statistical outliers in the world of cycling and heck the world in
general!
On the other hand - its best maybe to be-friend a frame builder and
have them make it for ya anyway... not that i don't really really want
to make a bike, heck i've wanted to forever! the desire was fueled
early when i was at http://www.bikeschool.com/">UBI back
in June of '90. I just too the mechanic class, but the stuff for the
frame building classes were kicking around...
And the riding in and around Ashland was kick ass back in the day,
should be just as good or better now... what better way to spend two
weeks than by takin the class and building bikes! It might be easier
to swing without family and without a 'real' job... but maybe heck -
maybe its in the works... gonna have to add welding/frame shop to the
list of requirements for the new house!
Of course, the classes cost as much as a complete custom bike... with
components... but heck, whadda ya expect?
then there is the ultimate question, what to make MY frame out of???
if I could - what i want is a Klein Cross bike. Of course now with the
factory in Chehalis closed (i went to visit a year or so before they
shut it down), and all the production more regimented and controled in
Wisconsin, i doubt there is even a shread of a chance to get a Klein
tubeset ready for cross... esp in light of the fact that they
discontiuned my size... the 63 fits just right... DTBL (damn the bad
luck)....
Most other aluminum frames i've ridden are dead, or flexy or just
blah. The Yeti was an Aluminum hard tail that i thought was amazing,
it had a great lively feel... but a cross machine is different...
settling for a light crappy cheap Al frame? is it worth it? I dunno,
steel really is real... but then weight is a big factor, and a frame
the size that i need isn't trivial... Al definately has the potential
to deliever the performance with less mass...
okay - i started that all a LOOOOONG time ago... Blogger's been buggy today...
I'm not sure the switch from French Roast to Columbian was a good
move... toooo much caffeine, way to jittery... the FR also has a much
creamier texture... more stout compared to the ESB mouth the Columbian
has... oh well - i'll burn through this batch and go back to the FR.
No i haven't quite gotten to the point of adding the spice to the
coffee, i need the right time to try it out.
Gonna see about hittin the cold chilly road tomorrow. Hopefully not
alone, and hopefully more than just Ron, but it wouldn't be bad to
ride with him again, certainly i could find worse riders to ride with.
This morning was a bit cold riding in but i didn't do anything more to
my head than pop on the helmet and the glasses... ears nose and all
exposed... of course this mane of shaggy hair and winter facial hair
growth helps quite a bit with that, i did have ice on the
mustache/beard. I always like that - more as a mark of toughness than
anything else. Not that I feel the need to prove my toughness, i'm old
enough to recognize it's better to be healthy than tough, but its just
that i think i'm over that incredibly tenacious bug that everyone
seems to be getting, and i'm feeling better and better. That or I was
still feeling the affects of making Pizza and drinkin more than my
fair share of the wine used in the sauce.
Riding in the cold i think is why cross is so damn cool, and why its
gonna be funky to start riding in September. That and i've gotta start
thinking about the club stuff - rumors have it that the local gangs
are gearing up for the season and if i wait till cross... who knows -
I should just focus on riding...
maybe NEXT year once i fill that race resume blank spot up i'll think
about asking another know it all to tell this know it all (me) what to
do and how to train and all that.... (yeah right)...
Mr. 100% DIY? Get advice from someone else? Shoot, that'd never fly...
I think i actually practiced the violin more frequently the years just
after dropping the teacher, than when i had regular lessons. And no
i'm not saying i couldn't benefit from lessons, i just can't benefit
as much as i would from just playing everyday. Like the bike, the
violin just takes time. Lots and lots and lots of time, and good
technique. Lots and lots of riding/playing can create bad habits... no
real need to pull examples from either side - its rather obvious i
think...
i wonder if a 6 year old can act as my race mechanic.... hmm.... i
wonder if she'll want to... not to mention all the extra stuff she's
got going on or potentially going on in the fall... and yeah - must
remember - pointless thoughts at this point, must wait, but the
process of writing/thinking about stuff helps formulate it all in my
head...
ah well - i guess i just ride - and i'll admit to taking a perverse
pleasure in showing up for a group ride on my funky Paramount, all
dirty, with the goofy fork, the one 50tooth chain ring, the strange
handlebars...
here... pictures... i may be able to describe it in less than 1000
words but who wants to read every one of them... the color is off and
no i'm too lazy to dick with it in photoshop... its a deep royal... i
forget the PPG color that Davidson painted it in seattle way back in
'91...
and that's the steed...
with any luck there'll be a butt load of snow and Monday will have me
haulin out the cross-machine for the fun of it... and the luscious
knobbie traction!
with any luck there'll be a kick ass ride to document after the weekend...
and maybe... maybe this preacher will run out of voice...
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