Adrenalin Junkie

My Thoughts, Riding experiences, Industry experiences, and Life experiences that all somehow involve bikes

Pics continued….

Posted in 1 on January 25th, 2009

Yeah that is me getting some not so major air. Give me a F*ckin’ break it haven’t snowboraded in 8 years! Maybe that is why I was so freakin’ sore. dasummit4.jpg

I have seen dirt. Dirt has seen me.

Posted in 1 on January 25th, 2009

Some pics came through of my adventures this past Tuesday at Da Summit. Here is one of dirt…yes dirt. I know it is hard to believe. But it was there and it was soft enough for me to play with it and for K to taste it. MMMMM dirt! Needs a little Tabasco to melt the rest of that pesky white stuff around it. Don’t get too excited though…we still have a least a month before we can relax about snow falling. It will go by fast. I promise!

My right leg has finally healed from the fun and games on Tuesday. I got out on my fixie (Totem) yesterday and enjoyed a nice ride around Stoneham. Dropped off a movie and got some groceries afterwards. It was nice out, not super cold. It was right around 6pm and the wind started to pick up a bit. I got a weird look from a guy pushing shopping carts at Shaws. I gave him a weird look back.  The look conveyed: “What? you’ve never seen a guy on a bike? Look at you…you are pushing a hunk of cold metal around too. Maybe you are the crazy one. At least my hunk of metal brings me places and doesn’t have a wobbling wheel. HAHAHHAHAHA!”

Well, after my 4 days off from the bike (damn muscles) I am itching to get back on my sled and ride to work tomorrow. The weather should hold off until Wednesday so it should be a good Monday to start the week off right. I am also going to post a pic of some sick googles that were found and given to me. Hmmm I may have mentioned them in my last blurb.  They are the wackiest and sexiest googles I have ever slipped onto my face. No idea who made them. Maybe that is why I like ’em so much.

Sooooo, tomorrow will be a fixed ride in and back. Tuesday will be an early snow shoe expedition to pack some trails down in hopes to ride them for Saturday. The snow shoes really do a great job and they really don’t leave it packed smooth. This makes the trail bummpy… simulating some roots and rocks (that are really covered by the snow).

Hope to see you out there. As always go out and enjoy some brew at you local watering hole and have a great couple of days!

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Snaped On and Broke Off

Posted in 1 on January 23rd, 2009

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The last few days have been interesting. A compilation of events starting off with an amazing weekend. And ending (maybe not ending) with a large purchase and some alterations to my office/work area. Lots of snow and sightly warm temperatures have made this week even more riveting.

Saturday I had to work but it wasn’t too bad because I took a break in the early afternoon to help my pappy with an authentic artificial Amish fireplace. Uhhhhh ya get that one? Then got to hang out and look at interesting Internet stuff while listening to music with a friend. Sunday was snowing. Work was closed and was snowed in because of the bad driving conditions and a lack of riding supplies for my friend. Watching MTB videos and watching snow fall simultaneously is stressful.

Monday…nothing special other than shoveling a shyte load of snow. More than I care to.

Tuesday was an event. Went to work Via car unfortunately. I know I am a pansy. Afterwards I redeemed myself with some awesomeness that only Da Summit can muster.  K and I went snowboarding Glade style. We quickly realized that the grade of the slope was not enough with the amount of fluffy stuff that was covering the earth. So I pulled out my snowshoes and proceeded to stomp the snow down so that we could speed up a bit on the boards. Damn that made a huge difference. Check out some of the pics on “Da Summit” blog that are coming in the next couple days. It will be the first post on there since K and I created it. Yes we are procrastinators. After that we went back and drank some beers ’round the fire pit at K’s house.

I feel asleep pretty quickly that night. Having now idea what I was about to do on Wednesday.  I got to work on Wednesday. I was more sore than I have ever been from doing any sort of exercise. I feel a few time of the snowboard, but damn I am sore even today. Anyway, I was at the shop for 20minutes when the Snap-On rep. came in with a killer deal for me. I spoke of a new tool box earlier in the fall of 2008. He came to me with a offer i couldn’t refuse. My new baby. a 54″ X 24″ Roller cab from Snap-On. Pic above is of one of my favorite stickers. The pic links below are of the box in all it’s glory. Sorry for the blurred pics I already had a couple of frosty ones with some friends while rebuilding one of there forks.

Well from then I have been super excited and can’t wait to get that thing in my work area and all organized.  I thin this is my first huge purchase for anything professional…other than bikes. Yes I consider that a profession expense. I just so happen to enjoy it as well. How many of you can say that.

Well I am off to heal up and drink a beer. Cheers and happy slushing

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With a teaspoon of snow the medicine goes down.

Posted in 1 on January 18th, 2009

I won’t lie…most cases my medicine is beer. It has cured the common cold. Mended wounds from tarmac and earth. Even soothed the pain of a broken heart. Luckily these ailments are not the problem today. The problem is a bit of the winter doldrums. I probably tortured my self by watching my favorite mountain bike movie. Even more salt in the wounds…the TV was right next to the window that showcased the falling snow.  I guess it is a sort of therapy for me to watch these amazing flicks. It puts a bug in my ear. allows my mind to day dream and give me hope for what is to come.

I believe that motivation comes in many forms. From the amazing people that ride their bikes year round to music to videos and even working on a bike lights a fire under my ass. It all motivates me to ride. It makes me want to smell the dirt and leaves being kicked up by my tires. The smell of the air just before it rains and the feeling in my bones just before I take a plunge into the depth the forest. It invigorates me to no end.

Many other things in life motivate me. My Goddaughter and my family. They motivate me to be a better, more whole person. My friends motivate me to be more loyal and proud of who I am.   My bike motivates me to push. Push everything that is me. From how I carry myself to who I am associated with. My bikes rule my life. Every were I go in my life there is something that is bike related. Even if it is not directly related I make sure there is an underlying message or glimpse of the cycling life. These things keep me focused and on track.

Snow brings a not so new element into my life.  I have always ridden my mountain bikes through the winter. I never thought I would have so much fun on a skinny tired bike sluggin’ through the snow as if I had a 58/11, but damn it is a new side of this life for me. I get a new enjoyment out of it. Even though my home is dirt I feel as though snow is a more advanced difficulty. Much like video games have. When I ride snow I feel I am in “Legendary” mode. Blazing guns so quickly that you have to play in a slow motion state. You have to be on point and ready for the unexpected. You can’t see whats coming so be ready for the hidden log or rock or small alien creature with a weapon. Be ready for ice, for solid ground, and the occasional Scareb. It sneaks up on you like a jack in the box. You know its coming but damn…no matter how many times you have it pop, you still get surprised.

Okay, I went off onto a tangent. A lot of babble spuing from my brain today. I have been couped up drinking beer and enjoying some “roughage”.   All this babble is why I started this blog. I want to give you a peek into a persons life. You may know many people like me. You will never know it but WE all  have a similar take on things. We all want the same for ourselves. We want to be motivated and feel useful. If a bicycle is your thing then go ride it…snowing or not. If cars are your thing then be responsible and help the earth by carpooling and being a better driver and drive the f**** out of it. If horses are your thing then…pick up the poop.

Go out tonight or tomorrow night and drink some good liquid with friends and family. Talk about things you love and stop thinking about the freaking snow. Love life, love bikes, love beer, New England!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Winter Itch

Posted in Thoughts on January 16th, 2009

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Winter in New England. Sometimes I think the reason why everyone thinks that New Englanders (Bostonians in particular) are grumpy, grouchy and rude is becuase of our wonderful winters. I guess there is some merit to that thought. Think about it. If you woke up everyday in a different bed that had a different plushness with different pillows would you be very happy?

On the other hand what about the old saying that “variety is the spice of life”. This statement blows me away everytime I say it. If I was stuck in a perpetual 20 degress fareinhit or 90 degrees I wouldn’t be happy either.  Although living in some places that have a nice 70-75 degree average with a light breeze would be pretty damn sweet. But I go back to the variety statement. I think I would get bored with it.

I have lived in this climate for 27years. Every summer I complain about the humidty and heat. Every winter I complain about the blustry cold. The spring and summer months I, of course, find something to complain about. With that said I wouldn’t change New England and it’s climate. It is who I am. It is who WE are. We are tougher than everyone else because we are able to put up with everything that it involves. So what if we are grumpy and rude. Wear your badge proudly. Show those out of towners what it’s all about.

Next time you walk out your door to swing your leg over your top tube and curse the cold. Remember the years before that you made it through. Remember the slushy gray days that you plowed through on your two wheeled sled. You made it that day. You can make it today. Wear that F****** badge proudly!

Above picture: A fellow commuter that commutes year round. He has outfitted his bike with some unorthodox fenders and accessories. These are fenders from a Honda Quad. A bit heavy but does a better job than any other fender I have ever seen. Bravo my friend!

A New Purpose

Posted in Thoughts on January 8th, 2009

Something has been brought to my attention and I unfortunately have to put a disclaimer out to you, the people that read my blog. For which I am grateful that someone out there feels I am interesting enough to actually read my babble.

I write about my experiences with repairs and builds. Not about the people that own them.  I really want people to understand that this site is in no way an attack on those who owned or own these bikes.  I want you to understand that I write this blog to educate you, my fellow cyclists. To express my concerns as a mechanic. And to also share some of the awesomeness that I am exposed to day to day. In fact I have choosen and will continue to choose the particular experiences I write about, because I think that those people would be happy and proud of there “accomplishments”. To break a frame in half or completely corrode a frame is certainly and achievement and not many humans get to go through that. Know that I mean no harm or ill will to anyone. Anyone!

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The above picture is a good example. This person, a good friend, rides their ass off constantly. One of the very few people that commute and ride year round. They were hit by a van (another story for another day). The bike is completely totaled. Did I mention it was a very expensive purty bike? They adored this bike and a man in a four wheel box of death plowed right along into them. Garrr!

In a way I am envious of these people. Of course I have broken my fair share of parts and bikes. But these people have ridden so hard and so much that they have actually surprised me. They have left me in awe. You my friends are certainly marvelous!

Keep riding hard and rocking out with you bike out!

I Have A Music Mustache

Posted in Thoughts on January 3rd, 2009

Bluuuuues music

Music is something that is so powerful to me that I treat it like food. When I here what I like I can amost taste the groove. It empowers me with so much energy that it beams forth through my pores. Like the sweat beading on my upper lip after consuming habenero sauces. It proves to be the driving force for any activity I do. Cycling in particular.

What I wonder is how powerful music really is. Not to myself but to others. I never got how my father could listen to talk radio that just drones on. Espacially when there are musicians that make those subjects interesting with a simple guitar riff or drumline. I realize that these talk jocks have their own opinions and spin on matters of the universe. But they are just not interesting. When I was a kid the only way that I would actually sleep in the car is if that babble was on the radio.

The only person/artist that I can stand to listen to for hours without actually seeing him jump around, scream, sweat and ramble is Rollins. He keeps it interesting by throwing some wacky stuff into your brain, mixing it like bingo numbers and then blows it up with some C4. He realizes that people don’t want to be drowned by the same crap over and over. You gotta drown people with vivid, real, meaningful and meaningless crap.

Anyways, give music to your family and friends. Even if they don’t like it, at least you gave them a chance to ship off to a distant place in their heads that they may not have ventured to before.  Go explore for yourself and you never know what might empower you. Give yourself a Music Mustache. Your bike will love you for it.

What was white now is brown

Posted in Thoughts on December 22nd, 2008

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A few posts ago I mentioned I planned on riding through the winter as much as possible. Well I have been doing pretty good. I do have to admit that I have chosen to take a couple rides from friends here and there for various reasons. Usually not because I don’t want to ride (I do want to ride. I swear!).  I won’t give excuses. That is silly. I have reached low temperatures ( 10 degrees actually temp, feels like 3 deg) I have ridden in snow and sleet. Ridden on unplowed roads that would be walked easier. I have yet to feel the need for my DH goggles. But that is the only piece of equipment that I haven’t felt the need to use. I hope I won’t but if needed I am ready with my tare-offs.  That brown Sh*t that flings up from your tire and smack your eye….burns. This only happens in the really slushy stuff.

Soon it will be 2009. I have dubbed ” The Year of Exploration and Change”. Well this may not be a good title for your ’09 but it will be for me. I have done things the same way for the last 10years. My relationships the same, my riding…the same, my work…the same, my life has been the same. The same cycle of moving forward to only step back. The same cycle that has also gotten me where I am today. A place I a pretty damn proud of. I have accomplished all that I set out to do 5 years ago. But I am not as happy as I could be. I am not as accomplished as I would like to be. If I was I would be devastated…with nothing to live for. That would be depressing.

My riding through the winter is a precursor to what I want. I want to be stronger, faster, and more willing to push myself past my limits. Want to feel the pain of freezing skin and numb limbs. I want to feel the grip of winter in  my lungs and the love of freedom in my heart. The steel box with 4 wheels has limited me. Not for exploring the world but exploring my mind. We are slaves to the auto industry.  Even more our minds are slaves to the mindless stop, go, shift, park, honk, yell, curse life that is the current state of humankind. We rely on these machines so much that we never think of what out mind might do if we actually exercise…in the outdoors. If we actually stimulate ourselves past the rear-view mirror.

I sit here at the computer. Every few minutes looking out to the street were there are little pawns. Lined up waiting at the lights. Some people come into the shop saying that they have been there for more than 30minutes. Normally traveling form the highway to the next set of lights can only take 2 minutes…literally. I really can’t wait until I get out there and ride past all of them. Yeah they are in their warm cars listening to music. Oh wait…I am warm( I love technical fabrics) and I am listening to my Ipod. I guess I am better than them huh? HAHAHAHA I have beaten you!

Cheers to you all! I hope you all have great Holidays. Get out and enjoy the outdoors.

Cars are Coffins!

It’s a bike world after all!

Posted in 1 on December 15th, 2008

Last night (Sunday) I rode Bessie home. She ,as usual, never ceases to amaze. I had two lights. One charged completely gives me about 2hrs burn time. That light was on my controls. The other which probably had about 1 hour left on it was my auxiliary light (helmet style). I burnt through my bar light which put me 2/3 to my destination (which was the pavement) so the auxiliary light did the job getting me to the asphalt. It died about 2 minutes into the road portion of my ride. Just right!

While on my way home last night I noticed that some spots needed a bit of trail maintenance. Normally I leave trails as they are, but it was pretty damn hard to follow the trails in the dark with a ton of leaves on them.  So this morning I strapped my collapsible rake (Thank you K for the coolest addition to my trail tools so far) and my sick tree saw to my Decline bag and headed to the trails.  I was out last night for about 3hrs. I was on the bike this morning from 8-11:15am. So that is about 3hrs as well. This included about an hour of raking and some other trail maintenance. Tonight should be another 2hr experience…I think I will have less beer in me though. I was a bit typsie last night to be riding alone in the woods.  Don’t try this at home kids. For experienced, stupid MTBers only.

Tonight will be a bit wetter than last…it is sprinkling out enough to add a bit of mystery to how and when my tires will be hooking up. I like that. Makes me pay more attention. Pushes my limits a bit more when the tires start to slide into corners and off roots and rocks. But those trails that I worked on should make it a bit more….fast. As much as I like having leaves under me, allowing my wheels to slide and drift around corners. Seeing the trail at night and not getting lost has it benefits as well.

I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have the variety of commuting styles that I have. If I couldn’t get on the knobby tires and ride some dirt I might go insane. I have always been a dirt fiend, so being trapped on the asphalt would really make my commute feel…like work. With mixing it up day to day keeps my commuting juices flowing. It also keeps a smile on my face. It is awesome riding up to the store and being covered in mud because of my commute. Not many people can say that. I think if more people could say that more people would have smiles on there faces when they arrive at their place of work.

I saw a fellow commuter today. He was riding the portion of solid stuff in between my off-road loop to work. He was on a Surly Crosscheck. Looked pretty good. He seemed to be pretty hardcore with the racks, panniers and the clothing he was wearing. He had a big smile on his face and waved. It was a balmy 4o something degrees with the sun shinning. We were both in a good place. I wonder if he had any internal thoughts when he saw me on my 37lb freeride bike, out of my saddle and pedaling my ass off. I think I am crazy. Sometimes I wonder what people think. I probably wouldn’t even fit in amongst other freeriders because of all my commuting gear. HaHa…gotta laugh at that. I love it way to much to stop.

This pic is of me riding my old XC bike at a local spot. No new pics that really relate to this post. But I think it is a good pic either way.WhippleDipple

PUSHing The Limits

Posted in Thoughts on December 14th, 2008

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This past week I haven’t done as much riding as usual. I have cheated on my bikes and took a couple rides (from friends that drive) during the nasty weather. I know…I’m a wuss. I plan to make up for it though. I have decided to not stop pedaling, on my commutes home, until I can’t pedal anymore. Longer MTB loops and more mileage on the skinny tires.

My dream machine is back with some new bits on her. Bessie now has some new hardware and a shock that has been tuned (Push style) to how I want it to perform.  With the new Ti spring it has lost a few grams and will feel better, longer.  She is like a new bike. She pedals well no matter where the shock is in it’s stroke. Feels plusher and more sensitive.

My 1×1 will be turned into a fixie this week. Gonna have to do some changes in fit and style of components. Not sure of how far I am going to take it. Unfortunately $$ is a bit scarce so I won’t be going all out like I do with most of my bikes.

Myself and two other friends went to “The Summit” on Saturday. The roads were closed going to the location, because of the deep freeze that we had during last weeks NE style weather. So we just hiked our supplies in and worked on some trails. We eneded up moving a lot of branches and demolished trees off the trails. We also started a new trail that will eventually have a good size wall ride and a massive drop off of the same rock. This trail will proabbly be our favorite. It will have so much flow, a few kickers, a few table tops, and a few other obstacles that are yet to be planned. It may also be one of the longest trails we have made. It will connect our “Lumber Yard” to some of the original trails they were there when we started.

The photo above is from a friends hangout. He has all sorts of sweet artwork and will his hangout will hopefully be the home of some sweet original bike artwork by yours truly.  He has some sweet modification tools.

Well I am off to suit up for the MTB commute home.  With the amount of lights I have and the energy I have, I won’t be home until midnight.  Enjoy the next couple days.

Prost!