Riding the Redline...

5:20 AM, temperature 33 degrees....

Hi, All

This past week, I enjoyed three days of commuting on the new Redline 925. The weather is very mild and dry for this time of year, so I am able to keep commuting.
Come along for a ride with me, will you? The commuting day starts at 4:30 AM, with a quick daily routine of breakfast and putting on some layers. Then, out the door at 5:10, turn on the bike lights, and down the hill to the train station. It is a quick ride, just a mile and a half. I almost never see any other bikes, although lately, I have seen a few joggers along the way. It’s chilly, but not cold, about 32-33 degrees. Then, it’s the short wait for the train. The train ride is quiet, good time for a quick doze or some reading.
Note the red Peugeot...
As the train comes through the depot, I head downstairs, get my hat and gloves, say hello to my friend who rides the red Peugeot. We are amongst the last hangers-on of the bike-commuting crowd as the chilly mornings and falling gas prices have reduced the bike population on the train.

My friend, the Peugeot rider, always dozing...

The ride to the ARTCC is about 15-17 minutes, and perfectly flat. I get to work with just enough time to be able to change clothes, stow my gear and head to the control room.

A nice view of the Utah State Capital...
At the end of my shift it’s a bit of a scramble, as I get relieved around 2:30, scamper to the office, get my stuff, change clothes, and get out the door. The train is at 2:55 so I can’t absorb much delay.

Riding to the platform...

Lately the afternoon ride has been lovely. The sun is out, and it’s so nice to get some wind in my face and relax from the day.

The view out my window...

The only risk is getting trapped on the wrong side of the freight tracks, and missing the 2:55. Of course that’s not a bad thing, as if I miss my train I can go one block and spend half an hour at the Gateway Plaza, and window shop! On the train heading north, it’s time for reading and enjoying the scenery.

The day is ending, sunset around 4:30...
Back in Layton at 3:30, it’s a quick ride back up the hill, get the mail, park the bike, give some love to the dogs, and enjoy a cool drink. The eleven hour commute and workday is done, and I can lay out all my gear for the next great adventure.

I wonder how much longer I can ride before the snow comes?
Jim

A Fleet Upgrade...

The northwest Cache valley...

Hi All,
The Klein Panzer is for sale. Anyone interested in a low cost, yet somewhat tempermental commuter bike, drop me a note. We can work out a deal quite easily.

A neat paint job and logo...
Why is the Klein Panzer bike for sale? Because, I bought a new bike! Yes, the fleet has changed yet again. I guess it’s a continuing process; finding the right bikes for the right cycling task. You may have noticed in a previous post, the photograph of a nice single-speed bike. For several weeks I have been regularly browsing a local cycling classified page, in search of a low cost single-speed, or perhaps a nice touring frame bike. It’s a good site, however it seems that the majority of bikes were too big, too small, or $3,000 dollars.

Isn't it lovely?

Last week, I found an ad, listing a Redline 925 for $225.00. This is great news! However, the ad was 3 days old, and had received over 150 views. I was certain the bike was gone. But, wanting to be sure, I called the seller. To my surprise, he still had the bike, and actually hadn’t received many calls. I couldn’t believe my luck. The bike regularly lists for around $499.00 - $510.00, so I was excited at the prospect of a great bike, at a great bargain.

The bike is a lovely rust/bronze color...
The next day, I drove to Salt Lake City to meet the seller, and check out the machine. Just as it looked in the ad, the bike was in mint condition. Other than a few small scratches on the left chain stay, the bike was in brand new condition, and includes included brand new Randonneur Cross tires, fenders, and nice toe-clip pedals.

Would you believe I already have two offers to buy it!
So, now it is mine. With bullhorn handlebars, and a receptive and smooth steel frame, the bike is just a kick in the pants to ride. I will outfit the bike with all the necessary accessories, and continue commuting as long as the weather holds.
The fleet now stands as such:
The Barcroft Virginia GT All regular riding and distance events.
The Redline 925 Single-Speed for commuting and quick trips.
The Cannondale F7 Mountain Bike for trail riding and falling down.

A truly simple machine, perfect for commuting...

Why a single-speed you might ask? The main reason is simplicity. The bike has very few moving parts, and will withstand the rigors of commuting in all kinds of weather. The majority of my ride is flat except for the slow climb up the hill from the train station to the house. So, I will become a better spinner, and climber, too. The rear hub can also be flip-flopped and converted to a true fixed gear. Riding fixed gear will take a lot of education and training, and I will add it to the list of things to do in the spring.
More news and a report on the first commute later this week.
Jim

Color in November....

Bales, rolled and ready for harvest...south of Minneapolis.

Hi all,
This past week, I was working at the Minneapolis ARTCC, which, strange is it may seem, isn’t in Minneapolis! The Center is 20 miles south in the small farm town of Farmington, MN. It was kind of a short notice trip that was supposed to last three weeks, but then ended suddenly in five days. It’s a long story about the FAA, Raytheon, and a new ERAM training contract. I won’t bore you with the details here. All in all though, I am glad to be home.

A microwave tower at Minneaplis ARTCC...(Light Room 2 is Fun!)
This was my first trip to Minneapolis. I found the city to be a very nice place, and the people friendly. I spent too many hours walking the Mall of America, ostensibly, the largest shopping mall in the known universe. It was OK, just big. But, I did enjoy some good indoor walking there. It totally sucked to be in a major league baseball city in November. No baseball!

I made Murray stop the car for this picture!
November is a gray month. Not much chance for bright color photos when storm clouds are forming. It is a neat time though, to think in black and white, sepia tone, and to see if I can make the camera see what I see. Suffice to say, I did make time to take some photographs along the way. I didn’t get much chance to go exploring with my camera, as the weather was poor most of the week. One set of photos comes from Depot Park, a small walkway park right next to the old train depot. While walking on my lunch I found this park right near the center, and enjoyed the art projects from all grades of local schools. A lovely splash of color on a gray day. My only regret is that I didn’t take pictures of all the artwork!

Angled painted boards... from the right side...

and from the left...

From the left...

And the right...
I did stop by a fine bike shop, too. If you are ever in Apple Valley, south of Minneapolis, check out Erik’s Bike Shop. They are the largest Specialized dealer in Minnesota and Wisconsin. They had a full maintenance and parts section, too.

Somewhere over northeast Wyoming, I think...headed home.

Enjoy all the photos…

Jim

My, How Things Pile Up...

The Causeway in Black and White...(and in 16:9 ratio!)

My how things pile up. A week passes, and I have an idea for a blog article. Another week passes and another subject comes to mind. A third week passes, and I don’t even know where to start.

Mmmmm.....Chocolate Pound Cake!

I admire some of the other blog authors I read that make time to write almost daily. They kind of remind me of a talented columnist, who is able to entertain us in the newspaper every Sunday morning. They have a deadline, a cranky editor, and a paycheck to earn! With me, it's just a matter of making time, and getting the brain engaged! So, lets take a couple of subjects and see if I can catch you up on some news.
The past three Saturdays have been taken up with working on the tree project in the front yard. After 20 years of shade, our two ash trees had become infested with borer beetles, and perhaps some type of fungus disease. So, this past spring and summer, they only grew about half of their leaves, leaving bare limbs, and a lot less shade. So, we decided that this was the year to remove the trees, and plant new ones. Since I don’t own a chainsaw, this project was a lot bigger job than

I thought.

Yes, that limb is balanced on the ladder, rather not discuss how it all happened, and where I was when it did...

Ever cut down a 25 ft tall tree with an 18-inch bow saw? So, every few days, and weekend, a little at a time, I would cut off limbs and take the refuse to the recycling compost landfill. Then, one Saturday, Sherm Facer, our 78-year-old farmer who lives behind us offered two great tools: His chainsaw, and a 1958 two-ton flat bed truck! That sped up the project dramatically. Then, last weekend, two fellas came by with their grinder, and ground the stumps of the old trees into mulch. Tuesday marked the arrival of two new trees; a nice tall autumn blaze maple, and a white oak. Enjoy some pictures of the project.

Yard Clean-up Anyone?

What a Great Truck!

This machine destroyed the stumps in 5 minutes!

The White Oak...

The Autumn Blaze maple...

Something to drool at, a lovely simple machine....

I can also tell you that in checking the calendar for August, September, and October, that I logged miles on one of my three bicycles, on 45 of the last 90 days. The predominant miles came commuting to and from work using the train and the Klein. The weeks seem to have a routine; a nice Monday long distance ride on the Recumbent; 2-3 days on the Klein commuting, and occasional Saturdays on the mountain bike. I haven’t logged a tremendous amount of miles, (600 or so) but it has been very consistent riding the past three months.

My second Adobe Lightroom Project...

Photography. Two Mondays ago I was enjoying a lovely ride on the causeway, and I spent some time composing and taking pictures in black and white. Unknown to me, I had my camera set incorrectly and did nothing more than take 5-10 badly over exposed photos. They were so bad; I was unable to rescue them with any type of photo software. Here’s to the delete key! In the past year, many of you readers have been most gracious and kind, complimenting my amateur efforts. But, (thankfully) you never see the ones that go in the scrap pile!
See you down the road.
Jim
PS: Don’t forget to VOTE!