Trial Run

I did a quick trial packing for my trip (17 days to go!). I still have yet to load up the bike to see how it handles (and how slow I'll be...), but that'll just happen when it's happens, I guess. One of my panniers still needs some repairs- the one I found on top of a trash can (not in it. I promise)- other than that, I'm ready to roll.

Good Holiday Gifts

I have two suggestions if you need a holiday gift for the bike nerd in your life. Specifically the mountain bike nerd in your life. And even more specifically the lady mountain bike nerd in your life.

Have you heard of the GBNEMBA Ride Like a Girl/Wrench Like a Girl series?? No. Well, the ride series brings Pro/Expert local riders and coaches together with beginner mountain bikers to teach skills to build confidence on the bike. Thus creating new gnar shredders, making the world a better place.  The wrench part of the equation happens here at Hub (keep an eye out for 2012 dates coming in Feb/Mar). Clinics cover basic maintenance, to help these women keep their rides shred ready. The final component of this collaboration is fundraising for The Elizabeth Stone House. Here's where the holiday gifts come in. First up- a very cool women's 'Ride Like a Girl' limited edition jersey:

100% of the proceeds from this mountain jersey (think- no pockets or zippers... mmmmm, comfy) benefit The Elizabeth Stone House. We've got 'em in women's sizes XS to XL. $40

 Next up is the Wrench Like a Girl Trial Side Fix It Kit (the name may need some re-working...):

Included in this kit is, a SRAM PowerLink (for chain fixes), a tube (for flat fixes), a few zip ties (for MacGuyver fixes), and a Park MTB-3 multi tool (for every trail side fix). This kit is gender neutral, so you can get it for everyone on your list. $30. I'd also like to note that everything in this kit was donated- so 100% of the $30 will go to The Elizabeth Stone House! Come check them out!

Trusty Steed

I meant to do this post on Sunday- which was exactly one month away from the start of my trip, but time got away from me. I've been meaning to do a number of things in regard to this bike trip, that haven't quite happened yet. Like putting some miles in on the bike... That seems to be the theme of this weblog- not riding bikes enough. Good thing this arrived today:

I have, however, managed to get a bike put together. The Brown Machine had been sitting idle for a while, and it has proven its worth over long distances. So that seemed to be the most logical frame of mine to hang some parts on. I'm going with a 2x9 drive train (no granny gear, but I won't have much in the way of elevation change to deal with), hand built wheels (natch) with Michelin tires, and my fave seat and pedals combo.

I'm going with the Surly Open Bar for the handlebar. Not a very conventional choice, but this guy has really grown on me. I think it's very comfortable, and it gives a couple of different hand positions. Will it work for me over a month of riding? There's only one way to find out...

I'm still on the fence about the front basket. I really love this guy (it's a Takeout Basket from PDW), but I'm afraid it won't fit enough stuff. I do have a nice CETMA front rack I could put on there for maximum cargo carrying, buuuut- it won't fit in the bike box I'm packing up in (like the Takeout will), so I'd  have to find some other way to get the thing down to FL. I don't want to brag, but I'm a pretty efficient packer (the last time I checked a bag was 2002), so I hope I can put those skills to good use here. I'm going to test those skills this weekend with a trial run/ride. I'll let you know how it goes. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Thxgiving

Hub is going to be CLOSED on Thursday, in order to put ourselves into a food coma. And CLOSED on Friday, as well, to put ourselves into a shopping coma (just kidding- my family's going to get bags of bike tube rubber bands for Xmas this year).

We'll be open for regular hours, high noon to 5pm, on Saturday.

Bell

The stars aligned today just long enough for me to get out of the 'office' and go for an MTB ride. Beautiful weather, a couple of free hours in the middle of the day, and a fully working bike- a very rare occurrence.

I didn't expect to run into anyone else on the trails, what with it being 1pm on Monday, but I happened upon a woman out for a hike. I didn't want to startle her, so I hoped she'd hear me pedaling. She didn't, and I really didn't want to interrupt her tranquil hike with an "on your left!" Then I remembered I was riding a bike with a bell. (It's my dedicated MTB bell- my four legged trail riding pal responds to it without me having to yell at her.) So, as I rode up a gave a quick 'Ding! Ding!' (always two in a row, I think it sounds nicer..). She said, "Oh! Isn't that a pleasant little surprise. Have a nice ride."

It is pleasant. I think it communicates "Hello! I'm here." Which is much different than the car horn's "You're annoying me. Get the eff out of my way." There are plenty of different tones- high pitched aluminum, resonant brass, old school telephone sounding. and so on.

It's weird, but at the moment I don't even have a bell on my commuter bike, and there are so many people out on the road to communicate with. I'm not going to move the one from my mountain bike- it's taken me a long time to get it that broken in- so it looks like I'm going to be in the market for a new one.

Planning

I've been planning a trip for this coming January. A bike tour trip. So far the planning process has been pretty passive. I spent the summer reading other people's tour blogs- some good ones and some really not good ones. I did a lot of day dreaming about it. I decided to ride through the south east (I've never been there, and it'll be warm-ish in January). I got maps from Adventure Cycling. That's about as far as I got with the planning process.

The shop move took up a large amount of brain space and energy, so I put off making any concrete plans for this adventure until things started to settle down around here. It's settling-ish, so I bought plane tickets this week. It's time for me to stop day dreaming and get some details nailed down. I leave for Florida on January 4 and I have a flight back to BOS from Austin TX on February 4. One month to ride 1300ish miles (one of those details I think I should work out...), that's do-able, right?

Closed on Saturday

Yep. CLOSED this Saturday (11/5). To wrench at the LUNA Chix Cyclocross Clinic with Katerina Nash. Should be fun!

See you Monday.