Too much to ask

I am at a clinic over the next couple days and I always want it to be different and it never is, there's always someone who makes these things unbearable.  By unbearable, I mean slows the whole clinic down with stories and repeated questions that are either not relevant, or have already been answered.  I am not saying that questions should not be asked, but I wish some people had a better sense of what can be answered immediately and what might wait till a break, or even a follow up email.

I remember waaaay back in college we used to make fun of the non-traditional students (i.e. old people) and the way they always asked multiple questions and slowed class down.  Now that I fit in that category, I am aware that I am not as sharp in some aspects as the younger folk, and also that I am not going to be the one to cause them to tune out.  I saw it today, about half the class zoning out and almost becoming unruly due to the instructor answering a question a 3rd time.  

That being said, this training looks like it will be extremely informative and I am glad to already have taken away some good techniques and helpful hints.  This is reassuring as I have another 1 & 1/2 days to try to deal civilly with annoying people.  I really don't think it is too much to ask for people to be aware of their surroundings.  On second thought, I better wait to ask that question when it doesn't impinge on other's time.

Fixed what didn't know was broken

no coasting anymore

I have a good friend that has been riding fixed gear off road for a couple years.  I have been curious and last week decided to give it a go.  It is amazing!  My first ride was last Saturday and it was like riding a new bike.  I am pretty sure I was riding obstacles faster than with my freewheel.  There definitely is something liberating about not thinking about pedaling, knowing that there is no choice.  It doesn't matter where your crank arm is, it is always going to be moving forward.  There is a tiny amount of control, but pretty much if that rock is big enough to hit that arm, it's going to hit it.

We went out this morning and rode a different course that doesn't have as many technical sections and boy did I pay for it.  I knew I was geared too low, but I ran out of time to change things up.  It appears I should change gears depending on what course we ride.  I also switched back to a rigid fork which definitely changes the ride.  Kind of old school in a way and I think I can really dig this reverting back to old school riding.  We have an off road weekend planned in early October and it may be a difficult choice on what type of bike I take.  Maybe I will have to make space to take more than one.

Really never saw this before

otherwise boring fence

Spring is very promising.  One of the wonderful, twisted delights of spring is finishing work before the sun goes down.  Riding home this evening, I meandered my way home and came across this scene which I have ridden by countless times.  I really don't know that it was anything but my project of taking in my surroundings that made me stop and look harder at this fence.  I just love the way the shadows streak across the snow.  Another few days and this will not be near so dramatic.  We are at the last days of the deep snow pack.  I guess I should enjoy it while I can.

Snow and all the fixins

Not as snowy as I thought it would be

 We received a bit of snow around here.  Hopefully the last of the big snows for the season.  Usually around the first of March, spring fever starts to hit hard around the cities.  We see an increase in customers at the shop, and with the sun starting to kick out a bit more heat and staying around longer, it's hard to not be excited about longer bike rides and less clothing while doing so.  Unfortunately, we still have to deal with snow and cold wet weather for another month or so.  It can become a bit depressing.

I ride over train tracks almost every day

Door latch mechanism new spring installed

I had the day off today and with a house that is 100 years old, some stuff tends to wear out and need fixin.  I have a couple of inside doors that have been less than perfect for a while.  Today, I could take it no longer.  I took the first one apart and found a coil spring had broken, causing the latch to hang up and keeping it from travelling completely into the catch.  A slight alteration to a retractable pen spring and door #1 was back in operation.  On door#2 I wasn't planning on digging into the mechanism but upon further inspection I found a linear spring had broken (fixed easily enough with a piece of rack brace).  I may have started a bad trend as both doorknobs now work fantastic being cleaned out and having some Phil Wood grease on the moving parts.

Ice

We have some hellacious icicles growing off our roof. With a house that is celebrating it's 100th birthday this year, it isn't completely unexpected. I move quickly underneath them whenever I have to walk around the side of the house (pretty much every day to get my bike out and in). I started looking at other icicles around the neighborhood and when I am riding around town, and I have concluded that our icicles really aren't that bad. And there are some nifty things that happen to water as it freezes.

This pic is from the bike shop behind the building. We have some random cable running down one of the gutters and it has frozen all the way top down. It's about 30 ft total height. Tough to visualize through this camera lens, but interesting to my eye.

A Different Month

winter commuter at Como Park

I took the day off today to recover from celebrating my 40th birthday.  I had to stop by work for a short spell and the ride home was much more delightful than I had anticipated.  The sun is as high in the sky as it is in mid October which is one of the most pleasant months to ride around the twin cities.  It sure made all the difference today, with temps hovering in the mid teens, but I was able to ride with gloves that normally I wouldn't use unless it was 25 degrees warmer.  

I also decided I would try a new concept to go along with the new month of 30 days of biking.  I stepped up the date and am starting my 30 days of biking a month early and along with that, I am trying 30 days of photographs.  The idea is to be out, on my bicycle and make sure to take the time to really look at my surroundings.  

I will have no themes or restrictions when heading out.  I am sure there will be a fair amount of bicycles and bicycle related images that will emerge, but I am hoping that by doing this, I will open my eyes to a little bit more of my environment.  To capture different scenes and garner inspiration, I will have to ride different places.  This has always been one of my weaknesses, falling into habits of riding routes, which I am trying to change.  

True change should be deliberate.