Old Cars and Older Bikes

Rust Never Sleeps!

Yesterday, there was a "Show and Shine" car show at the Elks Club in Ocean Shores. Mostly, the cars/trucks were of the hot rod and rat rod and "newer Corvette" variety. However, in one truck, there was an ancient gem.

As the sign says, it is a rescued 1930 Elgin bicycle. The "late model" truck it rides in is aging gracefully as well. It is interesting to read the various stickers and bumper art in the photos.

I Have NO IDEA What Those Things that Look Like Roller Skate Wheels are!

The Bike Clearly Hasn't Been Fully Restored

I Don't Think These Came With a "Barn Find" ID Plate Originally...

Hawaiian Rescue Bike

I really don't go around garage sales looking for bikes or bike stuff. However, once in a while something drops into my lap affordably enough that I have a hard time passing it by. Ocean Shores, being a tourist town, has GOBS of garage sales on holidays such as Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day. Oddly, it doesn't seem to have nearly so many on the town's biggest holiday; Flag Day.

This particular example showed up over the weekend. Apparently its owners traveled, with a bicycle registration from Fort Collins, Colorado. Relevant to this post's title, it also had a "Bicycle License" from Honolulu, Hawaii. According to the script on the "License," it expired on December 31, 1990. Apparently, Hawaii has changed its laws, since nowadays, the city imposes a $15 "permanent" fee, as noted here. This is also enshrined in STATE law, documented here. Apparently, the most recent change was effective starting this year. Apparently you can be tasered and jailed for not having a bike license in Hawaii, or more likely they'll just take away your bike and sell it as described here. I thought about trying to contact Honolulu to see what records they had on it, but nearly 30 years after the "license" expiration, I decided that some things are better just left alone. You can't see it in the photo, but Hawaiian bike licenses didn't use to be permanent since there's another one underneath. Like car license tabs in many states, each year they use a new color.

But I digress. The bike's asking price was $25, but the seller readily accepted $20. There were a few other bikes up for sale, but they were all junk bikes. The bike is a Univega. For those of you unfamiliar with the brand, Univega was pretty popular in the 1980's. Unlike many other Japanese brands, Univega didn't build their own bikes. Instead, they contracted with other companies, notably Miyata. These bikes were built to Univega's specifications. Technically, Univega wasn't a Japanese brand, as it was started by an Iraqi immigrant, Ben Lawee. Univega headquarters was in Signal Hill, California and it was Ben that designed the bikes built by Miyata.

Still, the bikes, after an early period in which they were imported from Italy as "Italvega," were pretty purely built entirely in Japan. In the late 1980's, manufacture moved to Taiwan and the company was bought by Raleigh in the mid 1990's. Raleigh discontinued the brand around 2000 or so.

This particular bike had a flat front tire upon purchase, along with surface rust that you can see in the various photos. It also looks like it had a peg-mounted pump at one time.

The bike is a mixte frame, and uses Suntour ARX derailleurs. It rides on 27" Araya rims and uses middling Dia Compe brakes. I think the pedals originally had toe clips since there are pedal reflectors only on one side of each pedal. You can see the Lawee imprent in the "Lawee design" decal on the chainstay.

Suntour ARX Derailleurs. Designed by "Lawee design"

Just a Touch of Drivetrain Rust! However, Everything Works

You can see there will be a bit of rust removal necessary on this bike's drivetrain, which has suffered over the years in the humid climates of Hawaii and Ocean Shores. Though it is an early 80's design, it does have a six-speed freewheel. That's particularly convenient since my daughter's bike has Shimano shifting indexed for six speeds. The Univega's Suntour has no indexing so I plan to swap the freewheels.

One oddity is the saddle on the Univega. I suspect it is something the bike acquired during the years. It's a fairly low end mattress saddle. Actually, it might work well in Ocean Shores, since the place isn't all that big anyway.

Vinyl Saddle by "Bike Extras Cycle Products Co"

Banned From Bike Shops

Old Reflectors Looked Like This One, Which Was Made in the USA

Way back when, people bought rear reflectors for bikes like the ones in the photo above. It was all that was available. It was basically made to the same SAE standard as automotive reflectors. Unfortunately, these reflectors had poorly engineered attaching hardware that caused the metal to fail as shown in the photo below. In addition, reflector technology is better than it was 40 years ago. In the normal course of events, this would have been no big deal, since better combinations would have evolved. Unfortunately, government got involved, namely the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. Instead of doing the sensible thing and requiring a rear reflector using an existing standard, they required ALL new bicycles to be equipped with their own standard which compromised rearward reflectance in favor of “all direction” reflectance. You can see discussions about reflectors here, here, and here, as well as many other places. I’m not going to repeat all that.

 

Old Reflectors Failed Like THIS

The practical effect was that every manufacturer and every bike shop stopped selling SAE reflectors in favor of the CPSC variety. I have never seen a SAE reflector at any bike shop. It’s sort of like the Snell bike helmet standard, which has been eclipsed by the inferior CPSC standard. I can’t say that I’m happy with an inferior standard legislated for cyclists when better exists, but government DOES get influenced by industry as well as the public, and we might not always endorse the outcome. Perhaps I’ll cover this in some future post or posts.

 

However, things are not all bad for those that are willing to do a little extra work. SAE reflectors are readily available at auto parts stores and RV supply stores. In Ocean Shores, people also frequently buy them to stick to posts and mailboxes. Following is the story of how I adapted better reflectors for my bike. Better reflectors than you can currently buy at almost any bike store.

First off, current SAE reflectors are not configured to make them real easy to attach to a bike rack or rear fender, much less any other bike part. Fortunately, I was able to find a “Tie Plate” that was just big enough to mount two reflectors and even had holes in it that matched the spacing I needed. The only item I needed to buy that cost over $3 for two reflectors were the tin snips I needed in order to cut the tie plate to a “good for a bike” size. Interestingly, the tie plate was located for me at Ace Hardware by a clerk that caught on after he realized I did not want to attach my reflector to a car, RV, or post. Thanks, Ace! You may not have a bike rack, but your people know their stuff.

STEP 1: Cut the tie plate in two with the tin snips.

Tie Plate is Cut into Two

STEP 2: Cut each half of the tie plate with the tin snips so that the sharp metal edges won’t extend past your reflector. A Sharpie pen helps here to mark enough of the metal to trim, while leaving a lot left for the reflector adhesive to stick to.



Tie Plate Trimmed to Suit the Reflector. Excess is at Upper Right. Fasteners are at Upper Left
Ace Hardware Part Number is on the White Tag

STEP 3: Attach the modified tie plate to your rear rack. The photo shows it attached to a Topeak Explorer rack which has two holes that conveniently EXACTLY match the holes already in the tie plate. If you have an old Pletscher rack, it’ll only have one hole, so you’ll have to make a choice between a less solid fastened installation, or reinforcing things with glue. If you have other racks, you’ll have to improvise, or not. Either way, it’ll be FAR better than either an ancient reflector or anything the CPSC would endorse.

Tie Plate Installed on Topeak Explorer Rear Rack Prior to Reflector Installation

STEP 4: Stick the reflector to the tie plate. I used nails as a guide, as in the photo, to ensure that the holes lined up before the adhesive contacted the tie plate. That ensured I’d be able to put fasteners in afterwards. See “Belt and Suspenders” post recently.

Reflector Getting Stuck to the Tie Plate - Nails Act to Line the Holes Up

STEP 5: Install the fasteners and you’re all done! A better reflector than is available in any bike shop, or from any bike manufacturer, all for about $2 in parts per reflector. This reflector is installed strongly enough that I expect it to last for decades to come.

Finished Installation on Topeak Rear Rack. Cowabunga!

NOTE: I selected a RED reflector. If you read literature, such as here, you might wonder why I picked a RED reflector, rather than an AMBER one that has double the reflectivity of a red one. Well, it is because most local laws require RED. While I typically ride in the dark with a red rear light as well as my reflector (meaning I comply with the law even if I had an amber reflector), should the light fail (not uncommon with bike lights), only a RED reflector would comply with all state and local laws. Sigh…

Blog Fission

I'm making a few changes. Being in Ocean Shores, I'll post items with some bicycle content here. Items relating to Ocean Shores with NO bicycle content will be posted THERE. Some of those will be prompted by people and places I've come in contact through this blog. My CURRENT POST over at the Ocean Shores blog was prompted by Khal; resident of Los Alamos, New Mexico. It's also known as "bombtown." It is AMAZING what you can find at a local library!

Bike in Ocean Shores

 

Twenty to One and "The Lost Post"

Posts on other blogs can cause us to reconsider things. Andy Cline, at Carbon Trace, made a post about clueless cycling behavior. It wasn’t the post so much as the combination of the post and observations that cyclists disobey traffic controls even when they know better, that caused me to ponder. You see, elements of this appeared in comments guessing content of what became “the Lost Post.” I found the comments amusing at the time, but they tie to what JRA called “Total Cycling Support.” Even the “twenty to one” in the “Lost Post” gives clues.

There is truth to newspaper comments claiming that “roads are for cars.” If you doubt it, drop me an email and I'll do a "Gruesome Threats" post. But I'd rather not. People on bikes FEEL it and it bothers them. They FEEL it even if they don’t get honked at, or harassed by a motorist police officer while operating safely and legally. The roads really ARE optimized to accommodate a uniquely dangerous major use – four-wheeled motor vehicle operation. Because these motorists mostly kill and delay each other, and have lots of votes, other users are rarely considered seriously, and are almost never considered as part of “real traffic.” In effect, others are marginalized by design. The “Lost Post” showed that to be true – even though it EXCLUDED any safety elements whatsoever. People on bikes or walking are at a disadvantage. If you doubt it, go push just about any crosswalk signal button. While you wait, wonder why the signal is at the corner instead of midblock. Now imagine that motorists are making free right turns, and there are mud puddles, and it’s windy. Feeling vaguely disadvantaged, many bike riders and pedestrians try to compensate in some way. It isn’t just motorists that don’t want to wait. I’m sure you can think of many examples. If not, speak up and I'll do a "blood and gore" due to people trying to live around cars post. But I'd rather not.

I have a major advantage over most cyclists when it comes to legally avoiding delay due to motor-centric roads. I KNOW how to trigger all the traffic signals along my commute route. I KNOW where to turn to avoid most of the stop signs (especially those at the BOTTOM of hills) that exist only to stop motoring excesses. I KNOW how to safely interact with motor traffic. And I get delayed twenty to one. Think what a person without that knowledge does – so they don’t get delayed even more. Good road design balances the needs and, indeed, the DELAY that various types of users experience. Good road design is rare in the US today. “Shared Space” is considered radical. While the current state of “Complete Streets” might be poor, it is an attempt to restore balance. We need to do better.

I don’t suggest that people should start ignoring traffic signals, shooting through crosswalks without looking, riding the wrong way, or all the other idiotic things people on bikes do (I am NOT a victim!), but I do suggest good road design should take the characteristics of various road users into account and balance things better. It isn’t entirely “bad” or “ignorant” people that are the problem. Motorized traffic IS different than non-motorized traffic and there is no excuse to let the designers hide behind a “same rules” mantra. Twenty to one says non-motorized users are being treated worse.

So, I recovered “The Lost Post” and repeat it below. Consider it in the context of whether horrid behavior of many pedestrians and bike riders might be worsened by a road AND educational system that marginalizes them. Sometimes, looked at a second time, data suggests a different story than we intended. Twenty to one was pretty simple to discover in my case, but in many cases, things are far worse than twenty to one – and the total time gets bigger the further you go.
-----------------------------------------------------

"The Lost Post" March 2012

I apologize to my loyal reader, who wondered what I might be getting at when I posed the question:
"Has anyone out there really added up the time cost of stopping at a stop sign compared to nonchalantly riding through same?"

Perhaps noting that I had an ulterior motive got comments off on the wrong track. Perhaps I have been too strident in the past. For, you see, sometimes a question is EXACTLY what it seems. You see, this post is not hypothetical, as Pondero couched his theory. Then he and others talked about momentum lost and rhythm. Khal even touched on a hot button of mine when he used that "w" word. Well, all that goes into the hopper for a future post, but today, simply, this post is about who gets delayed - cyclists by motorists or motorists by cyclists.
What? You might ask, motorists are forever complaining about cyclists holding them up. Well, let's examine the facts.
FACT 1: Today, as usual, I didn't see any other cyclists or people on bikes on my commute. That means that any motorist that might have been delayed was only delayed by me. That keeps the motorist delay math simple. In total, we're talking about a second or less. If you live somewhere else - like Boston or Portland or Seattle, let's be generous and multiply the motorist delay by a factor of ten and count it as ten seconds.  (MAY update - COUNTING MOTORISTS waiting at stop signs for me, you might add as much as four seconds to my previous estimate - still a lot less than I bumped things up to. Ten seconds still seems safe.)
FACT 2: In saner moments, even most of the "more militant than average" motorists will concede that motorists are really more likely to get held up by other motorists than even the most offensive spandex mafioso. This is particularly true if you ask the motorist right after he/she comes off a freeway after a two HOUR stoppage.
CYCLISTS DELAYED
In reality, besides the question I asked, cyclists are delayed (even if they do NOT obey all traffic directions) by many motor-centric road features. I do not pretend to come up with a complete list here, but all of the following apply to the commutes or other cycling of a LOT of cyclists and all are caused by motoring:

Short and efficient routes where cycling is banned (freeways and other roads) or effectively banned because of heavy and fast traffic. Many of these roads are paid for with my property taxes and not any sort of user fee.

Stop signs and stop lights that are only needed to keep motorists from crashing into each other or into innocent bystanders, or, increasingly, in a mostly futile attempt to keep speeds down. While compliance by cyclists might be better, the delay is still real.

Alternate routes taken by cyclists in order to avoid harassment or otherwise lower their stress levels. Paths are a common refuge, despite being somewhat riskier for falls than even MEAN streets.Regardless, these longer routes represent delay due to motoring.

Seriously, Little Ol' Me Delays ALL These Guys or Do THEY and Their Infrastructure Delay Me?

COUNTING MY DELAY DUE TO MOTORING
This morning, I tried my best to note all these delays. Now, keep in mind that after I bump up the delay I create by cloning myself, it totals ten seconds. First, my quickest route would have used the 121 Airport Freeway for a mile. Between the construction to widen it and the lurid news stories about pedestrians run over by multiple motorists (some being on-duty police in high vis vests), I took a delay of about 30 seconds necessary due to the motorists. Next, I encountered ten stop signs along my route. In reality, NONE of them would have been there except to keep motorist animal urges under control. Counting five seconds of delay at each would put me behind by 50 seconds more. That puts me up to 80 seconds. Third, I made a few route detours that further lower stress. The extra 0.2 miles adds an extra 60 seconds since I average about a mile every five minutes (what can I say, I'm no spring chicken any more). Now we are at 140 seconds. Stop signs are a big time waster. I hit four of the eight stop lights red along my route. I confess I didn't time them all, but the ones I did time led me to conclude a 20 second delay at each red was about right for a total of 80 seconds more. However, in fairness, if there were no motorists, I'd probably want stop signs so we have to subtract 20 seconds off - and add 20 seconds on for the green lights; leaving us at 80 seconds for a total delay of 220 seconds in order to keep my motorists safe. Hmm, I didn't mention it, but I also had another 20 seconds of direct delay since the motorists are slow off the line at left turn signals when in a line.

BOTTOM LINE

I think it goes back to Pondero's note in a previous post - there are a lot of motorists and so that makes a lot of comments about road hog cyclists. Votes do count. The majority do, however, forget that much of what is put on those roads delays other users who would not need those devices at all if motor vehicles were not so dangerous. Four of those ten stop signs I encountered were before the first traffic light and two were within a block of my house.

I don't begrudge all these delays that exist simply so motorists can "rule the roads;" it is part of the cooperative network that forms our road system. HOWEVER, the next time I hear some whiny, er, "perturbed" motorist complain about BIKES holding him/her up, I'll think back on this post, and smile mysteriously about a "delay ratio"over over 20 to 1 AFTER I bump up the "1."

ORIGINAL COMMENTS ON "THE LOST POST"

cafiend said... I used to ride a route three miles longer, over a much higher summit, to avoid the highway on my ride home from work. The extra miles took longer than the same distance on terrain and pavement comparable to the highway. It was wonderfully peaceful but got me home too late for domestic harmony.
My two routes out of town even on the direct route are a big detour out a side road to avoid a section known for impatient motorists or a scoot out the rail trail with all its shortcomings, to reach the highway outside of town. All these delays have more to do with avoiding motorist friction than with a strong desire for more mileage or a particular enjoyment of the path.
On the UF campus in the mid 1970s, cars were forbidden. Masses of cyclists filled the streets between classes. Everyone just flowed. The only time I had a problem was when I created it by being a speedy jerk.

March 19, 2012 8:54 PM RANTWICK said... Great perspective. I think your plan to smile mysteriously rather than go on a rant along these lines is also a wise choice.

March 20, 2012 10:02 AM Steve A said... If traffic was war instead of cooperation, the vehicle of choice would be the one I posted about at: (photo of tank along my commute route omitted)

Madeleine

Second try at this with the "new" Blogger. My first attempt went "poof!"

With one exception, all the bikes I've ridden have had names. That exception is my road bike. Also known as "the bike with no name."

I've written about my new bike. I indicated it was a Mercier S3X. It's a fixed gear, three speed bike. It is made in Taiwan, with a famous French name. After a bit of consideration, I came up with a name for it, after a short two rides of less than a half mile in total. We shall see if it "sticks," but I think it will.

Madeleine

Madeleine's a rather French name. Not Taiwanese at all. Still, Madeleine is appropriate. You see, Madeleine was a character in Hitchcock's "Vertigo." Played by Kim Novak, Madeleine was what she seemed but not QUITE what she seemed. She was also "Judy." Strangely appropriate for a "French" bike built in Taiwan.

The name is still more appropriate considering that I'm a fan of Jaguar cars and Madeleine drove a Mark VIII Jaguar. An almost identically visually similar Mark IX may be seen below.

Mark IX Jaguar at Mercer Island, Washington Concours. Dan King Observes

Madeleine is a PERFECT name for a bike that is all it seems, but still NOT what it seems. A good Mercier name. As you will see, it IS turning a bit French. In the trailer, watch for the Jaguar right before Madeleine tries to jump into San Francisco Bay, just before the halfway point.

Something OLD, Something New...

Richard Nixon was still President of the USA. On his way to whooping my own preferred candidate; George McGovern. That was the year that I last bought a bike with my own money. Earned with my own hands. I was working at the "A&P" (as in "Breaking Away") in north Seattle. Now, that A&P is an "Apple Store." Specifically, it was 1972.

But I digress.

The bike was bought at the store shown below. At THAT time, it was known as "Gregg's Greenlake Cycle." As it turned out, that purchase formed a defining moment in my life as a cyclist. You see, that was the LAST time I ever bought a bike for myself from a cycling store. The bastards screwed me, though it took me many years to fully realize it. Still, I have no doubt that, over the years, these guys have improved mightily since they ARE still in business.

Gregg's Cycle in Seattle. Not a Lot of Bike Parking. Some Things Don't Change Over the Years

The bike was a "Champion Du Monde." It was a smidge more than I could really afford at the time. $100. For that price, I got something equivalent to the FAR more popular (and more expensive) Peugeot UO8. Yup, the same bike you now see on eBay regularly for - about $100. Unless the owner thinks it is collectible somehow. As in the case of the Peugeot, the CDM came with a steel, cottered crank, crappy Simplex shifting gear, and steel rims. The steel rims had dimples in them to create the illusion you could stop when the rims got wet.

Champion Du Monde - It Served Me Well, Even if Far Too Big...
I Named it "Betty Boop."

To make a loooong story less so, that bike is now on its third crank, uncounted wheels, its SECOND derailleur (viva Suntour!), and lots of other bits that got changed out over the years. The reason it is missing a saddle is I donated it to a guy with a bike a couple of years ago. It HAD fenders and a rear rack - both now reside on Frankenbike.

After Enough Miles, Chainstay Paint Starts to Get a Bit Thin...

Remants of the Seat Tube Decal

You may sense a faint touch of bitterness against Gregg's. That's because they sold me a bike that was AT LEAST two sizes too big. I was in High School at the time and the salesman made no attempt at all to do anything more than suck the money out of the dumb kid with as little effort as possible. Still, they did me one favor - they PERMANENTLY cured me of having too much reverence for any bike shop. For that, I will forever be grateful. It's also why you won't see me joining the "buy your bike from a proper bike store" crowd. I KNOW better.

Trust - but Verify

Despite the Gregg's salesman, I DID get my money's worth out of the bike, as you can see from what is left of the paint. Even a frame that is FAR too big for the rider can give many miles of riding pleasure. That bike rode miles in Seattle, Los Angeles, many towns around LA, Everett, and, finally in North Texas. Nowadays, I keep it mainly to remind me that bike shops should not be trusted any more than any other business. In the words of Ronald Reagan - "Trust, but verify." As significantly, that bike was within sight the minute I met my future wife. Better yet, I changed out those steel rims before they killed me. They were gone before the last "close call" I had with a car - around 1974, bombing down Admiral Way in West Seattle at nearly 40MPH when a motorist decided to pull out from a driveway without proper caution. Such an event would not be worthy of even a mention in this blog nowadays. Experience truly is valuable.

Having told y'all about my LAST new bike, I have weakened and bought a second. This one was bought nearly 40 years to the day after the first. Yes, I have to admit that even "Buddy" was a used bike. All I can say is what my wife calls me - "cheap." Well, and it arrived today...

What's in the Box? On the Porch, this Afternoon.

BIG Babble

Building Our Way to North Texas Infrastructure Bliss? The Highway 121/114
Multi-Billion Dollar Construction Zone at the Time of "Peak Oil"

Not Bill's Tricross, But WITH it in Spirit

Sometimes, real life intersects all this blogging stuff. Last night, some of us around DFW that have loosely associated with the Google Group "Cyclebabble" got to meet a "fellow traveller." Specifically, we got to meet Bill "Big Oak." Bill is based in Indiana. Yes, that's the very same Indiana where Breaking Away was set, though Bill is fortunate enough to have chosen a Specialized Tricross for commuting rather than a Masi. Living in Indiana instead of North Texas is a mixed situation for Bill. He gets a little extra snow (like at left), but misses out on the blistering North Texas summers.

 

Anyway, here's how things unfolded. In an unusual move for myself, I carpooled with Chandra "Chandra." This prompted a note to myself about a couple of future posts. First, a while back, I started another myth series post about the folly about trying to build ourselves to paradise via infrastructure. One clue to its direction is the photo at the top of this post. A second is about the pleasant aspects of rising gas prices. That clue is ALSO in the same photo. Conveniently, I had time to ride home from work and then pick  up "Piglet" from my indulgent wife for the ongoing carpool trip to the rendezvous.

 

Before too awfully long, I arrived at Chandra "Chandra's" place of employment. One look at the car fortress in the next photo illustrates why Chandra has that plant that is gradually taking over his work space. I didn't actually get to see where his bike parks. It seemed like a quest best left for another day.

 

The "Car Fort" Where Chandra Works

When Chandra and I linked up, we headed out from there to Tarrant County. While I actually LIVE in the portion of Tarrant County that we were headed to, I must confess that the freeways in between Chandra's place of employment and there are somewhat of a mystery to me. As a result, we were soon lost in automotive infrastructure and were somewhere down by Cowboy Stadium. We were, in a word, LOST.

After somewhat added delay, we got to the restaurant where we had agreed to meet. It was really WORTH the toil and trouble. One shock to me was that somehow I'd never figured out the basis for "Big Oak's" nickname. All those giant bike frames in his blog went right past me. I hope this provides some insight as to how I consistently FAIL to be able to get license plate numbers of motoring scofflaws.

Anyway, besides Chandra and myself, Paul "Doohickie" and Chris "Pondero" attended, as well as Myles "Rattrap Press" and his wife. Watch their blogs for more on this event. Maybe even Myles. As I noted to him, despite his claimed final ever post, even Sean Connery did another James Bond movie: "Never Say Never Again." We can always hope...

Chris "Pondero" and Chandra "Chandra" Beam for the Camera

Oh, almost forgot. Yes, "Big Oak" and his wonderful wife were both there. They are a lucky couple, at least in IMO. As is my typical "Modus Operandi," I dispensed some completely useless bicycle advice to her.

Bill "Big Oak" and "Mrs Big Oak" in Hurst, Texas. Myles "Rat Trap Press and "Mrs Myles Rat Trap Press" in Foreground

During the night, it did not pass without the remark occurring that someone was missing. THAT person is show below, from a previous "Cyclebabble" gathering. So he can understand, turn on the Google translator and convert all this babble into French.

Paul "Doohickie," With "Mrs Big Oak" and Chris "Pondero" in the Background.
In the Interests of Full Disclosure, This Photo was Edited to Remove "Devil Eyes" from Doohickie
Conspiracy Types Might Wonder What Connection He Has to the End of the World in 2012...

The ENTIRE Group, Well Except for Yours Truly and "The Missing Man"
Note the BASIS for the "Big Oak" Nickname!

Anyway, like at one previous event, in the interest of completeness, I include Doohickie, modelling "the missing man."

Doohickie, in HONOR of "The Missing Man"

Je Me Souviens

Coat of Arms of Quebec

Is the motto seen on Quebec motor vehicle license plates. It also sums up a lot of the last week that will probably never get posted on this blog.

Lots of Stuff Happened This Week. This is Only One.
Je Me Souviens

For reasons totally unrelated to this post, I inquired of a French Canadian colleague about the motto's meaning. She indicated that "I remember" means that they had excellent memories of the past; going into the future. At the time, I remembered Wolfe and Montcalm, and the battle, (and, only to myself, Benedict Arnold), but, as I got to ride my road bike for the first time in many days, the Quebec motto; "je me souviens" could just as well apply to many of the bike posts I have read, and even sometimes commented on, while I was up in Quebec during the last week. What's more, they apply to world news.

Those Quebecois bear close watching, and pondering, as I ride from point to point around the DFW Metroplex. And, Thomas, this morning's ride was extra nice, even though no motorist was anything other than considerate or polite. What's more, I think the Chipseal affair is wrapped up and tied with a bow.

Je Me Souviens...

Rantwick's Tree is Safe - For the Moment. Quebec Trees are in Groups!

As Rantwick Says, A Group Might Well Overwhelm the King

IMO, We, in North America, Can TAKE THOSE Europeans On!
Je Me Souviens

On My Way Home, I Noticed Rubber on the Edge of a Bike Path.
I Noticed it AFTER I Almost Suffered a Diversion Fall
Je Me Souviens

This Guy Honked From His Parking Spot. I Think, However, His Honk was Not Intended Towards Me
I was Sipping Coffee at the Time. Who Knows if He'd Have Waved on the Road
Je Me Souviens

Back on the Bike After a Week of Driving
Je Me Souviens

Unlike Tim Horton, Starbucks has Free WiFi
Je Me Souviens

Smooth Roads and Light Traffic
Je Me Souviens

Changed in Little Ways

Cycling and Skiing Have Both Changed the Way I Carry Stuff

Perhaps I've simply become more observant in recent years, but I've noticed that I change how I do things based on activities I engage in.

One example is that I now organize money in my billfold differently as a result of snow skiing. When I ski, I use a clip and carry only essential cards. I also started folding money so that the largest denomination bills are in the center of the stack. I figured that dragging a clip with money out at the lodge would be less conspicuous if dollar bills were what was visible. It also had the advantage that if money dropped, it'd be the little bills that went flying around.

Cycling has also influenced me, even recently. When you're cycling, carrying a large wallet around is somewhat of a pain, both because you are carrying around unneeded weight and unneeded bulk. I solved this problem by dividing my "stuff" into the stuff for the big wallet as well as items likely to be needed on a given trip, which go into the slimline wallet. On a daily basis, I'm not likely to need to haul out my original Social Security card, my PE License, or the security code to the Jaguar radio.

This has turned out quite well. In the photo, the top wallet weighs 60 grams and the bottom one weighs 130. Better yet, the top wallet can easily be carried in a front pants pocket along with an iPhone, in a jersey pocket, or even in a bike bag with room left over.

This is a practical application of what Chandra would call "CRM." For those not knowing every acronym around, CRM stands for "Crud Reducion Management."