29DEC2015

Sometimes the best way to get yourself to commute to work in the morning is just to start pedaling.

Preparing yourself for the ride is a good thing, especially if the weather plans to nestle in the thirty degree fahrenheit range (it was cold this morning). However, at some point, no amount of planning makes the mundane any easier. Rousing one's mind is the most challenging part to each day of commuting (especially before sunrise), but it can also be the most rewarding...

I think if you have not experienced happiness and relief in sometime, you should wake yourself up before the break of day and head east on your bike. I never feel so happy that the sun rises--that there is light! It boosts the soul.


A while ago, my wife wondered what the heck was so great about "fat" bikes. Apparently she did not share the same excitement I had for running over virtually everything in your path. As a commuter, the Pugsley by Surly does pretty well; sure, you have to resign to the fact that roadies on their carbon fibre skinnies will blow right past you, but you get to take in the environment so much more (as well as find some sweet trails you could never touch on anything but a fatty)!


I like finding hacks that totally work and save money. The Metolius Rope Ranger pairs well with the Jones H Loop bar on the Pugs. With almost no modification, this rope bag turned handlebar bag rarely shifts or moves, even when fully loaded! I haven't tour-tested it yet, so I will write about that experience in the near future. Bottom line: pretty much anything from Metolius is the bomb, whether you are a climber or not; they are a brilliant, considerate, worthwhile company to purchase from.

A cool feature on the Rope Ranger is their use of these "6" shaped adjustable hooks. They are not expensive, if you are planning on stitching together your own bags (around two bucks per) and on the Ranger bag, they help to hook/unhook the bag to/from the bars quickly and hold securely (I've bombed down quite a few stairs and they show no sign of shifting--coooool)!


Saving the best for last...my Christmas present!! This telescoping, roll-top seatbag from Carsick Designs is DOPE! The only problem is that I want to carry so much more stuff to work than I need to, just because the bag can fit it. Made of DWR material, my clothes for work have yet to get soaked on the way to work. My gratitude goes to the Bicycle Business for carrying such cool stuff and supporting this local, well-made bag company.

out of my element to be in my element

Winter finally arrived in California. After waiting two years, we have officially seen the "typical" rainy season in Sacramento. During this season, I am super stoked to have Gore Tex; it makes riding in the rain so much fun.



With the change of weather, I have decided that I need a solid bag for my Jones H Bar that will keep my stuff a.) dry, b.) organized, c.) easily accessible (especially with regard to my camera). I almost spent every waking hour of this last weekend stitching together an old U.S. Mail canvas bag to retrofit it to attach to my Jones bars. I did this by hand and I quickly realized how valuable a good sewing machine can be. Even after twenty plus hours of stitching together my idea, the bag still is not up to par. However, I found a good handlebar bag hack is to use a Metolius rope bag with hook closures; these hooks easily wrap around the bars and can tighten with a quick pull of the one inch webbing attached to it.
Altogether, I should have seen this lesson in humility coming from a long way off.

4DEC2015

Riding in the rain is fun...sometimes. After a long day of sitting in a harness twenty to thirty feet off the ground (no matter how super comfy my Metolius Waldo Deluxe may be) however, I looked outside today and I just was not feeling that desire to go out and "enjoy" the rain. I confess now that every aspect of negativity entered my mind and I just thought of any way I could get out of it. I'm really stoked for what happened next...
Johnny, a great friend and coworker seems to choose to ride his sweet, old school Specialized Stumpjumper only on the days that promise horrible weather; good for me! He came up to me right as I was fishing the start card for my route (final step in setting a route) and asked when I was heading out. I knew this meant that he was up for hitting some mud on the way home and was hoping I could ride with him. My whole perspective changed. Riding in mud with a friend can make riding in the rain much more palatable.



Johnny, seen here, with his "custom" water proof backpack setup. (Note how well the rigging works on his rear fender :)


The photo did not turn out the way I hoped...no mastery here why. The forest was beautiful this day...





Crocs look awful at first glance...and maybe also at second glance. Still, I found them to be invaluable bikepacking/rain-riding/lightweight partners in crime (no, it is not yet a "crime" to wear these out in public).


I love riding through fallen leaves on my Surly Pugsley. Actually, I love riding over almost anything on the Pugsley.


Another fail photo here--hopefully you can sense the spray from this super fun puddle.

And, in closing, here are some photos from the following morning; enjoy, if you like that kind of thing.

02DEC2015

Riding on the American River Trail today reminded me a little of when I first fell in love with mountain biking in western Pennsylvania: temperature in the mid forties, colorful leaves blanketing the slightly wet ground, and a rolling trail with wildlife constantly emerging from their camouflage. For those who have not visited the Pittsburgh area, you should put it on your list to visit someday. To date, I have not found another city with more beautiful rolling hills, massive amounts of trees and wildlife, and an incredible sense of community among the inhabitants.



Over the years, I have come to realize that people like to define various aspects of their life (probably out of a subconscious desire for control and longing to understand life). If I were to define who I am as a mountain biker, I would consider myself an explorer. I don't like racing. I almost abhor time constraints and I have no real "need for speed". I do, however, really enjoy the bicycle itself and how useful a really well-built one can be. My excitement to ride only grows year after year.