lockring . not . included

Out on a Saturday morning

2012-01-28T13:32:00.000-05:00

Looking down on the city below.

From this past week

2012-01-27T07:43:00.000-05:00

We got some snow.

2012-01-22T22:26:00.001-05:00

freezing rain forecast for tonight
the studded tires that i mounted
almost garuntee
a substantial rise in temperature

Finally feels like winter

2012-01-16T07:53:00.001-05:00

Out and about on the singlespeed yesterday. Just spinning the local dirt and paths. What would have been a muddy mess was frozen solid except for a few places with southern exposure. 20 degrees but feeling much warmer if you could hide from the wind. So glad I pieced that bike back together.

A cold start to today. The White Industries freewheel on the xcheck was feeling a little sticky this morning. Guess the pawls drag a bit more at low temps. Past years have been all fixed winter mileage but I have to say I am enjoying the ability to coast for the time being.

catching up

2012-01-15T11:28:00.000-05:00

Who wants to ride 400 miles?

2012-01-11T07:40:00.000-05:00

Crush the Commonwealth 2012
5am on April 27th
Philly to Pittsburgh unsupported
Undecided if I'll make the trip again
Maybe I'll see you there

it sure didn't feel like january

2012-01-08T09:09:00.000-05:00

sixty one degrees and short sleeves

blue marsh was a little muddy at spots

feels good to be back in the woods though

There's been a lot of dirt riding lately...

2012-01-01T22:31:00.000-05:00

and i almost get taken out on the way home

2011-12-29T20:49:00.001-05:00

A little snow fell this afternoon
Just enough to wet the roads
And create an icey glaze on the bridges
I took the lane on a narrow one
As a truck approached from behind
I started fishtailing but kept it upright
Just a little white knuckle fear
The truck was silent
Until its tires hit the wet road
After the bridge and began to screach
Turns out he was a bit sideways
He glanced off the guardrail
And came to a stop as I rolled on
Pretty happy that I made it home today

2011 Commuting Stats

2011-12-29T07:43:00.000-05:00

thus ends another year on the road.
not quite as good as last year
but still pretty solid mileage.
208 days ridden for 5,674 miles.
30 trips in the car to work.
most of that was fixed mileage too.
the crosscheck is in ss/porteur mode
right now and will see daily activety
for the foreseeable future.
fixed is still fun but a touch more
rest during the week doesn't hurt
for dirt riding action on the weekends.

from the past few days

2011-12-28T08:10:00.000-05:00

christmas eve dirt action

2011-12-24T17:13:00.000-05:00

prepped and ready to go

another ride to the trails trip

singletrack cruising

ridgeline descending

home to mt penn to home rules

more of that dirt riding action

2011-12-17T20:26:00.000-05:00

today's chilly ride was out to good ol blue marsh
fill the bottles, stuff the jersey pockets, go

got there via pedal power again
165mm cranks from the parts bin make for easy spinning
still not sure if they'll stay or not

classic blue marsh singletrack skirting the fields edge
10 miles of warm up, 10 miles of trail, retrace the route home
it makes a fine 50+ mile day if you ride the full lake loop

some road riding but lots of car free towpath cruising

serious caloric debt occurred and i arrived home near bonk
the dirt skills are still a bit rusty
but it's all coming back to me

why did i ever stop riding singletrack?

2011-12-10T23:28:00.001-05:00

the karate monkey has been brought back to life.

i still dislike driving to the trails.

but the techy rocky ribbon of dirt is top notch.

from the past week

2011-12-09T22:53:00.001-05:00

burning legs and lungs

2011-12-04T13:05:00.000-05:00

quick and hard hills up on mt penn
slow up
fast down
repeat
but the ridge top cruising
and view of the city below
is tough to beat

ill prepared

2011-11-29T21:55:00.000-05:00

hard rain and cool temps
but you gotta get home
pedal that bike
make some warmth

a brief summary

2011-11-27T12:16:00.000-05:00

food poisoning mared most of this week
better now and no longer wishing death
strength is slowly returning
commuting to resume next week

catching up

2011-11-18T22:33:00.001-05:00

from the past few days

2011-11-11T20:59:00.000-05:00

rapidly fading daylight

2011-11-07T18:04:00.000-05:00

dark for the ride to work
dark for the ride back home
daylight rides will be cherished

a sunday morning in fall

2011-11-06T12:13:00.001-05:00

earlier this evening

2011-11-02T22:03:00.000-04:00

October 31st

2011-10-31T07:38:00.000-04:00

a cold morning with a heavy frost
silent icey patches on the roads
a moonless sky
unlit snow covered landscape
as many houses still without power
the whir of generators now and then
navigating closed roads
littered with debris and downed lines
a quiet ride into work
feels more like january
but happy halloween anyway

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-29T15:38:00.000-04:00

This weather is ridiculous
Trees with leaves are breaking everywhere
The power is still thankfully on
We built a snow man
But haven't carved a pumpkin yet

Today

2011-10-25T21:18:00.000-04:00

This is the best time of year to ride

2011-10-23T15:55:00.001-04:00

forty some miles of hills and fields
hard climbs
winding techy descents
rolling countryside
topped off with some singletrack
a grand loop of mixed terrain
couple more pics here

another day on the road

2011-10-20T20:12:00.001-04:00

this week marks three years since I sold my car and we became a single vehicle household. i was commuting for years before that but the daily routine didn't truely kick in till that option was no longer parked out in the street. i've racked up over 18,000 commuting miles since then and have no intentions of stopping. some days are easier than others but the benefits far outweigh the difficulties.

saturday and sunday

2011-10-17T08:53:00.000-04:00

a rainy thursday evening

2011-10-13T20:08:00.000-04:00

the singlespeed cross bike trumps all

2011-10-10T08:53:00.000-04:00

the miles just ticked away

link one familiar area to another

some iphone map checking

high quality stretches of tarmac found

dirt and gravel with seasonal leaf cover

topping out as usual on mt penn

this is a route to be repeated

catching up

2011-10-06T20:40:00.000-04:00

on a monday morning

2011-10-03T07:13:00.000-04:00

it's forty eight degrees
it's pissing rain
not enough though to warrant rain gear
but enough to make me pack it

the mornings are always dark now
not even a hint of a sunrise
today there's the dull glow outside
of city lights on low hung clouds

it feels cold pedelaing down the block
seasonal acclimation still needs to occur
come spring though
forty eight degrees will feel balmy

i went to the swap meet and hardly bought a thing

2011-10-01T16:12:00.002-04:00

just another week

2011-09-30T09:28:00.001-04:00

be careful out there if you're the road riding type. too many close calls with traffic this week due to stupidity, impatience and the undeserved sense of privilege that seems to come standard with many vehicles these days.

all road rides should be required to include some dirt

2011-09-25T12:11:00.000-04:00

It's Friday!

2011-09-23T17:17:00.000-04:00

this evening

2011-09-17T23:01:00.001-04:00

this afternoon

2011-09-17T19:54:00.000-04:00

it feels like fall has arrived

2011-09-16T09:27:00.000-04:00

riding home yesterday, with a rainy cold front passing thru, i had to stop and add layers. unable to ignore the cold in my hands and bare forearms anymore, i realized a switch in seasons had occured. the wind driven rain no longer posessed that cooling summer rain feel, but had taken on a chilling roll more familiar with the colder months. the cyclometer read forty one degrees this morning, cooler than the forecast, but refreshing none the less.

catching up

2011-09-14T07:32:00.000-04:00

a friday afternoon

2011-09-09T17:23:00.000-04:00

remnants from the storms

a break in the clouds

grinding to a hault

refreshment

endless days of heavy rain

2011-09-08T19:24:00.000-04:00

we've been staying relatively dry
but anyone along the schuylkill hasn't
flooding should peak overnight
but it's still pretty bad now

catching up

2011-09-05T10:43:00.003-04:00

going for a ride but the cat wants to talk

2011-09-03T14:48:00.002-04:00

a weekend summary

2011-08-28T21:52:00.000-04:00

catching up

2011-08-26T23:29:00.001-04:00

friday night in the garage

2011-08-19T21:25:00.001-04:00

catching up

2011-08-12T07:52:00.002-04:00

the days are busy and go by so quickly.

little adventures

2011-07-30T16:03:00.000-04:00

a trailer ride to the nearby park to play in the cool creek

little fishies all around

crayfish too

the crocs easily fill up with rocks

heading home under the hot sun

bountiful treasure

a moment of realization

2011-07-30T00:18:00.001-04:00

the xcheck almost got gears tonight
i came to my senses however
the lone freewheel remains
with a fixed cog on the flip side
it's better this way

the days are getting shorter

2011-07-26T07:10:00.000-04:00

the working hours have been 6 to 4
the sun rises later each day
the morning departures are now dark
lights to see as opposed to just being seen
are now required equipment
taffic is near non-existant though
it's a nice time to turn the pedals

a brief summary

2011-07-22T22:14:00.001-04:00

wednesday; 94 degrees.

thursday; 103 degrees.

friday; 107 degrees, a personal record.

working conditions

2011-07-21T14:48:00.001-04:00

a/c is busted at work
has been since the spring
they finally decided to get it fixed
but not before reaching 89 90 degrees today
a new record high
easier to acclimate for the ride home i guess

summertime

2011-07-20T08:54:00.001-04:00

ninety some degrees yesterday
ninety some degrees today
triple digits to close out the week
still gotta get to work
so the commute continues
albeit with a bit more persperation

it'll get you there...

2011-07-15T17:43:00.000-04:00

but it's quick spinning and slow going
on a low geared dirt ready cross bike

the sore knee doesn't mind it though

grand finale

2011-07-09T22:31:00.001-04:00

grand finale
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

saturday mornings in july

2011-07-09T09:56:00.001-04:00

watching the tour and eating breakfast
it's tough at times to explain racing
to an inquisitive three year old
but she demands to know
the why's and how's of everything

keep on trucking

2011-07-07T08:42:00.000-04:00

early morning
quiet streets
but still stuck in traffic
no rush though
as i'm nursing a sore left knee
mellow fixed spinning
applying ice whenever possible
hoping it comes around quickly

headed for a picnic

2011-07-04T15:13:00.000-04:00

load up the trailer
leave the car at home
arrive in style
albeit a little sweaty

thirty nine miles and home before lunch

2011-07-03T11:31:00.000-04:00

the singletrack woodsy terrain

the best tool for the job

ride from home
to the trails
and back home again
via a low fixed gear
is the way to go

she's got the skills

2011-06-30T20:47:00.000-04:00

the pedaling and steering are mastered
cruising along all on her own
a little help for going up the hills
and a controling hand for going down
she likes the bike

halfway thru the year

2011-06-30T13:15:00.001-04:00

with june finishing up, here's the current commuting stats.
bike to work : 105 days, roughly 2,900 miles
drive to work : 19 days, roughly 500 miles
my favored mode of transportation is pretty apparent

the mornings have been quite nice

2011-06-29T06:59:00.000-04:00

the reward for leaving the house
while it's still dark outside
i never tire of these views

sunrise from the saddle

2011-06-28T08:33:00.001-04:00

sunrise from the saddle
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

what were you up to this morning?

2011-06-26T10:28:00.001-04:00

35 miles of road, dirt, and trail
before i even had coffee.
somehow i managed to get by.

the porteur rack

2011-06-24T22:11:00.000-04:00

go bother dan and tell him to make you one.
the ability to haul shit via bike is under appreciated.

a little gravel on the way home

2011-06-22T18:07:00.002-04:00

the daily commuter

2011-06-22T06:21:00.002-04:00

just a little rain

2011-06-21T12:00:00.000-04:00

fixed again

2011-06-18T00:55:00.002-04:00

fixed again
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl
some habits are just hard to break

the things you see on the road

2011-06-17T08:31:00.002-04:00

the things you see on the road
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl
this robin's head was a clear
ten feet away from it's body.
car or bird of prey?

the nice weather brings out the assholes

2011-06-14T07:39:00.000-04:00

i narrowly avoided a head-on collision with another cyclist this morning. but that’s only after he narrowly avoided getting hit while crossing two lanes of traffic to meet me. car horns were blaring as we passed within a foot of each other on the shoulder of the road with my right elbow uncomfortably close to parked cars and his just as close to traffic. all this unfolded in the span of five seconds or so and only reminds me how quickly your course in life can change. i can only hope he heard my condescending remarks regarding his intelligence.

i like bikes but i sure do despise most others who ride them.

ridgetop

2011-06-12T15:47:00.002-04:00

ridgetop
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

-

2011-06-11T15:27:00.002-04:00

-
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

It's Friday!

2011-06-10T18:22:00.003-04:00

It's Friday!
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl
Tailgating in Fairmount Park
Waiting for the Bright Eyes show
Hey Hamachi, what are you up to?

in the yard on a friday

2011-06-10T11:57:00.001-04:00

in the yard on a friday
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

sure beats being at work

the three h's

2011-06-09T09:10:00.001-04:00

the three h's
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

hazy, hot, and humid.

thru the fields and with a tailwind

2011-06-08T18:21:00.001-04:00

thru the fields and with a tailwind
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

gonna be a hot one

2011-06-08T08:11:00.002-04:00

gonna be a hot one
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

ninety eight this afternoon
triple digit heat index
those days of snow and ice
look good right about now

sitting on the back porch

2011-06-07T22:36:00.002-04:00

sitting on the back porch
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

heading west

2011-06-06T07:29:00.002-04:00

climbing out of the valley
the sun at my back
burning off the morning fog
a good way to start the week

how we roll

2011-06-04T13:50:00.002-04:00

cars-r-coffins

2011-06-03T06:56:00.000-04:00

Hello Summer

2011-05-31T16:56:00.002-04:00

Hello Summer
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl
ninety four on the way home

shit luck

2011-05-29T10:00:00.003-04:00

three pinch flats made for the following:
used up two fresh tubes
four patches
two of which failed
one held but the valve stem ripped
the final fix got us home
but one and a half hours late
twenty miles never took so long
but shane still enjoyed a tour of neversink

stopping for a drink

2011-05-28T15:53:00.002-04:00

stopping for a drink
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

still fresh

2011-05-28T10:23:00.000-04:00

some fresh small block eights mounted up on the crosscheck. been a while since i've ran cross tires and i'm curious of how they'll hold up. the last few years of dirt riding have been done with a fat/slick/commutery tire out back and a schwalbe marathon cross upfront for braking traction. while a long lasting combo, there were a number of times when the slick broke loose at inopportune times; both while climbing and descending. time to give some knobbies a try again and see how they hold up to mixed terrain mileage.

late night

2011-05-28T01:35:00.002-04:00

late night
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

just remembered...

2011-05-27T08:37:00.000-04:00

today's the two year anniversary
of getting hit by a car
glad this morning's commute went better

everyday

2011-05-27T06:03:00.002-04:00

everyday
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

a welcome change

2011-05-25T07:22:00.001-04:00

a welcome change
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

it's like clockwork that i get rained on...

2011-05-23T19:20:00.001-04:00

it's like clockwork that i get rained on...
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

but today i found the end of the rainbow.

more of the same

2011-05-23T10:40:00.001-04:00

more of the same
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

i guess one day of sun
was enough this past weekend

riding dirt

2011-05-21T17:55:00.001-04:00

riding dirt
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

a break in the clouds

2011-05-20T17:20:00.001-04:00

a break in the clouds
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

commuting this past week;
nine trips were in the rain
one was dry
that might set a record

in the rain and running late

2011-05-18T13:17:00.001-04:00

in the rain and running late
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

a fresh tube for the rear wheel
a fresh patch for the spare tube

dodging thunderstorms

2011-05-16T17:34:00.001-04:00

dodging thunderstorms
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl

another wet week forecast

a sunday afternoon

2011-05-15T17:21:00.002-04:00

a sunday afternoon
Originally uploaded by fxdwhl
a lagunitas undercover
and vegan burgers on the grill

a tour of neversink

2011-05-14T14:06:00.000-04:00

20 some miles. 1 1/2 hours. misty and rainy skies.
bunnyhoping roots and rocks from the drops.
locking up the cantis. testing your traction in the turns.
gotta pick that clean line or suffer a pinch flat at this speed.
skinny tire offroad rallying. this is the good stuff.