Happy Earth Day
West Hill Shop
When I lived in Putney, Vermont the West Hill Shop was my local bike shop, hangout, volunteer sales job, and generally fun place to be. I just started to get to know the owner’s and mechanics quite well before I chased my bride to the big city of Burlington. Jim and Diny are some of the warmest folks I met (as the new guy in a town of 2600 +/-). The local racer boys were always friendly and helpful and the shop had a talent for attracting and keeping ace mechanics. The video they’ve posted to their home page brings back some fond memories…
We’re planning on using the shop as one of our 2 hour ‘sleep’ stops on the Flèche. I’m really looking forward to passing through my old riding territory and being able to catch up and hug some friends (for at least a few sleep deprived minutes!)
Spring Dirt 1.1
Jim brought the camera out this weekend. These are a few of my favorites snitched from his photostream.
Spring Dirt
Spring ride with lots of dirt – a mental boost and a gear shakedown for next weekend’s 200k. We rolled out of town from our usual start along Mountain View and the always fantastic ’seasonal’ Governor Chittenden Road. Lots of gravel and a roaring brook. On to Richmond via a closed and muddy Kenyon Road – 10% or more in grade, skinny 28’s slipping in the muck when I would stand up. Seated climbing, rear over the rear. Great views to Camel’s Hump. Down into town on the wrong side of the closed bridge, follow the river past Cochran’s and to Jonesville and then up, up, up Stage Rd. (optional as Bolton Notch was gnarly and gravelly). Flying along the highland flats to Brown’s Trace and a stop @ the Village Cup. Busy Rt. 15 then on to Tower Rd. and into Colchester on Lost Nation, Curve Hill, and others. Loop out to the bay and home. Just about 58 miles, with some great climbing and scenery. The group (4 out of 5 Flèche teammates) worked well together – each of us pacing ourselves on the steep stuff and working together into the wind pulling on the flatter terrain.
What Fits?
What fits into an overstuffed Acorn Boxy Rando Bag?
Plenty. The half loaf of bread went into the Acorn Medium Saddlebag with my tool kit. The Shower’s Pass Elite 2.0 was strapped to the outside. The front bag was pretty unstable as I’m still riding without a proper decaleur – need to remedy that in the near future. Still able to ride no handed down our drive at speed. Lots of wheel flop when rolling the bike into the garage – but that is to be expected at slow or no speed.
Mt. Philo
The little one and I hiked Mt. Philo today. Trail on the way up, road on the way down. Its a steep climb – steeper with 30 pounds of Ava and kid carrier on the back. Rounding the bend on the top to head down a single speed mountain biker was just clearing the top of the road. Disc brakes and a low gear… and a faint ‘Hello’. The road must top out at 18% +. There are places to get a bit of rest… but its work on a bike. About halfway down he bombed by us through a switchback, knobbies humming on the pavement.
Honjo / Planet Bike Fender Hack
I’ve been working on mudflaps for my rando rig on and off for the past two years, never really coming up with anything I liked, or that was durable. The stair tread / scrap rubber version works well enough – but on narrow fenders the rubber doesn’t quite conform to any particular shape – and it tends to flop around a bit adding some fender rattle to peaceful noise of rolling down the road. The Surly is fit with Planet Bike Cascadia fenders – and as I was studying the Surly for ideas I discovered Planet Bike sells replacement mud flaps. My Honjo fenders are the narrow version, 35mm width – so I ordered up a pair of the Cascadia Road Mudflaps. $5.00 + shipping (I added a Superflash Stealth to my order) and it included the snap locks for mounting… about as expensive as the rubber tread I bought!
They couldn’t possibly fit… could they?
Like a glove. I need to drill mounting holes for the quick snaps or a removable bolt – and I need to get a test of them on a wet road. The Cascadias mount up a bit short on front coverage – but with the extra length of the Honjos I should get great coverage!
Reflection
Smartphone, checking email after a quick breakfast this morning. Nice recovery spin. Out to the bay and back around the Intervale. Up through Riverside and a tour along the lake. Cold, but the sun is rising earlier each morning. Blue sky, wind, and purple orange mountains across the lake. Wednesday I need to rise earlier. More miles on quiet roads, perhaps early enough for a sunrise view to Mt. Mansfield.
Spirited
Spirited 36 mile ride with the boys this morning. Snow flakes and cold cold wind. New rain gear proved good at shedding the wind – we’ll see how it does when it gets wet – but so far the Shower’s Pass Elite 2.0 is a winner. The design for venting on the new jacket is fantastic – I stayed dry on the inside despite working hard to keep up with the boys on some climbing, and dry after a few long pulls on the front into the cold wind. Coffee at Viva and then I rolled another 10 to hang with the in-laws and family for Easter early dinner. Spent some quality time with the little one reading from the nephew’s vast collection of books and snuggling with an array of cozy warm stuffed animals (a few of them larger than daddy!).
Streetview
Google Streetview has covered some of our fair city. I discovered this completely by chance today when I clicked a link to a map of a local business I was trying to find. I saw some bikes… so I started wandering around in virtual Burlington – when I came across one of my riding / rando / dirt road / Flèche teammates.
Not far from this image, but heading in the other direction is a local rider I’ve seen all over town – fixed gear, big messenger bag, bell, rolled up jeans with road shoes, and a u-lock. He apparently got in front of the GoogleMobile and was followed down Pearl and up Elmwood.