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Very nice! That clay looks slick.
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It was VERY slippery!
The picture of the sapling that surfed onto the trail was taken on the return, the freshly broken branch opened the path a little. On the outbound leg I had to onto the turf, sodden, soggy, slippery slop. I didn't want to stop, I didn't stop, but I managed to steadily trundled through. Twil limped along with her "footstick" and brought back a muddy shoe. But only the shoe, no mud baths were taken by anyone.
I will also say that I left the tires muddy and when I was riding home from work on Monday, I looked down and saw a big fat tire at the bottom!! Oh no! I'm getting a flat tire! But no, it was just more sidewall I was seeing than usual, highlighted by the mudwalls.
Good ride, cold, pretty, glad to be back on the trail again.
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Here's a video by a woman who's sponsored by REI. She has recorded her first bikepacking trip. Her choice of trails? The Olympic Discovery Trail, Pathway to the Pacific. We have traveled all of the ground she covers, though we've taken more time and more trips to do what she does in three days. Some of the shots in her video are also captured in my posts here on the cellar.
The video shows off our favorite trail to very flattering effect. I hope you enjoy this nice view of our beautiful trail.
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I ride a Schwinn!
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It's been very cold this week, I've ridden every day, even the ones where it was rainy and 34 to 39 degrees F all day.
Fuck that's cold. My fingers are like ice. When it *is* ice outside, or snow, I think I'll be driving.
I keep telling myself, if it's cold, I'll drive. Then, if it's cold and wet, I'll drive, then, if it's two out of three, cold wet or windy, I'll drive. The worst part is, it can be nice (and dark) when I roll out at 0525, but coming home, I get what I get. It'll be lighter, but the weather a few times has been considerably shittier. Ugh.
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OUCH!!!
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this looks familiar....
hmmmmm
huuummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
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Just an update, I'm still riding to work. It's cold and wet and windy and snowy. So far, no combination has dissuaded me from saddling up and pedaling down the road.
I have been making changes to my riding costume, the latest of which is very welcome. I have a pair of gaiters, tall ones, from Oregon Research that I've used while hiking. Now I use them to keep rain and splashes out of my low cut slip-on Merrills, the shoes I wear in the office. They work WONDERFULLY! Bonus, they're excellent windbreaks for my lower legs as well. I just love them even more than I used to, which was a lot already.
Twil got me some weatherproof gloves from Showers Pass and it's time to incorporate them too.
The weather's been really cold, still snow on the ground now, in patches, was snowing last night. Today, FIFTY DEGREES. Flood warnings. And it's raining, of course.
Anyhow, stepping out the door is an act of will, but once I'm down the block it's very satisfying.
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Is there nothing that will keep you from peddling your ass around town.
I saw these reflectors that slip on bicycle spokes to increase visibility in low light.
There we some pictures that made me wonder if it would make a difference if they were evenly spaced or odd groups.
I suppose at speed it wouldn't matter much but going slow the irregular spacing might be more noticeable.
Damifino?
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BigV wrote:
It's FULLY dark when I depart the house for work in the morning. So tonight I applied two packs of reflective stickers to the bike. I found an interesting contrast between a couple of dramatically different colored lights. Here's what it looks like. I hope it's a attention getting to someone in a car watching what their headlights illuminate.
I've installed those stickers. I tried to make some pattern, but the point is to make them see something to take their eyes off the road. I can't easily see them perpendicular to my direction of travel, but they're EXTREMELY REFLECTIVE.
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Years ago a friend's father's neighbor was retired from 3-M and got a catalog once a year for employees and retirees where they could but 3-M products cheap. They weren't seconds either but quality stuff in the same packaging you'd get in the store. Everything 3-M made that wasn't labeled "industrial use only" could be had. I hit him up for a bunch of stuff including the sheets of reflective material in a bunch of colors. Some of the colors you'd hardly notice in the daylight but directed artificial light from a headlight or flashlight would light 'em up. Quality stuff.
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Hey everybody.
I have bad news.
This past Friday, my friend and riding buddy, John S, was killed while riding his bike to work.
His ride was seven miles longer than mine, but his route took him past my driveway and we rode together from there. He was my friend, he encouraged me, challenged me, rode with me. I feel horrible. The news story in the local paper said a driver crossed onto the shoulder and struck him, then fled the scene. The driver was found and arrested later in the day.
Twil's concern for me has been elevated, my concern has been elevated and my confidence reduced.
John was a very experienced rider, he showed me the odometer on his current bike one day--seven thousand miles. He gave me great tips when we rode, he was a beast on the uphills. "Keep the ripp'ms up, Ed!". I miss him, I think about him a lot, all the way on my ride. Fuckin cars.
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Not good I'm very sorry.
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I'm so sorry V. Be alert out there.
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It sounds like a texting situation. Between that and actual back actors trying to hit bikes, I stick with the dirt these days. I enjoyed commuting so much when I did it, I just wish we could have nice things. Tesla could help us out here.
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that's a terrible thing and I'm sorry to hear it
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I'm so sorry V. Sound like there was basically nothing for him to do. Which isn't reassuring. It's better when there are lessons to be learned. I've seen so much bad driving. People suck.
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griff wrote:
I'm so sorry V. Be alert out there.
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It sounds like a texting situation. Between that and actual back actors trying to hit bikes, I stick with the dirt these days. I enjoyed commuting so much when I did it, I just wish we could have nice things. Tesla could help us out here.
Texting and driving is dangerous and illegal, for sure. No evidence of that precipitating this avoidable tragedy (not an accident). The driver was found within the hour smoking heroin in the vehicle that killed John.
Kitsap Sun wrote:
Two witnesses driving in separate vehicles on the 8000 block of Central Valley Road at about 12:48 p.m., near Fairview Middle School, told investigators they observed a Jeep Cherokee drive on to the shoulder and pass another vehicle, striking Skubic, and then continue driving.
As a deputy canvassed the area, he found a Jeep Cherokee matching the description parked at an apartment complex at 317 Fairgrounds Road with “fresh” damage to the front end.
Inside he found Moore and a woman.
“They were in the process of smoking heroin by using foil and a lighter,” according to court documents. At the time Moore, who is the registered owner of the vehicle, was seated in the passenger seat, the deputy wrote.
I'm at a loss for words.
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heavy news, that's hard to accept
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One of the thousands of tragedies people cause every day... I sure am glad it'll never happen to me or anyone I know, everyone says until it does.
On a lighter note.