October 31 is Nevada Day

Today I rode my Coconino rigid-rigid touring trail bike on the mixed dirt and paver commute. Temps were cool, air was clear and calm. As I approached the roundabout at Parr and 395, I was fortunate enough to spot two huge vultures soaring above the bleached hills and sparse pinons. These birds were big. From 60 to 80 feet up they looked to have wing spans of at least 5 or 6 feet. At that moment I did the right thing, I detoured into the dirt and stopped to watch a few minutes. One cruized around the SE side of the hill, one stayed above me, spiraling up on thermals. The second soared back, made a few turns with it's pal, then the 2 of them cruized off over the summit of the hills. I charged for the hilltop and looked around but they were gone. What a great way to start the day, watching a pair of vultures "contemplate the world from a silent and considerable height."

Home Means Nevada Written & Music by Bertha Raffetto

Way out in the land of the setting sun, Where the wind blows wild and free, There's a lovely spot, just the only one That means home sweet home to me. If you follow the old Kit Carson trail, Until desert meets the hills, Oh you certainly will agree with me, It's the place of a thousand thrills.

Home means Nevada Home means the hills, Home means the sage and the pine. Out by the Truckee, silvery rills, Out where the sun always shines, Here is the land which I love the best, Fairer than all I can see. Deep in the heart of the golden west Home means Nevada to me.

Whenever the sun at the close of day, Colors all the western sky, Oh my heart returns to the desert grey And the mountains tow'ring high. Where the moon beams play in shadowed glen, With the spotted fawn and doe, All the live long night until morning light, Is the loveliest place I know.

Home means Nevada Home means the hills, Home means the sage and the pines. Out by the Truckee's silvery rills, Out where the sun always shines, There is the land that I love the best, Fairer than all I can see. Right in the heart of the golden west Home means Nevada to me.

numero uno

thanks to my wonderful wife, i have had the opportunity to meet class A supershreddermutants. a few of those fellows are building frames these days, and have been doing so for muchos anos. i was ready to try something a bit more committing with my bike riding and que-ed up for a custom Vulture singlespeed from Wade - The Vulture.
i went out on a limb and committed to a 29" single speed frame, drafted for a 85mm travel suspenion fork (all that was available at the time), and sat back to wait and watch. a few months later a box showed up. i didn't get much done that day at work, other than building up the bike. it was mid-January and a bit of snow was on the ground, so even riding was limited to pavement or early morning icy mud conditions. i was pleased nonetheless.things warmed up, i rode it a bunch and have never had a single problem with the frame or Vulture laced wheels. we've made it through a few 100 mile races, a 24 hour race, and scads of commuting, shredding, overland rides, and general mayhem. this last winter it went through an overhaul and got new powder and decals, a 100mm travel fork, and new wheels. i was amazed at how well the frame accomodated the longer travel fork. this bike just plain fits well and rolls with everything i throw at it. we're closing in on 3 years now, and i expect at least another 3. thanks Vulture!see you in the mountains!
J. rider

fixed it

I've tried this once before, in another timespacebloginuim, but thought it's worth doing again - here, now. for the books...

so, in anticipation of a killer teleseason - and heinous mud season closer to home - i ressurected an ancient road/touring bike frame as a fixed gear commuter. i married into the frame, we've loaned it out in original config to friends in need over the years, but never really rode it. my objective with this project was to take a rarely used bike and dial it in for getting a SOLID ride out of my dry land commute, do something that'd require as little capital as possible, that would be downright tough. in the last 2 weeks i've probably put over a hunerd miles on it, only lost the pedals once, and had no real close calls... unless you consider racing a geared mtb, passing a parked car on the right and scrubbing the curb, holding a 30+ mph spin for a few minutes (seemed like hours!) and looking over my shoulder and finding the challenger wayway off the back (ergo, smarter than I). my legs have been comfortably numb since the first spin, so whatever i've done is working. here's how it went:

initial conditions
boneyard

warmer
the stock post was too short, no prob, just dig into the bin-o-parts to find an old mtb post that was long enough. it was a few 1000th's to fat, sooo, a few turns on the lathe and wala!

Readers, meet Harlan

happy trails,
J. rider