tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76618298155417219722024-02-21T02:17:14.414-05:00Still searching...Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-64353820875847246092014-09-14T23:31:00.000-04:002014-09-14T23:31:21.321-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been a long road. My old Aragon 10-speed has gone through yet another metamorphosis. OK, that's an exaggeration but it has been upgraded again, maybe for the last time.<br />
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There were some things I have wanted to change for a while but simply didn't get around to it. Better brakes, shifters, etc... Finally I had a reason to do it. That's a story for another post.<br />
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It started with the front fork. I screwed up the threads on the steerer tube while replacing the headset. Not a disaster. I already had a new spare sitting around. Then I decided I wanted another new one, one with double eyelets for mounting front racks. I found one in a local shop and picked it up. I cut the steerer tube to the same length as the original, but for some reason it came up a little short. Perhaps the new headset was a little different. I could use it but the lock nut wasn't holding enough threads to suit me. It also was chrome, not my first choice, so I got online and ordered a new black one with double eyelets.<br />
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I'm a little fuzzy on the order of the rest of the changes. They happened rather quickly with a great deal of overlap. I am not sure how I managed to keep it straight, so many changes in a short amount of time but it came together.<br />
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I changed it from a 10-speed to a 14-speed. I had a never-used Shimano 7-speed freewheel I planned to use. Then, since my crank was drilled for a triple I chose to make it a 21-speed. Easy right? Not really. I pulled the crank and installed the new 30t chainring I had ordered and it was too close to the chainstay. I needed a longer bottom bracket axle. I bought a 127mm bottom bracket to replace the 113mm unit and now it would fit.<br />
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One problem though. As I was reinstalling the crank I noticed the crank was cracked. Another setback.<br />
I looked online for a replacement crank, not really finding one that suited my purpose at a price I wanted to pay, and suddenly it occurred to me. I still had the cranks from my old mountain bike. I wonder if they used the same bolt pattern as these chainrings.<br />
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They do. So I swapped the rings and put the cranks on the bike. Now the chainrings were too far from the frame. Back to the original 113mm axle and all is good.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMCZrnTv1kTxjZSnQtAgIyI1t0Ppv-xFC-gAncrY60ezEZBh5U2-0ZIweYCmZeVQzs53II6hvTOZeptnfkBaZZcrH-2F3INS7oGBQkf6gmR8NzjfWuUA8-uP5S2lJZNrkRAWdeVhmIuuo/s1600/20140721_135704.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMCZrnTv1kTxjZSnQtAgIyI1t0Ppv-xFC-gAncrY60ezEZBh5U2-0ZIweYCmZeVQzs53II6hvTOZeptnfkBaZZcrH-2F3INS7oGBQkf6gmR8NzjfWuUA8-uP5S2lJZNrkRAWdeVhmIuuo/s1600/20140721_135704.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>Of course the front derailleur was made for two chainrings (double) not three (triple) so now I needed a different one of those. Again, looking online and in shops before remembering I still had that part from the old mountain bike as well. There was, of course a design issue there too. It did fit the frame and would work well but for the fact that the derailleur I had used a cable housing stop that the mountain bike part did not have. I tried to find a separate stop but nothing was available. At Home Depot I looked around for something I could use. The best I could find there was a u-bolt and a shelf bracket. I cut the bracket, drilled and tapped it to install an adjuster barrel and voila I had a stop.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8ExbHnTB3hcbXQuGMkr-aiz3v2r13WqNiHHC92eRU2_N268EG7CtfX7ibUs5YCLamwDj5JJjPME1ITRVJ9iyYACOshHZ-t5iAjkdLHnERcZ_MGMFCDOFGagReqApTeUEZ1hM8ccMLmo/s1600/20140726_184436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8ExbHnTB3hcbXQuGMkr-aiz3v2r13WqNiHHC92eRU2_N268EG7CtfX7ibUs5YCLamwDj5JJjPME1ITRVJ9iyYACOshHZ-t5iAjkdLHnERcZ_MGMFCDOFGagReqApTeUEZ1hM8ccMLmo/s1600/20140726_184436.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a> It's not pretty but it worked. I didn't like it though. The ugly aspect didn't bother me too much but I doubt it would hold up long term. Then, one day at work, I noticed a shaft collar on a machine and had my solution. I ordered an aluminum shaft collar and, after it arrived, drilled and tapped it for the adjuster barrel. It looks much better and I have little worry of it failing me.<br />
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I also wanted to get rid of the stem shifters Though I really like Suntour this bike was shaping up to be a touring bike. If something should happen to fail out on the road it would be best to have a little better availability of parts. I looked for bar end shifters but they tend to be a little pricey. I tried to find a downtube shifter setup using either a clamp on set of Shimano or a clamp that would accept braze-on shifters. After looking everywhere I could fathom I stumbled across Sunrace. They make a 7-speed Shimano compatible clamp-on downtube shifter. The only downside is that it is indexing only, no friction mode, but I can live with that.<br />
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One other thing that makes the bike less attractive for touring is the wheel size. 27" wheels, very common in the '80s are extinct apart from the old relics rolling around. The selection of available tires is really slim. And being such an old bike I thought I would have to build my own wheels, at least the rear. The 126mm dropout spacing with a freewheel is quite obsolete. For this wheel I had a specific need. A 126mm hub that would accept a british threaded screw-on freewheel, 36 spokes and a 700c double-wall rim. Looking online for a hub online I found mostly expensive NOS parts or old stuff in questionable condition. Then I ran across a site selling new Wheelsmith wheels using Weinmann 700c double-wall rims laced with 36 spokes to Origin8 126mm (rear) and 120mm (front) hubs. And...cheaper than I could build them myself.<br />
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Next? I changed the brakes. The original brakes worked OK but did leave a lot of room for improvement. The old Schwinn-approved style single pivot brakes are probably not strong enough for loaded touring. And with the new wheels of a slightly smaller diameter, they barely reached the rims. They did work but if they flexed they might damage the tires. After a bit of research I found the Tektro 559 long-reach nutted brakes. They seem to be as close to ideal for the purpose as possible without a torch.<br />
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For good measure I ordered a NOS set of Dia-compe brake levers and after some postal issues I ended up buying two sets. I placed a black set of levers on the handlebars with black hoods and topped them off with some old-fashioned foam handlebar grips. The bike is now nearly complete.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZvlgliTBBhdl9_JrO-6B1N6goVouktiZu10ypUga_oNmUxsJMG8Iu5JoriQ0ebSW06lUlY0BFFTjGF2a6cXBF3e2qIbNRNfqhKIVTGL2cDCG4i_5e2Esi3LuIyMnEGEy-Rw_2IQV-x8/s1600/20140914_214029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZvlgliTBBhdl9_JrO-6B1N6goVouktiZu10ypUga_oNmUxsJMG8Iu5JoriQ0ebSW06lUlY0BFFTjGF2a6cXBF3e2qIbNRNfqhKIVTGL2cDCG4i_5e2Esi3LuIyMnEGEy-Rw_2IQV-x8/s1600/20140914_214029.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>The front rack was yet another challenge. I needed a high-mounted front rack which is something rarely seen today. The best I could find for a reasonable price was designed for attachment using the quick-release skewer. I wanted to attach to the for eyelets. My option was to get the rack and scrap the QR mounts, then rig up a mounting setup for the eyelets. Again, it isn't pretty but it works. I used a reinforcing bracket and a couple of p-clips per side. I was a little concerned about the durability of the setup but a 200 mile loaded tour on unpaved rail trails showed it to be strong enough. There are a couple of minor changes I may still make in the future, I can't seem to leave well enough alone, but fundamentally it is done.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-3593092049752299772014-02-01T01:51:00.000-05:002014-02-01T01:51:20.050-05:00Strange. I have been cycling for decades, some years much more than others. In the early years the bike was simply a mechanism, a tool for playing in the yard. Then it became transportation, freedom for a preteen.<br />
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Then I got a ten-speed. More complex with all of those gears and brakes you operated with your hands, it was the coolest Christmas present I had ever received. So began my love for gadgets. I had always been curious about the workings of things, from the time I cut the music box out of the back of my stuffed gingerbread man as a young child.<br />
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While many of the people with whom I ride know little of bicycle maintenance I enjoy much of it. Hooked on the gadgetry, I enjoy eBay and accessory sites and catalogs. I find it interesting, all of the clever goo-gaws people invent to solve problems or just make the ride better, faster, different, or whatever. I have spent hours and dollars changing my rides in various ways - some good, some not so much but always a learning experience.<br />
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I bought some shifters that I didn't previously know existed for an old road bike that turned out to be the best ones I have used. I put a Montague Octagon adjustable stem on my old mountain bike, a rather ingenious design, that I think will really add some versatility.<br />
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It dawned on me recently that I like playing with the setups as much as riding, if not more. That is probably why I have so many bikes, one of which I rarely ride. I probably should sell that one but it is a doo-dad. Can't have too many of those, right?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-22842208416181964842012-10-27T21:10:00.002-04:002012-10-27T21:10:54.825-04:00Autumn RidingThe Great Pumpkin Metric was a great ride this year. Fantastic weather. I rode the Paramount on the 100k route and felt great. Even the hills I hated most in years past, Burdette and St. Phillip, though tough were much easier than in years past.<br />
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Last weekend was Hilly Hundred weekend. It's a great ride with a lot of riders. Saturday was chilly with a high of 55° and gloomy, including some rain. Sunday was also cool but sunny, making it much more pleasant. Probably not too difficult for people who live and ride in Colorado, Tennessee, etc... but challenging for many of us flatlanders. I rode the Cannondale on that ride. I wanted to try out my upgrades in gearing and brakes this time around. It was tough but the improvements were apparent. It probably would have been somewhat easier had I ridden the Paramount though.<br />
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I recently ran across another good deal. I picked up a Diamondback 29er priced at 1/3 off. I have been wanting a newer, more capable MTB for some time. Those 29er wheels look huge next the old one's 26's. The bike just looks big. Sitting on it, the front wheel simply looks massive when I'm accustomed to looking down to see a front wheel, this one's wheel looms much more prominently ahead.<br />
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It will be interesting to try out the hydraulic disc brakes, as well as the massive gearing, on the trail. On my short jaunts around the neighborhood it appears that if I can keep the front wheel on the ground, I can climb it. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-7164332686894599012012-10-03T00:51:00.000-04:002012-10-03T00:51:45.302-04:00Return of the Great PumpkinThis past Sunday I participated in The Great Pumpkin Metric Bicycle Tour for the 15th time. It was a great ride. I remember the first time, back in 1985, when I was new to the organized tour scene. Back then 50k (31 miles) seemed like a long ride. I rode hard that day and was exhausted after I finished the ride.<br />
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More recently was the year when the temperature was up in the 90's, a bit hot for October. Another year the high was in the mid 50's and windy. I was probably more exhausted after that one than any other ride I have taken. It also took me hours to warm up after that.<br />
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This year the weather was perfect, the best I can remember. High in the mid 70's, calm and sunny. I don't know if I am in better shape now than in the past or if it's due to the newer and lighter bike, but it was definitely the easiest that ride has ever been for me. I believe it was a combination of the two. My average speed wasn't really faster than in previous years, but the hills, even the worst ones, weren't as painful. The real test is coming up...the Hilly Hundred. 100 miles over two days with some nasty hills. Fun though.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-17360457094736519032012-08-26T22:22:00.000-04:002012-08-28T00:45:01.261-04:00Photo OpsI did a bike ride on July 4 this year...well part of one. I didn't make the while trip. I was in a group riding to the fireworks display in Carmel. On the return trip one of the other riders had a chain derail at an intersection. I stopped to wait for her to get going again and, as we started off again, I had a mishap. I got up to about 10 mph or so and my rear wheel locked up. After uttering profanity and getting off the bike I discovered my rear derailleur had committed suicide by diving into the spokes of my rear wheel. My ride ended there and I waited 45 minutes for her to return later in her car to pick me up.<br />
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So the wheel I had built, at great expense, and the other upgrades were for naught. Okay, maybe it wasn't quite catastrophic but my Cannondale was out of commission for two months. I had to have the wheel repaired (six new spokes and trued) and the frame aligned. Then I had to again find a new derailleur on ebay, a part that seems to be getting more rare by the day. Fortunately, I was able to find one that was better in quality than the one that broke from a seller in London. Including shipping it was still cheaper than any I could find in the US and appeared to be in better condition...new.<br />
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There was no crashing involved in this incident but it got me to thinking. I am not a great one for being ready with the camera and saving images for posterity. I did take a couple of pics of the damage but they are not too exciting. But crashes I have had in the past might have made for interesting viewing. When I first got my 10-speed for Christmas I couldn't wait for spring to ride it. Blasting down a hill I intended to turn into a subdivision and hit some sand. I was left in the middle of the street whilt the bike had tumbled into someone's yard.<br />
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Years later I bought a mountain bike. A friend and I rode up to the top of a parking garage. On the way back down I was going too fast and the wheels slid out and I crashed, fracturing my left wrist. When I came to a rest my bike was standing upside down on handlebars and seat as I lay next to it with one foot still in the toe-clip. That would have been a neat video to watch.<br />
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A year later I was again on my mountain bike trying it out on a bmx track. I crashed when my front wheel hit and turned on me. I came down on my shoulder and the side of my face. The bike was OK. My collarbone was completely separated from my shoulder.<br />
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Some years later I was participating in a club ride on my Cannondale when a dog got into my wheels and flipped me. At least that is what I was told. The severe concussion I got from that pretty well wiped out all memory of that day. I just know I awakened the next day at my parent's house with bruised ribs and a lot of road rash. I discovered a week or so later I had also sprained my shoulder, the same one I had previously torn apart. I see arthritis in my future.<br />
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These days I am wary of letting my wheels lost contact with the road...and dogs...but I still enjoy riding. But I really should start taking a camera along and taking pictures along the<br />
way.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-25338974597016024602012-02-13T03:03:00.001-05:002012-02-13T03:09:18.104-05:00UpgradingThe old Cannondale still has a lot of life left in it. I have had it for about 20 years now and it has been a great ride. Through many rides and an altercation with a dog of indeterminate breed it is still in good and reliable shape. The new Schwinn was purchased in part because the Cannondale has obsolete components that work well but cannot be easily upgraded.<br />
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Most modern road bikes have brifters - integrated brake and shift levers. These are made by brands like Shimano, SRAM, Campagnolo, etc... My Cannondale has Suntour shifting. It is not compatible with the other brands. Suntour closed up shop in 1995. They were small and couldn't compete with the giant Shimano, though their quality was arguably superior.<br />
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After taking the new Schwinn on a couple of rides I came to a surprising conclusion. The bike is a pleasure to ride and its Shimano 105 gearing shifts well, but...not as well as my 20 year old Cannondale's Suntour. What little research I have done revealed that Suntour does indeed shift more precisely by design but is more likely to be finicky about being properly adjusted. Maintenance requires a more diligent mechanic. In the decades of ownership, however, I don't recall ever having adjusted it apart from installing new cables.<br />
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Shimano, on the other hand, is less precise in shifting but is more forgiving when it comes to adjustment. The shifters on the Schwinn remind me of the Rapidfire shifters on my mountain bike in the manner of operation. It is a nice setup, don't get me wrong. I can't say yet one system is better than the other. They are simply different.<br />
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The only downside to my Suntour shifters was the mounting location. In the early '90s downtube shifters were the norm. Shimano and Campagnolo introduced integrated shifters at some time in the '90s, not long before the demise of Suntour. The downtube shifters work really well but at times can be inconvenient. Shifting requires moving the hands away from the handlebars. When riding in large groups I prefer to keep my hands ready for braking and making evasive corrections.<br />
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I always wondered what would have happened had Suntour survived. One day I stumbled across something on eBay that hinted at the direction they were taking. Instead of being integrated with the brake levers the shifters are mounted on the handlebars just above the brake levers. The mechanism actually sits right alongside the brake hoods so shifting can be achieved from the hoods, and supposedly from the drops as well. They look like big wing nuts, which I like because it is a bit different from everyone else's gear. I found a set and installed them but the weather has not been conducive to riding lately. I can't wait to get out there and take them for a test run.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUlZxVh8Kcpk-VQTVA2SbKKLM2xZmdVx23FGAwgcIXxKjhqvpSUf6WkIDxiSsGNm0DxXQz7QC_NPhKRE4WD7LkfOIoe18P70vjo32nyj2fmQROf-PtRcRtdS40HF6QcxG9w_0djrYK9s/s1600/SDC10273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUlZxVh8Kcpk-VQTVA2SbKKLM2xZmdVx23FGAwgcIXxKjhqvpSUf6WkIDxiSsGNm0DxXQz7QC_NPhKRE4WD7LkfOIoe18P70vjo32nyj2fmQROf-PtRcRtdS40HF6QcxG9w_0djrYK9s/s320/SDC10273.JPG" width="320" /></a>They were a little expensive. I found them online, NOS. 17 years old , never even installed before. Of course rarity can make thing cost more but there is also another reason. Cyclocross racers like them. Unlike other shifters on the road, Suntour's shifters were switchable between indexed and friction shifting. In indexing mode they only really work with Suntour gears, and not all of them. But when switched over to friction mode they will work pretty well with just about any gears you might have. The downside is that the rider has to move the shifter to just where it needs to be. The indexing is what sets the proper positioning on most bikes today. The CX racers like them because the levers are convenient to use, yet their location protects them from accidental shifting due to bumping into other riders and crashes.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-87961707038674998322011-12-16T04:52:00.002-05:002011-12-16T04:52:46.326-05:00toysI have too many ideas and too little money and too little free time...not to mention motivation. Unfortunately, many of these ideas escape me before I can flesh them out or, in many cases, write them down. And the motivation???<br />
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I have a digital level. It is a professional model with an rs-232 port on the back. To those who grew up after the proliferation of the USB port, it is an older type of serial connection. Anyway, I often ride the bicycle on hills and wonder just how steep it is. My thought was to get a little netbook computer, connect it to the level and strap it on the bike. I could then record the slopes of the route in real-time. So far I have yet to locate a cable to connect it to the computer (I haven't tried very hard). Then I would have to figure out how to sample the data, import it into a software program, etc... That sounds like a lot of work.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyWQJjXagio1k6G8GS2haesIVzy1fk3YcRgQieZY7NVsJ1187_RZk9B3cOE0KIxozAjf8MaqiGmK4-9J43bUFOyKUSKAh_9E3vY_Y2Ibmref99yKgy1_vlO6VnBrwVNnGz35uQPrnQzs/s1600/SDC10244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyWQJjXagio1k6G8GS2haesIVzy1fk3YcRgQieZY7NVsJ1187_RZk9B3cOE0KIxozAjf8MaqiGmK4-9J43bUFOyKUSKAh_9E3vY_Y2Ibmref99yKgy1_vlO6VnBrwVNnGz35uQPrnQzs/s320/SDC10244.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
There is a simpler solution. Much less elaborate, but much cheaper and real time. It is essentially a level, much like a carpenter would use, but with graduations indicating the grade of the slope. Cheap, simple, small and lightweight. It reads up to 27% grade. It is the red and yellow object in the photo above.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">The Road Warrior</span><br />
Apart from that I have been doing little with the bikes lately, at least when it comes to riding. I put a new rear wheel on the old 10-speed. I know a lot of people who would ask, why bother? It is an obsolete clunker. I have had that bike for 28 years and it has been through a lot of miles with me. I am thinking of getting it re-painted, maybe powder-coated.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JvUwlSEs6-5KOl5zrJfZR0G75ZZcVKc0-e69HE_Q1coc8TN7wvTIlrj7jdi5HZe04PApV-RnPUT2GJnWG6lh046p-h4BOIXIabF6TIytovVLYiciseYGCUrPvHwCKoIdZmrCeNf6IWs/s1600/SDC10252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JvUwlSEs6-5KOl5zrJfZR0G75ZZcVKc0-e69HE_Q1coc8TN7wvTIlrj7jdi5HZe04PApV-RnPUT2GJnWG6lh046p-h4BOIXIabF6TIytovVLYiciseYGCUrPvHwCKoIdZmrCeNf6IWs/s640/SDC10252.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I got it for Christmas in '83 and it has been through a number changes since. The name on it was Aragon. I knew a guy who had a Schwinn World Sport with all of the same components and the frame lugs were identical. Does this mean it was made by Schwinn? It is possible but I have no way of verifying this theory. The only remaining original parts are the frame and brakes. It looks heavy because it is. As shown in the picture it weighs in at a stout 34 pounds. It is a beast but the old steel frame is comfortable on long rides.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">The Mountain Bike</span><br />
One year I took the Road Warrior apart to repaint it. One day I went out to the garage to do some sanding on the frame and discovered someone had dropped it. The bottom bracket now had a flat spot on one side which would prevent me from putting it back together.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7xA-7SOOi62AGl3zcgvXPQo3xLPKTF-9LAJm1ABTHqfV7vyharRP0oprkvJc7T5hzyx-9E28BF9wYO-OcNe6f_XFIcrXfVYL0xDAbY8QHjzMzsu1uABiiQSeKsW7Gq9xADJjnWfpSAE/s1600/SDC10256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7xA-7SOOi62AGl3zcgvXPQo3xLPKTF-9LAJm1ABTHqfV7vyharRP0oprkvJc7T5hzyx-9E28BF9wYO-OcNe6f_XFIcrXfVYL0xDAbY8QHjzMzsu1uABiiQSeKsW7Gq9xADJjnWfpSAE/s320/SDC10256.JPG" width="320" /></a>So I gave up on it and bought a mountain bike. It was 1991 and mountain bikes were starting to take over the market. The bike I chose was a Schwinn High Plains Aluminum. It had a beautiful paint job, bright blue metallic paint with silver splattered on it. Unfortunately, they didn't have my size and, since it was on clearance I bought the 21" frame. It was fun for riding but really a bit large for any serious off road riding.<br />
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A number of years later I bought a frame from a catalog and transferred most of the parts to the new frame. It weighs in at about 37 pounds but feels like 57. I have a rack on it and have grocery panniers that I could use to make grocery runs. I did do that once...<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">The Cannondale</span><br />
A year after buying the mountain bike I felt the call of the road again. I liked riding off-road but it just isn't the same. I went back to the bike shop and saw a Bianchi on the sidewalk. It was a used item for sale. I liked it and put it on layaway. A week later I went back to make a payment and saw a used Cannondale on the sidewalk. A dark blue SR400, $50 more than the Bianchi. It only weighs about 23 pounds and I found that fact appealing. I asked if I could trade up and soon I had my new road ride.<br />
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A few years ago some friends and I rode in the Great Pumpkin Metric. After the ride we loaded the bike into, and onto, his Tahoe and went home. Upon arrival my front wheel had escaped from atop his truck. It would be nearly impossible to find it and likely it would have been worthless after the fall from the top of his truck, at highway speeds. Fortunately, my friend had an extra wheel and gave it to me as a replacement. In reality, it was a significant upgrade from my old front wheel.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfodB2Q16kr0GrE9EhJzjGQqLrWH4HBKY9-h_OjBX07WzYKTLzBfjDmwZh0wl3S2ztLtvg_81_OiPcoODwp7dKZbC_KqTlGJjZvwWU2vVK4ZiDz-1VTIcPUlQIOVgSaPEp1yfvVfUX9rA/s1600/SDC10250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfodB2Q16kr0GrE9EhJzjGQqLrWH4HBKY9-h_OjBX07WzYKTLzBfjDmwZh0wl3S2ztLtvg_81_OiPcoODwp7dKZbC_KqTlGJjZvwWU2vVK4ZiDz-1VTIcPUlQIOVgSaPEp1yfvVfUX9rA/s640/SDC10250.JPG" width="640" /></a>A couple of years ago, I broke a couple of spokes on my rear wheel. It was showing its age and was due for replacement. Unfortunately, this would be a challenge. The rear wheel contains parts that must be compatible with other component of the bike to function properly. Those parts are no longer made, haven't been since the mid-90's. Ebay can be a great thing. I found a hub and cassette NOS (New Old Stock) parts that fit the bill. A little pricey but available. I took those parts to my friendly neighborhood bike shop and had a wheel built. I have been quite happy with the new wheels.<br />
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And as for the damaged frame on the ten speed... A year or two after buying the Cannondale I looked at my collection of spare parts and decided, on a lark, to see if the frame could be repaired after all. As it turned out, it could and the repair only cost me $25. That is why the Road warrior is still with me. Maybe I should call it the Phoenix.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">The Super-cruiser</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctck1uae0XKJKAlI2yEzlwWe8VGV6Mb8wbFIEwMx7UALceBLNThuATGaJ5EGtG6N2u4Yf6T4T08pCzjVHz1T7I2YEFqoWcFJual4lM_ibBUajYzF2duUruG-qW-Ai89TF8OEWhlmC_uI/s1600/SDC10125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctck1uae0XKJKAlI2yEzlwWe8VGV6Mb8wbFIEwMx7UALceBLNThuATGaJ5EGtG6N2u4Yf6T4T08pCzjVHz1T7I2YEFqoWcFJual4lM_ibBUajYzF2duUruG-qW-Ai89TF8OEWhlmC_uI/s320/SDC10125.JPG" width="320" /></a>The N.I.T.E. Ride is an event that comes along every summer in Indianapolis. It is a short nighttime ride through the streets of the city starting at 11PM. Along with the ride are a post-ride meal, lighting contest and door prizes. I have participated in this ride every year since 2000. One year I won the door prize...a beach cruiser. What the heck am I going to do with a beach cruiser?<br />
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When I went to the bike shop to pick up my prize I did some looking around. I had, for years, thought it would be cool to have a recumbent bicycle. They had one on the sales floor so I asked if I could trade up. It was a cheap one, the cheapest one you could get, but I didn't need it for serious riding. I may try it on a substantial ride someday. At 39 pounds, it is very heavy and the small wheels make it even more sluggish. But it is a fun ride for local exploration and tooling around.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Paramount</span><br />
I have been wanting, for several years now, a modern bike. The Road Warrior and the Cannondale have certainly been faithful steeds and I will continue to enjoy riding them. But there are advantages to newer designs and I wanted something different. I stumbled upon a pretty little thing in a shop here and took it for a short test ride. The price was right, again an older model on clearance. But this time it was my size. I know a lot of people will turn their noses up at it because it bears the name Schwinn. But, unless one is to spend upwards of 2 grand, they won't find a bike made in the US, The vast majority of all bikes sold are made in one or two Chinese factories. Buy American? I would if I could afford to...and justify the expense.<br />
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The latest addition to my stable is a 2010 Schwinn Paramount Series 7. It is a blue and white carbon fiber beauty that weighs in at little more than 20 pounds. It may be heavy by carbon fiber standards but should be a much smoother ride than the Aluminum Cannondale. Whether it will prove to be as comfortable as the old road warrior remains to be seen but at 14 pounds lighter I'd be willing to sacrifice a little bit. And being modern components, I can change things up to get to a gearing combination that suits my purposes. that is nearly impossible with the others.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-41673493546814771972011-11-06T03:15:00.001-05:002011-11-06T03:15:45.303-05:00Nobody cares...I just watched a little bit on Tosh.0 in which there was a car wreck. After the mother arrived and asked about her son the police officer reached over and peeled one of the little stick figures off the rear window of her car. I had a good laugh over that one.<br />
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Who do the self-important bozos of the world feel it necessary to tell everyone else about their special lives. One might have thought that sort of pathetic bragging died with the <em>baby on board</em> signs of the eighties. I did see one of those a few weeks ago as well.<br />
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These stick figures are even worse in that they must describe the makeup of the whole family, down to pet scruffy. I don't care if you forgot your pill 3 times and have a dog, a cat and crab lice. Nor do I care that one of your mistakes is an honor student at Mediocre Middle School.<br />
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Sure, though I was always a fan of Calvin & Hobbes, I thought the little window stickers of Calvin whizzing on a Ford or Chevy logo were idiotic as well. But at least those stickers tell me something useful. It is the same message told by the big plastic testicles I have seen hanging on the backs of some trucks. They say "The driver of this vehicle is an ignorant rube or a classless redneck!" Surely some practical information.<br />
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If they must tell me something about themselves, maybe these people with the stick family should instead put some useful info on the backs of their cars instead. An "inattentive driver" sign would be appreciated. Why should I care how many kids you have in your car if you don't care enough to stay off the phone long enough to get them home safely?<br />
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Tell me you are addicted to Vicodin or Oxycodone. Warn me about your multiple DUIs and lack of insurance. I might appreciate it if you told me you are bipolar and quit taking your meds. <br />
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Even better, instead of all of these stickers, which can only be seen from the safest position....behind you...., let's get you one of those big, lighted boxes like those sitting on the roof of the Papa John's delivery boy's car. It will read "SELF-IMPORTANT ASSHOLE!"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-34453536057990853102011-11-06T02:28:00.000-05:002011-11-06T02:28:26.434-05:00Just listen...or leave me alone!<div>
I seem to have picked up the bad habit of talking to myself. The strange part is that, while doing so, I believe I am talking to other people around me. It happens mostly at work. In some cases, I am busy doing something and someone well meaning decides to help. In reality they are holding me up and getting in the way, ignoring my requests to let me work.</div>
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Also infuriating are the ones who don't listen in a conversation because they are too concerned with what their reply will be. For instance, one guy at work commented the other day that I asked a lot of questions. The truth is that I asked him the same simple question 4 times before I got an answer to that question.</div>
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Looking back, I guess it has always been this way. Either I have some real credibility problems or people just tend to ignore me. Sure, there are times when I am just talking out of my ass, so to speak. But I am right about something now and again.</div>
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Numerous times I have made suggestions or given solicited advice to friends on various topics. Invariably, they don't listen until someone else tells them the same thing. Apparently it all just sounds better coming from someone else. Perhaps I should just tell them, from now on, to just go ask someone else. That should save them some time and save me from wasting time and energy on talking to myself.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-54730443237298747702011-10-19T00:45:00.008-04:002011-10-19T02:31:38.798-04:00Goings on<div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>There really has not been much going on since my last post. I simply don't do much. Work, sleep, repeat....that's my life. I did do a few bike rides over summer: dinner rides, N.I.T.E. Ride, B&O ride, etc... I just did far less cycling than I intended.</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGZS6fBrIz9twfoDxmH7s8bqxcuHMOw4_EjFMvOzqp54c30cwJ5QU_DALo1Eihsc_voCNC_4ug4A_m7wytDRBp3-wHbsZHue9yb8T1GNvf1hqKUa-eazEm4pIoxMfzc7JCVvhi7Rl9CDc/s1600/GPM+2009+003.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 320px; height: 240px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665068178199159090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGZS6fBrIz9twfoDxmH7s8bqxcuHMOw4_EjFMvOzqp54c30cwJ5QU_DALo1Eihsc_voCNC_4ug4A_m7wytDRBp3-wHbsZHue9yb8T1GNvf1hqKUa-eazEm4pIoxMfzc7JCVvhi7Rl9CDc/s320/GPM+2009+003.JPG" /></a></div><div>A couple of weeks ago I did the 100k route of the Great Pumpkin Metric. I have done this many times over the years. It went about as I might have expected. It was a fun ride. The hill at Burdette Park is seen in the photo at right. The picture doesn't do it justice.</div><div> </div><div>The weekend that just passed was spent on the bike again. This time it was the Hilly Hundred. Saturday was a bit cool but overall pleasant. The ride was about 58 miles with 5202 ft of climbing. There were a dozen hills with a grade of 10% - 24%. It was a good workout. The only real downside was rolling down a hill at about 30mph and hitting something. I didn't see what it was, either a small pothole or something on the road. What I do know is that I finished the day's ride with a damaged rim and broken spoke, after having fixed a flat tire. I am just glad I was on my old 10-speed. Had I damaged a wheel on my Cannondale I would have been p***ed off.</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-4Mdy0N5Trcu5k1Sb88BqalPjaLVzMzYW34NSkqEzEcZR4Kf3VjqGrb4ihwUfbXSVs2bSJrAt07kixvlUHHcBeoJKbTTtg8TkBHSkUPL27n52fPf4F5AIuhC4-7ximzCXd09R_jqI7Y/s1600/Mt+Tabor.jpg"></a> </div><div> </div><div>Sunday, day 2 of the Hilly Hundred, was warmer and really windy. 3968 feet of climbing. There were 8 hills with a grade between 11 and 24 percent. Mt. Tabor is the most infamous hill of the weekend. The photo below (courtesy of Joe Lucas) is looking back after the climbing of Mt. Tabor. </div><div> </div><div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-4Mdy0N5Trcu5k1Sb88BqalPjaLVzMzYW34NSkqEzEcZR4Kf3VjqGrb4ihwUfbXSVs2bSJrAt07kixvlUHHcBeoJKbTTtg8TkBHSkUPL27n52fPf4F5AIuhC4-7ximzCXd09R_jqI7Y/s1600/Mt+Tabor.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 320px; height: 239px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665068520326882418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-4Mdy0N5Trcu5k1Sb88BqalPjaLVzMzYW34NSkqEzEcZR4Kf3VjqGrb4ihwUfbXSVs2bSJrAt07kixvlUHHcBeoJKbTTtg8TkBHSkUPL27n52fPf4F5AIuhC4-7ximzCXd09R_jqI7Y/s320/Mt+Tabor.jpg" /></a>My rear wheel held up well, with a new tire </div><div>and tube installed. I was stopped on my way up a hill, but only because a got boxed in by a tandem on my left and the shoulder on my right. The rider in front of me dropped her chain forcing me to clip out and stop. We got her chain back on and went on our merry ways.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div></div><div> </div><div>I spent Monday doing little more than resting. At the moment, my legs are still a little sore. Walking, stairs, etc... are no problem but the quads are a little bit tender to light pressure. </div><div> </div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggA0wFv47XFNB6v2fMUfaoEmuLsAGN__t50d2XfsKfnWlvXDuNmDf-rTOt3676JG_sbpbCEE7aOJ3Fhiam4nWw7Vu1eCUEyYKuLdHXRpApYOkbSMY_K4bjIU3oNlB0-llCA2wmhhO144o/s1600/Mt+Tabor+sign.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 238px; height: 320px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665082443108751410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggA0wFv47XFNB6v2fMUfaoEmuLsAGN__t50d2XfsKfnWlvXDuNmDf-rTOt3676JG_sbpbCEE7aOJ3Fhiam4nWw7Vu1eCUEyYKuLdHXRpApYOkbSMY_K4bjIU3oNlB0-llCA2wmhhO144o/s320/Mt+Tabor+sign.jpg" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4IYgkuejoOLk2WB924o9HmkNWw8fovJeHtvRTrloMdE1I31ueG-XwOVg_SeNDJcIf9L14JZLI-1lwmFyJkhYk8rHFZn1uR8jYOoJ-c7-qxlKTONTcpgJFsRg8Nek_X-vq-nWpAFrNvwI/s1600/Bean+Blossom+hill.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 238px; height: 320px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665084896073133090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4IYgkuejoOLk2WB924o9HmkNWw8fovJeHtvRTrloMdE1I31ueG-XwOVg_SeNDJcIf9L14JZLI-1lwmFyJkhYk8rHFZn1uR8jYOoJ-c7-qxlKTONTcpgJFsRg8Nek_X-vq-nWpAFrNvwI/s320/Bean+Blossom+hill.jpg" /></a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-351420530280191542011-05-10T00:19:00.003-04:002011-05-10T00:53:52.571-04:00On the awakening...I had a rather odd weekend. After a rough week at work I was tired and sore, in more than one way. So I went to bed Friday night determined to stay home from work on saturday. I felt I had enough OT during the week and needed to recover.<br /><br />Saturday morning I awakened at around 8:30 am and stumbled to the couch to relax and watch a little bit of TV. I had recorded an episode of "Who's Line is it anyway?" while at work on Friday. Apparently I still had a bit of sleep in me as I soon fell asleep on the couch. When I awakened on the couch I coudn't move. It wasn't like the time I had muscle spasms in my back and couldn't move without severe pain. I didn't feel anything at all. I tried to get up but there was no movement of any sort. I tried to concentrate on getting up and going to the kitchen, and I could almost swear I felt my feet pacing on the carpet, but I was still in that petrified state on the couch. I tried to look around but was frozen in place. I could not even move my head.<br /><br />I was facing the TV, the blue screen indicating the recorded program had played through. It seemed like hours I lay there on the couch and I was starting to feel a little bit concerned, though strangely not panicked. I didn't really think of much of anything other than "What the hell is going on?"<br /><br />Then I awakened on the couch. I was a little bit nonplussed but otherwise well. The TV was still on, a blank blue screen indicating the show was over. The clock on top of the TV read 10:30am. I was still a bit sore from the week's work. I got up, called the job to tell them I would not be there and left town for my niece's college graduation party.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-41450135397104924372011-03-19T00:23:00.002-04:002011-03-19T01:29:01.290-04:00DoppelgangerDo you know someone who has a double? Often these doubles are simply just products of perception based on a simple trait or two. Other times the resemblance is quite uncanny. Several times I have run across someone in a restaurant or bar and someone approached me thinking they hadn't seen me for a while when indeed they had never seen me before. I am pretty sure I have never used the names they called me (the profane names I have generally answered to).<br /><br />I ran across a waitress in a local bar/grill who looked very familiar. She was virtually a dead ringer for Kelly, a young lady I worked with perhaps 15 years ago. At another hangout, some years ago, there was a waitress who bore a strong resemblance to Gweneth Paltrow, though not as tall nor nearly as slim, and another who reminded me of Andrea Parker (Miss Parker to the Pretender fans out there).<br /><br />There are a couple of doppelgangers of which I wish I had pictures. The reason is that they are damned funny. A few years ago I worked with a little guy from Ethiopia. He was a little guy with a big head and Southpark was in its prime. When I saw the Thanksgiving episode where the boys got a mailorder kid from Ethiopia I couldn't stop laughing because the resemblance was so clear, oddly enough.<br /><br />Now I have one for the Simpson's fans out there. One of the minor characters of the show is a bit of a hillbilly named Cletus Delroy Spuckler. I know a guy that looks remarkably like Cletus. One day at work he took off his sweatshirt and was wearing a wifebeater. Had I been drinking anything it would have been a spit-take. That was a Kodak moment if there were one to be had for the purpose of this blog.<br /><br />I also work with a woman who, though not purple, looks like Grimace from the old McDonald's commercials. Poor girl.<br /><br />I once knew a girl who looked a lot like Rozanda 'Chili' Thomas and another who was said to resemble Rihanna, though I think that was due largely to her hairstyle. Certainly her forehead was not nearly so prominent.<br /><br />Off on a tangent...there was a guy named Michael Jackson working for one of my previous employers and at another job I worked with a Tom Petty. It seemed to annoy him when we asked him when his next album was due out. In reality, those are really pretty normal names that happen to have famous namesakes. It does make me wonder if there is a guy out there somewhere cursed with the name Pink Floyd. Considering the post-hippie era of the band's popularity and the culture of drugs around them (they were considered acid rock) it is possible.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-55323315658472953382011-02-22T00:09:00.002-05:002011-02-22T00:53:28.864-05:00Disconnected...Once again I found someone at work who has misjudged me in a most peculiar way. James has made the assumption that I am like other people. This stems from a conversation in which he was relating his taunting another co-worker, Doug. Doug is a bit on the moody side and takes things a bit more seriously at times than necessary.<br /><br />In telling this story, James made the comment that I would not be bothered so much by such a comment because, in reference he would not mean it. My reply was that whether he meant it or not is irrelevant to me because I simply do not care what people think about me. He, much like a coworker at a previous job, insisted I do care. Not only do I not care, but i tend to assume people think the worst, even when they appear otherwise. It just seems easier that way.<br /><br />What these people do not and cannot understand is a certain personal self reliance that is unusual today. Most people need to feel a strong and constant connection with other people. This is evidenced by the importance of cell phones in their lives. If they are awake they are talking/texting/IM-ing/e-mailing/Skyping/Facebooking/Myspacing/Tweeting. They panic if they lose contact for short periods of time.<br /><br />I, on the other hand, do not need constant communication. As a matter of fact, after a weekend away from work I am sometimes rather annoyed working side by side with some people because I spend the weekend alone and incommunicado. Many weekends pass that I don't see or talk to anyone at all. I can't just jump into meaningless interchanges all at once.<br /><br />This is not meant to sound as though I am anti-social, I am more asocial. I don't avoid contact with other people, rather I just don't go looking for it. The great amounts of time I have spent alone over the years, whether by choice or by circumstance, have forged a certain degree of contentment, or perhaps complacency, in my character.<br /><br />From this, I have no need for the approval of my 'peers'. If the people around me like me, that's great. I will interact with them to the best of my ability. If they do not like me, then I am alone and comfortable with my environment. Perhaps too many years in failing to gain the approval of my peers taught me to live without it.<br /><br />Under normal circumstances, I would say few who read this would understand it, or most would think it a work of fiction. But those terms, few and most, really have little meaning as there are only three of you out there who are likely to see this. In the modern world that would be the case, though. Few could stand to spend as much time alone as do I. If I didn't have to go to work I could possibly go months without seeing another face, other than those on the TV.<br /><br />Is this healthy? I don't know. Perhaps not, but considering the path my life has followed to this point I think it is better than the alternatives. Were I a person of a more normal, social nature I would be in dire straights. Dead, in prison or maybe flying over some cuckoo's nest somewhere. All things considered I think things turned out as well as they might.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-53694898949184593872010-12-31T23:28:00.002-05:002010-12-31T23:59:58.053-05:00Happy New Year!2010 is finally at an end. Actually, this end has come rather quickly. As I look back over the year I have discovered a few things, or perhaps just come to realize the obvious. I didn't spend as many hours on the bike as I had told myself I would. The riding I did, though, seemed to be more productive than in years past. I feel my performance, though far from stellar, improved significantly. I didn't see the weight loss I had envisioned but, well, it took years to put on this extra baggage. It certainly will not go away overnight.<br /><br />For years I tried to convince myself that I didn't need to entangle myself in a relationship, all the while trying to find 'the right one'. This year I finally hanged up my dancing shoes. I just decided to let the relationship I had been working on for some time fade away. It worked out pretty well, actually. We are still friends, I think. I just stopped putting in the fruitless effort. It has always felt as though every relationship was heavily dependent upon my efforts. I no longer put significant effort into associations with no return. If all of the effort is mine there is little potential for the future, at least a happy one. I feel no animosity here, just facing reality. A friend once told me he always thought of me as a loner. At the time I found that a bit disconcerting because I didn't really choose that route. But perhaps it is equally apt when it is a factor of the environment as when it is a choice. I always said I was alone by choice, just who's choice I was not sure.<br /><br />I have been working a fair amount of overtime lately. Usually 6 days a week. I have never been a fan of OT and do as little as possible, and almost never voluntary. Right now it doesn't bother me much. I have little else going on and I can use the $$$. Unfortunately, the new year will likely bring a drop in demand at work meaning a drop in OT in the winter whenI have little I wish to do. The work load will probably start picking up right about the time the weather improves and I want to get the bikes out. When summer arrives I will probably be working a lot of Saturdays again. Oh well, maybe I can continue to use that as an excuse for not getting into shape.<br /><br />I have no idea how 2011 is going to develop. There are a great many variables over which I have no control and little influence. That said, I fully intend to continue to make changes. This past year was a good one in many ways, and I hope to keep the progress going. So I say to myself, as well as to all of you out there who may stumble across this blog...Happy New Year!!!<br /><br />MEUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-17636679440758712852010-10-24T21:25:00.002-04:002010-10-24T22:53:12.813-04:00I've got to do it my way<div><br /><div><br /><div>I planned to do a lot of riding this year. I did do more than recent years, but not nearly as much as I had hoped. A little over 800 miles, actually. The odd part is how I look at the bikes these days.<br /><br />I enjoy cycling. I always have, to varying degrees. There is a certain quiet freedom that comes from riding. Riding alone can be a great elixir. It is a feeling similar to the casual walk in the wilderness, though traffic does add a bit of modern, chaos to the mix. It is a time to reflect, to clear the head or maybe tune out completely. This is a rare time I think of nothing else that goes on in life. No work, no headlines, nothing but me and the road ahead.<br />I also enjoy riding with friends. It is a healthy activity to share with people as a common interest. Whether it is a shared interest in just the open road itself (a social event) or a competitive rivalry it helps strengthen relationships.<br /><br />For me, there is a mechanical aspect to it as well. I tend to personalize my bikes to serve my distinct purposes. One major quirk involved here is the fact that I am very poor at traveling light. When I go to work I carry more tools than anyone outside of maintenance. When I travel to visit family I carry an excess of crap that I may or may not need. On the bike that leads to racks and bags.<br />On the mountain bike I put a rack on the back and a trunk type bag. I can carry a substantial amount of cargo in there. I then put a rack on the old 10-speed. Sometime after I got the recumbent I bought a rack for it as well. This all happened over a span of several years with a recent acceleration.<br /><br />This year I decided I could use the mountain bike as a grocery getter so I bought a pair of grocery panniers. Tried them once with disappointing results. They fit the Blackburn rack I had on the bike but the rack lacked the extended rail on the rear to keep the bag from sagging and rubbing the tire. I upgraded to a Sunlite rack that appears as though it will solve the problem. I haven't had a chance to try it out yet.<br />I enjoy riding fairly long rides at times which may require more hauling capacity. In particular, some of the later rides of the year demand more clothing that may need to be shed later in the day. With the racks and bags I have on the three bikes listed above that is of little concern. On my old Cannondale the story is a little different.<br /><br />The Cannondale lacks the eyelets found on the others for mounting accessories. I thought I would have to come up with some unique system to carry anything on that one. It is not something I would do often but I barely had enough room for my wallet and cell phone, much less a spare tube, tools, etc... that may be wise to carry on a long ride. I don't like carrying much in my jersey pockets<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE7i4ea-fsnjJf2-XRB8tpvte2Jt5N5f8fJxw_5jta7RLPjFJ8-4RhYLiZrWrUZLrD82qm12gM9Ouj7gLclqS6mUNH2G1V88TrXVhkEAM4hsH-M51SUBXnuRyP9b6nIGUdTDk1dGiJiTQ/s1600/SDC10195.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531808985887110386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE7i4ea-fsnjJf2-XRB8tpvte2Jt5N5f8fJxw_5jta7RLPjFJ8-4RhYLiZrWrUZLrD82qm12gM9Ouj7gLclqS6mUNH2G1V88TrXVhkEAM4hsH-M51SUBXnuRyP9b6nIGUdTDk1dGiJiTQ/s320/SDC10195.JPG" /></a>. I just find it annoying.<br />I was just about to start working on schemes to remedy this situation when I stumbled across the Axiom Streamliner DLX rack. This is a rack designed for road bikes with a narrow profile, which is supposed to help keep the load closer to the center of gravity and crate less of an effect on aerodynamics. I have doubts about this latter point and really am not concerned about the former. For me the benefit of this rack is the mounting system. It attaches to the quick-release skewer and the brake-mounting bolt. From what I have read, this rack is not as stable with heavy loads as other racks but I don't envision that as an issue for me. I'll ride the others when I want to carry much weight.<br /><br />This October I rode in the most rigorous tours I usually participate. The Great Pumpkin Metric and the Hilly Hundred. They were on consecutive weekends with a total of 172 miles. This year the GPM was as challenging as I have ever known it to be. It was cool, a high of around 60° and really windy. The following weekend I found the Saturday route on the Hilly easier than in years past, contrary to most of my friends. Maybe I was in better shape this time around or perhaps the GPM was a good warm-up for it. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVBbQfjoQldBpDlLaVoWyKihFqp3ymyzwYcDgI8-s-2dmDd-q_O4wCo7CrypPmqWUWoSmbYy-Rmly8QO0KwDPtbLRA1CjSJCDo68lSiqCoIdsUgPCkiFTNyiaNDHB4sMiJqJ6pgmV2j4/s1600/SDC10198.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531810957911298914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVBbQfjoQldBpDlLaVoWyKihFqp3ymyzwYcDgI8-s-2dmDd-q_O4wCo7CrypPmqWUWoSmbYy-Rmly8QO0KwDPtbLRA1CjSJCDo68lSiqCoIdsUgPCkiFTNyiaNDHB4sMiJqJ6pgmV2j4/s320/SDC10198.JPG" /></a><br />The second day of the Hilly was new to me. I had never tried it before because in previous years I was too tired after Saturday's course to attempt it. I decided to take the heavier bike, the 10-speed, on Sunday, because I felt that the lighter Cannondale lacked the proper gearing for me to succeed on the climbs the second day. I was right. The 10-speed is about 6 pounds heavier but I have modified it with a huge 38 tooth 1st cog on the back. Originally it had a 28t and the Cannondale a 26t. I might have made it up most of the hills on the other bike but I am confident Mt. Tabor would have beaten me. It was tough with the big 38t.<br /><br />As with everything I do, I am always looking for ways to improve my rides, or at least make the bikes more...me. Some day I will surely by a new bike, my road bikes are 18 and 27 years old, and that new bike will likely be changed in some way. Right now, however, I am happy with the ones I have. They need a little bit of tlc right now but have been very good to me.<br /><br />ME</div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-43840661090170336972010-10-11T22:31:00.001-04:002010-10-24T23:09:52.257-04:00Back to the old grind...<div>Vacation is over and I must return to work tomorrow. In rare form I was pretty busy for most of my time off. It started with a cancelled ride. The Great Indy donut ride was set to kick off my vacation but the first real rain in months had to fall on that particular Saturday morning. Disappointing, but maybe it will be rescheduled. So I hit the road.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPAzWpYdJX1Zfgj2A6u67kz_9chJGXoL8zS0moevzhVHxr3spAG3ItWD-TGU-k6ogOTCRJOWt1I4_ZgB4V3UeD70fYPa1VDRJ3ih6eFhWmS3LM79un6cO-UsMvbc-QRC4pZqK_V_CZdBw/s1600/SDC10154.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531814825486144034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPAzWpYdJX1Zfgj2A6u67kz_9chJGXoL8zS0moevzhVHxr3spAG3ItWD-TGU-k6ogOTCRJOWt1I4_ZgB4V3UeD70fYPa1VDRJ3ih6eFhWmS3LM79un6cO-UsMvbc-QRC4pZqK_V_CZdBw/s320/SDC10154.JPG" /></a>Sunday:<br />I drove to Evansville to spend a few days. A big part of that was the Great Pumpkin Metric, a bicycle tour I have enjoyed many times over the years. I first rode the GPM in 1985, on my ten-speed bike. Since then I have graduated from the 50k (about 31 miles) to the 100k (about 62 miles). It was particularly brutal this year because it was cold (high around 60°) and VERY windy. I chose to ride the same old 10-speed from my first GPM, though it has been through a number of changes since 1985. I enjoyed the 66 mile ride but was worn out. I didn't manage to warm up until I finally got into a hot shower.<br /><br />Monday:<br />A short ride around Newburgh, about 14 miles. This terrain I rode many times as a kid but his time I was much heavier and still a bit fatigued from the previous day's riding. Then I tagged along with a friend and his family to check out the West side Nut Club Fall Festival. Pretty much the same as I remember this annual event. Mostly an event to eat the typical fair-type foods like corn dogs, monster ears and fried (insert item here).<br /><br />Tuesday:<br />I finally got around to replacing the front brakes on my truck. I have been planning to do it for about a year now. As it turns out, I could have waited. 105,000 miles on the truck and the pads were barely more than half worn. It was an easy job though.<br /><br />Wednesday:<br />Drove back home. I didn't really do much that day but I didn't feel like i really got a chance to relax yet.<br /><br />Thursday:<br />I went over to a friend's house. I had obligated myself to help him with a repair project on his truck. That project ended up taking the whole day just to take it apart.<br /><br />Friday:<br />Replace the lower intake manifold gaskets and reassembly of the various parts. Most of the day is gone.<br /><br />Saturday:<br />I took my Cannondale down to Elletsville for Day 1 of the Hilly Hundred. 57 miles of riding with about 5000 other people on rural roads. Unlike the previous weekend's ride, the weather was terrific. Some tough hills but I made it through with no troubles. Saw a few people I know along the way and some great scenery. I should have taken more pictures...maybe next year.<br /><br />Sunday:<br />Returned to Elletsville for Hilly Hundred Day 2. I had far less trouble on this day than I expected. This time I was back on the old 10-speed. It is much heavier than the Cannondale but I have a big 1st gear on it, good for climbing hills. I used it several times, especially on Mt. Tabor. That is the one hill I don't think I could have climbed on the other bike. It was a great ride and I still felt pretty good afterward.<br /><br />Monday:<br />I was a little sore, a light fatigue, from the weekend. I had some chores I needed to do but chose instead to have a day of relaxation. I didn't do a thing, except started a pot of chili. It will stew over the night in the crock-pot and be really good and thick in the morning. It should be quite tasty.<br /><br />I am already looking forward to the Hilly Hundred for next year. I just might try to actually train for it next time around...<br /><br />ME</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-56446824175171221102010-10-01T01:09:00.000-04:002010-10-01T01:09:55.005-04:00Time off...Vacation. The word brings to mind images of tall, cool drinks on a sandy beach. Maybe you prefer a trip to the Rockies or a week in a tent at the local campground.<br />
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For me it is usually a week sitting on the couch doing nothing of interest. Rarely do I have any really ambitious plans. This time around I do have some plans. I plan to finally replace the front brakes on my truck. I guess 105,000 is a pretty good number for mileage on a set of brakes. I also have a couple of hundred miles I want to put on the bikes. There are a few other odd things I would like to get done but, well...we'll see.<br />
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MEUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-74052630089555488532010-08-13T01:24:00.000-04:002010-08-13T01:24:47.187-04:00Graham crackerI looked through a bit of a newspaper while on break at work. As usual, there was little of interest there. I did, however, run across Billy Graham's column.<br />
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A woman wrote asking about a friend. Her friend was a really nice person who was also an atheist. Billy Graham basically said her friend must either not be that nice or was not really an atheist. That is a cynical view of people and reeks of religious arrogance. To say that one must practice a religion to be a nice person is absurd.<br />
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Maybe Graham has forgotten the definition of atheist. Perhaps he confused atheist with satanist. That may be a little closer to the truth but still assumes much. <br />
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One does not have to believe in a god to be nice. Some people are nice because they have a nice personality. Others are nice because they believe that is the right way to behave.<br />
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Conversely, some very 'religious' people are anything but nice. I have known many of these people. The old "holier than thou" attitude is usually part of this. It can be debated whether these people are true believers but that is throwing out data simply because it doesn't lead to the desired result. Some people are just nasty.<br />
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The human personality in far too complex to be summed in so simplistic a manner. There is the basic nature of the individual, the socialization of the person (which can, but does not have to include religious teachings) and experiences and interactions with other people throughout one's life. There may be many other factors at play as well, such as environmental factors and habits.<br />
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Maybe the reverend has fallen into the trap so many leaders do. To close one's mind to anything that doesn't easily fit into his little paradigm. Even if one is to believe in a god as the "Alpha and Omega", does it make sense to believe he is micro-managing all aspects of who we are? what does that say about free will? Can I not be nice because it is in itself the right thing to do?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-16580075380903412932010-08-08T00:23:00.000-04:002010-08-08T00:23:29.927-04:00New focusI wrote a draft on this post two months ago. I remember thinking it would be a more positive message dealing with a new focus and striving to make some big changes. I never finished it and have forgotten most of what I had in mind to say. What I had written even failed to bring to mind what I had to say.<br />
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So I deleted it to start over. All I do remember is a rare, foolishly optimistic feeling. I had some ideas about making some critical changes. As it turns out, whatever they were are lost in the chasm of a fragmented memory.<br />
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Whatever it was, it seems to have been lost for good reason. With every step toward the positive comes another hurdle, each greater than the last. Be it vocational, personal or whatever, the barriers just keep on coming. It is getting to the point that a mere mystery that a year ago would have been cause for optimism is today a point of concern.<br />
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Hope springs infernal...<br />
MEUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-10039142401901176732010-06-03T03:16:00.002-04:002010-06-04T20:18:19.509-04:00oops...sorry. Forgive me?There are times I fall into a sort of a philosophical string. Usually it comes to me as I lie, trying to sleep. I typically just run it through until I finally fall into a slumber and it is forgotten. Sometimes I find it important enough, or interesting enough to remember.<br />
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Someone on Facebook posted a picture of my 8th grade graduation class. It is a small and grainy photo but it got a long series of comments going. One idea that came up in this discussion was the idea of a reunion....REALLY???<br />
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Surely most of them have much nicer memories of their time spent there than I. Most of them had a much better time there than did I, often at my expense. A few of them have tried to contact me, one trying to get in touch with all of us from that class. All but one were unceremoniously ignored.<br />
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A reunion sounds like a waste of time to me. I think I would rather curl up with a good book in the MIDDLE of a fire. <br />
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This whole line of thinking brought me to the concepts of apologies and forgiveness. Do any of those people owe me an apology? No, I suppose not. Apologies are generally meaningless anyway. They are fine if you accidentally step on someone's blue suede shoes. It really does not mean much if you try to cut off his feet.<br />
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Forgiveness is equally senseless. It is a fool's way of saying "the joke is on me. Do it again." <br />
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For children these ideas are good tools for training in humility but as adults they often serve little more purpose than to make one feel like they got away with something. It is much like the criminal who finds God in prison or on his deathbed. Never mind that you ruined lives and families with your activities. You are a good person now because you found a bible?<br />
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Sometimes we need to set an example by making people feel bad for doing bad things. You cannot expect to deter bad behaviors by rewarding them with kindness. The self serving nature of the human ne'er do well does not work that way.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-58601401083155970752010-05-31T23:13:00.002-04:002010-06-01T02:15:06.641-04:00Blahhhhhhh"Now it’s over, I’m dead and I haven’t done anything that I want, or I’m still alive and there’s nothing I want to do."<br />
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I haven't gone anywhere or done anything lately. I just haven't had much to say. I have simply drawn a blank...or rather I just haven't felt like blogging. My motivation has been really low for everything. I managed to get out on the bike a couple of times this weekend but nothing too ambitious.<br />
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I have a number of projects I need or would like to get to work on. I want to build a bike rack to get the mountain bike off the floor. I need to put new brakes on the truck (I suppose 100k is enough for one set). I need to get my A/C checked as well. It's been a little warm driving around lately.<br />
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I planted some lettuce, tomatoes and green onions on the balcony. I don't know if I will be able to tend them enough to get any produce out there but it's worth a shot.<br />
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This year has not started out well. I had a minor collision in my truck. I got it back and 2 months later someone broke into it and stole my stereo, subwoofer and Garmin. Back into the shop again for a new windshield, side window, dash and repair the door. I got the new electronics but I will not be installing them anytime soon. I need to research alarm systems first. For now I will have to be satisfied with the AM/FM cassette stereo that it had when I bought it.<br />
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The biggest challenge I have is to lose weight. About 40 pounds would be good. It really shouldn't be hard for me to do it. The motivation is the problem. That is why I am in such lousy shape now. It didn't help that I went to Fogo De Chao for lunch today. It was good though...<br />
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MEUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-52591765378740552962010-04-13T13:20:00.000-04:002010-04-13T13:20:06.641-04:00Absence makes the heart grow fonder???I am not a big fan of adages, axioms and other cliches people tend to volley about. I once knew a salesman who loved to throw out the same tired old phrases day after day. It gets old, tiresome.<br />
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The worst of these utterances tend to be centered around affairs of the heart. "There's someone for everyone", "There are other fish in the sea", blah blah blah...<br />
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Yesterday I ran into someone I haven't seen for a while. Things have changed. Absence makes the heart grow fonder? No it doesn't, at least not for me. Maybe I am not as sentimental as other people but time away doesn't cause me to just dream of getting together again. I spend the time looking at whether it makes sense to meet again. If the separation is due to external influence, maybe it does.<br />
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In this case it was a general drifting apart and in the intervening time I realized things were going nowhere anyway. Do I have any hard feelings? No. I am more indifferent than anything. Maybe that's cold but I tire of putting energy into going nowhere.<br />
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What about the others? There are other fish in the sea. That's little more than a lousy metaphor. It may be comfort to those who need constant reassurance but it pushes people to rush into looking for replacements for the one they lost.<br />
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There's someone for everyone? That's unrealistic. Statistically there are always outliers in any large population. If there were any truth to that statement we would not likely see such a large divorce rate today. Perhaps the main reason the divorce rate was much lower in the past was due to the stigma involved. People stayed, miserable, rather than be branded a divorcee.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-59296742178340893192010-04-11T22:30:00.000-04:002010-04-11T22:30:15.471-04:00When was the last time you cried?That was the question a friend asked me a few years ago. I honestly cannot remember. It was quite a long time ago, perhaps in childhood. She seemed to think there was something wrong with that. I hadn't really given it much thought. I have wondered what brought that question up. I don't recall whether I asked her, though I likely did without receiving an answer.<br />
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The fact of the matter is, I doubt I have the ability to cry. It is not in my nature. We all react differently to stress. Women usually are more likely to cry, though I have known men who cried as well. I make no judgements on that. I just don't do it.<br />
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I suppose I just developed a thick skin while growing up. Perhaps I never felt any better after crying so it just fell by the wayside. Mostly I am not given to emotional display. What I feel may not be apparent to those around me.<br />
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So what would it take to make me cry? I honestly do not know. I have been through the loss of good friends, one through death, job loss, lost love, etc... and they didn't bring me to tears. Is this heaalthy? Some say no and I don't know. Maybe it depends upon the individual.<br />
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So, when did you last cry...and why?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-41608066636005095172010-03-28T23:12:00.002-04:002010-03-28T23:24:47.210-04:00I only know that I can change, everything else just stays the same...The more difficult changes in life can sometimes, in the end, lead to better times. Certainly we can learn from them. It seems like every time I ever tried to make a change for the better something happened to push me back. I would have to work twice as hard just to get back up to where I started. <br />
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I started 2009 with big plans. I wanted to make some big changes and start to really turn things around. Sure, in years past I felt the same way but that was the year I was truly going to push for it. Of course, things did not go as planned. When I say started the year I mean Jan 1. I believe it was Jan 9., a mere 8 days later, when the company I worked for notified us they were shuttering our plant. A number of my co-workers were out that day.<br />
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That pretty well killed my plans for the year. I couldn't work toward my goals because I had no idea how long I would be out of work, where I would be, etc... As it turned out I was there to the very end, mid april. I was lucky to only be out of work about a month before starting a new job. Same industry. Things were tight for a few months until I moved up to basically the same position I held at the old job. Here, though, it is a better job with better benefits.<br />
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As I look around at my co-workers and people in my little social groups I see qualities that irritate me. Some are simple quirks, while others are more substantial character flaws. I have learned to be much more tolerant over the years. That is a really good thing as I find myself censoring myself less and less the older I get. I can be pretty open with my thoughts and opinions at times.<br />
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I have also learned to observe some of these same qualities that annoy me so...in myself. Some things to work on.<br />
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I had hoped to make some changes in my personal life as well but that fell short. I have dated here and there but few have lasted long. One went on for a year and a half before things started to go south. To date (a year later) I am not really sure where we stand, a very odd situation indeed. Anyway, I am not really sure where I want to take things now. <br />
Perhaps I need to stay out of the mix for a while. It seems like I spent too much effort trying to move things along and missed a lot of opportunities. <br />
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This year, no plans. I want to try to spend time meeting different people and doing different things. I need to spend more time on the bike. In the end it comes down to simplicity. The hard part is going to be the will power, ambition and motivation to make the necessary improvements.<br />
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If I am ever going to be truly happy it will not come from getting what I want. It will only come from learning to be satisfied with what I have.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7661829815541721972.post-38277738605702666282010-03-17T12:58:00.001-04:002010-03-17T12:58:19.078-04:00Look what they've done to my song, Ma...MTV. It seems that at first mention of it the only thing that most people I know can say is to copmplain that they "don't play music videos anymore". First of all, if they want to see the videos they might want to change their schedule. I have seen videos on MTV, just not in prime time. Besides, if you want to see videos, there are other channels that show them. MTV has simply evolved to the demands of their market, or maybe devolved.<br />
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My issue with MTV is less superficial. I believe MTV has done more harm to music as a whole than any other influence in our society. Before MTV, the music was the product. It didn't matter the appearance of the artist so much as their talent. Not so today. With the music video came the artist as an image. Style now comes before substance.<br />
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It didn't start this way. The early videos were commercials for the music. They starred existing artists and were built around the music. Some of those videos were very creative. Some were basically short films with an artistic value all their own, still with the music at heart.<br />
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Soon, however, the 'artist' became the commodity. The video producers and performers became lazy and just started showing concert footage. Eventually the stars became more interested in the image they were putting out. Why are gold teeth, 22 inch wheels and pants virtually falling down with every step popular? It certainly isn't due to convenience or any functional value. It is simple idol worship.<br />
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Way back when, when I was is high school, the only people who tried to emulate the styles of their favorite musicians were the punk rock fans. How ironic that the kids who would claim to favor anarchy and individuality were the most eager conformists. Especially since they would be rallying against just that.<br />
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Sure there were some bad trends in those days coming from popular artists. There were some of the girls who dressed in the style of Madonna. I don't recall anyone dressing like Devo or Huey Lewis though. Worse, not only the clothing is copied but the kids try to emulate the attitudes they see on the videos. I see it in the younger guys in the workplace. One would hope that by the time a man is in his twenties he might grow up a little,but I know a few who are well into their second decade and are still trying to pull off the Hip-Hop thug persona. Do they hope to ever gain any real respect from anyone other than their thug buddies?<br />
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There are still a few true artists still out there producing but the industry has gotten lazy. Why go out looking for talent when it is easier to just pick up some kid off the street and throw together some standard loops, steal some samples and sell it as a hit. It is a shame really. I have seen many very talented bands struggle and fail to get a contract. They had something to say and some real musical talent but couldn't get a foot in the door.<br />
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It isn't just the recording industry doing this either. MTV moved on to destroying the quality of TV programming when they came up with the Real World series. No writing, no actors, low production costs (and corresponding production value). The networks soon discovered how lucrative it was to throw some of this schlock together to fill airtime. They are just soap operas without a plot.<br />
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The major studios are just as lazy. They have become addicted to remakes of old movies, old TV shows and making movies from comic books and even old cartoons. "Rocky and Bullwinkle" and Dudley Doright" were entertaining shows for kids but didn't translate well to live action silver screen events. Hollywood is simply running out of ideas. Some of the superhero films work well because they have a well-developed story line.<br />
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Maybe the worst thing to come out of all of this is itself an old story being retold. As long as there have been sports, especially professional sports, there have been idols. Fans around the world live vicariously through them, somehow feeling their lives enriched by their team or athlete winning a big contest. It seems odd to hear an unfit middle-ager say "We're going to the Superbowl!" What position was HE playing? A lot of people seem to get into the reality tv shows with a similar zeal.<br />
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I am certainly guilty of this to some degree. I definitely watch too much TV. I don't really get much out of it other than as a siple diversion. Maybe that is why I find it less and less interesting as time goes on. I really need to find the off switch....<br />
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MEUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0