Gotta check this out... speed climb.
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid823619053/bctid1851168454
2 weeks ago
October 17, 2008
October 3, 2008
Missing the Ride
Been a week since I was on the bike. Gotta be driving the truck since I either have a kid with me, or all my photo and grip gear. Bummer. My legs are missing the spin. Looks like I need to find a spin class somewhere.
I have been reading Bike Snob NYC everyday lately. I admire someone who can write everyday, well... what I admire is the ability to come up with an idea everyday and do a creative job of writing about it. The thinking and the writing are not so difficult; doing both at the same time is the trick. Take a look at the blog, it's fun.
Supposed to rain tonight. I have been thinking a lot about water lately. I was interviewed by L.P., of Cal State East Bay, last week. She is working on a study that examines what the public's perception is of the term "Green". She is looking into what people think is the definition of: "to be green", and what it means when companies tout their "green-ness". She is looking at this from a cultural and human anthropological point of view. There was an interview and a questionnaire that covered what I thought about all of this. I am pretty opinionated about this topic, not sure I want to get into it here. But the crux of it is: if EVERYONE (individuals and companies too) took a little personal responsibility for their actions and did a little bit to help the environment, everyday, huge strides will have been taken to take care of the earth.
Back to water. We have a front and back yard that makes use of Xeriscape, drought resistant planting using California Native Plants and other low water techniques. We have a drip irrigation system on timers. In our meadow of plants I have been trying to figure out if enough or too little water is being used. The meadows are 2 years old this month. It would be nice to keep turning down the amount of time/water being used, but I have a hard time evaluating the health of plants that I am still getting to know. Another thing on a long "to do" list.
I am looking to being on the bike next week. Wish me luck.
I have been reading Bike Snob NYC everyday lately. I admire someone who can write everyday, well... what I admire is the ability to come up with an idea everyday and do a creative job of writing about it. The thinking and the writing are not so difficult; doing both at the same time is the trick. Take a look at the blog, it's fun.
Supposed to rain tonight. I have been thinking a lot about water lately. I was interviewed by L.P., of Cal State East Bay, last week. She is working on a study that examines what the public's perception is of the term "Green". She is looking into what people think is the definition of: "to be green", and what it means when companies tout their "green-ness". She is looking at this from a cultural and human anthropological point of view. There was an interview and a questionnaire that covered what I thought about all of this. I am pretty opinionated about this topic, not sure I want to get into it here. But the crux of it is: if EVERYONE (individuals and companies too) took a little personal responsibility for their actions and did a little bit to help the environment, everyday, huge strides will have been taken to take care of the earth.
Back to water. We have a front and back yard that makes use of Xeriscape, drought resistant planting using California Native Plants and other low water techniques. We have a drip irrigation system on timers. In our meadow of plants I have been trying to figure out if enough or too little water is being used. The meadows are 2 years old this month. It would be nice to keep turning down the amount of time/water being used, but I have a hard time evaluating the health of plants that I am still getting to know. Another thing on a long "to do" list.
I am looking to being on the bike next week. Wish me luck.
September 25, 2008
Cycling To Work
It's been about a month since the Atala was put back together. The shoes and pedals are working out fine. I have been riding 2 days a week to work. Getting the legs loosened up again. 6.5 miles in 20 to 21 minutes. I'll feel like I accomplished something once I get 1000 miles in the saddle. Temps have been anywhere from 50 in the morning to 90+ degrees in the afternoon. I have become an ace at finding shade at stoplights, which is not that hard since I ride North in the morning and South in the evening, so I am shaded by street side trees a lot of the way.
One problem with this whole deal is that I am way more hungry now. Gotta start getting in more miles to offset the food intake.
I'll see if I can get my butt in gear and put some photos online.
One problem with this whole deal is that I am way more hungry now. Gotta start getting in more miles to offset the food intake.
I'll see if I can get my butt in gear and put some photos online.
September 17, 2008
Radiator Recycle
We saved a radiator from the landfill. The Nissan had been running hot and we figured we could wait till spring to do the needed repairs. Well, it has been running hot while driving around town, so, to save the engine from having a premature meltdown we decided we had to get it fixed. For a number of years we have been taking our vehicles to A&A Auto on 3rd Street in San Jose. Dave is an awesome mechanic and will figure out what really needs to be done, and then do only the work necessary to fix a problem.
He took out the radiator, sent it to a radiator shop - can you believe there is still one operating - they tested, cleaned and restored the radiator. Dave reinstalled it and the whole shebang was half the cost of what the dealer wanted to do.
Repair, reuse, recycle...
He took out the radiator, sent it to a radiator shop - can you believe there is still one operating - they tested, cleaned and restored the radiator. Dave reinstalled it and the whole shebang was half the cost of what the dealer wanted to do.
Repair, reuse, recycle...
August 27, 2008
Re-cycle Pedals
So I am thinking about riding again. Only one problem, my 15 year old Time shoes sorta bit the dust on the last ride. I rolled out of the garage, clipped in, pulled up, and tore the sole off of one shoe.
This opened a whole can of worms...
The simple task of getting new shoes and getting them to work with old pedals. Simple, right!?
Why I like to buy locally. Here are a few reasons I like to support local small businesses.
Often times you cannot find what you need locally.
Often times you cannot get decent service/info locally (i.e: Fry's).
Often times the price is dramatically less than buying local.
In the case of my shoes, I could easily have found what I needed online, but I wanted to try the shoes on. I didn't want to go into a bike store, use up their time, try on a bunch of shoes, then leave and buy them online. Not fair.
Now to the recycling part of this post.
I had a bunch of good cycling "stuff" laying around. I didn't want to toss this stuff. I wanted to use it. I didn't want to consume. I wanted to find a solution to my problem using what I already had on hand. This was as much a money issue as a consumption issue.
I am going to ride home from work today. Wish me luck.
This opened a whole can of worms...
- Now I need a new pair of cycling shoes, if I want to ride with something beside sneakers.
- Decent cycling shoes cost a lot.
- I have 2 sets of Time pedals, circa 1990, on two bikes. I would like to still use them if possible.
- My current Time cleats are old school, I will need an adapter plate for any new non-Time shoes I buy.
- No local bike shop carries the adapter plate.
- I am interested in spinning classes. Spin bike pedals only take SPD or Look cleats. No Time allowed...
- I do not want to spend any money.
- I have 2 sets of MTB SPD pedals I bought on sale in 1992 for the tandem, but were never installed. I'll use these!
- Research and shop for new shoes online.
- Go to various bike shops, get lousy, or no service. Contrary to my "buy local" mindset.
- Realize no-one really has a good selection of shoes. Can't find the ones I researched/chose in stock anywhere.
- Volunteer for the LiveStrong Challenge in San Jose and receive a 20% off coupon for SportsBasement. I like this store, so I go there.
- Find shoes I like, Sidi Genius something-or-other.
- Finally find time to put the pedals on the bike, and the cleats on the shoes.
- Install SPD pedals, no problem, kinda heavy though. Do I really want these on my light road bike? Tell myself once again I can't spend money on new pedals.
- Install one cleat on one shoe, tighten cleat to shoe, rip threads off of one mounting screw!
- Take it apart to find out that the screw is too short, only 2 threads screw into the mounting plate.
- I go to Home Depot and get six longer screws. Actually find the right metric size and style.
- I figure that I also messed up the in-sole mounting plate, so I'll just pull it out, and replace it with the one that came with the pedals.
- Discover that I have to cut apart the in-sole to get to the plate. There is a scored template to use. I cut it open, and take out old plate.
- I try to put in the new plate and discover that the pedal plate is old, the shoes are new, so the plate doesn't fit.
- Go back to using the original plate that I think I messed up. I flip it around to use 2 fresh holes.
- Screw everything together.
- Put on shoes.
- Get on bike.
- Clip into pedals.
- Start to go for a test ride.
- Pedals slide all over, cleats are twisting on the pedals.
- Argghh!
- Tighten everything, and they still slide.
- Discover road shoes and MTB SPD's don't mix.
- Start over.
- Un-install SPD pedals.
- Un-install SPD cleats.
- Install Shimano Pedals.
- Install Look cleats.
- Tighten everything up.
- Put on shoes, get on bike, clip into pedals. Go for a test ride down the street and back.
- Pedals, cleats and shoes work.
- I need to adjust the angle of cleats, and the release tension on the pedals, but otherwise I think I am set!
The simple task of getting new shoes and getting them to work with old pedals. Simple, right!?
Why I like to buy locally. Here are a few reasons I like to support local small businesses.
- I own a small business.
- I like/need the personal service and advice.
- I want small businesses to survive.
- Often times items are not that much more expensive than online shopping, what with tax and shipping added.
- I don't like the idea of paying a use tax. If you don't know what this is, well, all I can say is be prepared to hear more and more about it in the near future.
- I like/need to see/feel the fit and finish of some things.
- I like being able to go back to the store to ask for advice, to get service, to make an exchange or return.
Often times you cannot find what you need locally.
Often times you cannot get decent service/info locally (i.e: Fry's).
Often times the price is dramatically less than buying local.
In the case of my shoes, I could easily have found what I needed online, but I wanted to try the shoes on. I didn't want to go into a bike store, use up their time, try on a bunch of shoes, then leave and buy them online. Not fair.
Now to the recycling part of this post.
I had a bunch of good cycling "stuff" laying around. I didn't want to toss this stuff. I wanted to use it. I didn't want to consume. I wanted to find a solution to my problem using what I already had on hand. This was as much a money issue as a consumption issue.
I am going to ride home from work today. Wish me luck.
August 19, 2008
Recycle
We traveled by car to West Yellowstone (W.Y.), and back, recently. Took the 30mpg gallon car instead of the 17mpg truck. Maybe a bad choice since our A/C went out going over Donner summit. After 2 garages (Truckee and West Yellowstone) telling us they couldn't find anything wrong with the car, Nissan San Jose was finally able to get the car to act up. Needs a new radiator, they think. Summer is almost over and we don't have $800. I guess we'll wait till spring to do the repair.
What's this have to do with recycling? Well, either of those garages could have sold us something we didn't need. After all, we were from out of town, and probably wouldn't complain once we were down the highway. Two good things, these guys were really nice (and honest), and we kept working auto parts out of the dump. At least when we replace the radiator we live in an area where it will be recycled.
Which brings me to the rest of the Country, at least the part we drove through. It was surprising to me how little recycling was going on in so many of the places we stopped. Everywhere from a rest area at Battle Mountain NV, to Yellowstone Park itself. In Campbell it is easy to recycle, there is weekly curbside pick-up of a mixed materials bin. For a majority of our trip we were lucky if we found a plastics/aluminum bin for drink containers. The town of W.Y. even had its recycling center shut down because it was overflowing and they couldn't control the scavenging bears. So instead of having someplace to drop off your stuff, you had to throw it away. There were just no other options. And the Park... you would think that if Yosemite was able to have bear proof bins everywhere, for a variety of materials, then Yellowstone could do the same. But no, we only infrequently saw a bin, and then only for plastic/aluminum.
So let's try to get everyone on board the recycle train, even just a little bit. The little extra effort put out by individuals, and maybe an office building or two, will help more than forcing everyone in California to switch to CFL's.
What's this have to do with recycling? Well, either of those garages could have sold us something we didn't need. After all, we were from out of town, and probably wouldn't complain once we were down the highway. Two good things, these guys were really nice (and honest), and we kept working auto parts out of the dump. At least when we replace the radiator we live in an area where it will be recycled.
Which brings me to the rest of the Country, at least the part we drove through. It was surprising to me how little recycling was going on in so many of the places we stopped. Everywhere from a rest area at Battle Mountain NV, to Yellowstone Park itself. In Campbell it is easy to recycle, there is weekly curbside pick-up of a mixed materials bin. For a majority of our trip we were lucky if we found a plastics/aluminum bin for drink containers. The town of W.Y. even had its recycling center shut down because it was overflowing and they couldn't control the scavenging bears. So instead of having someplace to drop off your stuff, you had to throw it away. There were just no other options. And the Park... you would think that if Yosemite was able to have bear proof bins everywhere, for a variety of materials, then Yellowstone could do the same. But no, we only infrequently saw a bin, and then only for plastic/aluminum.
So let's try to get everyone on board the recycle train, even just a little bit. The little extra effort put out by individuals, and maybe an office building or two, will help more than forcing everyone in California to switch to CFL's.
July 28, 2008
huh?
Maybe you're wondering what the heck this page is doing here, besides nothing. well at some point I thought it might be nice to share some of my favorite places to visit, share some photography and share some things you might not know about me. Probably the only thing you've learned is that my blog (blob?) is pretty far down on my list of priorities. It might move higher if I lose one of my big clients next month.
There is already enough discussion on the web about motorcycling, cycling, photography, family, parenting, conservation, and politics. So I guess all that's left is to talk about how a conservative can be green. Sound like a contradiction? It's not. I have some interesting things to share about being green. Mostly, how does someone weigh the choices. Believe me, there are a lot of decisions waiting to be made out there, and most of them won't be easy.
Stay tuned. I'll try to update more than once a year.
There is already enough discussion on the web about motorcycling, cycling, photography, family, parenting, conservation, and politics. So I guess all that's left is to talk about how a conservative can be green. Sound like a contradiction? It's not. I have some interesting things to share about being green. Mostly, how does someone weigh the choices. Believe me, there are a lot of decisions waiting to be made out there, and most of them won't be easy.
Stay tuned. I'll try to update more than once a year.
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