This is one of the Williams Foods facilities in the area. If you've spent any time in the sodium seasoning aisle of a grocery store, you've probably seen their pouches of chili and taco mixes, among other stuff. Occasionally, whatever they're messing with inside this building causes the surrounding air to smell exactly like the spice and cereal cupboard at my grandparents' old house, before grandpa died. It's an odd, pleasant and completely nondescript aroma, so complex that my schnoz couldn't begin to dissect it to its individual components. It doesn't smell this way all the time. A lot of times, it just smells like chili powder or fresh ground black pepper.
I also encountered a veritable roadside hardware store. Every 10th of a mile or so, I saw a couple of large, unused zip ties. This particular one also had a trailer hitch retainer pin next to it. A lot of times, when I see things in the road that would be hazardous to other cyclists, I pick them up and dispose of them, or if they're too large, I move them out of the way. I snagged a few of these from the roadside for my own personal use. Never know when you'll need some huge zip ties.
I also had a quick chat with some of the regular amateur radio operators, who were going on about the heat and the price of gas. They said I need to get my head examined. I believe one has to be a bit eccentric to ride a bike in the first place, so there's probably a grain of truth in there somewhere.
About half of my commute takes place on a road that's separated from I-35 by little more than a few sets of railroad tracks and the standard railroad right-of-way. Many mornings, I will observe a red or blue motorcycle barreling through traffic on the highway at speeds well into the triple digits, weaving between cars. I used to think it was the same moron with more than one bike. This morning, both of them were out playing a game of chase in the middle of morning rush hour, doing stuff that I can only imagine pushes the very limits of human reaction time several times per minute.
They're eventually going to get hurt if they keep this up. I couldn't really care less if they did -- after all, they likely know full well that they're teasing the grim reaper when they act this way. I just hope they don't take anyone with them when it happens.
Home-bound heat index today: 105. Wind: travel-speed tailwind. Not a good combo. Fortunately, I keep Gatorade mix at the office, and got it nice and cold for the commute.
I got to scope out Middle Creek Fishing Lake over the weekend. This is where we'll be camping on July 30th. I can only imagine that it could be just as hot that weekend as it was today, or worse. I went fishing out there on Sunday morning, and caught a whole cooler full of bupkis. Mostly, I was checking out to see how viable it would be for a bike camping trip. I think it'll work great, but like I said last week: we'll actually be roughing it.
The whole park is gravel. But that shouldn't put too much of a damper on things.
Toilets: Brick shelters with a roof. Urinal and a hole in the ground. Wasps abound. Bring your own TP and hand sanitizer.
Sinks and showers? What sinks and showers? "Adult Skin Cleaning Cloths" -- essentially grown-up baby wipes are a favorite among commuters that don't have showers at the office. I can't imagine it'd hurt to bring some of those along. You can find them at the drug store.
Water? There's lots of it, but it's all in the lake, and the stuff I saw had twigs, algae, spiders and mosquito larvae in it. I will try to call Rutlader Outpost (a nearby RV park) and ask if they have water we can use (or buy?) but I decided it was high time to pick up a backpacking filter system of some sort. I went with something similar to this Sawyer Water Filter
(but with a transparent blue bottle) that I found at Walmart for half the price of anywhere else. How's it work? How about I show you with my mis-aligned camera, stammering case of the "umms" and fidgety hands?
That was some 36 hours ago, and I'm not sick... yet...
Honestly, it tasted just like the Brita filtered water I drink at home. I really should have boiled it first, but at 0.1 micron, there are only a few things that can make it through with the water, and most of those things aren't a problem here in the United States, even in grimy lake water. I'll probably properly boil the water at camp before filtration. I also found a way to pump water through it by pressurizing the bottle through the ventilation hole. I'll be more than happy to share while we're at camp if others need some purified water. I'm sure others will also be willing to help.
Random Tunage:
The Prodigy - Fire
Andain - Promises (Myon & Shane 54 Summer Of Love Mix)
Well, that was fast. I mumbled the words "bicycle camping" and a few folks had jumped on it. Mark your calendars.
We're going to be roughing it this time. Middle Creek Lake in Louisburg, KS has no showers, electricity, flushing toilets or drinking water on site. There are some convenience stores on the way out and back, but nothing really close to the campsites.
People will be coming from various parts of town, but I propose those who wish to convoy to the lake meet at the Overland Park Arboretum just west of US-69 on 179th street at Noon on Saturday. I plan on riding east from the arboretum to Metcalf, then heading straight south almost exactly 20 miles to the campsite.
Other than that, there's no defined route, no actual "start time" or anything of the sort, so feel free to join us later in the day. Just get yourself and your gear to the lake on July 30th and camp with other cyclists. It sounds like some participants may enjoy an "extended" gravel detour (maybe not as hardcore as last year?) on the way to camp, while others head straight to the lake.
We'll begin our return trip after breakfast on Sunday morning.
These things are always awesome, because there are many different ways to prepare the bike, shelter, food, cooking, and entertainment and everyone has a different technique. People learn cool tricks from the other participants on trips like this. I'm actually looking forward to overcoming the drinking water challenge and seeing how others do it. You may want to think about bringing several extra bottles for water at the camp site, or peruse the various backpacking options for acquiring safe drinking water. I'll probably go the "filtered water bottle" route and boil the water before filtration.
If you've never done anything like this before, don't worry. It's easier than it looks, as long as you have a bike that can carry food and shelter. Feel free to ask questions and discuss the event in the comments. Invite friends. The more, the merrier. We had 11 folks at a similar event in 2009.
I'm calling this a rain-or-shine event. I don't mind camping in the rain, or riding in it this time of year.
I've been quite displeased with the official Lenexa Midnight Bike Ride route ever since they took it away from old town Lenexa, routing through the Meritex caves. In 2009, they let everyone dodge toddlers in the dark on the hilly, arduous and banal Shawnee Mission Park circuit. Lame. Last year, they started and ended at Black Hoof Park. I like Black Hoof Park, but it's not a cave, and it's not a particularly interesting route at night. This year, they're switching it up a little, but not by much. It's taking place in the same part of Lenexa.
With how crazy work was from the middle of May through the end of June, I lacked the mental and physical wherewithal to prepare a Lenexa Midnight Bike Ride revolt for the 3rd year in a row.
All this, and we still haven't had a Dark Side Ride at all this summer. I'm jonesing for some dark time on a bicycle. So, what to do?
Every year at pretty much any big event (charity walks, club rides, triathlons, etc), the amateur radio operators in the community volunteer their time, skills and equipment to help ensure the event's coordination and safety. So I volunteered bicycle mobile communications support for this years event. Perhaps the coordinator will have me stationed in one place, or maybe they'll want me to roam. Who knows. Either way, I'll be mixing up bicycling, geolocation (with APRS) and amateur radio. Maybe I'll see you there.
If you're around and also an amateur radio operator, I'll be listening on 446.000 (simplex) as well as the repeater being used for coordination of the event. Feel free to key up on UHF and say hi.
Also: We really need a Dark Side Ride and a bike camping trip, post haste.
Because clipless is not practical for a pair of 6 mile daily rides...
First one to mention dual-sided Platform/SPD pedals or SPD Sandals gets to visit
my Amazon Wish List and buy said item for me, because I sure as hell can't afford either one.
Still here. Things are just crazy at work.
This is what happens when someone asks me to put together a guest post on short notice. While I've got plenty of crazy stories to tell, I'd rather just help people bike their drive.
Random Tunage:
Jan Hammer - Crockett's Theme
Deadmau5 - Not Exactly (Inpetto Remix)
The highlight reel from my homeward commute. The raw footage would be about half an hour of yawn-inducing banality. I have distilled said yawns into approximately four minutes of the most interesting perspectives of an average commute home. For the record, the guy I pass at 1:30 or so was precisely the second bike commuter (not counting my own person) that I saw today. The guy at 3:00 was in full race kit on a road bike, not carrying anything. Maybe a homeward-bound leave-everything-at-the-office commuter, but not likely.
For those curious about the gear I'm using (Amazon affiliate links):
Kodak Play Sport
Flashpoint Action Mount
Before work yesterday, I decided to ride to the Overland Park breakfast stop at Deanna Rose farmstead. I didn't sleep well the night before (long story) and this jaunt added about 10 miles to my usual 6-ish mile commute.Chilly: lower 40s.
When I pulled up a few minutes after 6:30, commuterDude was already at the stop. We'd been trying to talk to one another on the radio most of the morning, but either the repeater we were using was having problems, or we were both in the wrong part of town to punch into it.
Suburban bike rack:
Drew also showed up, still rockin' the FCR.
In the evening, it seemed to be a case of someone jettisoning bad music* from their cars, as I found two separate audio CDs on the side of the road about half a mile apart from one another.
Mercy Me and Switchfoot, in case you cared.
As for today? I'm going to ride to work and ride home, just like I do most of the time. Tomorrow, Overland Park hosts another breakfast event as part of their Wednesday Farmer's Market. I look forward to meeting some more folks there!
* Not a statement of artist talent. I like some Christian music, but neither of the two are really my style.
Shorts for the morning commute!
Friday AM commute: 45 degrees (brr!)
Today's AM commute: 75 degrees (perfect!)
Now, Mother Nature: Let's discuss these 90 degree afternoons. It's only May. For real.
Okay, I swear this isn't going to turn into an amateur radio blog, and I swear I'm still riding, albeit not as much as I wish. While en route between home and work, I'll often participate in one of the local commute-time discussions. A few regulars tune in to the frequency used by a local repeater, discuss current events and shoot the breeze. Some of these guys are a riot. It beats morning radio, for sure. I do more listening than talking. On the bike, I leave a radio in a pannier pocket and hook up a handheld speaker/microphone.
I've been doing a bit of work on the side to drum up funds for a things I want or need. One of those was decent ham radio to to use at home; something 25 watts or better. A few weeks back, I went to what was essentially an amateur radio swap meet. I scored two used dual-band mobile transceivers with accessories for considerably less than the price of a single new unit with the comparable gear. Both are capable of pumping out 50 watts. One of them is tiny -- about the size of a hard drive.
But then, the real surprise was that c'Dude himself also picked up a tiny handheld that same weekend. It's not too much different than the VX-2R I have, but it's got some more features. I've known he was a ham since I met him. While he's had a license to operate on the air for a long time, he hasn't had a radio, as far as I know, in quite a while. This should be fun!
We've talked on the air a few times, but I think our commuting schedules are far enough off that we probably won't be ragchewing from the bikes at the same time too often. This should be a pretty cool addition to darkside rides and bike camping trips, though.
That is all.
Update:
Dan Kaminsky calls bullshit. And that may be check mate for me. Of course, if people would quit riding on the sidewalks, quit being scared gutter bunnies and FOR CRYING OUT LOUD quit being bike salmon, bike lanes wouldn't likely help. But apparently, they gently nudge cyclists out into the road where they belong in the first place.
I personally think there has to be a better way, but whatever.
Oh, yeah. Just take the damned lane already, if there's not a little stripe of paint on the road to segregate you.
It makes me sad, but my wife has asked if I could find a buyer for her Electra Townie 3S. She bought the Townie back in 2008 with her health already in decline, hoping that it would help her become more active. She went on a few short rides with it, but eventually her doctors advised her to stop and persue less intense therapy under the supervision of a physician. Last year, the government declared her 100% disabled. She makes frequent visits to the ER. Her symptoms continue to baffle doctors and the diagnosis seemingly changes every two months. That means that doctors are still guessing and don't really know what's wrong.
It's hard to justify holding on to this really nice bike when the government says she's disabled and her doctors say she should not be on a bicycle. She's logged 54.9 miles on it. It's never been left outside, and I've kept it clean and in good working order. It's got a Shimano Nexus 3 hub, coaster brakes, front suspension and a chain guard. The riding posture is very relaxed and fun. It's got the soul of a beach cruiser. Included is the add-on townie cargo rack and trunk bag, a handlebar bell and a CatEye Enduro 8 cyclometer. It's the perfect bike for urban commutes, short errands, or enjoying a day on the bike path. All combined, that stuff set her back $550 when she was still working. My wife would like $300 for it. I honestly don't know what it's worth, but I told her I'd post it here for her.
I'm hoping to eventually find a wheelchair that I can tweak to double as a bike trailer so that we can still enjoy the bike paths together, but for now, she wants to find a new home for the Townie.
*Feline companion and helmet not included.
Wait. What?
Temperatures have been fluctuating wildly this month. We've had some beautiful warm weather, several little snow storms, and a whole bunch of bland, overcast days between them. This weekend, it seemed to never stop snowing, but it was all very light snow for the most part, and with temperatures so close to freezing that nothing ever really stuck to the roads. In fact, the road was mostly dry on the way in. It was almost surreal seeing yesterday's snowfall sticking to cars, grass and trees.
The thermometer on my bike computer pegged the temperature in the mid-30s, not even freezing. A hoodie over my normal long-sleeve get-up was just about perfect.
Supposedly, we're in for another multi-inch snow storm tomorrow.
Dear Winter,
Just give up. We're ready for springtime.
Sincerely,
Bicycle Commuters in the Midwest.
I've been interested in Amateur Radio since I was 8 years old. Back then, you had to know Morse code well enough to encode and decode a few words per minute. Try as I might, that part gave me the most trouble. By the time I graduated high school, the FCC had ditched the Morse Code requirement. Then, the cost of equipment had me in sticker shock. All my life, I've been friends with various amateur radio operators.
A few weeks back, I got a good deal on a pair of handheld transceivers from a friend in California, a Yaesu VX-2R
and Yaesu VX-7R. This turned a "pie in the sky" thing into a tangible, attainable hobby.
The VX-7R is beefy and heavy. It's got an alloy case, and it's submersible to 3 feet for 30 minutes, and can withstand hours upon hours in the rain. The VX-2R fits in the palm of my hand. It's light and packed with features. I don't really know how well either of them transmit just yet.
Few things motivate you to get licensed like having new hardware and being unable to legally use it to its fullest potential. I've been cramming these past few weeks, and a group of Volunteer Examiners was hosting a testing session tonight. I went in knowing I'd do really well on the entry-level Technician test. The group let me take the next-level General exam as well, but I missed one question too many to get that license. I hadn't even studied for general, and I guessed at more than half of the answers. I'll go back and take that test sometime later.
Anyhow, looky looky!
That VX-2R is definitely going on my S24O adventures, and there's actually a lot of entertaining banter on some of the nearby repeaters.
More bikey adventures coming soon!
I woke up to see this:
Definitely time for a ride. The main roads have been clear enough to ride on for the past few days, but over-eager drivers combined with shoulders made of 3-foot (or deeper) plow banks means that my usual rush-hour bike commute is still kind of on hold. An early morning ride a little longer than my usual commute was definitely in order. Partially to shake down Frank in real snow, testing out the new cyclometer (which read -5.2°F by the time I got back home) and partially just to say I've ridden in colder than -5. My previous cold record was about 2 and a half miles at -4.
As for snow handling, these 2.25" tires handle amazingly well, but they still don't have the floating capacity to handle the un-plowed church parking lot down the road from me. In fact, powering into the un-plowed mass grabbed my front tire with enough oomph to throw me into what had to be a comically slow-mo endo. As usual, I love playing in the snow.
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