Riding Out the Storm: A great day to ride a Fat Bike.

Thursday, May 30 showed a reprieve from the severe storms.  I am not a fan of missing opportunities to ride and while I rely on the weather forecast so I can make informed decisions, most of the time they let me down.  Several days last week we were looking at severe lightning storms and high winds at the tail end of the severe weather path cutting through the mid-west.  I chose not to ride those days for a number of reason, only to find they were the most beautiful. 

There was a threat of rain on Thursday, but not much more than that.  I had my Surly Ogre disassembled so I jumped on the the Salsa Mukluk I affectionately call "the Panzer" and plodded off to work.  When I arrived, I checked my phone and somebody was interested in buying a pair of road shoes I had posted for sale.  I agreed to meet him at the government bridge at 4:45 p.m. to make the transaction.  My wife was going to be in the area so she dropped off the shoes that morning.

It rained a good portion of the afternoon but then it cleared up nicely.  I got to the meeting point a little early, the afternoon turned out beautiful and I sat at the end of the island enjoying the warm breeze.  Then I noticed some ugly dark clouds moving in fast.  It was not long before the beautiful sky had gone dark and the warm breeze became a cold wind blowing the branches of a tree horizontal.

I moved to a small building with a slight overhang and waited for the guy.  He was ten minutes late and by the time he arrived it was starting to rain.  I put my phone in my dry bag for obvious reasons, pulled out the shoes and the transaction was complete.....except I was riding a fat bike and everyone wants to talk about the fat bike.  So I spoke for another few minutes and then started moving to my bike.  By this time the rain was horizontal and the wind was gusting 50-60 mph.   

He asked if I was really going to ride in this weather.  I told him yes, besides, I had the Panzer I can go anywhere with that.  Within seconds of leaving the shelter I could feel the rush of cold water running down my back.  The lightning was striking and thunder was near simultaneous.  I was second guessing my judgment and was uncomfortable on the government bridge,  a mass of steel with a mesh surface so you can see Old Man River rushing angrily beneath.  I was pedaling the Mukluk with it's 3.8 inch wide tires as fast as I could in a severe crosswind.  As I turned into downtown Davenport, I thought it was hailing, only to discover the 50-60 mph gusts were not only stopping me in my tracks but pelting me with rain.  I passed a parking garage and thought about stopping.

I was soaked and I knew I would be cold if I stopped.  Who knew how long it would last, so I kept on cranking into the wind.  Then I turned North and started up a steep hill.  As I crested it the rain slowed and the wind stopped.  Just as quickly as it started it ended.  When I approached Van Deveer Park, I realized the destruction that this storm had. 

There were branches and limbs everywhere.  As I continued down Main St, I quickly found huge limbs across the road. 

Passage of Lines!

As I passed through a maze of limbs and branches it occurred to me, had the guy not been ten minutes late, I probably would have been in this area when limbs were falling. Furthermore, I was grateful that I pulled the Ogre apart which forced me to ride the Panzer.

The Panzer was a perfect choice for the commute.  I was also glad I had my light weight Porcelain Rocket gear as I carried and rode my the fat bike over downed branches!!

After I snapped some photos, I noticed House Hold 6 had sent a text "where are you?"  I found it odd that it didn't say "do you need a ride?"  I brought this up when I got home and she said "I figured you made it through 16 month in Iraq, you would figure something out!" 

She is as tough and unforgiving as the weather was!

Failure

I feel defeated.  Maybe frustrated is a better word, however, defeated keeps coming to mind.  Part of it was due to an unexpected flat the other part is due to my failure to prepare.  This resulted in me having to call home for a ride.  I failed to ride 20 miles on the first really nice day of the year.

Yesterday, I was riding home from work and I noticed that my rear tire was feeling a little squirrelly.  I am trying to get as many miles in before a century this weekend so I was taking the long way home.  I don't know what caused it to leak in the first place, no punctures or debri stickng out of it.   I put this together a month or so ago and it is been holding air, so I am not sure what caused it to start leaking air.  I guess it resulted in the seal breaking along the bead.

I stopped by a gas station and was happy that I put a presta to schrader adapter in my bag.  I dropped a quarter in the slot (no free air these days) and added a bunch of air but found that the bead was not sealing.  I found myself on the extreme opposite side of town examining my wonderful tubeless tire watching sealant bubble around the rim.  I sat for a few and watched sealant bubble in numerous spots on the tire/rim.  I contemplated just breaking the bead, putting in a tube and riding home.  I checked my stuff and realized that I didn't have a tube so I figured I would tough it out.  I headed back to the bike path and checked it again, I was loosing air.

So I called home, sat in the shade and waited for a ride.  I played with it last night, got up this morning and there is still little bubbles.  There is only a finite amount of time in life. Subtract sick time and work (in this case I can count years that I have lived behind wire and concrete....not prison) the amount of time that a person can get out an enjoy life is pretty limited.  I like to maximize my free time and enjoy it as much as possible.  While the eternal optimist may find something great about sitting on the road by a casino......I could not.

Even today I am really frustrated.  I spent a lot of time and effort getting those tires to seal, so I could sit next to a casino and watch bus loads of old people arrive so they can blow their social security checks.  I will always carry a tube from now on and I will probably just revert back to the good old inner tube for that wheel.  Man...I feel defeated.      

Can we get to summer?

Today a friend of mine asked me why I haven't been riding lately.  I told him it was because the weather is nasty.  He pointed out that I rode all winter in 30 mph blizzards and 15 below temps, how is 40 degrees and rainy bad?  He called me names and questioned my manhood.

This is what I told him:


Cold and Snow=Simple.   When it is really cold the key to riding is temperature control.  Really cold in the morning and cold at night are easy.  Dress so that it is a little chilly when you start the ride and layer.  I like to bring some extra base layer clothing in the event stuff doesn't dry and it takes up little space.

Warm/hot weather=easy.  Sure really hot can be uncomfortable but you can only take so much off.  A long sleeve shirt goes a long way in cool weather.

Cold/wet morning and warm afternoon=not easy.  It is really hard to manage temperature with out carrying a bunch of stuff in the evening.  Most water proof clothing translates to "water doesn't get in and sweat doesn't get out."  This means potential overheating.  Breathable and water resistant can mean "wet and cold" if there is too much moisture.  Then at the end of the day you have to carry the extra stuff home since it is warmer.

I like to keep is simple, light, and on the bike.  I don't like to carry stuff on my back but I will do it if I have too.  If I don't want to carry stuff on my back I have to use bigger bags and not my Porcelain Rocket bags.  I don't like panniers per se and in the summer it is easy to use bike packing gear like Porcelain Rocket because I carry less running stuff to work.

Tonight rain/snow mix.  It is mid-April.   I am ready for summer.  I need BOB to warm this part of the earth.  I have been shamed into riding again thanks to my friend.  Tonight I will pack panniers and tomorrow I will sweat on the way home.  Sad, I know, but we are ready for summer.

That is all.

Embrace the Suck: Riding in crazy January weather.

Monday was a pleasant surprise, the weather was improving from Sunday's ice storm. I was able to run 3.5 miles at lunch and ride home in shorts with the 40 degree weather. Tuesday was flat out amazing. The high was 60 degrees and since I drove (my kids schedule isn't always conducive to riding) I went for a 4 mile run at lunch. Down right amazing for the end of January. 

Then we got a dose of reality. Wednesday I woke up to an odd situation; rain in the morning turning to a major snowstorm and 37 mph winds by the end of the day. What was I to do? Drive or ride? That is an easy question.....I opted to ride.   Warm in the morning and freezing at night, two very different scenarios in one day.  The challenge was clothing.  

For the morning commute I decided some Pearl Izumi tights with a water proof front would be a great option.  They also have some insulation so it would be a little warm in the morning but just right for the ride home.  This turned out to be a failure of near epic proportion. It began to rain so hard that the water merely ran down the front waterproofing and filled my boots with water.  One great thing about the Mukluk is that with the fat tires I get a lot of stability on a variety of conditions, on the flip side, the Endomorph on the rear is similar to the stern-wheel boats that once travelled the Mississippi I ride along.  

Stern Wheel Tread Design

This meant that the non-water proof side of the tights worked like a Sham Wow and absorbed most of the water thrown by the tires.  There was a lot of water and since goretex does just as good of a job holding water in as keeping it out and by the time I got to work my feet were sloshing around in my boots.  I spent the day trying to dry them out for the ride home in the blizzard.

While sitting at major intersections, I got a lot of odd looks.  I am all right with that, even though I was somewhat miserable, thanks to the Army I have learned to embrace and enjoy the suck.  The hard part is getting wet, once the boots are full of water you have no choice but to enjoy life anyway.....or be miserable.  

I think there are a lot of miserable people in this world.  I am not one of them.  

Then came the snow....and the wind.  Ruthless wind.  

Fortunately for me all of my stuff was dry after spending hours in front of fans with constant rotations.  While the ambient air was not that cold, the wind and blowing snow was a challenge.  The remainder of the week was just flat out cold, lows in the single digit negatives with wind chills taking them further down.  Not to mention a miserable head wind.

 What happened to nice happy 60 degrees?  

Reality! 

The Greatest (and only) Race I Have Ever Participated In

I don't race. I am not sure why I have never tried, I guess it just never occurred to me. However, the other day I found myself participating in a race of near epic proportions.  At first I didn't realize I was racing but it soon became evident that the other guy was on the attack and racing to the top of the hill as if it were the Alpe d'Huez and he was Fausto Coppi.  I was in no position to counter that attack as I was riding the Panzer with fully loaded panniers and 6 psi in the tires.  The Mukluk is not an agile bike nor does it respond immediately to the mashing of the cranks especially with low psi.   

I saw the man riding towards me, then I turned right.  I paid little attention to him since I see people on bikes regularly.  But then he blew past me as I started up the hill, looking back as if to say "let's see what you got."  Without trying to sound judgemental he did not strike me as the racing type. He was somewhat shabby in his appearance wearing cheap white sneakers that were well worn.  His blue jeans were dirty and worn.  His coat was clearly wrong for racing, a long parka gray, dirty, and dingy. It was unzipped flowing like superman's cape as he reversed the rotation of earth to turn back time in order to save Lois Lane. He is clearly a risk taker based on his choice to go without a helmet.  His steed......a trusty Schwinn Varsity!  Ironically, this bike probably weighs as much as my Mukluk with out panniers, but that is neither here or there.

I briefly thought about pursuing him but settled on the "little engine that could" strategy.  It quickly paid off, about 200 meters into this brazen attack, he pulled off into a parking lot, dismounted and began to walk.  "Slow and steady wins the race" I thought as I passed him.  Then no more than 60 seconds later he blew past me cresting the hill a mere second before I did, glancing over his shoulder as he passed as if to say "take that."  I did and I thought it was over......but it was not. 

We were stopped at a four way stop and when it was our turn to proceed, he sprinted looking over his shoulder to see if I was going to pursue him.  I did not, the Panzer doesn't sprint.  The street narrowed some and there were cars parked which made it difficult to race and we found each other at a major intersection with a stop light.  I travel this route regularly and I have found that it is safest to stay in the lane with traffic, otherwise there can be problems with traffic turning right.  So there I was in the middle of the road, waiting for the light to change when I glanced over and saw Fausto at the crosswalk.  He looked at me as if to say "I got you now sucker" and  before the light changed he bolted through the cross traffic.  When he crossed he looked back at me and I know he was thinking "you lose!"

By the time the traffic light changed and I crossed through the intersection he was gone and the 1.5 mile race was over.    After 36 years of not racing I was out cranked, out gunned, and out maneuvered......defeated by some dude on a Schwinn Varsity.  I have been thinking about this lately, looking for some sort of lesson.  A message about life or the world at large. 

I can't find one.

Old Man Mountain Sherpa meets the Salsa Mukluk

In previous posts I have discussed different methods of hauling stuff.  Stuff is another word for junk.  Of course I have used backpacks, messenger bags, a B.O.B. Trailer, Porcelain Rocket seat bag and handlebar bag (not frame bag).  These have all been effective methods some carry more than others and there are so many variables. 

The trailer was great but cumbersome and challenging to park.  If you want take everything inside out of the weather, cumbersome and time consuming but the dry bag is huge and works well.

Porcelain Rocket is great, may be a bit on the pricey side, but there are few companies that do what Scott does.  I guess that falls into supply and demand.  Well made and highly functional.  How much thought can you put into a seat bag....he has though of it all, there is even a rigid plastic sheet in the bottom so gravity doesn't pull your stuff out when you open it.  I also like the minimalistic approach.  I can carry boots and uniform and towel to work in a compact streamlined fashion.  Only drawback is it is not water fast, though the front bag is designed to hold a 10L dry bag. 

Now that winter is fast approaching I have decided it is time for another way to carry junk.  Technical winter clothing works great if used properly.  The right synthetic fleece and jacket can keep you comfy and dry.  Put on a backpack......the wet and cold sets in with the sweaty back and the stuff takes a long time to dry.   In order to ensure I have ample space to carry extra dry clothing and my work attire I have decided to go with a set of Ortlieb waterproof panniers and an Old Man Mountain Sherpa rack for the Muk (The Salsa Mukluk will hithertoforthen be referred to "The Panzer" (the German word for Armor, as in a German Tank or the Panzernashorn).

I typically do a lot of research before buying something.  After all, that is part of the fun.  What I found was that racks for bikes, even those made by companies that manufacture and sell fat bikes, require "manipulation" to fit on a fat bike.  The one exception that I found (there may be others) is the Old Man Mountain Sherpa.  They have specific models for the Salsa Mukluk and Pugsly.  I spoke with John and he was pleasant and quick to respond to questions sent by e-mail.    

It was simple to install with no manipulation required.

The fit kit (aluminum pieces on the left and right side are perfectly spaced.  I put a small washer between the frame and fit kit.  The rack was shipped with the fit kit pieces on the inside of the rack but this would require manipulation, which I was told it could handle.  However, with a hex wrench and a few turns of a 10mm open ended wrench I moved them to the outside.  Perfect. 

The guys at OMM recommended connecting the stabilizers to the seat stays just below the rim with the supplied rubber coated clamps.  I ride and XL and it does not appear that there is a big distance between the anchor point on the rack and eyelets.  I should probably pull our a tape and measure to see if there is a big difference.  After leveling and tightening I put some big dumb animal strength and tried to shift it laterally.  I didn't move so I think I will continue to use the eyelets vs going to the seat stay.  

The Orlieb Panniers with  dry bag construction and roll top will be here next week.  All I can say is that it better snow this year!

The Ogre

The Surly Ogre has become one of my favorites based on comfort and utility. 

I would like to quote a hero of mine, Han Solo, who said "She'll make point five beyond the speed of light. She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid."  Well except for the point five stuff but that is probably more my fault than the bike. 

The Ogre Crossing the Hennepin Canal

Here are the top three reasons I like this bike:

1.  As the Surly web page says, it is very versatile.  I will not go into all the details since Surly did a great job.  I was considering reducing the fleet by getting rid of my El Mariachi due to the infuriating Bushnell Eccentric Bottom Bracket.  The Ogre fit the bill nicely since I had once considered getting a Karate Monkey which is what the Ogre is based on.  The nice thing about it is the thought Surly put into it, allowing me to do just about anything I want.  I can easily mount racks and fenders.  I can use the wheels from my Las Cruces (which are rim brakes) or I can put disc brakes on.  29er MTB tires or 700c road/touring tires.  If I come across $1500 I can purchase a Rolhoff Speed Hub.  Basically the bike can change as my needs change.

Heavy Rear End:  trailers, fenders, racks, Rolhoff mounting plate on non-drive side.  This baby can do it all.

2.  Very reasonably priced.  I bought the frame from a LBS in Rock Island, IL and I paid under $500 so I was pleased.  Even though I bought the frame and built it up, the complete version is very reasonable but geared more toward the MTB side. 

3.  Very durable, like Han said, she may not look like much but I didn't want some fancy finish to worry about.  While I don't go out of my way to beat things up, I am a big dumb animal.  I didn't want to stress about the kids banging on it or parking it at a crowded bike rack.

The Build:  I built it with two things in mind

1.  Heavy duty commuting bike.  The area I live in has concrete streets with big seams in them.  They are uneven and  when it gets hot the tar softens and you can loose a tire in them.  My cyclocross bike can handle the bumps but I wanted a larger tire (700x45c) and my frame would not accept them.  This bike will take any 29er tire.

2.  Gravel Grinding.  Yeah, I jumped on the Gravel Grinding bandwagon.  After all I am in Iowa and there are lots of gravel roads.  Embrace the local culture, that is what travelling the world is all about.  Even travel to exotic Iowa!

Ready To Pounce

I wanted the bike with a 48/36/26 crank set so I could get a little extra power on the flats and descents.  I would have gone bigger but the frame it requires a top pull front mech and 48 teeth was the limit of the top pull MTB front derailleurs.  It has been a pretty good compromise.  I haven't tried it in a single track scenario but chain ring clearance could be an issue.

Aside from the unique qualities that Surly has put into the Ogre there is really nothing fascinating about the bike, the parts are pretty standard SRAM X.9, Avid V-brakes.......except for the handle bar.  I decided on the Jeff Jones Loop Bar over other options to include the Salsa Wood Chipper.  The Loop Bar really makes the bike stand out and it provides a large assortment of hand positions which is nice.   I have found that the back sweep makes them extremely comfortable.  I look forward to trying them on the single track.  It works well with my Porcelain Rocket handlebar bag.  Well worth the money.    

This winter I am going to replace the headset with one that has sealed bearings.  That will be one less thing to maintain.  I really like the Loaded AmXc headset.  It looks sharp.I also plan to put disc brakes on it, then I can use either cyclocross for commuting or the Salsa Semi 29ers from the red headed stepchild so I can take it on the trails.  That will probably be the final step of making the El Mariachi obsolete (I had to have it just sit there, but I don't ride single speed very much).  Since I plan to replace the headset I am going to strip it down and give it a dose of Frame Saver.

Things I dislike:  Obviously I purchased the bike for many of the reasons listed above.  It is a great bike however, there are a couple of minor things that I dislike.  These reasons involve rust.  When I asked the folks at Surly about this they sent me a info paper on their bikes and rust.  Of course they recommend Frame Saver in the frame.  For the outside they state that unless you leave it out in the rain, the rust is not damaging. That said I hate rust.  I am not sure why, it is offensive I guess.  But the Surly full cable housing guides catch water, captures it, and allows for little pools of rust.

  Water Trap

As do the all of the little threaded holes for mounting stuff.

 Bill and Ted Trailer Mount bolt hole = rust

Fork Blade rack mounting hole = rust



The other thing is this.  I am not sure what this is called but there is a hole into the head tube which makes no sense to me.  



I am not a bike doctor and I certainly am not a rocket surgeon so I don't know what structural integrity this provides. I can tell you one thing, with out fenders water sprays directly from the tires into this contraption, collects and for some reason causes some serious rust that later runs down the frame like a little rusty river.  I am going to hit it with some frame saver this winter and see what happens.

Overall I love the bike and my dislikes are purely cosmetic.

Swinging with Old Man River

I work on an island in the Mississippi River. I have my choice of two bridges; one takes me the long way, the other is less long. The less long takes me across "the Government Bridge."  It is a double deck swing bridge that allows barges to pass through the locks. It is quite a fascinating piece of engineering; it allows trains on the upper level and cars on the lower level and the whole thing pivots 360 degrees. The driving and walk way are steel grate allowing you to see Old Man River roll along beneath you.

 

 

This is the Government Bridge in the open position.  I find it facinating that this bridge can support cars and trains while pivoting on a central axis.  The red is the deck of a barge moving through the lock.



This is all good until the less long way becomes the long way when a barge comes along as it did twice today while I was trying to get to work and when I was on my way home. Unfortunately the 30 minute delay meant that I didn't beat the electrical storm and sideways rain. Sometimes I win, most of the time I don't. The rain meant that I had to put the iPod away which meant that I had to listen to an annoying ping sound that has been plaguing me for a while. This caused me to throw the Ogre on the stand and pull the wheel. I think the bearings are shot.

Maybe getting caught in the rain prevented future catastrophe. Who knows. I captured a small bit of video of the swing bridge close. It is a regular occurance and I always find it amazing.

The Long Way Home

When I signed up for the RAGBRAI at the beginning of the year I initiated my tried and true training plan.



My preparation strategy was the same as before.

1. Ride as much as possible
2. Get a good set of tires
3. Drink a bunch of water
4. Shove my jersey pockets as full of Jelly Belly Caffeine Sports Beans and Pearson's Salted Nut Rolls


This is a tried and true recipe for success.  RAGBRAI is not for another month so really all I need to do right now is #1 the rest can wait, besides, diet Pepsi has water in it.  It is liquid..... The hard part about #1 is finding the time to put in the hours necessary to avoid pain on a 6 day bike ride across the state of Iowa.  I work long hours and the Irish Tsunami must be kept at bay, both of which compete for my time.  Not to mention I like to sleep sometimes.


The best solution is biking to work.  There is a reason that so many people drive.  Bicycle commuting requires planning, organization, and discipline.  The good thing is that I posses all of the qualities necessary to plan, organize, and demonstrate the required discipline; just not all three at the same time.  I have been riding the Ogre to work nearly every day and I can say that it takes everything I have to plan, organize my stuff, and the muster the necessary discipline to get up at 0400 in the morning shave and hit the road.  

Though it is painful to get up at that hour of the morning I do occasionally get nice views as I cross the Mississippi on the Government Bridge.

Old Man River is calm and happy.

The only problem with that plan is that it is only 16 miles round trip, hardly enough to get conditioned for 600 miles.  My solution is to take a couple of days and take the long way home.  Davenport provides ample opportunities with several great bike paths.  Most days, I am exhausted when it is time to go home and changing into commuting clothes is often a challenge.  But the long way home provides a great end to a long and stressful day.  It may not be enough but it fulfills strategy #1.

Decisions: Frame Bag or Panniers?

Spring is definitely here.  I am settled into a routine and it is time to start working on a bike commuting plan.  I love to ride but it can be difficult to find time to ride.  Commuting is a great way to use time to ride.  Commuting however has a number of challenges and it is probably why more people do not ride to work.

Here are the problems I face:

1.  Time:  My work hours are dismal.  I have to be to work at very early times.  This means that to make my roughly 8 mile commute and be showered and clean I would have to allow about 1 1/2 hours time.  That translates to really early.  This just means I have to go to bed earlier and I can sit and stare at the wall before I leave in the morning.

2.  Stuff:  I have a very specific problem, I can't wear flip-flops at work and my boots are big and heavy.  This is probably my biggest challenge.  I would assume that this is the biggest challenge for every one and the main reason most don't bike commute.    Here are the options for this and some of the things I have tried:

• Back--This is the old school Sherpa style.  Carrying all of this on my back is uncomfortable and gets heavy after a long day.  I have tried numerous bags and backpacks.  Backpacks tend to ride high and make it difficult to see over my shoulder.  I like my Timbuk2 but it fills up quick with boots, towel, uniform, lunch.......
• Trailer--I bought and used a B.O.B. trailer.  It fits on any bike which makes it nice.  This is a great trailer when it is moving, I barely noticed it was there.  This is great for long days of touring.    Stationary, it is a pain.  A serious pain.  I believe it would be easier to park a Mack truck with trailer.  Getting it alongside a bike rack is not easy and since it only has one wheel it wants to shift the weight making it difficult to load.  Surly makes some but they are two wheel and bulky.  I have not interest in owning more trailers.

Right now I am trying to decide how to set up the Ogre, it has braze on capabilities for panniers and trailers.  I am also interested in going a little more stream lined with a frame bag like Porcelain Rocket, but again volume is an issue.  In the mean time, I will continue to carry the load on my back.

The Race Against the Clock