Looks like I'm going to get a chance to ride in the snow, finally.
I debated if I should ride in today given the nearly 100% chance of snow. Perhaps I wasn't thinking terribly clearly as I had awful insomnia last night.
They were saying 1" and I figured that would probably be doable. I thought I'd try biking home on the Charles River paths too as some extra insurance (plus I need to stop at Trader Joe's for New Year's supplies). Reading all the descriptions about how much fun people had in the Portland OR storm this week inspired me to give it a try. I wore a trenchcoat to help keep my legs dry-and I also figured if I get damp, it'll be on the way home, so no biggie.
It's really coming down though, and the weather report is now forecasting 3" of snow which is a little more intimidating. If I can get to Kendall and it's grim, I can always bail, park my bike under the Scientist's building and either T or catch a ride with him. Heck, if necessary I can always walk the bike home, although I hope not to resort to that.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Yikes
I saw my first bike accident last night.
It was a lot warmer on the way home- I was actually hot in all my gear from the morning.
I got passed on the Longfellow bridge by someone who I first thought was a woman wearing a skirt and opaque tights. I was thinking that would have been super cold in the morning!
When I pulled up at the light, I realized that it was a guy wearing wool cycling knickers and wool kneesocks. He was running a double Schmidt E6 lighting system and we chatted about it briefly.
A couple of blocks later, I had just looked over my shoulder before moving further over into the lane. When I looked back ahead, the guy was hitting the pavement ahead of me. By the time I caught up to him he was getting up. I tried to shine my lights to help him pick up pieces of one of his E6s. He thought he had hit a pothole and although he thought his tire had blown, it seemed to be OK. A very nice driver (with a dual roof rack) stopped to ask if he was OK and if he needed a ride, which he declined.
This guy was doing everything right- riding conservatively, stopping at lights, running a good lighting system. It just shows that anyone could do it- and to me it's sure a good argument for wearing a helmet, which he was.
It was a lot warmer on the way home- I was actually hot in all my gear from the morning.
I got passed on the Longfellow bridge by someone who I first thought was a woman wearing a skirt and opaque tights. I was thinking that would have been super cold in the morning!
When I pulled up at the light, I realized that it was a guy wearing wool cycling knickers and wool kneesocks. He was running a double Schmidt E6 lighting system and we chatted about it briefly.
A couple of blocks later, I had just looked over my shoulder before moving further over into the lane. When I looked back ahead, the guy was hitting the pavement ahead of me. By the time I caught up to him he was getting up. I tried to shine my lights to help him pick up pieces of one of his E6s. He thought he had hit a pothole and although he thought his tire had blown, it seemed to be OK. A very nice driver (with a dual roof rack) stopped to ask if he was OK and if he needed a ride, which he declined.
This guy was doing everything right- riding conservatively, stopping at lights, running a good lighting system. It just shows that anyone could do it- and to me it's sure a good argument for wearing a helmet, which he was.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
No Wind Today!
But boy it was chilly!
When the radio said 8 degrees out, I mentally rolled over and decided to take the T.
But then when I got outside, it realized it was dead calm, and the traffic was light, and just decided to do it.
I had to go in for my helmet, and changed out of my puffy down jacket and into a softshell, and I went up to the attic and dug out my ski gloves.
It WAS chilly, and I was the only biker I saw, but thanks to the holiday week, traffic was light and I just cruised in to work- much better than taking the Red line, which has been having plagues of biblical proportions (my ride home yesterday took twice as long as it should, due to "switching problems.")
What I wore to bike in this weather:
Poly-cotton white dress shirt, red cashmere sweater from Anne Taylor, my favorite wool flannel pants from JCrew, Wool socks (one of them said smartwool- the other is an REI knockoff) and La-Canadienne lined leather boots. My Marmot softshell, a wool hat under the Bern helmet (still haven't found the liner that came with the helmet) and the wonderful big red scarf.
This is more detail than you might want to know (and more than I normally give) about what I wear, but the point is that normal clothes work so well on the bike no matter what the weather
I was actually warm by the time I hit the Longfellow, but decided against stripping off a layer. I'm in my dress shirt now, but I'm about ready to put on my sweater again.
Hope you had a warm ride today!
When the radio said 8 degrees out, I mentally rolled over and decided to take the T.
But then when I got outside, it realized it was dead calm, and the traffic was light, and just decided to do it.
I had to go in for my helmet, and changed out of my puffy down jacket and into a softshell, and I went up to the attic and dug out my ski gloves.
It WAS chilly, and I was the only biker I saw, but thanks to the holiday week, traffic was light and I just cruised in to work- much better than taking the Red line, which has been having plagues of biblical proportions (my ride home yesterday took twice as long as it should, due to "switching problems.")
What I wore to bike in this weather:
Poly-cotton white dress shirt, red cashmere sweater from Anne Taylor, my favorite wool flannel pants from JCrew, Wool socks (one of them said smartwool- the other is an REI knockoff) and La-Canadienne lined leather boots. My Marmot softshell, a wool hat under the Bern helmet (still haven't found the liner that came with the helmet) and the wonderful big red scarf.
This is more detail than you might want to know (and more than I normally give) about what I wear, but the point is that normal clothes work so well on the bike no matter what the weather
I was actually warm by the time I hit the Longfellow, but decided against stripping off a layer. I'm in my dress shirt now, but I'm about ready to put on my sweater again.
Hope you had a warm ride today!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
I feel justified...
I rode to Harvard sq to pick up a zipcar this morning, and it was pretty brutal. Instead of riding into work when I got back from the site, I decided to chicken out and take the T. The temp had dropped 4 degrees from 8am to noon, and it is supposed to get down to 12 this afternoon.
How hard was it blowing? It blew a light pole down on the highway here- reducing it to one lane....
http://www.universalhub.com/2009/how_windy_it_out_there
I feel more justified in being a wimp!
grrr- why does the text keep changing sizes- I keep editing it, and for some reason it's half large and half small- if this edit doesn't fix it I apologize and offer the explanation that I never was a very talented graphic designer...
No Mojo Monday
So we got back from a Christmas trip to Springfeld Missouri late Sunday afternoon. I pretty much crashed out immediately and still hadn't completely recovered Monday morning( I HATE to fly and air travel stresses and exhausts me). But it was reasonably warm (30 ish) and clear, so I climbed on newly repared Robert and took him commuting.
It sure is nice to have acceleration again, although some of my strong summer leg muscles have atrophied while I was spinning around the last month or so. I finally had to get him fixed because riding this time of year with ice and snow, you have to be more aggressive in taking the lane and it was getting unsafe not to be able to haul a$$. However, between sluggish legs and icy roads it was a pretty slow slog in. Almost all the way in I saw this- almost looks like this bike has its own tree.
Although actually it's kind of sad- Christmas is over for 36 hours and already the tree is in the trash.
I found someone's keys in the bike lane on my way and at lunch I took them to the gym that one of the key fobs was from. It was sprinkling lightly when I set out. But by the time I got back it was coming down and my jacket and the thighs of my pants were soaked, so it was a chilly afternoon at my desk.
By the time I left for home, it was dry fortunately, but cold and really windy. I normally stop at lights with one toe down, but after nearly getting blown over twice, I had to put a foot firmly down. Coming around the corner at Charles Circle I hit both an icy spot and a serious gust of crosswind that pushed me sideways. Iceskating on a bike!! Fortunately I had enough momentum to carry me through it and the rest of my ride was cold and windy but uneventful.
It was nice to settle in with the Scientist who was at home all day sick with what we hope is not the flu. We hooked up our new Roku video streaming and watched All the President's Men, which was a great way to end a long day.
It sure is nice to have acceleration again, although some of my strong summer leg muscles have atrophied while I was spinning around the last month or so. I finally had to get him fixed because riding this time of year with ice and snow, you have to be more aggressive in taking the lane and it was getting unsafe not to be able to haul a$$. However, between sluggish legs and icy roads it was a pretty slow slog in. Almost all the way in I saw this- almost looks like this bike has its own tree.
Although actually it's kind of sad- Christmas is over for 36 hours and already the tree is in the trash.
I found someone's keys in the bike lane on my way and at lunch I took them to the gym that one of the key fobs was from. It was sprinkling lightly when I set out. But by the time I got back it was coming down and my jacket and the thighs of my pants were soaked, so it was a chilly afternoon at my desk.
By the time I left for home, it was dry fortunately, but cold and really windy. I normally stop at lights with one toe down, but after nearly getting blown over twice, I had to put a foot firmly down. Coming around the corner at Charles Circle I hit both an icy spot and a serious gust of crosswind that pushed me sideways. Iceskating on a bike!! Fortunately I had enough momentum to carry me through it and the rest of my ride was cold and windy but uneventful.
It was nice to settle in with the Scientist who was at home all day sick with what we hope is not the flu. We hooked up our new Roku video streaming and watched All the President's Men, which was a great way to end a long day.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
snowed in
Since we knew it was coming yesterday was a flurry of activity. We finished shopping and wrapping and mailing for everyone in the Scientist's family, and got a few last things for my family who we're going to visit over the holiday.
I went to go pick up Robert who was at Harris Cyclery getting his "braking under acceleration" problem fixed. Turned out that the brake grease port cap had gone missing and that grime had been getting in, and some of that grit was triggering braking action under hard pedaling. Glad to get it fixed, and although it was $45 to completely replace the roller brake assembly, think about how much it would cost to get the braking system replaced on a car. (actually I know very well, because I was too cheap to pay to have it done when I sold my car last year- Ended up doing it myself -new pads, rotors and a new caliper. Cost less than $75 in parts, but would have been $400 to do it all at a shop). In comparison, bikes are easy and cheap to fix!
Anyway, I was glad to have Robert back and working well and celebrated by biking downtown to Newbury street.
There's a real correlation between how difficult it is to park somewhere and how attractive it is to bike there.
I hit some shops on Newbury street and the Trader Joe's in Cambridge- both places where parking is a blood sport, and I was so glad that all I had to do was pull up on the sidewalk and find a stationary object to lock to.
The good side of all the activity yesterday was that today was spent reading with a cup of tea and watching the snowplows go by and huge white flakes fall. It's incredibly cozy to sit and read and watch it fall when you don't have to go out in it!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
obligatory winter sucks post
It was 15 degrees this morning with gusty wind that the web tells me meant 6F windchill. Of course I didn't check that until I got to work.
I thought about wearing a warmer jacket than normal, but my silver trenchcoat has been working pretty well, so I just layered a wool cardigan over my dress shirt to bulk up the jacket, and added an extra layer of liner gloves. I thought about adding a ear warmer band, but decided not to worry with it, and just wrapped my big red scarf around my face a couple of times. A really long scarf is a thing of beauty- short scarves just don't tuck in properly and are always coming loose.
And you know, despite the title of the post, it wasn't too bad. Was kind of annoying because I got passed too close a couple of times. My toes were kind of chilly, and I'm going to wear wool socks home. My fingers were pretty cold though- I'm going to have to break out the ski gloves. I actually think that the liners were counterproductive, because they just compressed the insulation.
As my other biking co-worker said- I was definitely warmer than the pedestrians!
Sun's out, nice day for a ride!
I thought about wearing a warmer jacket than normal, but my silver trenchcoat has been working pretty well, so I just layered a wool cardigan over my dress shirt to bulk up the jacket, and added an extra layer of liner gloves. I thought about adding a ear warmer band, but decided not to worry with it, and just wrapped my big red scarf around my face a couple of times. A really long scarf is a thing of beauty- short scarves just don't tuck in properly and are always coming loose.
And you know, despite the title of the post, it wasn't too bad. Was kind of annoying because I got passed too close a couple of times. My toes were kind of chilly, and I'm going to wear wool socks home. My fingers were pretty cold though- I'm going to have to break out the ski gloves. I actually think that the liners were counterproductive, because they just compressed the insulation.
As my other biking co-worker said- I was definitely warmer than the pedestrians!
Sun's out, nice day for a ride!
at the ready
I've been seeing this bike for weeks if not months, always parked on the street in the morning near my commute- always ready and waiting for its owner to get on and go. It has a distinctive shape and grey teal color that always catches my eye.
I finally stopped and took some pictures.
It's an "Aura" not a brand I recognize- I'm guessing that it's an off brand dutch bike that a dutch student brought with them when they came to Boston for school. Somervillian- any ideas?
It has lovely lines and interesting accessories (squarish front light, crazy ergo handgrips)
I finally stopped and took some pictures.
It's an "Aura" not a brand I recognize- I'm guessing that it's an off brand dutch bike that a dutch student brought with them when they came to Boston for school. Somervillian- any ideas?
It has lovely lines and interesting accessories (squarish front light, crazy ergo handgrips)
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
A little Vehicular Cycling
Took one of my least favorite routes home last night- through Beacon Hill, Back Bay, Fenway and over the BU bridge- it’s a tough route and I had to do a lot of ballsy riding, taking lanes in moderate traffic and holding my ground when people get impatient to pass.
The first part is easy- I bike up Franklin street through downtown crossing and then across the Boston Common. Got a lot more smiles and comments on the bike Christmas lights which are up and running again after TAGS graciously replaced them.
At the end of the common, I cut over on Charles to Beacon. This is one of the worst parts- I have to get across 3 lanes of a 4 lane wide road- people want to go too fast through the park. Then I have to merge right across three lanes on Beacon. You also have to be careful not to get too far in the right because that’s a big right turn lane to get on Storrow Drive.
Once I get a little bit further past the entrances on Storrow, Beacon is surprisingly calm and the lights are well timed for bikes. Because there are three big lanes and traffic was light I felt comfortable taking the whole lane, and only once had a problem, when I was passing a double parked UPS truck and someone decided they had to get through right at that moment and buzzed me a bit. Not too bad through.
I’ve learned to cross over to the left and take THAT lane as I pass under the overpass at the Storrow off ramp so that I’m positioned to get towards the fens. I’ve also learned that there’s a funny little extension of Newbury street right along the pike that is a great way to avoid Kenmore square and its crazy traffic dynamic.
That got me basically to my destination (REI).
From there I had to get back to Cambridge, and that meant the BU bridge (shudder).
This is not the most bike friendly route in the best of times with chaotic traffic areas on both ends, and a choice between too narrow lanes and the sidewalk. But it’s been under construction for what seems like forever, and the sidewalk is closed. I was too chicken to brave the multi-directional intersection at Comm ave, and decided to cross that ugly intersection in two legs as a pedestrian. I feel nervous negotiating this intersection in a car,and decided discretion was the better part of valor. But then I decided that traffic was light enough to take the lane and go over the bridge. I counted the seconds to see how long it would take me and it only took me 30 seconds to get over it- but in that time one person passed me, and another person thought about it, but then decided to hold off- A little annoying that they couldn’t wait less than 30 seconds….
Finally rode back via the path along the city side of Memorial drive, which they’ve been repaving which was really nice- it was awful before. They also trimmed up the low growing branches which made it a lot more pleasant not to have to duck branches in the dark. It’s a real change to ride on the sidewalk- have to really remember to watch and be super cautious at the intersections to make sure no one is turning in or out.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Where do YOU park your bike?
Interesting article on the new bicycle parking regulations in NYC
Unfortunately this doesn't help a lot of people who are in buildings too small to have freight elevators.
I thought they made an interesting link between creative industries and desire for bike parking.
In our building (too small to have a freight elevator, but I just come up the regular elevator) there are two companies with several bike commuters, my office (architects and industrial designers) and an office of landscape architects upstairs.
I don't think that people in creative industries are inherently more likely to bike (my Dad, who introduced me to commuting is an engineer) but there's just a more relaxed, and maybe more progressive corporate culture that supports bicycling. Doesn't hurt that my boss races mountain bikes and does cyclecross.
Evidently the official building management company doesn't want us to bring our bikes in. One of my co-workers was told they couldn't bring their bike in one day by an offsite manager who happened to be in the lobby one day. But since we don't have a security desk, and the day to day staff don't seem to care- so far so good.
Although I see a lot of bikes parked in the same spots every day, I'd be nervous if I had to park my bike outside every day.
I'm curious where other people who read this park their bikes at work?
Have you had your bike damaged or stolen?
Unfortunately this doesn't help a lot of people who are in buildings too small to have freight elevators.
I thought they made an interesting link between creative industries and desire for bike parking.
In our building (too small to have a freight elevator, but I just come up the regular elevator) there are two companies with several bike commuters, my office (architects and industrial designers) and an office of landscape architects upstairs.
I don't think that people in creative industries are inherently more likely to bike (my Dad, who introduced me to commuting is an engineer) but there's just a more relaxed, and maybe more progressive corporate culture that supports bicycling. Doesn't hurt that my boss races mountain bikes and does cyclecross.
Evidently the official building management company doesn't want us to bring our bikes in. One of my co-workers was told they couldn't bring their bike in one day by an offsite manager who happened to be in the lobby one day. But since we don't have a security desk, and the day to day staff don't seem to care- so far so good.
Although I see a lot of bikes parked in the same spots every day, I'd be nervous if I had to park my bike outside every day.
I'm curious where other people who read this park their bikes at work?
Have you had your bike damaged or stolen?
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Hear Hear!
From the blog of the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Ray La Hood- a defense of MUP building in Minneapolis, which is being attacked by Sen. Tom Coburn as "stimulus waste"
"I guess a better bike connection to Minneapolis's central business district doesn't count as infrastructure to some folks."
"I guess a better bike connection to Minneapolis's central business district doesn't count as infrastructure to some folks."
"Yes, some of those projects include bike paths, a key ingredient in our livability initiative to allow people to live, work, and get around without a car.
We don't call that waste; we call it progress"
If you read that without attribution the sarcasm of the first sentence and the call to arms clarity of the last sentence would sound like a independent bicycle advocate.
I think it's really great to hear that kind of ringing support of bicycling infrastructure from a federal agency, not just from bike centric blogs and urban planners. What has come out of it, and what will come out of it is more complicated (and unfortunately has to filter through many levels of state and regional planning authorities) but it's a big change in attitude at the top and it's got to be a positive development for all kinds of bicycle planning.
Hat Tip to Washcycle
new pumps at MIT
I think that a fair number of the bikes in the basement get stored there for long periods over the winter, so it's nice that there's a way to pump up flattened tires when they get taken out of storage. Wouldn't it be great to have these stationed throughout the city for public use?
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Plumber..... Candygram.....
Oh No, it's the LAND SHARK!
barely visible in this 2nd photo is the really cool U lock that looked like it had been sanded down to bare steel and waxed to keep it in rust free bare metal glory.
barely visible in this 2nd photo is the really cool U lock that looked like it had been sanded down to bare steel and waxed to keep it in rust free bare metal glory.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Holiday Cheer
Let me start by saying that I'm not one of those people who go overboard on holiday decorations. I have no ceramic christmas villages, and no flashing lights or inflatable characters in my yard.
However, Boston got its first real snow of the season this weekend, and it got me in the holiday mood.
I was at Tags hardware and saw these battery powered LED lights, perfect for adding a bit of holiday cheer to my ride for $4.99
They even have a strobe function , so I could technically call them a safety feature, but let's be realistic- they're just for fun!
Later in the day I saw a incandescent "regular Xmas lights" version of this at the dollar tree store, if you wanted a real bargain.
Riding around I got a lot of looks and smiles, so they seem to be a big hit. The view without a flash:
However, Boston got its first real snow of the season this weekend, and it got me in the holiday mood.
I was at Tags hardware and saw these battery powered LED lights, perfect for adding a bit of holiday cheer to my ride for $4.99
They even have a strobe function , so I could technically call them a safety feature, but let's be realistic- they're just for fun!
Later in the day I saw a incandescent "regular Xmas lights" version of this at the dollar tree store, if you wanted a real bargain.
Riding around I got a lot of looks and smiles, so they seem to be a big hit. The view without a flash:
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Progress on the DL-1
I've been kind of turning over names for the DL-1 in the back of my head.
Robert was kind of obvious because he was wearing a name badge!
But nothing I thought up was really sticking until I finally hit on it:
Minerva.
One part eccentric aunt, one part classical goddess, dignified, brainy, a bit reserved...
I haven't been riding her much yet- I did a lot of work scrubbing at the chrome and disassembling, cleaning and reassembling the brakes. I replaced the tires with new Schwalbe marathons. I did keep the original tires (deep in the storage under the stairs) in case anyone ever wants a "mint" bike.
Storage has been a problem. I need a lot of carrying capacity on my bikes in general and I knew that a saddlebag alone wasn't going to cut it. For starters, I put a basket on. This was a basket that I had tried and rejected for Robert- I really like the basket's color and shape with this bike- its pale color works especially works well with the cream grips, which before I wasn't completely sold on.
It isn't recommended to hang a basket from the handlebars of a rod brake bike, because it has the tendency to interfere with the mechanism. A "basket support" is a common item in countries where rod brake bikes are common, and they cost about $15. I couldn't find anything domestically, so I made my own out of a bar of aluminum from Home Depot, bent and cut to size, with holes for the axle to pass through.
Now that I know it works, I need to fine tune it aesthetically. I might actually get a smaller bar, or might paint this one black. I also definitely need to trim and round off the ends. Or maybe I'll get the Scientist to try to find one next time he speaks in Europe (He just told me he's going to Switzerland in January.)
The main thing that's outstanding on the DL is the chain guard and the front fender.
There was enough rust on the front fender that I decided to sand it down and repaint it. Unfortunately I sanded first and researched painting techniques later. After reading the bike forums, I decided that I should use professional automotive paint instead of regular spray paint. And when I went to the auto body supply, they told me that it would be cheaper and better to just get it powder coated. So I went home and made sure that it was completely sanded down to bare metal and very smooth, and took it back to the paint shop, where they promised to hand it off to a powder coater who I met last time I was there. He thought that if I was willing to wait until the next time he did a batch of black, it would be $20. Not bad.
While I was at it, I decided to get the chain guard powder coated too.
I got this chain guard from Yellow Jersey Cycles in Madison, It's supposed to fit a 28" wheel roadster, although I'm going to have to do some futzing to make it fit, I'm afraid. On their web site they say that "quality ranges from acceptable to poor- great was not an option" , and while it was definitely acceptable, I was worried that the paint job wouldn't survive very well. So I sanded it down to bare metal, hopefully well enough that the finish will be OK once it's powder coated.
I actually did a lot of the "sanding" with a brass wire brush attachment that fits into my drill. I got a good tip that if the bristles of the wire brush (or the metal of the brillo pad) are softer than the metal you are trying to clean up, they won't scratch the harder metal. I'm sure you could push it to extremes, but I've found that the brass wire brush does a great job of stripping paint off steel without doing too much damage to the steel itself.
So, I'm hoping to get the pieces back in a couple of weeks, and then reassemble Minerva and have her completely ready to go, well before nice biking weather in the spring.
Robert was kind of obvious because he was wearing a name badge!
But nothing I thought up was really sticking until I finally hit on it:
Minerva.
One part eccentric aunt, one part classical goddess, dignified, brainy, a bit reserved...
I haven't been riding her much yet- I did a lot of work scrubbing at the chrome and disassembling, cleaning and reassembling the brakes. I replaced the tires with new Schwalbe marathons. I did keep the original tires (deep in the storage under the stairs) in case anyone ever wants a "mint" bike.
Storage has been a problem. I need a lot of carrying capacity on my bikes in general and I knew that a saddlebag alone wasn't going to cut it. For starters, I put a basket on. This was a basket that I had tried and rejected for Robert- I really like the basket's color and shape with this bike- its pale color works especially works well with the cream grips, which before I wasn't completely sold on.
It isn't recommended to hang a basket from the handlebars of a rod brake bike, because it has the tendency to interfere with the mechanism. A "basket support" is a common item in countries where rod brake bikes are common, and they cost about $15. I couldn't find anything domestically, so I made my own out of a bar of aluminum from Home Depot, bent and cut to size, with holes for the axle to pass through.
Now that I know it works, I need to fine tune it aesthetically. I might actually get a smaller bar, or might paint this one black. I also definitely need to trim and round off the ends. Or maybe I'll get the Scientist to try to find one next time he speaks in Europe (He just told me he's going to Switzerland in January.)
The main thing that's outstanding on the DL is the chain guard and the front fender.
There was enough rust on the front fender that I decided to sand it down and repaint it. Unfortunately I sanded first and researched painting techniques later. After reading the bike forums, I decided that I should use professional automotive paint instead of regular spray paint. And when I went to the auto body supply, they told me that it would be cheaper and better to just get it powder coated. So I went home and made sure that it was completely sanded down to bare metal and very smooth, and took it back to the paint shop, where they promised to hand it off to a powder coater who I met last time I was there. He thought that if I was willing to wait until the next time he did a batch of black, it would be $20. Not bad.
While I was at it, I decided to get the chain guard powder coated too.
I got this chain guard from Yellow Jersey Cycles in Madison, It's supposed to fit a 28" wheel roadster, although I'm going to have to do some futzing to make it fit, I'm afraid. On their web site they say that "quality ranges from acceptable to poor- great was not an option" , and while it was definitely acceptable, I was worried that the paint job wouldn't survive very well. So I sanded it down to bare metal, hopefully well enough that the finish will be OK once it's powder coated.
I actually did a lot of the "sanding" with a brass wire brush attachment that fits into my drill. I got a good tip that if the bristles of the wire brush (or the metal of the brillo pad) are softer than the metal you are trying to clean up, they won't scratch the harder metal. I'm sure you could push it to extremes, but I've found that the brass wire brush does a great job of stripping paint off steel without doing too much damage to the steel itself.
So, I'm hoping to get the pieces back in a couple of weeks, and then reassemble Minerva and have her completely ready to go, well before nice biking weather in the spring.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Sad realization
I was packing up ready to go home and thinking about how nice it would be to saddle up and ride home, when I remembered I wussed out this morning and didn't brave the rain (although it was such a tease- the buckets of rain and gusts of wind that woke me up at 6 this morning had abated almost completely by the time I got to work!).
Now I have to go home via T instead of enjoying the freakishly warm weather.
Now I have to go home via T instead of enjoying the freakishly warm weather.
the senses of cycling
One of the things that I like about bicycling that I think you miss in a car is the scents that surround you.
Too often it's stinky car exhaust, but sometimes it's like a secret window into the workings of the city around you.
Around MIT I often get to smell the candy factory. Cambridge MA used to be "the Candy Capitol of the Country" with Squirrel Nut Brands, Necco, DeHaviland and other candy brands which are or are on their way to being defunct. One remnant is the factory between Main and Mass Ave. The building sign says Tootsie Rolls, but it often smells like peppermint patties to me.
At the corner of Trowbridge and Broadway there's a little pizza place with a house above it. I don't know if it's pizza prep or breakfast but it always smells like bacon when I bike by in the morning.
This evening on the way to the grocery store, I could smell the coffee roastery at Whole Foods from probably 6 blocks away. Coffee roasting is such an odd smell, only distantly related to the comforting smell of a pot brewing.
I have two very different memories associated with that smell. One is the seedy part of town down near the Port of Houston where I used to go for industrial scrap dumpster diving, good mexican food, and photography projects. The port of Houston, if you aren't familiar with it, is 70 miles inland. When Galveston got completely flattened in the Hurricane of 1900, the City Fathers of Houston decided that if they could create a hurricane proof port inland, it would be great for business. It was a massive undertaking to dredge such a deep channel so far, and it's really odd to see these HUGE ships so far inland. Anyway, there is or used to be a Hills Bros coffee roastery there and the whole area reeks of it.
The other memory associated with this is when I lived in Italy and the high class coffee places would advertise "torrefazione nel propria" roasted in our own.
More often the smells are commonplace- dinner being made, fresh mown lawn, sometimes something less savory. Not only are there no windows between you and the smells, but you move through space more slowly so that you can appreciate (or suffer) them longer and more immediately.
Too often it's stinky car exhaust, but sometimes it's like a secret window into the workings of the city around you.
Around MIT I often get to smell the candy factory. Cambridge MA used to be "the Candy Capitol of the Country" with Squirrel Nut Brands, Necco, DeHaviland and other candy brands which are or are on their way to being defunct. One remnant is the factory between Main and Mass Ave. The building sign says Tootsie Rolls, but it often smells like peppermint patties to me.
At the corner of Trowbridge and Broadway there's a little pizza place with a house above it. I don't know if it's pizza prep or breakfast but it always smells like bacon when I bike by in the morning.
This evening on the way to the grocery store, I could smell the coffee roastery at Whole Foods from probably 6 blocks away. Coffee roasting is such an odd smell, only distantly related to the comforting smell of a pot brewing.
I have two very different memories associated with that smell. One is the seedy part of town down near the Port of Houston where I used to go for industrial scrap dumpster diving, good mexican food, and photography projects. The port of Houston, if you aren't familiar with it, is 70 miles inland. When Galveston got completely flattened in the Hurricane of 1900, the City Fathers of Houston decided that if they could create a hurricane proof port inland, it would be great for business. It was a massive undertaking to dredge such a deep channel so far, and it's really odd to see these HUGE ships so far inland. Anyway, there is or used to be a Hills Bros coffee roastery there and the whole area reeks of it.
The other memory associated with this is when I lived in Italy and the high class coffee places would advertise "torrefazione nel propria" roasted in our own.
More often the smells are commonplace- dinner being made, fresh mown lawn, sometimes something less savory. Not only are there no windows between you and the smells, but you move through space more slowly so that you can appreciate (or suffer) them longer and more immediately.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Being bright
I seem to have a lot of posts frozen in mid-project- I have a couple of things in the works and haven't gotten to a good point to post any of them. Hopefully this weekend.
In the meantime- I've been thinking about light and being bright. I've actually been pretty impressed recently at how few ninjas I've seen out and about recently. The fall has been relatively mild and dry and I'm seeing a lot of bikers, and most of them seem to have lights YEAH!
I thought I'd expound a bit more on my lighting strategy.
My main offense is my LED dynamo driven light, the Schmidt Edeluxe. I posted on it right after I got it, but after a couple months of heavy use, I'm happy to say that I still love it.
I had a bit of a debacle with the fancy special order security screws that I installed to keep my light safe from thieves with allen wrenches.
While I was locking up, I readjusted the angle on the light, and in forcing it, loosened it just enough that it kept slipping down. I was out running errands and had to stop every 300yards to raise it back up before it hit the fender. Sigh. So I went to go get the driver from where I’d put it in the baggie with the rest of the security screws I bought. Not to be found. Frantic search ensues, followed by tearful meltdown, followed by the Scientist going out to buy me flowers. It had been a long day.
Anyway, $12 and a couple of days brought me a new driver, and so far so good.
All of that is a long preamble to two things I’ve noticed after living with it for a couple of months.
First- This sucker is really really bright. I notice a lot of pedestrians turning around to look at me as I come up behind them, seeing the light and wondering what it is.
Secondly, and somewhat surprisingly, I’m really liking the lower light position below the basket. With my old light position, I had to be really careful when I had stuff in the basket to keep it tamped down so that it didn’t obscure the beam. Now I can pile it high without blocking the beam.
So that's the front.
Rear lights are tough because it's hard to see them when you're moving- so it's hard to tell how visible you are. I recommend that people get someone else to either watch them bike away or have someone ride the bike for you, so that you can be sure that your lights are visible. So often people have a helmet light or backpack light, that when they're crouched over becomes almost invisible. I'm also not a fan of seatpost lights because they're easily covered by a coat tail or backpack.
I have two rear lights. One is fender mounted- which is fairly low, but it does nicely avoid the problem of being covered with packages or my coat. It runs off my generator, and has a nice bright standlight for several minutes after I stop. In addition I run a battery powered LED that bolts onto the back of my rack. I wanted a light a bit higher, and this one is also protected from concealing clothing, although it could potentially be covered by something I'm carrying.
None of these lights are flashing. I know that flashing lights are noticeable, but I think that it's hard to determine how fast they're coming, or going away from you, especially quickly. Also, most of the dynamo operated stuff comes from Germany where it's illegal to have flashing lights.
I do however have flashing pedals which not only flash, but they provide a nice bit of lighting for cars approaching from the side. They have a white light that is supposed to face forward, an amber light to the side, and a red light to the back, and they cycle with an eyecatchingly bright strobe effect- visible even during the day. They have a little generator that is part of the pedal axle, and a capacitor to create a stand light for several minutes after I stop. They're really really bright, and although I'm sure there's some drag, I don't notice it. The bottom has a bit of a bump for the generator, and it mostly hangs down as its supposed to, but it's not the end of the world to pedal on it for a few revolutions.
The top has a nice little double row of blunt metal studs that provide a bit of extra traction.
I couldn't figure out how to post video so to see the pedals in action click here
One of the things that people forget is side visibility. The reflective stripe on Marathon tires is really bright, and it has the added advantage of instantly identifying you as a bike.
OK, Now that I've finished that post, I'm going to hop back on, and ride to the store for milk. Riding the bike at night is much more appealing knowing I'm bright and visible.
In the meantime- I've been thinking about light and being bright. I've actually been pretty impressed recently at how few ninjas I've seen out and about recently. The fall has been relatively mild and dry and I'm seeing a lot of bikers, and most of them seem to have lights YEAH!
I thought I'd expound a bit more on my lighting strategy.
My main offense is my LED dynamo driven light, the Schmidt Edeluxe. I posted on it right after I got it, but after a couple months of heavy use, I'm happy to say that I still love it.
I had a bit of a debacle with the fancy special order security screws that I installed to keep my light safe from thieves with allen wrenches.
While I was locking up, I readjusted the angle on the light, and in forcing it, loosened it just enough that it kept slipping down. I was out running errands and had to stop every 300yards to raise it back up before it hit the fender. Sigh. So I went to go get the driver from where I’d put it in the baggie with the rest of the security screws I bought. Not to be found. Frantic search ensues, followed by tearful meltdown, followed by the Scientist going out to buy me flowers. It had been a long day.
Anyway, $12 and a couple of days brought me a new driver, and so far so good.
All of that is a long preamble to two things I’ve noticed after living with it for a couple of months.
First- This sucker is really really bright. I notice a lot of pedestrians turning around to look at me as I come up behind them, seeing the light and wondering what it is.
Secondly, and somewhat surprisingly, I’m really liking the lower light position below the basket. With my old light position, I had to be really careful when I had stuff in the basket to keep it tamped down so that it didn’t obscure the beam. Now I can pile it high without blocking the beam.
So that's the front.
Rear lights are tough because it's hard to see them when you're moving- so it's hard to tell how visible you are. I recommend that people get someone else to either watch them bike away or have someone ride the bike for you, so that you can be sure that your lights are visible. So often people have a helmet light or backpack light, that when they're crouched over becomes almost invisible. I'm also not a fan of seatpost lights because they're easily covered by a coat tail or backpack.
I have two rear lights. One is fender mounted- which is fairly low, but it does nicely avoid the problem of being covered with packages or my coat. It runs off my generator, and has a nice bright standlight for several minutes after I stop. In addition I run a battery powered LED that bolts onto the back of my rack. I wanted a light a bit higher, and this one is also protected from concealing clothing, although it could potentially be covered by something I'm carrying.
None of these lights are flashing. I know that flashing lights are noticeable, but I think that it's hard to determine how fast they're coming, or going away from you, especially quickly. Also, most of the dynamo operated stuff comes from Germany where it's illegal to have flashing lights.
The top has a nice little double row of blunt metal studs that provide a bit of extra traction.
I couldn't figure out how to post video so to see the pedals in action click here
One of the things that people forget is side visibility. The reflective stripe on Marathon tires is really bright, and it has the added advantage of instantly identifying you as a bike.
OK, Now that I've finished that post, I'm going to hop back on, and ride to the store for milk. Riding the bike at night is much more appealing knowing I'm bright and visible.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Cranksgiving
I'm possibly the exact opposite of an Alleycat racer in just about every part of my bike life, but I think that this is a Fantastic idea.
True Dutch
Sunday, November 22, 2009
It's all about accessories
I get a lot of comments/ compliments on my helmet.
For some reason that seems to happen a lot in the grocery store. I guess it's because I shop several times a week, usually on my way home from work and often I'm too lazy to take off my helmet. Fortunately in the stores in Cambridge it's not uncommon to see someone walking around in their helmet, so I don't feel that unusual. The woman in the line ahead of me the other day complimented me on it. I said that I had taken it off, but then my hands got full and it was just easier to wear it. She said "well it will protect you from those tragic grocery accidents" She had a helmet hanging off her bag, so I didn't take it the wrong way.
Grocery accidents aside, I really like my helmet, and I think it almost works as a fashion accessory. At least I don't feel foolish wearing it. It's the "muse" helmet from Bern, and I like the chipper styling of the brim. It's very much like the helmets I used to ride horses in.
I believe that Bern started as a snowsports helmet company, and some of there helmets are bike approved and some aren't, so you have to be careful. This one is bike approved in the USA, although it's not the most comfortable or adjustable helmet I've ever had. No vents means I can't use it for the hottest parts of the summer ( I have a generic swooshy one for August) and I (and my thyroid gland) wish it had some kind of back of the head adjustment band, so that you could keep it aligned without cranking the chin band down super tight.
For me though, it's worth it to have a helmet that doesn't make me look like I took a wrong turn and lost the peleton.
I've customized it with a coat of clear paint and a layer of the glass reflective beads that they use on signs. I actually think it's not as reflective as a sign, but it's better than nothing, and I rather like the bumpy matte texture.
For some reason that seems to happen a lot in the grocery store. I guess it's because I shop several times a week, usually on my way home from work and often I'm too lazy to take off my helmet. Fortunately in the stores in Cambridge it's not uncommon to see someone walking around in their helmet, so I don't feel that unusual. The woman in the line ahead of me the other day complimented me on it. I said that I had taken it off, but then my hands got full and it was just easier to wear it. She said "well it will protect you from those tragic grocery accidents" She had a helmet hanging off her bag, so I didn't take it the wrong way.
Grocery accidents aside, I really like my helmet, and I think it almost works as a fashion accessory. At least I don't feel foolish wearing it. It's the "muse" helmet from Bern, and I like the chipper styling of the brim. It's very much like the helmets I used to ride horses in.
For me though, it's worth it to have a helmet that doesn't make me look like I took a wrong turn and lost the peleton.
I've customized it with a coat of clear paint and a layer of the glass reflective beads that they use on signs. I actually think it's not as reflective as a sign, but it's better than nothing, and I rather like the bumpy matte texture.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
grunge day
So Tuesdays are my grungy day because I'm at a jobsite and need to be able to climb ladders, get down on the floor, potentially brush up against dusty/ recently painted stuff.
This week though as I dropped off my zipcar and picked up my lunch at home, I decided to change into dress clothes. There was a big meeting at my office and I decided I'd rather look like a professional than someone from building maintenance.
This is what I came up with. I haven't worn this skirt much and it was a bit odd for biking- really flared, but stretchy.
This week though as I dropped off my zipcar and picked up my lunch at home, I decided to change into dress clothes. There was a big meeting at my office and I decided I'd rather look like a professional than someone from building maintenance.
This is what I came up with. I haven't worn this skirt much and it was a bit odd for biking- really flared, but stretchy.
I guess that the reflective band works well seeing how it reflects my flash! I like this reflective sash because it's not as dorky and distracting as one of those big reflective vests. The Scientist refuses to be seen with me if I'm wearing one of those in public. And the sash is a lot easier to take off and stuff in a pocket to go incognito.
empty the freezer part 4 (sort of)
So tonight the Scientist is back home, and while I want to continue the challenge, I also want to welcome him back with something he'll enjoy instead of something that feels cobbled together.
So I'm pulling out a precious tub of slow cooked pork carnitas as the centerpiece of tonight's meal.
This is more of a fully formed meal instead of a challenge, as all I have to do is to heat it up and put it in tortillas, garnish it with salsa, guacamole and cotijo cheese.
But boy is is tasty.
Making Carnitas is slow but simple. I got my recipe from the Homesick Texan website.
Basically it goes like this: buy a big piece of pork and chop it up and put it in a big heavy pot. Juice a couple of oranges over it and put a bit of water in. Cook over low heat until the liquid is gone ( a couple of hours) add oil if there isn't enough rendered fat to keep it from sticking. Cook with a bit more attention for another half an hour until the edges are all crispy and brown. Salt to taste.
Oh my God it's tasty.
Make into tacos, burritos, chiles rellenos, tamales, etc etc.
If you know someone who grew up in Houston specifically or Texas generally, serve with the Homesick Texan's "Ninfa's green sauce" to induce ecstasy. Pork fat plus avacados equals true love
So I'm pulling out a precious tub of slow cooked pork carnitas as the centerpiece of tonight's meal.
This is more of a fully formed meal instead of a challenge, as all I have to do is to heat it up and put it in tortillas, garnish it with salsa, guacamole and cotijo cheese.
But boy is is tasty.
Making Carnitas is slow but simple. I got my recipe from the Homesick Texan website.
Basically it goes like this: buy a big piece of pork and chop it up and put it in a big heavy pot. Juice a couple of oranges over it and put a bit of water in. Cook over low heat until the liquid is gone ( a couple of hours) add oil if there isn't enough rendered fat to keep it from sticking. Cook with a bit more attention for another half an hour until the edges are all crispy and brown. Salt to taste.
Oh my God it's tasty.
Make into tacos, burritos, chiles rellenos, tamales, etc etc.
If you know someone who grew up in Houston specifically or Texas generally, serve with the Homesick Texan's "Ninfa's green sauce" to induce ecstasy. Pork fat plus avacados equals true love
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Empty the freezer challenge part 3
Let me begin this by saying that I would eat just about anything on top of polenta.
Add some cheese and I would definitely eat anything on the polenta.
I'm not going to post a photo of this evening's dinner as it was not particularly photogenic, to say the least.
Polenta rounds (cut out of a sheet of cooled polenta and frozen with wax paper in between.
Ran then through a hot skillet with a liberal dose of olive oil.
Topped them with a mixture of sauteed chard with a lot of garlic and a generous handful of christmas lima beans. Something ( I think it was the limas) had a lot of red pepper in them, so there wasn't much need for other seasonings.
Goat cheese crumbled on top made it a little prettier, but mainly it was a study in brown and brownish green.
Freezer containers -3 (polenta, chard, beans)
Special bonus round, had lentil soup excavated from the freezer for lunch.
Add some cheese and I would definitely eat anything on the polenta.
I'm not going to post a photo of this evening's dinner as it was not particularly photogenic, to say the least.
Polenta rounds (cut out of a sheet of cooled polenta and frozen with wax paper in between.
Ran then through a hot skillet with a liberal dose of olive oil.
Topped them with a mixture of sauteed chard with a lot of garlic and a generous handful of christmas lima beans. Something ( I think it was the limas) had a lot of red pepper in them, so there wasn't much need for other seasonings.
Goat cheese crumbled on top made it a little prettier, but mainly it was a study in brown and brownish green.
Freezer containers -3 (polenta, chard, beans)
Special bonus round, had lentil soup excavated from the freezer for lunch.
Monday, November 16, 2009
What I wore/ bike ambassadorship
Ok, so I was over optimistic about the weather today. I had woken up in the middle of the night and had to open the window because it was so warm (I like it cold when I sleep).
So this morning I decided to go bare legged.
I was fine riding into work, but after dark in the cold riding home I not only was glad that I had grabbed my work sweater, I was lamenting not having my gloves. Despite the cold, I stopped at the new Cambridge main library (architectural thoughts coming soon) to return my 1 week books.
As I was locking up, a distinguished looking Indian gentleman approached me and asked if I could ride year round. I said that I mostly could, but that I didn't when there was ice and bad snow. He asked if it was safe and I said that I was very careful and that I found drivers in Cambridge to be used to looking for bikes.
He said that his doctor was encouraging him to ride, and asked if I knew where he could buy a bike for under $400. I told him that for less than $200 he could buy a great sturdy vintage bike that he could ride in normal clothes. He seemed interested, and remarked that when he was younger in India, he had ridden a bike and his wife had had a bike like mine that she would ride in her sari. He said they used to ride two miles to go to the movies. It was a great image, and I can imagine them on a great matched pair of bikes like the his-n-hers superbes.
He asked me again for directions to Cambridge Used bikes, so I hope he will follow up and get riding again.
So this morning I decided to go bare legged.
I was fine riding into work, but after dark in the cold riding home I not only was glad that I had grabbed my work sweater, I was lamenting not having my gloves. Despite the cold, I stopped at the new Cambridge main library (architectural thoughts coming soon) to return my 1 week books.
As I was locking up, a distinguished looking Indian gentleman approached me and asked if I could ride year round. I said that I mostly could, but that I didn't when there was ice and bad snow. He asked if it was safe and I said that I was very careful and that I found drivers in Cambridge to be used to looking for bikes.
He said that his doctor was encouraging him to ride, and asked if I knew where he could buy a bike for under $400. I told him that for less than $200 he could buy a great sturdy vintage bike that he could ride in normal clothes. He seemed interested, and remarked that when he was younger in India, he had ridden a bike and his wife had had a bike like mine that she would ride in her sari. He said they used to ride two miles to go to the movies. It was a great image, and I can imagine them on a great matched pair of bikes like the his-n-hers superbes.
He asked me again for directions to Cambridge Used bikes, so I hope he will follow up and get riding again.
Empty the freezer challenge part 2
In my household Fried Rice and pizza are the great fridge emptiers. They're a great way to use up little dabs of savory stuff that aren't quite enough for a meal.
This night's entree was a bit more of a fridge emptier than a freezer emptier, but it did use up the last third of a ham steak that I had bought for making soup and whose remainder had gotten stashed away in the freezer. Also part of a serving of brown rice, removed from the freezer to serve with something else a couple of days ago.
First I cooked a batch of bok Choi leftover from last week's CSA. I love the clean green sweetness of bok choi- much better than Kale...
Next I put a couple of Tbs of oil in the skillet and added a tiny onion, chopped fine and some red pepper and garlic. After the onions were cooked through I added approx 2 c of brown rice, and let it cook until it was getting crunchy, stirring occasionally and checking my email to give it time to brown.
Once that was done I added some of the bok choi, the chopped ham, some leftover scrambled eggs and a couple of Tbs of soy sauce.
Yum.
Net freezer items -1
net fridge items -3
This night's entree was a bit more of a fridge emptier than a freezer emptier, but it did use up the last third of a ham steak that I had bought for making soup and whose remainder had gotten stashed away in the freezer. Also part of a serving of brown rice, removed from the freezer to serve with something else a couple of days ago.First I cooked a batch of bok Choi leftover from last week's CSA. I love the clean green sweetness of bok choi- much better than Kale...
Next I put a couple of Tbs of oil in the skillet and added a tiny onion, chopped fine and some red pepper and garlic. After the onions were cooked through I added approx 2 c of brown rice, and let it cook until it was getting crunchy, stirring occasionally and checking my email to give it time to brown.
Once that was done I added some of the bok choi, the chopped ham, some leftover scrambled eggs and a couple of Tbs of soy sauce.
Yum.
Net freezer items -1
net fridge items -3
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Empty the freezer challenge part 1
So the Scientist was back in town for about 36 hours before jetting off for more scientific adventures. Rumor has it that this kind of gallivanting will slow after tenure. And in general I don't mind a bit of time to myself, but the back to back thing gets old for both of us.
In any case, I decided this was a perfect time to play Empty the Freezer!
Despite the fact that I'm now canning the soups I would be stuffing into the freezer (did a batch of lentil soup and a big batch of broth this weekend) I have a tendency to tuck tiny portions of goodies into the freezer. A single organic sausage, half a portion of risotto, part of a ham steak... Not really enough to make a whole meal for two, but seemingly worth saving. Unfortunately, too much of it tends to get shoved to the back and dug out months or years later, freezer burned beyond recognition and deposited directly into the compost bin. I'm trying to be careful of food and to not be wasteful- I've been doing a version of this all summer called "use that CSA share" and now as the CSA share wanes, I'm moving on to a new frontier:
My challenge this week while he's away is to make dinner every night out of something from the freezer:
The rules:
1) Anything in the pantry or the fridge is fair game.
2) I have to use something in the freezer that wasn't a fully formed entree on its own.
3) Nothing is to go back into the freezer as a result of this exercise.
4) I can buy 1 ingredient per meal.
Ok,
Night 1
Lamb meatballs:
I knew I had not one but two pounds of ground lamb in the freezer, so when I saw this recipe from Mark Bittman, I put it in my mental file of "to try" recipes.
1 pound of ground lamb,
1/2 cup cooked brown rice (I didn't have bulgur in the house, rice worked fine)
1 medium red onion, chopped (should have chopped finer, it make the meatballs a bit hard to keep together)
a clove garlic,
1 tbs cumin
salt and pepper.
Mix together like meatloaf, roll into balls, fry in a TBS of oils.
After I had finished turning the meaballs until they were browned on each side and the house smelled like lamb, I pulled some blanched kale out of the fridge, and gave it a spin through the lamb flavored oil with two cloves of garlic as a side.
I hopped on the bike and made a special trip to WF for some greek yogurt to go with as my "plus 1"
Unfortunately there was no whole milk greek yogurt which I swear is better than Ben and Jerry's.
Yogurt with a squeeze of lime juice was a dipping sauce, and there were just enough left over for lunch tomorrow.
It was good enough that it's worth making again next week with the other pound of lamb that's lurking in there. The Scientist will be so impressed that he'll probably even eat the Kale without complaint.
In any case, I decided this was a perfect time to play Empty the Freezer!
Despite the fact that I'm now canning the soups I would be stuffing into the freezer (did a batch of lentil soup and a big batch of broth this weekend) I have a tendency to tuck tiny portions of goodies into the freezer. A single organic sausage, half a portion of risotto, part of a ham steak... Not really enough to make a whole meal for two, but seemingly worth saving. Unfortunately, too much of it tends to get shoved to the back and dug out months or years later, freezer burned beyond recognition and deposited directly into the compost bin. I'm trying to be careful of food and to not be wasteful- I've been doing a version of this all summer called "use that CSA share" and now as the CSA share wanes, I'm moving on to a new frontier:
My challenge this week while he's away is to make dinner every night out of something from the freezer:
The rules:
1) Anything in the pantry or the fridge is fair game.
2) I have to use something in the freezer that wasn't a fully formed entree on its own.
3) Nothing is to go back into the freezer as a result of this exercise.
4) I can buy 1 ingredient per meal.
Ok,
Night 1
Lamb meatballs:
I knew I had not one but two pounds of ground lamb in the freezer, so when I saw this recipe from Mark Bittman, I put it in my mental file of "to try" recipes.
1 pound of ground lamb,
1/2 cup cooked brown rice (I didn't have bulgur in the house, rice worked fine)
1 medium red onion, chopped (should have chopped finer, it make the meatballs a bit hard to keep together)
a clove garlic,
1 tbs cumin
salt and pepper.
Mix together like meatloaf, roll into balls, fry in a TBS of oils.
After I had finished turning the meaballs until they were browned on each side and the house smelled like lamb, I pulled some blanched kale out of the fridge, and gave it a spin through the lamb flavored oil with two cloves of garlic as a side.
I hopped on the bike and made a special trip to WF for some greek yogurt to go with as my "plus 1"
Unfortunately there was no whole milk greek yogurt which I swear is better than Ben and Jerry's.
Yogurt with a squeeze of lime juice was a dipping sauce, and there were just enough left over for lunch tomorrow.
It was good enough that it's worth making again next week with the other pound of lamb that's lurking in there. The Scientist will be so impressed that he'll probably even eat the Kale without complaint.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Pommes Frites
I've been a science widow as the Scientist is away talking about his work. As a treat I decided to make pommes frites- you know the really skinny elegant french fries? To me they have the perfect balance between crunchy exterior and soft potato interior. And they're really easy to make as long as you get the steps right.
After peeling the potatoes and cutting them into long matchsticks, I soaked them in cold water while I ran to the store for something else (Ok a duck breast- I decided I wanted duck and pommes frites.) I had to move the scientist's truck anyway- he has a knack for going out of town on street cleaning week.
When I got back I dried them in the salad spinner to make sure they were really dry.
The key is to fry them twice- once for about 90 seconds, not until brown. They'll come out of the first fry soggy and greasy and nasty. Nothing you would want to eat unless you were desperate.
Let them cool and stick them in again, and almost instantly they turn crispy. You just cook them until they're perfectly brown, salt them (I toss them with fresh rosemary too) and try not to burn your fingers and tongue as you scarf them down! YUM
After peeling the potatoes and cutting them into long matchsticks, I soaked them in cold water while I ran to the store for something else (Ok a duck breast- I decided I wanted duck and pommes frites.) I had to move the scientist's truck anyway- he has a knack for going out of town on street cleaning week.
When I got back I dried them in the salad spinner to make sure they were really dry.
The key is to fry them twice- once for about 90 seconds, not until brown. They'll come out of the first fry soggy and greasy and nasty. Nothing you would want to eat unless you were desperate.
Cute Cantebregian
Although this bike has a Shaker Heights Ohio parking permit, it seems like such a Cambridge bike.
The panniers of course are lovely and colorful.
A couple of interesting details:
It has white wall schwalbes. I didn't know that anyone still made true whitewalls. Robert used to have them, but it came to be that the only ones I could find were actually a dirty beige- halfway between white and gum walled
It also has a Velo Orange leather saddle which I've never seen in person. They're a cheaper version of a Brooks and they look like a nice option.
I love bicycle license stickers
and the gold leaf of the tube banding.
and the gold leaf of the tube banding.Friday, November 13, 2009
What I wore
As I try to document more what I wear to work: My favorite H&M shift dress (I have three of this dress in different colors- it just fits so well), a maroon sweater and a jean jacket. Sorry for the odd expression- was wondering if the self timer was going to work. Tights, Maryjanes and my new leather gloves from Target that have white stitching along the knuckles..
Mt Auburn Bike Parking
I was at Mt Auburn Hospital recently for some routine bloodwork, and I was very impressed with their bike parking.
There was a lot of it, it was my favorite type (easy for big basketed bikes) and it was covered, well lit and felt secure in that it was near the entrance and the valet parking station.
They even had a card reader accessed fenced parking area for staff that seemed like it was being pretty well used. I've seen a nice Azor workcycle parked there on previous visits.
`
There was a lot of it, it was my favorite type (easy for big basketed bikes) and it was covered, well lit and felt secure in that it was near the entrance and the valet parking station.
`Unfortunately there were some small issues. In order to get to a curb cut up for access to the parking you have to get past the parking ticket barrier, so for most people that means lifting your bike up or dodging the boom. Not such a big deal unless you have a big heavy bike.
Also, I know that they want you to access the place through the lobby garage entrance, but I preferred to walk directly across the courtyard. Strangely, there's a sidewalk, but it stops abruptly.
I don't know why they even bother pouring a sidewalk that leads into a brick wall. Either concrete is cheaper than planting bed, or someone just wasn't thinking.
Speaking of not thinking, on the connector between the bike path and the hospital I found this lovely sidewalk condition in a brand new sidewalk.
If you got out your tape measure, there's probably exactly 36" of space between the post and the edge of the sidewalk (the legal minimum), but it just seems like someone wasn't thinking. Clearly pedestrians are cutting the corner there (looking at the dead grass), and it would have been simpler to form the concrete as a bevel instead of a curve and create a truly generous way to pass the post. There's a assisted living facility and a playground right near here, so you'd think that they'd be paying attention to the needs of wheeled vehicles on the sidewalk..
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Vulnerable road users
There's a lot of chicken and the egg commentary in cycling circles about infrastructure and mode share- from the "if you build it, they will come" theory, to the "if they come, they'll demand infrastructure and respect." proponents.
I saw this terrifying analysis of crash data in Ft Collins CO (from Cyclelicious via treehugger). The thing that scared me about it is that the most fatal kind of accidents are "hit from behinds" and "sideswipes". The thing that is so disturbing about this is that as a defensive cyclist I can ride outside the door zone, never overtake the right hand side of a moving vehicle, and go to extremes to make sure my right of way is respected before entering an intersection. However, there's nothing I can do to prevent someone texting or drunk, or just plain not paying attention from veering into me or crashing into me from behind.
I don't think that the solution to this is infrastructure or road presence, although they might help (especially protected cycle tracks. ) I'm becoming convinced that the solution is to impose extreme penalties on drivers who strike a cyclist or a pedestrian. "I just didn't see him" should cease to be a legal defense. If you're driving a multi- ton steel vehicle at speed in a public space, the burden of looking where you're going should rest fully on your shoulders. Except in some rare cases (ninja salmon come to time) the reason that drivers don't see cyclists and pedestrians is because they're not looking for them and they're not looking for them because there are rarely any consequences for hitting one. Such penalties exist in Europe. I have read that in any car- pedestrian collision in the Netherlands, the driver is automatically at fault, just like a rear end collision here. I would support taking away the license of anyone who hits a pedestrian or cyclist for a year regardless of fault, automatically. If the driver was behaving recklessly or was texting or drinking, there could be criminal prosecutions in parallel.
I think that until "accidents" are properly labeled "crashes" and vunerable road users (bikes, pedestrians, people in wheelchairs) are protected by law, there will be no incentive for drivers to pay attention and truly see the people who share the road with them.
edit:
A good post on a similar topic
I saw this terrifying analysis of crash data in Ft Collins CO (from Cyclelicious via treehugger). The thing that scared me about it is that the most fatal kind of accidents are "hit from behinds" and "sideswipes". The thing that is so disturbing about this is that as a defensive cyclist I can ride outside the door zone, never overtake the right hand side of a moving vehicle, and go to extremes to make sure my right of way is respected before entering an intersection. However, there's nothing I can do to prevent someone texting or drunk, or just plain not paying attention from veering into me or crashing into me from behind.
I don't think that the solution to this is infrastructure or road presence, although they might help (especially protected cycle tracks. ) I'm becoming convinced that the solution is to impose extreme penalties on drivers who strike a cyclist or a pedestrian. "I just didn't see him" should cease to be a legal defense. If you're driving a multi- ton steel vehicle at speed in a public space, the burden of looking where you're going should rest fully on your shoulders. Except in some rare cases (ninja salmon come to time) the reason that drivers don't see cyclists and pedestrians is because they're not looking for them and they're not looking for them because there are rarely any consequences for hitting one. Such penalties exist in Europe. I have read that in any car- pedestrian collision in the Netherlands, the driver is automatically at fault, just like a rear end collision here. I would support taking away the license of anyone who hits a pedestrian or cyclist for a year regardless of fault, automatically. If the driver was behaving recklessly or was texting or drinking, there could be criminal prosecutions in parallel.
I think that until "accidents" are properly labeled "crashes" and vunerable road users (bikes, pedestrians, people in wheelchairs) are protected by law, there will be no incentive for drivers to pay attention and truly see the people who share the road with them.
edit:
A good post on a similar topic
Monday, November 9, 2009
Pumping up, stopping short, gearing down
So I dug out the bicycle pump last weekend from the depths of the bike shed (you know the scary dark part where you find the feathers left after something ate a pigeon-ok maybe your bike shed is less scary than mine). Partly because I was on a tire replacing jag, and partly because it was just time.
And BOY does it make a difference to have nice full tires on Robert- I feel a LOT faster and can make it up hills a lot easier. A great side effect, but the main reason I went back there was because I got my new tires for the DL. So called 28" tires are an odd size, but Schwalbe makes them, and I got the same Marathons as I have on Robert. I love how bright the reflective strip is- it doesn't look like much on the tire, but boy does it glow.
And BOY does it make a difference to have nice full tires on Robert- I feel a LOT faster and can make it up hills a lot easier. A great side effect, but the main reason I went back there was because I got my new tires for the DL. So called 28" tires are an odd size, but Schwalbe makes them, and I got the same Marathons as I have on Robert. I love how bright the reflective strip is- it doesn't look like much on the tire, but boy does it glow.
While I had the tire off, I pulled the fender and decided to do something about the rust. Ok, So "decided" sounds more premeditated than it actually was. I just started sanding, and the next thing you know, I'm down to bare metal and freaking out about the next steps. A quick trip to Autozone and I at least primed it before it could start to flash rust. 15 minutes on the bike forum boards made me realize that I need to take everything else I got at Autozone back and go to a real automotive paint store and get real automotive paint or else it will just scratch and look horrible. A project for next weekend. In the meantime the fender and the chain case are primed and ready to go. 
The basement shower AKA spray booth. I didn't spray in there, but there's a good exhaust fan, and it can be closed off from the rest of the house, so I left stuff to outgas there overnight.
Of course I'm going to have to find a way to remove the cotter and chainring before installing the chain guard. I made a quick attempt last night with a C clamp and a socket, but didn't get very far and was running out of steam. Disassembling the rear wheel assembly for the first time was interesting. I hope I can get everything back in the places it came from. Should have taken photos, I know..
Unfortunately Robert is starting to have a worrisome problem. When I step on the pedals hard (like to take the lane to pass the double parked UPS van) I get a lockup like I've applied the brakes hard.
Actually it's exactly like what happens when your axle nuts aren't tightened enough and you pull the wheel out of the dropouts and against the chainstay (don't ask me how I know how this feels!)
But the nuts are tight, and the wheel is running true. I'm afraid it might be the bottom bracket, but like a driver who thinks their transmission is failing, I'm afraid to find out..
The cure, for now is to shift all the way down into my granny gear at stops and start up gradually and shift up slowly. Hopefully I can either figure out what's wrong, or nurse it along until I get another bike up and running, either the DL-1 or the nameless raleigh.
A final note- lots of chatter about chic cyling in the blogosphere today. Unfortunately I didn't take a picture of my outfit on Friday- Denim knee length skirt, multicolored striped sweater, orange tights, dansko clogs. Not that exciting, but the point is, it's what I wore to do laundry, can chickpeas, bake bread, meet with an insurance broker, and remove and replace a faucet cartridge on our bathroom sink. Oh and also bike to the grocery store, the CSA pickup, the compost dropoff and the hardware store.
Since I didn't take a picture of that- here's a picture of what I wore to work today: Cotton sweater, leaf print skirt (FINALLY arrived from Boden after all kinds of international shipping shennanigans) brown tights and heeled brown suede boots.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Vision in purple and green
I decided that it was just too much work to shoehorn my bike in at the "close" racks at the grocery store, so I walked the extra distance to park in the deluxe, well lit bike racks in the attached parking garage. I was glad I did too, because otherwise I wouldn't have seen this vision in purple and green. I'm not in any way shape or form an expert on fancy custom fixies- does anyone recognize the skull and crossbones as a maker's mark, or is that just customization? Forgive the picture quality- all I had was my iphone.
Anyway, What initially drew my eye was actually the Yakkay helmet left hanging off it. I was a little bit tempted to take it off and try it on, although it might have been awkward if I had gotten caught.
I've been thinking of getting one, but kind of wanted to see the different styles on my head before committing to that expensive a piece of headgear. My attempt to sew my own was a dismal failure not worth the electrons or embarassment of blogging about. The best the Scientist could say about it is "It kind of looks like a Cossack's hat."
I like the sot of acid green on the chain, pedals and tires, and the sewn up grips. (sorry, truly awful photo of the grips)
Anyway, What initially drew my eye was actually the Yakkay helmet left hanging off it. I was a little bit tempted to take it off and try it on, although it might have been awkward if I had gotten caught.
I've been thinking of getting one, but kind of wanted to see the different styles on my head before committing to that expensive a piece of headgear. My attempt to sew my own was a dismal failure not worth the electrons or embarassment of blogging about. The best the Scientist could say about it is "It kind of looks like a Cossack's hat."
I like the sot of acid green on the chain, pedals and tires, and the sewn up grips. (sorry, truly awful photo of the grips)
All in all a bike with a lot of attitude
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)