Timing is Everything

So, this morning when I left the hotel it was wet.  Like, the rain stopped right before I left wet.  But t wasn't raining at that time, so I rode my bike.

Aside from the ride to the deYoung Museum, this was the first bike ride since the Thursday before Christmas.  And it was wonderful.

Sure, I was going to work, but it was getting back into a routine that felt good. If I'm going to be forced to be away from home for extended periods of time, then routine helps the time pass better.

And once again I was reminded that I have got to bring my fender with me.  My ass wasn't wet, but the muddy water spray up the back of my vest needs help.  Fortunately, it got on the vest and not my shirt.

And then not thirty minutes after leaving, and fifteen minutes after getting to work, it started to rain again.  And it rained at various strengths for another hour before stopping for good.

That is timing.

Becoming a Safer Cyclist

For Christmas, I pre-ordered the Revolights Eclipse+ for my bike.

So, I've been watching Revolights for a few years now  I remember when they came up on Indiegogo for their original Revolights 360.  It was a fascinating project, but at the time, I just could see spending that much one on my bike.

Then they launched a second campaign for the Eclipse+.  I was hooked, and I've been waiting for the right time to get the new version.  It turns out that they are on track to be released this month.

Jennifer and I went walking one day a few months ago, and saw the crew taking pictures at night.  It turned out that Revolights is located here in Emeryville.

So, this week, we walked over and ordered a set.  And if they are as great as they look, Jennifer will be getting a set as well.

I'm very excited, and eager for them to be released.

My Bike Spoke - And Another Thing...

I think the whole time I was writing yesterday's post, I was close to achieving something.  Then like coming up with an insult to the junior high school bully, I came up with the perfect stinger yesterday afternoon.

So think back.  Read yesterday's post.  Now insert this at the end.

"You could honest say that my bike is now... true blue."

My Bike Spoke

So, what do you do when you break a spoke on your bike?

I had been noticing a wiggle in my rear tire.  It was most noticeable when I was riding along a linear feature like brick pavers or a stripe.  The bike would almost fishtail as the tire stayed in the groove and moved the bike around.  So I went to a bike shop and bought a spoke wrench.

I had watched a couple YouTube videos, and repair seemed pretty straightforward.  However, while I was working on the adjustments, I found that one of my spokes had come out of the frame at the hub.

Jennifer and I spent Saturday morning at Love Our Neighborhood Day.  Then we took a ride to Blue Heron Bikes on Gilman.  They didn't have any service reservations available until Thursday.  And I'd have to drop my bike off on Wednesday, and then figure out how to get there and back afterwards.

But Yelp to the rescue.

I looked for nearby bike shops, and found Berkeley Bikes & Skateboards.  I walked into this little shop, and the guy behind the counter (way behind, he was working in the back) said he could have the work done in two hours, and it was $5 cheaper than what Blue Heron quoted.  I kind of had to laugh because he was a little apologetic that a black spoke would cost $2.

So Jennifer and I checked out the Tokyo Fish Market and Gift Shop.  Then we walked over to T-Rex for a drink and lunch.

And now my blue-wheeled bike is true.

Truly Zen

So after the horribleness of multiple tube punctures in the rain, I ordered some new tires for my bike.

But not just any tires, Tannus Solid Tires.  Unfortunately, there is only one distributor in the US, and that is Cycle to Go.  In Tuscon.

But they were incredibly helpful and friendly over email, and helped me choose the correct width and diameter tires for my bike.

Installation was tedious, but simple as I had to insert the little yellow tabs about every inch around the circumference of the tire.

The only real difficulty was getting the tire onto the rim of the wheel.  Fortunately Jennifer was around to hold the wheel as I pulled the tire into place.

Then it was just as easy as using the provided tool to push the pins into the rim of the wheel

And they are amazing tires.  They feel a little different to me because I've been riding on hybrid tires for a couple years, but otherwise there is no difference.  By finger squeeze they feel like well inflated tires.  the best part is that I never have to check the air in them again,

If you want to see the best review that I found before buying, watch this:



And I have to agree.  there's not much to say about them because they simply perform like regular tires.

I can address a comment that a coworker was given about them.  Apparently someone claimed that in the event of hard breaking, the tire can keep going while the wheel stops.  Essentially they are describing sliding in the rim.  Now, Sunday I tried a hard stop coming home from a ride, and the bike and tires stopped just fine.  I think anyone who has issues with the tire sliding in the wheel got a tire that is too big for their rim size.

Zen and the Art...

So in between phone calls, emails, and such, I've been performing inner tube repair.

Of course, the first thing to do is take the tube out and check the tire for sharp fragments that are still stuck in it.  I didn't feel anything, but as I was turning it and feeling, I heard a sound of something sliding inside the tire.

Here's what I found:

Two pieces of glass, or as we geologists call it "beerbottleite".

So I looked over the tube, eventually I have found six punctures.  Four of the punctures were in pairs where the glass went through both sides of the tube.  The two others were pin holes.

So now, I'm all patched up, and hoping that I've found all of them.

Synchronicity

So let's talk about things aligning.

This morning I got up and it was raining.  Not really a big deal, I was prepared.  I had the fender on my bike ready, and just had to gather and don rain gear.

However, about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way to BART, I almost lost control of mu bike as I started to shimmy.  My back tire had gone flat.

Still, things aren't terrible, The rain is minimal, and I make it to BART just in time to get on the train.  Also, the walk could have been so much worse if I'd worn the rain jacket I'd planned to instead of the waxed canvas jacket that Jennifer talked me into.

Then we went one stop, and held at the station for ten minutes because the train ahead of us had door troubles, and we had to single track around it.

The walk from BART to work wasn't too bad.  It only rained on me twice.

So, I'm now sitting at the office waiting for the bike to dry so I can do some work on it.  Also, I'm soaked in sweat from walking in rain gear.

But hey, it could always be worse.

Busy Weekend

This weekend seemed non-stop from the end of work on Friday.

I met Jennifer at BART halfway to San Francisco, and locked our bikes up.  Then we rode in and met a friend, got a ride over to Japantown and had dinner.  Then we went to "Batman v. Superman".

What did I think?

The intro pissed me off.  Do we really have to see the Waynes die in every fucking Batman movie?  After I got over that, it took me a bit to get back into the movie.  Once i did, I enoyed the show.  The second half is much more entertaining.  I told a friend I'd give ti a 3.75 out of 5 (7.5 out of 10 might sound better), and I'm viewing it as a bridge.  Yes, Marvel didn't really have a bridge movie, but I'm hopeful.  Affleck did a fine job as Bruce Wayne, I still like Henry Cavill, and Gal Gadot is good as both Diana Prince and Wonder Woman.  I look forward to the Wonder Woman.

Saturday, Jennifer and I rode around for a bit, but then decided to enjoy ridiculous fun, and play catch.  Then with sore shoulders, we went home and watched television with cats in our laps.

Sunday, we decided on a longer ride, and made a big loop.  We went up Alcatraz to Noah's Bagels on College, then down College and Broadway to a Starbucks in downtown Oakland.  Then we ate sitting on a planter on Grand.  After we ate, we walked up Broadway and found a few fun restaurants for future perusal, and a shop called Two Jacks Denim.

TJD is a great denim shop with pants, shirts and jackets.  I've recently become a fan of unwashed selvage denim pants.  I got a pair on Kickstarter, and they have become my favorite pants.  I've had them for almost two years, and they've never been washed.  The wear pattern on them is really looking amazing.  I got two new pairs of pants Sunday: one that is blue on a tinted thread and the second is blue on black.  they're going to look amazing too.

Sunday night, we came back to Drake's Dealership for dinner.  They've got some great beers.  Jennifer had a Farmhouse Ale (a great saison), and I had the amber (a great ESB).  Both were amazing with her poutine and my ribs.  For dessert we had a bourbon-barrel aged Drakonic stout and rye-barrel aged Robustito porter.  After one taste, both left you feeling you were in a distillery with the smell of the whiskey around you.

Well, Blow Me Down

Wednesday after the long weekend, I was back on my bike, and riding to work.

Monday it was so nice, Jennifer and I rode up to the end of the New Bay Bridge trail.  They're behind schedule because we were supposed to have a completed trail to Yerba Buena and Treasure Island by October of 2015, but no the projection is Summer of 2016.  Most of the trail and path is visible, but it's nowhere near completion.

Wednesday there was a storm on it's way into the Bay Area, and it was blowing from the southeast.  And it was blowing at 18 miles per hour and gusting to over 30 mph.  I rode in a relatively low gear the whole way to BART.  And when I got to the platform, the train was just pulling away.  And I was worn out.

Today riding to BART there was a bit of wind, but it seemed like a cute, little child trying to be like it's big, strong father.

Continued Learning

Last Saturday, San Pablo Avenue was closed from Ashby Avenue to Stanford Avenue for about 8 hours for a "Love Your Neighborhood" event.  the point is to help people realize that San Pablo Avenue is not just a substitute for Interstate 80, but a road that goes by lots of residences and small businesses.

It had lots of booths for local community businesses and such/

One of the booths was for Biketopia which is up Alcatraz Avenue by Adeline Street.  It was just one guy (Hiro) who was doing bike inspections and minor repairs.  He looked over my chain, and suggested it was pretty worn and should be replaced.

So, yesterday, after stopping off to cool down at home, I rode back up and got my chain replaced.

By me.

Biketopia is one of many shops around that is volunteer run, and teaches a bike owner how to do their own repairs.  I learned in my first year from another shop how to change inner tubes for flat tires.  This time, I learned (from Reaux) how to disassemble and clean the derailleur, and change the chain.  Now my gears are clean, the derailleur is gunk free, and my chain is shiny and silver.  It was one that was pre-waxed, so it shouldn't need to be oiled for about a week.  I also got a briefing on bicycle disc brakes.  I'm going to need to replace the pads on mine soon, but with the instruction Hiro gave me, I learned how easy it is to change them out.

FHWA Protected Bike Lanes

I came across this article on Facebook shared by my buds at Citizen Chain.

This is so amazing.  These protected lanes are what it's like riding on Alameda along the beach.

Now if we can just get Solar (Freakin') Roadways...

Morning Perfume

So, I've been riding my bike to work exclusively now for almost two years.  And aside from the occasional out of town assignment, I've been faithful.  However, this is the first winter-to-spring that I've been riding through my local neighborhood.

The past couple weeks I've been fortunate enough to be treated to waves of jasmine scent as I work my way towards Market.  And the last week or so that has been mixed with the smell of citrus.

Now I need to find out what kind of tree it is, because it's not one that fruits.  We used to have some growing outside of our place in Pacheco.  They smell amazing, but apparently my Google-Fu is weak this morning, because I'm not finding anything based on my description.

The Tools and the Talent - Conclusion

So, yesterday, I found a local bike shop: Rivendell Bicycle Works.  Now it turns out that the majority of their business is online, but they still had two inner tubes for me and a patch kit.

I decided to keep one fresh tube at work and one at home, and then did some patch work on the existing tube.  It's really a simple process if you follow all the instructions.  Letting the glue dry a bit before application is key.

And it's all holding.  The ride to BART yesterday was fine, and this morning has all gone well.

The Tools and the Talent - Part Two

So, the first rule of bicycle flat repair is always check the tire to make sure that whatever may have caused the first flat is out of the tire.

When I got to Walnut Creek today and I was riding down the ramp to cross the street, the bike fishtailed a bit.  It did this in a way that reminded me of hauling rock in dad's pickup truck my year at home between undergrad and grad school.  I was hauling pea gravel a half-yard at a time to fill up the bed for the new hot tub my parents had bought.  And half yard was about all that the truck could handle.  When I took a turn, I could feel the center of the wheels slide out.  It required very slow travel.

So I've jsut taken the rear bike wheel off again, and through careful feeling and flexing of the tire, I found a nice piece of glass that with pressure was poking a hole in the inner tube.

I guess I'll walk over to one of the downtown WC bike shops, and get me a new inner tube.  Maybe a couple.  And a patch kit.

The Tools and the Talent

So this morning when I bumped onto the sidewalk at the BART station and I was walking to the gate, my bike started acting like it didn't want to roll.

As I walked, I checked the brakes and the shifters, and everything seemed all right on that end.  Finally I just carried it until I got to my chosen door location, and looked it over.

Somehow, my rear tire spear (axle) had come out of it's mounting on one side, so the tire was rubbing against the frame.

And that's why you always carry tools when you bike.  The train was due in a couple minutes so I shucked off my helmet, vest, and gloves, and reached into my pack for my allen wrench.  I almost immediately grabbed it and laid it in my helmet.

The trains are pretty empty at 6:15, so I got my spot with a seat, and quickly loosened the spear, re-positioned it, and tightened it up.

Everything's back to normal.

I'm not a Boy Scout, but I do my best to be prepared.

Many Miles

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I like long weekends for the extra free time it gives me to take long rides.  This weekend I racked up over 70 miles.

I did two rides to Craneway Pavilion in Richmond.  The weather was nearly perfect: warm, and almost completely still air.  Sunday was nicer with a little cooler temperatures.

Monday, I decided to do the Oakland Bay Bridge again.  It's a nice challenge, but I needed more time out, so I took the split at the gate afterwards and headed into Oakland.  This branch took me into the Port of Oakland, and I ended back up at the Middle Harbor Shoreline Park.

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Now, I now it's not a race, but sometimes it's just the fact that there's someone in front of me that I have to ride that much harder to get in front of them.

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A corollary to the above is that some songs are dangerous on an iPod while your'e riding.  The soundtrack to the new Tron is a good pace music but just makes me want to go fast.  Speed Racer is very dangerous.

Restraint

So, today was the first time I'd driven since the second of the month.  And the first drive longer than 15 minutes since... November?  Maybe?

So today, I drove to Lodi for the post-remediation sampling work.  We're signalling soil gas wells, and so I'm on the road at 6:00 Am heading for Lodi.  And the thing that bothered me most about the drive was my seat-belt.

There are no seat-belts on BART.

The closest I come to a seat-belt on my bike is my Chrome bag which goes from left shoulder to right belly, and has a seal-belt style buckle.

Not that I would ever not wear my seat-belt.  It's too ingrained to wear one.

But man, do they pull on your neck when you're to used to wearing one.

Happy Anniversary

So, seventeen years ago, Jennifer and I had our first date.  This weekend we celebrated.

On our first date, I had taken her all around San Francisco giving her various views of the city.  We had a picnic in Golden Gate park, ate clam chowder on Fisherman's Wharf, and just had a great time.

This weekend, we celebrated us.

Friday night, I made me new personal specialty, chicken pad see ew.

Saturday, we went for a long ride.  Possibly our longest ride together.

We started off with breakfast at Starbucks, but then rode south.  We raced an Amtrak train from Emeryville to Jack London, and ended up beating it.

We continued on and crossed onto Alameda.  We followed the road around the south end of the island, and came back up to Shore Line Drive.  And there we discovered that they are in the process of installing a two-way bike lane along the water side of the road.  It was great having our own lane that allowed us to mostly ignore car traffic and not have to dodge foot traffic.  There are little concrete islands that have been installed, and they had barricades with an electrician's name stamped on them.  I'm guessing that the islands will have some sort of light.  Based on the plans on the web, these may just be street lights.  Still, we were very excited.

After stopping for lunch at Sushi House. we rode on north, and made it to St. George Spirits.  Unfortunately the new vodka isn't ready yet so we didn't taste.  We did go next door to Faction Brewing for some beer.  It was okay beer.  They poured either full pints, or 5-ounce glasses for tasting.  We chose 8 and sipped our way through them.  As you can guess from the logo, they're into hops.  We're really not, so we doubt if we'll be going back.

On our way off the old navy base, we came across some pyracantha bushes that were thickly covered in berries, and the berries on the individual bushes were different shades of red and orange.  We stopped, and Jennifer took some pictures.

After that, we were pretty much ready to head home.  Until we came across a Foster's Freeze.

Then we rode home.

At the end of the day, we had gone about 32.5 miles.

Sunday, I took Jennifer to Cooperage in Lafayette.  We had a wonderful brunch, and then walked a bit through downtown Lafayette.

We had talked about watching movies later that day, but we weren't sure which ones we wanted to see.  When we got home, "Inherit the Wind" was on TMC, and that was immediately followed by "Forbidden Planet".  With a little pause for homemade chicken nachos as dinner, that completed the night and the weekend.

Moist

Riding in to work today was an experience.

West side of the Oakland Hills: chilly, but not exceptional.

East side of the Hills: thick fog.

And this isn't like the fog a couple weeks ago that was thick and surreal.  One that made trtaffic lights look like multicolored spotlights.  Today's fog was thick and wet.  I coudl feel the tiny drops hitting my face as I rode in.

Then when I took my over gloves off I noticed they had caught a little moisture.

It's blurry because I was still in the hallway, but I wanted to get a picture before the water evaporated or soaked into the glove.

Then after I parked my bike, I saw how much water had accumulated on it.

I fully expected my beard to be soaked, but it wasn't.

Cycling and Football

Yesterday, Jennifer suggested riding the Iron Horse Trail again.  We decided to ride the entire trail, and planned to take BART all the way to Concord, then ride down to the trailhead on Olivera.

However, when we got to Pleasant Hill, the train was going to wait for over 10 minutes because of track maintenance.  So we decided we'd get off, get on the trail, ride to the trailhead, and then turn around and do the whole trail to Dublin/Pleasanton.

Yeah, but then we lost the trail in Concord around Willow Pass Road.  Looking at Google Maps today, we missed where the Iron Horse Trail splits from another trail when it crosses Monument Boulevard.  Good to know, and we'll try again another time.

We dodged walkers with baby carriages, cyclists who had more gear than sense, and dogs no being controlled by their owners.  And to top it off, Danville was having a wine festival that was adjacent to the trail.

We were very happy to make it to the BART station.

In total with all the back and forth, we did just about 33.5 miles.

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Then this morning is the first Sunday of the NFL regular season.  It's a bit of a tradition for me to make Jennifer a special breakfast while she watches the pre-game show.

We made a quick race to Trader Joe's for necessary ingredients, and then using other stuff we had on hand, I made two breakfasts.  For myself, just a bagel eggwich with Kinder's peppered bacon:

But, Jennifer got eggs Benedict with smoked salmon, and a couple slices of bacon.