On Vacation

On vacation, I will not be posting or even looking at the net.
Yes, like most Americans I have shirked my social responsibility and have not paid past due bills.
Instead, I am enhancing my family responsibilities by taking them on vacation, and where do upstate New Yorkers go on vacation, well the opposite of New York.
This is well needed break, thank you to my friend abroad, for his generosity in opening his villa to us.
Now for some pics from a while back.

 So keep the rubber side down!!!

Happy Easter!!

How The Cheap Commuter Bike Is Going

It has been a little bit over a month now since I've completed my commuter bike.
I thought I would give an update.
My commuter bicycle, started its life as a lowly Sears Free Spirit lug steel ten speed.
After riding it for over a month now I have noticed it is very reliable, I've never had a flat, gears skip, etc..

I would also note that this bike is like pedaling a tank, it is extremely heavy, I don't know the exact weight but it is probably around the 40-55 pound range (or 18-25 kg).

This bike has 26 X 1 3/8" inch wheels (590-37) and I like the skinny-ness of these but the steel is heavy, and they don't roll well.( I've noticed this on all of the 26" wheels)

The handle bars are perfect as is the seat(Brooks B66) I usually prefer the trigger shifters opposed to twist and exposed indicator chains

via: crappy camera phone

 but I made some compromises to shield them from the weather.
The B&M lumotech is nice, brighter then what I used before and is very convenient.
I changed out the old stock rack for a more modern one.

via: crappy camera phone

Overall I like this bike but there is things that would like to change.
I would like alloy rims or even bigger rims, aluminium or plastic fenders(mudguards), waxed chain, and a better chainguard or chaincase, and a bigger rear sprocket.




                                                  

Happy Earth Day

Happy Earth Day

Bike Holland

About a week ago I got an email saying something about Holland.
Being the cynical New Yorker I am, I figured as bunk, it still may be.
So instead of posting it, you can see it over at http://simplybike.wordpress.com
Unlike this blog, simplybike has actual content and is an example of a fantastic smug-free bicycle/life blog I read on a regular.
But for those of you want to see the same thing here, look below.

They are looking for people with on-air personalities, which recently thats all I have been on, with exception of all the secondhand smoke creeping in from the nicotine addicted neighbors.
 To enter or find out more info about this exciting contest, please go to either:
http://www.facebook.com/visitholland
http://www.facebook.com/KLMUSA

A Sign

crappy cameraphone!

My daughter had the day off, so we all went to a different trail today.
I don't know if they show well in this pic but these flowers popped out of the land like little suns. Happy to see a sign of spring.

I Forgot

I almost forgot to show you a pic of the Schwinn World Sport now called "Gumby"

Outfitted with my old lights. Maybe soon fenders too.

My New Old Camera

Picked this beauty up at Salvation Army. I can't wait to shoot with it.

Proof That People Can't Drive

 

I snapped a pic of this car parked out in front of my apartment. If you can't see in the pic this car is parked about three feet away from the curb.

Unprepared

This is what happens when you go unprepared.
My seat loosened up on my fixed-gear (Gumby) about 4 miles out, ergh.
Walked 2 miles already.

Now just waiting for my daughter to bring me a hex wrench.
I feel like a hipster, pushing instead of riding, maybe the trailer on the back will keep people from thinking such.
One good thing is that my son is asleep in that trailer, or else those 2 miles could have been a lot worse.

Biking In New York

I just found this little gem thanks to EcoVelo.info about bike routes. I went to the page and found a link here:
https://www.nysdot.gov/divisions/operating/opdm/local-programs-bureau/biking. I may make a resource page just for things like this.

First Family Ride 2011

We all decided that we would go for a ride on Sunday, we had beautiful weather.
We went from Fort Hunter to the old Erie Canal Lock (now a closed state park due to the budget cuts)
on Queen Anne Street. It was a nice short ride. I pull my son's trailer with my freshly painted fixed-gear (now named Gumby), my daughter rode my daily commuter, and my wife rode Victor, sporting his new shoes.
Here's a pic I snapped with my phone.