Once again the RGJ pisses me off. I’m writing an article next month on alternative commuting, so I gess that’s what they call “put-up or shut-up” (piss of get off the pot?).
I guess I’ll post the letter I wrote. You should also note how one of the proposed routes looks like it goes right through Hidden Valley park!!
-M
NOTE: I just got an email saying that I can’t submit more than one letter every two months. So one of you needs to get something in too! Maybe we can meet at the GB on tuesday and scratch something out.
Dear RGJ,
Once again the you fail to dig deep enough to see the real story behind your story. Your cover article today on the North/South connector claims that more roads (automobile-centric commuter routes) are needed to avoid “southern California style gridlock.”
Metropolitan Southern California is gridlocked because of sprawling low-density development and a lack of effective public transportation or commuting alternatives to the automobile, i.e. bicycles or trains. That means that people live a long way from work and have to drive to get there. If we want to avoid the same fate here more roads and the influx of automobiles are not the answer.
Driving is a choice. Our freedom to choose alternatives to cars is being curtailed by our own inability to plan beyond our current tank of gas.
-M
I know I missed all barley soda meetings this week, my bad. My question is anybody still thinking of doing Keysville and I’m definately putting at least one if not two teams together for the Coolest 24 hours. For Cool everything is free except for the entrance and it’s the only 24 hour race close to us. I know the course well, it would be great for SS’s. Then again, what isn’t? If the ski/snowboard season continues to SUCK, I’ll probably do the Cool race in March too.
Gris,
There’e no delicate way to put that…
So I got my wheel built thanks to Shawn’s suggestion to get the longer nipples. It was still a challenge. Here’s why:
If I built one side first completely there were two problems, 1) threading the spokes down from the other side was a PITA becasue the 36 spokes on the other side almost made it impossible to get them down and seated and swiveled into position, and 2) having one side fully built pulled that side so far to the center that the other flange was too far for the spokes to reach. even with the long nipples.
So I took it all apart and threaded the leading spokes on one side and the trailing spokes on the other. then one trailing on the first side, then two leading on the other side, then two on the first side, and so on until it was done. As it stands now all the spokes are threaded on so that the end of each spoke is prettymuch right at the inside face of the rim 3 cross.
I also dropped spokes first so I wouldn’t have to bend them all crazy to get them through again. I’m super stoked I got this to work! I even have the valve hole spokes right too.
sweetness. Can’t wait to build another set! If I can get this trued maybe I’ll test it on another SS canyon ride tomorrow?
-M
today was one of those days (that seem to be pretty common these days) that the alpine start deslumber results in a shuffle downstairs, a pat on the dogs’ heads, a quart of water and a peek outside the garden window over the kitchen sink. humph. still dark. snowy. warm, warm bed and tooo f_ckin’ cold to do much. shuffle back upstairs and… R.E.M.
now it’s like 8 or 9 and i’m hungry and the caffiene burning blast furnace is running on reserve. outta bed, joe’s a cookin’ but whup, whoa. only one stiff pour of .5 and .5 in the first pot of coffee and into the rig and off to the market. a full cart of produce later and i’ve got a real load of raw materials to sustain another few days of creative living. i’m home by 10ish. soonthereafter The Shredder is upandatem and i’ve got a mess of eggs, peppers, salsa, mushrooms, and Bacon. and coffee. Peet’s F.R.
a while later there’s a flurry of telephone activity and sort of plans have been kinda arranged. Huck Turn-er-on-er is virtually done dressing out his 1×1 & the Nuninator is ready to take a rest day from being an ice pirate up in the Sierra no snowpack. he jumps on the offer to ride The Shredder’s Old Bridgestone MB-4 or -5 (?) {now w/ horizontal rear d.o.’s -thanks Vulture!- and a rigid-rigid, an old school single speed mountain bike} and we head for the Keystone Canyon. collie/huskie dogs and wolf/dog mutants are stiding along and the cold squeeky snow reminds us we should’ve worn more socks. somewhere out in the trail we encounter Huck, who has apparently been de-burdened of his cellular telephone [blessing in disguise?] on his new 1x and all toothy. apparently he’s also abandoned all those gears! let’s see, his Blurr has like 8 or 9 speeds in the rear and 3 in the front? now he’s on just 1 in the front and 1 in the rear… that makes like 10 something orphaned gears? he should get his $50 bucks back!!!
for a short trail ride it was Fly. not many users out there on a
Japhy rider
Late 1900s artifact retrieved from the archives of SAS.
(JR has been infiltrated for the greater good, “mutate to win!” -SAS)
DP ALERT!!!!!
The Kangdiggity (aka out silent partner in whateverthefuckitiswedohere, Tongaroo.) and I are going up in the morning. Maybe BC, but I want to hit Rose and get to work at a reasonable hour so I don’t have to work all evening(see next bit).
Strategic planning session: Dessert Epics
i.e. You’ll go, and you’ll like it! The ESL? Smella, Juni and I will be there. (The Bungalow is also open(and closer to the UNIDROME)).
Noticias:
All contributors have access to the template for this website, so please add links to the noticias (and other sidebars) section as you see fit. If you need help with the code and are too drunk to figure it out, email me or JR.
That is all.
-M
ps how do i know when i’m finished mutating?
Well, upon updating their website for the 2007 race it appeared that they weren’t offering the 8 hour enduro or the observed trials. I emailed the race director and he said that was the case. Only the XC, DH and classic bike thing. That’s disappointing. I’m going down anyway to see my Granny in Bako. I’ll race if others are going. It would still be fun to watch the DH and camp out and stuff…
Anyway, maybe we’ll have to do J.R.’s Death Valley ride instead. Or make a team effort at the Coolest 24 hour race.
-M
Update:Team Bigfoot’s 12 hours of Weaverville
Update:Cool Course Description.
do not attempt to adjust your dials. your computer is working flawlessly. this is a public service announcement: with guitars! dr. shredmor has wormed his way into your little slice of the web! like a twinkie with a halo storm in it, the true way of the worm shall be revealed to those who do not seek. i am a symtom of the moral decay that is gnawing at the heart of the country! embrace the infection! stay tuned for more broadcasts from the bowels! as proof of the dis cord i offer you proof: dogs and cats - SLEEPING TOGETHER!!! mutate now to win! dr. shredmor.
Glad everyone had a good weekend! I left my cam in the car when I skied Incline peak with the CareBear Sat, so here’s a photo of her there last season.
We got a good run down the trees on the northeast side, then got some great freshie in the northern (skier’s left) eastfacing bowl above the lake. Not a usual spot we hit, as it’s hidden between the south and north approaches, but definately one I’m going to remember.
If you don’t get the tree-edition of the Draino Gazzette-Urinal, here’s the article from today on the Sierra Avalanche Center. Andy, the new forecaster has been putting up some great reports that have been very easy for lay-persons to understand and have been much apreciated. I spoke with him briefly at the Rose Ski day and he seems to be a cool hombre despite his free-heeling lifestyle.
Anyway, Let’s all go to Kirkwood and say thanks to the SAC!
Other items: I spoke with Griss this morning and he, and I, are trying to get some riding in despite it being ski season. So let’s try to coordinate on some saddle time. Maybe a snow-ride Tuesday AM, if not a Fixie Ride after work to the end of the bike path in sparks, I’ll snag a sixer of PBR for whomever meets me out there…
Hopefully Saturday will be a good day to get up BEFORE 10 and log some vertical, somewhere, on snow, sans rocks (forcrissakes)! Maybe even FRESHIE FRIDAY!!!!!!
-M
Photo of Andy by Scott Sady of the RGJ, used without permission.
Sweet Redemption!!!
Rough Rider’s, mount up…I believe is what I herd McD mumbling.
Shallow but no rock jibbing…not a single one! Just a nice high speed kicker in the middle of the run that a few saddled up too…Good times with good people on Sunday!
We missed you Wolfy! Next time?
-Nooner
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