I've been off the bike for about two weeks. I've barely touched a bike let alone thrown a leg over one. I still cough like mad if I take a deep breath. However after being around so many bike enthusiasts(Veloswap) this weekend, I was pretty pumped about giving the work commute a try. Here's how it went....
Temp - 41degrees
Me:
Head - 9 ok but fine (Helmet and thin head sock)
Hands - 9 ok but functioning (New Columbia gloves)
Chest - 9 warm (Underarmor pullover)
Legs - 8 warm (jeans)
Feet - 7 ok I can feel my toes (keen boots/tall but thin biking socks)
Overall Physical feel - 7 (little gaspy on the climb)
Bike ratings as follows. One will mean total equipment failure. Ten
means it totally served it's purpose and I need to write more positive
reviews on it.
Bike: Redline Monocog
Tires - 5(front tire lost some air on the way up)
Brakes - 7(chattery but fine)
Drivetrain - 6(BB needs replaced)
Overall/Other - 6(liking the Fubar less and less. The angle of the bar just isn't right.)
Total Score: 73
Things to change - Change out FuBar?, More slime or better tire sealant, change BB.
Things I noticed - I like the smell of pancakes much better then the smell of diesel exhaust.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Winter Commuting
This was the lowest temperature commute so far. It was 32ยบ when I left the house. Luckily I had a tailwind of about 5-10mph. It made the trip up the hill much more pleasant. I did get a taste of the wind when I turned at the top of the hill. I don't think my hands and feet would have been as warm if I'd have had to deal with a headwind.
My head was also preoccupied thinking about this blog post. Kept my mind off of being cold. Here's what I was thinking about. I figured I'd rate my winter/cold weather commutes on a 1-10 scale. All the factors will be added up and the rating for the ride will be that result.
For the Head, Hands, Chest, Lets and Feet : One will be useless frozen hunks of meat. Ten will be Normal, warm functional appendage.
Overall Physical feel : One will be, legs and body fried, can't move. Ten would be a great ride with energy to spare.
Me:
Head - 7 ok but fine (Helmet and thin head sock)
Hands - 5 ok but functioning (light fleece gloves)
Chest - 8 warm (med blue fleece jacket)
Legs - 7 warm (jeans)
Feet - 5 ok I can feel my toes (keen boots/tall but thin hiking socks)
Overall Physical feel - 5 (legs tired)
Bike ratings as follows. One will mean total equipment failure. Ten means it totally served it's purpose and I need to write more positive reviews on it.
Bike: Redline Monocog
Tires - 3(pretty sure they will both be flat for the trip home. Lost a lot of air on the way up)
Brakes - 7(chattery but fine)
Drivetrain - 6(BB needs replaced)
Overall/Other - 7(lights great, Fubar??)
Total Score: 60
Things to change - Heavier socks, Windstopper gloves, More slime or better tire sealant, change BB.
My head was also preoccupied thinking about this blog post. Kept my mind off of being cold. Here's what I was thinking about. I figured I'd rate my winter/cold weather commutes on a 1-10 scale. All the factors will be added up and the rating for the ride will be that result.
For the Head, Hands, Chest, Lets and Feet : One will be useless frozen hunks of meat. Ten will be Normal, warm functional appendage.
Overall Physical feel : One will be, legs and body fried, can't move. Ten would be a great ride with energy to spare.
Me:
Head - 7 ok but fine (Helmet and thin head sock)
Hands - 5 ok but functioning (light fleece gloves)
Chest - 8 warm (med blue fleece jacket)
Legs - 7 warm (jeans)
Feet - 5 ok I can feel my toes (keen boots/tall but thin hiking socks)
Overall Physical feel - 5 (legs tired)
Bike ratings as follows. One will mean total equipment failure. Ten means it totally served it's purpose and I need to write more positive reviews on it.
Bike: Redline Monocog
Tires - 3(pretty sure they will both be flat for the trip home. Lost a lot of air on the way up)
Brakes - 7(chattery but fine)
Drivetrain - 6(BB needs replaced)
Overall/Other - 7(lights great, Fubar??)
Total Score: 60
Things to change - Heavier socks, Windstopper gloves, More slime or better tire sealant, change BB.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Winter Park trip Reviews
Our little trip to mountains to get some riding in put us in contact with a few different places and things. For my record as well as trying to help out others, I though I'd try to write a few thought out reviews.
Redstone Cyclery - http://redstonecyclery.com/
I know I've sung the praises of Redstone may other times and places, but I feel I need to stress how good this shop is. Dave and his employee's never disappoint. I needed a some advice on rides in the Winter Park area, help in fixing a super tight formula brake, and a bunch of misc parts. It was a one stop shop. I filled all my needs in one place. When we were almost in the car I remembered I needed shifter housing for son's bike. Dave made sure I got the correct length and just in case gave me a extra piece of housing to make sure the job got done. He's always going far beyond the normal bike shop. He wasn't totally sure on the condition of Granby Ranch's bike park so he told me to stop in at Totally Wired Cyclery and ask there.
Totally Wired Cyclery - http://totallywiredcyclery.com/
It was suggested to us that we talk to Doug at Totally Wired Cyclery and ask about conditions at Granby Ranch. Rumors were flying that it might be in a state of disrepair. Doug quickly dispatched that idea and said it's a good place to ride. He did add that we'd probably enjoy the single track in the Winter Park area more thou. We had planned on lift riding for a day so we stuck with the game plan.
Elevation pizza - http://www.elevationpizzaco.com/
We needed to stop for lunch so I put "pizza" into google maps to see what sort of reviews the local places had. We were still in the parking lot, outside of Totally Wired when the prefect 30 review come up for Elevation pizza. So I just turned the car back off and we got out and went inside. It a good deal past lunch but they were still very busy. We ordered a specialty pizza and a custom made pizza. Both were awesome. So good in fact we ended up getting more pizza from them the next night. The reviews are all true. Great pizza, good price and pretty fast also. Try the Adam Bomb....soooo good.
Stillwater Campground -
We spent two days at Stillwater campground. The camp ground is very busy, however it's not that noisy. The camp sites are spaced well and other then the occasional thrum of a generator it's pretty peaceful. The camp hosts were very kind and helpful. The showers were hot and the bathrooms were clean. For the money you can't beat it. However since the beetle kill has taken all of the tree's it's a tad windy. Were from Nebraska so it wasn't that bad to us.
Granby Ranch Bike Park - http://www.granbyranch.com/colorado-mountian-biking-trails-terrain-parks.html
While we were at Totally Wired Cyclery Doug pointed out that there's a coupon in the Winter Park trail map for a free junior lift ticket with the purchase of an adult ticket. We just happend to have two adults and two juniors. Total with tax was $52 dollars for four of us to ride the lifts and bike down. That's an insane deal. So with our lift tickets in hand we headed for the trails. Lines were short and the lift was fast. The DH trails are very well marked. The cross country aren't bad just off of the lift but further down the path, it starts to change. The XC stuff at Granby ranch has hardly been touched. We rode some XC stuff till we went down Silky Johnson. Then we rode that for the rest of the afternoon. What a fun run. SOOO much flow. We would have needed some serious bikes and even more serious balls to ride some of the other DH runs at Granby. There were some excellent riders sending it big down there. Great stuff to watch. I just don't have that skill set.
Eagle's Camp Dome Tent - http://www.cabelas.com/product/Eagles-Camp-Crystal-Canyon-Backpacker-Dome-Tent/715647.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Deagles%2Bdome%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=eagles+dome&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products
We picked up this little tent for my GF's son. It had good reviews and didn't break the bank. It won't get used a ton so we didn't want to spend a ton of money on it. The reviews on Cabela's website were decent so we gave it a try. It was easy to set up(even in the dark). Plenty of room for a taller camper like her son. For the money it had quality parts and decent materials. Don't believe me? Buy one and spend a little time outdoors. You'll be glad you did.
Mountain House Wraps, Breakfast wrap - http://www.cabelas.com/product/Mountain-House-Wraps/1232711.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dmountain%2Bhouse%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=mountain+house&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products
I've eaten a lot of freeze dried food. This is one of the best I've ever had. Sure it's simple and that is probably why it's so good. Add a few tortilla's to your load and you'll have some smiling faces in the morning after breakfast. It says it feeds 2, but I'd say it's closer to 3 or even 4. It's a good ratio of eggs to hash browns to onions and peppers. Add a little hot sauce or cheese and this is darn near perfect. This one is always on my list when car camping.
Yakima Highroller - http://www.yakima.com/shop/bike/top/highroller
This tray is quickly becoming my favorite one to load when it comes time to putting bikes on top of my car. It's fast and holds tight without lots of fuss. My only issue is that the riveted pivot on the upright holder has developed some slop in the last year. There is a clicking sound it makes from time to time when the bike sways a little. My initial displeasure's with the tray was how poorly the plastic fit and the broken quick drop button. Both of these problems still remain, however it makes up for these deficiencies in loading and unloading which are effortless.
Exped Megamat - http://www.exped.com/exped/web/exped_homepage_na.nsf/0/B5536B3C0E79A3D7C12578480022B0C2?opendocument
I purchased this mat before I left for a Fruita Mtnbike trip. I liked the reviews and the info I found online. The first night I spent on this mattress was epic. It's like sleeping on your bed at home. It's that good. If I hadn't been in a sleeping bag I would have thought I was at home. It's not the smallest mattress. It's a car camping mattress. It's not light either. What you lose in mobility and weight you gain exponentially in comfort. It's adjustable for firmness and self inflating. It comes with a pump to get the ride quality you desire.
Redstone Cyclery - http://redstonecyclery.com/
I know I've sung the praises of Redstone may other times and places, but I feel I need to stress how good this shop is. Dave and his employee's never disappoint. I needed a some advice on rides in the Winter Park area, help in fixing a super tight formula brake, and a bunch of misc parts. It was a one stop shop. I filled all my needs in one place. When we were almost in the car I remembered I needed shifter housing for son's bike. Dave made sure I got the correct length and just in case gave me a extra piece of housing to make sure the job got done. He's always going far beyond the normal bike shop. He wasn't totally sure on the condition of Granby Ranch's bike park so he told me to stop in at Totally Wired Cyclery and ask there.
Totally Wired Cyclery - http://totallywiredcyclery.com/
It was suggested to us that we talk to Doug at Totally Wired Cyclery and ask about conditions at Granby Ranch. Rumors were flying that it might be in a state of disrepair. Doug quickly dispatched that idea and said it's a good place to ride. He did add that we'd probably enjoy the single track in the Winter Park area more thou. We had planned on lift riding for a day so we stuck with the game plan.
Elevation pizza - http://www.elevationpizzaco.com/
We needed to stop for lunch so I put "pizza" into google maps to see what sort of reviews the local places had. We were still in the parking lot, outside of Totally Wired when the prefect 30 review come up for Elevation pizza. So I just turned the car back off and we got out and went inside. It a good deal past lunch but they were still very busy. We ordered a specialty pizza and a custom made pizza. Both were awesome. So good in fact we ended up getting more pizza from them the next night. The reviews are all true. Great pizza, good price and pretty fast also. Try the Adam Bomb....soooo good.
Stillwater Campground -
We spent two days at Stillwater campground. The camp ground is very busy, however it's not that noisy. The camp sites are spaced well and other then the occasional thrum of a generator it's pretty peaceful. The camp hosts were very kind and helpful. The showers were hot and the bathrooms were clean. For the money you can't beat it. However since the beetle kill has taken all of the tree's it's a tad windy. Were from Nebraska so it wasn't that bad to us.
Granby Ranch Bike Park - http://www.granbyranch.com/colorado-mountian-biking-trails-terrain-parks.html
While we were at Totally Wired Cyclery Doug pointed out that there's a coupon in the Winter Park trail map for a free junior lift ticket with the purchase of an adult ticket. We just happend to have two adults and two juniors. Total with tax was $52 dollars for four of us to ride the lifts and bike down. That's an insane deal. So with our lift tickets in hand we headed for the trails. Lines were short and the lift was fast. The DH trails are very well marked. The cross country aren't bad just off of the lift but further down the path, it starts to change. The XC stuff at Granby ranch has hardly been touched. We rode some XC stuff till we went down Silky Johnson. Then we rode that for the rest of the afternoon. What a fun run. SOOO much flow. We would have needed some serious bikes and even more serious balls to ride some of the other DH runs at Granby. There were some excellent riders sending it big down there. Great stuff to watch. I just don't have that skill set.
Eagle's Camp Dome Tent - http://www.cabelas.com/product/Eagles-Camp-Crystal-Canyon-Backpacker-Dome-Tent/715647.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Deagles%2Bdome%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=eagles+dome&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products
We picked up this little tent for my GF's son. It had good reviews and didn't break the bank. It won't get used a ton so we didn't want to spend a ton of money on it. The reviews on Cabela's website were decent so we gave it a try. It was easy to set up(even in the dark). Plenty of room for a taller camper like her son. For the money it had quality parts and decent materials. Don't believe me? Buy one and spend a little time outdoors. You'll be glad you did.
Mountain House Wraps, Breakfast wrap - http://www.cabelas.com/product/Mountain-House-Wraps/1232711.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dmountain%2Bhouse%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=mountain+house&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products
I've eaten a lot of freeze dried food. This is one of the best I've ever had. Sure it's simple and that is probably why it's so good. Add a few tortilla's to your load and you'll have some smiling faces in the morning after breakfast. It says it feeds 2, but I'd say it's closer to 3 or even 4. It's a good ratio of eggs to hash browns to onions and peppers. Add a little hot sauce or cheese and this is darn near perfect. This one is always on my list when car camping.
Yakima Highroller - http://www.yakima.com/shop/bike/top/highroller
This tray is quickly becoming my favorite one to load when it comes time to putting bikes on top of my car. It's fast and holds tight without lots of fuss. My only issue is that the riveted pivot on the upright holder has developed some slop in the last year. There is a clicking sound it makes from time to time when the bike sways a little. My initial displeasure's with the tray was how poorly the plastic fit and the broken quick drop button. Both of these problems still remain, however it makes up for these deficiencies in loading and unloading which are effortless.
Exped Megamat - http://www.exped.com/exped/web/exped_homepage_na.nsf/0/B5536B3C0E79A3D7C12578480022B0C2?opendocument
I purchased this mat before I left for a Fruita Mtnbike trip. I liked the reviews and the info I found online. The first night I spent on this mattress was epic. It's like sleeping on your bed at home. It's that good. If I hadn't been in a sleeping bag I would have thought I was at home. It's not the smallest mattress. It's a car camping mattress. It's not light either. What you lose in mobility and weight you gain exponentially in comfort. It's adjustable for firmness and self inflating. It comes with a pump to get the ride quality you desire.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Thursday, July 5, 2012
The 4th of July - Bikes, Barns and Booms.
A short sweet ride ended at Luke Fasoldt's house. Where his barn had tried to fly a few nights earlier. Bit by bit, slice by slice we moved the barn from it's new resting place to a pit. Much quicker then we all expected we were done. We enjoyed some fireworks, friends and food. Can't ask for more.
Monday, July 2, 2012
The Hammer - The rise of a bottle opener
A good buddy of mine came knocking yesterday afternoon. He has a small forge and recently has been wanting to make some bottle openers to sell at fairs and gatherings and such. The problem is my buddy doesn't drink. So he had to come to me to test it out.
The design works very well. I was successful in opening multiple beers for myself and friends. It has a great look and becomes quite the conversation piece. I'm guessing he'll eventually want this one back and I'll have to commission him to make me a few. Till then this one will keep opening beers and spreading joy to the world.
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