Friday, May 25, 2012

These are all high quality pics so click them to get a full size image.





Saturday, May 19, 2012

Fun ride on my own today and first test of the Moonlander on this type of trail.    It was a hot one out there today and I was a bit tired from an hour twenty road/trail ride with Heath last night.  As a result I didn't push too hard and felt pretty spent from early on.  I just let my cardiotrainer app run so stats include a few stops.

I am now really seeing this bike as a true fat bike/flotation bike and my Pugsley as what a mountain bike should be.  Regular mountain bikes now seem like those freakishly skinny tired bmx bikes little kids ride.

The good:

  • Climbs great.  Feels very efficient like the Pugsley. 
  • After an initial mental adjustment it handles plenty fast on tight twitchy down hills. 
  • Rolls fast and did not feel sluggish, heavy or like it was robbing energy in any way.
  • Has sparkly paint.   


The Bad:

  • No Husker Du tires.  Those things made my Pugsley ride way better and I notice the big fat Larry tires not hooking up nearly as well.  Much less confidence inspiring.  
  • Unexpectedly I did worse at the obstacles like rock fields and balance bridge things than I did on the Pugsley.   I think this is likely related to being tired and not having the air pressure tweaked yet.  
  • Those big tires are more sensitive to the wrong air pressure.  I started with 14 rear 11 front and let it out to about 10 each by the end and could have gone lower.   The too high air pressure contributed to less control, sore wrists and a weird bouncing off of rocks rather than crawling over them experience.  
  • Bottom Bracket started making a noise which tells me the shop of origin did not put in the "A washer" when putting it together.  

What to change:

  • Me more fit and hot temp acclimated.  
  • Surly needs to make a Big Fat Husker Du.  I tried the normal ones on my clown shoe rim.  It rode OK but would only work in a pinch I think.  Made the BB too low also.  
  • I need to get better at tweaking the air pressure with this bike.  A few psi either way can make a fat bike ride great or horrible and the big fat tires amplify this need.  
  • I need to switch out the swept back bars for my old Azonic Double walls.  
  • I need to go out with both the Moonlander and Pugsley on the same trail on the same day to get an even more objective view of what each can do.  I love the idea of making the Pugsley the summer bike and the Moonlander the winter and flotation bike but  tend to think I will only want the Moonlander when I get the problems figured out.  


Thursday, May 17, 2012

Maya on the Moon

NASA
 Took the Moonlander to a large area that has had a bunch of earth movers working it into a future neighborhood.  It kind of looked like the surface of the Moon.


I have no idea why Maya was making these cute faces from wonderment, to concern to terror.  Perhaps it is the lack of gravity or oxygen here on the Moon.  
Fear not Maya I have a Moonlander to ride over this barren surface.  Well yea Maya you will have to walk.  But I with my Moonlander will be floating over this rough surface in efficient comfort, safety and style.   Maya's inferior bipedal locomotion proved no match on this lunar landscape.  She was quickly dropped.  

Monday, May 14, 2012

Tandem Cargo Bike Conversion

 Had this idea today.  Knew the internet would not let me down on it being already done.  Thanks to this guy Andy for making it happen.   

The only problem I can really see with the system is that it allows way too much stuff to be carried.   On the other hand it is already set up to carry the weight of another person so the bike can handle whatever you  have the legs to pedal.    


Thursday, May 10, 2012

Last Ride I Reken

 Took the Reken out for what may be a last ride this evening.  With any luck I will be selling it in the near future.  Explored a Minnesota Nature area in South Chan just north of Shakopee and the Minnesota river.  Basically near the point the LRT south trail ends at the MN river.   The area was developed some time in the past and had some remains of a dam below that I suppose had this whole wetland area turned into a lake long ago.  I also found a lot of granite remains some polished as if grave stones were made here.   If you look closely someone has dropped one of the granite pieces down into the dam and broke it.  I love stumbling upon areas like this while out doing daily tasks.  Having a bike in the car helps make these unexpected rides possible.

Last shot is the back yard farm.  It always seems to hold still for pics which is part of why I film it so often.



Monday, May 07, 2012

Morel Mushroom Time

Next door neighbor came over last night with a gift of the nicest morel mushroom I have seen.  I have been in the woods near the house looking for morels two times this year near his find and come back empty handed each time.  I think he found the right time.  I will be back tonight to find more.   I hope an additional spot I tried to spread spores last year was fruitful.  I mean fungal.  



Morel's are hollow inside.    


These released a lot of moisture. 


Just some butter, salt, pepper and garlic


A cream sauce over noodles would be perfect.  I had rice available and did not want to wait. 
 Fantastic.