New Want

No it's not the iPhone...
I must be too close to the mission hipsters, but I have been seeing (in print) one of the coolest road bikes that I would love to get...a new Schwinn of all bikes!

Now I'm not in so deep in that I have to get a lip piercing, pay $10 for a PBR, wear a white belt, and have a top tube pad...it's just that I see this bike and I am transported back to 1982 to our local Schwinn Bike shop (when they had such things that weren't next to the tennis rackets at Target)...and the road bikes I would lust after.

Anyway, while all the other techies, dorks and fashionistas are waiting for a $600 phone, I'll keep my sites set on bikes and time outdoors with my family.

A Taiwanese (or Chinese probably) Schwinn has caught my eye...

Cut yer hair and get a job...

So Jake's preschool teacher not only offers schooling, education and care for our son—she has recently been offering grooming advice.

Yesterday Cari said Teacher ______ said we should give Jake a haircut, cause, you know, it's getting hot.

I don't know how to feel about this one. Being folically challenged, I want my son to hold onto his hair like Sampson. I lost mine so early in life, he should have the opportunity to know what it feels like to have the wind blowing through his hair. Plus, he likes his hair the way it is (he just doesn't like washing it).

It's not like Jake looks like these guys...does he?


Jake: I like snakes, lizards and dirt. I look like a freerider...

Feral Kid: I can throw a knife boomerang like nobody's business


Me Chaka...dinosaur bad.

It's sorta about the bike

Just a quick one...
I haven't been out on the bikes too much lately, we have been working hard in the yard--getting our raised planter boxes built, filled with dirt and planted (can't wait for our own veggies). On top of raking and digging dirt, there is always tree trimming and playing with Jake to fill the days.

One of my newest pleasures/treasures has been to saddle the tag-a-long up to my trusty converted Kestrel town-bike and head out with Jake on some rides around. We've been hitting Partick's Road (just to the base of the first climb) and Stanley lane with Uncle David and Aunt Erin for a treat. It's just quite a feeling to have your 4-1/2 year old so into going for bike rides and looking for lizards...

I should have known the tag-a-long adventures would be beneficial in more ways than one after my mountain bike ride Sunday. After a long weekend working in the yard (Cari and I received and moved 3 yards of topsoil in a day), and after a trip on the tag-a-long with Jake up Particks again (with a stop at the market to enjoy some Odwalla drinks)-it was time to do a little Skyline ride.

Now time is limited, I only had about 1 hour, so I had to drive over to NVC and ride from there. Extra bonus points came from a squeak-free ride thanks to my time spent cleaning and re-lubing the ol' drivetrain and working on my disc brakes.

There was something about the ride, it just felt nice. No sounds from the bike, somehow it just went by. Before I knew it I was past the first painful (for me) climb without noticing really and onto the lake.

Of course, being a paranoid the one thing that did creep into my head for some reason was mountain lion. Being pretty much alone out there only reinforced my delusions, but the only things I saw were turkeys and a sweet baby King Snake.

The ride was just perfect though. Dab free (even upper skyline on the way down) and I just couldn't get over how good I felt.

The thought that entered my mind on the ride (during and after) was how caught up I (we) can get in the parts and weights of the bike. More importantly, I focused on what I was riding and how my goal is to not really think about it when I am riding.
Now don't get me wrong, I love to read about all the new bits, look at pictures and if possible get my good buddy Kirby to buy something new or live vicariously through Steve who always has the newest, lightest gear. But what I started to notice was, damn-my bike's got a lot of old gear on it and it works great!

How old you ask? Let's see:

Shifters-
Shimano 8 Speed XTR that I have been using for 7 years

Rear Derailleur-
Shimano 8 Speed XTR that is also 7 years old

Cranks-
ISIS, Standard ring (46/36/26 I think) Race Face NEXT LP's, bought them 6 years ago to the chagrin of Matt O and Chris K.

Hubs-
Set of King ISO disc I got 5 years ago, just re-lubed

Disc Brakes-
Set I got from Fish at Risse 6 years ago, never re-bled, always squeaking (hmmm....maybe I should fix)

Frame-
2004 Intense Spider, love it

Fork-
2005 F100X (just rebuilt after it blew up), love it


Steve's voice kept creeping into my head on the ride with, "what build kit will you be using on your next bike?"

My answer is exactly what you see above most likely and I'm pretty proud of it too.

Speaks well for dropping more coin on stuff (even if I did get most of it while in the industry)---especially American Made (Chris King, Intense, Thompson).

Overall though, despite the techo-babble, gear BS and all, the most important thing I embraced on the ride (most all of my rides) is just to enjoy the time outdoors and the fact that we do have the opportunity to ride where and how we do.

It's not (all) about the bike fo' sho...

Now, Kirby or Steve, go buy somehting cool so I can lust over it!

Pics to date:
Hiking somewhere in Napa


Jake up a tree


Let's see, pedal, stay on trail, hold camera low, snap pic...well almost!


Lake Marie framed by Intense


Just plain yummy


My "Tam's™" have a long way to go. Can't quite capture the right look...


Baby King Snake...bunny hopped at 15mph saved his life!


Back at the car...