Dry, phew

 The ride home. Could feel the damp in the air, there were a few drops here and there but got home dry, cold, but dry.

Going for a light packing today - leaving all but the barest essentials at home - string bag (KMC) full of food. Change of clothes at work, because Smackdown tonight. On the really old Paramount. 1986 was a really long time ago. Also strange to think I bought this thing in 1991 and it seemed ancient and already out of date at that point. 

The only original bits on there are the brakes and the frame. I've got the old 6sp D/T shifters, and the fork but the fork is broken. The original hoods are on the Croll, should move htem over to this but they are the same shape as the ones on there and I'm not in a rush to do that. It was also the first bike with the Concor. It was one of the aluminum railed ones. You can guess how that worked out.

I've got the wheels for it - but they are freehub rear and I've rebuilt with new rims a good handful of times.

So yeah, oh and blue tape, yeah, I had it laying around, it was old, needed to get used, it works. And yeah it isn't black...  oh well.

We'll see how tonight goes.

Twitter was good until it was really bad today. So I closed it and haven't looked back at it. But then I guess that is normal. Life is crazy right now, so much bad stuff going on, how to move forward, no idea.

Heck I pulled out the XXX road helmet even. 

Almost used the gears properly today. Also noticed just how effortlessly that front der shifts. Like Di2 easy, basically just touch the level, a simple easy flick and boom, big ring, or little ring. Kind of crazy.

Meant to bring the calipers home to measure the disc thickness on the singlespeed MTB - i think they might be getting a bit too thin, pads are gone again...  a year, not terrible. Might have one more ride on them, hopefully. 

Ah well - it'll all sort out right? One way or another we all gotta do more than just shout, let the actions speak, but words are still important. vocally standing up for change is good. 

heddwch
G

addendum

 You remember I mentioned riding the paramount?

Guess what?

It is raining right now and I'm in street clothes. Yeah. Rode in wearing a button down shirt and jeans. 

Yeah.

No fenders plus cotton.

Maybe the rain will clear up for the ride home.

I'm just sitting here shaking my head (also the chain pins are not nearly as exciting under the SEM as I had hoped)

big oh shit moment

 -basically there's nothing available for the bike i paid for...

but not a complete bike...

I did spend a pile of cash on a few things for it, found them saturday late, woke up before the ride and placed a Shimano order...

Looked later yesterday for the rest of the stuff, nothing. at. all. Trek is out of everything, even tires. 

TIRES? I NEED TIRES! SHIT!

Ooo the Q-U - there's a tire brand in that group, lets watch the videos and take the quizzes to get the discount code - did that then...

Looked at Terravail - nothing in 2.4 tires (now that I have a great discount code for stuff - but nothing)

Schwalbe? Not much there at all either...  this is a big YIKES, but there were a pair of 2.35 Super Ground Nobby Nicks...  not 2.4s but close enough and IN STOCK - fuck it. BUY BUY BUY BUY

one thing I'm learning from having looked, found something in stock, then returned to get it only to find it it totally gone? Well.

If you see it now? Buy it. No waiting. 

This is the anti-gewilli style. Totally opposite from the think, evaluate, think, weigh it all, look for options, eventually come back and settle on it. Now - that process means Oh it is there to OH SHIT NO IT ISN'T YOU BIG DUMMY.

Got a couple good rides in this weekend. Nothing long, and nothing too fast. 

Actually aired up the Paramount for todays commute, prep for Smackdown tomorrow.

Wondering how the marketing crew is doing, given there is no product to market. I mean how do you run a consultation firm when the company you are representing has nothing to sell, that's tough, a big challenge, but I guess, even if there's nothing to sell there will be something at some point and people will go with what they've been hearing about and look for stuff over other stuff.

That's the other thing, shops actually have some stock. In certain things. Not everything but, a big part of why inventory is gone at the distributor end is shops have bought as much shit as they can when it comes available. 

This is good, for the shop, and the consumer. The guy working there who may not be able to take stuff out of inventory for a personal bike? Well, that guy is kind of stuck. I'm not quite there yet, but will def need some more time at the computer. Should really build that spreadsheet list and get filling it in and focusing on what I need.

earlier today was thinking, the mt bike rides aren't quite the same as a smackdown for words, for writing about. There's just so much in the moment, so much just riding that doesn't quite translate for me into here.

BUT SMACKDOWN is back and tomorrow looks good. Not quite perfect weather but not super cold and not raining. as much as I hate knee warmers I might go with them. 

Anyway - gonna hop on the SEM real quick. Got some chain bits to look at. And yeah I need to get on that lube video, and probably go back and dig up the Two Cone Wrenches and a Megaphone article about chain lube. 

THE LIST IS LONG

But not over tired, yet.

It is only monday afterall. plenty of time left in the week for that.

And to plan a long day on the bike soon.

Kind of wanting to make May a big Monster month. But maybe not TOO monsterish.

Till later

heddwch

G

Uh oh

 It is Friday and guess who's had a long week?

Guess who is tired?

Guess who is trying not to make another pot of coffee?

Guess who set up a 7:30am ride time tomorrow before going to work in the bike shop all day?

One of these days I'll learn.

Maybe.

Probably not.

Give this a read. Pretty much perfect:
http://www.jdbilodeau.com/?p=29

Got thinking about other racing, and how there's some unsanctioned MTB races but so far none of them have a singlespeed category and honestly, I would love to go racing, but am somewhat disinclined to sign up and race SS in a geared race. Showing up at smackdown on a singlespeed or Dirt Church or whatever, that's different. And yes. Yes, some day soon I'll have a geared MTB bike and that actually makes me extra excited about the new bike, racing. There are actually places where the Singlespeed isn't fastest. Well the singlespeed isn't always the fastest but for somethings it is faster than gears, mostly the uphill, but the flat and slight downhill stuff? yeah not as fast, however it all does kind of average out, sort of. 

it is complicated...

sort of

but not really

And i now have a new scope to play with, figure out and all that on TOP of everything else. WEEEEE.

But still the tiredness? not bad - things are good - Monday was a day off after-all (got that sub dermal Mod) of course then I added smackdown - net zero.

Bike path was totally insane last night - def pushing me to take the long way home. Hopefully can talk Mark J into joining me on that...

okay - gonna wrap up and blast

heddwch
G

this morning

 Started listening to a really really old book. One of the classic SF hallowed tomes.

Ursula K. Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness.

It has been on my wish list for a while, but always unavailable, always checked out. so I finally put it on hold a month or two ago. The Audiobook was finally able to check out and so I did.

One thing different about the audiobooks, other than listening and not reading, is they usually include extra stuff I'd always be in a habit of skipping. Like a preface or foreword or something.

In this case the intro by the author is just absolutely magic.

And there it is on the internet for all to read. Worth taking a minute to click over and read through it.

I didn't get too much farther into the book before the Dentist rolled up along side. And we chatted a bit on the way in.

The USAC thing is a bit crazy - last couple mornings have been pushing the twitter campaign a bit, doing good? Maybe maybe not, but being loud and pointed and dissatisfied with them while supporting those they are marginalizing? Not bad.

Was listening to this earlier today. 

Now I'm onto old Chemical Brothers...  First Exit Planet Dust, now the ultimate headphone album, Dig Your Own Hole.

Also Dig your own hole is just a masterful album... so good...

so

good

okay

time to pedal home

heddwch
G

The Return to Smackdown

 Road kind. Not the dirty one i've been hiding in lately. And of course, I did something colossally dumb. I might have hinted at it.

I rode the 40# singlespeed commuter on Road smack. With 30-35 psi in the 40c 1000gram tires. 1000 grams each. YUP. 

What are singlespeeds like? Well think back when I was talking about comparing them to sobriety. Taking the edge off the top and bottom, attenuating the peaks?

Well Singlespeeds often, as long as the grade isn't too steep (IE the two small pitches on Hillside) are faster going up hill, but top out going downhill or flat out based on gearing. So faster and slower. 

I think Leland was all itchy to blow the doors off the ride. And after a late joiner who was riding wide up broadway past the bakery and forced a passing car to almost hit a bikeworks guy riding the other direction head on well we were off. I rolled into 152 in second wheel behind the pair of Graham and Leland, we singled up after crossing Arcade and Leland lit it the fuck up just before turning right on Woodward.

Cadence already at around 100rpm it only went up from there - after a brief bit at 120rpm and the highest HR i've seen in a while I gapped slightly off G man's wheel. Shreddie came around and then the next, and the next, and slowly as I was pulsing and working my ass off it was just me...  with David B on my wheel, and the two of us rode at our max until we hit the turn on Prospect. Everyone else long gone. David took the next pull into the wind, and then I took a turn and saw Graham waiting up for us. It was a tough ride. Singlespeed is what i know right? 

Pine turned out to be okay - difficult but not too bad, Graham's pace was okay, not blistering but i was able to keep a managable cadence up this slow run in and stand to finish. But then the turn down hill? Well, pretty quickly those two rolled away, the ease of which the advantage of having adjustable gearing allows one to take advantage of going downhill. Me going down hill? well I only could pedal faster, and that was what I did but going from high torque to high cadence makes the legs a bit tired. Caught back on, sat in and well, sat in. They dropped the pace slightly on the downhill there after the turn off Pine and I was able to sit in, and hang on, turn onto Rocky Hill, and well, can't shift so stood up and powered over, ouch. Downhill, pedal fast, coast, tuck...  the bike may be heave and slow but there's no drag on the hubs, this thing rolls well, i'm sure my 225# plus the 40# bike kind of doesn't hurt going down, but going up? Well we hit the rise on Rocky Hill and fuck it - found a cadence that hurt but felt right and pushed it, died a little just before the end and then recovered enough to push through to the top, died, caught up just as we got to hillside, managed to stay in contact just through the first rise but man I was worried about this chain, would it snap? This was a fuck ton of torque, 15-20rpm cadence and me pulling on the bars, this was not just my weight pushing down, full body application of force. 

Worried I was going to get off and walk, thought maybe at one point up the first pitch that I might have to, and that maybe it was going to be faster, but I didn't. Closed some of the distance down before the next pitch up at the end. Managed both to not break a chain or paperboy up or get off and walk (still might have been faster) and caught up and we rolled back. Driving hard up Walker to finish off shredding the legs. and lungs. both. high cadence, low cadence, highest HR...  it was good.

It was actually pretty awesome. Not fast. Dropped hard, but not alone and my stupidity and whatnot garnered a "wow i'm impressed" remark from Coach Graham (not my coach) my reply is it is easy to impress people by being stupid and stubborn sometimes...  DB said "i dissagree, when i do that everyone just makes fun of me" anyway, it was dumb, my Wahoo battery was at 5% when I got home, my legs were good and hosed and I can't wait for next week. Might just have to break out the Klein and get dropped in style and with gears. Just to prove that it isn't the bike.

Riding bikes is fun and I know I need more of this. Oh I was going to order a crank today wasn't I. Guess I better not wait too long in case they also go completely out of stock. Also, I forgot that i sold a pair of my 540s to Becca. Tried to give them to her but she insisted on paying for them, so if I want to keep modernish pedals on the Crocket i'll need to add them to the list. Maybe there is a container ship off of long beach with pedals and they'll be available before the bike is ready to ride.

Stopped for a photo at the light house. 

till next time - data on the ride is both over at RWGPS and Strava...  

heddwch
G

New track drop from the Bosstones

 

it is good

it is a bad idea

 To mention a desire for a full suspension bike to Matt B at NBX when you stop by after getting the Sub-dermal Mod #1 (code word for that particular brand of 2 part vax that everyone should get). 

He found a frame in my size from one of our brands that was going to be ready to ship in early May. Everything else I was looking at is like August 2022. Or 300-400 day lead times. 

Of course I was looking at complete bikes and not the high end. Dreaming about Santa Cruz but those are even crazier priced and more spottily available and the only stuff really coming in are the tiny 27.5 wheel sizes. Everyone wants 29r size. Duh.

So... after barely explaining to E, she said just to order it. 

So.

I ordered a frame. Fancy carbon full suspension frame. Gonna have gears. And now I can be just like ThomP from Dirtwire. Singlespeed Hahd Tail and fancy full sus. Mine won't be as fancy as his tho. And is more of a XC bike than a all mountain trail. Not a ton of travel but a good place to start and hopefully decent resale value next year (soonest you're allowed to sell the bike per the discount program agreement). 

So.

Now I have to do all the parts. Like. All. The. Parts. And probably only shimano cranks, if i can find a pair. Worst case is I have to get the Dura-Ace for the Crocket. Fuck might as well 'emonda' that bike and call it a road bike, slam the stem and put gears back on and 28s. 

So...

basically I have something productive and fun to distractedly obsess over, and overthink, and search for parts and combinations and what not. Stick the NX sram stuff on that came off the Stache or go with something new like Microshift (can't get Shimano), and just like that instead of scheduling and dealing with emails (or finishing this blog post) I got sucked down a parts hole trying to figure out if the cranks that Shimano says they are making are for sale ANYWHERE (the answer seems to be no). Fuck. That's like a $200 swing more expensive if I can't find a set of XTs, but then it does take MTB cranks off a CX bike that really should have road cranks on it anyway. No, GRX is all cool and shit but isn't long enough. And then the cranks - the 53-39 i'd prefer is out of stock and 52-36? Fuck should probably just go that route - although single ring is probably what i'll go with and maybe the 52-36 rings are easier to sell. 

I'm not tired by all these little twists and turns but it is pretty frustrating. I was actually thinking about putting a dropper on the Mantra but I guess maybe that'll wait? need a saddle too, shit, will I be able to find another Concor? Ugh. Probably should get two just in case, or three. Who knows, well I do but then I'd have to decide, and that's the tough part. I mean if I'm getting three why not four? Maybe they are cheaper by the case? Are they even available? Probably a good thing I don't have my own QBP login. Oof. That would be trouble. Might have to take an extra day off just to sit at the shop computer ordering it all.

Assuming anything is in stock. 

And yes, I suppose I can always decommission a bike or two. Not like i'm riding all of them at the same time. It is true that until this time last year not all of them were functional or together and now they are finally for the first time... ever...  Hard to change that and go back to the swappy times.

Tossed a new used chain on the Surly. The old one had stretched so much that I needed to move the wheel forward. Oops. I put on one of the 50% worn chains from the E-bike. Played with the Topeak tools, the Alien X works but the Ratchet Rocket NTX+ is the best. So good.

The EcoDegreaser from Finishline smells like it always has - or like all the rest of the eco degreasers, like oranges. Cleaned the bikes up - hit it and the Stache with both lube and some pledge. 

Pedals. Shit. Need some pedals. Shimano has only the really short spindle XTR in stock for EP. Maybe something with a pair of 540s is gonna get the old 535s...Probably gonna leave the XTs on the Stache - they're getting shredded there. 

Oh and tires - do I go with the tried and true XR4 or something else? 

CRAZY. G SHUT UP ALREADY YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE THE FRAME YET

right.

Best move on and get going - but puzzled at the total lack of reply from people who had absolutely critical immediate needs that I responded to. Strange.

Update from inside shimano - no 180 XTs fuck...  D-A it is. 

And the search narrows down.

will catch up more on the rest later...

be good, take care,

Heddwch
G

soil rinse repeat

 i guess this is the week that I feel like garbage on friday...

should see what the pattern is...

going to guess that the pattern is work all week, work saturday, sunday list of not restful stuff followed by a full week of stress...

and man what a week - first I thought i'd been an idiot with the whole vax thing, yes and no and somewhat not a total idiot but still - oh and that security thing, all patched up and back on the monster screens and fullsize keyboard. Nice to have the screen a good 3 feet away, and nice to have it something larger than a little tablet.

but the day is spent- i am spent- gonna have to figure it out - but things are good, they are not bad, and i need to get home and make some dinner for everyone...

maybe something simple and basic like mac and cheese from scratch

good fuel for building bikes tomorrow

heddwch

G

quick addendum

 turns out - when i went digging into at home last night...

nope - see RI is different. If i lived in MA i'd have been eligible with that status, RI saw all the abuse (internet sales only car dealership employees were designated essential and thus could get it even tho they never saw another person) and RI added FRONTLINE workers to the essential designation.

aka not me

oh well - guess i'm just a little less of an idiot

still found another way to say "yes" i qualify and have first and second shots booked. There's a few MTB trails on the way to the place with the dose, may celebrate with a pre-stick ride, just in case there's not going to be much post-stick riding. 

everything is late today, and it was a brutal damp cold headwind this morning. Brrr...  maybe shouldn't have worn basically the same thing I did yesterday with  the tailwind and 30degrees warmer temps.

Sunshine on Leith

 such a good album, the whole thing, also listened to as the album was produced.

why am i listening to a 90s chart topper? well, KF had mentioned music, having noted the going away of Google Music he got a big Zip bundle of his stuff. I forgot about it till after the migration deadline. Thought all that music i had was lost (it was also on iTunes but that iTunes stuff was a desktop computer or so ago, i think i have it all on an external drive somewhere). 

Turns out myself at somepoint must have clicked "migrate all my music over to YT music" w/o remembering. Can't blame it on too many beers this time, just forgot. Until i went into YT to listen to something and looked at the uploads and having clicked the "if you want to listen with the screen off you'll need premium" and tried it and wait - all that music i have in the uploads is mine and i can listen to it w/o adds and w/phone locked and all that. as in THIS IS AWESOME - my music is back. Dated and static, but back. And that's good 

Shit - just looked at my off and quiet desktop (there's some IT issue and windoze all have to be off) and there's no optical drive, aka no uploading old CDs. Damn.

Anyway. Legacy. Old. whatever you want to call it.

Part of me was actually okay  with having  lost it all. Just  stuff. Let it go. Finding that easier lately. 

Typing on little tablet keyboard kind of sucks tho TBH. so close together, hands don''t like it.

Also had some idiotic realization that I have a peice of paper saying i'm an essential worker and that is actually enough to get me a vax, as in I could have  signed up when they were first available...  big old facepalm. Of course I just checked and there's nothing available. Will check tomorrow AM for what's available.

Been much closer to getting another bike together and setting time aside like i used to. 10am meetings at Tower Hill. Maybe there'll be others that can attend that meeting.

Def not singlespeed ride, refresh the drive train on the Blue? Or just ride the p'mount?

Dunno. Lots to do, but taking a second between crazy to listen to music and drink the last of the coffee.

heddwch
G

Desk footwell

 Lately I have this urge to crawl under my desk and curl into the footwell part and just hide, and sleep but mostly just hide.

I think it means I need an escape. No surprise there. 

Growing up when i'd hear a car coming down the road (dead end street - rarely happened) and I was outside I would hide, race to find a tree and make sure there was no possible sight line from the car to me until it was gone. 

Climbing under the desk has the same feeling.

Yeah I know, I could just close my door. Same effect. No windows on the door. No windows in the office if ya remember. Life spent underground. 

Choices we make.

A super dear close old friend mentioned "The Midnight Library" and so of course I immediately put it on hold in the library. Both ebook and audiobook. Given how little patience I've had lately for the reading and reading has been putting me to sleep, when I have to sit and not move and just use my eyes. Audiobooks have saved me. I can listen and do dishes, cook dinner, ride on the bike path... build bikes. You know, that stuff. stuff that has to happen but doesn't have a social or audio component. Fuck does anything have a social component anymore?

At the beginning I really am not sure about this whole book, the premise, it was a bit too depressing, but I think i see where it is going and now want to see if I'm right. 

Trying to shake off that cloud that showed up this week.

Not sure the book is helping, but it is distracting. 

Haven't been able to really dig my hooks into any music in particular and that bugs me.

Things are being shaken up a bit maybe - events w/o control, with uncertainty that is tweaking my balance.

Dunno...

Was reflecting on how abjectly terrified i was last year, that palpable fear, and wondered when did it go away? 

why does it feel okay now, fewer unknowns I guess..

focus on what you can control, try to let the rest not disrupt what needs to be done. Sleep. Def need more sleep. 

okay enough fucking around in my head - time to get out of it and get more shit done.

heddwch

G

Wandering into Wednesday

 Hit the wall REALLY hard on Monday. Too long of a gap between morning coffee and work coffee, never recovered and basically spend the day with an ocular migraine. It was FUN.

Recovered a bit yesterday, and suddenly here we are at hump day.

Saw that TSEPIC has spaces open, would be nice, but $900, even for a 5 day race, is a bit steep, but then again so is Olympic Dev camp for U19s. Everyone's been not sleeping excited about the summer potential.

Trying a bit of extended fast and low calories. Kind of getting to the point of just not caring - might as well just say fuck it. It is a lot of work trying to figure out the combo needed to get back down closer to the 200# mark. 

But bikes...  riding in this morning I just really wanted to ride to boston, hang out and get coffee and ride home. Just not alone and also just waiting for vax i guess... or something. 

Kind of want to race, but the tea leaves and races that are out there now... no SS category, i mean that's fine, but also, not how it used to be. But nothing will be how it used to be. 

Also - totally lost all word mojo between starting this and now, pretty obvious eh? I guess read all tabs is not inspiring enough and the rest of life is boring and routine.

guess i should work on shifting gears and get some gear shifting bikes ready to ride. Long way in on the Singlespeed is fine but it isn't as fun as having gears. Also geared bike doesn't weigh more than the MTB, the surly does. Kind of surprisingly.

Okay. Fuckit. I'm gonna close this and pretend I didn't start the blog post with good intentions, got sidetracked, derailed, tired and demotivated and brain dead.

What's for dinner? I dunno.

heddwch
g

catching a few sunbeams

 sitting here in the living room, hanging with the sleeping dogs, all three of us are basking in the late afternoon sun. 

It feels good.

Pretty wrecked to be honest. Early relaxed MTB ride yesterday morning, followed up by a swing through the bike shop, and then home to meet the person who wants the piano. Look it over, they are excited, okay bring people back tomorrow and we'll get it out of the house. I spend the next 3-4 hours doing some much needed long put off clean up in the bike room. Found a box of old cycling shoes, crusty and stiff, and threw them away. The beginning of a reformed packrat maybe? Perhaps. Felt weird? yeah, but even the answer lace up flats were really well worn and past their usable life span and all but one pair well over 20 years old. Long enough. 

Shop vac, broom, garbage, organize, move, at the end of it things were looking good. Some stuff still needs to be deal with, some things just got moved not sorted but it is a really good start. And was ready for the piano to be picked up Sunday (it is sunday). Try to go to bed early, didn't work, an hour after I fell asleep I woke up with the beginnings of a bloody nose, took a bit for that to settle down, woke up at 4am having to pee, went with the whole extra hydration before the morning ride and wow was I extra hydrated I guess. Oops. Woke up before the alarm, out of bed before 6am. Made coffee got myself out the door, arrived only a few minutes after when I planned and headed out. But more of  a climby loop, singlespeed maybe not the best, different spot than normal. Nice change of pace. I was tired tho. Had food before hand so fueling wasn't a problem. Packed two bottles of the OSMO stuff, only drank one, oh well, will keep the second bottle for mid-week ride maybe. We'll see, def liking it, seems to work, pleasant taste, if a little more chemically tasting than the Skratch but it also has some other stuff in it. 

One bit of news I almost missed via the emails was being made an Official Topeak Ambassador. If you order anything from them use the Williams21 friends and family code for a discount. Guess my IG friends are gonna be getting some more regular product evaluations. 

Grocery shopping after todays MTB ride was bad. I mean, not bad but I was really feeling exhausted. Was trying to get through it so I could get home before the guy came with his friends to get the piano.

I am feeling really tired and it isn't just the sun. But then again I have been up before 6am and awake till at least 10:30 and sleeping poorly after a long and stressful week so, really, no surprise there.

Not sure what I'm making for dinner though. 

And we still have the remains of the piano. the heavy part. It is a beautiful warm sunday, and no one was free to help move a heavy ass piano. SHOCKING. 

So here it sits. Gonna give them a week then take it apart into pieces small enough to carry out the front door. Yeah it means de-stringing it and smashing the cast iron with a hammer and unbolting it from the backing. Full on destruction. Hopefully he can gather friends enough to come get it out of the house. 

Seems a shame but also, it needs so much specialist work to make playable that it is kind of junk anyway, even if it looks really cool right now all taken apart.

Was listening to a lot of music, tried to watch TV but just can't get into it, sports? Meh. The Woman's BB tourny got my attention the longest and I might have watched the game if I had any sort of connection to either of the schools. So I just turned it off and grabbed the lap top to i guess in a shit ton pile of words just say: I'm tired.

And to be occupied and to document the Piano saga a bit. 

Today's ride might have been easier with gears, and with full suspension, but i just wound up pushing the bike and walking only a tiny bit more than everyone else. Brake lever felt normal too - the dodgy fix i did was un-noticable riding it. But both days once the temp got above freezing i was way too hot, way too hot. mostly the legs. Gonna need to find the leg warmers and go with shorts or something. 

Getting ready for a big week, lots to do, and now, because i was tired and not thinking, we have almost 2 gallons of milk in the fridge. AND still a quart of home made ice cream in the freezer. oops.

and my brain is mushy and tired and i'm going to put some music back on and soak up some more sun through these old fashioned windows that don't stop much of the solar radiation. 

heddwch
G

in light of everything

 going on in the country/world right now...

This is good, really good, and positive. https://www.sram.com/en/life/stories/iwd-lael-wilcox Yeah I'm a big Lael fan. With Rue the two of them have put out some really inspiring and motivating cycling content that is also gorgeous. 

How do we push through, examples of the weight room for the Woman's NCAA vs the Men? That's pretty much normal, why is it normal and what can YOU do to change it.

Speak up. Speak out. Talk to the dudes who aren't making an effort.

It has been a really f'n strange week. 

Roller coaster in a way. 

But the roof is done, and we had rain last night and the new gutters work. It is amazing. There is one gutter that didn't get replaced, it needs some sealant at the seams and I need to fix the downspout on it. Had one that was too long but scrapped it when we thought it was getting replaced, should have probably waited on that, oops. 

Mistakes were made.

They always are being made but learning from them is how we move forward. 

Damn there were a few other things on my mind but the wind this morning must have blown everything away. 

Racing - right there's some races popping up. Hell's Half Acre is one of them. Two stages, long one on Saturday and a multi-lap race sunday. Of course there are three different categories, and of course I'm only really excited by the longer one even...  but maybe I should just sign up for the category i'm supposed to be in not the one I want to race? I mean hell I'm probably even going to ride it single speed anyway, and get lapped or something. Big guy on the heavy bike w/o gears. Plenty of time to figure it out before the registration rate goes up. And it isn't till the end of July so hopefully I'll have the vaccine by then. Supposedly RI is opening it up to everyone on April 17th. We'll see how long it takes to get an appointment. Fingers crossed it doesn't take forever.

Just watched this - (waiting for a user) - have to say my cheeks hurt from smiling and laughing.

It is good. No I don't think I'm ready for that yet, lemme figure out the wheelie thing first and get a big hit squish bike first.

But I am hungry and I ate all the food I packed. Thought it was a lot but maybe not so much. Hoping the last of the coffee can tide me over till I get home to the food.

be good, support those that need it, do good,

heddwch
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Good life philosophies

 Here from Jason Isabel

Artists in Recovery: Jason Isbell from Alano Club of Portland on Vimeo.

Solid stuff. Even if you aren't in recovery or sober or whatnot...

Oh, I guess it is St Paddy's day eh? I like St David's day a bit more lately, welsh cakes and daffodils are more my thing than green beer and drunk hoards.

Should post some pogues or something, DKMs maybe. Will I watch the livestream tonight? Probably.

It has been a long rough day today but progress, fixed some busted shit, taught people some stuff, pile of things left to work on before riding home. Not so bad. 

y'all be good, do good, be a positive influence on those around you, listen when you need to, not always just when you can. make space for people when they need you to... 

heddwch
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Quieter here today

 Just me and the music videos on the big smaht TV...

 

This is good, very good.

A much quieter start to the day. Hard to imagine it is already almost noon, feels like almost no time has past and yet yesterday felt like an eternity. 

Gotta get out and check the lawn for bits of stuff that got missed, clean up a few odds and ends and make a list of shit to do next, and get the little things done without having to put them on the list.

Or i just sit here a bit longer, drinking coffee in my fancy Craftsportswear sweat pants and my Quad CX hoodie watching youtube... Treat it like an actual rest day aka vacation day aka PTO aka this is kind of nice and luxurious...

if there wasn't still so much to do... 

i know - take a break, recharge, things will be there when you can get back to them, don't need to do everything all at once, take a breath, slow down for a second..

but then I have been kind of going slow to go fast forever, the relentless pace, the marathon haul. And not a running marathon that is over in a couple hours, no, I'm talking about the cycling marathon, the ones that last 12 hours or more, that stupid pigheadedness that it takes to persist against all those odds and somehow still keep turning the pedals after hour after hour

have to say, currently big fan of Remy Metailler and Yoann B's video series. So much overlap but also so cool. Our silly little drops and stuff in New England are not bad but as mini-versions they do mimic some of the big hit shit they have up there on the north shore. We had one tiny little rock, maybe a 3-4' drop...  looked vertical and scary at first, rolled up, stopped at the top, three lines, one wide and smooth, one mid-level can roll down and see the line, still steep, and then the third line wide left, looks like full drop. It wasn't, when you looked at it from one side you're like, huh, not so bad. With enough speed you can actually ride up it. The bike actually is pretty amazing, not my bike per-say, the bike, the collective, maybe the collective new trail bike grouping, they are pretty fucking capable, far more capable than the meatbrain riding them. 

Esp when the meat brain drives into a 9" sapling stump just a hair outside the line and crashes and fucks up both the bike and the body. Good news, the collective 250 pounds of me going as fast as I was broke the root system holding it place. It isn't here anymore. Just like the other small stump that took me out a couple weeks ago (before the snow).

Funny, looking back over the last week, the weight of the new roof install gone, just the lingering, holy shit how did we pay for that, and the changing perspective of holy shit cascade on that thought process - that ties it into me not drinking and hey maybe that small change in cash outlay was really all that was needed to turn the finances around, plus a couple other big events, anyway, all seems to come back to that, eh? But hey, looking back over the week, before the derailment of a run-on sentence, the two bright spots were being on the bike in the woods. Don't get me wrong, I still kind of miss that drop bar shred and the long adventures on the bike, those all day rides, maybe I'll get the vaccine along with the rest of the region and we can maybe go back to doing that a bit more safely. Eh?

Perhaps? But till then, these moments on the mtb... they are good... That and I think I've finally landed on the GeWilli phrase that may need to be merchandized... but i'm not good at that part, but also the layout the graphics, needs something special... 

 Thinking stickers, maybe t-shirts, or maybe that's too fucking adventurous... Inspired by the Wilderpeople movie, I know where it came from from there, but using the kiwi slang made it that much more memorable. 

Laptop is about to reset, damn updates, gonna grab some more coffee, watch https://youtu.be/rnTwSP3XgSY and THEN get on with the day, whatever is left of it...

heddwch
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So, how's it going?

 Well, they got here at 7:20am, it was 15F and windy. It is now 6pm and 30F.  Air compressor is still running (gas powered one), still a lot to clean up, haven't been outside to check progress/get an update. Bonus, well there is an extra hour of daylight today that they wouldn't have had last week. And yeah I suppose they could have shown up at 6:20am last week, but hey they could have shown up at 6:20 today, it was light enough to get started.

Dogs are conked out, it was a rough morning. The air nailers are quieter than the scrapers or the hand nailing of the drip line, or the attaching of the gutters. Just checked a few minutes ago, looking up through the attic access there was still light coming through the freshly cut ridge vent. Should really go measure for how much insulation I need, an extra layer up there would be a good idea. 

It has been fine, but man I am TIRED. Two MTB rides this weekend, pretty shitty sleep quality and extra stress and that off feelin and then today, up early, and while not doing much, wow has it been intense and not restful. 

Hopefully tomorrow can be more peaceful and restful. Put off dealing with the work emergency for another day although I did open the service call and get an engineer/tech support assignment. 

Maybe I'll have time and headspace to do a proper blog tomorrow. I'm tired and achy in a few places from yesterday's crash. 

As the joke goes it might be a half day's work getting the roof done. Half day as in 12 hours. 

Now the trim is going to be even more glaring with the new roof up there. 

There's bits and concerns, the down spouts? Are those going to be done by them or are they only replacing the rotted wood gutters? Dunno, will deal with that all later. When it is done and they are gone and the jobis finished and they have the check. If my perception of what was supposed to be done isn't what theirs is, well in this case? Probably my fault for not going through the questions more completely before I handed over the deposit.

Def missing my 4pm coffee, even though it is now 6pm and normally i'd just be finishing it at 5pm, going to see if I can just struggle through and maybe go to bed early tonight.

We've all had a really long day. A long weekend. A couple MTB rides, a crash, bend irreplaceable bike lever (i bent it back), work at the shop, grocery shopping, And this. I know that my anxiousness I talked about yesterday was needless, pointless, but it was also out of my control. Yes, I know, logically it makes no sense to act like that, to let those things bother me or have an impact, but they did and here we are. Probably should have just packed the dogs up and gone somewhere for the whole day, or two days. 

I looked in the mirror today, I look tired even to me. 

Rest tomorrow for sure, maybe. Hopefully. That's the plany anyway. But, plans, well, they change more often than not.

heddwch

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insane

I didn't realize how much of my brain is being overwhelmed by anxiety about the new roof. No idea when they are going to get here, will it be too cold, are the cars in the way, should we move them tonight? Tomorrow morning? Will the base wood of the roof be ok? Will the temp inside the install quality? Will the dogs be ok while it is all going on outside? 

I'm vibrating with anxious energy, logically I know, I gave them money, they will do it, I don't have to do anything. But.

Ugh.

Was able to escape a little on the mtb yesterday and today. But today I crashed hard, been the brake lever, drive the end of my bar into the from of my hip. 

But once the joy and distraction or riding well and having fun wore off it was a chore. Post crash I was wondering if I can get parts, will it bend back, are there brakes available even? 

It bent back but I almost crashed a handful of times riding back to the car. Just bring distracted. Bent it back to unnoticeable condition once home. No big deal. 

But can't shake the roof anxiety. Can't quite feel ok. Oh and the new quarter million dollar laser is acting up and I'm out of the office till wed and can't likely do much till then. 

I'm a wreck and don't know how to fix it. 

And this time change sucks. 

This morning's list of stuff just sounded cursed. Busted spokes, forgotten helmet, no sleep and no show, late, me crash... 

Identifying the source and cause of my sorry temper and shit mood doesn't seem to fix it this time. 

Hopefully I can make it through the next 24 hours and come out the other side better.

We'll see. 

Ugh

Heddwch,

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No Flour Peanut Butter Cookies

 I made these in September but forgot where I got the recipe from.

They are very different and very good.

1 cup Peanut Butter (I used the fresh ground stuff from WF)

2 medium eggs (recipe was originally 1 large egg)

1 cup Raw/Cane sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

some vanilla and cinnamon.

Mix, scoop, press, and then bake

in my oven 350 takes 15 minutes

the original recipe was 350 for 8-10 min. Cook em until they are cooked.

They are good, and different and I might need to make another batch.

again

soon

(posting because it took forever to remember and then find the recipe for this earlier this week)

(still having a blah day)

heddwch
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