How it started, and where it is taking me ...

[Paul A]

Tawpie might be a girl...

[Scottie]

Thanks, grammer clarified!

[OldFartRides]

I started this interview yesterday !

[Tawpie]

Well... where it is taking me.

I have been a pure recreational rider thus far, out in the woods, exploring the bike trails, fooling around in the neighborhood. Nowhere to go, nowhere to be. But the re-opening of the day job office coupled with a broken bridge that makes the commute (return) 40 minutes longer and the price of gasoline have come together to make me seriously consider commuting to work. I don't want to do this because I've found that when something that was fun becomes part of work, the fun part is too easy to lose. Plus it's 25 miles each way, and our weather here is not Southern California... it's frequently cold and dreary and damp and windy and dark. Non-automotive commuters tend to be spandex clad with an attitude. Automotive commuters are oblivious.

So I did a test run over the weekend—home to the office and back on the 16X. 52 miles at 67% faster than I average, almost twice as fast as EUCWorld reports for "other riders" on all wheels and all geographies. I'm not a fan of speed, I could have gone faster but I'm not comfortable and the reason I ride is to de-stress, not add stress. I spent 3 hours and 43 minutes getting there and back... faster than the bus but still twice what it takes in the car.

Yesterday, I made the run for real. Discovered that school kids use the trails to walk to/from school so slowing down for them added 15 minutes, I'll need to adjust my afternoon departure time. I cheated and took public transit part way to test that option... cut 7 miles but with the school kids problem the out-and-back commute time stayed right at 3:45.

They were nice rides, but they were decidedly different than my usual outing. I'm not sure I like it enough to justify the added time and I don't want to lose riding as a pleasurable activity. When I was a kid we swam competitively and I found that I lost the ability to "play" in a pool... having that happen to riding would be very sad for me.

I guess really need to retire so I can take 'work' out of the equation. It's the only solution. Sadly, I still lack adequately generous income streams and that dang Nigerian prince still hasn't wired me the money he promised. Does anyone have a better contact method for that prince? I need to followup and see what's causing the delay.

[Paul A]

Maybe be a freelance writer for newspapers.

Would be very entertaining lifestyle columnist.

[Mike Sacristan]

16 hours ago, Tawpie said:

 

So I did a test run over the weekend—home to the office and back on the 16X. 52 miles at 67% faster than I average, almost twice as fast as EUCWorld reports for "other riders" on all wheels and all geographies. I'm not a fan of speed, I could have gone faster but I'm not comfortable and the reason I ride is to de-stress, not add stress. I spent 3 hours and 43 minutes getting there and back... faster than the bus but still twice what it takes in the car.

 

That is a long commute. It would either become fun or become torture. Most likely torture with a constant "are we there yet" feeling.

I used to commute to Lazyrolling. It was a little over 10km. There were 5 variations on the route I could take. Some with more cars and some with more cyclists. No matter how I tried I couldn't achieve an average of 30kmh. Even riding 60kmh on some sections on the Nik and EXN. Riding from A to B for time is messy and going faster only saves us a few minutes. Eventually I started going slower and taking detours and stops instead. To me there was no difference if the ride took 30 minutes or one hour. But there is definitely a difference if the ride is 40km / 25 miles. I would set 2 hours as the cruise time to 2 hours each way for some extra fiddly diddly time and try it for two weeks and then see how I feel about it. 

 

[techyiam]

17 hours ago, Tawpie said:

I spent 3 hours and 43 minutes getting there and back... faster than the bus but still twice what it takes in the

In Seattle, do the police ticket euc riders for riding in traffic? If not, do you feel comfortable enough to take the main roads on something like a Sherman Max, or in the future on one of the suspension wheels whenever they get released?

[Tawpie]

5 hours ago, techyiam said:

In Seattle, do the police ticket euc riders for riding in traffic? If not, do you feel comfortable enough to take the main roads on something like a Sherman Max, or in the future on one of the suspension wheels whenever they get released?

Actually, as long as the speed limit on the road is under 35 mph, we're legal in the street. It's different in the states... in some countries it's illegal unless specifically allowed but here things are the other way around. If it's not specifically covered by legislation, it's "fine" and our state regulations stop at 2000 W/20 mph. Under that, there are rules that specifically allow certain uses and over that and they could get you for something—but they'd have to think about it. Improper use of a crosswalk I think got one rider a ticket.

Technically, we're not legal on the bike paths or in the bike lanes but the law doesn't care. Seattle is a place where years before marijuana was legalized the voters instructed SPD to make (non-distribution) pot violations their absolute lowest possible enforcement priority. They'd have to ticket you for jaywalking before they could bother you for smoking a joint.

I try to stay far away from cars even though our city speed limit is 25 mph. The nightmare scenario is falling for some reason—I ride with so much gear I look like a marshmallow so I might break something but a fall really shouldn't kill me. But I see myself surviving the fall only to be run over by a car. The other thing about cars around here is our drivers are not very good about sharing the road.

There was some bad blood developed long ago during the bike messenger era—bikes deliberately created traffic jams during rush hour in a place where we already have some of the worst traffic in the country (critical mass protests), plus many drivers don't appreciate losing lanes to arrogant we're-better-than-you asshats. Our infrastructure is improving, but at a cost of something like 5 million USD/mile of added bike lane (counting the painted ones). One driver that's having a bad day and decides to put me in my place would be one driver too much, so I'm not comfortable in the street.

Edited March 31, 2022 by Tawpie

[Tawpie]

6 hours ago, Mike Sacristan said:

I would set 2 hours as the cruise time to 2 hours each way for some extra fiddly diddly time and try it for two weeks and then see how I feel about it. 

That's the right plan I think. Still though, I need to get hold of that prince fella...

[OldFartRides]

I had an interesting outing this morning….let me tell you about it. 
 My Samurai died about a week ago. Near as I’ve been able to suss out, it’s the electronic ignition module. That part is not available it seems, so I have a used distributor coming in the mail. Was supposed to be here today, but it’s been bouncing around the hubs and whatnot. Early this AM it was in Baltimore. The dgf asked for scones from the coffee shop yesterday so it was my mission this AM to bother the nice people at the PO about the possibility of picking up said part today before closing and picking up scones. I sat down in a comfy chair with a hot cup of “chaos” to have a quick look at the local rag before returning with scones ( muffins - the scones had pineapple in them which the dgf is allergic to !).

 A fellow whom I recognize but did not know came in and sat down for a bagel at a table near me. We said hello to each other. I  happened to be glancing at the obits and asked him if he knew the deceased by chance. He said “ you’ll have to remind me who she is - I have Alzheimer’s”. This was the beginning of a lengthy convo, the first I have ever had with a person afflicted with that malady.  He’s only five years older (68) than me and is receiving an experimental treatment and generally coping as best he can while also ticking as many things off the bucket list as he can. It also happens that we had a good friend in common ( deceased). Someone else came in and sat down with him. I got up to get the scones and head home. 
 It’s funny how things happen sometimes. He had mentioned seeing me riding at the town park while he was walking his dog. He mentioned that he lived in the house next to the trail where it crosses the road near the railroad tracks. I had remarked about having been to the previous owners moving sale. Small talk. As I was gearing up to go, I noticed his phone and hat at the table he had been sitting at. I looked outside to see if his vintage Camaro was still parked there ( bucket list item). It was not.

 The owner of the coffee shop had the number of the guy’s wife. I had a new mission. And a destination. I rode out to his house, delivered the phone and hat and went on to the restaurant by the golf course where I had left one of my elbow guards yesterday after my tour around the cart paths. I had absentmindedly set it down and left it when I paid for my coffee !

The end.

[Tawpie]

Sometimes this hobby...

Every chance we get, we run away from home to the drier side of the mountains just to get out of the city and into the woods. Been doing that for oh, 35 years? Bought land out here before the new century turned and eventually built a place. I had pretty much tromped all over the area around the 'cabin' and I think I know it fairly well.

So after work this evening I'm out on the 16X to see how far into the mountains the snow has melted out and got to a spot where I knew there was a MTB trail... it looked like somebody had wrecked the trail with branches and sticks so I wandered over to take a look. It was a 'repaired' dozer line from the fire efforts last summer, but the trail was still there and undamaged. I only knew it as a section of a few hundred yards, so hopped on it because it joined another dirt road I wanted to check for melting out. When it rejoined the dirt road, I realized that in fact the trail crossed the road—I'd never noticed the other side in maybe a hundred trips up and down the dirt road. Gotta go check that out too, right?

Golly gee whiz, would you look at this. An easy/light intermediate trail that runs for at least a couple of miles? With a network of other trails criss crossing it? How in the world did this escape me for all these years? At any rate, it's going to be a fabulous place to get the legs in trail shape. Just enough rocks, a few small trees to hop over (and one huge one to trolley around). Probably a half dozen offshoots to explore. And that section along the side of the mountain. Absolutely nobody around but close enough to civilization that I can be rescued in under a week if things go very very badly. This is about as perfect as I can imagine for getting ready for summer.

Anyway, the 'local' playground suddenly got way more interesting. I'm still agog that I had never seen the trail on the other side of the road. What else have I zoomed by?

Edited April 8, 2022 by Tawpie

[Scottie]

2 hours ago, Tawpie said:

How in the world did this escape me for all these years?

Do you mean the pre-wheel years? Then it's easy ... no wheel to dart to and fro, which enables checking things out. If you mean during the wheel years, then maybe you were just too preoccupied having fun.

2 hours ago, Tawpie said:

What else have I zoomed by?

Whatever it might be ... I am awaiting a full report.

[OldFartRides]

Today is one of those spring days where we have squalls coming off the Great Lakes, so it’s ten minutes of bright sunshine then ten minutes of heavy snow. So I went tooling around town - coffee shop, coffee delivery ( to my niece), the nephew’s oil change place, the lunch counter, up the hill to the town overlook, back down  on a mock slalom run, etc…

Took a book w/ me and did a bit of reading between sessions. Great way to fritter half a day away.

Been riding the v11 more than the s18. Seems to be less prone to the wobbles. 

[Hellkitten]

@OldFartRides now that you’ve had some time on both, what are your thoughts? 

[OldFartRides]

S18 has the looks IMHO. After putting much time and effort into tweaking the suspension, I think I like the mono shock setup a little better.

V11 is probably the better wheel all around. Haven’t taken it apart yet tho, so I can’t say on that score.

I like both. Still like the 16s for what it is as well ( compact, lighter).

Best,

[OldFartRides]

My buddy who is an ace machinist and fabricator couldn’t handle retirement, so he set up a shop and began manufacturing custom helicopter carts (he’s also a heli guy - did five ground- up resto’s over the years !).

He sold one in south Florida so we made a quick trip this week to deliver it. I take the 16s along when I go with him. At the hotel Wednesday night two guys were drinking and smoking by the pool and wanted to know what I was riding. They both wanted to try it. The pool fence was perfect- smooth top rail bout five feet high. They both did good and the one guy was sold. Said “Oh I will own one of these”. 
 
We saw some awesome big boy toys at the airport. This one was worth the long ride to see :

 

[.....]

On 3/28/2022 at 2:02 AM, Paul A said:

Tawpie might be a girl...

13 minutes ago, OldFartRides said:

My buddy who is an ace machinist and fabricator couldn’t handle retirement, so he set up a shop and began manufacturing custom helicopter carts (he’s also a heli guy - did five ground- up resto’s over the years !).

He sold one in south Florida so we made a quick trip this week to deliver it. I take the 16s along when I go with him. At the hotel Wednesday night two guys were drinking and smoking by the pool and wanted to know what I was riding. They both wanted to try it. The pool fence was perfect- smooth top rail bout five feet high. They both did good and the one guy was sold. Said “Oh I will own one of these”. 
 
We saw some awesome big boy toys at the airport. This one was worth the long ride to see :

 

Boys grow up and the toys get more expensive... good stuff!

[Paul A]

The Mustang P-51 with the Rolls Royce Merlins engine, in mint condition.

Would make a good commuter. 

[Tawpie]

1 hour ago, Paul A said:

Would make a good commuter.

torque sucks, brakes marginal, no suspension, no trolley handle. and it needs knobbys.

[Scottie]

@OldFartRides did you guys arrive in that Porsche in the background under the P51 engine?

4 hours ago, OldFartRides said:

I take the 16s along when I go with him.

Yep. Gotta' have a wheel to "look around the corner".

[Paul A]

Hold my beer...

Jana Tenambergen: "There's also a 24 hour world record in unicycle riding.  I'd like to go for that one too."

 

One Of The Fastest Persons On A Unicycle - World Record Holder Jana Tenambergen

31,275 views

Apr 7, 2021

DW Euromaxx

212K subscribers

 

[OldFartRides]

Scotty- No, the (two) Porches were part of the collection. The guy who exercises mr. Bigs toys also restores antique planes.

Ive got more pics, but I don’t have a off site pic sharing account.

Here’s the Bell 47 :

 

 

[Scottie]

An Old Bum

One of my coworkers drew a special retirement card for me. She must have surfed a lot of YouTube to get a sense of it. I think she captured the feeling pretty well!

Now I have to get out there and try to live up to the image.

[OldFartRides]

Was wearing my chauffeur’s hat yesterday. Dropped the dgf off at PIT then headed downtown for a roll around in the big smoke. Drove to the top of a six story garage park, geared up and rode the corkscrew down to street level. Took a ped ramp under a busy street down to the river front and rode to the Point and did a lap around the fountain. Noticed two young fellers on bikes kitted out for the GAP trail and asked if they were starting, or finishing. They were just starting the 200+ mi. trip to DC, so I tagged along till we crossed the Mon. and it started to rain. I ducked in a restaurant, had an n.a. tumeric and ginger tonic and a spicy deep fried cauliflower appetizer. It was sunny again when I headed back across the river. I tooled around amongst the city folk, gawking up at the tall buildings when I was in larger spaces. I happened on to what is now the Benedum  Center for Performing Arts, formerly known as the Stanley Theatre. It was there that I attended my first Grateful Dead show around forty years ago. Good, but fuzzy memories !  I paid my parking and was going to ride back up, but the guard insisted that I take the elevator up - “ No riding in garage !”. Being the rebel that I am, I took the elevator to the second story, got out, and rode on up. 
 Only having a vague notion of how to get out of the city, I started driving and accidentally ended up in the “ Strip District”, which incidentally has not a single strip joint. I parked on the street, figured out the newfangled parking computer and wandered up and down like the tourist that I was. Bought a coffee at a coffee and cigar shop. Bought some good biscotti at a biscotti shop. Got some tofu pad Thai to go, and headed home. 
 I went east instead of south, then drove the back roads from Connelsville, taking a couple of short rides on the GAP.

All in all, a nice day trip.

[Paul A]

Pittsburgh PA, in the Appalachians, must be so cold. 

Right up near the Great Lakes and the windy city.

Spicy deep fried cauliflower, sounds really good.

Great stories OFR.