new kicks for the pacer

new kicks for the pacer
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

an old favorite returns

roll on

a late rise
but to clear sunny skies
leads to a pleasant roll into work
but wet shoes
reminds of yesterdays
ride home
thru the dark
thru the pouring rain
and teen insecurity
an open car window
fagot
not even said with conviction
just spoken
did I even hear it
rebuttals run thru my head
i could give chase
car slows at the light
let it go
simple minds
overreact when provoked
or just stare at you blankly
and try to scurry away
i just wanna get home and dry tonight

sunset #10,950

sunset #10,950
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

today, i turned 30.

.....

the summer route home from work is a seasonal one. a busy four-way stop sign intersection, best handled in broad daylight, lays between destinations. it can done it at night with lights a blazing but holding back three directions of traffic at once is daunting. those moments of hesitation while guessing, guessing, guessing which one will gun it and try to beat you across are best avoided. leaving work early? yeah one can go that way. post sunset? the great white flight to the suburbs is too much to handle.

so the alternate route is taken. not really an alternate though, just the opposite direction. it's the way to take to work in the wee dark hours of the morn. thru a small town, meandering creek side road hugging the lowlands but still gaining elevation, then up into the hills for some real honest climbing.

now coming home this way yields an decent elevation loss. on the fix, it's an opportunity to work on your spin. slide front onto the nose of the saddle. slowly ramp up the rpms and lift those knees. feeling choppy? ease back a bit and relax. imagine getting your feet out of the way of the pedals at all times. stay ahead of the cranks. allow gravity do the work, you just want fluid motion.

now, as the pitch lessens, keep those rpms up. stay on top of that gear. don't mind the burn in your legs. press on. are those headlights gaining from behind? this isn't a good road for passing; too windy for a good line of sight. so instead, speed is your friend. the grade is still in your favor so use it keeping them at bay. lean into the turns. those stubby 165 mm cranks come in handy here avoiding the dreaded pedal strike while staying off the brake. go.

take the lane. small town with cross traffic approaches. switch the headlamp over to flash and direct it as needed. let'em know you're coming. keep those cranks spinning, almost there, the burn will end, hold your speed. couple more turns. breath and spin. finally take the turnoff to the side street and relax. let the legs wind down. steady breathe returns. calm cruise the rest of the way home. good to test the system every now and them.

off to work

off to work
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

the legs always feel fresh yet somehow dull after a weekend off the bike.

as seen in the bathroom

as seen in the bathroom
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

breakfast at blue sky cafe in bethlehem, pa

it's a rainy play-doh kind of morning

cuteness

on portaging heavy loads day after day

hauling gear while atop your cycle should be pain free. i abandoned mess bags years ago after my back started to hurt. what all those bag makers forget to tell you is unequally loading your shoulders can twist your spine up real good. no matter what brand, how fancy the padding, or how intricate the applique work on the flap is, the load still sits on one side of your body. never mind the fact that your lungs are compressed the whole time too. i've found it handy to be able to breath freely. your results may vary though.

so then i started using a porteur rack to haul my bag around. relief at last. yeah it takes a moment or two to figure out handling nuances with the load on the front but it's not bad at all. only downside was time spent bungeeing the bag down and keeping it good and snug to minimize rattling.

so i went and bought a chrome backpack. no spin twisting, no compressed lungs, but you're still holding the up the weight. and a pack on the back makes it tough to regulate heat when layering up for winter. you can unzip your jacket all you want, there's no air circulating around to cool you. but it was so easy to pack and go.

i'd go back and forth between porteur and bag largely depending on mood.

this past summer i went back to the pack daily out of shear laziness. bungees were a hassle and it was hot anyway so what was a little more sweat. still kept the rack in place for beer runs but it largely remained unused.

fall temps roll in and layers pile on and guess what? i'm overheating again when it's in the forties. porteur loaded up and unzipping my jacket actually does something and i'm happy once more. been rolling this way for weeks now.

well yesterday, i had to do a coffee run on the way to work and decided to use the pack for lock up ease. beans paid for and loaded, i was on my way. didn't make it more than two miles before i got the shits of the bag. heavy, hot, bulky. onto the rack it went but my bungee job wasn't the best and i had to stop to readjust. this got me thinking.



i've had this gigantic wald delivery basket for a couple years now but it mainly sat collecting dust in the garage. why not break out this bad boy again but ditch the included hardware and just ziptie right to the porteur?



looks tough and ghetto all at once. fits my chrome ranchero just fine with plenty of vertical room to spare. less bungees needed so it's really a drop and go system. odd loads and beer runs will be handled with ease. and if need be i can still carry the pack if the load warrants. the crosscheck is my dedicated commuter so why not commit and make load carrying a priority. i think i'm officially done carrying a pack. let the bike do the work instead.

more info regarding mondays ride

a mixed bag of gravel, dirt, and asphalt made up the route. surly pacer called up for duty once more. counterclockwise loop. rail trail flatness to start. onto dirt for a tour of neversink mountain. city riding followed. then a hefty elevation gain to the tipity top of mt penn. switchback descent. home in under two hours.


pick a gear and spin the gravel away


leaf cover hides all trail features. let the bike move freely beneath you.


a lone colorful tree. mt penn firetower looms beyond.


casualty of skinny tires offroad. hidden trail scree most likely culprit. casing is still intact however. not sure how much i trust it anymore. a cross bike might have been more appropriate. or at least a tire fatter than a twenty five. rocky trails take their toll unless prepared. especially when riding blind.

on a monday just before noon

on a monday just before noon
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

sometimes you need to take a break
and it takes a loving wife to remind you

return of the flat bar

return of the flat bar
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

it's that time of year again
colder temps are settling in
the need insulating layers increase
hands are the subject of today's topic
gloves are good till the mid thirties
colder than that and it's mitten time
you can try using liners with gloves
but snugness means less bloodflow
less bloodflow means cold hands
so give mittens a try
not lobster claw but real live mittens
dexterity be damned i want warmth
outdoor research make nice ones
comfy down to single digits
with room for an extra layer even
and a removeable liner for quick drying
toasty toasty toasty
now back to the bars
this is where the dexterity lose occurs
brake hoods on drops are tough to grip
flared dirt drops would work though
as would moustache bars
or a swoopy curvy city bar would be just fine
i've got an el cheapo flat bar
minimal sweep but pretty grips
mittened hands like it though
works like a charm for the daily ride