I will change lines fairly often as I see patches that look firmer, drier, smoother, or whatever. If you are in deep loose stuff, look at the shoulder and even at grassy strips. Don't be afraid to experiment.
Challenge rollers - go down them as fast as you dare, pedal up as hard as you can without going over redline, and strive for the top. You'll get a quick recovery over the top anyway, so if you can use your momentum to help blast UP that roller, you'll have much less to do to finish it. This can save many minutes on a typical south Minnesota/Iowa rolling farm road, without spending any extra energy.
Final tip. Don't forget to enjoy the ride. There's always going to be someone who has their head down, hammering away and never realizes that they missed a herd of deer, or goats being silly on a farm. They never see the green valleys, classic cars, waving farm kids or talking to the people they were riding with. Which really makes me wonder why they are out here. Much more fun to smell the roses.
Enjoy.
~marsh
So here goes with the tip sheet.
Know where you are - bring turn list, map, GPS, phone - and KNOW HOW TO READ A MAP!!! GPS devices have batteries that die. Phones may not connect and batteries may die. Maps seldom lie. Pay attention to your map and turns even if you are with a group. You may decide to stop for a nature break and the group may not. Keep track of where you are on the course!
Be prepared for the weather - and pay attention to what's coming. If it's 85 degrees, your biggest weather concerns are hydration and sunscreen. If it's 45, a sudden shower can bring on hypothermia. Make sure you have enough clothing to add a layer if you have to stop for a while. (I carry a jacket, stocking cap and long finger gloves on spring rides). No cotton is the first rule. Know your body and the weather is the second. Especially in the spring, be prepared for a sudden storm. If there is any chance of thunderstorms, keep an eye on the horizon - especially behind you! Spring storms can travel at 40+mph, and bring wind, rain, lightning and hail. Be prepared to find cover quickly if you see one approaching.
Make sure you have enough to eat. If you are used to road rides at 15mph, and view 60 miles as a 4 hour adventure, make sure you have enough food for 5-6 hours of riding. (400 kcal/hour is about right for most people). Eat things that sit well on your stomach, but not simple sugar based food (like candy and pop). These cause an insulin rush followed by a crash. The exception - Shot blocks or gel packs are an essential element in dealing with 'the bonk'. Quick calories to consume while your body processes better foods.
Carry enough tools, but don't go crazy. At a minimum 2 tubes, tire irons, patches (none of which you need if you run tubeless), hand pump, optional CO2 inflators, multi-tool, $21 (1 dollar bill makes a dandy boot for a cut tire), a couple of zip ties, quick link for your chain.
Headlight/taillight. It's amazing how much more visible you are when you use these. If it's a gray day, maybe a neon vest, too.
Riding habits. When the going gets rough, you need to ride more lightly. Soften up your elbows, loosen your death grip on the bars, sit lighter on your saddle, and transfer more weight to your hands and feet. And maybe click up a gear harder if you have them. And don't stare at your front wheel. It's not going anywhere, but the bumps it'll hit are up the road in front of you. Keep searching for the smoothest hardest line. I will change lines fairly often as I see patches that look firmer, drier, smoother, or whatever. If you are in deep loose stuff, look at the shoulder and even at grassy strips. Don't be afraid to experiment.
Challenge rollers - go down them as fast as you dare, pedal up as hard as you can without going over redline, and strive for the top. You'll get a quick recovery over the top anyway, so if you can use your momentum to help blast UP that roller, you'll have much less to do to finish it. This can save many minutes on a typical south Minnesota/Iowa rolling farm road, without spending any extra energy.
Final tip. Don't forget to enjoy the ride. There's always going to be someone who has their head down, hammering away and never realizes that they missed a herd of deer, or goats being silly on a farm. They never see the green valleys, classic cars, waving farm kids or talking to the people they were riding with. Which really makes me wonder why they are out here. Much more fun to smell the roses.
Enjoy.
~marsh
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Minor details
And still the process of assembling this new bike goes on. It's amazing all the piddly little tasks that have to get done when you build a bike up 'kit form', knowing that you are going to make some of it up as you go.
Progress today:
Unpackage cables and snake out the old basic Jagwire. Realize that Shimano's slick, sweet, bloody spendy 9000 derailleur cable kit includes 2 inner derailleur cables, but only 1.2 outer cables. Yup - they assume all bikes have a partial cable for the front derailleur. Clue stick time. I'm hoping that one of the pro level shops here in town stocks that housing, not just the kits. Cheap b@strds.
Realize that in order to really do my setups, like measuring cables, I need to stand on two wheels. I've got a pair of Challenge Almanzos all set to go on the bike, but I need rim strips. *@&#!$. Not just any rim strip - it's gotta be a wider one... No, I'm NOT using gorilla tape. Ever clean that stuff off? And no, I'm not setting them up tubeless until I get a second set of wheels so I can have two sets of tires mounted.
So tonight was spent doing the piddly stuff - like putting anti-seize on Ti bolts, torquing brake rotors, taking measurements off my existing bike in order to duplicate them on the new one - stuff that occupies time.
~marsh
Progress today:
Unpackage cables and snake out the old basic Jagwire. Realize that Shimano's slick, sweet, bloody spendy 9000 derailleur cable kit includes 2 inner derailleur cables, but only 1.2 outer cables. Yup - they assume all bikes have a partial cable for the front derailleur. Clue stick time. I'm hoping that one of the pro level shops here in town stocks that housing, not just the kits. Cheap b@strds.
Realize that in order to really do my setups, like measuring cables, I need to stand on two wheels. I've got a pair of Challenge Almanzos all set to go on the bike, but I need rim strips. *@&#!$. Not just any rim strip - it's gotta be a wider one... No, I'm NOT using gorilla tape. Ever clean that stuff off? And no, I'm not setting them up tubeless until I get a second set of wheels so I can have two sets of tires mounted.
So tonight was spent doing the piddly stuff - like putting anti-seize on Ti bolts, torquing brake rotors, taking measurements off my existing bike in order to duplicate them on the new one - stuff that occupies time.
~marsh
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
It's a bike! (well almost)
I'm closing in on completing my build. Bits and pieces dribble in, I find more little quirks (like Whiskey 9 forks are set for 140mm rotors), and little odds & ends like that. but mostly - it looks like a bike now.
Handlebars, brakes and cables came in today. I'm splurging on cables and using Shimano BC 9000, which are supposed to be absolutely the cat's meow.
The wheels are built, true to <.005", and within 50 newtons variance across all spokes. I love working with HED rims. This is the 3rd and a half set I've built, and I definitely put them in the 'stuff that works' category.
By the weekend, dial in the cockpit, disassemble so I can cut the fork - talk about a non-reversible task, and then reassemble everything with lots of lube where lube needs to be, locktite where it needs to go, and maybe get to go for a ride.
Handlebars, brakes and cables came in today. I'm splurging on cables and using Shimano BC 9000, which are supposed to be absolutely the cat's meow.
The wheels are built, true to <.005", and within 50 newtons variance across all spokes. I love working with HED rims. This is the 3rd and a half set I've built, and I definitely put them in the 'stuff that works' category.
By the weekend, dial in the cockpit, disassemble so I can cut the fork - talk about a non-reversible task, and then reassemble everything with lots of lube where lube needs to be, locktite where it needs to go, and maybe get to go for a ride.
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