New York August NYC Meet-Up 2021

[Calzone]

Cal, I'm amazed you got that letter so fast !

I really think you should get a subscription to "Four Wheeler". They are always fixing up something and print a list of suppliers at the end of each article. Might save you time in running down suppliers.

A question for you: Is Nippon Camera good with Nikon F2 ? My black F2 needs to be looked at-there is a wire loose or shorted some place. It won't work with a meter and I've checked the terminals that supply power to the meters and I have no voltage there. I'd like to get this thing up and working fully.

MFM

MFM,

It seems that Nikon F2’s are their specialty. I have had many a F2 serviced there when I had a F2 fetish. They also gave me a breakdown about the continued improvements and subtle differences that happened over the years or the decade that the F2 was produced.

I had F2’s that had slotted screws. It seems the later F2’s had a better shutter brake and are likely the best. In a ways kinda like how the later Leica M3’s are most coveted. Anyways I happen to love my old early dual stroke with a glass backing plate and back door retainer.

Did you know that Nippon is the Factory Authorized service center for Linhof? I had a Baby Tech IV overhauled there that I bought for no money. I bought this camera for no money with the 100/2.8 Zeus’s Planar. It also came loaded with accessories.

The seller was very clear that the 100/2.8 had some lens separation. I sent it to John at Focal Point to have it repaired, but was explained that if in the boiling process to separate the failing Balsom the lens could shatter, and if it did I still would owe John the full fee of the repair. So pretty much this was a gamble or similar to winning the lottery.

In a Calzone manner I won’t the lottery with the 100/2.8. I think it cost $250.00 or $175.00 to repair the lens separation.

Soon after I got the Planar repaired John at Focal Point retired. I was likely one of his last clients, and I came in just under the wire. How lucky was that? “Divine intervention,” I say.

The Baby Tech IV was in minty condition, but the rangefinder was off. The back had a small dent from an impact that was EZ-PZ to use a vise to flatten to the extent that I only know that the camera was damaged. I ended up paying about $700.00 to have the Linhof overhauled.

Devil Christian says that this camera and my Baby Tech V are like museum pieces. The Baby Tech V is highly unusual and a prototype with no serial number. It has a cam cut for only a Rodenstock 95/2.8, the camera lacks movements to the extent that it is basically a very compact lightweight folding camera.

I have GAS for a Rodenstock 95/2.8. At this point it is a rare lens. Passed an opportunity on a used scratched one, but ask Devil Christian, I’m kinda fussy.

Somehow I managed to buy a Zeiss 53/4.5 wide. I managed to find a cam, so I was able to retain the original cam in OEM form. Of course the camera will not fold, but the cam for the 53mm Zeiss highly likely is also cut for the Zeiss 100/2.8 planar.

The Baby Tech V is a true “Monster” with the 53/4.5. Small camera for a Linhof, but a huge and heavy lens. My idea was to have a normal/wide kit so I could shoot Linhofs like I shoot Leicas. About a 15 pound kit. Now that I have the C10 perhaps that shot of the 8x10 with the truck becomes within the realm of possibilities.

I would have to cut the corners on the lens board of the 100/2.8 to fit the Planar to the Tech V. This would be great because the Prototype would be lighter and smaller than any Linhof I know except for Devil Christian’s Linhof 220 that has mucho you suck factor.

Devil Christian basically bought the Linhof 220 for no money and got it to back in operation. The rangefinder was broken and then he fixed the film advance.

At this point the 95/2.8 Rodenstock might never happen, but the Planar on the Tech V is mucho attractive as a small medium format camera.

BTW Nippon is not cheap. It was and is a Pro shop.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

The 1966 Chevy C10 is now parked in the garage. Pretty tight fit. Have less than a foot to spare. This gives me peace of mind that I’m protecting my investment. I want the truck to remain an UBER clean “Rat-Rod” with wonderful faded/weathered OEM paint that is 56 years old.

To me this was a big accomplishment. The garage was a big mess.

Didn’t have to remove any mirrors or bumpers. Had to cut up two one ton “Man-Bags” of scrap lumber. One is unpainted so that it is basically firewood with nails, the other is painted wood that I have to package for a bulk collection date which is June 22d. I’ll need to box up the lumber to protect the garbage men.

Had to move some stuff to the basement, ladders, garden tools, stored plywood and Sheetrock.

I looked into the 292 cubic inch I-6 as a replacement engine for when the 250 Ci I-6 needs replacement as an upgrade. No replacement for displacement they say. Pretty EZ-PZ to change to a larger engine. The intake manifold amend fuel injection, as well as the HEI electronic ignition can be recycled. Not sure if the cast iron headers can be recycled

Paint is really transforming the kitchen. The paint is a light green, and somehow the bright yellow custom cabinets seem less loud (bright).

Some last minute details had to be worked out on the counters. Sink will be mounted underneath, and the corners will be rounded and not pointy. Our fixtures and draw and cabinet pulls will be oiled bronze.

Yesterday a vintage console (Side Board) was delivered that will be a future coffee bar.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

I just registered for the 25th Annual Bike Festival for this Sunday at Blue Mountain Preserve. I’ll be meeting up with Ignacio and some of his crew. For $20.00 I get to participate and I get a T-shirt (small).

How cool is that this event is about 2 1/2 blocks from my house.

Did a short ride down 9A to where it intersects with Route 9. Rolling hills that are kinda tough on a single speed with 63.59 gear inches.

The idea with a single speed is that the hills require strength and are not easy.

I found out the cast iron headers are for the 250 and 292, so all my resto-mod hardware can be used on the bigger I-6. How cool is it that all can be recycled. Getting use to the 3-on-a-tree will be fresh. 1st gear is not syncro’ed.

Anyways I loved the 258 I-6 that came in my 84 Jeep Scrambler. Redline was about 3K, only 100 HP, but it had 220 foot pounds of torque.

I’m kinda relieved that the C10 is in the garage. It is not registered yet, and one of my neighbors is known for calling the building department, the city, and the police. Had a license plate on the vehicle, but it was not legit.

Although a tight it I now see that I can still add 2x6 studs and insulate the garage. The truck will still fit.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Central Park is 843 acres, Blue Mountain Preserve, about 2 1/2 blocks from my house, is 1500 acres. Plus Peekskill’s Depew Park, 200 acres butts up against Blue Mountain Preserve.

Blue Mountain is pretty much wilderness, undeveloped, and under utilized; and if that is not enough just across the Bear Mountain Bridge (The original “Bridge To Nowhere”) lays Bear Mountain State Park which butts against Harrison State Park.

I have deer eating my Hostas by the garage. I have taken note that the deer left alone the Hostas that are planted mixed with some Iris’s. This bed of Hostas and Iris’s is overgrown, but not with weeds. The bed is overgrown with mature Hostas that are crowded, that need to be divided and replanted. Also the Iris’s have migrated into cracks in the sidewalk.

Our plan is to use the all-green Hostas to fill the circular bed by the Japanese Red Maple in the fall. We have enough to fill the bed. Then there is some rather tall flowering plant that “Maggie’s” brother, a pro landscaper, recommended that if you “dead-head” the flowers it will continue to bloom.

The variate Hostas will get divided and replanted with the Iris’s to spread and fill the garage bed again.

Looking forward to seeing our friend Ignacio. Been a few years since I saw him, Pre-Covid. I love my Ti IBIS as a single speed. Kinda evil, unique, and built for agility, climbing, and rapid acceleration. I think it provides the best workout because it works me harder, especially challenging are the hills. Pretty much I guess I have learned to love interval training, strength training, and climbing out of the saddle.

I am not aerobically fit and I rely on strength to carry the day. Best to be strong and fit, but good cardio takes lots of constant effort every day, and lots of long slow distance.

5’10” and perhaps under 140 pounds, my advantage is strength to weight. I am a skinny bitch. BTW I eat good, I work hard (something with the house every day), and I sleep well.

Had to prune the Roda-DEN-Drums. They were getting feral looking with all these new long shoots. I have a patch of Milkweed to encourage feeding of Monarch X butterflies in the back back. The knotweed has grown tall again after a pulling just a few weeks ago.

Last might I retrieved some more clean fill. A wind storm broke a large branch off an old maple tree. I used my garden cart to move the logs and cut branches to my back-backyard as clean fill.

Out of all the white oak acorns I had so many seedlings, but he squirrels destroyed almost all of them.I only have one tree left. I kinda say one tree, but really it is two seedlings from one acorn. I guess pretty much “Twins” where two trees sprouted from one acorn. I did not know this could happen, and to observe this discovery of course is beautiful and profound. Basically I have “Twin-Oaks.”

How rare is that?

I have the Twin-Oaks in an 8 gallon container. They were very slow to sprout, and perhaps this is the reason why they survived. I moved the pot to close to the house where animals are more shy. I think I will eventually plant it on the slope on my property near the dead end. This would offer a sunny exposure that is open which would promote a broad tree growth for a oversized canopy that also would promote a tree that makes mucho acorns.

If genetic (twins) then from a single tree I would establish an oak forest. Environmentally a great thing for biodiversity. Also great for a barrier for Knotweed because of the shade it would create. Another bonus is the strong root system that would prevent erosion.

Currently on the dead end I have a grove of small maple trees I transplanted that are saplings, plus I have many seedlings growing in a feral manner from my mulching all over the place. Bonus are three potted maples that are approaching three feet.

In the fall I will round up all the leaves that are blown by my neighbors against the fence that borders state land just half a block away. I will surely exploit this resource for clean fill that eventually becomes mulch.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Spent the day pulling Knotweed. About 2 1/2-3 weeks ago was the last weeding. It grows fast, and some new growth exceeded 4 feet. Another way to say is that I pulled out the stalk and in about 3 weeks it grew back 3-4 feet.

This is a monster plant, but it is getting weaker. Easier to pull out, and more often a long tap root comes up with the bamboo like stalk. The idea here is to have the plant expend lots of its stored energy in the root to grow big enough to flower in late August to early September.

I found that 3-4 feet is the sweet spot for pulling. This seems to expend the most of the plant’s energy, and also favors the root coming out with the stalk. I figure that at the end of June will be another round, and I might get another three rounds in over the rest of the summer.

This is a war, and pretty much I’m winning because I’m stubborn. It can take up to 5 years to irradiate a patch of Knotweed. My patch is about 40x40 feet. The “table” only has small growth because I excavated and pulled out roots as thick as my muscular but skinny arms, and pick axed rye-zones as large as sewer caps.

The Marsh Grass is moving up my hill and is filling in where there once was all Knotweed. One consequence is that Chipmonks squirrels, deer, and other animals are visiting and establishing their territory in my back-backyard.

The kitchen and powder room are now painted, and the floor guy comes tomorrow. When the floor is dry/cured, it will get covered and the new appliances can be delivered. I suspect the trim, final electric will happen quickly, but now the hold up is the quartz counter tops. The template was measured yesterday, and it takes about two weeks for them to make the cutout for the sink.

So far we have been without a kitchen for about 12 weeks.

The garage now has two vehicles occupying the space, so I have a good 30 inch GE refrigerator and a 4 burner Frigidaire convection gas stove to get rid of. I don’t want to put it in the basement because I don’t want to deal with it being in the way.

I’m thinking of putting a “Free” sign on it and parking them on the corner of my dead end.

I have enough of Maggie’s stuff that she is trying to downsize. I don’t need more problems.

Soon I have to pick up Maggie from the train station. It is very odd not to see the truck in the driveway.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

“Don’t tell Maggie,” but I think I want to add a 4x12 cedar shed with sliding doors alongside the driveway. The Canadian maker is the same where I bought the pergola and it comes as a panalized kit. Knowing Maggie she would want it painted. Generally extra work for Poor Calvin is standard procedure and the policy.

The lazy-slacker in me says nothing wrong with sun bleached cedar, except painting will make it last longer. I would upgrade to a metal roof.

So in this daydream the long skinny shed with centered double barn doors that open 60 inches would require taking down a 25 foot white pine. The rear of the shed would face the driveway. The two sliding doors have windows that would face the table-cliff that leads to the frog ghetto marsh.

I like this location because it maintains the back-backyard lawns, the fantastic view, and fits perfectly where I don’t have to fence in the side of the driveway to coral the grand kids. Knowing Maggie though and “woman-factor” I’ll likely still have to buy and erect the cedar fence along the driveway anyways. Of course that will have to get painted, and this would encourage painting and more work for poor Calvin.

Call old Calvin a Hill-Billy and a Lazy-Slacker, but in the end Maggie’s way looks neat, tidy, and pleasing.

So to evade property tax increase I would not construct the shed on a concrete slab, I would build a bed of gravel and elevate the shed on blocks so it would be technically movable and considered “temporary” according to building codes.

The rich say, “No one ever got rich by paying taxes.”

Last night I set up a deal with my neighbor to unload the free refrigerator. It is small only 30 inches wide, and is a no frills plain white GE that would make a great beer fridge to keep in a basement. Now I just have to unload the stove with the convection oven.

I want to get to reroofing the garage. This is something I can do myself. I have to do a tare-off, and I want to apply 5/8 inch plywood, not OSB, to beef up the roof and isolate the existing original tongue and groove from the replacement roof.

The idea here is to have closed cell spray foam insulation (higher “R” value than open cell) as a discrete system from the roofing just in case the sheathing in the future needs to be replaced.

I can see how the garage will or eventually will become a studio/workspace eventually. Anyways I want the option, and there is no reason why I can’t proceed to add 2x6 walls or have the garage insulated in the meantime as an upgrade. Pretty much all good and part of a bigger plan…

Who knows if I ever decide to do a body off chassis restoration on the C10. It surely is a candidate, but this is yet another daydream that might happen or might not…

Anyways seems like my dreams come true somehow. I’m lucky that way, and pretty much I’m known for being “crazy-good.”

Cal

 

[Calzone]

I’m a good salesman. So instead of a 4x12 shed I have to settle for a 4x8 due to woman factor. I kinda get the cedar shed that I need that has double doors and a metal roof that will tuck under the eves of the garage. Good thing is that my garage doors are 8x8 so I have an extra foot of height to the sills.

Good thing I speak Spanish. I really needed it today because the two workers for the floor refinishing did not speak hardly any English. Two hard working guys who got coated with saw dust. The floor is stained a golden oak color because “Maggie” wants the kitchen floor to be slightly darker than the hall and dining room which are just natural.

Luckily the stove fit into the powder room and the fridge fit through the narrow doorway into the hallway.

Meanwhile I had to move the mucho heavy raised garden bed over that was constructed of 4x6’s. The way I built it was to never come apart, and it was screwed together with huge lag bolts that I set into the wood so they were flush and unremovable. Then I secured the 4 corners with rebar.

Had to jack up the assembly to remove the rebar, then moving the assemble that weighed more than me was the challenge. I figure the equiv of six 4x6’s that are pressure treated have to weigh more than 140 pounds. Remember I’m a 5’10” welterweight.

Meanwhile Maggie walked to the downtown to write in a coffee shop. We had a good talk this morning about the modeling gig. She is a bit crazed and overwhelmed because of the book contract, the house, the birth of our grandson, and the obligation of taking care of a baby for its first 4 months.

So where does modeling and traveling around the world come in? I pretty much don’t see how it fits in at all. I’m suppose to be retired and living my golden years. I have this Saturday to get a mountain bike ready for the Blue Mountain Bike Fest. Anyways modeling could be a cool experience, but only if it is not stressful.

Maggie did not figure all this out and has felt pressured. She has mixed feelings as I do, so I say how about delaying the start until January, after the baby care is done, and the completed book is submitted. In other words let’s stay human and not attempt to be a superhero.

Another point I had to make was making each other happy. If modeling makes us unhappy then let’s not do it. Mucho simple, but I don’t have a complicated mind or a PhD. My friends say I can be worse than a woman when I have one of my hussy fits, but alas I am not a woman.

Anyways as a public figure she has to please an audience, but I told her why not just be cool and please yourself? We don’t need the money, we have meaning in our lives, why do I need public approval, or why do I need a huge audience that I need to please.

So all this gets mucho crazy and has been going on for a while.

So Maggie I think understands why she is muddled, and will call our agent before we do the official signing. Just got a measurement form to fill out for clothes and shoe sizes. Weight, height, chest and waste measurements. Many accommodations like special food or allergies. A zoom call is suppose to be scheduled next week to meet the team.

”I was just minding my own business,” I say…

BTW the kitchen floor I rescued (quarter sawn heart pine) looks really good stained golden oak. The floor is more distressed than the other floors, but that is okay. Still a trophy for my stubbornness.


Cal

 

[Calzone]

Looks like Sunday, the day of the Mountain Bike Fest at Blue Mountain, it has a high probability of raining. Anyways my conciliation prize will be a T-shirt. Oh-well.

My new adventure I think will be replacing the garage hip roof. Pretty much I have done roofs before and the roof has no steep pitch.

I also want to order that 4x8 cedar shed. Could ship within a week. Less of a shortage now than when we ordered the pergola. Don’t tell the building department but “Maggie” gets her 12 foot cedar Art Deco fence. In Peekskill we have a grand old lumber yard that has really great stuff. They even have machinery to plane and mill lumber.

I basically get a lot done because I feed myself small projects and can concentrate on a goal. That’s until I have to help or rescue Maggie who kinda does not work alone. In a way she does what I call “virtual-work” which is basically talking about work instead of doing it. I find it amusing that a woman with a PhD would rather think about work rather than do it, and then uses the collective “we” when the job gets done.

Anyways another reason why I’m reluctant to start any business with her. LOL. I might as well just do what I want and be happy or happier. One great excuse for not helping me is that she is so busy.

There is a local paint shop that gives my contractor a pretty big paint discount. So now I know I can always just mention her name and get the paint discount. This is like my student discount at Dugal where I once was a student and now still receive the benefit, even though I’m no longer a student on my color development and when I shoot slides.

Also I avoid the cheaper paint at Home Cheapo. I buy premium Benjamin Moore that ends up being less expensive than Behr branded paint at Home Cheapo. “I love it.”

So on my 40x200 (double building plot) I’m building out a compound of sorts. The pergola extends the front backyard, a small space into an extension of the kitchen and dining room, sheltered on one side and boxed in by my two car garage with hip roof. It even has a small side lawn, and the Boxwoods one day will be a hedge for privacy even though there is a dead end.

The back backyard is basically two lawns separated by a walkway, a section I call “the table” which is feral and ungroomed, “the slope” which is mucho mulch, “the landing” a 6-7 foot raised strip that has an embankment that steps down into the marsh that I call the “frog-ghetto.”

Of course I preserved the view of the marsh grass, the hillside on the opposite side of the marsh, and the forest.

Maggie wants me to have a tree guy take down the white pine that encroaches on our driveway. I could take down the tree myself with just a bow saw and my Friskar nippers. The tree is only about 23-25 feet tall and the trunk is not so thick. I already have the rope required to pull the tree in the direction I need. “Don’t tell Maggie.”

Kinda funny and amusing how Maggie believes she is a great manager.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

I bought 6 square feet of reclaimed heart pine flooring form a company that specializes in reclaiming wood. Cost was $230.00. I wanted it on hand for patching holes where the sink once was, otherwise there would be three holes.

If I do the math for enough square footage to do an 11x14 kitchen the cost of just the flooring would be north of $5k. Then there would be labor… Pretty much this recycled rescued floor saved me lots of money, and because it is the original floor from 1912 there is lots of value added, especially since the entire first floor is all quarter sawn heart pine, except the powder room which was an addition.

When they demo’ed the bathroom I took note that there was some tongue and groove planking that had the same dimensions as my kitchen flooring, and I asked the carpenter to save some of that lumber for me.

Today I found that the wood I reclaimed from the bath demo is in fact is the same batch of heart pine, and it matches the kitchen floor perfectly.

How cool is that?

I set up the Ti Basso as a rigid mountain bike with an XTR 1x11 11-42T with 2.35 Rocket Ron tires for a somewhat fat tire bike. The vintage chrome Koshi fork has a 2 inch rake making the wheelbase slightly longer at 42 inches, and the fat ire’s raise the bottom bracket height to 12 inches. Overall the setup is long and tall, but very stable. Not twitchy like an IBIS.

I’m very happy with the bike. It is very dated and retro with all these obsolete trick components from back in the day. The handling back then was relaxed, and this frame was never intended for suspension. It is what it is.

I have a vintage set of wheels that are much lighter and narrower than these bladed Magic UST wheels that I will use to create an urban “Newsboy” with taller gears. The newsboy is best served as a rigid also.

Happy-happy.

Cal

 

[Phil_F_NM]

You have deer in your yard. Watch out for ticks. I have an acquaintance whose life has been completely upended for almost 30 years due to Lyme disease. Many trips to the hospital, a bunch of long-term stays in medical rehabilitation, a period of near-failure of some of her organs, severe rheumatological symptoms. She's now considered 100% permanently disabled because of a tick bite she got when she was a teenager.

Phil Forrest

 

[Calzone]

You have deer in your yard. Watch out for ticks. I have an acquaintance whose life has been completely upended for almost 30 years due to Lyme disease. Many trips to the hospital, a bunch of long-term stays in medical rehabilitation, a period of near-failure of some of her organs, severe rheumatological symptoms. She's now considered 100% permanently disabled because of a tick bite she got when she was a teenager.

Phil Forrest

Phil,

Lyme Disease can really mess up your immune system. I know a biker who got very sick and also never really fully recovered.

When I’m pulling Knotweed I wear heavy rubber high boots to cover much of my legs. Also found a tick on me (Deer Tick) and it was just being on the lawn in the back-backyard. I have been very cautious.

Thanks for the reminder.

Interesting that the Ti Basso as a rigid has become an interesting bike. Kinda like the C10 truck in that it is in its original form from back in the day. This early Ti bike was never designed for a suspension and as a rigid it is a much better bike. It has slow and stable handling due to a long wheelbase and slack angle that are from back in the day. What is so cool is that it is just the opposite of my IBIS’s that are short, twitchy, and a bit unstable.

Anyways perhaps it took the purchase of the C10 to reveal and make me understand why the original bike was and still is a great bike. In a ways it is like a resto-mod in that it has modern wheels that are Mavic bladed spokes, UST, and made for tubeless with somewhat fat tires (2.35).

This Ti rigid makes a fine 1x11 mountain bike, and also an interesting “Newsboy” with skinnier tires and taller gearing for urban riding.

At this point in my life it is just important to get time in the saddle.

Hagerty’s says a 1966 C10 that is reliable as a every day driver is worth $20K. I can drop my $7K-$8K for all my resto mods (fuel injection, new intake, cast headers, HEI ignition, valve job, new tires, 4 wheel disc brakes) and still be ahead. Kinda crazy how the C10 is a commodity and a store of wealth.

Because of the OEM condition it would be a hard vehicle to replace because of its condition.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Looks like the possibility of rain is diminished but still likely or possible. We might just skate through until the late afternoon. Hopefully I get to partake in my first Blue Mountain Bike Fest.

Cal

 

[Canyongazer]

Phil, Cal,
Lyme disease sounds beyond awful.
In Texas we lived amongst mule deer for eleven years in Palo Duro Canyon followed by twelve years surrounded by whitetails in Hill Country.
For some reason I associated Lyme with the NE in general, Connecticut in particular. Never gave deer ticks a thought, nor did neighbors AFAIK.
However, today Mr. Google tells us there have been a few cases in TX but east of Austin and down toward Houston.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

I've gone full throwback as of late.
I was biking with Bethanne the other day and mentioned that I was thinking of coming up with my own "stages of development" which would roughly parallel Erik Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development. right now I'm in the generativity vs. despair stage, which is one of the last several in the lifespan. Anyway, it's taken thirty years, but I've come around to basically owning the things which I started out with. My bike is a 1983 Univega Alpina Uno that I've turned into a kind of ultimate touring bike. This is very close to the old mid-80s Diamond Back which I had back in the late 80s into the early 90s. Of course, I was a kid and I wanted lighter, faster. I went through a few bikes until I employee purchased a 1996 Specialized Stumpjumper M2 S-Works with Judy SX carbon fork. I outfitted that bike with every high-zoot CNCs piece of anodized aluminum that I could find. It was the bike which I took to most of the places I have been in the Navy, with the exception of Kuwait and Iraq. I rode that bike in every port except Pusan, Korea, it was just too cold there. After the Navy, I had my bike shop jobs and collected a few bikes, some very high-end vintage road bikes and built them into lightweight racing machines. I trained and raced on those as well as a couple cyclocross bikes until getting doored in late 2009 which ended my racing career.
Since then, I've had a few bikes but these days I'm more interested in slower speeds and longer distances. I also have stenosis in my cervical spine, which is not uncommon for cyclists, it turns out. I have to ride in a more upright position because of the neck problem, if I don't I lose feeling in my hands after about a half hour of riding. So now I have a 1982 Miyata 610 with a high-rise Nitto Technomic stem that allows me to ride in a more comfortable position. I also have a 1956 Rudge Sports which is an British 3-speed and one of the ultimate bikes for riding. It is that Rudge which led me to find the 1983 Univega. The frame geometry of the Rudge is perfect for me, so I was looking for something modern to match it. The very old-school, first generation of mountain bikes actually used the slack and stable geometry of the British bikes, so it was a perfect place to start.
I built it out with XT top-mount thumb-shifters, very early XT cantilever brakes (wide profile), XT triple crankset, XT front and rear derailleurs. The only control or drive part not Shimano is the set of brake levers which are Suntour XC Pros. (Now I have a few groups of mixed Shimano and Suntour parts that are calling me like a siren to build another bike...)
Anyway, what I'm getting at with this long, drawn-out schpeel, is that I'm back to a slightly upgraded version of that old 80s Diamond Back that I started with.
Same goes for camera gear, even though I still have a collection which is too big. I started photography seriously with a Pentax ME Super and a 50mm lens. Now I love shooting with a Pentax MX with 50mm f/1.4 lens.
This all goes back to that theory of mine that later in life, some folks want to capture some part of their youth during which the things they had were enough and they made good photos with those cameras and had the bicycle that just worked great for them.

Phil Forrest

 

[Calzone]

I've gone full throwback as of late.
I was biking with Bethanne the other day and mentioned that I was thinking of coming up with my own "stages of development" which would roughly parallel Erik Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development. right now I'm in the generativity vs. despair stage, which is one of the last several in the lifespan. Anyway, it's taken thirty years, but I've come around to basically owning the things which I started out with. My bike is a 1983 Univega Alpina Uno that I've turned into a kind of ultimate touring bike. This is very close to the old mid-80s Diamond Back which I had back in the late 80s into the early 90s. Of course, I was a kid and I wanted lighter, faster. I went through a few bikes until I employee purchased a 1996 Specialized Stumpjumper M2 S-Works with Judy SX carbon fork. I outfitted that bike with every high-zoot CNCs piece of anodized aluminum that I could find. It was the bike which I took to most of the places I have been in the Navy, with the exception of Kuwait and Iraq. I rode that bike in every port except Pusan, Korea, it was just too cold there. After the Navy, I had my bike shop jobs and collected a few bikes, some very high-end vintage road bikes and built them into lightweight racing machines. I trained and raced on those as well as a couple cyclocross bikes until getting doored in late 2009 which ended my racing career.
Since then, I've had a few bikes but these days I'm more interested in slower speeds and longer distances. I also have stenosis in my cervical spine, which is not uncommon for cyclists, it turns out. I have to ride in a more upright position because of the neck problem, if I don't I lose feeling in my hands after about a half hour of riding. So now I have a 1982 Miyata 610 with a high-rise Nitto Technomic stem that allows me to ride in a more comfortable position. I also have a 1956 Rudge Sports which is an British 3-speed and one of the ultimate bikes for riding. It is that Rudge which led me to find the 1983 Univega. The frame geometry of the Rudge is perfect for me, so I was looking for something modern to match it. The very old-school, first generation of mountain bikes actually used the slack and stable geometry of the British bikes, so it was a perfect place to start.
I built it out with XT top-mount thumb-shifters, very early XT cantilever brakes (wide profile), XT triple crankset, XT front and rear derailleurs. The only control or drive part not Shimano is the set of brake levers which are Suntour XC Pros. (Now I have a few groups of mixed Shimano and Suntour parts that are calling me like a siren to build another bike...)
Anyway, what I'm getting at with this long, drawn-out schpeel, is that I'm back to a slightly upgraded version of that old 80s Diamond Back that I started with.
Same goes for camera gear, even though I still have a collection which is too big. I started photography seriously with a Pentax ME Super and a 50mm lens. Now I love shooting with a Pentax MX with 50mm f/1.4 lens.
This all goes back to that theory of mine that later in life, some folks want to capture some part of their youth during which the things they had were enough and they made good photos with those cameras and had the bicycle that just worked great for them.

Phil Forrest

Phil,

I can understand the sentiment and comfort of objects that seem to be fetishes.

At the bike fest the old school Ti Basso set up as a rigid drew lots of attention. People had to ask if it was titanium because it is understated even though it is a shinny polished titanium that only very early Ti bikes had. Bead blasting proved to be less labor intensive and easier to mass produce.

I might be a bit of a weight weenie, but all those guys with 30 pound full suspension bikes loved the light weight of the Basso (rebranded Litespeed). I too used all tricked out lightweight parts. I figure about 22 pounds with Magic UST CrossMax wheels and 2.35 Schwable Rocket Rons. I’m running 1x11 XTR 11-speed with your recommended XT cassette.

On a group ride I hung onto the rear. The full suspension bikes led the way, but I hung with them on the climbs, even though my tires were only 2.35’s and skinnier than their big 29’er wide tires. It was on the downhills where I had to use the brakes extensively because the rigid caught too much air that offered little control.

On the trail we crossed paths with some young riders, and a comment was made that riding a rigid in Blue Mountain is kinda tough. I feel a bit proud that I held my own. Come to think of it I save no other full rigid at the Bike Fest. I’m really loving the Ti Basso as a rigid. The relaxed geometry is comfortable, and the long wheelbase promotes stability. I think I dialed in the tire pressure for my sub 141 pound weight: 25 PSI rear; 23-24 PSI front.

This guy did a Trials exhibition. He was both crazy and good. His bike though was a “Mod” with no seat. He displayed great balance, strength, and skill. His favorite move though was rear wheel standing and hopping. I think his best trick was the gentle graceful landing from the roof of a cargo trailer. I find it interesting that many great riders seem to be skinny bitches like me that are precisely 5’10”.

I have a set of Suntour XC Pro Microdrive cranks for your second bike if you need them, I think I also have a Microdrive XC Pro rear deraillieur. Let me know if you want them.

I met some more of our friend Ignacio’s crew. I also made some new friends. I met a dude named Eric who is known for being a good Trials rider and also for riding a high wheeler. Eric wore a Jersey from my friend AJ’s shop in Croton on the Hudson. Evidently AJ back in the day was in the top 5 in the NORBA Nationals. When I asked Ignacio if he knew AJ, he said no, but he heard of him.

Anyways, AJ not only was a Pro Downhiller, but is also a great Trials rider.

I had a good day.

Cal

POST SCRIPT: Pretty much I think I’ve outgrown the temptation to go “gonzo” that I think a full suspension promotes. I’m more into riding to stay fit. The Ti Basso it seems not only is old school, but also an old man’s bike that is slow and relaxed. In a way it also seems to be hard core.

Anyways with the lower tire pressure, that somehow I’m able to get away with due to my low weight, riding this bike is kinda fun. I don’t see how a bigger or larger man being able to do this.

 

[Calzone]

Phil, Cal,
Lyme disease sounds beyond awful.
In Texas we lived amongst mule deer for eleven years in Palo Duro Canyon followed by twelve years surrounded by whitetails in Hill Country.
For some reason I associated Lyme with the NE in general, Connecticut in particular. Never gave deer ticks a thought, nor did neighbors AFAIK.
However, today Mr. Google tells us there have been a few cases in TX but east of Austin and down toward Houston.

CG,

It can be debilitating. Some people’s bodies don’t respond to the mega doses of antibiotics. The immune system can get rather tricky.

I also believe over prescription and over use of antibiotics can compound things because antibiotic use can effect your immune system to the point where it gets compromised.

In my friend’s case the antibiotic prescribed did not work, and the Lyme Disease worsened. Luckily a stronger different antibiotic worked for him eventually, but he was sick for about a year. Chris was a serious Cat 2 road racer. He lost a lot of his strength and edge. He never regained what he lost.

I have had ticks on me. Back in the day I shaved my legs to help being vigilant. I might do that again.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

BTW I also won a $25.00 gift card at Yorktown Cycles in the Raffle.

Ignacio won a water bottle and cage in the raffle.

The big prize though was a very cool bike frame for a specialty jump bike.

I forgot that they had a bike skill obstacle course that included a jump ramp, a see-saw, and a elevated narrow bikeway 6 inches wide.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

So I guess it is a bit crazy to ride a retro rigid at Blue Mountain, perhaps mucho crazy, but don’t tell Calzone that. Also I am looking a bit bony with the lean build of perhaps a muscular 15 year old. I kinda like the look, but if I were a fish many women might throw me back into the ocean and try to catch a bigger fish.

Today the new kitchen floor will get a protective covering and the process of trimming things in will begin.

I have to arrange for the appliances to be delivered.

I have to pull some Knotweed in the dead end that grew about 3-4 feet in two weeks. This monster invasive plant stores mucho energy in its roots, and the smallest piece can regenerate. It grows like Cancer, but it is getting weaker. It takes regular planned attacks to win. The idea is to fool the plant into expending and waste its energy to attempt to reproduce.

Many economists are now saying that a recession will be needed to reset the economy and to tame inflation. This too is like a Cancer treatment. With Cancer chemo almost kills the patient to kill the Cancer. Also radiation is used to kill tumors, but this has to be controlled and localized to avoid “collateral damage.”

I strongly believe in “regression to the mean.” I also believe that regulations tend to fail and have all kinds of unintended consequences.

Our friend Jorge posted a link from an anylist, and my takeaway from the article is that we need to support a self sufficiency to preserve cash/preserve wealth.

I think buying the Chevy C10 was like buying a hard asset. The price I paid was low enough that I know I readily could get my money back. Also buy doing my list of resto-mods for an update for safety, reliability, and efficiency that also I could still get my money back. Hagerties says a 1966 C10 that is a reliable every day driver is worth about $20K. If this is true I can make a handsome profit, but then again where would I find another clean, original truck that is in such OEM condition that is 56 years old?

The same with the remodeling of the house. The price got inflated $100K in a year and a half, and this does not include the improvements that now make the Baby-Victorian “a cute house” with a huge yard. When we bought it it broadcast that it needed updating and lots of time and money to undue neglect. I have mucho-mucho sweat equity in this property.

Last night I saw a car pull into our dead end, a woman got out, and walked towards our front-backyard. I asked from my dining room window, “Can I help you?”

Pretty much the woman lives down the one way in and one way out where it is a series of “Camps” on common land, a commune of sorts that is part of the southern neighboring town called Buchanan which is part of Cortlandt township which surrounds the City of Peekskill. In a ways Cortlandt is the suburbs of Peekskill.

The woman could see our pergola and “Maggie’s Garden” that basically Calvin built. So in my Calzone manner I was just minding my own business, yet I created a Spec-TIC-AL and made inadvertantly a local tourist attraction.

So the point here is don’t waste your ammo (cash) and spend it wisely to preserve wealth. Know that in an economic slowdown that prices will moderate and come down to the point where bargains and opportunities will abound. With higher interest rates credit will tighten and debt will have to moderate and unwind. The idea here will be be the ability to buy assets cheap, so it would be great to be sitting on piles of cash. Lots of “smart money” is sitting on cash…

Spend your money wisely…

Calvin

 

[Calzone]

New trim and moldings being installed. Got rid of likely lead paint on the old moldings. My plan is to get rid of all the possible lead paint because of the grand kids.

Con Ed will be coming tomorrow to install a gas detector alarm, and more molding and trim.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

I am pleased with the kitchen. It is period correct with its large oversized wood moldings that will be stained in the Craftsman style, but it will be a modern kitchen. This will be the first time that the kitchen has a dishwasher.

Yesterday I called about the appliances being delivered, and the vagueness made me a bit crazy and aggressive, so I called the GC who was going to “Pit-Bull” the vender to get an answer. My worries were that the appliances were not on hand and like the compressor for the mini-split would be a waiting game. Delivery will be some time next week.

So this kitchen is both retro and modern. The appliances are Bert-A-Zone-E finished in stainless steel. They say the dishwasher is silent when running. But know that the stove is a small 30 incher and the fridge is also a small 30 incher.

The previous kitchen had an awkward layout that also had no counter space. The sink was relocated, a radiator removed, a mini-split air handler ( a brand new model) is installed in between the rafters, a pocket door will be on the powder room, and the standup shower was removed from the bathroom that was gut renovated. We will be installing the first ever dishwasher for this kitchen.

In addition we added a second zone in the dining room, so there is a second mini-split air handler to effectively create a new secondary HVAC system for the entire first floor. I figure with “Maggie’s” northern European genes and propensity for heat stroke that central AC basically is life support with global warming. Next I have to price in a generator.

I would like to get an 18KW-20KW generator that could power the entire house, but my natural gas meter is likely too small. The house has the fixtures for two meters, but curiously never was a two family. I figure at one time they used two meters in a modular manner rather than installing a larger meter. Since hot water is supplied by our oil furnace it looks like one of the small meters was removed when the gas hot water heater was no longer in use.

So I might have to have one of my famous “Hussy-Fits” to get that second meter back, because “WHaaaa…” I want a generator. I know there is a moratorium on gas hookups, but even if I have to get legal, I think I will shame Con Ed that we are retired “poor” seniors that need life support equipment meaning AC and heat. Perhaps I can bring up my Cold Agluttinin Disease, where I have a rare disease where exposure to the cold for prolonged periods will damage my health.

Anyways I’m ready to fight and win. If I have to I will create a huge spectical. Don’t forget that Maggie has over 750K followers and I am trained as a journalist.

Meanwhile I was looking at my carpenters portable 10 inch table saw and radial arm saw. I can see me getting a similar setup. “Maggie” already asked me how much it would cost, and pretty much it would allow me to replace all the moldings in the rest of the house that likely if painted have lead paint.

Then she asked what would you use that equipment for after the moldings? “Making frames,” I said.

My idea would be to store my wood working tools in the basement, and pretty much work in the side yard. These are contractor tools to be set up at worksites. Kinda goes with the Chevy C10 pickup. Also when I insulate the garage, I could always pull out the car and the truck. I have a truck to load up on lumber and to move bulky items around.

Perry, Ignacio’s friend and mountain biker, has his gal/wife? Who is a master framer. She and I separately took notice that Peekskill has no framing shop and it is an art community. Hmmm….

How do I stay retired? Am I really a lazy-slacker? Anyways why am I so lucky?

Cal