Building a Road Bike-Part 1

So you want a new bike.  As with most vehicles, you can purchase one or you can build one.  There are pluses and minus for one verses the other.  The pluses include saving money, getting exactly what you want, personal touches, and for some, knowledge of the workings of a bike.  The minuses include: a bike that might not work perfectly, screwing up parts and having it cost more than it should have, alot of time, and the possible excrement of three not so fun bodily fluids: blood, sweat, and tears. 
A friend of mine is about to embark on his first bike build.  He sent me a e-mail stating that he purchased a frame and needed help with "the rest".  Since I felt that an in depth responded was warranted, I decided to put my recommendations here so that everyone on the dud dud dud had an opportunity to read them.  Of course, my recommendations are often disagreed upon, and sometimes even by myself, so take it with a grain of sodium.  Assuming that the frame he bought fits, has all the modern fittings, where do you go from here.

Sellers description, parred down to the useful stuff:"
Orbea Vitesse road bike. believe it is a 2002. The bottom bracket has English threads. Fork is an Easton EC90 Superlight  needs a new upper headset bearing ; the lower bearing is there.

The next three steps are component selection, assembly, and fitment.  In this article I will concentrate on component selection.  You will be on your own for assembly, and I will lightly cover fitment since the frame fitment is the most in depth and already predetermined in this case. 

The heart of a bikes components is the drive train.  Everything thing else in one way or the other is related to this.  The first thing I think should be decided upon is the crank.  A few things should be now considered:  triple or double, 9 or 10 speed, Bottom bracket, brand.

Triple or Double. Traditionally road bikes have two chainrings; double.  However in more recent years a granny gear, or a third small chainring has become very popular; triple.  The extra low gears allows steep hills to be climbed more easily.  Sure there are ways to lower the gears on a double, such a lower tooth count on the second chainring, or a mountain bike/larger rear gears.  However none of them do so as smoothly as having a third front gear.  The two main determining factors when deciding between the two is how many/big are the hills you ride, and what kind of riding power do you generate.  Events like the Death Ride and the Tour of the Rockies tend to lend itself to the use of triple.  However to show up to a race event with that third ring will have you laughed out of the peloton.  Deciding on a double or a triple might seem like a small issue and might not be the most important, however it should be considered early in the selection process, as other components such as derailleurs and shifters must be differentiated.  Another factor to consider with the 2 vs 3 ring selection is cost.  Road bike specific triples are a relatively modern thing. Where as I can get a 10 year old high end double, a good used triple might cost me a few more coins.   Finally to throw another wrench in the mix is the compact double.   These crank arms have smaller chainrings and thus also lowers your pedal generated top speed.  Compact chainrings have a smaller bolt pattern, which limits the selection of chainrings as well. 

Length- as a sub topic let's talk about length of the crank arms. The longer the arms to more torque.  The faster the arms the quicker the acceleration. Mountain bikes usually use a longer crank verse a road bike.  Uphiller: longer; flatland sprinter: shorter. 

10 speed or 9.  If you go out and buy a new crank, chances are it will be ten speed compatible.  The 10  or 9 number refers to the number of gears in the rear, such that a triple 10 is a "30 speed". So why is this important when selecting front cranks.  Since the hub spacing on the frames has been standardized, and the narrower the hub flanges the weaker the wheel, the only way you squeeze in that extra gear is to make everything thinner.  Thus a 10 speed chain is more narrow that a 9.  Though a 10 speed chainring will work with a 9 not all 9's will work with a 10.  Most new road bikes come with a 10.  Thus if you apply computer buying logic (buy the most up to date equipment so it does not become obsolete too soon) you will want a 10.  Things to note is that used gear will be harder to come by in 10.  Also due to the fact that everything is thinner means that it will wear out a bit faster.  Is there any advantage to 10 over 9.  You won't really notice the extra gear, but it does make hitting that right gear more likely.  Of course this is not the end of it: 8 and 11.  I would try to stay away from getting 8 speed stuff.  Applying the same computer logic, it is harder to find replacement parts for 8s already.  And know when to say enough.  There are 11 speed drive trains out there.  But who knows if that will last.  10 speed has been around for long enough that it is pretty standard.

Bottom Bracket.  This is the bearing set that the cranks pivot about.  I like the new 2 piece style cranks, or Hollowtech (Shimano). This is the type that has a large diameter hollow spindle which is have survived longer.  The common use of sport drink in water bottles contributes to the demise of the bearings due to the sticky fluids splashing out of the bottle and gumming up the bearing. 

If you have found the perfect crank and it doesn't have this type of BB, what type does it have ? The hollow Octolink cartridge style ones are ok.  The square taper cartridge ones kindda suck though last forever. Crank bolts are better than nuts.  And I will never hesitate to run an old school rebuildable.  English threads are the most common, and you just have the measure the BB shell length of your frame in mm to size to spec.  If you really want to get geeky with the old school stuff, you can spec and learn about other BB threads, various length of spindle, chainring, chain stay clearance, off set. 

Brand.  Though several bike component brands litter the market, almost all bikes use one of these three: Shimano, Campagnolo, Sram; Japanese, Italian, American.   The majority of bikes in America seem to run Shimano.  I personally have grown up using Shimanon parts almost exclusively.  I find that they have good quality, and a wide product line that covers high to low end parts.  I also find that the low end parts are of good quality with their down fall being weight and durability.  By durability, I mean how much beating they can take, and how long they might wear; not breakage due to normal use.  Sram is definitely gaining size in the market. Their product line is competitively priced, and delivers some innovations.  Sram is also the parent company for many brands such as Rock Shox, Avid, Grip shift, just to name a few.  Campy typically appeals to the savy road rider.  Their products are more elegant, light weight, and expensive.  Though they do boost a 11 speed drivetrain, they are not typically known for innovation. 

When selecting a brand, you should usually stay with one company within your component group.  This helps avoid incompatible parts.  Though differences in generation have more to do with mismatches, there are some stuff like Sram 1:1 ratio shifter not working with a Shiamno 2:1 derailleur.   The easiest way to avoid mismatch issues to is buy a entire "Groupo", new.  A groupo is all the component you need to build a bike, sold as a package often with a discount over buying all the pieces separately.  However even if you buy a groupo, this does not insure that you do not have incompatibility issues.  The parts still need to fit the frame and wheels. 

Hope you enjoyed reading  Part 1, in road bike building.  I'll let you digest that, while I cook up another plate 2.

Next time: derailleurs, shifters, gears and brakes.

Tungsten Carbide Mens Wedding Rings

Today was the Royal Wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton.  Ahhhh I love weddings.  Thus the inspiration for this post about men's wedding rings. 

Recently it is popular for mens to get wedding rings made from industrial metals.  Many hi-tech metals, namely Titanium, has been the awe of many tech weenies.  As a kid, I would save my lunch money so that I could buy Ti bolts for my mountain bike.  It is only natural that when the time came to select a metal for a wedding ring many of my generation chose metals that were more personally precious and meaningful than gold/silver, or platinum. 

Diamonds are forever; or so they say.  That is why engagement rings are traditionally a metal band that houses a diamond.  The hardness of the precious stone represents the everlasting love between couples.  We won't go into the material value of such a stone and the ideas behind that.  This idea of everlasting was one thing that I considered when selecting a material for a wedding rings.  Titanium as some of you might know is known for being light, tough, used extensively in fighter aircraft, and found only on Russian soil.  Not quite a symbol of love.  In fact if you have ever seen a titanium ring which has been worn, you will notice that they do not appear to be everlasting and shiny at all.  Since Ti is relatively soft it is easily scratched and beat up.  Though this might be a more accurate representation of love and marriage, it is not the ideals that one thinks of when embarrassing the institute of everlasting love. 

If you have spent any amount of time in a machine shop you know that hardness is king.  Steel is used to cut aluminum.  High speed steel can cut regular steel.  But the boss of metals is tungsten carbide.  Not only is tungsten hard and heavy, it does not wear out under daily use.  A tungsten carbide ring will look just as shiny 10 year later as it did the day you said, "I do": forever. 

When selecting a ring, I wanted a two tone ring.  Tungsten rings are silver in color.  Dark grey tungsten is achieved by a anodizing process.  This process only colors the metal a few atoms deep.  Though hard, tungsten can still get micro scratches.  These small scratches typically do not show up and do not degrade the overall shininess of the metal.  However, when a layer of anodized tungsten is scratched off, the silver base metal will show through.  This results in a scratched looking surface. 

A solution to this two tone anodized problem is to inlay a darker material.  A common inlay material for tungsten carbide rings is ceramic.  Unlike your office coffee cup, hold on as I take another sip from mine, the ceramic used for rings is a much harder industrial ceramic.  This type of ceramic is commonly used in bullet prof vests as a ballistic plate.  Some claim that since ceramic is so hard, ones need to be careful with it, so as not to shatter the ring or inlay material.  This is false.  I have never been gentle with my ring and have not one blemish on it.   The ring in the picture above is the one that I wear.   It was purchased by my wife at a local jeweler.  A basic Tungsten carbide rings can be purchased for under $50.  Fancy ones can run up to $300.  The low cost of these rings is a welcoming figure in the high dollar world of weddings.  After all isn't love free. 

So now I wonder:  what type of wedding ring did Prince William get?

The Solo Traveler Plus Coffee Cup Lid

Not all coffee cup lids are created equal.  In an earlier post I reviewed the three most popular types of "to-go" coffee cup lids.  For some time now I have noticed another coffee cup lid that seems to be very popular.  It is a variation of the "gapping hole, slosh all over yourself" type of lid.  However this lid has a rotating hole closure.  There seems to be a growing trend towards spill proofing lids, following the Starbucks "hole plug".  I guess it makes sense, it is a to-GO cup, and it is easy to spill when you are going.  But this seems like a bit excessive.  I don't really need this feature, don't need to waste that extra bit of natural resource, manufacturing energy, transportation...

    This spill lock does not make it any better of a lid, as drinking from it as a cup is still its primary function.  Thus the Dart slip lid is still the best coffee cup lid.

The Tale of Two

It is very common for me to have two of an item. For example, say I need a tool, buy a cheap one, find its short comings then buy the better version. There are also slight variations to this. Such as I buy a basic tool, love it so much that I decided to buy the version with all the bells and whistles. Then only to find out that the basic version is all I needed.

Looking around my house I discovered that this happens all the time and I often have two items that serves the same purpose. If I was a full blown gear reviewer, I would like to test at least five of each item. However my pockets are not that deep, nor do I get dumped a bunch of gear on my door step begging to be tested and written about.

Combining the two situations mentioned above, I bring you a new series in my blog: The Tale of Two. The tale of two WHAT? Well you'll just have to wait and see. I promise I won't compare two cities out of respect for Mr. Dickens.

2011 a New Years Resolution

I am going to lose weight, work out more, stop smoking, stop drinking... and the list of things go on and on that people say they will do. As a child in school I remember an exercise that the teacher would do annually. The "New Years Resolution" essay. I promise to get better grades, I promise to be nicer to people. What a crock. If you want to make a change in your life, there is no reason that wait till December 31st to do so. The one benefit of a making a resolution is the planning. If a true change is desired, it is easier to make it successful with some careful planning. Setting a date for the start of the event, though it doesn't need to be January first, allows one to work out the details and get use to the idea that the change is coming.

That said, here is my new years resolution: Write in my blog at least once a week for the year 2011. What started out as a place to record events and documents repair jobs, has become a outlet for personal expression. It is a place where the thoughts in my head get to live without driving me crazy. I often have meetings in my mind regarding current projects that are attended by several members. There is the technical advisor, the safety coordinator, public relations, doc control, and the project manager. These meeting minutes are recorded here in this blog and the topic can then be laid to rest.

Happy New Years all. And I look forward to seeing you in blog world.

Busy Busy - A New Start

Life. It tends to get in the way of everything else. I have almost abandoned this blog in the last few months as I let life get in the way. However in its absence I discovered that writing in my BLOG provides me with a much needed outlet for expression, and a source for my immortality. Some men conquer nations and build empires to leave their mark for eternity; I will leave this BLOG. That is until something ill fated happens to the blogger.com server and all that I have toiled over is lost forever.

As a reader this lull in new articles might come as a blessing in disguise. For what ever experiences I have been busying myself with, is for more fodder for this BLOG, and for you to read, enjoy, learn, and experience. Yes the BLOG is not dead, but I plan to make a grand reappearance. Come January 1st 2011 I will start this blog up again. And as part of the new and improved MrPulldown.com I will strive to have a new post at least once a week, maybe more. Topics I have been researching include: Hot tub permanent installation, dirt bike modifications and rides, backcountry ski tech, the 300zx SMOG saga, and of course the much anticipated BABY section.

So till we meet in the new year, do what you can to get by, for the legacy will continue.

Wrist Rocket Slingshot - My Childhood Companion

I spent much of my childhood roaming the backyard of my parents house with a pocket full of rocks and a slingshot in my hand. Not just any sling shot but a wrist rocket.



My dad first introduced me to sling shots one day as we were doing yard work and trimming trees. He came across a forked branch and said, "This would make a perfect sling shot." After we finished our work we went in the house and began hunting for supplies. A few rubber bands from the kitchen and then a scrap of denim from beneath my mothers sewing machine. Soon I was in the back yard knocking over soda cans like a pro.

A sling shot however should not be confused with a sling. The weapon David use to defeat Goliath. A sling does not use an elastic band, and is also used to hurl a much larger stone. A sling uses two cords attached to a rock holding pouch. The rock is swung and one of the cords is release to send the rock flying.

Several years (?months) later, while shopping at Fedco (does anyone remember that store?) my father sees a commercially manufactured slingshot with a wrist support. He immediately placed the item in the shopping cart. I think the purchase was actually for himself. Having a wrist support and surgical tubing increased the efficiency of a sling shot incredibly. The one we purchased that day was a deluxe folding model. However the plastic grip eventually cracked and I replaced it with a wrist rocket original (the one picture above).



Last week, I was in the hardware store and above the drawers of nuts and bolts was a single replacement band for a wrist rocket type sling shot. I immediately placed it in my shopping cart. As soon as I got home, I found my wrist rocket (I knew exactly where it was) and replaced the broken sling, and went in my back yard to fire off a few shots.







I am very happy that I get to take this part of my fathers childhood and pass it to my child.

The power of the SUN

Solar energy. What is there not to like about it. It's free, clean, and renewable. Though most of the time we think about turning light into electricity or heat, we often forget about one of the oldest forms of solar power: clothes drying. When I was a youngster, almost all of our clothes were dried in the sun. We never thought of using a gas or electric dryer unless it was raining out.

Pluses to drying your clothes in the sun include: free, great smell, and disinfecting. Cons to sun drying of your clothes include: time consuming, sun bleaching, and stiffness.

I had some time this weekend to wash a load of baby clothes. Instead of using the dryer I opted to line dry the items. Though I could have used a foldable drying rack, the cable railing of the deck provided amble drying space.

The first step was to wipe down the line. Being outside, even lines which appear clean will cause a mark on white clothes. Next I hung and affixed a clothes pin to each article of clothing. After several hours, I took the clothes down and threw them into the dryer for a quick fluff. This softened the clothes and removed the unwanted starchiness of line dried clothes.

We often go to great length to save a buck. Coupon clipping, DIY project instead of hiring out. But line drying clothes is a easy way to save some money, and our earth, while have great smelling clothes.

Hitchhikers Guide To Tahoe

Hitchhiking is one of those big No No's your mother warned you about. It is akin to eating Halloween candy with an open wrapper. Like Communism the idea is good, but a few bad apples spoils the whole damn bunch. I have to admit I have hitchhiked a few times in my life. The situation were usually rather dire, and the risk in hitchhiking were outweighed by the benefits. In ski resort towns however hitchhiking is much more accepted as a form of reliable transportation. I regularly give hitcher a lift as does the local population.

So why is it now ok to do so in this situation. My primary reason is pity. Ski resorts employ alot of foreigners to work for the seasons on a J-1 work visa. These J-1s are usually upper middle class colledge kids from South American countries (Brazil). Without cars they have to rely on public transportation, which if any of you have used... I'll stop there cause I doubt most that read this have never ridden a bus other than a school bus from your earlier years. So if I see someone standing on the side of t \he road wearing a ski resort jacket and I am heading in that direction, I will usually stop and pick them up. I do not pick up smelly homeless dudes, however ever skiers and boarders are a group of people that I will give rides to.

Seeing hitchhikers often, I can say that some of them do not know how to properly hitch, thus I wanted to write a few guidelines to make it easier and safer to do so.

For the Hitchhiker

-the most important thing is to stand in a spot that a potential ride giver can pull off the road. Do not stand on the side of the a busy highway with no shoulder, or simple walk with your thumb out.

-Know where you are going, and a good location that to be dropped off. Do not make your driver turn off the main road or deviate his course to make the drop off. Drop off locations should be always on the side of the street they are already traveling.

-If hitching at night stand under a street light.

-If the driver can not take you to your final destination, consider waiting for the next driver, or know of a good intermediate location where you might be able to pick up your next ride. Don't be dropped off in the middle of nowhere.

-Be safe. Try hitching in pairs, and it is ok to refuse rides from shady looking drivers in windowless vans.

-As a rider your job is to engage in lively conversation if the driver wishes to do so.


For the Drivers

- No need to go out of your way to give someone a ride. Be it a lack of space in your car, or if you know that you are not going to at least the next major point along the route.

-Do not stop in a dangerous location. Be sure that you are able to pull completely off the roadways when picking someone up.

-First thing to do when approaching a potential rider is to ask where they are going, and is it possible to give them a ride. If not simply move on. There will be someone else.

-Do not expect the rider to pay for gas.

-Be safe. A single woman should not pick up a group of scruffy looking guys!

Both hitchhiking and giving hitchers ride can be DANGEROUS. I can recall several true hitchhiking horror events that have made our local news. I am not trying to influence you to partake in this form of transportation. These are just some guideline if you already do so.

Its got that Octane stuff! The myth of Super Unleaded

Last night in Reno I stopped by a "VP racing" gas station. And behold they had 100 octane at the pump for $7.59 a gallon. I did not know they sold racing gas at the local pumps. So for all you high boost and high compression ratio folks: eat your heart out.This is a good time to talk a little about octane. It is very misleading that higher octane gas is better for your car. This is a myth perpetuated by the fact that high octane gas is labeled as "Super". Why run regular when you can run super. Higher octane gas actually has less energy per mass then lower octane gas. The reason it is, is because octane is needed is to delay combustion, and absorb energy.

In an engines combustion chamber, or cylinder, a volatile mix of air and gas is introduced. This mixture is then compressed with the piston. As the piston compresses the gas mixture, it is adding mechanical work energy. If the engine is built as a high compression ratio (the amount of space in the cylinder when the piston is at the bottom of the stroke vs the top), say 10.5 to 1 and you are running low octane at sea level, the piston can introduce enough energy to the mixture to combust it prior to the piston reaching the top of the stroke, and being lit off by a spark from the spark plug when the engine is ready. This is actually the basic theory behind the diesel engine, with its super high compression ratios of 20+ to 1. Instead the piston is still moving up and has not reach top dead center when the mixture goes boom and wants to push the piston back down. This is very bad and usually blows hole in the top of pistons. I believe this is called pre detonation, and it is the worst thing that can happen in a not enough octane situation. Lesser degrees of this are known as detonation, and pining. Octane is added to allow the gas to accept more energy and not pre detonate, and only fire off when at the correct time by the added energy from the spark.

So if you do not have a turbo/super charged car, or one with relatively low compression ratio (8 to 1), getting high octane gas is a waste of money. At higher elevations lower octane is required as well, due to lack of oxygen making for a less volatile gas mixture. For example my 10.5 to 1 compression ratio car runs fine on 87 at 6000 feet. "What about the additives they put in the gas that are only available with Super?" one might ask, "aren't those good for my car?" My car runs on gas not additives. If I want fuel injector cleaner (which is what Techtron is) , I buy it at the store and add it to my tank at suggested regular intervals.

Based on the above mentioned fact, I did not fill up my truck last night with 16 gallons of 100 octane gas. Cause hey, if 91 is consider SUPER...

Autumn Climbing at Lovers Leap

For my brother, life is about two things: surfing and climbing; everything else is work. Six months after moving into my new house he finally came to visit. He had been busy "working", all summer, though he is unemployed. He had recently heard and read about Lover's Leap, as the best climbing in the Tahoe Area, and wanted to go. Though I was not very familiar with the area, I had climbed there once before. Luck would have it that the weekend this Southern California boy decided to visit, was the first real weekend of fall, complete with one of the largest October snow storms I have seen.



The small community of Strawberry California is not known for much. Most who know of it, know it as a stop along Highway 50 right before South Lake Tahoe. However a lucky few know it as the home of Lover's Leap. The sign on the side of the highway says Strawberry California population "50". Its most popular attraction is the Strawberry Lodge and Strawberry Market. Located in Eldorado County, this Strawberry should not be confused with the two other communities of the same name which are also located in California; one in Marin and the other in Tuolumne county.


Many years ago my then to be wife and I spent a romantic new years eve night at the lodge. A harrowing introduction to cross country skiing was experienced the next morning. Off in the distance I could see a massive looming rock formation behind the lodge: Lover's Leap. When I returned home I started researching climbing the rock. Scanning the SuperTopo website, a 5 star 5.7 route appeared: Corrugation Corner. Perfect cause I only lead 5.7 trad. The more I read the more I was excited. Sentences like this, "this is one of the steepest climbs in this guide and one of the steepest granite 5.7’s you will find anywhere. Instead of following the main corner, the route often pushed you out on a horrendously exposed arête..." made me want to do this climb even more. What finally sealed the deal was the free topo provided by SuperTopo. Thanks again Chris!!

http://www.supertopo.com/climbingareas/loversleap.html#geninfo

http://www.supertopo.com/rock_climbing/Lake_Tahoe_Lover

This last Sunday conditions were quite different than the time I did it about six years ago. We had waken early and was on the road by eight. It had been storming the day and night before but only a light dusting fell at my house. Even though LL is considered Tahoe, the drive there took over an hour and a half; it's a big lake! Halfway around the lake we went from fall to winter, as the landscape was covered with 2 inches of snow. When we arrived at LL the winter landscape was still present. We racked gear at the car while answering question to many onlookers shocked that we were climbing in this weather. We even got a "better not" remark from a well bundled up lady. I parked the car in the "day use" area and paid the self pay fee. I was glad to pay the fee, anything to help out our state parks, and it was good karma for a day such as this. All set we shouldered our packs and were off tromping through 2+ inches of fresh snow.

As we climbed out of the camp ground and onto the old Pony Express trail, an open view of LL great ed us. It is the largest granite "rock" I have seen outside of Yosemite. Sure there were granite mountains which are larger, ie Tahquitz, however that is not one single bubbling mass of quartz, feldspar, and mica. The corner which Corrugation Corner laid upon is instantly apparent. I don't know if it was the dusting of snow, the dark wet face, or the cold that gave the rock its menacing look. I shuddered thinking of being on the middle of that rock clawing and scraping my way up, then patted myself on the back, knowing that I had successfully climbed the route in the past.

Soon after monk boulder and the cut tree across the trail we turned right onto a climber's trail at the center of the lower buttress. We made our way up and to the right. To our delight we found a two pitch over hung section of rock call Dear John Buttress. The second pitch was ridiculous, however on the first we found a nice 5.9 and a high grade 5.10. My brother lead the nine and we top roped the ten. With frozen finger tips we packed up and moved on to do some more exploring. Though it never seemed like we were on trail we soon found ourselves a top the ramp which lead to C Corner. The falling snow from the night before did not stick to the rock face. Instead it cascaded down until it settled on the ledge. I remembered the ledge being wider when it wasn't covered with frozen water.

Being atop the ramp, brought me back to the first time I stood at that spot looking at the rock wall ahead of me. It was many years ago and I was in my climbing prime. Back in those days I lived the sport. I preferred the title rock climber over engineer, outdoors man, even Mister. With My Wife To Be, we had climbed in most of California's popular climbing area's. We'd hit the climbing gyms on the weekdays and travel to find rock on the weekends. Scrambling across the then dry ledge, it was little more than careful walking. I think it was fall and though there were several obviously climber's cars in the once free parking area, none were to be found on our corner. The base of the climb has a open area, and without exchanging words MWTB flaked out the rope as I finished racking gear onto my harness. I tied into the rope and did a quick check of each others gear, and stepped off the dirt onto the rock.

It is moments like this that I love the most about climbing. The clarity it brings. The mix of fear, and excitement, allows me to push away all thoughts and concentrate on the task at hand. The first pitch went by smoothly. On the second pitch the exposure was intense and I made a belay anchor on a "whales belly", a large smooth sloping ledge. As MWTB came into view I could tell she was mentally exhausted. The last piece of protection prior to the belay was a well sunk nut in a tapered slot, my favorite nut: a home made double tapered number "7". With my name stamped on the side it fit every time I drew it. A good attribute of a nut, when at the time of it's creation, way before LL, my rack consisted of three cams and a sparse set of passive pro. In her frustration she could not free my nut and we left it to continue off the climb. The third pitch topped out easily and we had an enjoyable hike off LL and back onto the Pony express trail. That was the last time my wife climbed a multi pitch route with me.

Those quick memories flashed in my mind and passed as I took a step down towards the start of Travelers Buttress one ledge below the main ledge CC was on. The sky had turned angry when we at the base of TB and decided to head down. Someone had been up there that morning and we followed the two tracks back to the PE trail. We returned to the car only to find two climbers racking up in the falling snow. They were about the depart the parking lot and head up to the rock. We told them that Dear John Buttress was dry and wished them luck. We then quickly jumped in the truck, fired up the engine, and cranked the heater.

I know that my days as rock climber are over. Sure I still rock climb many times each year, however I no longer wear that title. I gained what I needed from it: the ability to move over rock confidently, the mental strength to over come my fears, and the clarity needed to concentrate on the task at hand. As my brother and I warmed ourselves with a cup of tea I realized the most important thing that I gained and continue to gain from rock climbing is the time spent with those that I love.

The Story of Stuff

A few weeks ago I wrote an editorial titled "How Can They Sell It for So Cheap!" There was a point I wanted to make, but I was not sure exactly what that point was. Last night I watched this 20 minute video titled: "The Story of Stuff". It goes into detail what I was trying to explain.

http://mrpulldown.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-can-they-sell-it-for-so-cheap.html

Though I think that some of the comments are extreme and weaken the total argument, the over all video is very much spot on!!

Watch it, learn from it!

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

How can they sell it for SO cheap?!

Do you ever ask yourself that question? I just received a phone adaptor cable, which I ordered from E-bay. It cost me $2.65, shipped from Hong Kong!!

This type of thing put consumers like me in a difficult position. By purchasing such products, I am most likely supporting poor manufacturing processes, and unsustainable use of natural resources. However when comparing cost, there was no way I was going to pay $30 for the same part from a local vendor, who most likely obtained his merchandise from the same source. A slight justification is that my part appears to be blemished; the case and plug are mounted upside down.

I almost titled this post: The Raping of Mother Earth. You see this type of stuff happening all the time, when walking through the isles of Wal Mart or the Dollar store. Microwave ovens for $20, DVD players for $40. We all love to get a great deal, but at these prices, these items become disposable.

So what is the right thing to do? I do not know. I am writing this to bring awareness to the issue. There is a cost to everything we buy. If the price we pay is not equal to the cost of the materials involved in making it, the difference is paid for by our planet.

UPDATE: Last night I watched a littel video that discribed what I was talking about exactly. Though a little over the top in some of its remarks, the video makes a good point.

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

Coffee Cup Lids

I have drank my fair share of gas station coffee. Though it is not my first choice, there is a time and place for everything. Not going into the quality of the coffee, I have noticed that there are three basic kinds of coffee cup lids. And some of them really just don't work. Let's discuss.

First there is the Starbucks style lid. The lid with the little hole you are suppose to drink though. How does one not burn their mouth with this lid. The little hole acts as a nozzle to spray scalding hot coffee into you mouth. Bad Bad Bad.

The next most popular lid is the MacDonald's type, lift and lock. This type doesn't work much better either. After lifting the tab, you are left with a gaping hole where the coffee simple sloshes out. No wonder that poor lady burnt herself.

But if you have spent enough time visiting the various gas stations across the country, you might have been lucky enough to come across the best coffee lid design EVER!! The sippy lid.

Made by DART industries, this coffee cup lid represents the cutting edge of coffee cup lid technology. Though it has been around for a long time, it seems that its existence has been held in secrecy. As if bad coffee cup lids are placed to discourage "to-go" coffee; coffee should be drank in dainty coffee shops out of giant ceramic mugs. What makes this lid so great. Well first you can actually sip your coffee with the lid on. The ridges introduce cold air to the coffee and cools it before you drink it. The flap which you sip from acts as a splash shield and prevents coffee from sloshing out, it careful meters the perfect amount of coffee for your drinking pleasures. Since drinking with this lid is so pleasurable, you do not find yourself removing the lid, to either cool the coffee faster to a drinkable temperature or to regulate the amount of liquid which gets dispensed. Keeping the lid on prevents spillage, and having your coffee get cold too fast.
I assume that DART must hold a the patent on this lid and thus no other company can copy it. But that patent must be running out. With any luck, this lid will become the standard coffee lid for all those to enjoy. So please do your part and encourage the purchase of the DART sippy coffee cup lid, and maybe one day, spilled coffee and burnt lips will be a thing of the past.

Epoxy Night

When I was younger (about five years ago), it was a special night when a batch of two part epoxy was mixed. There are a bunch of different kinds: Jb welb, PC7, plastic weld, Bondo, we each have our favorites, but they all share the same basic feature. Two playable chemicals, that when mixed, undergo a chemical reaction and become solid. The product is a true testament to science. I have known countless "saved by epoxy" stories. What would have been a pile of scrap can now provide years of service, by mixing a simple batch of your favorite two part.

One typical epoxy night can yield, not only a bunch of fixed stuff, but a good time as well. These pictures are from epoxy night 2005.

Yes that epoxy is some powerful stuff. Just look at the stuff possible from one epoxy night.

But those days of late night boozing and stirring are behind me. Now I simply mix small batches and repair daily mends.
Tonight's batch of epoxy repaired a pole tip that had been "skied off" this weened, and desk drawer for work. But every time I smell those epoxy fumes it brings me back. Ahhhh the glory days!

Valentines Day - The Big Four

February rolls along each year with a certain degree of anxiety. From the unpredictable winter weather, to the day we combine our extra quarter of a day each year to observe. But more than the celestial laws or the sky's can produce, it is President's and Valentines Day that produce the most anx for the month.

If you are a male and in a relationship, there are FOUR days a year that you can not forget. Do you know them? Valentines, Anniversary, Birthday, Christmas. The Big Four. Interestingly enough if you were to say "Big Four" in Chinese, it is a homonym for "Beat to Death". Which is what will for sure happen if you were to forget one of these most sacred days.

Valentines days, in particular is quite a pickle for an involved man. Though often times not, this is one holiday where the man shoulders the responsibility for a successful celebration. Sorry guys I have no insight on this, except to remember what the big four really mean.

This Valentines day however was the biggest powered day we have had this season. And lucky for me my lovely wife happens to love snow almost as much as she loves me. So we skied all day Valentines day!

We had a nice Valentines Day brunch the following Sunday.

But what about Presidents day? What about it it allows it to rival the importance of Valentines day. Well for starters, many get this day off of work and school. Situated in the middle of ski season, this holiday represents one of the biggest money generating weekends for ski resorts. Living in a resort town, the influx of traffic is also very noticeable, being one of the highest traffic volume days of the winter. But for me it was what happened 12 years ago that will always pit Valentines and Presidents day against each other.

Amidst a particularly difficult break up during the month of February, 12 years ago, a three day weekend presented itself as a perfect weekend to head out into the desert to do some offroad wheelin. Presidents weekend happens to fall on Valentines Day more times than not. And thus what was a weekend to get away, became a anthem to anti conformity. To thrust that finger high into the air, and give a big FUCK YOU to a holiday that left you feeling worse about yourself, more times than not.

So for the last 12 years I have spent Valentines/President's day exploring the desolate and cold, winter deserts of the western United States. But it isn't till you are out there that you realize what you miss most in your life. It took me many years before I learned what the most important thing in my, in our lives is. So if you have not yet figured it out, I'll spare you some hard learning and tell you: Companionship and Love.

wild horses of the Black Rock Desert, Nevada (2004)

EPA, wood stove

Man I love mine!!! I had the fortune of picking up a small wood burning stove for close to nothing last spring. I never installed it due to the complexity of the installation, and the high cost of stove pipe material. This winter though, I bought the necessary attachments and installed the stove on my hearth.


A standard wood burning stove pumps approximately 60-40 grams of smoke into the air per hour. An EPA approved stove pumps 7.5 or less grams per hour.


http://www.epa.gov/woodstoves/technical.html

It is said that burning wood through a EPA stove release less CO2 than allowing the wood to naturally decompose in the forest. Each year I apply for a wood cutting permit with the US Forest Service, and purchase 2 cords worth of tags. I cut only dead or downed trees, thus removing potential wildfire fuels from our over fire controlled forests.

http://www.woodheat.org/

Most recently I added a "Cold Air Intake" to my stove. This allows fresh air from the outside (garage) to be feed directly into the stove. The fireplace has an ash trap, which I tapped into to access the "outside". The door of the ash trap is inside the garage and I leave it opened. Hope nothing decides to crawl in to my stove. Initially this addition was for warmth and safety. Interior oxygen depletion is a safety concern. And drawing inside air for the fire creates a cold draft across the house. A surprising side effect is the increased efficiency of the fire. An efficient fire, not only produces more heat, but also decreases emissions due to the a more complete combustion.


We have cut down our heating bill this winter significantly, approximately half. More than 3/4's of our heat is provided by the wood burning stove. Can you say win win!