Three Bikes in the Desert

Solstice

2011-06-22T05:39:00.001-07:00

Sunrise, June 21st, Palmdale, CA

Welcome to summer! Well, at least here in Palmdale it certainly is summer. The past three Junes’ here in Palmdale, the temperatures have stayed mild for a few days, and then rocketed to 100+ almost overnight. It is rarely a slow build up; 80’s for weeks, then suddenly 102.

Andy slides into summer!

I celebrated the summer solstice by riding the Surly Long haul Trucker to work. The weather forecast prognosticated a high of 93, so I though it wouldn’t be too bad in the afternoon. Suffice to say I am now giving up on the local weather forecast and just expecting 100 degrees every afternoon through the end of August.

Commuting in summer heat has its benefits and drawbacks. On the positive side, one enjoys lovely mild mornings, no woolly hats and jackets needed! Peaceful roads, and usually a nice sunrise are the order of the day. It is a wonderful way to start the day.

The view down Avenue Q...

Preferred parking for the Surly!

The view by the 'fridge, stowing my water bottle and lunch...

The helmet has a nice shelf to hide on...

The afternoons however are a different story. The Palmdale bike-commuter is met with a dry heat - around 100 degrees, and a stiff 20-knot breeze out of the southwest. I tell you, it is just too hot to even try hard! Just riding home is enough. As I surmised this past Tuesday, you know it’s hot when a 16-ounce water bottle is not enough water for an 8-mile ride. I just take my time; don’t care about pace or spin rate, and just ride the bike home.

I wish this photo could convey the 101 degree afternoon...

The flag is very descriptive of the wind!

If you have been thinking about bike commuting and feel overwhelmed or hesitant about giving it a try, check out a collection of bike-commuter profiles on a sub page of ecovelo.info. Web publisher, Alan Barnard has a wonderful commuting and bike advocacy web page, and along with the main page, created a collection of short commuting profiles from all over the world. All in the same format, they are brief accounts of how people address commuting by bicycle. Enjoy the profiles here.

So, maybe give some thought to enjoying some miles commuting to work. Don’t do it for the gas savings, or to make the planet greener, or to lose weight. Just ride to enjoy yourself! All the other ancillary benefits are too numerous to share. (Just enjoy the sunrises)

Jim

As The World (and the clock) Turns......

2011-05-14T09:36:00.000-07:00

Any guesses where this is?
Where does the time go? I blink my eye and a month passes. Ok, almost 6 weeks! I get so into the routine, and weeks pass like steps on a treadmill, or like the water rotating on this cool wheel. So, since I am doing housework today, here is a little housecleaning on where I have been.
Wait, which way is "up"?
First, I want to give belated thanks to Pete Heal for sending the really cool postcard from New Zealand. Have you ever noticed how much one appreciates a postcard? They aren’t bills, not ads, and actually contain a brief but handwritten note from a friend that says they have been thinking of you. We should all send more to our friends! Tons more meaningful than Facebook, and you get a cool picture from a distant place.

Brian, up over Dad's head!

Andy, being Andy...
Next, here are two other reasons I haven’t been writing. (Brian and Andy!). We spent a week in March with Paul, Christina, and Brian, then in April, Easter at the Wheeler household in Arizona. Family and grandkids are a wonderful invention. They can make you forget to workout, and even make one not want to go to work either!

Ahhhhhhhh, Plumeria...
So, I will get back on the bike, back in the pool, back on the trail, and back to writing to you!
Jim

A Different Type of Spinning...

2011-04-03T16:46:00.001-07:00

Private Parking for the Surly...
Sorry for the lapse in writing. Yes, I am still swimming, riding, and running, except that for the last week and a half, I have been doing a different type of training. Swimming? Well not so much, unless you count swimming below the waves at the office. Riding? Of course! Riding the bike to work, and riding great rides at Disneyland with my grandson, Brian. Running? Yes! Chasing after the aforementioned 3-year old!

Mmmmmmm...fresh oranges...

Jello, pudding, and Minnie! Priceless...

See? I'm spinning!

Ok, is this Chip? or Dale?

As you have by now figured out, My son, Paul, his wife Christina, and their son Brian spent a wonderful 9 days with us here in the desert. We enjoyed lots of time with Brian, had an outing to Santa Barbara, and a great couple of days at Disneyland. Paul got a well-deserved break from a heavy workload at his bank, and Christina hopefully just got some rest from chasing after a precocious boy who loves to play.

Diggin Goleta Beach...

In other news, spring planting has been completed in the garden. Grandma and Brian had a great time digging and planting new roses and an assortment of annual flowers. The weather has turned mild and lovely, and hopefully our new plants will thrive and bring lots of color later this summer. Brian, Grandma and I also completed a massive construction project, creating a small sandstone “path” next to the pergola. Brian did a great job as Foreman and together we had a great time digging and shoveling.

Brian likes real tools, not "kid" tools...

Even Diggers get tired!

It's good to have helpers!

Busy hands, happy hands...

Our completed project...

A nice image from Paul...

The mild weather also means more triathlon training. There should be no excuse for me to not be riding to work a couple of times a week. I have several weekday graveyard shifts this month, so that means I will get my endurance swimming accomplished at the noontime lap swim at Marie-Kerr Park. Running, however, continues to be a challenge. I just can’t get my legs and brain into running. It is (of course) a necessary segment in triathlon, and it is unavoidable. Any hints from my dear readers on how to get past running 1.5 miles would be greatly appreciated. See you next week.

Jim

Let There be Light...and Hoops!

2011-03-16T21:43:00.001-07:00

I want one of these, anyone know what it does?

And for those you not paying attention to silliness in sports, it's time for the annual prayer and tea leaves experiment. Fill out your brackets, yet?

Friday Night Lights

2011-03-05T15:37:00.000-08:00

The pool at Marie-Kerr Park in Palmdale. Note the deluxe parking for the Surly on the left...

The end of this week marked a stretch of 6 straight workout days. How did I get all of this free time? Well, with Kathy still in Utah for the Women’s Walk to Emmaus, things are quiet around here. So, after work, I made time to work on most of the three disciplines of triathlon. This week’s emphasis? Riding and swimming.

One of Lifeguards rides to work too - riding this classy fixie. Note the purple rim!
The pool is open for evening lap swimming on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. That made the plan easy. Monday swim. Tuesday spin-intervals. Wednesday swim (WINDY!). Thursday spin-intervals AND ride. Friday swim. Of course, I did ride the Surly to the pool all three days.

Quartz Hill Swimmers finishing up...
How was the pool? Very productive; I got in 1400-1500 yards each night. I work on freestyle intervals, breaststroke, kick-board work, and pulling sets. My endurance level is improving slowly. I actually swam a couple of 200-yard sets on the last day. On a positive note, I met the head coach of Quartz Hill High School’s Junior Varsity swim team. A nice fellow, he has given me some better sets to work with, and lets me start my workout early in the last lane before their workout is over

No comment necessary...
Today? Well, to end the week, 20-miles on the bike. Where did I go? Running errands. At near $4.00/gallon here in CA, one begins to think twice about whether or not the errand at hand can be done by bike! One idea you might try; Checkout this link to the 2-Mile Challenge. You will be amazed at how much of your travel is within 2-miles from your house!

I remember leaping off these a long time ago...
I will have to admit quite a bit of weariness in my legs as I wandered home today. I wonder why! Perhaps tomorrow, I will rest. The big jigsaw puzzle on the kitchen table still has about 100 pieces to go!
See you later this week.

Jim

The Central Coast

2011-02-28T21:53:00.000-08:00

Pismo Beach, January 29th...

Once again, I have fallen behind in posting. Between work schedules; a trip to Pismo Beach; and then this past weekend a trip to Utah for the Walk to Emmaus Retreat, there just hasn’t been much time to do any writing. The picture folder keeps filling up, and eventually I get around to sharing my latest landscapes with you.

Pismo Beach, long, flat, and quite shallow for 100 yards out!

A beautiful Cammelia...

Our trip to Pismo Beach was a lovely weekend away to celebrate our 33rd wedding anniversary. We enjoyed touring to Solvang, the central coast of California, and had a nice browse around San Luis Obispo. We enjoyed not having a schedule, a computer, and basically just had a nice relaxing time.

A Callalilly, At the Mission of San Luis Obispo
My training schedule has been a bit disjointed, but I have been getting some work done. Three days a week I do spinning intervals on the ‘Tri Bike. The DVD’s that my sister Sue gave me are particularly evil, and it has taken quite a few attempts to complete a 30-minute session without hitting the “pause” button! Later this week I am going to attempt a spinning workout, then switch shoes and head out for a 15-minute run. That’s how triathlons progress, so it will be a good experiment.

And a magnificent Magnolia tree that was covered in flowers!
I also have been more consistent in riding to work. Here in California, the price of gas has skyrocketed, and the gouging due to the unrest in the Middle East has just been outrageous. So, the higher the price of gas, the more I ride to work!

A file photo of the pool. I forgot to bring the camera!
Speaking of riding the Surly, I swam tonight. I rode the Surly down to the pool and got in around 1100 yards. It was a lovely evening, chilly, around 45 degrees, but no desert wind! It was pleasant to swim in the gently steaming pool, and only 3 lap swimmers too! I am making progress, but the stamina for intervals longer than 200 yards is just not there as yet. I can swim a 30-second 50, but I can only do it once!

And of course, a Curlew...
That’s the news for now; enjoy all the nice pictures from the Pismo trip.
Jim

Tailwinds and Taillights

2011-02-08T16:56:00.000-08:00

Your's Truly...

Well, I finally got off my lazy butt and got back to the routine of bike commuting. There really hasn’t been any valid excuse for not commuting. We have had barely any rain since the grand snow event on January 3rd and the wind has been almost non-existent. I guess the chilly 25-degree mornings kept me away. No excuse at all as I have ridden in those temperatures for years.

The battery mount for the headlight...
What got me started back on the road was a photograph on a cycling blog I read. The picture of the rider with the frost building up on his beard was enough for me to get off the snide and get moving. As I was putting on my wool base layer at 5 AM, I could hear the vinyl fence creaking in the wind. The wind? Where did that come from? By the time I made it out to the morning news, the high wind watches were all posted for the Antelope Valley.
But it all worked out! On the ride in I enjoyed a marvelous 10-15 mph tailwind. Nothing more fun than spinning easy at 19-20 mph! Of course I worried about the high wind watch and the payback headwinds that the afternoon would bring. But then FROPA happened. For all you non-ATC types, FROPA means frontal passage. FROPA occurred about 8 AM, and by quitting time, the winds had switched 180 degrees out of the east and I had a lovely tailwind to push me home. A double-tailwind commute; Almost unheard of in cycling lore, but I’ll take it!

My new blinkie. I was told by a co-worker who passed me on the way, that it was so bright, he thought it was the Sheriff!

Along the way, I was able to perform my civic duty and pick up some things off the road as I breezed along. It reminded me of a long ride in 2008 or so, where over the course of a 30-mile ride, I picked up a knife, fork, and spoon!

A nasty nail, a crisp dollar, and some lead for Jon!
And, finally, as I was near the house, coming through the neighborhood, I came across two Mormon missionaries riding their Walmart mountain bikes. They were friendly and greeted me, and I returned the favor by greeting them and giving them a quick rendition of the Utah State Aggie fight song. Ranked #17 in the country, we are still loyal here!

More news later this week.
Jim

New Links and a few Extras..

2011-01-26T05:39:00.000-08:00

Eucalyptus bloom...

Just time for a brief note this week. Enjoy a few extra pictures from our trip to Goleta two weeks ago.

I still enjoy black and white...

Also, you may (or may not) notice the updated link tab. Today, I am adding The Argyle Sweater, a completely random cartoon that a coworker shared with me. It's pretty funny, and when you need a laugh, the tab is there for you.

And for you folks that are in need of Rum Therapy, check out my brother and sister in-law's new link. The page is full of excellent travel and relaxation ideas.

Three straight weeks of sunshine, minus the blustery wind! Most odd, most enjoyable.

See you next week,

Jim

A Mile a Month

2011-01-20T16:22:00.001-08:00

January below the Ellwood Bluff...
Before I get on with this week’s post, enjoy a set of photographs from the beach near Goleta, CA. We spent a lovely day last Saturday celebrating my sister, Nancy’s birthday. A picnic, RC gliders, and a nice walk on the beach is a perfect way to spend an afternoon.

We had cake!

Looking west, at Ellwood...
Well, the snow sure didn’t last long. In fact, since the snow came (and went), we haven’t had a drop of rain, and none forecast in the near future. So much for rainy season, I guess. With the return of the nice weather, Kathy and I have been spending a lot of time outdoors. Everyday after work, Kathy and I have been power-walking 3-4 miles each day, and I have been going up the hill to towards the aqueduct for some hill work and intervals.

The big 120 Meter long hill above my house. A wonderful place for intervals...
Why all of the roadwork? Well, during the Santa Barbara Triathlon last August, and the Palmdale Aquathon Last July, my worst section was the running part. Every week in the Aquathon, I routinely finished in the top 10 in the swim, and the bottom 10 in the run! That has to change. So, with hopes of competing at a higher level while wearing running shoes, I am trying to emphasize running.
Here is Sue's friend Kent demonstrating how to fly a remote-controlled glider....

It looks easy, doesn't it!

Just launch and fly!

Looks easy, trust me, it isn't...
How’s it going so far? Not so good. Really. I never have been a runner, so there is a long, long way to go in this department. My initial goal is to be able to run one-mile by the end of January, two-miles by the end of February, 4-miles by the end of March. This would help me prepare for a possible 5 Km or 8 Km running event in April.

Along the way I have been riding the new ‘Tri Bike. Last Sunday I rode the Aqueduct in perfectly calm conditions. All I can say is “WOW.” My friend from RAAM, Denny Voorhees once told me: "I never knew I wanted a Carbon Bike, until I got one!" Well, he is right! What a rush. The engine riding the bike is a bit suspect, but the bike is fast as heck.

The Pool. Yes, I have made it to the pool too. I am just as fast as I was at the end of the summer, but my endurance level is kind of lacking. So, I can swim a 31 second 50, but I can only do it once! And finally, I am taking a survey. If you made it this far and are actually reading this blog, drop me a note here, will you? Just a thumbs up (or down for that matter). Just curious to see if I am just broadcasting in the blind.
That’s the news for now. More as I run down the road.
Jim

Indoor Training...

2011-01-05T05:34:00.001-08:00

My thoughts about snow in Palmdale...

Hi all,

"It never rains in southern California." A great lyric from a great old song. Not very accurate, but a nice lyric. We don't get a lot of rain here in Palmdale, we average about 6.5 inches of moisture per year up here in the desert.

Lovely Flowers!

Except for this year. Three weeks ago, we surpassed our water year average in a mere 4 days! And then, there is the New Year. 2011 started out as a lovely day, so nice that Kathy and I made a quick trip to Pasadena to enjoy viewing the floats from this year's Rose Parade. Temperatures were around 60, and we had a lovely time enjoying the craftsmanship and imagination of these wonderful floats.

Mmmmmmmmm Pie!

But, storm clouds were on the horizon. The afternoon of the 2nd the snow started to fall. Snow? We thought, will it really snow? Probably just a flurry, then it will rain, and the sun will return to the desert. Not so. 4-5 inches later, we got to break out our snow shovels that we brought with us from Utah. Turns out we are the only people in the neighborhood that even own snow shovels!

Not Layton, Palmdale!

Actually, kinda fun to see again...

So, with this wonderful start to the week, I will spin on the trainer, and run the treadmill! Indoor interval training is a great way to develop some new skills, and some good base fitness. Until the sun comes back, that is. Then, it's back outside!

Shoveling before work, I remember this!

Jim

The End of the Year

2010-12-31T11:28:00.001-08:00

Things are lookin up for the New Year!
Hi All,
Well, welcome to the end of 2010, and a welcome to the new 2011. The new year brings new challenges, new triathlons, new bikes, and a new focus, too.

Play, Play, Play, Play!
We ended this year with joy and happiness as Amy, her husband Jon, and our granddaughter, Andy came and spent Christmas with us here in Palmdale. We had a wonderful few days and spent way too much time playin, and not a lot of time sleepin! Sadly Jon and family are safely back in Marana, and we will count the days until we see them again.

Today, I commenced my spin training regimen on the new 'Tri bike. With the new body position out over aero-bars the bike is a much different animal than I am used to riding. So, with help from my sister, Sue I am now going to spend a few weeks spinning indoors and really getting comfortable on the bike before I launch off on a 20 mile ride. The fact that we are in a very cold and windy time here helps to motivate me to the trainer.
I have also assembled my cold weather gear for commuting to work on the Surly. Gas in Palmdale has passed $3.30 a gallon, and that also motivates me to get off my duff and back into the habit of riding to work.

My Redline Needs a New Home!
Lastly, The fleet currently stands at four bikes, which means one has to leave. There is a three-bike limit here, and since I never have time to ride it the Redline Single-Speed has to go.
Here are the details...
2008 Redline 925 Single-Speed/fixed Gear
Size: 54 Cm
Wheels: 700 x 23.
Price: $250.00
A few minor scratches from commuting warfare on the train along with a few scars from the moving truck, but otherwise the bike runs pure and smooth. If you are interested, drop me a comment here. E mail or cell phone always are fine, too.
Let's get the New Year started!
Jim

Like Lafayette, I Have Returned

2010-12-18T14:57:00.000-08:00

Sabaka says: "Thanks for stopping by!"

Hi all,
8 months. That’s how long it has been since my last post on this blog. It almost sounds like a confessional, but in this new age of social networking, Twitter, Phone Aps, etc. It is hard to keep up! Add in the fact that I ran out of things to say for a while, and 8 months have passed.

The 2009 Orbea Aletta 'Tri Bike
A lot of things have happened in those 8 months. The grandkids are bigger, the bike fleet is bigger, and my dreams of a second triathlon are bigger. There is almost too much news! So, for now, I will spend a few posts getting you up to speed, and moving forward.
The bike fleet has changed, and the plans for riding that fleet have changed too. The bike fleet is currently thus:

Recumbent: Barcroft Virginia GT. For enjoyable comfortable long rides.
Commuting: Surly LHT (Long Haul Trucker): Steel is Real, and nice saddlebags too.
Racing: Orbea Aletta Triathlon Bike. New to the fleet, a “Black Friday” bargain, composite aluminum/carbon frame. Built for SPEED, and Triathlons
Redline 925-Fixed Gear/Single-Speed. A nice moseying around bike; currently for sale. No time to ride, it, it hangs lonesome in the garage, begging for a ride.

A November rose. Lovely! (Then it dropped to 19 degrees...)
Winter is here in the desert, too. Our gardens from the spring posts have bloomed, grown, and wilted after a heavy freeze here in the Antelope Valley. I now base my workouts on the weather forecast, and the gardening can wait for planting in February.

The Surly ride to work, bike.
So, buckle your seatbelts. A new blog, with a new theme; riding all three bikes, training for triathlons, keeping you up to date on the grandkids, and no politics unless I am desperate to write an opinion. Throw in some of the local flavor of this windy desert place and there you have it. I welcome comments, witty asides, useful training advice, and even just a friendly wave.
It’s nice to be back.
Jim

Color in the Desert

2010-04-28T10:45:00.000-07:00

The California Poppy Reserve...

I am stuck on flowers these days. Flowers blooming in my back yard, flowers that are blooming in the desert. Now, I could write about the horrific ride yesterday; riding the Redline fixed gear bike home from work into a gale force wind, and I can show you a nice picture of the half-flat tire that made the ride so memorable. But, instead, I will show you pictures of Joshua trees in bloom, and pictures from the California Poppy Reserve 20 miles west of here. Once a year, the whole Reserve blooms to life in poppies and all sorts of assorted wildflowers. Kathy and I enjoyed a lovely outing hiking around the Reserve, enjoying the flowers and the hundreds of folks who came out to just walk and sit in the flowers!

That's it for Joshua Trees.. After this, just scraggly loooking for the rest of the year...

As far as the eye can see...

I can't remember what these are called...

So, once again, skip any pictures of bikes, and enjoy the poppy pictures. Of course, there might be an Andy picture or two here, too.

This cactus flower was in Tucson, where we went to play with...

Andy! So happy in the morning...

And playin in the pool...

And channel surfing...

Before and After...

2010-03-31T17:02:00.001-07:00

My first bloomed Ranunculos!

Hi All,
Well, it happened again. A whole month passes without posting. Chalk it up to being busy…again. There is a funny phrase in our house; which is, we’ll get around to something when life settles down. And you blink, and life never settles down!

Gerbera Daisies...
But, today’s post is kind of special. No, it’s not a post about a gripping 50-mile bike race, or a 300 Km Brevet, it’s about how we have been spending our weekends, and the joy of accomplishing something.

The second set of Ranunculos' Will they last in the summer heat?
We have been landscaping on the weekends; propping up the local economy, and keeping Home Depot and Lowe’s in business. The last few weekends we have been very diligent in planting flowers, laying drip line irrigation, raking gravel, and making our back yard pleasant and homey. Here in this post are some pictures of the yard to show you “before”, and “after”. I tell you, it sure made us smile looking at the “before” photos, to see how far we have come. There is a certain sense of joy after 4 weekends of getting filthy, dusty, and sore from working with all the drip lines. Now, there are still jobs to do, creating the walkway, and building the covered patio. So, there are more weekends of work to come.

Before...

After...

Before...

After...

Before...

After...

So, please excuse the lack of posts about riding. I am commuting a few days a week, and trying different bikes in hopes of deciding which bike to ride in the Santa Barbara Triathlon this August. This month, at Kathy’s suggestion, I am commuting on the Redline, with the bike configured as a Fixed-Gear bike.

Sabaka supervises the work...

Riding to work has been a blast. The bike is light, fast, and configured as a fixed-gear, a completely different riding experience. The ride home into the 25 mph westerly winds is the total quad workout. A great ride, but then I walk funny for two days!

Meet our next-door neighbors, Leena and Shaffy...
More news later this week. (No, really!) We are having family visit for Easter, and I hope to have some photographs to share of celebrating Easter with neighbors and family.
Jim

Riding to Work in The Desert

2010-03-02T19:14:00.010-08:00

Looking east, Technology Drive... 5:45 AM
Hi all,
Now that spring is here, and now that the weather is a bit more palatable, I am able to ride to work a few times a week. We have had some consistent rain the last month or two, and although I will ride in heat, wind, and cold, I am pretty much against intentionally riding in the rain. Now, in the past I have gotten caught out on the bike in unexpected rain (or snow), but if it is rainy, I usually park the bike. But for now, as you enjoy this post, at least photographically, come along for the ride! Enjoy a few pictures from Tuesday’s bike commute in lovely Palmdale.

Gloves and a hat for the chilly morning, and a jersey for the afternoon...

Other 'sundry items that ride in the handlebar bag...
Why do I ride to work? Well, to be honest it’s purely for selfish reasons. Riding twice a week to work gets me 35 consistent miles a week; I get a bit of stress relief from muttering at UNIX at the office; some fresh air (those desert winds, actually); I save a few dollar in gasoline; and most importantly, I get some training miles for the Santa Barbara Triathlon.

At 15th East, I can look across the desert, and see the ARTCC (microwave towers in front of the large hangars...
Wait, did he just say Triathlon? Yes, I did. On August 28th, I hope to enter my first sprint triathlon. My sister, Sue has completed 3 sprint triathlons, and in her own gentle way left the gauntlet at my feet. Of course, I picked it up. It is a great motivator, signing up for an event. Once you put some bucks down, and circle the date, everything changes. And in my case, by purchasing a Synergy Wetsuit, I have committed myself to the event. Also, by purchasing a wetsuit that’s a tad small, I am even more motivated!

North on 25th East, a mile to go, I always sprint hard on this straightaway. The water sitting atop the hardpan after a recent rain...
The Sprint Triathlon will consist of a 500 meter ocean swim, a 6-mile sprint on the bike, and a 2-mile run. With my background in distance freestyle swimming, and 8000 miles in the last 6 years of riding, I feel like I can be successful in at least two of the three disciplines. Oh, but, that running portion…

And I am here! Always a relief when I don't "flat" on the way...

Learning how to run again has been an adventure. And I think I’ll save that horror story for another post. For now, I am learning to do two disciplines as I train. When I ride home from work, I park the bike, change shoes, and either hit the road, or hit the treadmill for two miles of “running”. And as the year progresses, I alternate my workouts by riding two miles to the pool, swim my yardage, and ride home.

Private parking, too!
It’s part of my training plan. You have to have a plan! How to train, when to train, and what goals do I set for the event. I’ll keep you posted as the year progresses, the miles ridden, the yards swam, and hopefully, the pounds shed!

My fancy bike-commuter digs in a portable trailer...
See you next week,
Jim

Spring in the Desert!

2010-02-25T17:59:00.008-08:00

A lovely Alstroemeria...
Spring. Well, it sure sounds weird to write about spring in February, but here in the desert, it seems like reality. In advance, I apologize to all my winter-bound readers. But, take solace. In July when its 112 degrees and the 40 mph winds are blowing over my trash buckets, you may all write and gloat about the lovely nice summer days where you live.

Yay... Spring in our backyard!
The buds depicted here, are from our new dwarf peach tree. The apple tree is still pondering whether or not it should bloom, but there is rain forecast for the weekend, and perhaps the water will help spur some growth.

These pictures were harder to take than I thought!
As you can also see, we made a trip to Tucson. Andy is growing so fast! She is a wonderfully cheerful girl, and we had a great time layin on the floor, and playing. She is doing great at holding her head up, and next, hopefully she will figure out how to get her legs going to crawl around and check out the world.

Andy K...

Kathy's Favorite Picture...
In cycling news, you will note the change to the countdown timer on the right column. My summer goal is to compete in the Santa Barbara Triathlon on August 28th. To that end, and to spur my commitment to train, I have purchased a new Synergy Wetsuit for the ocean swim portion of the event. Nothing motivates you more, than putting some hard-earned sheckles down to make sure you stay focused!

Cammelias at Nancy's...
So, I am on my way; riding to work a few days a week, doing some running here in the neighborhood, and soon I will incorporate distance swimming into my week. The only question that keeps me thinking, is which bike do I race with? Suggestions? Ideas? Witty comments?

For those of you that care, this is NOT a Sandpiper. It's a Curlew!
See you next week.
Jim

A Month of Posts, All in One!

2010-02-07T21:38:00.009-08:00

Ok, more beach trivia: What kind of bird is this?

Hi All,
Well, I blinked my eyes, and almost a month has past since my last entry. I believe that in the their infancy, blogs were supposed to be daily postings, but now with Twitter, Facebook, and all the other available avenues, technology has moved onward. For me, it’s not about technology; it’s about having the time to write, and perhaps that I just didn’t have much to say.

A "Snowstorm" in Palmdale. We had a meeting cancelled for this!

That’s not say a lot of things have happened. I almost don’t know where to start. Here, in the desert, we have had the shoveling of the last of the gravel, citywide flooding after 3 inches of rain, a visit to see Amy, Jon, and Andy, converting the Redline to a fixed-gear configuration, a trip to Santa Barbara for Nancy’s 60th birthday, and all the usual other parts of the day that interfere with writing.

We always hit the beach when we are in Santa Barbara...

I could not resist this snapshot. The gentleman wore a pair of very fancy basketball Nike's...
As I was composing this edition, I realized that if I wrote everything I should have written in the last month, l than this blog would be longer President Obama’s State of the Union Address! So, in the interest of brevity, I am going to just publish a bunch of pictures with long captions. Enjoy!

Soccer Pitch/Catch Basin...three days after this, the water was gone!
Flooding. Yes, we had plenty of that. The desert terrain here is so firm and hard-packed that water just runs off the top. So, just a few inches of rain and there are streets that become rivers, and soccer fields, that become lakes.

Children have such fun at the beach...

Traveling. We have made a couple of trips since my last post; first, to see Nancy, Muhsin, Sue, and Dana, to celebrate Nancy’s 60th birthday. We had a great time as we gathered and spent a great time just being together as family. While we were at it, we managed to start planning a long-awaited trip to Zion national Park this spring.

You're really special if you get TWO birthday cakes!

No caption needed... Happy Andy...

Two weeks later, we drove down to Tucson to spend a few days with Amy, Jon, and Andy. Boy! That little girl will steal your heart. I’m not sure what else can be said here, other that we sure enjoyed spending time with Jon, Amy, and Andy.

I am told it's not the bike, it's the engine riding it! Well... OK then!

The Redline: I recently converted the Redline 925 from single-speed configuration to fixed-gear. What does this mean? Well, it means the bike still rides like a single-speed bike, but now, there is no freewheel, which also means, NO coasting!

I took the fenders off to eliminate some pedal strike on the front wheel...

Want to ride fast? Pedal fast. Need to slow down? Pedal slower! It’s a whole new feel, never being able to stop pedaling. I rode the bike 12 miles today, (back and forth to work) and I am still learning all the techniques that are involved in riding “fixed.” Quite a blast, really! It's been quite interesting, learning in some ways, how to ride all over again!

That's the quick news.. I will try and do a better job of posting..

Jim

A "Rocky" Start to the Year...

2010-01-10T19:50:00.009-08:00

One more nice picture from the Elwood Bluffs...

Hi All,
Well, it’s the end of a busy weekend here in the desert. There was no bike riding, nor exploration of the local area. Of course, the weekend didn’t go anything like we planned, things just sort of steamrolled. (Or, “dump trucked” for that matter.)
How did this all start? Yesterday, Kathy and I had started some planning for what we were going to tackle next in the back yard. As you may recall, the yard was nothing more than bare earth and scorched weeds when we arrived last July. And, over the past few months, we have been slowly creating a desert landscape; pouring concrete pads for patios and a shed, laying some sod, installing sprinklers and a drip line irrigation system for the plants to come, and building a raised garden bed.

The pile, after the first 8 barrows had been moved...
So, as we progressed in our planning over lunch, we decided to head down to our favorite quarry to see about the timeline for having some gravel delivered for the backyard. We met our friend, Navid, and after discussing which gravel, and how many yards we would need, we asked when it could be delivered? Of course, we were thinking something in a week or so. But, Navid had different plans. “How about 3 PM?” he said ever so nicely. Of course! We were up to the challenge, but we weren’t necessarily prepared for so much gravel on short notice.

Here's the first area!
How much gravel? Well, we needed enough gravel to cover 1400 square feet, at a depth of 2-3 inches. Anyone have an idea of the size of the pile 8.75 cubic yards looks like? Let me tell you, when you stand next to it with your shovel, it’s a bit overwhelming. But, one has to remember; It’s a finite amount! It just takes one shovel at a time, one barrow at a time, and the pile slowly shrinks.

Next, we move to the larger area...
So, with Kathy’s help, we did it! We didn’t hire anyone; we just got to work. Kathy would lay the protective weed barrier cloth, and I would deliver wheelbarrows of gravel. Then Kathy would rake out the gravel, and lay more cloth. We made a great team!

Now you can see both! Plus the area we have designed for a flagstone type pathway...

And, the last area, down the side to the gate...

And also, thanks to our neighbor, Leena, who upon seeing us work hard all day, brought us pizza for dinner! Now, that’s a neighbor! So, 43 wheelbarrows later, about 90% of the gravel is now in the back. We’ll finish the rest tomorrow.
How did you spend your weekend?
Jim

Putting a New Face to a New Year

2010-01-04T19:55:00.008-08:00

Sunrise - Pasadena, New Year's Day, 2010

Welcome to 2010! I am sure by now the “Best of the decade”and “Best of 2009” news stories are (thankfully) fading out of the news cycle. The mailbox and TV commercials are now filled with exercise advertisements; and the media has moved on to the usual mundane issues such as finance, health care, war, drugs, and the latest celebrity scandal. Most of us are already looking ahead to the new year; people are revitalized, energized, and ready to take on new challenges with a fresh start.

For me, I am not necessarily making any New Year’s resolutions, but rather, making a commitment to write more letters and connect with friends and family through the year. No, a nudge or poke, or whatever they call it on Facebook doesn’t count. I am just going to try and write everyone that sent us a Christmas letter. Trust me, a daunting task! We’ll see what happens. All I can ask is that if you get a letter or postcard from a friend, write one back!

I have been thinking about the New Year, too. I find that there are many faces to a year, or even a decade for that matter. Joy, apprehensiveness, tension, adventure, excitement, sadness, laughter, and love, all come to mind for starters.

I look at a calendar and ask myself all sorts of questions! Where will I go this year? What adventures will I have? What new places will Kathy and I discover? Who will I meet? Where will I ride? Or run? Or swim? (A hint for a future adventure later this year. What projects will I finish? How much will my grandchildren grow? What unknown challenges are out there? Where did all these weird faces come from?

The Rose Parade of course! Kathy, Kitt (Kathy’s mom) and I have already had an adventure this year. We went to the Rose Parade! What a great experience, the floats, the bands, the tens of thousands of classic Americans enjoying a great parade. On January 2nd, we went back down to Pasadena to view the floats up close. It was a great day, as we got to see craftsmanship, artistry, and ingenuity right at arm’s length. I enjoyed taking literally hundreds of pictures of floats, bands, and some of the detail work that make the Rose Parade floats world famous. I was amazed at how all the floats were created and decorated using only organic material. it was a great way to start the year...with an adventure!

Riding in another failed neighborhood...

That’s the news for the week. I have already enjoyed some miles on the Surly and the Barcroft Virginia GT. I will be riding to work on Wednesday and Thursday. Lately, I have been having to almost pinch myself and realize that I get to ride in lovely weather in January! I can't get over the fact that I am not having to wear ALL of my winter cycling layers just to get out for a ride!

Enjoy the year, wherever it takes you. Have a ball!
Jim

Bluffs, Birthdays and Bikes....

2009-12-19T08:13:00.008-08:00

Looking west along the Ellwood Bluff...

Shades of gray....

Post- rainstorm puddles!

Hi all,
It’s a quiet Saturday morning here; another beautiful day. Last week’s torrential rain is just a memory. Of course, we missed most of the worst weather as we were out in Santa Barbara celebrating Sue’s birthday.

Happy Birthday, Sue!

After I get done blogging this morning, I’ll head outside with my shovel to refill the ditch around the new pipe drains. Last Saturday’s rain washed all of our hard work away!

Walking back to Sue's...

Our Santa Barbara trip was great. We enjoyed family time with Sue, Nan, Muhsin, and Dana. Along the way, we had rain, wind, and some nice sunny weather on Sunday morning. We celebrated a birthday, did some shopping, told old family stories, discovered a Monarch Butterfly Preserve, and on the way home captured a few cacti (do you recall the original Cactus Hunter blog 4 years ago?)

An old seawall, slowly being reclaimed by the surf...

And of course, one of the activities we never fail to miss when we are out to S.B. is a walk on the Ellwood Bluffs near Sue and Dana’s house. This wonderful preserve has been protected from development, and is a wonderful place to enjoy the great outdoors in peace and quiet.

Bird of Paradise...
In riding news, I was able to commute to work twice this past week. It’s still a bit odd, being able to ride to work in December, but, it’s better than ride commuting in July when it’s 110 degrees! I have added a new handlebar bag to the Surly LHT , which has made carrying all my basic stuff for work a lot more efficient. The security guard at the center still gives me quizzical looks when I pull up, but perhaps, he’ll eventually get used to the idea. With over 400 controllers assigned, I have never seen another bicycle on the property since I arrived last August. My workmates seem to think it’s utterly crazy to ride one’s bike to work when it’s 35 degrees! But of course, the lovely 58-degree afternoon ride home is the payoff.

I will no longer have to go hunting cactus, I'll just walk out to the backyard!
That’s all the riding and traveling news for today. Now, to go shovel some sand!
Jim

500 Miles, 500 Miles...

2009-12-05T20:30:00.005-08:00

The 2009 Freeze and Wheeze...

500 Miles…500 Miles…A quite appropriate old lyric from a Peter, Paul, and Mary CD I have been listening to this week. In reality this morning, it felt like 500 except it was only 9 miles. Of course, when was the last time you walked 9 miles! Kathy, Leena, and I did this morning.

On our way to the nasty hill up to the Start Line...
We had signed up to participate in Palmdale’s 2009 “Wheeze and Freeze;” a 5km or 10km walk/run along the California Aqueduct. We of course, intelligently signed up to do the 5k, then, not so intelligently, walked right past the 5km turnaround, and walked the whole 10k! Add in the fact that we walked from our house to the start line, and we made a tidy 9 miles out of the morning.

Note the streamers blowing in the wind!

A nice turnout of all age groups!
I would also like to add, that after 10 days of lovely fall weather, Miss Wind made her reappearance in the Antelope Valley. Was it windy? Well, watching the “Portaloos” rolling down the hill was a clear indicator. The wind made it feel quite chilly, and the stronger gust just about knocked me down!

The runners have all left, and now the walkers can enjoy some peace...

A check of the local weather site showed temperatures around 45 degrees and wind gusting to 35 kts. So yeah, it was kinda breezy! Did we overdo it? Yes. Did we have fun? Yes. Do we have sore tootsies? Yes. Are we proud of ourselves? Absolutely!

The Surly parked outside my portable at work...
In other news, I have been doing some bike commuting to work the past two weeks. I have to say it’s kind of weird to be able to ride in December. The mornings are a bit on the chilly side; right around freezing, and the afternoon ride home is nice, about 55-60 degrees. The local wind is a bit of a downer, but the riding is phenomenal! It's only 7.5 miles each way, and I am finally getting all the bike stuff together to commute regularly.

A typical Palmdale road; note the bike lane!
That’s all for today; I need to go soak my blisters some more!
See you next week,
Jim

The Big Picture...

2009-11-24T17:15:00.009-08:00

An actual section of the Berlin Wall..

Hi All,
As you have probably noticed, most of our weekend routine is spent in the yard, moving dirt, rocks, walls, and creating landscaping. But, when we lose the motivation to work in the yard, we head out in the car, or on foot, and explore our new area. We have enjoyed several lovely hikes and car outings over the past few weeks.

An exact replica of the Oval Office. Even the 18 ft. ceiling!
A Saturday or two ago, we ventured out to Simi Valley. As the locals describe the highways, we took the 14, to the 405, to the 118. When we were in Utah, no one ever described I-15 as “the 15”. But here, it is the norm. Also, up here in Palmdale, the LA Basin is described as: “down below.” It’s interesting how different areas of the country have different vernacular.

The Boss's chair; aboard Air Force One.
Anyhow, we went to Simi Valley to visit the Ronald Reagan Museum and Library. Kathy and I have a goal of someday checking out all the presidential libraries in the country. It will be a great way to visit new parts of our country, and also we might learn something in our travels!

What a view!
The Ronald Reagan Museum and Library is a vast and magnificent structure. The highlight is the VC-137 inside, facing outwards to a magnificent view. You might ask; VC-137? Why yes, otherwise known as Air Force One. Ronald Reagan had the retired ‘137 installed inside the museum. It’s really a sight to see. We think the aircraft came first, and the building was built around it!

In other local news, the traveling Vietnam War Memorial just completed an exhibit here in Palmdale. Actually, the exhibit was at the Heritage Airpark, right across from where I work. I took a few moments early one morning to visit, take a few pictures, and reflect on really how thankful I am this Thanksgiving.

Visiting both of these sights brought into focus what it must be like to be the one "Who's in Charge". I can't begin to imagine the reponsibility saddled upon any president in our history. Just looking at the replica of the Oval Office made me think about what it must feel like to be in charge of this whole operation.

Want your name on the bottom line?

Even more telling in black and white...

Visiting the exhibit sort of re-aligned my view of the world. I would go on from here, writing an editorial about Afghanistan, or Iraq, or the pointless loss of life in Vietnam, but this blog is normally not the venue for that. Instead; perhaps you can take a few moments and reflect on your own; no stern editorial will be necessary.
See you next week.
Jim

Dirt and Bikes...

2009-11-11T14:56:00.009-08:00

Sunset on the Aqueduct, My contest entry (see the last paragraph)

Hi All,
It has been a busy few weeks since my last post, and it is time to bring you up to date on the on-going adventures here in our new home. I have been working on several projects that relate well to conditioning and physical fitness; working on the back yard landscaping project, and actually spending some time repairing and riding my bikes.

Shovels anyone? Kathy, our neighbor Leena, and I moved this 6 cubic yards to the backyard in a little more than 4 hours!

Mmmmmmmm, Sprinklers, topsoil, and fresh sod!
The main thing I have learned is that I am getting much stronger from all the physical labor of landscaping our yard! Kathy and I have spent many Saturdays looking at the world from the working end of a shovel and wheelbarrow. And I have to admit a great sense of satisfaction every time we finish another part of the project. We work on the project together, enjoy the fruits of our labors, and get wonderfully dusty and dirty in the process!

Before...

After.... Come visit and sit on the patio!

I worked on all 3 bikes!
And, speaking of bike maintenance let me mention right here that adding a cycle-computer to the Surly LHT was a bad idea. Yes, it tracks the miles I have ridden, however it also shamelessly indicates the woeful average speed I am riding these days. This is the penalty I pay for basically being off the bike since last spring.

Brian's very own dump truck....
The fact that I am in poor cycling shape needs to stay in perspective; yes, I am not riding a lot of miles, but in the great scheme of things it has been a great few months. Amy and Jon keep us smiling from their adventures with Andy K, and Paul and Christina’s son, Brian calls often to tell of his view of the world. Just ask him about dump trucks and he will tell you all about it! So, my miles will come eventually. One day at a time. I just keep plugging along.

The naughty hill I climb to get to the Aqueduct...
Speaking of riding; tonight I am heading out on a group ride sponsored by a local bike shop. I happened across this shop in search of new tubes for the Surly. Block Bikes of Lancaster; from the outside not the fanciest shop around. But, once I went inside I found a vast inventory of all classes of bikes, and friendly knowledgeable folks who RIDE. Their emphasis is getting people on bikes! A nice place. I found out that Block sponsors a group ride every Wednesday evening. It’s a local fun ride, not a race, and not a “Critical Mass” type of ride. More a family outing geared (pun?) towards people spending time on their bikes. We’ll see how things shake out. I am taking the Virginia GT for the ride – 20-25 miles at a leisurely pace. Look for a report in a few days.

Moonrise over the desert...

And lastly, my friend Alan Barnard, web genius of EcoVelo.info, is sponsoring an Endless Summer photo contest. Check out this link; Here, and enjoy some wonderful cycling photography. I will be submitting my entry today. Who knows, maybe I’ll win a doorprize!
See down the road…
Jim

An Unexpected Surprise...

2009-10-22T19:33:00.007-07:00

Sunset along the aqueduct...
Hi all,
Once again, a planned route turns into an unexpected pleasure. This evening, as Kathy was headed off shopping with a neighbor, I was inspired to take a quick evening spin. It was a lovely outside, not too warm, not chilly, and the usually ever-present Antelope Valley wind machine was taking a break. So, off I went for what was supposedly a quick neighborhood spin.

My Surly Long Haul Trucker...
The Barcroft Virginia GT is non-op, awaiting a new rear tire, so I took the Surly LHT. I have the bike configured with lights, so if it got past twilight I would be reasonably safe riding home. I headed west towards Highland High School to revisit some of the roads we had walked last Sunday up towards the Joshua Ranch Trailhead. While we had been hiking last Sunday, I noticed a short, VERY steep little hill off to the north. As I rode near this hill, I was inspired to try and ride up it, and see what was up there.

The road follows the aqueduct for miles! I started my ride in the lower-right corner, near the High School...
Well, after 200 yards of gasping, wheezing, down- shifting, and minor swearing, I discovered a lovely surprise; The California Aqueduct. Now, I am sure that some of you are pondering why I would be so overjoyed at a man-made river, lined with concrete. It wasn’t the Aqueduct, it was the beautiful smooth road that followed it, disappearing into the distance! So, for 200 yards of gasping, I was rewarded with miles upon miles of perfectly smooth, unpopulated, quiet, peaceful riding.

Just look at that beautiful road to ride...
Suffice to say, I rode home in the dark! What a pleasant surprise, going out for a routine spin, and discovering new road, and a safe place to ride. One never knows what to expect from the seat of one’s bike!
More news later this weekend,
Jim

A Hike and Bike Weekend

2009-10-18T15:29:00.016-07:00

Looking north, towards Lancaster with Mojave in the distance...

Hi all,

Yesterday, I took the Surly LHT out for a spin. I had intended to test ride my route to work, double-checking the shoulders and other assorted safety issues. But, as I got to Palmdale Blvd, I stopped to take a picture, looking west towards Leona Valley. As I got back on the bike, I had to wait for another cyclist who was coming up the bridge. As he passed, we chatted briefly, and after a short discussion about not having any particular direction to go, we decided to head west together, towards Leona Valley, not east as I had planned.

Looking west, and Elizabeth Lake Road and miles of gentle climbing...

This turned out to be one of those good news/bad news situations. The good news was that the ride towards Leona Valley was lovely; a nice sunny day, not too much traffic, and nice country cruising. The bad news was that I am woefully out of shape and as I climbed west up Elizabeth Lake road, I was wheezing and shifting to easier gears. I guess due to moving, and all the work travel, there hasn’t been a riding season for me, and it feels like I have wiped the slate clean, and am starting over again.

Joshua trees and Juniper trees, just west of our house...

In the long run, it was a lovely ride. I met a new friend; Dave, a contractor/engineer who lives close and works up north in Mojave. He likes to ride brevets and enjoyed not being in a particular hurry as we rode. The scenery was lovely; the company pleasant, and that’s all you can ask for on a bike. I will test ride the commute to work route later this week. Who knows, I might just ride in and see how it works!

Today, Kathy, our neighbor, Leena, the pup-dogs, and I went for an early morning hike into the foothills near the house. We hiked the Joshua Ranch trail, and climbed about 400 ft. above the valley.

Looking east, towards Palmdale Airport and Plant 42. Our house is down in the lower right corner...

A nice hike! great views of the valley, and a nice mix of Joshua trees, Yucca trees, California Junipers, and pleasant friendship. Now that the weather is tolerable outside, it was great to get out and enjoy some more of the local area. Nice to be outside when it's not 110 degrees!

A hot husky!

More news and pictures next week.

Jim

Random Collections...

2009-10-09T20:52:00.012-07:00

Fall Leaf, Cactoctin Mountain Park...

Hi all.
Fall is here in the desert. I never expected it, but it’s here. Mild days, breezy cool evenings. The air conditioner is finally taking a break from the usual heat wave that we have enjoyed since moving here.

Louis XVI (Perhaps), The National Gallery of Art
I was spending some time this evening looking through my 2009 picture folders. It occurred to me to publish a set of pictures that have never gotten the chance to be seen by anyone. I have had a lot of travels this year, and as I have always taken pictures along the way, I find I sometimes never edit, publish or even share them with anyone. They tend to end up in random folders labeled; “May09” or “DC2009” etc.

Thomas Jefferson
So, for your enjoyment, here are a few of my favorite, but yet, unpublished pictures from the year. No, I do not have any new pictures of Brian or Andrea. You will just have to be patient, and wait until I travel to see everybody this winter. For now, enjoy my humble efforts.
Jim

The Air and Space Museum; Washington, DC

Renoir's Signature...

My impression of the Wall...

One of my favorite RAAM portraits; Larry Cleveland...

A color we don't see often here in Palmdale...

Ok, what's a blog without a random frog portait, too...

Sunrise over the Missouri river, RAAM, 2009

Giant Things, Small Things

2009-09-29T19:48:00.004-07:00

Teeny Tiny Feet!

Hi All,
It’s been a busy week or two as usual here in the desert. Kathy and I are both back home from Tucson, and together in the same house! We had a great time in Arizona, both with Andrea K. arriving in the world, and also getting to help Jon and Amy move to their new house.

I promise, these colors are raw, right off the camera!

Along the way, I got to spend some time with Jon and a great telescope; A Celestron 5; that had been languishing at my sister Sue’s house without use for many years. Sue, wanting the telescope to have some use, sent it along with me to Tucson for Jon to further his enjoyment of astronomy.

Jon, getting to know his new friend...
I only wish I had the capability to have photographs for you of Jupiter and its 4 major moons. It’s been a long time since I saw Jupiter, and it reopened my eyes to the immensity of the solar system. I did, however, piggy-back my Nikon digital SLR on the Celestron, and using the telescope’s tracking motor, took some 4-5 minute exposures of the stars. The results are here, and you may ask why the foreground is fuzzy. Well, the telescope was moving with the stars! I wasn’t sure what results I would get, but I was pleasantly pleased.

3 minute exposure , the Pleadides in the lower/center
Along with the immensity of the universe, I was quickly brought back to the amazing little things, like Andrea’s tiny hands and feet. It’s amazing to me that something so small could be so gigantic in our little world.

Teeny Tiny Fingers!
Oh yes, and I am now on Facebook. I signed up so that I could stay in better touch with all my friends back in Utah. So, if you are interested, you can find me there!
See you down the road.
Jim

News from the Garage

2009-09-14T19:04:00.005-07:00

Sunrise over a Joshua tree, just east of Palmdale...

Hi all,
No, I don’t have any new Andrea pictures. You’ll just have to wait one more week when I go back to Tucson to help Amy, Jon, and Andy move to their new place. For what its worth, I am getting to know Interstate 10 quite well this month!

Ok, I know my audience! Here she is; "squeaking at grandma."
In other news, I have succeeded in shuffling through a lot of stuff in the garage, and I am proud to say I have parking spots for both cars, and all three bikes. The Redline Single-Speed has been relegated to hooks on the ceiling, as there is no real purpose for that bike right now. I just couldn’t part with such a nice little bike.

The new-look Barcroft...
My Barcroft Virginia GT is back from Dana’s shop in Van Nuys. Bent-Up Cycles is the premier ‘bent store in southern California, and with all the fun stuff and carbon frames in that place, probably to close for my wallet’s comfort!

The ‘Ginny now sports U-shaped handlebars, and is now configured with an open cockpit. I originally had what are called “hamster bars” on the bike, with my hands fairly close together. After 4,000 miles I finally came to the notion that there was a better, more comfortable way for me to ride. So, we’ll see. It’s a much different feel, but when I rode open cockpit bikes in Maryland this past July, I noticed that I was in a more relaxed position to ride. Time will tell.

My mood from not getting my Andrea/Brian fix these days!
My new Surly LHT touring bike is up and running, too. I finally got to the carton in the garage and managed to put things together without dinging up the frame or losing my temper. The bike rides wonderfully. It is not a speed bike; it is a bike for commuting, designed for heavy loads, bad roads, and many, many miles. Also, I noticed that at slow speeds the bike is docile, and not twitchy in the slightest. I still have some configuring to do to ready the bike for commuting. A headlight, and bags for the rack are the next order of business.

"General Rommel;" note the not-so-skinny tires...
I leave you now, with a trivia question. The Joshua trees in the headline photo are only found in two places in the world; here in California, and ….. (where?)

Drop me a note with your answer and I’ll work out some sort of prize, or tacky recognition.
See you down the road.
Jim

Welcome Andrea!

2009-09-08T21:06:00.014-07:00

Andrea Kathleen! Look at those eyes...
Hi All,
Well, the dawn of a new day is upon us! Welcome to the world, Andrea Kathleen! She is our second grandchild, and Amy and John are the proud parents! She is 6 lbs. 12 Oz, born on September 4^th at 3:59 PM. ten fingers, ten toes, everything in its proper place.

Two of the proud grandparents...

You can see even cooler pictures on Jon’s blog. ( On the tab list to the right!) I won’t put many here on my site, as John and Amy can send along more for you to enjoy. Baby is fine; Mom is fine; Dad is fine; the grandparents (all four of them!) are all excited and proud.

The proud Mommy...

The proud doting new Dad...

I am sure there are lots of other details I could give you, but I figure you are looking at the pictures, and I could just about write anything I want from here on!

Enjoy all the pictures; there really is some more cycling and house information to come, but it can all wait until later in the week.

Jim

Hello from the Desert...

2009-08-20T21:02:00.007-07:00

Our new house in Palmdale...
Hi all,
Busy times here in the desert, and we finally have time to publish a few pictures of our new place. We are slowly getting settled in our new neighborhood, and have gotten to know some neighbors. We have lots of room, and are always ready for company!
In this post, are a few pictures of the inside, and in a few days, I will take you on a tour of the yard.

The day we got keys, tile flooring throughout the main areas...

Plenty of room to cook and craft! (Kathy did an amazing job decorating and arranging our new place)

The upstairs loft guest suite...

The upstairs grandkids play in the bubbles bath!

Our peaceful living room..
More news and photos from all the yard projects in a few days...

That's Done...

2009-08-09T07:38:00.012-07:00

Pete Heal, somewhere in SA...
“There, that’s done.” Is all he said crossing the finish line, and that’s all that needed to be said. My good friend Pete Heal of Canberra, Australia, had just completed a 4014km (near 2700 miles) ride from Perth to Sydney, in 11 days, 18 hours. That’s more than 200 miles a day for almost twelve days straight. And here I sit, pondering whether or not I will ever complete a single-day double, much less 12 of them in a row!

These photos shamelessly borrowed...

Pete set off on his ride two weeks ago, today, writing me that this was a personal goal of his, to ride across Australia. He didn’t want a lot of notoriety or publicity, and had actually asked me to not write about it in my blog. I complied, but I did follow his progress on line watching his GPS reports as he progressed across the country.

I would sit in my computer lab classroom in Maryland, paying attention to the lecture, and toggling to the GPS tracking web page that updated Pete’s progress. Quite addicting, really; looking at the closest town on the map, calculate distance from Perth; note the date/time and extrapolate an average speed. Then, sit back and ponder the immensity of what I was viewing.

For you math and cycling junkies, here are Pete's numbers for the twelve days.

209 miles a day.
Distances in kms were: (divide by 1.61 for miles)
281, 301, 359, 340, 381, 296, 316, 360, 389, 408, 301, 322.
Total 4014km.
Longest day 18hours elapsed.

At the finish near Bondi Beach...
Of course, now that he is home, (he rode home to Canberra, of course) He has E-mailed me a photo telling me that I could now publish a few comments. Since Pete is a man of few words, and many accomplishments, I too will keep this short.

There’s not really much to be said. Here’s a man with a goal; he dreams, he trains, he rides, he achieves. No strutting around, no showy tail feathers, actually happy to be home with “no one shouting about it.”

Congrats, Mate!

Jim

(Did I mention he broke the all-time cross Australia solo record?)

At the Finish Line: RAAM as an Act of Service

2009-07-27T19:12:00.009-07:00

Mark Thul, Denny Voorhees, John Anderson, Pete Cowley, Bob Chaisson, Bob Avritt, Larry Cleveland, Bill Arnold - Finish!

And the crew....

Chaisson's foot- 7 stitches

Note the laughing, and the sleeping...

Julie from Arizona

Amanda, Kelsey, and Jen

Jess, tuning bikes in Colorado...

Chris, well, being Chris...

Late night navigating, Denny, Dave, and Tom...

Dave, a most energetic fella...

Jess, from North Carolina...

Chris, a Type1 Diabetic...

Kevin, the cruise director...

Tommy, rode his 'Bent from San Francisco to the start!

RAAM as an unconditional act of service; a subject I have been working on for a few days. I can tell you, that more than a few drafts have met the fate of the delete key. But, I have recalled the smart advice from my friend (and builder of the Fast Red Bike), Bill Cook. Keep it short, keep it simple, and only express one or two ideas. Smart man. Thanks, Bill.
My thoughts about this article seem to center around a basic premise; acts of service. From my view from the cheap seats, everyone that was on TeamType2 whether it was a rider, driver, navigator, nutritionist, manager, or utility crew; were givers of service.
The riders gave of their whole selves. They gave up better part of the year training, and then doing all the real work in riding 3020 miles in 7 days. They managed their diabetes, spread the word to the public about their disease, along with the everyday riding, racing, progressing across the country. It sure sounds simple from here in the back row. But when you see it up close, on the road, it becomes more amazing every day.
The crew; selfless, anonymous; hard working; sleep deprived, a truly great group. Remember, there are no finisher’s medals or jerseys for the crew. No special recognition on the RAAM web page. Of course, none of the 14 crew members ever expected any of those tributes. They were on the team to help the eight riders reach Annapolis in 7 days. It was a crystal clear act of service; as pure and simple as that.
Along with the total TeamType2 RAAM experience, there was one more benefit to this adventure that I wasn’t expecting. I managed to learn a few things about people, too. Specifically I would like to mention the young people. When I say young, I mean the under-thirty crowd. They were amazing! They could sleep anywhere, work harder, longer, and all the time with a smile. Also, they reassured my faith that the world is not going to heck in a hand basket. They were energetic, selfless, articulate, intelligent, and more than anything else, servants to their team and their communities. They reenergized me! For this, I thank them.
Please enjoy the photographs. I am sure I probably missed someone along the way, so forgive me in advance.
That’s it for me. One month later, it still amazes me. 3020 miles in 7 days, 7 hours, 23 minutes; enough said.
Jim
PS: I’ll be home next week. Soon, I’ll publish pictures of our new home and of finding good roads to ride in Palmdale.

RAAM as a Cultural/Social Experience

2009-07-22T19:04:00.010-07:00

Please enjoy this Gallery, then the blog...

Sunset in Kansas...

Bob Chaisson's family met us with FOOD at 3 AM! (Bloomington, IN)

Jen's fiance' met us too, then drove all the way back to Louisville!

This Frenchman (RAAM Crew) was happily writing, I don't know what, he didn't speak english, and I don't speak french!

I can't recall whose parents these were, nice people though.

These two were touring from St. Louis to Oregon! (Fort Scott, KS)

Race Volunteer, Blanchester, OH

This crewman from the Brazilian team developed his pictures in the motorhome!

(Montezuma Creek, UT)

Kevin's parents, it was their 55th wedding anniversary, and they brought us pizza. Lots of pizza! (Blanchester, OH)

Dave, Chris, Amanda, Kelsey, and Kevin (the Type2 crew boss)

... Amazing crew members

Kelsey and her new biker friends, Oceanside...

Hi all,

I decided to forgo a part two on the RAAM as a race topic in favor of pressing forward with my project. I have really wanted to write this next section, and enough has been said about racing.
Besides being a race, RAAM is truly a cultural/social experience. The experience began on the first day when our crew and teams gathered in Oceanside. It was interesting, 16 riders and around 50 crew members gathered, most of who had never met. The crew members came from all around the United States; Tallahasee, FL, Bend, OR, Wilmington, NC, Phoenix, AZ, Ithaca, NY; the list went on and on. This team had to not only function from the first day, but people had to basically shake hands, and get to work, and build relationships at the same time. As the week passed, friendships were built, and by the end of the race, the TeamType2 group was almost a family.
After the race started, then we really got to meet people! Let me see how many I can recall. We met complete strangers, people interested in our team, and willing to share their experiences with diabetes with us; we met family members who drove long distances to meet their team members or riders, sometimes in the middle of the night! There were tired race volunteers at the manned time stations who were so encouraging and generous. We met people on touring bikes who stopped by to wish us well. I spoke with an elderly woman in Blanchester, OH who offered her house (the hot shower specifically) to our crew; the gentleman who pulled up to our crew in Brawley, CA to see what we were up to. He gave us some rope from the back of his truck that we ended up using the entire week. And those are just the ones that come to mind as I write. I am pretty sure the whole team met people along the way. Did we meet any unfriendly people? I am sure we did, but I just put them out of my memory.
We got to see a whole lot of the United States. We got to see not just the countryside, but actually some of the fabric of the country, too. Let me tell you; this is a big country. And if you let your vision be narrowed by television, or Facebook, or text messages that serve as conversation, then you are missing a large part of this country. During RAAM, I became much more aware of the greatness of our nation. I would almost say I actually “get” America now.
Please enjoy a gallery of pictures from the “people side” of RAAM.
Jim

RAAM as a Race

2009-07-17T17:46:00.007-07:00

A rider heading out... SW Arizona...

One rider in, one rider out...West Virgnia.

Sunrise over the Missouri. Jefferson City...

Racing at dusk in Oklahoma...or Kansas (Not sure)

Team transition, Fort Scott Kansas...

The ready box, for the rider's van...

Denny and Bob...near Sedona, AZ...

Climbing...

Dave, awaiting a rider....

The next pull. That’s what crystallized the experience of riding RAAM for me. The act of riding at racing speed for 3-6 miles; resting and recovering in the rider’s van for about 45 minutes, then getting back on the bike for another pull; repeating this routine for eleven to twelve hours.
For two days I had been performing my duties as an RV driver, dishwasher, navigator, and like the rest of the crew, taking care of whatever was needed to get our guys down the road. I found I was relatively separated from the actual rider experience. Sure, I had seen our guys come and go at the transitions, but I hadn’t actually gotten my mitts into the race.
That all changed on the third day. On the third day I was pressed into duty as the rider car driver for the pull from Prescott, AZ to Tuba City, AZ. The shift would be about 180 miles, with several huge climbs – from Prescott over Jerome to Sedona, and Sedona to Flagstaff. It was during this 12 hour outing, that I learned what it’s like to be a rider on RAAM. For those twelve hours, I got to be up close and personal with RAAM; watching the four-man teams take shifts climbing, rocketing downhill on power descents, and just ride hard. It was like some sort of weird dream; driving, un-racking bikes, racking bikes, in the van, out of the van, driving, over and over again. But, still the riders rode; they pressed, they encouraged, they raced!
As the week passed, the routine rarely varied. 4 men in, 4 men out. Riding, racing, eating, resting, driving, and sleeping… at all hours of the day and night. On the last day, one of the riders, Bob Chaisson, stumbled and gashed his ankle, earning 7 stitches. What did he do when he returned to the team? He kept riding of course! That one act typified our team.
Thinking back on RAAM, it’s not as much the riding that intrigued me, it was the mental focus. Imagine if you will the focus you try to attain before a big ride. It could be a race, a citizen’s century, a 300 km brevet, or just a training interval. One does their best to get focused, get mentally ready to ride. Now, imagine turning that focus on and off like a switch. Every 45 minutes to an hour, get out of the van, get loose, and ride hard. It’s something to think about.
Well, enough for now. I think I will write a part 2 to this section!
Jim

RAAM and TeamType2

2009-07-14T17:50:00.009-07:00

TeamType2; Great athletes, all.

Denny Voorhees, Who got me on this adventure...

The bikes, racked and getting ready...

The follow and rider vans...

Lots of wheels to true...

The Boss; Dave Eldridge...

Hi all,

The 2009 RAAM has come and gone. In the spring, there was anticipation and excitement of the race to come; the adventure before me! Then, as quickly as it came upon me, it was over. Something all encompassing, then, like a flickering flame, just a memory.
Since the end of RAAM, I had been reluctant to post as I was in the process of moving, and to add to the delay, I could not make my card reader read my SD card. I know that true writers can paint pictures and give clarity without the use of pictures. But for me, I have always included pictures with my minor attempts at writing. In the meantime, I have been thinking and putting some ideas into some logical order. So, with apologies, I am now able to download pictures, and write some of my RAAM experiences to you.
The best place for me to start is with how I got involved. Early in the spring, I was lucky enough to be selected to be a crew member on the TeamType2 8-Man team. The team, made up of riders with Type 2 diabetes had one goal: 8 riders in 7 days to Annapolis. With sixteen members on the crew, there were teleconferences, mailings, phone calls, and E mails. Dave Eldridge our race director did a fine job of putting us all together as one team. For me, the only thing I can say about being selected to the team: “Denny, thanks for having me.”
Where does one start writing on a subject as expansive as RAAM? What stories should I tell from a bicycle race across America? If I wrote all my ideas in one article, all the ideas would get all jumbled up in the fray. So, I decided to divide my posts into three subjects; RAAM as a race; RAAM as a social/cultural experience; and RAAM as a gift of service. So, bear with me as I together some ideas and pictures to share.
In the next post: RAAM as a race.
Jim

RAAM Pre-Game

2009-06-18T18:18:00.005-07:00

Team Type 2

Hi all,

Writing you from sunny San Diego where TeamType1 and TeamType2 are assembling for the 2009 RAAM. We spent the afternoon assembling and tuning bikes, applying signage to ourfleet of vehicles, and getting to know one another as the teams and crews arrived from the airport.

TEam Type1

I apologize for the lack of photographs, but, the hotel computer refuses all attempts to recognize my card reader. I was able to get my memory stick to read, and borrowed a few pictures from a crew member.

Tracking us: Several of you faithful readers have inquired about tracking our progress. The best method is to track us from the RAAM Website. Just go to http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/ and select "live coverage" Watch of course, for: TeamType1, and my team: TeamType2

As of today, the site was experiencing overload issues. So, the best advice I have is to be patient, and hopefully, things will improve.

The 8-Man teams depart Oceanside at 1-2 PM Saturday, June 20th.

More news later if I get time and access to the internet.

Jim

Keeping an Eye on the Sky

2009-06-07T19:42:00.017-07:00

Full frame, from my back deck!...

Hi all,
Before I get on with the current events of cycling and moving, I would like to briefly mention airpower. Yep, as people around here refer to it: “the sound of freedom.” As you can tell by the lead photograph, there was an air show this past weekend at Hill Air Force Base. There were great exhibits; static displays of World War II aircraft, and of course, the headliners, the USAF Thunderbirds.

Much nicer lighting on Saturday!
Now, I didn’t make it up to the base for the show; too much to do at the house packing and fixing things up. But, then again, I didn’t need to! Living only 4 miles from the runway at Hill afforded me my own air show as the aircraft maneuvered around the base. The Thunderbirds seemed to think my house was an excellent place to make their inbound turns to the north! I got some great photos and enjoyed tremendous afterburner sounds echoing through the house.

Four Bits has left to ride the Wasatch...

In other news, the packing and relocating adventure continues. With regret; “Four Bits” the Cannondale mountain bike has found another home. This is actually a good thing as the bike was gathering dust in the garage, and when I did ride it, I spent more time getting X-rays and ice packs than relaxing after a nice ride. The Klein Panzer Tank is also happily off to spend a few years with my friend, Bert, who on riding it for the first time, referred to the bike, as “bombproof!” And he is right. He will have fun working on the bike as a project bike, and promises to let me have visitation sometime when I am back in Utah.

We had real thunder and hail after Sunday's airshow...
With the departure of two bikes, the fleet is looking a little thin. I decided I needed a more effective bike to ride the narrow, no shoulder, no bike lane roads of Palmdale. Now, don’t get me wrong, there are some bike lanes and bike paths in Palmdale, but the majority of them run north/south, and my commute is of course, east/west. More than likely, I will not even ride the most direct route to work; rather I will favor quieter, safer roads out to the east side.

The new member of the fleet!
With that in mind, this morning, I ordered a Surly Long Haul Trucker from my friends at Saturday Cycles in Centerville. With luck, the bike will be here in time to get loaded on the truck, or perhaps I will have the bike shipped to Palmdale and wait patiently until we are settled into a routine at home and at work.
Will this plan work for commuting? Hard to say; with the daily afternoon wind, and the fierce August temperatures, I may have to do some adapting to the plan. But, for now, the fleet is stable, and useful. The recumbent for long rides, the Surly for commuting, and the Redline for the neighborhood ride to the grocery etc…
See you down the log…
Jim

The First Month of Retirement...

2009-05-25T07:00:00.017-07:00

A great sculpture at the Chicago Botanical Gardens.

Hi all,
Well, I have been retired from the FAA for one month! And, even though I am already un-retired, it is a tremendous relief to no longer be a supervisor of an air traffic control operation. In my new job, I will only be a computer systems specialist/analyst, and only have to argue with software! More than likely, I will not be breaking any phones in my new job.

Some of the nifty gifts. You have to have been in Area "C" to understand the cape...
Also, I have cool friends; especially the ones that worked for me at the ARTCC. It seems they all got together and threw me a nice retirement bash, and made sure that even though upper management wasn’t up to the task, I had a proper sendoff from the FAA. Friendship, good people, some nifty gifts, and malt-based beverages made for a nice time.

I have been told this software is "finicky"...

In other news, in my new job, I have already begun the transition to the computer world. I had to learn 12 new log-ins on my first day! And to make things worse, have been issued a laptop computer. I have been assimilated!

For you inquisitive types, to answer the question from the last blog entry, this is Burbank!

In the bike world, there has been very little bike riding in the past few weeks; mainly because I fractured a toe. It’s been almost two weeks, and I still can’t get a cycling shoe on my foot. We will leave the details of how I broke my toe for another time, as it wasn’t one of my more graceful maneuvers. Yes it hurt, and no, there won’t be a picture here on the blog of the black and blue toe. So, lately I wear sandals and ride the Redline back and forth to the store.
As we glean towards relocating, I am trying to decide how to configure the bike fleet. I really don’t have the space for 4 bikes. So: The Klein Panzer Tank has a new home, my friend Bert wants a project bike. The Cannondale mountain bike will also head to a new home as I spend more time lying on the trail in pain than actually riding it. The Redline single-speed is an intriguing issue. One hand, I love this bike; one of the more enjoyable rides I have ever had.

Our new city...

But, my new home is a historically VERY windy place and I think I would like some gears under me for that daily 25-30 knot wind. The Barcroft Virginia GT is not going anywhere. It is my trusty, dependable, comfortable, distance bike; I am just not sure about riding it to work as Palmdale is lacking in bike paths that run east/west.
That’s the news from here. All is well, a busy time.
Jim

Meet the Team...

2009-05-13T07:04:00.012-07:00

Can anyone guess the airport?

Hi all,
Another long delay between posts, but hey, packing, moving and fixing up will eat up all the hours. Moving is such an adventure! So far, it hasn’t been a very peaceful and restful retirement. Of course, it’s only retirement #1 as a new short career starts soon.

So, what else is going on? Most importantly, RAAM is just over a month away! Plans and organizing E-mails are flying around the country at a tremendous rate. We are learning our jobs, who will be doing what, and how we will get the whole team, (16 riders, and ab0ut 50 crew) all to San Diego at the same time!

Team Type 2!
16 riders? Well, don’t forget that there are two diabetic teams heading to RAAM. Team Type 1, a high level team of Type One diabetics that expects to WIN the team competition, and Team Type 2; obviously with Type 2 diabetes, whose goal is to complete RAAM in 7 days.

It will be a grand adventure. I am excited to be going, being a team member, and helping get our team to Annapolis.

In other news, I was in southern California last week and enjoyed a quick stop at Bent-Up Cycles in Van Nuys. This is a great store for someone with an itch for high-end recumbent bikes! I was smart enough (?) to not bring a lot of cash!

Love those curves...

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm...

I did try out an Optima Baron low racer. What a sleek and fast machine. I didn’t attempt Balboa Blvd. as a test ride road! But, if anyone needs a Father’s Day suggestion… hint hint. Just kidding. The proprietor, Dana is very knowledgeable and willing to go the distance to help any Bent rider get set up and dialed in on a bike.

More news later...

Jim

Back from the Great Circle Trip

2009-04-20T08:10:00.010-07:00

Kathy knows what kind of flower this is, I forgot!

Hi all,
We are back from our great circle trip; SLC/PHX/TUS/PHX/ORD/SLC. For you non-ATC types, that’s Salt Lake City,Phoenix, Tucson, Phoenix, Chicago, and Salt Lake City. We had a grand time seeing our kids and grandchildren. (See Amy’s blog for more news).

The next Geithner, perhaps?
All is well. We only had rain on the last day in Barrington, and that was just for the trip to the airport. We had a great time with our grandson, Brian; playing at the Chicago Botanical Gardens, and then at the Zoo. He sure loves to run and play! I can’t tell you how many times I heard the phrase, Go! Go! Grandma! Let’s Go!

Commuters are everywhere...
Also, at the Zoo, I was walking around the Llama enclosure, and I noticed the front wheel of a ten-speed bike behind the barn. More than likely, someone’s commuter, hiding in the back. So, as the rest of the weekend continued, I noticed commuter bikes parked in all sorts of odd places; behind convenience stores, fast food joints, behind Llama stalls at the zoo, at the mall, all sorts of places.

Jake?

Magnolias...

The Botannical gardens provided a great place for Brian to run and get his wiggles out. There wasn’t much in bloom, as the spring flowers don’t really get going until mid-May. Just watch the ivy in the outfield at “The Friendly Confines” (Wrigley Field for you foreigners). But, what was in bloom was just stunning. Tulips, poppies, magnolias, and other small plants were doing their best to give some color. But, no matter, it was a gorgeous day, and the sun was out, and a lovely day to scamper all over the place.

How I relax!
I’ll have more news as the week progresses. There’s lots of work to do here at the house, and I retire from 33 years of ATC on Thursday. I get cake!
Jim.

Open Mondays from 4-7

2009-04-14T21:41:00.008-07:00

Spring in the Desert is amazing!

Hi All,

I am writing you from Tucson, AZ, as Kathy and I are visiting our daughter, Amy and her husband, Jon. This is part 1 of a two step trip; the second half is flying to Chicago to visit Paul, Christina, and our grandson, Brian in Barrington. Then, next Sunday, a flight home; and from there only 3 workdays to go before retirement! (Well, retirement from this career!)

Yesterday, Kathy and Amy and I enjoyed a lovely afternoon walk to the local farmer’s market. Usually, on Mondays, Jon and Amy ride their bikes over to the market, buying some nice fresh things for dinner, and getting a few miles in on their bikes. But since Amy is 17 weeks along, and her doctor would prefer she not ride her bike, we got to enjoy a nice walk instead.

Marana is bike-friendly!

As is my custom, I always take my camera on jaunts like this. One never knows what will appear! This walk was no different, and I was treated to several opportunities to snap some pictures. We were able to score some lovely red potatoes, an onion, and wonderfully fresh lemons at 10 cents each.

On the return walk, Amy spotted a large hawk across the street perched on a wall. Well, not wanting to miss it, I strolled across the street to get a closer look. As I was framing up the shot, the bird started to get antsy and I got the impression he was about to fly off. So, as the bird turned I pushed the button. The shutter fired, the mirror came up and when it came back down the bird was gone! When I got back home I was excited to see what kind of picture I had gotten of the bird. Imagine my luck when I saw what dumb luck had netted.

Just goes to show you: just push the button!

More news later this week.

Jim

Hanging Around...

2009-04-09T04:22:00.009-07:00

A photo contest entry of mine from last summer...
Hi All,

Where does time go? I have asked that question here on this blog many times. Especially, it seems, after a long absence from writing. I feel like a columnist who has been scribbling little notes for weeks, and stuffing them in his pockets. I end up with so many little articles in my mind; it’s hard to make one article out of the mishmash. So for now, let’s clear a few things up. Yes, I am still here; Yes, I am going to commit to write more often; Yes, I am going to post some interesting photographs.
Suffice to say we (Kathy and I) have had a busy month. Our lives are in complete flux as we contemplate the reality of relocating (a nice word for the adventure of moving!). Buying a new house, finding new roads to ride, ending one career, and starting another, learning about a new city, meeting new people, it is an endless list. As I wrote to a friend last week: “Other than that, just a typical quiet year for us.” There will be more detail about our move, and other salient details as the plan evolves.

Pastor Dave and I, hanging around; installing video cable at Aldersgate...
The Aldersgate Church audio/visual project is finally about done. Yesterday, I spent several hours 20 feet up a ladder hanging the new projector in the sanctuary. It’s a far more enjoyable place to work than the 5 hours I spent last Saturday in the crawl space under the church relocating the wiring and lighting controls!

You would never guess Pastor Dave is a techie...

Yes, I am still riding, too. This last week, I attempted to unscrew the cleats of my SPD pedals in order to replace them with Speedplay Frogs. You may recall that I won the Speedplays in a raffle from the Recumbent Blog last year.

Old, Old shoes...

'Nuff Said...

Ever try to unscrew cleats that have been in use for 8,000 miles? It’s pretty humorous. After my first try, I am seriously considering some new shoes!

Nice new cleats!
As retirement from air traffic control approaches, I am working on a few goals in the narrow window before career #2 starts. The Salt Lake City Century is May 16th, and I hope to be reasonably ready to attack the 6-hour mark. My last century ride was a DNF at 83 miles due to weather, mechanical issues, and well, just some darn ugly hills at the end of the ride. I would very much like to erase that memory, and have a successful ride. The Tour de Cure in June will have to wait for another time as with moving and working on the house I will not have the time ride after May.

And nice new pedals!
That’s the update for now. I promise, there WILL be a new post within 7 days. For now, stay in touch, ride lots of miles, enjoy the other blogs to the right in the tab list, and most importantly, have a joyous and happy Easter.
Jim

The Last Vestiges of Winter

2009-03-14T18:30:00.009-07:00

The Oquirrh mountains. (A weird Utah name)

Hi all,
Not much riding this week. Early in the week we enjoyed a lovely snowstorm that dropped around a foot of snow from Ogden, northwards to Logan. This really shouldn’t have been an issue for me down in Layton, except that I was up in Brigham City during the snow! It was such a lovely day.

A welcome sight on the road...

I will give compliments to UDOT; they did an excellent job of keeping the highway cleaned off, and the drive home was not near as terrifying as it could have been.

Spring just makes one want to run and jump!
I did get a ride today, a nice climb up to Fernwood. I wanted to see if the last vestiges of snow had receded from the trailhead, and whether or not I would be mountain biking anytime soon. Alas, there is still a lot of snow, and the road to the trailhead is still full of snow. I did meet a nice young man while I stopped to take pictures. He told me he had fat tireson his mountain bike, and was going to try and ride the trail anyway! Kids. For me, I enjoyed a nice warm climb, and a frozen descent back to the house.

This gentleman had enjoyed a nice climbing run...
In other news, I was reading the paper the other day, and as is my practice, I always read the Lost and Found ads. Sometimes I find something humorous, and this time was no exception. Read the ad below. Oh, for one comma!

No further comment necessary...
Lastly, I can report that the construction project at my church, Aldersgate UMC is about finished! Tomorrow, we will enjoy working in our new sound room with new speakers, new amps, the sound board has been relocated, and except for moving some lighting controls, we are all done. It has been an exciting three months. I have learned a lot about wiring, framing, and the joy of a job completed. Next up, installing the new projector!

A nice construction still life from last Saturday...
The weather forecast is good this week; I should get some nice miles Monday and Tuesday
See you down the road.
Jim

Finding Friends, and Phones...

2009-03-06T00:44:00.008-08:00

Sunset on the Causeway
Hi all,
This past Tuesday I went for a nice hill climb up Fairfield Road. It is not a major hill by any means, just a long 3.5 mile climb up to highway 193. It’s a good training hill, and from the top of the climb, I can go in several directions to make a nice loop. On this ride, I made a nice 12 mile loop over to the east, and then back down the hill for lunch and then to work.
However, this blog entry is not about base training, nor is it a techie article about spin rates, gear ratios or anything like that. This entry is about the people we meet on our bikes, and the things we find on the road. In Tuesday’s case, the two subjects intertwined.

Sunset from the back porch!
As I was riding past the post office, I waved at a cyclist riding down Fairfield. He was riding a mountain bike, wearing no fancy gear; just jeans and a shirt. (It was a gloriously warm morning) At the time, I remembered thinking that his set up wasn’t fancy by any means, but I accepted him for another cyclist enjoying the lovely day and that it was nice to see someone else out on the road.

Waitin for Wednesday's train...
As I continued to climb, the road steepens north of Antelope. I was making 8-10 mph working on achieving a nice spin rate. When I climb this slowly, I have time to notice things on the road. In this case, a cell phone. At first glance, I took it to be a toy, but then as I stopped to look at it; I realized that it was in fact a real cell phone. It was open, and the battery was lying on the ground next to it. I pulled off the road and inquisitively put the battery in and to my joy, the thing powered up! A further search found the back panel to the battery lying in the gutter. I took the phone, stuck it in my pocket and continued my climbing. I figured I would look at it and figure out how to find the owner when I got home.

12 miles later, I was sitting in the kitchen having a PBH, (peanut butter/honey) and playing with the little Kyocera phone. I figured out how to search for last calls received, and using the little lost phone, dialed the most recent number. After two rings, a woman answered saying: “Oh, you have my husband’s phone!” As it turns out, the owner lived about a mile from my house, and I arranged to drive over and deliver the phone on my way to work.
When I pulled into the cul-de-sac, and found the address, I noticed the bike sitting on the porch. It sure looked familiar! The owner (Paul) came out and I recognized him from my ride. He was the mountain bike rider I waved at on Fairfield! We had a nice time visiting. He was much relieved that his cell phone had been found and hadn’t been run over by a car. I learned that he rides a 10-mile loop regularly, and enjoys the exercise and the fresh air. It was nice to meet a fellow rider, and find out what riding means to him.
So remember, be ready for those rare opportunities extend friendship past the usual wave across the street.
See you down the road.
Jim

RAAM and Winter Riding

2009-02-22T06:43:00.003-08:00

The island, from Bluff Rd. Nice day for riding...
Hi all,
Well, yet another busy week has passed, and I am finally enjoying a few quick hours to get in some winter riding.

It just snowed, and snowed on Tuesday!
Of course, it hasn’t been a real wintry week, or wait, maybe it was. The weather can’t seem to make up its mind what season it is. It was kind of like being on a rollercoaster! Early this week on Tuesday, 14 inches of snow fell in 24 hours. Then, the sun came out, the ground warmed up a little, and the roads cleared quickly. So much so that Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, I was on one of my bikes. Today, (Saturday) I was able to take the Barcroft Virginia GT out for 25 miles, with a starting temperature around 42 degrees and I was actually quite warm when I got back from Antelope Island.

Speaking of Antelope Island, I was out riding the causeway today, and I saw a huge flock of Canadian snow geese out on the mud/snow flats. A bird counter was perusing them, and he told me that they are very rarely seen here off the causeway, and usually they are way down south near Delta. We had a nice conversation as I took a few pictures.

Such a nice day to be out...
My education about RAAM, (See last week’s post) is ongoing. There has been a little confusion as to what my role (or roll) was going to be on TeamType2. Let me clear up a little misconception. No, I am not riding as a competitor. Are you kidding? These creaky old legs racing? Racing for 3,000 miles? Be serious, people.

The Snow Geese in the distance...
Yes, I am going on RAAM, but only as race/crew support. My initial task is to be a motor home driver for the off duty racers. There will be tons of extra tasks besides just being a driver, but I am happy to be a member of the team, and look forward to meeting out goal of 8 riders across the USA in 7 days. I will write more about the mechanics of crew support, and how our team is going function in a later post. Anyone want to teach me how to drive a 35 ft. motor home?

One more thing: Alan Barnard, web administrator for ECOVELO (see tab on the right) trying to shake away the winter doldrums is having a photo contest. I along with many other cyclists have entered our photos in the contest. So, while you’re drinking your coffee, slide your mouse over the right and check out the entries. There have been some excellent pieces of photography posted, and I think you might enjoy the artwork.
See you down the road.
Jim

A New Door is Opened

2009-02-13T09:28:00.012-08:00

Our new doorway/window in the new tech. booth

An antique fuse box we found in the crawlspace under the church...
This week’s blog is about doors. Not the kind in your house, or the one to the new tech. booth at Aldersgate, but the ones that are opened to you when you least expect it. Last week while working a graveyard shift, I found the time to browse Bentrideronline.com. I usually check there on the mids as I can sometimes find my friend, Pete from Canberra. Since Pete wasn’t around (I found out later that BROL had crashed on him) I decided to browse a bit and see what was new in the world of ‘bent cycling. I read a post from my friend, Denny who was recruiting for volunteers to be crew/race support for RAAM, The Race Across America.

Now, a few folks had responded to the general post with the generic response of ”Well, I sure would like to, but I can’t!” And then something clicked in my head that said: “Well, I will be retired, I can!!” (This is a not too subtle hint to note the retirement counter to the right). So, not to inundate you with all the details, I enjoyed two phone interviews with Denny, and then Dave Eldridge, the team leader, and just like that, I am on the team! We are TeamType2; an eight-man racing team made up of cyclists from around the country who are type-two diabetics.

3025 miles, 7 days, only 50 miles on interstate...
Now that you have come this far, what is RAAM anyway? RAAM is a 3025-mile cycling race, from Oceanside, CA to Annapolis, MD. The race proceeds around the clock, and is made up of solo racers, two man, four man, and eight man teams. The teams all have support crews in the form of volunteers riding in vans and motor homes whose only goal is to shepherd the racers across the country. Did I mention we ride around the clock? It is going to be an exciting week. Yes, I said an exciting WEEK. Our goal for TeamType2 is to start on Sunday, June20th, and be in Annapolis on June27th.

Ok, how hot was it in Adelaide?
I don’t know what drove me to open the “Events” section of BROL, it isn’t a usual browsing place for me. But, there was the doorway, and I looked inside. The upshot of this new adventure in my life is that as I edge closer to retirement from 33 years of air traffic control, is that I am learning about all the new horizons in my life. I don’t know where this new adventure called “retirement” will take me;

Rest assured, I will not be spending my retirement like this fella...
I am not sure if I will take on a new job, torment high school students as a substitute, mow fairways in Arizona, ride a brevet super-series, or just finally fix everything in my house! But I do know that I will be most aware of the doorways around me, and that I will be ready at a moments notice to open a few of them and peek inside!
14 inches of snow this week, spinning in the garage until it warms up!
Jim

Contrasting Subjects...

2009-02-06T00:43:00.015-08:00

I took this sunset waiting at an intersection near the mall. I just stuck the camera out the window and pushed the button!
Hi all,
This past month has been a month of contrasts. I have spent a lot of time working on black and white digital photography as the winter weather has brought a lot of grays, whites, and not a lot of color to my world. I have been studying books on Adobe Light Room software, and have enjoyed experimenting with some older images.

Almost reminiscent of a WW I battlefield...
One set of images comes from 2007. When I went to Bryce Canyon to hike with friends, we stopped on the way home near Cove Fort to photograph the massive damage from huge brush/forest fires that had destroyed several hundred thousand acres north of Cedar City.

Note the scorched ground...
I recall that when I took the photos, I visualized how stark the landscape would appear in black and white. Now, that I have some decent digital photo processing software, I think I have been able to depict not only what I saw, but what I felt at the time. The sheer destruction as far as the eye could see took my breath away. I hope these two images bring that to light.

Banner Peak 12, 936 ft. - 1974 (ish)
One other picture I have been working on is a scan of a black and white print that I took way back in 1974 or so. I had been on a backpacking trip with my sisters to the Minarets National Wilderness area of the Sierra Nevada, and I had risen at sunrise to go take a few pictures. As I recall, I was using a little Konica rangefinder 35 mm camera, and took some lovely landscapes of Banner Peak, and (I think) Thousand Island Lake. As far as I know, there is only one print from my dad's darkroom of Banner Peak. (My dad always told me that 8 x 10 paper was expensive!) Recently, I scanned the print, hoping someday to see what I could make of it digitally. It was an interesting experiment, given that even with Light Room, I couldn’t make many changes to the image as it was a scan of a photograph, not a pure digital image.

Not sure where the bike would go, I picked this one out for Jon!
Another contrast to the regular information on this site is that I have been researching the purchase of a new car. It’s funny how that works these days; trying to match one’s requirements, (carrying recumbent bikes) to what the manufacturers are building this year.

More practical, a Subaru Forester!
At the big car show, I tried to explain the length of the LRB to the sales associates, and I got a lot of blank stares when I explained what I wanted a car to do for me. Of course I want the car to carry all my bikes, all my family, and get 40 mpg!

The old ceiling in the tech room. Note the speckled paint!
The church construction project has been eating a lot of time as of late. I am sure learning a lot! This week, we ran conduit in preparation for relocating main power to the tech room on Saturday. It has been a huge undertaking, and in the long run, will be a great benefit to how we run the soundboard, projector, amps, and all the hardware we use to run a service.
I did manage to take the Redline out for a ride on Tuesday; I was going to ride to work yesterday, but overslept! Hate to waste a 35 degree morning!
More news down the road.
Jim

How to Speed up January

2009-01-27T09:05:00.011-08:00

The island in black and white...amazing!

Hi all,
Well, we found a cure for the January Blahs, just ramp up the schedule so you don’t have one free second, and the month flies by! I know, it’s been over two weeks since my last blog, and a few of my viewers have mentioned the lack of writing and photography. That’s not to say I haven’t been taking pictures, and writing blog articles in my mind, but to make time to sit and ponder, edit photos, and get the writing done, well, now you see the problem.

It sure was bright! Exposure 1/2000th of a second!
So, here are a few pictures and updates. I have been lucky to make time for 60 miles on the ‘bent this month. On that positive note, I am already 60 miles ahead of last year! Of course, I have not really been tracking miles, as it’s the ride that’s more important! I know there will be more tracking as my training for summer increases, but for now, content to get a ride in when the weather and the clock permit.

My latest attempt at a vanishing point photo...
Photography; I have been enjoying exploring shooting black and white since the season has turned foggy and gray. Everyday I drive the Legacy Parkway; I have noticed a long line of high voltage power lines that stretch for miles. So, I made a point to throw the camera in the car and wait for the right fog conditions. Between the fog, and a little tweaking with Adobe Light Room, I think I made a nice piece of artwork.
The church construction project is going well, a bit behind schedule, but what do you expect with the team’s work schedule and the fact that we are dealing with a building that was built in WW II! Every time we peek behind a wall or investigate wiring, it’s an adventure!

Kathy and Anne's 5th graders...
One other adventure this week was hosting 38 5th graders to the house to enjoy the inauguration live on TV. Kathy’s school didn’t have streaming access, nor network TV in the classrooms, so we brought the classes here! The kids had a great time and managed to not spill nor knock anything over. They enjoyed the ceremony, and had a great outing.

Want some coats?
Also, you will notice a new tab in my list to the right: White House.gov. It’s the new upgraded site for the Obama government. Now, I rarely talk politics on this page, and I am not really going to start now. However, I am impressed with the level of access to media, and the transparency, which is a vast improvement to the site pre-January 20th.
One other new tab is for a cycling advocacy cartoon; Yehuda Moon and Kickstand Cycles. It’s a fun cartoon, and you can read all the archives so you can catch up on the story lines.
On that note, I am going to go try and spin before work. It’s 15 degrees, and icy!

Jim

Winter Activities

2009-01-10T08:41:00.007-08:00

Sunset at North Fork Park

Hi all,
Another busy week is in the books. Kathy and I, for two “empty nesters” sure don’t seem to spend a lot of time layin around doing nothing!

Someday, I'll learn what all the buttons do!

This last week was no different. Between work, Kathy’s teaching, and working on the tech. booth construction project at Aldersgate United Methodist, the week flew by!

On Wednesday afternoon, I did however make time to head to North Fork Park for a cross-country ski clinic. I hadn’t been to North Fork to ski in over ten years, and I was pleasantly surprised. The Ogden branch of the Utah Nordic Alliance has developed a core group of skiers, volunteers, and grooming equipment. Wherein the past, there was very little track being set, there is now 20 km of classic and skate track being set.

Looking east at North Fork...
Of course, this didn’t mean I skied any better! Actually, with temperatures hovering around 40, it was a very challenging day. The snow was soft, and I could feel the ski settle every time I transferred my weight. Our instructor, Abby Larson, a 2006 Olympian didn’t seem to have any problem! Having excellent technique sure helps!

Fun with black and white (Big Cottonwood Canyon)
With the mild weather, (morning temps around 30-32) I pondered riding the Redline down to the train and then to work. But with all the patchy ice in the bike lanes, I decided for the better part of valor to avoid skidding into a ditch.

Storm Mountain, (Big Cottonwood Canyon)
Today, the weather is dry and chilly, and the roads are dry. With luck, I’ll get out for a ride around lunchtime.
More news next week!
Jim

A New Year's Grab Bag

2009-01-03T17:06:00.013-08:00

The new year, like little boys, can sneak up on you!

Happy New Year to all my loyal readers. The last few weeks have flown by, and now the holidays are over, the visiting families have all returned to their own homes, and things are quiet once again. Don’t get me wrong, it was joyous having them all here, but now the world is back to normal, there is a list as long as my arm of things to do, pictures to edit, house fixit jobs, and just 108 days to go in my current career! So, in that line of thinking, here is a New Year’s Grab Bag of newsy items…

Icicles are fun!
Two posts ago; I posted a question as to the identification of a piece of fruit. No longer had I hit the “publish” button, than the phone rang. My daughter-in-law, Christina is the winner. Now, all of the answers were right, it is an Osage (or mock) orange! So, besides the fact that she was first, and that she is family, I have declared her the winner of the random box of peppermint bark. I will have another contest in weeks to come.

Snowing, looking out the front door...
It’s been snowing! I know that it’s a new flash to some of you, but hey, it’s news. We had a warm couple of days, then last night a front hit, and it was 15 degrees with a few inches of new snow this morning.

8 AM, today; 15 degrees...

Next up, I already have 22 miles on the Barcroft! It was windy and mild yesterday, so I snuck out for an hour and a half of riding and picture taking. Of course, to commemorate the first ride of the year, I got rained on, too! No flats this time, so all in all, a nice ride. I can never complain about getting real miles in January. Kathy gave me a gift of very warm base layers for cycling, and I intend to ride as much as time will allow, even in winter.

My first cycling picture of the year!

In Big Cottonwood Canyon...

Last week, I had the opportunity to take a lesson in cross-country skate skiing. I went with my sister Nancy to Solitude Nordic Center, and we had a fine time stumbling around on our own, and later we enjoyed a one-hour lesson from an instructor who actually competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics. Aram Hajiyan of Armenia had a great time with us, and was an immense help.

My sister, Nan, and her new friend, Aram...

Attached you will find a short video of yours truly attempting a nice V-1 type technique. Next up, Aram is going to teach me to climb!

This is "V-1" after 4 hours of skiing....

More news next week from the bike, err or the ski tracks!

Jim

Why I Never Get Anything Done!

2008-12-22T15:17:00.019-08:00

Look! an HPV!
Well, it has been a wonderful vacation week so far. Kathy and I are enjoying all the family being here, and the daily snowfall has even been enjoyable, too.
Enclosed are a few short videos and photographs of the fun and games here at the house.

Early Presents...

Brian, hanging out at the counter...

Sledding! A quick 25 seconds...
Also, we were blessed to receive as a gift, the largest poinsettia plant in the entire world. To help you get a grasp on the immensity of the plant, I have used a normal box of Cheerios (seen below) as a point of reference.

And now, the plant and the box of Cheerios...

See what I mean?

And, of course, there's a little time for riding, too!
Enjoy.

Jim

Solstice Weekend...

2008-12-20T06:15:00.009-08:00

The view from Legacy and 500 South....

Hi All,
Happy winter solstice to everyone. Well, ever since I mentioned the lack of winter around here, the snow has been coming and coming, and coming! Right now, at 7:30 AM on Saturday, it is 17 degrees, and snowing lightly.

No riding today!

There’s around 8-10 inches in the front yard, so a white Christmas is a lock! Of course, there will be no bike riding for a few weeks, but hey, there’s always the gym and the spin trainer.

The Christmas tree casts light everywhere...
Of course, I won’t have any time to ride anyway. Paul, Christina, and Brian, along with Amy and Jon all arrive tomorrow, so it will be a great time for family, and I will put everything else aside. Who wants to ride a bike when I can play chess with Paul, talk cameras with Jon, shop with Amy, hug Christina, laugh with Kathy and play with Brian!

Ok, folks...What is it? (About the size of a really big grapefruit)

Next up, a contest for all of my dear readers from all around the world. Kathy brought an item home from school that although looks like a fifth grader’s brain, is actually a piece of fruit. So, I will mail one of these interesting items along with some random Christmas candy to the first correct guess. Look at the photo above; what is it? Remember the first correct answer here in the comment box is the winner.

The end of the road...
And lastly, I stopped by Kathy’s school last week and noticed something in the hallway. Ten or twelve old CRT computer monitors; headed for the junkyard. If you’re not sure times have changed, look around and search for CRT computer monitors or televisions. You can’t buy em, and don’t use em anymore. They just suddenly disappeared, like the rotary phone, the Edsel, flight progress strips, and the Republican Party.
Hope all of your holiday travel is safe…

Jim

Winter is Here, Christmas is Closer!

2008-12-13T13:31:00.011-08:00

Snow means water!

Hi all,
Well, if I had known that commenting here about the lack of snow would have triggered a change in climate, I would’ve commented about it sooner! As I write this, there is a lovely 3-4 inches of fresh snow here in Layton, and I am sure that the ski resort operators are dancing in the streets. For me, it means that Christmas and the arrival of family is just a tad closer, and that a white Christmas is possible.

Snowfall starting in the front yard.... (just for Amy)
In other news, the arrival of winter means the end of train/bike commuting. With the price of gas around $1.40 and still dropping, it makes no sense to me to ride my bike on black ice in the dark at 5 AM. Now, I know all about my car’s carbon footprint, but I would really rather get to work in one piece, thank you very much. Now, if there’s a dry spell and it’s not horribly cold, I’ll jump on the Little Deuce Coupe down to the train and resume the bike/train/bike commute.

My work at 6 AM, I love black and white...
You may notice that amidst the dreary gray and white of winter that the colors of Christmas are becoming more in focus. Kathy has trimmed the whole house, and things are looking quite festive. There are Christmas lights all over the city, and some of the parks have huge displays.

At work, you can tell it’s Christmas, when the Christmas lights reflect off the radar displays! Most of the areas decorate in some way or another, as folks try to make being at work on the holiday a little more palatable.

Safety was never compromised! It's a spare radar position!
Not much cycling news, here. I will start spinning on my trainer in the garage, and also think about waxing my cross-country skis. With all of this snow, Mill Creek canyon should be lovely!
More news, mid week.
Jim

Riding towards Christmas

2008-12-06T15:21:00.012-08:00

Sunset from Fernwood Park...
Hi all,
Happy December to one and all. Of course it doesn’t look like December around here. The Christmas decorations are all up, and the outdoor nativity scene is gracing the front yard, and the lights are up the tower. But, some thing is missing. Snow! That’s right, snow. Today I rode 23 miles on my Barcroft Virgnia GT, and it was just chilly enough for light gloves and a thin wooly under my helmet. I even rode past two golf courses that were open for business. It was about 45 degrees; a far cry from the 26 degrees when I rode the Redline to work on Friday morning! For your enjoyment, I have uploaded a gripping 43 seconds of video from the driver’s seat of today’s ride.

Enjoy the view I see while riding recumbent. You may (really, you should) turn the audio off while playing the video. At 18 mph the microphone makes the wind sound like the camera is outside a 737!

I wonder when we'll get it? (Jan. 08)
Where is the snow? I think its northwest of Chicago at Paul’s house this week. After all, I did see lovely snow video on Paul’s’ Blog this past week. But, soon the snow will be here. At least I hope it will. We need the water, and my skis need something to ski on!

The Christmas season is still out of focus...
But, back to Christmas. Yes, it is the Christmas season. It’s the season of Advent; not the season of Advertisement. And sometimes amidst all the happy shopping and planning, I find myself looking for Christmas. Usually, it arrives at the most unexpected time. It comes in the form of a hug from a visiting family member, an unexpected gift, or just some peace and understanding that despite what the newsies tell us, the world is not going completely to heck in a hand basket.

Getting closer to focused...
For now, I am very much looking forward to the whole family being here for Christmas. I have the whole week off, and am looking forward to really enjoying every moment I can get with family.
Oh, and one last thing. Take a look at a new listing in my tabs to the right. I found this blog while perusing the Lazy Randonneur. Meet Russ Roca; cyclist, professional photographer, and car free in LA. He does beautiful work, and his cyclist photos of just regular folks are amazing.
More news and pictures next week.
Jim

Riding the Redline...

2008-11-22T08:49:00.007-08:00

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...

2008-11-17T11:21:00.007-08:00

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....

2008-11-08T18:07:00.007-08:00

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...

2008-11-01T07:34:00.011-07:00

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!

Shifting Seasons....

2008-10-12T15:47:00.017-07:00

My first project with Light Room 2...

Hi All,
Well, an interesting Sunday here in Utah. Here it is, only October 12th and 3-4 inches of snow arrived overnight.

Who knew! This kind of storm is much earlier than the usual arrival of the cold weather. Thank goodness the forecast is for 70 degrees by the end of the week. I am fairly sure the higher altitude mountain bike trails will now be closed for the season.
My neighbor's tree, weighed down almost to the ground!
In other news, I have new photo editing software; Adobe Photoshop Light Room 2, was presented to me as a gift from my friend, Joe. He wanted to thank me for all the photo work for his son Jonathan’s wedding. Honestly, he didn’t have to do this, but it is much appreciated! Think of all the hours I will while away working on images when I am supposed to be getting things done.

Joe, all of the photo work and program work was a labor of love from Kathy and I, and we enjoyed working on the projects. As to the new software, Joe; you are most welcome!

No words necessary.....except gosh darn it!

In the cycling department, the Klein is in the shop. A few weeks back, the engineer on the train got a little heavy handed on the brakes, and the Klein fell over, breaking the housing on the front derailleur bar-end shifter. Suffice to say, uncouth words were spoken when this happened. At the time, it was a fitting end to an all-in-all rotten day.

But, all things work out. My friend Pete from Canberra, Australia had a spare housing and sent it halfway ‘round the world to me. Then, while working overnight on the graveyard shift, through the magic of the Internet and Skype Internet phone, Pete helped me take apart the old housing and install the shifter. It was a lot simpler once I understood how it all worked. Thanks, Pete!

Pete Heal (on the left) and Mike Priestly of Canberra, Australia.

And in case you didn't know, Pete from long distance has been a fine mentor in helping me understand distance cycling, and how to fix all sorts of minor issues on my bikes. He built the orange recumbent you see in the picture. I won't even mention the distance he rides every year!
And in the “I can’t make stuff up like this” department, I was at the bike shop on Friday to have them install new cable housings and calibrate the front derailleur. (I had reached the limit of my expertise). As the tech. put the Klein up on the maintenance rack, I looked on the stand next door, and there was the red Peugeot that I park the Klein next to on the train every week. Amazing. I just laughed out loud at the coincidence.
In any case, tomorrow, the Klein returns to me; new cables, new handlebar tape, new front shifter, new pump, and who knows, maybe a fender! Looks good riding weather later this week.
See you down the road.

Jim

I've Got Rhythm...

2008-10-05T15:03:00.015-07:00

An Aspen grove on Guardsman Pass...

This last Tuesday I had the chance to take a friend from the U.K. up Big Cottonwood Canyon to view the fall colors. And this year’s crop of colors did not disappoint. To use my friend, Dorothy’s words, they were “staggering.” The aspen and all the other colors were as intense as I have ever seen, and we had a beautiful day to enjoy them. Please enjoy a set of photographs from a gorgeous morning on Guardsman’s Pass.

Looking west, towards Solitude...
This lovely outing got me to thinking about the rhythms of time. It seems like only yesterday that I was posting photographs of fall colors from a ‘bent ride up Mill Creek canyon, and even a faster blink of the eye from when I posted pictures from the same spot only standing on 5 feet of snow! In our house, we have decorations for almost every month, and sometimes it seems that as I help Kathy with the September, October or even the November decorations, that I can remember just putting them all away! I met a neighbor at a wedding last week, and she was amazed that our kids had all grown up too! She lost track of time!

A lovely single track for Pete...

One cycling season leads to the next, and before you know it, the cycle starts again. In January I am all bundled up for cold weather riding. Soon, I'm riding in cool weather with rain and wind; and once again, riding in hot summer heat... and as the leaves turn, cycling into fall. One can look back at all my archived posts and see a certain tempo or rhythm to the seasons.

I have also noticed a certain rhythm or routine to commuting, too. Over the past few weeks, I have enjoyed having the ability and time to regularly commute to work using the train and the Klein Panzer Bike. I logged 12 train/bike rides to work in September. There is a routine to each morning ride. Up at 4:30 AM, on the bike at 5:15, three Kleenex in the pocket, and a quick spin down the hill to the 5:30 train. I always ride in the same car, with the same three bikes stacked together. An orange Gary Fisher, ridden by an engineer for BMW; A 60 cm or so red Peugeot, with a wire basket on the back, ridden by a gentleman who works at an LDS distribution center, and the Klein Panzer Bike.

Now, the routine doesn’t stop there. The tall Peugeot rider is always dozing in the same spot, near the stack of bikes, and I always park the bike and sit upstairs. When the train passes the Warm Springs Depot, the large neon sign always says: “Welcome to Warms Springs, the time is 6:02.” Not 6:03, nor 6:01, always 6:02. At that point I always head down to the bike, and get my helmet. The three of us are always there, getting our helmets, gloves and whatnot. We exchange our usual greetings about the weather and the day, and scatter to the world when the door opens. Funny thing, I never see any of them on the ride north in the afternoon. The other two riders have noticed the routine too. I missed a few days due to working swing shifts, and when I boarded the train this past Thursday, the taller rider asked me: "Where've you been?"

Amazing Aspens...
The ride west to the ARTCC has had some of the same routines too. As the bike riders and commuters scatter, there is this ethereal sight of the red blinkie lights weaving out of the train area, down 200 South in the dark. Some turn up 10th west, some go straight as we all head to work. On 600 North, I always see the same rider heading east on the other side of the street. He rides an oddly configured mountain bike with aero bars, and he wears a reflective vest. I don’t know where he goes, but I see him every morning. Sometimes I feel a little bit like Bill Murray in the movie "Groundhog Day!"
Do you see rhythms in your day? In your riding? Do you often wonder where all the months and cycling seasons go?
I sure do.
See you next week.
Jim

Three, Three, Three Posts in One!

2008-09-19T18:04:00.013-07:00

Fall Colors for Amy. (Snowbasin)

Hi all,
It’s been a busy two weeks full of cycling, mountain biking, and work. Throw in a huge desktop publishing and printing project, and you can see why I haven’t had time to write.

Lift testing for the snow to come!

Since it’s been 13 days since my last post, I will now endeavor to bring you up to date on several subjects all in one post. I am going to try for one picture and one paragraph for each subject that could easily have been three or four individual posts. So, this might be a long post. Here goes…

800 riders, ready to go!

The view from where I was at the start...

Sprinting: First off, last Saturday was a fine day of sprinting. I rode my Barcroft Virginia GT in a charity ride to inaugurate the new Legacy Highway. This lovely 10-mile road provides an alternate just west of I-15 stretching from Farmington intersecting with I-215 just west of Redwood Road in North Salt Lake. The ride was a grand affair. Over 800 riders, and several hundred runners, joggers, and walkers enjoyed a variety of events. For myself, I was looking forward to some fun sprinting and to see if I could ride 20 miles in under and hour. 55 minutes later, with an average speed of 22 mph, I was done! Now, before you get the idea that I am great sprinter, I had a lot of help. I enjoyed drafting in and out of pace lines for the last 15 miles. I even took a turn attacking to the front. (I didn’t want to feel like a lazy moocher just enjoying the draft while someone else did all the work!) That Virginia GT can just fly in a paceline! It was a fun morning with perfect weather, and brand new roads with asphalt as smooth as glass.

My new pedals!
Raffles and Ecovelo: For those of you that take the time to read the blogs and web pages on my tab list, take the time to read a new entry; Ecovelo.info. This project belongs to Alan Barnard of northern California, and is a wonderful site that addresses cycling as a mode of transportation, not just as a venue for racing and fitness. The site has wonderful photography, and information about cycling advocacy around the world. Take the time to enjoy this fine resource. Part of Alan’s project was to publish a gallery of “the bikes people ride”. To motivate all readers to submit photos of their bikes, Alan held a free raffle of some very slightly used Speedplay pedals. And, wouldn’t you know it, after 120+ entries, I won one of the two sets of pedals! Amazing! It was such fun getting E-mail from Alan that I had won them. Now, to decide if after 7500 miles, it’s time for a new pair of shoes! Thanks Alan!

Looking north, from the Needles Trail at Snowbasin...
Black Blue are Fall colors: This past Monday, I had an extra day off from work, and since the weather was perfect, I snuck away to Snowbasin Ski Resort for some late afternoon mountain biking. Now, I will confess that I haven’t made much time for mountain biking this summer, and my somewhat novice-like skills were somewhat diminished. That’s a very politically correct way of saying I hit the ground a lot, repeatedly in fact. So, although I am publishing some pictures of lovely fall colors here, I will spare you any photographs of the bruises from endo-ing over the handlebars. I will note that Snowbasin has lovely trails, it’s free, and there are very few folks out riding!

More fall colors for Amy!
There you have it, three posts in one. Stay tuned for more fun this week!

Jim

An Early Morning Education

2008-09-06T15:40:00.006-07:00

Saturday morning on the causeway, temps reached 90 that afternoon!

Monday morning...snow! Go figure, it's Utah!
Hi All,
Yes, school is in session, both for kids, and cyclists too. As I am sure I have said before, each and every ride brings some sort of education, or something to look back upon. A lovely sunrise, a new route enjoyed, or a learning experience that will add to my knowledge of bikes and riding.

A nice cycling sunrise...
In this case, last Tuesday brought an educational ride. There are many things I learned in my one-quarter mile ride leaving the Frontrunner station in Salt Lake City in the dark around 6 AM. Yes, I said one quarter of a mile. The remaining 3.5 miles were uneventful, but the first quarter-mile was a bit problematic.

Frontrunner, early in the AM...
I had stuck to my normal routine. Up at 4:30, on the Klein Panzer at 5:10, and on the train at 5:30. A quiet 30 minutes reading my book and I was putting my helmet on and getting the bike out the train’s door to ride to work. I headed out to 200 S. and my turn west towards work. There are freight rail tracks to cross, and I have always gone around some concrete damaged areas that butt up against the seam for the tracks, aligned perfectly with the bike lane. Except this Tuesday morning; for some unknown reason I overlooked the damaged area (a nice way of saying large rectangular HOLE) I wasn’t going very fast, maybe 10-12 mph. I saw the large crack too late and tried to swerve the bike. Bad mistake. I was probably better off slamming the brakes and hit the hole head-on.

This is what I hit... not recommended.
No, I am not hurt, really a poor excuse for a crash. No road rash to brag about, no blood, just a badly bent rim. So after a quick recovery, I wobbled the rest of the way to work. By the end of the day, the tube was flat, a victim of old worn out rim tape, and I was tired and out of patience. I got a ride to the train, then subsequently a lovely 2-mile walk home. This walk gave me new appreciation for riding on two wheels. Want to appreciate your bike? Walk home. Really.
My thanks to my friends at Biker’s Edge for fixing the wheel on short notice, and talking me into nice 1.25-inch new tires. The bike rides smooth and fast on smaller tires, and I am back in business. All I lost was a few hours, and a few bucks. So, here is a list of what I learned about bike-commuting this week:
1. Bike commuting is simple and fun, until something happens.
2. Old tires, tubes, & rim tape WILL fail, at the worst possible time.
3. My Klein/commuter was ill equipped for on road maintenance.
4. Dress shoes are no fun on a 2-mile hike.
5. To not leave my water bottle at work.
6. A nice walk is not necessarily a bad thing.
7. UTA’s ticket kiosks only work about half the time.
8. Some of our local roads really suck.
9. People with pick-up trucks will not pick you up.
10. Riding in the dark is an adventure.

15 of the last 18 days on a bike....

Jim

4,000 Miles and Counting...

2008-08-25T11:33:00.008-07:00

Thank You, Mr. Cook at Barcroft Bicycles....

Hi All,
Just a quick note to bring you up to date on a few riding achievements. First off, last week I surpassed 4,000 miles on the Barcroft Virginia GT. It’s no big deal, and to tell the truth I haven’t been tracking details and miles very much this year. About the most I get done is to log my rides in Excel, and see the dismal results. Yes, the miles have been a struggle this year, but I have come to understand that every year and riding season is different.

The Great Salt Lake is low this summer!

So, although I have not logged near as many miles, I have been commuting more, gotten more house projects done, and traveled all over the country. So, I have nothing to be upset about. I rejoice in every good ride I get.

There it is...

Now, back to the 4,000-mile odometer reading. It is actually, pretty cool to note. Only in that I can look back two and a half years and be proud of the cyclist I have become, and enjoy all the fond memories of the places I have ridden.

Sue's lovely bike, and an old Trek I borrowed for a fun 15 miles with Sue....

Also enclosed in this blog is a picture of my sister Sue’s new Giant bike. She bought it to compete in the Santa Barbara Sprint Triathlon, and the report from yesterday’s event, is that she was successful! She set a goal back in the spring, and after many months of training, she made it! (That’s the next post, as soon as I get some pictures from her.) It is a truly momentous achievement when you step back and look at the big picture.
Watch for a detailed report later this week…
Happy riding, all.
Jim

I'll Fly Away...

2008-08-19T11:30:00.007-07:00

Twilight in Terminal 2; SLC.

Hi All,
This past year has involved a lot of traveling around the country for Kathy and I. We have been to New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Illinois, Nevada, Arizona, and California. A lot of these trips involved partaking of commercial aviation, in other words, propping up the airline industry. However, I have learned that there are more enjoyable pursuits in flying other than spending an evening of radar and summer thunderstorms, or a three-hour delay at O’Hare.

Looking east on the Elwood Bluffs...

Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of zipping out to Santa Barbara, CA, to join Kathy in celebrating her birthday. We had a great time spending her special day at the beach with her best friends and family. The weather was great; the beach was peaceful, a great time had by all. If anyone who reads this blog needs suggestions on how to spend a birthday, relaxing at the beach is the way to go!

There were lots of bikes at the beach!
Also, on Sunday I had the pleasure of a wonderful time at the Elwood Bluffs, near my sister Sue and her husband Dana’s house. Sue and Dana are expert remote control glider pilots, and they rejoice in an on-shore wind, a nice sunny day, and gliders to fly.
\

Gliders in flight! Enjoy some video!

Dana at the controls...

Now, for you RC neophytes out these gliders are powered only by the wind, and controlled through servos for the control surfaces. They look easy to fly, but trust me, they’re not! I have tried twice to fly one of these, and the longest time I have maintained safe and controlled flight is about 3.5 seconds.

Sue, showing off her prized glider....

Dana demonstrates the proper launch technique...

On the other hand, Dana has become quite skilled, demonstrating snap rolls, and loop-de-loops. I will say these gliders are one thing: FUN. Nothing better than enjoying the glider’s silent flight around the bluff with nothing but the fresh breeze and sea air to enjoy. The quizzical looks from the beach walkers 80 ft. below us are funny, too.
More news about riding in the next blog…
Jim

A Panzer in the Garage

2008-08-12T09:45:00.007-07:00

The view from the Ellwood Bluffs, Goleta, Ca...

Hi All,
Sorry for the lag in posting. We have been traveling, and just plain busy. I would like to take this moment to introduce Bike #3! I guess now that three bikes constitute a fleet! But, it’s no matter. Bike #3 was brought into the garage purely to serve one purpose; Utility. It’s not a racing bike, it’s not a mountain bike, (well, a long, long time ago it was), it’s not a long distance touring bike, it’s a commuter. It’s a bike for commuting to the train, to the store, to the neighbor’s house, something to throw in the car when I need a bike.

The Klein "Panzer"...
Bike #3 is a 1989 Klein Pinnacle. Kind of an interesting story on this bike; my friend Art rode this bike for about 15 years, primarily commuting 22 miles round trip from the east side of Salt Lake City west to the ARTCC where we both work. Then after the bike had become worn down and tired, he gave it to me to fix up and refurbish for a friend. I put about $60.00 into it, replacing a shifter, front rim, tires etc. and presented it to my friend, Mike so he could start cycling. Mike used the Klein for commuting 27 miles each to work for about a year and a half, and even completed the Seattle to Portland Ride riding this well-worn soldier! 2 years ago, Mike died of a massive heart attack while trail running, and sadly, the bike was hung in the rafters of his garage.

Bikes on the Train...
A month ago or so, Kathy and I were walking with Mike’s widow, Cecilia, when we got to Ceci’s house I noticed the old Klein still hanging in the garage. Ceci said: “Take it home with you, please!” and as I was in need of a commuter bike for riding back and forth to the train station, the prodigal bike has returned.

Parked in luxury parking at work...
So, I ride the Klein 1.5 miles to the new Utah Frontrunner train station; ride the train to Salt Lake City, and ride 3.5 miles to work. The bike meets the needs of a commuter perfectly. Sturdy, (look at the square chainstays!) Built to take a beating. The bike was originally a mountain bike, but was reconfigured for commuting, and has truly been a commuter bike for almost twenty years.

Notice the odd position of the brakes?
So, now I own three bikes. My beautiful Barcroft Virginia GT, the Cannondale F7 Mountain bike, and of course, the Klein Panzer!

See you on the road…
Jim

Someone is One Year Old!

2008-07-26T08:07:00.007-07:00

Hi all,
Last weekend, Kathy, her mother, Kit, my nieces Christie and Samantha, and I had the pleasure of traveling to Illinois to help celebrate my grandson’s 1st birthday. Yes, the little fella is a year old. Time sure flies…
This blog space is usually utilized to write about cycling, traveling, and landscape photography. BUT, I know that all of you “Brian Groupies” would rather see pictures from last weekend!
So, in honor of Brian’s birthday, here are some pictures of the special day for all you Groupies out there. Please enjoy these pictures. It’s the only way I can bring the little guy closer to you…more news about cycling and Bike #3 in a few days..

Presents are fun at any age!

Even Dad's share the fun..

A lovely birthday cake for all the guests...

Brian gets his own little cake...

Christina helping the birthday boy...

Mmm Cake is Good!

As I just said, Cake is Good!

The tattered remains...

The Train! The Train!

2008-07-09T20:39:00.007-07:00

I shot this video on a nice 'bent ride on Monday...
Another summer goal achieved. No, it’s not a 200-mile double, nor is it the mountain bike ride to Desolation Lake. Those challenges still remain on my list. This latest riding goal is more related to commuting and the price of gas.

On time, too!
As the price of gas climbs closer to that of all the other nations in the world, many people in this country are changing their driving habits. I see more and more cyclists on my rides to work, and today I took my next step in changing my routine too.

Kinda hard to screw this up...
I finally worked out all the schedule issues, and this morning I commuted to work using the Frontrunner commuter train. Right off, I can tell you that it was an excellent experience. It’s only a mile and a half to the station, and a mere three and a half miles to the ARTCC where I work. So, logistically it was really pretty simple. I did not however ride the Barcroft Recumbent to the train. Why? Well most importantly, UTA (The Utah Transit Authority) has not really provided for bikes on the trains, and the ‘bent simply will not fit in the small entryways where bikes are allowed.

My little MTB waiting for the train...
So, I rode my Cannondale F7 mountain bike. It is most assuredly not designed for this type of riding, and I found myself quite slow on the road. But, it will suffice until I either complete the Peugeot project, or find a low-end beater road bike to use on the train. Anyone reading this blog who has the bike I seek, drop me a note!

Some weird irony here, passing one of Utah's many oil refineries...
Back to the train; punctual, clean, quiet, efficient, a very nice ride to Salt Lake City. I plan on riding the rest of the week! My first impression is that the system is being well used. I had a great time doing something new, not that I didn’t learn something along the way, too. Let’s see…
Things I learned:
1. One must actually wash out a rarely used water bottle.
2. Riding in 90+ degrees in dress clothes is hot.
3. UTA most assuredly has to fix the problems of bike access on the train.
4. Using the train and bike was simpler than I thought.

5. Watching the normal 5 PM parking lot on I-15 from the train was immensely satisfying.
6. More people can use the train and a bike.
7. I had forgotten how to ride without my rear-view mirror
8. I saw more bike commuters today, than in any other day this year combined!
9. My ticket is transeferable to TRAX, too!
10. And most importantly: The FAA will reimburse me for my train passes, making the whole adventure of using the train for commuting free!
See you on the road on a whole variety of bikes
Jim

Marana, Arizona - It's a Dry Heat!

2008-07-01T08:19:00.007-07:00

A lovely desert sunset.....

A lovely piece of artwork outside the new Marana Library

Hi all,
Back from a nice trip to Tucson, AZ to visit family and transport some furniture to Jon and Amy’s place out in Marana. It was a nice trip, enjoying the open road, peace and quiet, and relaxing away from work. The weather was very hot, with temperatures around 105-107 degrees every day! We enjoyed staying out at Jon and Amy’s place, and got a glimpse of how enjoyable living in a house with no stairs can be.

Happy Birthday, Amy!

Jon and Amy's neighborhood has lovely bikepaths!

In other news, the Peugeot project is not going well. The search for a 1974 French threaded bottom bracket has proved fruitless, and Mark and I are working on alternative ideas. If our alternative ideas fail, I think I will just put the frame on the shelf and work out another plan for commuting to the train. Mark’s shop has several good possibilities, and the used market seems to have many bikes that would fit my needs.

I found a Felt X-City in the ads, with an internal 8-speed hub...

Speaking of riding the train, local news reports have written about the congestion of bikes on the Frontrunner Train. UTA, in its infinite wisdom allowed only two bike tie-downs per car. Passengers have noted that at the busiest times there are usually 15 bikes per car! This is both good news, and bad news. It’s good news that people are using bikes to get to and from the train stations, and bad news because UTA had such a lack of vision on how people would use Frontrunner. To their credit, UTA is addressing the issue to search for alternatives to make the trains more accessible for bikes.

On the way down to Hoover Dam. note the enormous catenarys (?)

On the drive home, we stopped briefly at Hoover Dam to take some pictures of the tremendous bridge building project. The new bridge will span the Hoover Dam, creating a freeway several hundred feet over the dam. To just look at the undertaking is really amazing. Not only because of the size of the project, but because of all the design that went into this nine-year adventure. I would have taken more pictures, but the car’s thermometer indicated 113 degrees!

Amazing...

Looking NE, the Lake Mead side of the Dam.

Other than that, it’s summer in Utah. Time to ride both the Little Red Bike and Four Bits, time to hike, time to play golf, and perhaps work my way down a long list of house repairs that need to get done. In our week away, the forsythia bush nearly doubled in size!
Enjoy the outdoors…
Jim