Ft Rock in the Snow 12/30/06

Well today is my birthday, and I haven't ridden due to family responsibilities since going on vacation last week (read as everyone but me in my house has been sick).
So with snow falling, I heard the calling, and headed out.
What is it about the snow and being the first to draw a line through it that is so alluring?
All I know is that I spent 47 songs in the woods, mostly upright, funny how some sections are completely different with a few inches of white stuff.
The Ripper was great, I actually could drift through some of the turns!
The bridges were challenging, as some hikers had walked across them, I think this helped though.

I love riding in the snow, that was a great B-day present to myself.

F@cking people!

Holy crap, what the hell is going on?!

Guitar tablature, or someones interpretation of a song in a visual format is now deemed illeagal to share with other people?

The National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA) as well as the Music Publishers' Association (MPA) have threatened and shut down the internet sites which share guitar bass and drum tablature, on the basis that sharing tablature constitutes copyright infringement.

If you play guitar, bass or drums you have probably used or benefitted from someone else who used tablature, and musicians still make the same amount of money, I have a feeling it is the legal fockers of the big music labels.

Go *here* and voice you opinion.

I'm going to illegally download some music now!

Fall riding is.....

...Wicked!!!

It was perfect riding weather today. Leaves crunching under the tires, hiding rocks and sticks on the trail. Sun warming you in spots were it finds its way through the branches. Being chilled by the wind, as it makes itself known occasionally.
A great day to be alive and rolling along the trails.

Letter's from Henry

This is on youTube.com

Henry Rollins writes a letter to the FCC

**link**

Go Henry!

Random thoughts on single speeding

I'd like to start a collection of quotes for the SSA page.

"One less derailleur."

"Less gears, more COWBELL!"

"SSers get off more."

"SS is always in the right gear."

"Simple speed"

TEXAS!!!!!

San Antonio, TX
O.P. Schnabel park.
Rented a Specialized Stump Jumper from Ride Away bikes. They recommended OP as the place to go to get a flavor for what riding trails in San Antonio and Texas are all about.
Basically it is a park in the NW corner of the city that isn't developed because every now and then it floods and is in what they call a flood basin.
The trails are twisty with some small ups and downs, rocky with some loose gravel in spots and fun!
I ended up meeting a few riders in the parking lot and they gave me a grand tour, rode for over 2 hours and I had my fill for the night.
Supposed to do it again on Wednesday night.
Looking forward to it.

Log ride jump


Oooh, cactus!


Ryan, the guy kind enough to give a tour.

Weird crap

Went out for my usual Sunday morning ride, from Topsfield, MA to Andover, MA, on the Bay Circuit Trail, Boxford town trails and then onto Harold Parker State Park.
Rode "Terry's Trail", seemed real fresh and was alot of fun. Did a little more on some connecting sections, and came to a 6 foot rock roller, tried to roll it, I haven't done this "roller" before, opting to go around instead. The exit is tricky, as there are roots on the right side, clear on the center and left, but the trail turns real sharp right at the bottom, with trees almost at the base of this rock. So I thought for a microsecond that I could make it going down the middle, I would just have to turn gently to avoid the trees. I ended up doing a "Miami Hopper", which is a BMX freestyle trick were you turn your handle bar really quick, making it 90 degrees to the rest of your bike, sending you up into an endo. Over the bars goes AOF!
I ended up on the ground, nice raspberry on my stomach and my right wrist was bruised. No biggie, my friend who I was riding with saw the "stunt", asked if I was OK, which I was and we both chuckled a bit, and continued on back to Topsfield. We ended up doing 26 miles in 2:40. Not bad, considereing almost all of it was offroad.

Fast forward 3 hours, and I'm playing with my 2 year old, and all of a sudden I have a tremendous pain in my right wrist. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot! What is going on?! I can't use it, so I put ice on it. My wife is grocery shopping, so when she gets home we talk and I'm off to the ER to get an Xray. Waited a while (watched the Red Sox, finally got seen, what a freakin' circus at the hospital ER). Xrays come back negative, says to take it easy, wear a brace. It was just so weird that I was able to mountain bike for another 10 miles or so, drive 30 minutes home, shower, get dressed, make some grub, play with the 2 year old for a while, then WHAM-O! My wrist is throbbing. The mdeical people said it could have been inflamed and sometime stuff like this happens.
So the next day, I felt better, did some yard and house work, and even good enough to jack hammer the old shed foundation. Didn't do anymore riding on the long weekend, but hopefully the wrist will be OK on the rigid forked Karate Monkey.
Ride On!

The (Simple) Single Speed Prophecy

I am not a single speed pontificator.
I do not preach the dogma of single speeding.
It works for me.
It may not be for you.
If you ask me about it, I will try to show you the way to single speed enlightenment.
I believe you should find a ratio that works for you.
I believe you should find a rigid frame and fork made of chrome moly that works for you.
I believe you should just ride, not worrying about what gear to be in or if your shocks are at their right settings for the trail conditions.
As the rigid single speed is always in the right gear, and the suspension is always predictable (sort of). Enabling the single speeder to lose himeself in the trail. With music in their mind (or Phil Ligget) providing fuel as they dance on the pedals (or mash if its a big climb), leading to the next turn in the trail or vista.

Join the Single Speed Alliance

-AOF out

Iowa

Boone, Iowa - Seven Oaks recreational area
Out here for work for the better part of this week, needed to get my fix in. Thought I would share.
Terrain=smooth twisty singletrack.
The trails are throughout a ski area, fairly small by New England standard, but big for Iowa. Lotsa switchbacks up and down the "mountain".
Borrowed a Trek Fuel EX7, now I know what you are thinking; "Dan, I thought you were a SS 29er rigid freak?" I am, but I needed to ride, so small wheels, suspension, gears, and flat bars would have to do.

Link to Seven Oaks site








**5 MB video sampler**

Ended up doing a counter clockwise loop, got to the car, refilled my water bottle and went back out, this time clockwise! 14 miles total. Wahoo!
Felt good.

-Dan

Rain sucks.

2 weeks of grey skies, no riding (outside that is, just the trainer).
Then it got worse. Came home Sunday night from my mom's on Mother's Day dinner opened the door down to the basement, and saw toys, papers, clothes floating in 14" of water.
We had things we cared about in Rubbermaid containers, but the disturbing thing was that it floated them and then they tipped over, spilling all the family pictures, hierlooms, etc. into our new pool.
We had a family room and an office down there.
I guess we were lucky, in that we only lost all the stuff that was down there, and didn't lose everything like some people around the area.
I know that last thing on my mind should be bikes, considering all the things we did lose, but my trainer is ruined, the bikes were in water over the hubs and BB for about 8 hours.

Still, rain sucks.

3 rides...

Did three rides this past week, all in different states, with different terrain.

All 3 were small venues, but I was on the bike, I am loving the Karate Monkey.

Rigid singlespeed for me.

Boston Lot Lake - Lebanon, NH
Killer climb to start, fun singletrack and doubletrack.





Lincoln Woods - Lincoln, RI
Lotsa doubletrack, some singletrack, some crazy freeride lines that I opted out of, and some really cool rock areas.





Spruce Creek - New Smyrna Beach, FL
These must be brand new trails, they weren't here a year ago. Very impressive, someone put alot of time into these. All narrow singletrack, typical Florida riding, roots, patches of soft sand to keep you honest, twisting and turning the whole time. The palms do a great job of hiding whatever it is you scares as you barrel along, did see a 4 foot black snake, 2 armidillo's, the rest I could hear but not see. Very fun for a place that is otherwise becoming overdeveloped or just jeep roads.

Check out the stir.....

...I caused by posting the message below on the Mountain Bike review forum.

*link*

I even got an ex-Pro freestyler.

Biking Roots (BMX)

This is random, but I was looking through some old pictures yesterday, and came across a pic of my 1986 Diamond Back Super Viper. This is what I consider my first "real" bike. I had others, mostly Huffy or Columbia, but this was the first with a free wheel, dia compe brakes, tioga tires, etc. It was chrome and black, I thought it was a bad a$$ bike. I wanted to be just like Pistol Pete Luncarevich, or Harry Leary, more of the racing types, than the freestylers, although I thought they were cool, I just didn't have the skills. (Think Eddy Fiola and Mike Dominez). Flashing through my head were images of riding to the rope swing during the summer, lake jumping off my neighbors dock (before I knew what rust was), building jumps and a small figure 8 track in my friends yard, racing at the local BMX races, riding 10 miles on the road to get there because my mom wouldn't take me. Last night I was thinking how much fun I had on that bike and that I haven't been into anything else besides bicycles and riding them ever since.
Then today, I walk into my LBS, and there is a 2006 Diamond Back Super Viper.
Now I am wondering if this is destiny, although I am not sure that a 6'3" 215lb 31 year old would really be able to ride one, but maybe my 6yo daughter would like it?
I am pretty happy with my Surly Karate Monkey (SS Rigid).
I think I have gone full circle, as I went from the Super Viper to a mtn bike(&road bike), then added suspension to the front of my mtn bikes, to a full suspension, back to a HT with suspension fork, to full rigid one speed bike.
Just wanted to share this, and see if anyone else has similiar roots out there.
Thanks for reading.
Dan

My other favorite way to "waste" time

Doing this.

Harpoon IPA and oatmeal raisin cookies

That's what I had a craving for after today's ride.
Must be something about "Spring" time and road bike rides.
So I went out for a road ride today and it was colder than I thought, I usually overdress, but I was cold, had too big of a lunch, headwind, sun never seemed to warm me up.
Ooh, is my rear brake rubbing on the rim, robbing me of power?
Look down, dang, it's not.
How about air in my tires, are they low?
Front-nope.
Rear, crap! Why does it feel like I am towing a boat anchor?!!!

Then I turned on Drinkwater road, and I felt refreshed.
I don't know if it was the wind changing directions, I finally warmed up enough, or what, but I was starting to feel good about this ride.
Felt the need to put the hands on the drops and just crank out some circles. Lifting up on the upstroke and simultaneously pushing down on the other foot.
I felt like a weapon, a weapon that needed Harpoon IPA and oatmeal raisin cookies for fuel!
What a great reward.

The Partridge Family

AOF's version.

No child left behind.

That's what my wife told me, when I asked why my 5 year old daughter who has been able to read and write for about a year, started writing words like it was from a ebonics textbook. She actually was spoken to about writing words the correct way and not writing just how they sound.
I can't help but hear the afternoon kindergarten teacher say to the class:
"May I have your attention class, it appears that some of you aren't following this lesson's instructions, we aren't writing words as your parents taught you, we are writing words so that the slow kids in class learn to write words the wrong way, just to add to the confusion, and further help their demise integrating into society."
WTF!!!
Funny thing is, I just got done talking to someone who was thinking of moving to my town, and telling them how good the school system is.
The only thing I can hope is that 1st grade is a little better.
Do the make kids stay back in kindergarten?
Oh, wait, no child left behind--> Pass'em, it'll cost the school district more to keep them back.
It will definately be cheaper to enroll them in un-employment in 15 years because their rez-oo-may has all the-eez spel-in er-oars!
So, like everything in America nowadays, we cater to the dumb, and/or lazy.
Yay!

/rant

Check back soon for my thoughts on the lack of responsibility we (Americans in general) cater too!

Dan-Solo

I ride alone.
Well, lately it's been alone.
I have been traveling more with my new job, and feel alone.
But it isn't a bad alone, on the contrary, I believe that it is good for me.
It gives me a chance to focus on work, and sort of a reset.
It put's events in my life in perspective.
And, because I relate everything in my life to bike riding, some of the best rides I have been on are when it is me, one gear, and one tire width trail.
Perfect.


"I never found a companion that was so companionable as solitude."
-Henry David Thoreau

Yeknom Etarak Ylrus

I gots me a noo bi-see-kul!

A Surly Karate Monkey.

Here is a report of the first few rides:
Overall it was a good ride, I have my 26" gearing right now 32x18, and I thought I would be killing myself, but it really wasn't that bad. I did notice a few climbs that I am usually able to make I couldn't, who knows what's to blame for that though.
I felt very comfortable on the bike as far as position, standover, etc.
That being said, I tried a few things that I have never done before (going over a few rocks, etc.) and did make it.

The rigid fork was a little hand numbing by the end of the 2 hours, first time on a rigid fork in 10 years. It really showed its positive attributes while climbing, that side of it is great. No "First time humping on a waterbed" as PAW would say. Going the other way (longer descents) made me want just a few inches of travel.

The funny thing about the bike, which is a 22" frame, is it looks like everyone elses (size 19" and smaller) bike as far as proportional frame to the wheels. I met a guy and a girl from Hanover, NH out there (Ft Rock), they asked for directions to the tunnel, he accused me of being crazy to be riding a SS, then he saw a rigid fork, and was up in arms about that. He and his wife were riding Blur's. He then said I must be a young college kid, wait til I hit my 30's and 40's (Ha! I'm 31) but he didn't even realize it had big wheels.

Un-believable

Mohammed Cartoon

[sarcasm]
How could a sane political cartoonist, draw a picture of a man from ~1500 years ago, wearing a head dress that resembles a bomb. As this religious figures followers are some of the most understanding and tolerant people in the world. To attack these people by drawing a picture, that is just ubsurd.
Why, they should ignore it if they don't like it.
How dare someone have a different opinion and not believe in their god, or a god at all.

Below is this awful visual kick in these peoples faces.


[/sarcasm]




Your friendly Infidel
AOF