Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Phil,
These nasal sprayers of saline help clear out the congestion. They can speed your recovery.
Cal
These nasal sprayers of saline help clear out the congestion. They can speed your recovery.
Cal
NYC Journal
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Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Went for a short ride. Rolling hills and I did some standing to do a bit of a strength workout pushing the big gears.
Not too much, but enough to count. I enjoyed the nice mild weather. Had a protein drink to speed things along.
With biking the past three days I sleep really good. Time to cook a nice dinner.
Cal
Not too much, but enough to count. I enjoyed the nice mild weather. Had a protein drink to speed things along.
With biking the past three days I sleep really good. Time to cook a nice dinner.
Cal
robert blu
quiet photographer
Threre is much beauty in this photo, well done!Morning Cal,
Makiflex 150 Xenar HRU D23 Octobox 150 by Nokton48, on Flickr
Plaubel Makiflex 150mm Schneider barrel Xenar 4x5 Fuji HRU XRAY D23 1:1 8x10 Aristo #2 RC Omega DII laser aligned. Dektol 1:2 Broncolor Octobox 150 with frosted bulb and Octobox Supplemental Diffusion. Backround by David Maheu "Tim Kelly Classic".
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Robert,
Devil Dan does lots of crazy stuff. He uses unusual films that he stockpiles on the cheap, and then because he is mucho clever he comes out with some wonderful negatives with wide contrast and deep blacks.
He also has a major darkroom that has “You-Suck” factor because it creates envy. LOL.
Then he has all this camera gear that pretty much like owning a department store filled with vintage gear.
Devil Dan is a prime example where “Crazy is good.”
Cal
Devil Dan does lots of crazy stuff. He uses unusual films that he stockpiles on the cheap, and then because he is mucho clever he comes out with some wonderful negatives with wide contrast and deep blacks.
He also has a major darkroom that has “You-Suck” factor because it creates envy. LOL.
Then he has all this camera gear that pretty much like owning a department store filled with vintage gear.
Devil Dan is a prime example where “Crazy is good.”
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
My shoulders are tight from my standing climbing on the bike. Pretty much an upper body workout today.
My ride took me by A.J.’s shop so I stopped by to say hello. I learned rom A.J. that he does pushups and pull-ups to help with his biking. BTW he is a strong guy with a lot of upper body strength. Although my height he might weigh 30 more pounds and it would be all muscle. Of course he is about a generation younger than me.
I’l be sleeping good tonight.
Cal
My ride took me by A.J.’s shop so I stopped by to say hello. I learned rom A.J. that he does pushups and pull-ups to help with his biking. BTW he is a strong guy with a lot of upper body strength. Although my height he might weigh 30 more pounds and it would be all muscle. Of course he is about a generation younger than me.
I’l be sleeping good tonight.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Just in time for my annual oil change on the Audi I get a 20% coupon from my local Audi dealer. At the same time I’ll get my inspection which is due in December. I’ll schedule an appointment today for a ime in the beginning of December.
On the negotiation front our agent is basically “snookering” everyone on both sides. Pretty much more work for everyone. Somehow the fee is looking to be double which now ends up being a sizable sum. Now things are getting crazy. This will be a big gig.
The 17th of the month looks like we need to keep open for the shoot. Our agent surely is worth the 20%.
Looking forward to Thursday. We have to pick up the grandson at 4:00 at Daycare. This kid is so bonded with us as we are to him.
At this point, if I can’t ride every day, I’ll do pushups of throw around some weights. I can feel my body tightening up, and it feels great. I sleep better.
I also have a 20% coupon from REI. The FJALL RAVEN G-1000 pants that is my winter wardrobe cost $180.00 full price, but the two pair I already secured only cost $120.00 because they were out of season and sold as a close out. The 20% gets me down to $144.00 and that’s good for me.
In retirement a new hobby is saving money and not wasting it. I also have all these CVS coupons…
I don’t know if payment for this modeling gig will get booked for the 2023 tax year. It would be better if it got booked in 2024. “No one ever got rich by paying taxes.” Generally momentum happens, so with this as a start it is likely more similar gigs will happen. 2024 could be a breakout year.
An interesting analytic is that “Maggie” although 70 with her book about aging (How To Be Old is the title of her book that will get released in March) 75% of her followers are between the age of 25 and 55. The average age is actually only 40.
Pretty much the publicist is some young punk girl that does not understand how many people are worried about aging and the later phase of life. There are a lot of people who think the book should be promoted for old baby boomers, but clearly that is not the true audience.
Of course Maggie is deeply upset. The press release is of major importance, and it goes out into the literary world and the media as the introduction of the book. Pretty much the pre-orders denote future sales from the publisher’s POV, but we know the numbers, the demographic, and that pretty much Maggie’s book has a much broader appeal.
The blurbs from established big time writers also favor a huge surprise. Pretty much I think a mucho crazy surprise is in store and lays just ahead. I find this publishing system as oppressing.
Anyways not what you think.
Cal
On the negotiation front our agent is basically “snookering” everyone on both sides. Pretty much more work for everyone. Somehow the fee is looking to be double which now ends up being a sizable sum. Now things are getting crazy. This will be a big gig.
The 17th of the month looks like we need to keep open for the shoot. Our agent surely is worth the 20%.
Looking forward to Thursday. We have to pick up the grandson at 4:00 at Daycare. This kid is so bonded with us as we are to him.
At this point, if I can’t ride every day, I’ll do pushups of throw around some weights. I can feel my body tightening up, and it feels great. I sleep better.
I also have a 20% coupon from REI. The FJALL RAVEN G-1000 pants that is my winter wardrobe cost $180.00 full price, but the two pair I already secured only cost $120.00 because they were out of season and sold as a close out. The 20% gets me down to $144.00 and that’s good for me.
In retirement a new hobby is saving money and not wasting it. I also have all these CVS coupons…
I don’t know if payment for this modeling gig will get booked for the 2023 tax year. It would be better if it got booked in 2024. “No one ever got rich by paying taxes.” Generally momentum happens, so with this as a start it is likely more similar gigs will happen. 2024 could be a breakout year.
An interesting analytic is that “Maggie” although 70 with her book about aging (How To Be Old is the title of her book that will get released in March) 75% of her followers are between the age of 25 and 55. The average age is actually only 40.
Pretty much the publicist is some young punk girl that does not understand how many people are worried about aging and the later phase of life. There are a lot of people who think the book should be promoted for old baby boomers, but clearly that is not the true audience.
Of course Maggie is deeply upset. The press release is of major importance, and it goes out into the literary world and the media as the introduction of the book. Pretty much the pre-orders denote future sales from the publisher’s POV, but we know the numbers, the demographic, and that pretty much Maggie’s book has a much broader appeal.
The blurbs from established big time writers also favor a huge surprise. Pretty much I think a mucho crazy surprise is in store and lays just ahead. I find this publishing system as oppressing.
Anyways not what you think.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Cool temperatures and a bit windy, might be a good idea to bike in the woods.
Kinda wonderful that trails are only two blocks away and at Blue Mountain Preserve I have 1500 acres.
I expect lots of leaf litter on the trails, and after yesterday the trails should be dry with some muddy patches. More exploitation today.
Also yesterday I realized that just south of where I live are basically country roads that are kinda back country rolling hills. There are lots of opportunities still to explore, and pretty much I have a huge amount of variation at my disposal. Nothing boring and routine, and the best is that it is all close to home.
Minimal amount of cars.
The strength workouts I do with standing to stay on top of the gears is taxing, and pretty much I can be aggressive and do a full body workout in as little as 40 minutes. Let’s see how far I can take this. Today is day 4 of riding in a row. If it is a mild winter here in the northeast as predicted I should be able to build my base.
In the warmer weather and the summer I will build on this base. I expect to hook up with Bob and some of my old friends from Long Island like Iron Mike. BTW Bob says there is a new pump track that was built in Setauket. Then there is Mike the skinny hipster…
Of course I’ll be towing “Maggie” along for the ride On the Empire State Trailway.
What a life…
Cal
Kinda wonderful that trails are only two blocks away and at Blue Mountain Preserve I have 1500 acres.
I expect lots of leaf litter on the trails, and after yesterday the trails should be dry with some muddy patches. More exploitation today.
Also yesterday I realized that just south of where I live are basically country roads that are kinda back country rolling hills. There are lots of opportunities still to explore, and pretty much I have a huge amount of variation at my disposal. Nothing boring and routine, and the best is that it is all close to home.
Minimal amount of cars.
The strength workouts I do with standing to stay on top of the gears is taxing, and pretty much I can be aggressive and do a full body workout in as little as 40 minutes. Let’s see how far I can take this. Today is day 4 of riding in a row. If it is a mild winter here in the northeast as predicted I should be able to build my base.
In the warmer weather and the summer I will build on this base. I expect to hook up with Bob and some of my old friends from Long Island like Iron Mike. BTW Bob says there is a new pump track that was built in Setauket. Then there is Mike the skinny hipster…
Of course I’ll be towing “Maggie” along for the ride On the Empire State Trailway.
What a life…
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
I spent a lot of time in the woods today. The leaf litter made biking on the trail tricky, but I explored anyway.
I found a cool trail that I walked. I brushed the leaves aside to make the trail clearer and in a ways to groom it. Pretty much it was a steady climb so pretty much the smart direction would be make this trail a descent. The thing is that erosion has not set in so there are less exposed roots and rocks.
The bad is that to get to this remote trail I would have to go through the popular red trail that suffered heavy erosion.
In the woods I met Ed a new friend who was walking his dog.
Anyways Blue Mountain Preserve is a bit overwhelming. Even with a map it is not so easy to navigate. The less used trails are not clearly marked. Pretty much hidden, but I guess this is a good thing to kinda keep them private.
So I did a good amount of wandering, and things are getting clearer with more and more experience.
Also my riding is better on the trails pushing bigger gears, even for climbing. I feel like I’m getting my chops back. The steel IBIS does well technically because I can navigate and negotiate lines to avoid roots and rocks. The agile handling is an asset.
Anyways I spent 3 hours in the woods having fun exploring.
I did trim some dowels on my cabinet doors, did some sanding, and then restained the sanded areas.
More demo, cleanup, and window replacement going on at the abandoned house. The dumpster is almost full.
Cal
I found a cool trail that I walked. I brushed the leaves aside to make the trail clearer and in a ways to groom it. Pretty much it was a steady climb so pretty much the smart direction would be make this trail a descent. The thing is that erosion has not set in so there are less exposed roots and rocks.
The bad is that to get to this remote trail I would have to go through the popular red trail that suffered heavy erosion.
In the woods I met Ed a new friend who was walking his dog.
Anyways Blue Mountain Preserve is a bit overwhelming. Even with a map it is not so easy to navigate. The less used trails are not clearly marked. Pretty much hidden, but I guess this is a good thing to kinda keep them private.
So I did a good amount of wandering, and things are getting clearer with more and more experience.
Also my riding is better on the trails pushing bigger gears, even for climbing. I feel like I’m getting my chops back. The steel IBIS does well technically because I can navigate and negotiate lines to avoid roots and rocks. The agile handling is an asset.
Anyways I spent 3 hours in the woods having fun exploring.
I did trim some dowels on my cabinet doors, did some sanding, and then restained the sanded areas.
More demo, cleanup, and window replacement going on at the abandoned house. The dumpster is almost full.
Cal
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Calzone
Gear Whore #1
In my wandering in the woods today I gathered/collected about a zip-lock sandwich bag of acorns. Some were spouting roots already, and I learned that these are likely White Oak. Also there are some acorns that are markedly different that I think are Red Oak acorns.
The last time I tried to propagate oak trees squirrels excavated the seedlings to harvest the acorn. I lost over a dozen seedlings, and only one of these first batch has survived.
Another thing I learned is that oak trees are very slow growers. The two year old seedling is only about 9-10 inches tall, but it has many leaves. A second seedling survived the squirrels but eventually died off anyways.
I planted the acorns in a big wash tub. In the spring I will transplant them, but this time I’ll keep the seedlings close to the house to forestall squirrel intrusion.
For the environment no tree is better than an oak tree for biodiversity. Eventually I would like an oak forest in my dead-end. Also the root system they develop is really great for preventing erosion. Know that Knotweed does not like shade.
Cal
The last time I tried to propagate oak trees squirrels excavated the seedlings to harvest the acorn. I lost over a dozen seedlings, and only one of these first batch has survived.
Another thing I learned is that oak trees are very slow growers. The two year old seedling is only about 9-10 inches tall, but it has many leaves. A second seedling survived the squirrels but eventually died off anyways.
I planted the acorns in a big wash tub. In the spring I will transplant them, but this time I’ll keep the seedlings close to the house to forestall squirrel intrusion.
For the environment no tree is better than an oak tree for biodiversity. Eventually I would like an oak forest in my dead-end. Also the root system they develop is really great for preventing erosion. Know that Knotweed does not like shade.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
“Maggie” has a daily exercise plan, and I believe that at our ages we need to have daily activity to maintain our health and strength. Another thing though is that the exercises have to be gentile and sustainable.
My friend Iron Mike says he is mucho glad he avoided running because of the wear and tear it causes in most people. Cycling is much more gentile on the joints.
Also I have seen how strength easily fades as we age, and pretty much this involves pushups, pull ups, squats, and burpees for me. As I return to fitness I am seeing how much I rely on strength and taller gears than most people. Mountain biking yesterday indicated how much better I do promoting strength rather than ”spinning” even on technical sections.
I tried spinning and easy gears, but I guess that is not my style. The road rides on my Newsboy on rolling hills also confirms that big gears and standing on the climbs, and in a way doing intervals is my best way to conquer rolling hills.
Maggie would like for me to own a Fat Chance Yo Eddie to compliment her Yo Betty. She thinks this would be too cool. I mention this to A.J. And he happens to have a Team Yo Eddy that he wants to get rid of. Hmmm. Seems like it is a 16 inch frame though and perhaps sized a bit small when measured center-to-center.
The Newsboy is an 18 inch frame and perhaps sized on the larger side even though a “medium.” The IBIS SS I think is the Goldilocks size for me that measures 17 inches C-C. 16 inch is a little small but along with the shorter seat tube is a shorter top tube and generally a shorter wheelbase.
On a mountain bike my friends took note and reported to me that I tend to stand a lot on a bike, much more than other riders. I also tend to angle and throw the bike around more. Probably this evolved because IBIS bikes are kinda stiff and overbuilt, and perhaps could be called “bloated” because the frames tend to be on the heavy side and are clearly overbuilt. Understand that Scot Nicol is a rather tall guy and a “strong” rider. Pretty much he promotes acceleration in his bike geometry.
So pretty much Fat Chance was an East Coast rival of IBIS. Chris Chance could be credited for designing and building the best mountain bikes for the Northeast where the trails are more rocky and root-EE. Somehow he built bikes that were the perfect blend of compliant and stiff for northeast trails.
In comparison my IBIS bikes are kinda stiff. HMMM…
A.J. Asked me to make an offer. The bike has these Rolf wheels that are a bit crazy, a mix of XT and XTR 3x8-speed with XTR brakes. The suspension fork is a Rock Shox SID.
NEWS FLASH: A London E-mail reported that our gig was negotiated upward in a huge way. Now we are talking big money where a new engine and tranny cash or a crazy bike like an IBIS Excie can happen. Vanessa our agent is great for snookering people. Anyways this involves more work from everyone. Suddenly his things got very elevated and expensive.
The shooting location now is in Clinton Hill Brooklyn in a free standing converted commercial building converted into multi-story loft. Pretty much something outa Architecture Digest. The hair and makeup artist and the stylist are “signed” meaning the big time where these artists are represented by agents and command a huge fee.
Looks like this is just a launch, and will be a continuing gig. Suggested in writing a long-term…
At 9:00 AM a call from Vanessa, then at noon with the brand. Wellness, health and fitness is what we are really modeling. This will be for the new year’s resolution. I will be 66 years old in January, but I certainly don’t look my age. My body is that of a fit muscular 15-16 year old that remains kinda boyish. 27-28 inch waist, 152 pounds, 5’10.”
Anyways an exciting game changer.
BTW I favor keeping the 1966 C-10 with the original engine and keeping it as close to OEM as possible as a local driver. An IBIS Excie I think would ensure fitness and support my lifestyle in exploiting living so close to Blue Mountain Preserve. Of course I’ll be saving a portion of my share of our fee.
”I was just minding my own business.”
Cal
My friend Iron Mike says he is mucho glad he avoided running because of the wear and tear it causes in most people. Cycling is much more gentile on the joints.
Also I have seen how strength easily fades as we age, and pretty much this involves pushups, pull ups, squats, and burpees for me. As I return to fitness I am seeing how much I rely on strength and taller gears than most people. Mountain biking yesterday indicated how much better I do promoting strength rather than ”spinning” even on technical sections.
I tried spinning and easy gears, but I guess that is not my style. The road rides on my Newsboy on rolling hills also confirms that big gears and standing on the climbs, and in a way doing intervals is my best way to conquer rolling hills.
Maggie would like for me to own a Fat Chance Yo Eddie to compliment her Yo Betty. She thinks this would be too cool. I mention this to A.J. And he happens to have a Team Yo Eddy that he wants to get rid of. Hmmm. Seems like it is a 16 inch frame though and perhaps sized a bit small when measured center-to-center.
The Newsboy is an 18 inch frame and perhaps sized on the larger side even though a “medium.” The IBIS SS I think is the Goldilocks size for me that measures 17 inches C-C. 16 inch is a little small but along with the shorter seat tube is a shorter top tube and generally a shorter wheelbase.
On a mountain bike my friends took note and reported to me that I tend to stand a lot on a bike, much more than other riders. I also tend to angle and throw the bike around more. Probably this evolved because IBIS bikes are kinda stiff and overbuilt, and perhaps could be called “bloated” because the frames tend to be on the heavy side and are clearly overbuilt. Understand that Scot Nicol is a rather tall guy and a “strong” rider. Pretty much he promotes acceleration in his bike geometry.
So pretty much Fat Chance was an East Coast rival of IBIS. Chris Chance could be credited for designing and building the best mountain bikes for the Northeast where the trails are more rocky and root-EE. Somehow he built bikes that were the perfect blend of compliant and stiff for northeast trails.
In comparison my IBIS bikes are kinda stiff. HMMM…
A.J. Asked me to make an offer. The bike has these Rolf wheels that are a bit crazy, a mix of XT and XTR 3x8-speed with XTR brakes. The suspension fork is a Rock Shox SID.
NEWS FLASH: A London E-mail reported that our gig was negotiated upward in a huge way. Now we are talking big money where a new engine and tranny cash or a crazy bike like an IBIS Excie can happen. Vanessa our agent is great for snookering people. Anyways this involves more work from everyone. Suddenly his things got very elevated and expensive.
The shooting location now is in Clinton Hill Brooklyn in a free standing converted commercial building converted into multi-story loft. Pretty much something outa Architecture Digest. The hair and makeup artist and the stylist are “signed” meaning the big time where these artists are represented by agents and command a huge fee.
Looks like this is just a launch, and will be a continuing gig. Suggested in writing a long-term…
At 9:00 AM a call from Vanessa, then at noon with the brand. Wellness, health and fitness is what we are really modeling. This will be for the new year’s resolution. I will be 66 years old in January, but I certainly don’t look my age. My body is that of a fit muscular 15-16 year old that remains kinda boyish. 27-28 inch waist, 152 pounds, 5’10.”
Anyways an exciting game changer.
BTW I favor keeping the 1966 C-10 with the original engine and keeping it as close to OEM as possible as a local driver. An IBIS Excie I think would ensure fitness and support my lifestyle in exploiting living so close to Blue Mountain Preserve. Of course I’ll be saving a portion of my share of our fee.
”I was just minding my own business.”
Cal
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Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
Back when I was on the Temple team, our coach had us watch videos of elite riders during various stages of riding, paying attention to the transition to attack, the attack, and recovery. Then he made us train like that. The habit he was trying to instill was the discipline to use our upper body as support and let our legs do the work; this results in a faster (and safer) sprint as the bike isn’t being thrown all over the place. I’ve only seen a few top level riders doing the pendulum bob, most notably Lance Armstrong earlier in his career. Every time I get up to do a sprint now I remember how Joe pushed us and explained that any movement not pushing on the pedals or pulling on the handlebars is just wasted effort. Standing up to pedal and concentrating on keeping the bike upright and not swaying is an incredible isometric abdominal workout too.
I rode to and from work yesterday; first day commuting in over a month. It took me 8 minutes longer than usual to get to work.
This morning I wasn’t pushing it but took 6 minutes off yesterday’s time and I feel pretty good.
After work last night I stopped by my LBS and picked up the VO rim and 2 sets of spokes for my wheel builds for the “Monster”. Eventually that bike will get a dynamo hub but I really just want to get it on the road so It’s being built around a Spacialized hub mentioned prior.
I need to order some tires as they don't have any more 700x28 or 32 Gravel Kings. Bar tape will be Newbaum’s padded cotton, same as the clubman, but this bike will get black tape.
Phil
I rode to and from work yesterday; first day commuting in over a month. It took me 8 minutes longer than usual to get to work.
This morning I wasn’t pushing it but took 6 minutes off yesterday’s time and I feel pretty good.
After work last night I stopped by my LBS and picked up the VO rim and 2 sets of spokes for my wheel builds for the “Monster”. Eventually that bike will get a dynamo hub but I really just want to get it on the road so It’s being built around a Spacialized hub mentioned prior.
I need to order some tires as they don't have any more 700x28 or 32 Gravel Kings. Bar tape will be Newbaum’s padded cotton, same as the clubman, but this bike will get black tape.
Phil
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Part of the gig involves a “reel” meaning a video. Pretty much a VO-SOT or a voice-over-tape, where visual images, either still or video is combined with a voice-over.
Realize that I once was a news reporter and that not only do I have an announcer’s voice, but also I could project big enough volume to fill a theater that houses over a thousand people without a mike or amplification. I was a performance artist in NYC for about a decade…
So now these skills will be harnessed again. Who would know that these skills would become valuable later in life.
Cal
Realize that I once was a news reporter and that not only do I have an announcer’s voice, but also I could project big enough volume to fill a theater that houses over a thousand people without a mike or amplification. I was a performance artist in NYC for about a decade…
So now these skills will be harnessed again. Who would know that these skills would become valuable later in life.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
On climbs I’m pretty certain I’m doing the “pendulum bob.” Pretty much I’m pulling up on the bars and working the bike like a lever. Also this lever action bears an increase in traction. Pretty much the entire upper body is used in combination with my legs. Seems pretty efficient for both traction and acceleration.
Also the Steel IBIS in particular allows for rather violent maneuvering. I think part of my out of the saddle riding on turns allows for more control and for me to basically steer by changing center of gravity. On the IBIS I could out turn other riders and maintain momentum. Again efficiency.
Also for traction standing on the outside peddle bearing the weight meant tighter turns were possible.
Pretty much for me Mountain biking is the study of physics in real time.
Cal
Also the Steel IBIS in particular allows for rather violent maneuvering. I think part of my out of the saddle riding on turns allows for more control and for me to basically steer by changing center of gravity. On the IBIS I could out turn other riders and maintain momentum. Again efficiency.
Also for traction standing on the outside peddle bearing the weight meant tighter turns were possible.
Pretty much for me Mountain biking is the study of physics in real time.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
The early call today with our agent was a zoom call. Instead of picking up the grandson at 4:00 we had him all day because he had a rough night and had congestion. So on the call I’m holding him and he starts slapping my face repeatedly. I heard Vanessa and her assistant Fern laughing.
Pretty much it was just a check in to see if everything was agreeable.
Now tomorrow at 9:00 will be the zoom call with the client’s team. Pretty much this is an introduction and getting to know us. Some brainstorming by their team, and pretty much everyone getting on the same page. This call was suppose to be at noon today, but because of the baby it didn’t happen.
Our dress will be casual, and we have to send photo’s of clothes we might bring. The stylist will riff off of these clothes and also bring a supply of their own. Because of logistics this means driving into the city, meaning Clinton Hill.
I’m still capable of doing 60 pushups in a set. Generally after a layoff the strength fades rapidly, but I think my riding helped forestall any rapid decline. Could be also that other work also made a contribution. Anyways I was surprised that my strength was maintained. Anyways perhaps I have a base for strength, now I need the long slow distance for the cardio-fitness.
Cold weather is beginning to settle in, and I figure it is time to stay in the shelter of the woods and mountain bike.
On the economic front, China is experiencing deflation for the second time this year. Remember deflation is excess capacity. Oil prices also are heading lower. This suggests a slow down and less demand, despite Russia’s and the Saudi cuts to boost prices by cutting supply.
The recent rally got deflated by the suggestion of further rate increases by the FED.
Cal
Pretty much it was just a check in to see if everything was agreeable.
Now tomorrow at 9:00 will be the zoom call with the client’s team. Pretty much this is an introduction and getting to know us. Some brainstorming by their team, and pretty much everyone getting on the same page. This call was suppose to be at noon today, but because of the baby it didn’t happen.
Our dress will be casual, and we have to send photo’s of clothes we might bring. The stylist will riff off of these clothes and also bring a supply of their own. Because of logistics this means driving into the city, meaning Clinton Hill.
I’m still capable of doing 60 pushups in a set. Generally after a layoff the strength fades rapidly, but I think my riding helped forestall any rapid decline. Could be also that other work also made a contribution. Anyways I was surprised that my strength was maintained. Anyways perhaps I have a base for strength, now I need the long slow distance for the cardio-fitness.
Cold weather is beginning to settle in, and I figure it is time to stay in the shelter of the woods and mountain bike.
On the economic front, China is experiencing deflation for the second time this year. Remember deflation is excess capacity. Oil prices also are heading lower. This suggests a slow down and less demand, despite Russia’s and the Saudi cuts to boost prices by cutting supply.
The recent rally got deflated by the suggestion of further rate increases by the FED.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
It is expected that Baby Boomer downsizing will begin to spike in 2025 and 30 million homes might go on the market. This report indicated that it would be highly likely that Baby-Boomers would have advantages to outmaneuver Millenials and Gen X’ers because of either equity or having no mortgage.
This might take a decade to play out. Pretty much don’t expect prices to drop much, a housing shortage will persist.
”Maggie” and I downsized already 13-14 years ago, when we decided to get rid of about two thirds of our belongings, buy all new furniture, and move into a 650 square foot luxury apartment in Madhattan. I discovered and realized that I was a hoarder, and this kinda came as a surprise. It was a mark of poverty, so I kept all this unneeded stuff.
A good example was old clothes that I saved to perhaps do an oil change on a car. Car parts is another. Pretty much I had to sort through the many decades of my life and make important decisions about avoiding remorse. I also had to consider the future I wanted to create and my future lifestyle. Overall I was very thoughtful and pretty much still kept a lot of stuff.
We also realized how privilaged and entitled we were. We ended up giving and donating our old belongings to those less fortunate, including a homeless girl I met at Public Storage (Anna took a lot of our furniture), the Salvation Army, Good Will, and the rest of our stuff would be put out in our front yard of our historic row house with a “Free” sign, and by the end of the day everything would be vacuumed up and recycled.
Long Island City back then was rather a poor community.
So now we own a 1400-1500 square foot house on an 40x200 corner lot on the outskirts of a city of 25K. My taxes are low, and especially low for Westchester County. We have sewers and Natural Gas. The medical facilities are first rate and there is no need to venture into Madhattan.
If we need to head into the city it is not far away, and there is also Metro North which is an hour train ride to Grand Central. Two blocks away is Blue Mountain Preserve (1500 acres); and just across the Bear Mountain Bridge is a huge wilderness.
Anyways Maggie and I did well with our planning and pretty much don’t have to downsize further. Meanwhile we are building out a “bunker” of sorts. I anticipate getting an 18-20 KW natural gas generator that can basically be for “life-support” for us.
Our mini-splits are basically a backup heating system and an efficient HVAC. This will get expanded to our upstairs for comfort and insurance.
Today I turned on the mini-splits. Our oil furnace also provides tankless hot water, so not a maintenance problem if the furnace does not get fired up as much for heating. The mini-splits definitely cycle less and stabilize temperature swings. The new Dyson so far is moderating the dryness and maintaining a 50% humidity.
This morning the oil furnace lagged and fell behind the thermostat setting, so it was a good time to keep that setting as a control for my experimenting. I had to lower the mini-splits (two zone: one in the dining room; the second ion the kitchen; large doorways don’t restrict heat and cooling to the living room and hallway.) to keep the temperature down to just over the oil furnace thermostat.
Humidity even after the hour 15 minute spike remains at 49% humidity. So far it looks like everything is working as I planned. I expect with even colder weather that at some point the Dyson will hit a tipping point and will hit its limit on maintaining 50%, but untill then I figure I’m saving energy and money; and most of all am enjoying purified air and less temperature fluctuations.
I do consider global warming a serious threat. Maggie has Northern European blood and the heat an humidity kinda kill her. She is prone to heat stroke. Meanwhile I have the body type built for the tropics where I am tall, thin, and don’t have a lot of body mass.
Wish me luck with the zoom call. Pretty much the focus has to be emphasizing us as a couple rather than two individuals.
Cal
This might take a decade to play out. Pretty much don’t expect prices to drop much, a housing shortage will persist.
”Maggie” and I downsized already 13-14 years ago, when we decided to get rid of about two thirds of our belongings, buy all new furniture, and move into a 650 square foot luxury apartment in Madhattan. I discovered and realized that I was a hoarder, and this kinda came as a surprise. It was a mark of poverty, so I kept all this unneeded stuff.
A good example was old clothes that I saved to perhaps do an oil change on a car. Car parts is another. Pretty much I had to sort through the many decades of my life and make important decisions about avoiding remorse. I also had to consider the future I wanted to create and my future lifestyle. Overall I was very thoughtful and pretty much still kept a lot of stuff.
We also realized how privilaged and entitled we were. We ended up giving and donating our old belongings to those less fortunate, including a homeless girl I met at Public Storage (Anna took a lot of our furniture), the Salvation Army, Good Will, and the rest of our stuff would be put out in our front yard of our historic row house with a “Free” sign, and by the end of the day everything would be vacuumed up and recycled.
Long Island City back then was rather a poor community.
So now we own a 1400-1500 square foot house on an 40x200 corner lot on the outskirts of a city of 25K. My taxes are low, and especially low for Westchester County. We have sewers and Natural Gas. The medical facilities are first rate and there is no need to venture into Madhattan.
If we need to head into the city it is not far away, and there is also Metro North which is an hour train ride to Grand Central. Two blocks away is Blue Mountain Preserve (1500 acres); and just across the Bear Mountain Bridge is a huge wilderness.
Anyways Maggie and I did well with our planning and pretty much don’t have to downsize further. Meanwhile we are building out a “bunker” of sorts. I anticipate getting an 18-20 KW natural gas generator that can basically be for “life-support” for us.
Our mini-splits are basically a backup heating system and an efficient HVAC. This will get expanded to our upstairs for comfort and insurance.
Today I turned on the mini-splits. Our oil furnace also provides tankless hot water, so not a maintenance problem if the furnace does not get fired up as much for heating. The mini-splits definitely cycle less and stabilize temperature swings. The new Dyson so far is moderating the dryness and maintaining a 50% humidity.
This morning the oil furnace lagged and fell behind the thermostat setting, so it was a good time to keep that setting as a control for my experimenting. I had to lower the mini-splits (two zone: one in the dining room; the second ion the kitchen; large doorways don’t restrict heat and cooling to the living room and hallway.) to keep the temperature down to just over the oil furnace thermostat.
Humidity even after the hour 15 minute spike remains at 49% humidity. So far it looks like everything is working as I planned. I expect with even colder weather that at some point the Dyson will hit a tipping point and will hit its limit on maintaining 50%, but untill then I figure I’m saving energy and money; and most of all am enjoying purified air and less temperature fluctuations.
I do consider global warming a serious threat. Maggie has Northern European blood and the heat an humidity kinda kill her. She is prone to heat stroke. Meanwhile I have the body type built for the tropics where I am tall, thin, and don’t have a lot of body mass.
Wish me luck with the zoom call. Pretty much the focus has to be emphasizing us as a couple rather than two individuals.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
When I was a performance artist, before a show I would do 100 pushups. This was to get me back into my body and to center me.
Today I just did 60 in one set, after the zoom call I did another 60. Later in the day I’ll do another 60, and then I’ll see if I can do more, but I’ll be happy with just 180 push ups in three sets if that’s all I’m good for.
The zoom call included the creative crew and also our agent, Vanessa. Pretty much just an ice breaker that would lead to a shooting list and story boards.
Pretty much nothing goes that does not meet our approval. Also Vanessa had me give some of my background because pretty much they already knew “Maggie” from her Social Media. I mentioned how I worked day jobs in high profile employers and was a techie, but meanwhile I was a visual artist, a performance artist, and a writer with a BA, MA, and MFA.
So now the creative crew became enlightened that we were both serious professionals that were also serious creatives. Of course this inspired the creative team.
So next week is the shoot and a shooting list and story board have to be created pronto. The stylist will be calling to go over things and to cull and select clothing for the shoot.
I have been in front of the camera before for Chris Cramer’s book “American Romance” but this is really my first gig. A little scary. I’m getting put out there in a big way, and overall this is a bit insane and crazy. I’m suppose to be retired…
So we did pretty great marketing ourselves as a creative couple and as vintage hipsters. Seems like our homeless shelter will also get partnered in for a recipient of the 1% share of profit. This is not just about selling…
Cal
Today I just did 60 in one set, after the zoom call I did another 60. Later in the day I’ll do another 60, and then I’ll see if I can do more, but I’ll be happy with just 180 push ups in three sets if that’s all I’m good for.
The zoom call included the creative crew and also our agent, Vanessa. Pretty much just an ice breaker that would lead to a shooting list and story boards.
Pretty much nothing goes that does not meet our approval. Also Vanessa had me give some of my background because pretty much they already knew “Maggie” from her Social Media. I mentioned how I worked day jobs in high profile employers and was a techie, but meanwhile I was a visual artist, a performance artist, and a writer with a BA, MA, and MFA.
So now the creative crew became enlightened that we were both serious professionals that were also serious creatives. Of course this inspired the creative team.
So next week is the shoot and a shooting list and story board have to be created pronto. The stylist will be calling to go over things and to cull and select clothing for the shoot.
I have been in front of the camera before for Chris Cramer’s book “American Romance” but this is really my first gig. A little scary. I’m getting put out there in a big way, and overall this is a bit insane and crazy. I’m suppose to be retired…
So we did pretty great marketing ourselves as a creative couple and as vintage hipsters. Seems like our homeless shelter will also get partnered in for a recipient of the 1% share of profit. This is not just about selling…
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
My friend A.J. I guess wanted me to own the Fat Chance Yo Eddy because he left me a text saying he would sell it to me for only $800.00. Pretty much this was a no brainer. “Maggie” even offered to give me the money, and basically this new/old bike is my Christmas present.
The frame I would deem a small at 15 1/2 inches enter-to-center on the seat tube, but interestingly enough the top tube is 21 1/2 inches the same as the IBIS SS. The wheelbase is the same 41 1/2 inches as the IBIS SS also. Basically the IBIS and Yo Eddy share the same geometry except the Fat Chance Yo Eddy has smaller triangles. The result is a less stiff ride that some would call more compliant.
So pretty much the frame sizing does not really matter, but the Fat Chance is a newer bike that is built for a suspension fork and the IBIS SS is a full rigid. For me this is cool and a good thing. In fact I love it.
The Yo Eddy is a purple and blue fade, XTR brakes, and the rest XT 8-speed drive train. The fork is a Rock Shox SID. The Rolf wheels I think I have to get use to. Blue anodized rims, radial spokes on the front and an unconventional lacing on the rear, but the look is period correct for the late 90’s.
A.J. Said I could easily tag on $1K and flip the bike, but he knows I will not do that and will ride it. Looks mighty evil when paired with the Yo Betty. Yo Eddie’s sell for big dollars. A very collectible bike.
Anyways this was a nice surprise. Now I have another bike to obsess about.
A funny story from A.J. Is that riding retro bikes for him is bad business. Pretty much basically he wants to sell new bikes so promoting retro old bikes is bad for his business.
He assembled a ratty cheap Rock Hopper and would ride with a “crew” but one day one of the riders told hime that they will not ride with him anymore. A.J. was kinda blacklisted because he rode a retro cheap bike and kinda shamed them because they rode expensive bikes, and even full suspension bikes.
The problem is that A.J. Would be waiting 20 minutes in the parking lot or even a half hour for the crew to show up. I find this kinda funny, but the guys in the “crew” took exception to A.J’s ability to outride them and their expensive bikes.
Also at A.J’s I saw a $5.00 box and bought a pair of black Lizard Skin grips for $5.00. Mucho cheap.
I’ll start the cleanup on Yo Eddie and will do some maintenance like new cables and housing for the brakes and shifters. I have a spare Ti stem, but I also have an aluminum Sychros stem that is shorter and has a rise. I think I have a spare White Industries Ti bottom bracket. The bike came with no pedals.
Cal
The frame I would deem a small at 15 1/2 inches enter-to-center on the seat tube, but interestingly enough the top tube is 21 1/2 inches the same as the IBIS SS. The wheelbase is the same 41 1/2 inches as the IBIS SS also. Basically the IBIS and Yo Eddy share the same geometry except the Fat Chance Yo Eddy has smaller triangles. The result is a less stiff ride that some would call more compliant.
So pretty much the frame sizing does not really matter, but the Fat Chance is a newer bike that is built for a suspension fork and the IBIS SS is a full rigid. For me this is cool and a good thing. In fact I love it.
The Yo Eddy is a purple and blue fade, XTR brakes, and the rest XT 8-speed drive train. The fork is a Rock Shox SID. The Rolf wheels I think I have to get use to. Blue anodized rims, radial spokes on the front and an unconventional lacing on the rear, but the look is period correct for the late 90’s.
A.J. Said I could easily tag on $1K and flip the bike, but he knows I will not do that and will ride it. Looks mighty evil when paired with the Yo Betty. Yo Eddie’s sell for big dollars. A very collectible bike.
Anyways this was a nice surprise. Now I have another bike to obsess about.
A funny story from A.J. Is that riding retro bikes for him is bad business. Pretty much basically he wants to sell new bikes so promoting retro old bikes is bad for his business.
He assembled a ratty cheap Rock Hopper and would ride with a “crew” but one day one of the riders told hime that they will not ride with him anymore. A.J. was kinda blacklisted because he rode a retro cheap bike and kinda shamed them because they rode expensive bikes, and even full suspension bikes.
The problem is that A.J. Would be waiting 20 minutes in the parking lot or even a half hour for the crew to show up. I find this kinda funny, but the guys in the “crew” took exception to A.J’s ability to outride them and their expensive bikes.
Also at A.J’s I saw a $5.00 box and bought a pair of black Lizard Skin grips for $5.00. Mucho cheap.
I’ll start the cleanup on Yo Eddie and will do some maintenance like new cables and housing for the brakes and shifters. I have a spare Ti stem, but I also have an aluminum Sychros stem that is shorter and has a rise. I think I have a spare White Industries Ti bottom bracket. The bike came with no pedals.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
I will say that off road my style of riding is more akin to pump track, and somehow that evolved organically. Pretty much my innate understanding of physics got combined with my riding. Also know that when I was 15 I rode a small Ducati 50CC motorcycle that developed 5 HP and had a 4-speed. I only weighed 80 pounds and could do 50 MPH to call on my friends.
Of course this was illegal, and I had no license or permit when I would go and call on my friends.
So anyways I learned to stand on the pegs and kinda float my body’s weight by standing a lot.
The Yo Eddy is kinda a good pump track bike for me because of it leaning on the small size, and the SID uses air as a spring which is well suited for a dirt jump bike.
Remember on a pump track that pulling 3 G’s is possible upon entering a banked turn in a properly designed track, and pretty much the lean on the bike can approach 70 degrees. Seats are set low and pretty much a rider stands so he can use his whole body to pump the bike like a swing timing the rearward movement to the climb, and then violently pitch weight forward upon cresting a roller to gain momentum and speed.
No peddling required. BTW you don’t really need a pump track to use these skills, now I realize I somehow innately developed these skills without a pump track. I guess this contributes to my core strength and definition and my upper body strength.
So somehow the wheels being built for my single speed or 2x1 could be utilized for pump track. I like having options because I like to think long term, and of course I day-dream…
Cal
Of course this was illegal, and I had no license or permit when I would go and call on my friends.
So anyways I learned to stand on the pegs and kinda float my body’s weight by standing a lot.
The Yo Eddy is kinda a good pump track bike for me because of it leaning on the small size, and the SID uses air as a spring which is well suited for a dirt jump bike.
Remember on a pump track that pulling 3 G’s is possible upon entering a banked turn in a properly designed track, and pretty much the lean on the bike can approach 70 degrees. Seats are set low and pretty much a rider stands so he can use his whole body to pump the bike like a swing timing the rearward movement to the climb, and then violently pitch weight forward upon cresting a roller to gain momentum and speed.
No peddling required. BTW you don’t really need a pump track to use these skills, now I realize I somehow innately developed these skills without a pump track. I guess this contributes to my core strength and definition and my upper body strength.
So somehow the wheels being built for my single speed or 2x1 could be utilized for pump track. I like having options because I like to think long term, and of course I day-dream…
Cal
Austintatious
Well-known
Cal, in this I believe she is correct. It will be good for your branding as a couple. Two vintage hipsters staying fit on vintage collectible bikes, the Yo Eddy and Yo Betty. This idea as you say" has legs." Make a great photo shoot in Blue Mountain with the two of you on the bikes.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Austin,
”Maggie” is not yet the full blown biker bitch I want her to be. Remember that she is 70 years old and has not been on a bike in decades, except the electric bike, but that was even maybe 5 years ago or more.
The Yo Betty and Yo Eddie definitely look good together and are mucho cool. I’m sure we will and the bikes will draw a lot of attention, and yes they will add to our branding.
Today I replaced the dry rotted tires with 2.35 Rocket Rons that are a slightly wider tire that have a 27 inch diameter instead of the usual 26 inch diameter.
I mounted a Ti stem and Carbon Fiber riser bars with the new $5.00 grips I got at a discount. Pretty much I shed a few ounces.
What surprises me is that the Fat Chance is not as heavily built as any of my IBIS’s. Of course they are built for different terrain. Out west the mountains are bigger, but here in the Northeast they are more rocky, roots and technical.
I put on some El Cheapo Wellgo flat pedals and took it for a test ride. The right shifter needs to be opened up because the grease has hardened and shifting is sticky. Not uncommon and I had to do this to my first generation XTR shifters. Cleaning and fresh grease makes them like new.
I did some forensics and it seems the build includes a mix of XT and XTR parts. The V-brakes are XTR, and the right brake lever is XTR with a separate “Numbered” optical display. These components along with the cranks that specify a CN-IG90 chain suggest 1997 as well as the serial number.
But the left shifter and brake lever is an integrated one piece unit that is 1995 XT. My thought is that leftover stock was utilized.
The bike cleaned up nicely with paper towels and Fantastic. Pretty much I set up the bike for riding Blue Mountain With the widest tires I could fit. The air shock is a lot more sofisticated than my elastomer Rock Shox Judy’s. I’m also surprised that the bike remains relatively lightweight despite moderately heavy oversized tires.
I think I will change out the long Ti stem with the riser bars over to a shorter 125 mm aluminum Synchos stem that features a rise with an aluminum straight bar. Pretty much the same height overall, but a bit shorter reach. Also Synchros stems were OEM from Fat City Cycles.
I thought I had been priced out of ever getting a Yo Eddy, but now I have a nice one.
I will look into the strength and durability of the Rolf Dolomite wheels that came with the bike. They certainly are lite, but are they strong? Not so many spokes, but then again I’m only 152 pounds.
When I get a chance I will replace all the cables and housings. I also have a Ti bottom bracket to install that will save a few ounces. The pedals I have installed are porkers, and I could shave some weight with a Ti seat and a higher quality seatpost. Eventually I’ll replace the aluminum straight bar with carbon fiber.
Cal
”Maggie” is not yet the full blown biker bitch I want her to be. Remember that she is 70 years old and has not been on a bike in decades, except the electric bike, but that was even maybe 5 years ago or more.
The Yo Betty and Yo Eddie definitely look good together and are mucho cool. I’m sure we will and the bikes will draw a lot of attention, and yes they will add to our branding.
Today I replaced the dry rotted tires with 2.35 Rocket Rons that are a slightly wider tire that have a 27 inch diameter instead of the usual 26 inch diameter.
I mounted a Ti stem and Carbon Fiber riser bars with the new $5.00 grips I got at a discount. Pretty much I shed a few ounces.
What surprises me is that the Fat Chance is not as heavily built as any of my IBIS’s. Of course they are built for different terrain. Out west the mountains are bigger, but here in the Northeast they are more rocky, roots and technical.
I put on some El Cheapo Wellgo flat pedals and took it for a test ride. The right shifter needs to be opened up because the grease has hardened and shifting is sticky. Not uncommon and I had to do this to my first generation XTR shifters. Cleaning and fresh grease makes them like new.
I did some forensics and it seems the build includes a mix of XT and XTR parts. The V-brakes are XTR, and the right brake lever is XTR with a separate “Numbered” optical display. These components along with the cranks that specify a CN-IG90 chain suggest 1997 as well as the serial number.
But the left shifter and brake lever is an integrated one piece unit that is 1995 XT. My thought is that leftover stock was utilized.
The bike cleaned up nicely with paper towels and Fantastic. Pretty much I set up the bike for riding Blue Mountain With the widest tires I could fit. The air shock is a lot more sofisticated than my elastomer Rock Shox Judy’s. I’m also surprised that the bike remains relatively lightweight despite moderately heavy oversized tires.
I think I will change out the long Ti stem with the riser bars over to a shorter 125 mm aluminum Synchos stem that features a rise with an aluminum straight bar. Pretty much the same height overall, but a bit shorter reach. Also Synchros stems were OEM from Fat City Cycles.
I thought I had been priced out of ever getting a Yo Eddy, but now I have a nice one.
I will look into the strength and durability of the Rolf Dolomite wheels that came with the bike. They certainly are lite, but are they strong? Not so many spokes, but then again I’m only 152 pounds.
When I get a chance I will replace all the cables and housings. I also have a Ti bottom bracket to install that will save a few ounces. The pedals I have installed are porkers, and I could shave some weight with a Ti seat and a higher quality seatpost. Eventually I’ll replace the aluminum straight bar with carbon fiber.
Cal
