Call Yer Ma!

Hey! I'd call mine, if she weren't underground.

No Respect

In the city that never sleeps there is proof. Automobiles don't respect cyclists in America. NYC has been putting in bike lanes on specific thoroughfares and it is routine for taxis, delivery vehicles, and anyone else that thinks they are more important to use them as a personal parking zone.

Arrogant bastards. I hope fuel goes to $16 a gallon in the very near future. So many car owners suck it isn't funny. Its the one thing that keeps me from riding more. You crazy well insulated assholes scare the beejebers out of me.

Don't just believe me, its in the NYT. Sorry you'll have to register to read. Its the NYT, you should register and read it.

Or not. Be ignorant, I don't really care. Just don't hit me when I'm cycling on the road.

The Elephant Takes One For The Team

The photo below is of a bolt. A three and 3/4 inch long bolt to be exact. It was sticking out of the passenger side rear tire of the elephant on Friday. I could hear it thumping when I left in the morning, but had an appointment I couldn't miss. I was a little early, so I picked a parking spot away from everyone. I checked the tires thoroughly and then pushed the Elephant a few inches forward and looked again. I found it easily because it was shiny from rubbing the pavement. It tried to move it and knew I had a leak when I moved it a little. It was raining, so I knew the tire was leaking as the water was bubbling around the edges of the bolt head. Rats. I considered going to see Thing 1 and getting it fixed right then, but went to work instead.

On the way home after work I put air in the tire as it was rather low. When I got home it was raining harder. I took the injured tire off and I put the little dinky spare on. Driving with the spare in the rain was no fun. Cornering was weird and uncomfortable. I had to drive it to take the tire to a tire repair shop. They didn't have time to fix it last night.

They tried to fix it this morning and the plug wouldn't hold. The bolt had gone in at a severe angle and had ruined the tire. It took them awhile to locate something used of the same size from another shop. Kiss that $50 goodbye.

A Different Kind of Monkey

Yesterday in Japan, history was made in the sports world.

Danica Patrick won an Indy car race in Montegi, Japan.

What's the big deal? She is the first woman to ever win an Indy car race.

EVER.

In fact it was just 1977 (when I graduated from high school) that a woman was permitted to race an Indy car along side men. You know the drill. They aren't strong enough, they don't have the endurance, they don't have the body strength, they aren't emotionally stable, they can't endure the heat of the open cockpit vehicle. Well that monkey's off her back. Blah, blah, and blah.

And bullshit.

At just 26, Danica has set a mark that will go down as an achievement for all people. Given a fair opportunity, anyone, can be capable of anything.

In this case by better fuel management, Danica passed in the last few laps the race winning racer Helio Castroneves. Even he said after the finish, "She beat me fair and square. She managed her fuel better, and passed me. I simply didn't have the fuel to compete even though I wanted to."

So what's the big deal CC? Lets start with I have a daughter and I want her to get every opportunity she deserves. Next I've known brilliant and capable women since I was in high school that were better at something than me. To see a woman win at a sport dominated by "good old rednecks from the south" is just the type of "finger in your eye" type of situation I enjoy. Its not just the underdog winning, but its the person that the rest of the tribe of racers conspire against to prevent winning. Between Danica Patrick and Shirley Maldowney (the first woman licensed and went on to win in the male dominated sport of NHRA drag racing, shame on you for not knowing) will go down as the firsts of the sports. Someday some young woman will climb a podium or accept a trophy and point out that when she was a little girl she saw Danica win for the first time and realized she was capable of anything. ANYTHING. Now that's a legacy.

Boobs in the News

See yah later Frank.

Frank Thomas was nicknamed the "Big Hurt" while at the Chicago White Sox. Indeed he had that ability and was feared among pitchers everywhere. Yet the biggest hurt he put, was on himself. He was never a team player, and was never well liked any where he went. When the dirty Sox won the series, FT wasn't on the bench due to an injury. I recall he was not awarded a full share of the series win due to his behavior. Winning teams are generous, but they will spite someone that has been a thorn their entire career and FT was a huge thorn. To everyone, trainers, managers, teammates, and owners alike.

Maybe you and Barry Bonds can start your own team of whiners and complainers? Think you'll win anything?

Nah, I didn't think so either.

Some nut

At a recent breakfast at Al's in Dinkytown, the Knights of the Al's table were surprised by some knucklehead documenting the event with a camera. Damn Yoopers, you can take them out, but you can't stop them from embarrassing you.

Charelton Heston

Good riddance. You were possibly the most wooden actor to ever win an Oscar. Soylent Green is people! Yawn. The only movie where he was worth a hoot is Touch of Evil. Its made by Orson Welles and Chucky plays a man put into a tough position like a good Hitchcock movie. Shot in 1958 (I think) its in glorious black and white which I think makes it better. Then again, I loved seeing Chuck getting spun around a few times by fate.

You know, I think there are lots of guns where Chuck went. Only I'm guessing they are all pointed at him so he gets to feel what the other end feels like.

Amperage Up! or How I spent 02/28/2008

The VibroChamp I've been playing through was borrowed. Its an old amplifier and I probably can't do any damage to it, but it's still borrowed. So, I've been studying CraigsList and Harmony Central and the Music Electronics Forum to learn about cool versus not so cool amps. Once you get past the kids posting how "Crate Rulz" and "Peavey sucks!" and figure who you can learn from its pretty straightforward. Basically I fall into the tube amp crowd wanting that warm sound without a need for 8799 modulated colorations to my crummy strumming and picking. I did kind of want something a little bigger than the VibroChamp.

Why? I dunno. Ego? "My amps bigger than yours?" Needing to make up for other undervalued areas of my being? You pay for the therapy and I'll go.

So, I didn't want something gigantic. No Marshall stacks. No Bandmaster head and 4 by 12 bottom. Just a combo with a 10 or 12 inch seemed fine. I'd stop by GC and play a few. Fender Deluxe, a Fender Blues Jr. Reissue, a Fender Blues Deluxe Reissue, even a used Peavey Delta Blues, okay, maybe a old Champ or VibroChamp if it were vintage and not solid state like this.

What I did come across is an advert for a '90s vintage Blues Deluxe. Not a reissue. Several times there were folks claiming they were crap. After I'd become really interested I discovered there were non of the reissues in the country to try. There was one in the GC in Roseville, but it was sold. I really liked the tweed vintage look and it didn't have a lot of extras to fool around with. So I called the guy. He was busy at work, and didn't get to call back.

Eventually Thursday night he says tonights the night. That was the night of snow and crud all over the roads and freezing rain and junk. I live far north of town. He lives far south of town. Crap. I got cash out of the bank, went home and got Earl. It seemed like he was never going to call back and I started to think he wasn't going to.

We he finally did call back with directions I drove down to see it. It looked horrible. Dirty, filthy, grungy and well, a cyclist would refer to it as a healthy "patina." Including this stupid microphone stand bolted to the top. Yet it sounded good. He said the line one sometimes gets cranky, but line two always worked fine. As we were testing it out, the power went out. No joke. Now what? He found the circuit breaker and none were tripped. Um, what? Finally after looking next door and stuff it was obvious. The block was out of power. I should have played it more, but instead we stood at his kitchen table counting out cash by cell phone light.

The trip down was a calamity as well. I knew the windshield wiper blades on the elephant were failing, but I didn't bother to change them. I had already bought new ones and they sat on the credenza in the living room. Stupid move buttnick. By half way there I was down to a two inch section of blade still attached and the rest of the blade rubber flopping around like loose shoe laces. So every few miles I'd end up stopping and using the scraper to gain a decent amount of visibility. Good thing Thing 3 didn't come for that ride and realize what a procrastinating dingbat his father was. On the way back I kept thinking, "Yeah, crash on the ride home, roll the elephant, and demolish the fantastic deal you just go, mo-ron." I drove slower and carefully and made it home.

He then asked for something odd. A photo of me holding the bills. It seems he'd been given a counterfeit $20 once. Later in the week spent it at the bar while bowling and spent the night in jail. He made it sound like a very unpleasant experience. I didn't really understand what me in the photo would do, but then again, I wasn't passing counterfeit bills.

Since then I've got it home and it sounds great. Capable of volumes my home can't really handle. Certainly Sparky can't. When I start flipping switches on it an putting Earl's strap on, he runs. Not walks. Some times he comes and peaks in the office door, but he really dislikes the thing. Me? I'm loving it. I took it apart and found that the amplifier electronics are very clean and unmucked with. The tubes might be old and about to fail at any moment. The driver is original and an Eminence product which is supposed to be a good thing. I didn't get a foot switch and for what people want for a vintage one, well, I'll have to learn how to make my own. I was able to figure out the date code which is July 1995 which means its an honest to Leo Fender made in USA product. The original year 1993 models are supposed to have all kinds of circuit board and other issues, so that was a good sign too. I plan to get a cover to keep dust off and am researching how to clean it. So far the best advice is to go at the Tweed with a soft brush, warm water, and a little Dawn dish washing liquid. A small area at a time, and let it dry before moving on to the next so that the cabinet doesn't warp. Color me thrilled.

Good Things for February 18, 2008

Thing 3 had Monday off so we spent a bit of it testing out stomp boxes or pedals for use with guitars and amps. I actually hauled Earl along with the amp I have borrowed to test it out. Got lots of great help from a guy at Guitar Center and bought this. It sounds as good as it did in the store. Having a blast playing Earl through it to the venerable Fender Champ. See the photo below for Sparky's feared look that I might just turn the dang thing on again. Every time I flip the power switch on the Champ, even at the low volume I play at (cause I suck , word), he skeedaddles for another room. At loud volumes he begins to howl in a call and response manner. Chord. Beagle bray. Chord. Beagle bray. Repeat.
Ever heard a beagle howl? I thought you have. Not exactly what you want for accompaniment. Oh well, he hasn't stopped me from playing. Yet.

Good Things for February 20, 2008

Heard from a friend when I forwarded her a listing for a new book about cycling for women. She appreciated it and gave a little update on her life. I was grateful to hear from her and she seemed to be doing well. She was a very good listener when I was going through the worst of my drama last fall. I sincerely hope she continues to do well and that she and her family have a great spring and summer.

Good Things For February 22, 2008

Calvin Sampson resigned from Indiana University (IU) as their basketball coach accepting a rumored 3/4 million dollar buyout. He cheated. He committed the same acts that got him in trouble at his former employer, Oklahoma University (OU). Bob Knight was an ass many times in his life, but his players graduated, and he never was close to an NCAA violation. Sampson brought cheating to IU and now the IU team will pay the price. He'll get another job. Hopefully Bob Knight will stay unemployed. I know there are many that would like him to return to IU, but his time has passed. Relax and watch some games Bob.

Good Things for February 15, 2008

Spending the day working from home when Thing 3 is ill. And actually getting things done.

Having a meeting go well.

Spending an hour at Guitar Center trying out amplifiers. And successfully avoiding making a stupid impulse buy.

Only drag, the amp I most coveted had been bought and I didn't get to try it a lot. Tough. I need to save up more money anyhow. The amp I wanted to try was a Fender Blues Deluxe in tweed. There are a lot of things I'd like. This will have to wait.

Good Things for January 31, 2008

Thing 3, the newly minted survives the hell that is the Minnesota DMV and passes his drivers written test. Cost $10.25.

Good Things so far for February 14, 2008

The tooth fairy here at work left candy (a small package of Skittles and a heart shaped sucker) on everyone in my organization's desk. Bravo to her! She's really good to us. Happy VD!

Patrick James Reusse's column in the Stribe today regarding the Roger Clemens testimony in Congress yesterday. Read for yourself. Favorite quote which is from a writer in Boston, who no longer is a writer there or possibly anywhere?

"If Clemens had not once been able to consistently throw a baseball 95 miles per hour past men with bats in their hands, he would be wearing bib overalls and sitting on a milk crate at the open end of a trailer somewhere, brushing his tooth, while shooing away flies from his head," Barnacle wrote. "The man is a complete dope."

Breakfast with the boys at Al's Breakfast in Dinkytown. Short stack of whole wheat wally blues is good for what ails you!

Good Things for February 13, 2008

Playing your new to you guitar until your fingers are sore. In a good way.

Getting VD greetings from a friend. Even if I think its the dumbest holiday ever.

Snow is again in the air and I lurve snow.

Breakfast tomorrow with a few of the boys at Al's Breakfast in Dinkytown. Six bells or all won't be well. Hope I get up in time!

Things and Good Things for February 8, 2008

The cyclist who wrote in prolific amounts and was ultimately killed while riding by a drunken driver was Ken Kifer. I know someone already gave this in a comment on my Sheldon obit, but it bears repeating. Both Ken and Sheldon gave a lot of their time to the cycling community and their passion will be missed.

Visited the Electric Fetus for their Valentines Day annual twenty percent off sale. I didn't buy much for me, just a few items. Specifically the new Magnetic Fields and the latest from Sons and Daughters. Lurve them both.

Stopped by Guitar Center. Got some Everly Star Picks. I really like the hole in the center as it gives my weak hand a better grip. I bought too thin ones, they are the 0.050 inch or red ones. The orange (0.060 inch), yellow (0.073 inch) or green (0.088 inch) might be better. I'll buy some of the other thickness to give them a try.

What I'd really gone for is the eMedia Blues Guitar lesson cd. So far I'm working on Muddy Water's version of Hoochie Coochie Man. It has this illuminated fretboard just like Guitar Hero except its real and not some fricken play guitar. I suck, but I'm trying. I highly recommend the disc to those that want to try to learn blues guitar.

Otherwise I spent the weekend being unproductive. And beating myself to bits about it.

Good Things for February 1st, 2008

Awhile back, I asked a pal to lend me a guitar (he owns several) so I might try to play again. I'd played through high school and college, but could never afford one. I'd just gravitate to someone's house that owned one or managed to always have one to borrow. I'd not actually owned one.

Then once I got married it was one of those hobbies I ditched. Too expensive, no time, blah, blah, and blah.

So this friend has a terrific piece he lends me. Its too nice for the newbee likes of me. Fact is I was scared to death to lug it to lessons or something for fear of scratching, denting, or who knows what. It was enough to give me the bug. See it was a guitar I'd always dreamed I'd own. A Fender Stratocaster. Yeah like Hendrix, Clapton, Robin Trower, Stevie Ray Vaughn and countless other guitar gods played. Yes I know its the player and not the axe that makes the music. No one will be spray painting "The Curmudgeon is God" anyplace. Yet it is fun to dream, right?

So after playing around a bit and enjoying myself far more than anticipated, I started to save and look. I discovered that yeah, if you wanted an original 1954-1974 you'd better be prepared to pay an arm or a leg. A '64 draws about $15,000. A '74 might draw $3,000. So I began learning while the money accrued in the bank.

The beauty of the Internet is you can learn if you truly want to. Oh, sure there are lots of bogus sites and if you believe every review of every piece of gear you'll find most stuff is polarizing; either its the greatest thing they ever owned or its a piece of shit that wasn't worth the postage used to mail it back. I learned about US made Strats, Made in Mexico (MIM) Strats, Made in Japan (MIJ) Strats which aren't even technically sold here. You can order them individually if you like from a website. Fender doesn't import them here. Then there are some called Crafted in Japan (CIJ) which are another flavor entirely. Fender offers a line of Stratocaster by Squire. Bargain models if you will.

I liken guitars to automotive tires. Sure Firestone is a good company. They make tires that are cheap, have the traction in inclement conditions equivalent to banana peels and wear like iron. Oh and they ride like iron too. Then they make middle grade tires which blend the best of all worlds; which means they suck at all the extremes. They give a reasonable life, have decent traction, and ride comfortably. Then there is the tires for racer wanna bees that wear out quick, give great traction, and fail at the first nail and cost more than most people want to spend. Last they make real honest to track racing tires that are used by their sponsored drivers and gear. So, you pick what you want and you can be happy or sad with your decision.

So, I was really jonzing to buy new. I dunno why. Maybe my nephew that said all the used guitar he bought always needed something fixed. He was tired of buzzing frets, no longer magnetic pick-ups, and saddles that were better off on horses. Then I started scouting out used stuff locally. Most shops have a few. Some have more. Then one day I started skimming Craigslist. Some days five new Strats would appear. Most were crap. Beat to hell, or of the Squire vintage or worse. Lots of people like to put the word "Strat" in the subject even if it resembles nothing even close to a Stratocaster. Sounds like, plays like, feels like, heavy as or whatever; you get the drift.

Then I stumbled on an advert where the guy said if he didn't sell by a date he'd store the bugger. He hadn't mucked with it. It was made in Japan (a good thing), and it was in great shape. His price was fair and included a solid hardshell case. I smell a wiener.

I figured the guy probably has sold it, put it in storage and just forgot to pull the advert because the advert is over a week old when I stumble by it. I sent a message anyway. I'd like to come and see for myself and I would really like to play it. This apparently endeared me to him as most people sent messages asking lots of stupid questions that grew annoying. There are lots of things on a guitar that are minor and if you don't like them, change them yourself. Our schedules didn't match too swell and so I finally got to see it Friday.

Its everything he said it was. He showed me the two minor dings from a slow life. Its spent more time in the case than in someone's hands. He had replaced the saddles from the stock stamped with nicer ones that say Fender. He also upgraded the tuners, but he'd said that in the advert. But that is it. It really plays nice and was very well set up. He put on a new set of Ernie Ball Super Silkies for me.

He had a really sweet Marshall amp to play with. All tube and didn't think to ask for vintage. His preferred model is a US made Stratocaster of forgotten vintage, but another re-issue. He's a machinist and had painstakingly replaced all the screws for the saddles of his. They aren't stainless, so he made stainless to fit. He'd also made his own replica knobs and pup covers from I think a high nickel stainless. He also makes customer pick guards out of a number of materials he machines himself. His favorite is aluminum which is dual anodized so you can have your name carved, engraved, loaded or two colored if you wish. He has my email so he said he'd send me a link when his website was ready. He had three Strats in progress of rebuilding. He has someone else do refretting and does rewiring. Mostly he works stuff others muck up and he returns to original. I didn't ask what his user name is on Harmony Central, but I'm guessing he knows his way around there. The only thing he mentioned was he never does eBay. Too many losers and scammers.

One of the funny stories he told about how to tell a MIJ (versus CIJ) or even a US is the area under the pick guard. He'd pulled off this one and was astounded at how clean it was. He'd never seen that. When he'd got the US one he said there was flux from soldering and they'd just applied the nitrocellulose right over all kinds of sawdust and other crud. Kinda like lifting a rug to see the owner had swept all the filth under it. He was just a really nice guy and I could have stayed a long time.

Last he directed me to a little guitar shop I'd always ignored (they are really big into Gibson, more "V" than I'd ever seen before new and used), but were really competitive on pricing. I got a strap, braided cord and thinger bobs to hold the strap on. Just a generic black and white strap. No HD or skull and crossbones. The guy I spent a lot of time with there looked like he could have stepped into any punk band you can name. More piercings in view than I have fingers and tats and black hole hair dye. So I quizzed him just for fun and he's more a classical guitar player than anything for fun. He named a Spanish classical composer who died in 1884 who he is currently playing. He just shreds for the dough. He likes giving lessons a lot but the pay sucks. Plus nine hours a day in a shop. Tons of Marshall gear. Not a single fender except beat to snot used stuff. Most half the size of the Champ. Or else a 4 by 12 or some monster.

All in all a pretty awesome day. And yeah like the previous owner it feels like an Earl so that it's name. Now its back to saving for an amplifier.

Weird Things for February 4, 2008

Read this via the Velo News. Cannondale has been bought by the same company that ruined the reputation of Schwinn and GT. The same company that brings such fine reasonably priced (that is sarcasm folks) Schwinn and Pacific bikes to WalMarts, KMarts, and Target near you. And they are pretty worthless. When they fail, and they will fail, they are hard to repair and often cost more than the owner paid to begin with. Disposable bikes in a world that needs less disposable and more people riding bikes.

Sure they talk about splitting the company in two and that the Cannondale Sports division will focus on direct to bike shop sales. Whoopie. I can hardly wait. I've owned several beer can mobiles and I actually like them. I've come to respect and appreciate a steel ride more, but for what I got at the time, I liked. Cannondale for a time was the only big company marketing a bicycle for touring and it came with fenders included. At one time a real leather Brooks saddle too.

So it goes

RIP Sheldon Brown

The crazed looking man was a bounty to cyclist everywhere and last night he passed away, probably due to a heart attack. His name is Sheldon Brown and I've know of him and communicated with him almost as long as I've know and been on the Internet and into bicycles. His websites included those of the shop he worked for Harris Cyclery are the stuff of legend among cyclist. Often in some cycling discussion either on the Internet or in person when someone asked a question it would be followed by a question; "Have you checked Sheldon's site?"

On his site you could not only buy the normal parts like wheels, tires, saddles, brakes, shifters, but many of the little bits that no one else might carry. Then to top it he had or had others write guides to many things. Want to know the vintage and origin of some Japanese bicycle you scored at a garage sale? Its there. Want to know how to take off and correctly clean and then lube and re-install your first chain, tire, handle bars or whatever? Its there. Want to know how to adjust your brakes for the maximum stopping power? It's there and he'd tell you the brand and type of shoes that would work in the rain too.

The man was not only a font of knowledge. He was funny. Every April 1st you could depend upon Sheldon propagating some crazy method, product, or something that was hilarious to cyclist. A saddle for real men was a rock he found in exactly a saddle shape. Want to clean your chain right? He offered a kit and method where you completely disassemble the chain link by link until you had a completely useless pile of bits although spectacularly clean.

He was irascible. With his knowledge he would discuss, argue, and educate those who wanted to know in the best manner. There are those that write in a way INTENDED to make you feel foolish for not knowing what they are about to teach you, but that was not Sheldon. He didn't need to denigrate you to help you understand. Now if you chose to go out of your way irritate him, he'd simply ignore you.

He was more than a cyclist. He sang old sailing songs with a group in his Boston area home. He took photographs and was willing to share anything he knew about a piece of photographic gear that worked well or poorly with anyone that asked. He had websites to shed light on the accomplishments of his spouse. He could be depended upon to have updates on what his two children were doing as they grew from youngsters to teenagers to young adults in college.

Recently Sheldon had to stop cycling in the normal two wheel way. He'd come down with MS and it didn't stop him. He bought a trike style of recumbent and kept on moving. He had to resort to a scooter to get around the bike bike events, but that didn't stop him. He wrote volumes about his impressions of the shows and included dozens of photographs. I know others that would have been embarrassed. Not Sheldon. Not being able to walk a show about pedaling bicycles didn't matter. What mattered was being there. Probably harassing his friends and needling his enemies alike.

Once there was a great cyclist who wrote a great deal and had created a huge website for his writings. Unexpectedly he was killed, while riding, by a drunk driver. Sheldon took on the task of providing a home to all those valuable writings. Did he publicly ask for funding to support the weight of all those servers? Not that I've ever known. I've no idea what the cost of the bandwidth he had to manage cost, but it was significant.

Sheldon Brown was a great man of the highest sort. He gave to his community. He gave to his family. He gave to his fellow cyclists around the world. He was a champion of a variety of products and was one of the first to show the greater good the Internet could do. In Sheldon's world no bicycle couldn't be saved. In Sheldon's world, no cyclist couldn't learn more. And he I'm sure was a huge benefit for the shop he worked for.

So, how do they replace a man like Sheldon? You don't. So it goes...

Disappointment Is

Disappointment for your freshly 16 YO son is to arrive at the DMV for his written test, 4 minutes after they close.

Kinda cruel to close at 3:45 when most kids at that age are in school until about 3 PM. Even when your dad leaves work early and beats you home so you get there as fast as you can.

Lesson learned? No matter where you are, nice guys finish lunch.