Saturday, March 31, 2012

Catching Critters in Cricks in Candler, Carolina

Me and Abby and Elisabeth.

The biggest salamanders and the smallest crayfish I ever caught;-)

VID_20120331_101956.3gp Watch on Posterous

See the full gallery on Posterous

Watch "The Sunday Ride I crush them" on YouTube

Friday, March 30, 2012

Thursday, March 29, 2012

I donned the pink panties and met early with KC at 5:30 at the usual
spot. Monkey needs new pedal and BB so I broke the Surly 1X1
650B-29er out. Just swapped fixie out for the freewheel rear the
other night. Fixed gear season is over, beeotch. It was bone shaking
getting back to rigid SS basics. Wasn't super dialed in in the
tougher spots early on in the ride;-(

Log>Old Track CW>Lewis and Clark>Cascade>Ridge>Connector>left on
Morning Choice>left on Ridge at 4 way>Valley View Alt>Connector>right
on Morning Choice>Log>Rockburn Park Grand tour for KC who'd never
checked it out...complete with a few laps on the Pump Track>Nenegade
Racho on the way out

I was dialed in on Nacho. Decided after the stumpy bridge on Renegade
to kick it up and go for a Strava PR. Nearly got it.

Perfect conditions and perfect temps with light breeze. Excellent
shorts and long sleeve wooly weather, my favorite time of year.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

What's that?

whats_that.mp3 Listen on Posterous

I think that I am the tyranny of evil men, but I'm trying real hard to be the shephard

You hear that, Ringo?

Ricktator

via sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net

haha

I Wanna Be a Zombie

The Last Bibs and Booties Ride of 2012

34 degrees on the old Oregon Scientific this morning, so I donned the
wool socks, bib tights, and neoprene over-booties.
Big group at the usual 6 o'clock spot: XX, KC, CBC, JF, MC, JS, and moi.

A group was XX, JS, JF
B group was CBC, KC, BB
MC was the coolest kid in school 'cause he could hang out with the
jocks and the punks

Fast ride. Log>Morning Choice (not the bamboo forest way)>Old Track
(was cool when the whole train hit the double xtra credit...
thump, thump... thump, thump... thump, thump... thump, thump... thump,
thump... thump, thump... thump, thump...)
>Lewis and Clark>Cascade>Cascade Alternate>Bike Buster (an Ent moved one of the logs and created a major slow down right in the thick of things)
>Ridge>RockBurn Branches

Lastly, hit the Stumpy Boardwalk --clean-- with KC and CBC and exited
stage left to get home early for EJ's solo ride departure.

5K Obstacle Course Zombie Race - The Zombies | Run For Your Lives

The Zombies

Runners? Walkers? Climbers? Crawlers?

Our undead chasers will be transformed at our Zombie Transformation Center (ZTC). They’ll do whatever it takes to chase you down and grab your health flags. Our zombies will be fed right before the race, but please remember:

Zombies will not physically contact any runner other than in attempt to pull a health flag.

Direct physical contact (pulling, grabbing, pushing, striking, etc.) between zombies and runners will not be permitted.

Do not taunt the zombies with your brains– that’s just plain mean.

Zombie Rules

Direct and intentional physical contact with any runner is strictly prohibited. All of those in violation of this rule will be ineligible for your zombie perks and will be escorted off of the grounds without a refund. Those in violation may also be prosecuted depending on the severity of the act.

You are to never grab more than one flag from a runner.

You are never to grab a flag from a runner if they are waiting to complete an obstacle or while on/in an obstacle.

You must obey your zombie group leader at all times. Trust them, they will lead you to a glorious undead victory.

Stumbler zombies are never to run and chase down a runner.

Chaser zombies must run and chase runners during their shift. We understand you will need time to rest but we don’t want you standing around your entire shift either.

A zombie must complete his/her shift in order to receive the zombie perks. This includes signing in when you arrive and signing out when you are finished your shift.

Any visibly intoxicated zombies will not be allowed to participate and will not receive any of the zombie perks.

All zombies must be 14 years of age or older by race day in order to participate

Interested in joining the zombie horde?

Be sure to “Like” our Zombie Facebook page for insider zombie information and announcements for each location.

via runforyourlives.com

Coming to DC 8-4-2012 and MD 10-27-2012

Where's Carl

via a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net

Danny MacKaskill Eat Your Heart Out

Monday, March 26, 2012

ZombieCom

via buffal0b1ll.com

Pisgah, Here We Come!

Less than a week til we depart for Asheville, yo!

Can you say RHODO-TUNNEL ?!?!?!?

How about SWIMMING HOLES ?!?!?!

Mellow Monday Moist and Green

Met XX and KC at Belmont Woods road at 6:03. Belmont area was puddly
but trails were in pretty good shape overall.

Rockburn Branches>Morning Choice>Valley View Alt>Ridge>Cascade (the
Falls way)>Morning Choice>Lewis and Clark>U Turn>Clark and Lewis>Old
Track the direction less traveled>Log

Nice mellow Monday pace with a few efforts hither and thither. I
rolled the Cascade rock garden smooth and easy today like a hot knife
through butter.

I'm loving the thumbie shifter and better range of gears. It
performed very well and it didn't take long for me to relearn retro
reaching over the top to find the lever.

Lotsa nature out there today too. Green is busting out all over and
the white tails were hopping every which way but loose.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

What kind of brake lever is that?!?!?!

Looks like a single pivot that both the left and right levers control one brake.

Wanna see my caulk?

Step Four In the Full Derailleur Housing Makeover for the Monkey

Stole the Shimano 8 speed barcon shifter mech off the Fisticuff and mounted it on the new Thumbie. I love it because the tumbie is hinged so you can mount/remove without messing with the grip or brake lever.

[[posterous-content:pid___1]][[posterous-content:pid___3]]

The brake lever needed a little love because its mounting bolt had stripped out really badly. The only thing keeping the lever from spinning 'round the bar with the old setup was the trigger shifter that it rested upon.

So I drilled out a hole and a countersunk hole for a bolt and nut to take over in the tightening department. I was very pleased to keep these retro Avid SD 1.0 Levers in service;-)
[[posterous-content:pid___0]][[posterous-content:pid___2]]

Cable housing for the rear derailleur was 1500mm out of the box. I was about 100mm short;-( Luckily I had an inline derailleur cable adjuster laying around so I could couple a short length of housing into the mix.[[posterous-content:pid___4]][[posterous-content:pid___5]]

The JBWelded cable housing guides did a fine job. I now wish that I'd put a third one on the top tube.[[posterous-content:pid___7]][[posterous-content:pid___6]]

A new chain and a newish XTR M900 8 speed cassette finish out the parts list. This cassette has 32, 28, 24, 21 cogs at the low end of the spectrum. I think I'm going to like it a lot more than the 32, 26, 21, 18 low end that I was using on the SRAM 850 cassette. These are the gears that I find myself using most often in the park so I'm sure I'll appreciate a few more options in the range.[[posterous-content:pid___8]][[posterous-content:pid___9]][[posterous-content:pid___10]]

Test ride around the yard reflects raving retro reviews!

Saturday, March 24, 2012

The Life Organic

step 3 in the full derailleur housing makeover for the monkey

Sand and seal.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Yay!

New toilet tank topper:)

Friday, March 23, 2012

Noisy Creaky Creaking Bike - Rule These Out Before Blaming Your Bottom Bracket

Her Diary:

Tonight, I thought my husband was acting weird. We had made plans to meet at a nice restaurant for dinner. I was shopping with my friends all day long, so I thought he was upset at the fact that I was a bit late, but he made no comment on it. Conversation wasn’t flowing, so I suggested that we go somewhere quiet so we could talk. He agreed, but he didn’t say much. I asked him what was wrong; He said, “Nothing I asked him if it was my fault that he was upset. He said he wasn’t upset, that it had nothing to do with me, and not to worry about it. On the way home, I told him that I loved him. He smailed slightly, and kept driving. I can’t explain his behaviour – I don’t know why he didn’t say, “I love you, too.” When we got home, I felt as I had lost him completely, as if he wanted nothing to do with me anymore. He just sat there quietly, and watched TV. He continued to seem distant and absent. Finally, with silence all around us, I decided to go to bed.About 15 minutes later, he came to bed. But I still felt that he was distracted, and his thoughts were somewhere else. He fell asleep – I cried. I don’t know what to do. I’m almost sure that his thought are with someone else. My life is a disaster.

His Diary:

There's this creaking on my bike that sounds like it's coming from the bottom bracket … can’t figure out why.

Well, that creaking could be many things. Everybody wants to blame the bottom bracket first but there's many easier things to address that need to be ruled out before going thru the trouble of removing a crank and BB. Here's my rank of list of common to uncommon. I betcha a dollar it's the chainring bolts.

Chain ring bolts...the bolts are truly all
tight, right?--like not just both halves of the chainring-bolt spinnng around
together when you turned the wrench?
IF ONLY CREAKS WHILE IN SADDLE
- Seat post/frame needs grease
- Seat rails need grease
Loose spokes nipples check rear first then front...
if it only creaks when out of the saddle that's a smoking gun for front spoke tension too lose. You can pluck the spokes like your playing guitar and they should all "Plink" if you hear any "Plunks" o "Donks" or if they are all Plunks/Donks then tighten that shit up...start at the valve stem and give 1/4 turn to each spoke all the way round (tell family and friends to F off if they try to interupt you while you are making your way around the wheel. Repeat until tension feels right..."Plinks" not "plunks" and heaven forbid "Donks".
Cracked frame - Here's a test to see if it's the frame. Stand on the left side of the
bike. Put the left pedal at 6:00. Hold the seat and handlebar and
lean the bike away from you. Put a foot on the pedal's end and push the crank arm toward the center line of the bike and the floor. This flexes the frame.
Pump it a few times with your foot and Listen for creaks. Repeat on
right side.

NOW CHECK THE BB ....

EXTERNAL BEARING BB
- Right crank arm to the spindle may be the problem area that needs lubed but ifyou go that far you may as well pull the whole crank out and grease the shit out of the spindle and splines (check for cracks in the splined part of the spindle)
- While you're here you may want to pull the bottom bracket cups out too. Lube and teflon tape onthe BB shell threads should also help.
3 PIECE CRANK
- Crank arm to the BB may be the problem area that needs lubed but if you go that far you may as well pull both crank arms and BB. And reinstall everything with a shitload of grease . You'll need a crank puller and bb removal socket. Lube and teflon tape on the BB shell threads should also help.

Other things to consider
-Under load only, huh? Maybe BB maybe not. Probably chain ring bolts.
-Once or twice per revolution (certain place(s) in pedal stroke where it happens)? Maybe BB maybe not. Probably chain ring bolts.
-Does it make racket when seated or standing or both?

If it always makes noise just take it all apart and rebuild for good measure.
-Does it make racket uphill or downhill or both?

If it always makes noise just take it all apart and rebuild for good measure.
-Pull the chain off and coast it around.

Still noisy if you pedal round and round? Then BB and/or cranks suspect.

Fixed Gear??? My 1st bet-Cog sharkfinned or burred? Literally, the teeth look like sharkfins or have visible burrs. That was my culprit for noisiness last spring. Replace it anyway...get a good one like surly, shimano, soma, eurasia...don't spend < $20 and get a POS stamped ring cause it'll strip your hub's threads.

Got My Mojo Back?!?!?

[[posterous-content:pid___0]]First time I've gone >9 mph average speed ride in ages. Maybe I got my Mojo back.

Fast fun ride. XX, JF, KC, me. Log>MC (enter Adam and Lance so lets step up the fastness to faster)>Old Track>L&C>Norris Lane>MC>Cascade.Cascade Alt>Bike Buster (Lance right on my wheel--good times)>Ridge (enter Jay after Middle Earth)>Rock Burn Branches and Branches and Reverse Branches>

Nacho (I was blabbering to XX behind as we turned onto Nacho me and he goes, "Don't let Jelly get away. Man I chased his a$$ for all I was worth and did close the gap a bunch, but I still came up 25 yards short by the time we finished Renegade. That was fun!!!)

> Extra credit log loop for good measure.

McNutty sighting at Landing.

Step Two In the Full Derailleur Housing Makeover for the Monkey

Gotta grind it to find it...

JB Weld those guides on, brutha.

When she cures I'll sand off the eccess with an emory board;-)

and now for something totally obvious

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17475240

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Foggy Dawn Patrol

Met KC and McNutty at Nacho/Belmont Road crossing a bit early, 5:45.

Rolled Rockburn Branch CCW>Morning Choice>Connector>VV Alt>Ridge>Cascade (no hike a falls)>L&C>Old Track>Log

It was like the Foggy Bottom Metro out there and the trails were moisturized but in good shape overall. Visibility was sometimes better with the headlamp off and only handlebar light on. With the headlamp on all you could see was the beam's center spot illuminating a white cloud of fog right in front of your eyes.

Nice mellow conversational pace broken up by brief bursts of effort. XX sighting at Landing when we finished up.

Columbia: After-school fight at Long Reach High goes viral

via baltimoresun.com

My kids will go to this High School some day;-)

WOW! MagicShine 900 Look-a-likes for <$50

http://stores.ebay.com/Hi-Autopia/Bike-Lights-/_i.html?rt=nc&_fsub=274006...

I just bought another light head last month or I'd definitely give this a try.

$49.99 shipped? WOW!

I ordered 2 four packs of Knog Frog Look-a-Likes for the kids bike from this seller and they came in 2 days. They are decent and the kids love 'em.

Looks exactly like the MagicShine.

Probably the same battery that GeomanGear recalled, so charge it in terra coat flower pot with a lid...just in case.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Test Cross Post to Wordpress and Blogger

Bye

Well now

BIG

Bullets
Bullets
Bullets

Indent

Numbers
Numbers
Numbers

link

src some_text

link

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTSuTg4U0IM?wmode=transparent]

embed

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Moved to Wordpress

Twitter acquired Posterous so this is an experimental content move from Posterous to free WordPress. Looks like it worked.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Twitter Goes Beyond 140 Characters with Posterous Acquisition

via forbes.com

"Twitter has acquired Posterous, the best blogging platform (imho). This is probably the beginning of an end for Posterous brand and service. In the coming weeks, it will provide its users some specific instructions for exporting your content to other services."