NYC Journal

I’m more stiff than sore today after a longer than 4 1/2 hour hike in the woods. About 25 minutes of that hike in the beginning was more of a jog.

Still did a set of 8 pull-ups today already. Later today I’ll fit in a set of max pushups, and then a “Maggie” hike which will be shorter and less strenuous.

At my age pretty much I have to just do what I can almost every day or the long fade will settle into the long slow decline. Seems like the incline is also slow. Lots of beauty sleep needed/required. Pretty much if I were not retired I could not do this fitness routine. It ends up requiring a big commitment, is a lifestyle, and pretty much burns a lot of my time. Pretty much after dinner all I can do is relax.

I’m comparing a tricked out Rock Shox Judy XC that is fresh and was overhauled against the newer Rock Shox SID “Race.” There is about a 3/4 pound difference in weight, and the SID weighs in at 3 pounds with a 9 1/2 inch steerer I will likely have to trim.

I’m cool that the SID has the early 28mm legs because I’m basically a lightweight and strength and stiffness of 32mm legs of later SID’s would be just overkill. I’d rather have the weight reduction.

The Ti IBIS really is not really a Mountain Trials even though it features a 26 inch front wheel, and a rear 24 inch wheel. The wheelbase is 40 inches instead of the shorter 39 1/2 inches of my steel Mountain trials, the dropouts also are not horizontal either like on the steel IBIS Mountain Trials, and also the frame sizes when measured bottom bracket to top tube differ. Close but no cigar as they say.

But my Ti prototype fits into the period of IBIS history when the Ti Mojo was one of the hottest bikes being built that pretty much achieved the pinnacle of titanium bikes with internally butted titanium tubing. Pretty much legendary.

Pretty much the forensics are that the front triangle is just a 17 inch Ti Mojo, but the rear triangle was made smaller and shorter for a 24 inch wheel. The result is a short wheelbase that has faster steering and accelerates and climbs faster due to less rotating mass.

The IBIS SS I kinda bought by mistake due to bad advertising is a pre-suspension bike: a full rigid. The bike was advertised as a small frame, but in fact it was perfectly my size. Oh-well. In the later 90’s suspension forks took hold and bike geometries evolved and changed. The Mojo and Ti Mojo are bike designs built for suspension forks, as well as the IBIS Alibi.

Interesting to note that the Mojo and the Alibi geometry are the same. Hmmm… Sloping top tubes and the same angles.

There is a closed gravel road that bisects Blue Mountain Preserve. Earlier in the year I was bombing on this road on a descent and pretty much almost got taken out in a section that was full of gullies that was washed our. I came around a blind curve and luckily scrubbed off the speed to stay in control, otherwise a pretty bad crash involving gravel cuts.

I kinda have a nice linking trail to this gravel road which has a bit of climbing and is pretty long. Now I see and envision making the IBIS Alibi into a front suspension single or 2x1 to do interval and wind sprint training for strength. The gravel road is long, has rolling hills, and pretty much would be ideal for strength training and speed.

I have an odd combination of a 110 BCD Middleburn spyder and a NOS Middleburn 52 tooth chainring for converting the Ti IBIS into a 1x11 XTR fitness bike for the Empire State Trailway. I checked for chainstay clearance and I can exploit the modular design of Middleburn cranks by simply changing spyders with kitted chainrings for: a 63.59 single speed; a 1x11 XTR fitness bike; or a 2x11 mountain bike.

The front forks are also kitted out for easy convertibility, fitted with brakes and brake levers for EZ-PZ conversion.

Then add in the having three different wheel sets for having everything modular and kitted out.

The steel IBIS will get its cassette built wheels Can-IBB-Bill-ized for Ti IBIS use and can be built out as either a full rigid trials bike, or into an off road single speed, with or without a suspension (Rock Shox Judy SL). Would make a really cool DJ (Dirt Jump) or pump track bike with the suspension fork.

On the steel IBIS I have enough wheel sets built for single speed that the wheels can be kitted for both trials, single speed, or pump track. A second modular bike…

Anyways, some maniac thinking and excitement has occurred over the last two days…

Parts are coming in. Living the dream. I have two training loops figured out and I’m sure I’ll have many more. Beauty is that pretty much I have these trails so close to the Baby-Victorian. As for trials practice there are mucho rock gardens to learn how to clean, and I’m sure my bike handling skills will evolve greatly.

Pretty sure I will be known as the old man who rides the retro old school bikes at Blue Mountain. AJ already has me pegged.

Cal
 
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The morning stiffness subsided by lunchtime, and our afternoon hike was over two hours.

I came up with another loop connecting two trails. The cool thing is one loop connects to another. Got the opportunity to figure out the best trail directionality that minimized technical climbs.

Now all I have to do is a set of max pushups.

Cal
 
Yesterday’s set of max pushups I did today.

This morning again I woke up stiff, but I’m loosened up now from yesterday’s hike. Seems like going down stairs is harder than climbing them. I figure I need a day of rest, at least my legs. Maybe I’ll do a dumbbell workout…

We have the grand daughter today, meanwhile “Maggie” is trying a new stylist to get her hair cut. If it turns out good, then maybe I’ll get a cut. My hair comes close to my belly button. My thinking is to get it cut to about shoulder length for a one fisted ponytail.

Later today we have to pick up the grandson from daycare.

Still energized and excited about my bike redo’s. Blue Mountain beacons and my added strength should help.

Cal
 
Paying off some bills, and shredding last year’s paperwork. The general cleanup that I do every year.

Going forward in 2024 my only monthly bills will be my mortgage at well below 3% interest, and a student loan pegged at 2.125% interest. The Audi A4 is paid off.

Planning to save some cash to start a travel slush fund. Pretty much a clean slate, but I have a budget, and will have less income unless some surprise happens.

The idea is to start saving for building out the 1966 C-10 or buying another Audi when the A4 I own gets killed or dies, but that I figure most likely will be a decade out. The 2015 A4 only has 38K miles on it.

Got my second winter oil delivery, and the bill is significantly lower than last year. I expect my expenses to be low this year.

Cal
 
In writing an artistic bio, I was taught to think about writing your own obituary. Pretty much in a few sentances sum up your life so you will be remembered.

I think one of the reasons I pursued the arts is I wanted to be remembered. The artifacts I created over my lifetime might lead to a kind of immortality. Basically I would be remembered. Anyways if you can imagine being invisible, not seen, disregarded, or dismissed, discounted… just understand I knew those feelings and experiences.

Anyways, being remembered of course has a deeper meaning… In a ways imprinting in memory is in a way to immortality because a spirit lives on even after death and can have influence.

Les McCain died. His angry song, “Compared To What” captured a time in my life and expressed the rage and anger of my youth, and all the craziness like no other song.

I knew that the live recording was a “Jazz Accident” that ended up being a classic perfect recording. The two horn players who sat in with the trio of bass and drums only knew of Les McCain, did not know the material, and pretty much the opening song was a total improv.

Incidently the recording engineer only had one mike for the two horn players, and the trumpet player gave up the mike to the sax player because he knew he could get the volume required to fill the casino with just his lungs.

I learned today that Les McCain was stoned out on hash for the first time when he took the stage, and he opened with “Compared To What.” The horns somehow perfectly caught an edgy anger that conveyed the song. Eight minutes of pure improv and expression. “A jazz accident.”

I think of my life. I should be dead many-many times. I lacked a lot, and pretty much I walked a path of war and destruction, yet I lived. A jazz accident: or was it divine intervention?

Cal
 
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“Maggie” is a fashion icon, and she says I have no style.

I reply that having no style is my style, and basically I can clash colors, wear rags, or do practically anything and still look cool. How cool is that?

She kinda agrees that somehow I get away with all that, and pretty much I bet it annoys her. LOL.

I tend to buy my footwear at DSW on sale, using coupons, and mostly from the discount rack. I’m the guy who buys the ugly shoes no one wants. I have a 60 gallon tote in the basement with pretty much a stockpile of shoes, but know because I walk so much they don’t last too long because I have an evil heel strike that destroys footwear.

Right now Maggie is heading to NYC on the train to meet up with a writer friend.

Also someone who she met once in Paris 6-7 years ago e-mailed her out of the blue: a rather long e-mail… Hmmm… This out of the blue friend/acquaintance wants to get together for a coffee. Hmmm…

Anyways for her this she found odd, but for me I could be on a layover in L.A. and run into someone I know from Vancouver. Another example is recently riding my bike on the Via Duct and reacquainting myself with a tandem rider that I incidently knew from Long Island and New Paltz after 35 years have elapsed.

I always say, “The world is not that big.”

So you know me, I have my episodes of going crazy and I am known for my erratic perhaps unstable behavior.

Just when I thought I had my bike situation under control, and that I would never consider riding a full suspension 29’er; I’m thinking of buying AJ’s 2022 Cannondale Scapel Hi Mod team that he updated with a Fox shock. Seems like he tricked out the bike, set it up, and then only rode it once or twice.

Hmmm…

Understand and know that AJ is pretty much a wack-job, a former NORBA Pro downhiller from back in the day, and since he is a bike shop owner know that his bike was built with the best of the best.

AJ and I both stand at 5’10” but he has 15-20 pounds more muscle than me, but basically we use the same frame size. I wonder if the size is a small or a medium; I wonder if he went with the Fox with the 36mm legs for stiffness; I wonder if he upgraded the dropper seatpost.

Anyways buying this bike would mean saving some money… Well not really… I figure pretty much for safety a full suspension 29’er makes sense if you want to ride Blue Mountain; and pretty much buying this bike would support staying fit and healthy, so I can think of it as an investment…

Right now AJ is in FLA on vacation, but on Friday he should be back. Could be a game changer. In the warmer weather I can load up the Yo Betty (Maggie’s bike) and my Newsboy and we could do our morning daily ride. For me it is kinda just like walking a dog, and is not really a workout. Pretty much doing maintenance.

But then in the afternoon I could jump on the Scalpel which is a full blown cross country racing bike that is all tricked out and upgraded. I can go and drop the hammer.

The thing with 29’ers is the tend to be 30 pound bikes, especially full suspension bikes, maybe over 30 like 32-33 pounds, but I suspect the Cannondale Scalpel will weigh in at about 24 pounds.

Anyways I am feeling a bit crazy. “Crazy is good,” I say. LOL.

”Don’t tell Maggie.”

Cal
 
A funny headline is that the author of “Rich Dad: Poor Dad” says he has over a billion dollars in debt. If you read his book he preaches about saving and living below your means. Part of the book al;so is about accumulating wealth and storing it in hard assets.

In an video reel he says he is not worried because he is sitting on hard assets and pretty much the banks will be the losers and not him. Here is a man who thinks he is “too big to fail.” WOW…

On March 13th, the day after “Maggie’s” book launch NBC news wants to do a 20 minute interview with her. WOW again.

Been digging into the two Rock Shox SID’s I now own. The “Race” version first came out in 2002, and the seller claimed it dates to 2004, but the Dual Air that is on the 1997 Yo Eddy likely is the first early version that came out in 1998.

In the early 90’s I used a Manitou elastomer fork, then In 1995 I upgraded to a Rock Shox Judy SL that I still own and use. Pretty much I used and still own a piece of history.

The 1997 Yo Eddy has a new/used Thompson seatpost I secured on EBAY; new tubes and tires because the old rubber was dry rotted. I exchanged the zero rise Syncros stem that came with the bike with a shorter Syncros stem that features a rise I had on hand.

Syncros was used as OEM by Fat Chance. I also exchanged the straight handlebar for a lighter polished aluminum one that matches the polish of the stem.

I think the chain could be shortened a few links, and this will tighten up the shifting a bit. It looks to be a brand new chain along with a new 11-32T cassette.

Bought the bike for $800.00 cash, no tax, no shipping, but the bike as stands could fetch $2.5K to the right buyer. It could sell in a blink of an eye as is for $2K. I don’t plan on selling it because it is a great bike, and it is really pretty with a purple metal flake on top fading to a metal flake blue on the bottom. Mighty clean condition.

I’m thinking of setting up the SID “Race” with a disc brake. The main reason why is for a wider rim that is UST to hold a larger volume of air than the narrow rim brake rims. Secondarily modern tubeless tires on rim brake rims are a tight fit and difficult to take on and off without the recessed center channel to provide slack. I want the big volume of air for a bigger footprint, more traction, and more cush.

The rear wheels I have for the IBIS’s all are wider rims already.

Paul’s Components makes a “Clamper” mechanical disc brake in a long-pull and short pull versions. The Paul’s Duplex lever I own can have it’s pivot change to be either long-pull or short-pull making everything rather EZ-PZ. Unlike the Judy SL on the steel IBIS, the SID “Race” can accommodate a Maxxis Minion DHF 2.5 wide tire for cushion and grip.

I will have to see how this all works out. Might save me from buying AJ’s 29’er.

BTW the Hi Mod Cannondale Scalpel is a crazy bike. Some owners complained about the service and maintenance of the “lefty” fork. AJ bypassed this by using a Fox fork that I’m pretty sure he upgraded to a 34mm leg and maybe a 36mm leg. Remember that AJ is/was a Pro downhiller.

“Brakes only slow you down,” he says. LOL.

On one link they say that AJ’s shop at one time was the only bike shop that specialized in downhill.

He posted about the Scalpel for sale, saying buy my 2022 bike and save $5K. At this point I think he has the 12-speed Shimano DI and not the Sram 12-speed.

Cal
 
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I forgot to mention that there has been a solicitation for a translation by a publisher in Croatia.

”Maggie’s” book with a different cover is also being published in Britian. There might be some travel involved.

Spent a good part of the afternoon playing my Santa Cruz Model “F.” As usual it opened up a lot and increased in volume. It is beginning to sound like an amped guitar even though it is an acoustic. Mucho loud.

My legs are suddenly thicker, and it is not fat. Tight pants fit more snuggly. The upper body is not the only part of my body getting more muscular. I’m still skinny, but I would not be surprised if I gained 5 pounds, all muscle. My arms and chest are kinda exaggerated.

The Ti IBIS weighs 20 1/3 pounds with a 2 1/4 pound rigid IBIS Type II fork. Add 3/4 of a pound for the SID “Race” along with a disc brake wheel and pretty much a 21 1/2 pound bike. That’s with a 2.35 wide Rocket Ron. This is mighty skinny for a bike with a front suspension and a fat tire. Might come down to being close to a 21 pound bike. Pretty insane. BTW that’s with a 2x11 XTR drivetrain.

For Blue Mountain I could go 1x11 and loose a great amount of weight. Hmmm… An insanely light bike that would be mucho crazy.

Cal
 
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Calzone said:
Paying off some bills, and shredding last year’s paperwork. The general cleanup that I do every year.

Going forward in 2024 my only monthly bills will be my mortgage at well below 3% interest, and a student loan pegged at 2.125% interest. The Audi A4 is paid off.

Planning to save some cash to start a travel slush fund. Pretty much a clean slate, but I have a budget, and will have less income unless some surprise happens.

The idea is to start saving for building out the 1966 C-10 or buying another Audi when the A4 I own gets killed or dies, but that I figure most likely will be a decade out. The 2015 A4 only has 38K miles on it.

Got my second winter oil delivery, and the bill is significantly lower than last year. I expect my expenses to be low this year.

Cal
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Most enjoyable thread. I've been following as a lurker for a long time. It's a bit like having a friend in New York State, one I've never met but got to know well. Good one, keep it up, Mr C!

So you have an Audi. And you think it will last only a decade? My story may interest you.

In 2006 when I 'retired' (for the second time, now in my third and last avatar as an OAP) we bought a 1990 Audi 100 (aka the Audi 5000 in your neck of the forest), the two-door model, when a local dealer in Melbourne was closing down and discounted his few remaining cars on the lot. One owner, a deceased estate car with about 20,000 kilometers on the odometer, so a babe in arms. Paid AUD $10K for it, so about US $6000.

We still have it. Costs about AUD $1500 a year to keep on the road, mostly small bits and pieces and one good servicing every 12 months. Nothing breaks down. Admittedly we now only use it for around town driving, now and then to Melbourne (about 150 kilometers each way) to see friends and do our two times yearly big shopping sprees. The rest of the time it gets us to the local supermarkets or out to nearby state parks for our bicycle and my photo rambles.

It now has about 70,000 kilometers on it. So a little more mileage than your 2015 A4.

So with a little planning and a good mechanic to rely on, our Audis may well outlast us both. Me more so than ou as I'm way ahead of you in age, still going good, bicycling now and then, mostly walking, swimming two times a week, a little golf when the weather here in Australia is clement enough fr me to to hit the green. My NY resolution for this year is to still be around and still doing mostly what I do now, when '25 rolls along. Best to plan only a year at a time now. I mean for me., YMMD.

Good stuff was built to last. My 1950s Leica iig, also an estate purchase, will surely survive me. Happy to say I paid more for a collapsible Summicron 50/2.0 for it than I did for the original camera, and it came with a nice small box of accessories including a V100H adjustable viewfinder I use all the time, and an impressive number of Leitz filters, lens hoods and other nice bits.

I did note you don't tell us much about your photography nowadays. Are you still lugging around your cameras?

Ditto my fountain pens (my daily writer is a 1980s Mont Blanc Noblesse fountain pen) and my watch (a Tissot someone who retired in 1957 got as a workplace gift). But then (unlike you), I'm an antique too.

Anyway, that's it about me. Long may you go on jogging, cycling, planning, writing.
 
DU,

I’m still a photographer, but I’m without a darkroom or digital studio. I have a full darkroom stored in the basement along with my printer, known as “The Jersey Barrier” which is a floor standing Epson 3800 That I already replaced the dampers.

My intent is to perhaps this year to dedicate some time and effort to building out some work space and a studio. The house and “Maggie” at this time require my attention. I’m cool with that. Maggie requires some maintenance, and the Baby-Victorian was a house no-one loved. Been about 3 years of me getting things done.

Maggie is not the person doing the prison work getting dirty. I’m not whining, but I kinda have high standards and I’m not in any rush. She is trying to move away from a frenzied life, and I kinda live to bike, play guitar, do photography and pretty much just want to explore and play around like a kid.

I still have a lot of cameras, a bit of a collection, and our friend John says I have a full blown camera museum. Devil Christian started Linhof Disease, and even Snarky Joe got infected.

I’m at a point where I don’t know the next leg of the journey will be for me as a visual artist. I tend to shoot a lot; I like carrying either heavy cameras, or a lot of them. I like to print big. And most of all I shoot like a large format photographer who tries to make a perfect negative for easy straight contact printing, or a digital file that requires little or no post processing.

Anyways it seems my real talent lays in annoying people, which I do very well.

Here in the Hudson Valley there is a fair share of either crazy or dumb drivers. There are slow drivers that ride their brakes that cause accidents like in the cartoon Mister McGoo. There is a good amount of road rage, and then there are just some plain stupid Americans. There is some serious risk of totaling a car, or getting taken out by a tail gator.

IMHO the worse are SUV drivers, pickup trucks, or Tesla owners. These drivers can’t even stay in one lane.

I have a reputation for driving old ratty cars that somehow I keep running for years, but the Audi I take to the dealer. This car gets babied. Every year it gets an oil change even if only 6-7K miles. Other than tires and gas no real expenses. What scares me on new cars is all this electronic technology I really don’t need that can break. Pretty much 2015 has the side collision avoidance warning, and pretty much I would not want more.

As far as travel goes, pretty much would rather save and go someplace for a month rather than a two-week flyby. Go to Spain, Amsterdam, or walk around Japan. Two months would be even better. Devil Christian taught me about a European sensibility and how they promote quality of life rather than American BS.

I still own my Leica Monochrom that I bought new. Of course I got the sensor replaced and the camera basically overhauled for free by Leica. Still a great camera. I have a great amount of medium format cameras, a few are Baby Linhofs. It is mighty cool walking around with a big heavy German camera, especially a skinny bitch like me with a right arm that is bigger, longer by an inch, and deformed by carrying heavy cameras in my right hand aggressively ready to shoot.

So photographically I guess there is a lot of possibility and probability of doing something crazy.

I still have to show off some of my books to this master printer. This guy has what was once a horse stable at the entrance of Blue Mountain Preserve into a huge printing studio. Really-really huge and crazy. This dude is an old man master printer who basically is “Certified” by Epson and Canon. He is at the level where he showed me a “Stable” of large format Canon printers, perhaps 5-6 that he got for free. He is at a level where he gets an unlimited supply of paper from Carson and Epson.

Know that this dude develops the firmware for Canon.

He knows of Piezography and Jon Cone, but he has not seen the results. I think in the spring I will stop by his studio for the grand tour. I initially met him when “strolling” with the grandson and “Maggie.” Pretty much it was not a good time to dig in.

Anyways, I really don’t need money, work, or things to do. My printer has been in storage with Piezoflush for the past three years, my old MacBook Pro‘s battery died, but I have an IMAC as my backup. Not sure of how much Piezography evolved over the past three years… I’m sure there will be another crazy learning curve…

Know that somehow I was part of a focus group that helped develop the Leica SL2. I’m mucho disappointed that Leica did not create a Monochrom SL2. Pretty much a game changer that would exploit the APO Crons that pretty much are perfect optically.

Been thinking of getting a SL2S to have a SL2, SL2S and the original SL. Know that I also own a black SL2-MOT film camera. Also the original SL digital is a great camera for using my 58/1.2 Noct-Nikkor. This could be where I want to go.

Then I have mucho medium format…

I even have dip and dunk capabilities like Devil Dan: 3 1/2 gallon tanks and racks.

Small format also. I too have an old black paint Leica II with a un coated 50 Elmar. I got this from our friend Sam in trade.

Pretty much though if I don’t get shot, murdered, or beaten to death, I pretty much could live 3-4 or even 5 decades more. I’m sure I will annoy many more people, because that is what I do.

My worries though is Maggie. At 70 her retirement still has a good amount of frenzy and stress. She gets emotional over silly stuff, pretty much rescues other people while not taking care of herself. I’m taking things like eating and sleeping. She just can’t relax.

I figure I have decades to figure things out, and in my case time is my friend. Stressing out and rushing around in a frenzied manner to me is not my idea of retirement. Every day I do something to move forward.

Maggie has a noon appointment with Regina, the Editor of our local newspaper that is published online. Pretty much she will be writing a monthly column, that might become more. She claims that she does well with structure. She is a former academic…

Anyways my art background embraces chaos and any lack of structure. I live a “Jazz-Life” where I live in the moment with no plans, and there is a sense of possibility and adventure every day.

Last night I woke up at 4:00, went downstairs, and played and practiced guitar for an hour and 15 minutes. Then I went back o bed. AJ phoned me. He is already back from FLA. I’ll visit him today. While Maggie is not home it presents an opportunity to play my mucho loud acoustic guitars.

In my life I just let things evolve organically and naturally. In the world of the theater they say, “In your own time.” Not a bad way to live life and feel really alive. I pass judgement that many Americans are caught up in BS and pretty much already are kinda dead. Lots of nonsense, here in New York rushing around filling internal emptiness…

I find it interesting that not only can I be happy with very little, but I find joy in simplicity. I feel my life has a deeper meaning. I’m not wasting time: I’m living.

I live a spontaneous kinda life. This greatly annoyed my older sister who kinda thinks I’m a loser/deralick. Pretty much she would get annoyed because her friends kinda liked the way I looked and my lazy-slacker bad boy attitude. I of course find this amusing. LOL.

Pretty much I have had a pretty reckless life, but I’m happy-happy. This really annoys my sister. LOL

Cal
 
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“Maggie” talked me off the ledge on getting the Scalpel. Best to keep my ammo dry.

Our talk gave me some leeway on biking by myself on the Empire State Trailway. One possible goal would to do a century every week over a biking season. The idea would be to build out a strong base and build both strength and endurance.

Then again I think the Ti IBIS with the SID “Race” will kinda be a crazy-crazy bike anyways. The smaller lighter wheels accelerate faster: simple physics that also gets compounded by my size and light weight. I can also add in a 2.5 wide front ire for more cush and control.

Anyways I got to get a disc UST front wheel, and then the other bikes will fall in order. Perhaps the retro Yo Eddie might become the favored bike. Let’s see…

Maggie made a point: I have many bikes.

Anyways, welcome to my life of impulse and a life of Jazz because of all the improvisation.

Cal
 
Some of my behaviors that make me annoying are OCD tendencies, perfectionism, addictive behavior, all combined with impulsiveness lead somewhat to unstable behavior. I guess this is why I am interesting and fun.

If I had to profile myself I would say a smart criminal who often does the impossible who does a lot of mucho crazy things. Of course I formerly was a performance artist and creature of the world of theater, so my photography kinda has a performative nature to it according to Devil Christian.

When I was young I was really out of control. People were afraid of me. Big bouncers would say, “I don’t want any trouble.”

When I worked at Grumman I was kinda like a covert operator who was a bit of a workaholic. I crossed a lot of boundaries and did evil things to get my job done, and pretty much was a street thug working in a Fortune 500 Company that was the 4th largest military contractor in the U.S.

What I’m trying to express is that I really could not be constrained. The bouncer knew it, and people at Grumman did also.

It has been interesting how all this played out. Somehow I stayed out of jail.

BTW my tires (Maxxis Minnion 2.35) just got delivered. Seems like a good opportunity to take the Yo Eddy out for a ride after I change the rear tire.

Cal
 
Had to take a Covid self test. The grand daughter tested positive, and we had her on Tuesday.

So far negative for “Maggie” and me, the incubation period for the new strain is three days.

Tomorrow I turn 66. I see the age in my face. I have growls. Technically I am an old man. How did that happen?

Cal
 
Austin,

At my 40th year High School Reunion some girl asked if I was at the right reunion. Pretty much my high school friends aged poorly. Most were unrecognizable.

I’m not doing so bad…

Kinda funny looking in the mirror: old man face; teenager body.

Cal
 
AJ was right: it took a while; but I finally added a pull-up; and I can now do nine in a set.

A new strategy is emerging for 2024. I will simplify the steel IBIS and make it into a full rigid trials bike complete with a bash guard. The front brake will get updated to a V-brake for enhanced clamping and to support nose wheelies. I want to develop trials skills, and it would be EZ-PZ to create a trials practice course right in my back yard. Already have mucho logs to stack.

At Blue Mountain I have mucho rock gardens to conquer. Body armor is not a bad idea. Pretty much no speed and development of balance and technical moves keeping everything slow.

This frees up a complete wheel set that is a duplicate of what resides on the Ti IBIS, allowing for EZ conversions from mountain bike to say a fitness bike. Also 1x11, 2x11, and a 63.59 gear inch single speed because I have a dedicated rear wheel already kitted out for single speed. I even have a spare single speed rear wheel for a 48 inch gear off-road along with a spyderless Middleburn chain ring and chain all kitted out.

Add to this that the front fork is also EZ-PZ convertible from IBIS Type II rigid to Rock Shox SID “Race.”

The thing with the Ti IBIS is it basically is a weight weenie’s dream bike. Even with a heavy Maxxis Minion DHF front tire in a wide 2.5 width, heavier disc brake front setup, and a front suspension I figure it will weigh only 22 pounds as a 2x11 XTR.

Know that it weighs 20 1/3 pounds as a rigid 2x11 with a cantilever brake and a 2.35 wide tire. For Blue Mountain I could convert to a 1x11 and shed a chain ring, shifter, front derailleur, a cable, along with a shorter chain. Pretty much bike anorexia. A sub 21 pound 1x11 front suspension bike is mighty insane.

Anyways bike handling skills development, climbing speed, and high strength to weight ratio will make up for a 29’er. Kinda cool having two bikes that share similar breeding and geometry so I can specialize and optimize.

The IBIS SS is a retro period OEM bike, as is the Fat Chance Yo Eddy. Mighty cool bikes. They stand ready to ride, but are worth saving as is. Pieces of history…

This year is phasing into fixed income. Pretty much my debt load is limited, but I can’t overspend. I have to make every dollar count. I have two coupons from DSW, one is for my birthday. We will go and try to find some waterproof hiking boots for Blue Mountain walks.

I have some Christmas weight gain, perhaps I’m 155 pounds. My fighting weigh is about 148, kinda ripped for all speed, and the build of a light welter weight boxer. For my body size the lightweight build of a Rock Shox SID “Race” is not really a liability because I’m so light in weight. For bigger heavier riders the flex in the fork is a handicap.

What I’m trying to say is the laws of physics and being a weight weenie pays dividends in my case and in itself is a great advantage. The Ti IBIS is my ultimate dream bike.

I have a goal of getting ultra-fit. I also want to become the local legend that rides Blue Mountain on old retro bikes.

Cal
 
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Cal,
On the Covid side, if you start feeling symptoms you should assume you’re positive. With this latest go round it seems to take a while till you test positive. My son had symptoms tested thought he had a cold and was negative, I started to feel the same symptoms and was not worried as he had tested negative. Well a few days latter I tested positive, and when my son tested he was too. For both of us it was a very mild case, but looking back I was not the only person my son infected. Luckily no one had a bad case.
Joe
 
Snarky Joe,

Thanks for the heads up. The grandson and grand daughter both tested positive. Like you said the symptoms are mild.

”Maggie” feels a bit fatigued. Other than that she has a mild cough.

I think we will self test again tomorrow. Tuesday was when we had contact with the children.

Cal
 
We hiked in Blue Mountain after running errands and doing some food shopping at Trader Joe’s.

I fixed the humidifier section on the Dyson. From experience I knew that 80% of the time electronic problems are bad connections. I opened up the electronics, and took note that the plug pins are staggered in depth by design. The actual pins I opened up a bit to ensure electrical contact, and now everything seems to work again.

Pretty happy that I settled debt so that I have little of it. I will not blow the opportunity to save money and create a slush fund of sorts. Travel, surprise trips, and real vacations of a month or two away. The 1966 C-10 needs about $30K to be a dream machine. The money has to come from somewhere.

My friend Iron Mike put 20K miles on his road bike last year. Of course he is retired.

I figure in the spring if I could do a century every week during the growing season, that would be a great way to stack up on mileage. Say 30 weeks would be alone 3000 miles. 50-60 mile rides 5 days a week would be 250-300 miles times 30 is 7500-9000 miles.

Still 10.5K miles to 12K miles is a doable goal, but still crazy. Pretty much 100 miles is almost a 7 hour ride. 50-60 mile rides still are 3-4 hours. I’m thinking sustained 15 miles an hour…

My friend Mike was doing about 700 miles a week I figure. How crazy is that? I figure Mike is in his mid to late 50’s.

AJ says he was surprised that he weighed in at 188. He is my height, 5’10”, but really muscular and not a skinny bitch like me. He mentioned that this is the heaviest he has ever been, and as his friend I told him not to get fat. The weight training bulked him up, and he is always hungry. I would not say he is fat though…

I’m definitely below 158, perhaps 155, so he has 30 pounds over me.

Anyways you can see how riding burns through a lot of time. Long slow distance is required to go fast. I need mucho mileage, the more the better.

Cal
 
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