Saturday, March 29, 2014

Some things


 I have been needing to frame and reframe a bunch of Artcrank posters for two years.  Felt great to get it done.

 Bike commuter legs was my first Artcrank poster from year one or two of the event?  I don't really remember.  After hours of framing posters this was my last one.   I broke the glass just as I was finishing up. Grrrr.  Ace Hardware cut a new piece only after the old guy working there said that he was not able to measure and cut the glass with the metric numbers I took in.  I suggested we get one of the tape measures on the wall to help.   He wants the metric system to go away since "no one wants them pushing it down our throats."
 A few pre framed versions of the posters.   They are not the best quality pics because my original intent for them was to use my fancy phone stylus to write the dimensions of the posters on each pic.    I did it but then found that over the last two years I actually had collected all the frames I needed for the project.
 I have been wanting to make a grouping of the Paul Bunyan posters and the bike commuter legs.

 I have been needing a new down comforter and found a great solution.  Get one from my favorite sleeping bag company, Western Mountaineering.   My reasoning is this.   It is made with great quality down (850+ fill), it is beautifully made in a relatively small company, it uses ultralight materials, it is a very generous size and is priced cheaper than similar sized and filled comforters.  You can get a down comforter that is just fine at Ikea for half the price.  I used one like that happily for about 8 years.  I like this one way more.  Other details include that it is grey on the other side, doesn't look so shiny in person and can be used with a duvet.  

 I got some Salsa Woodchipper 2 bars, Knard 700x41 tires and suddenly my El Mariachi is a Salsa Fargo/gravel/adventure bike.
 Ride is great on the road and the Knards roll faster than I thought.  I am excited to see how it does on gravel.  Tektros disc compatible road brake levers gotten for $24.  Ultra thin Xpedo spry platform pedals are very light, very thin and relatively cheap.  Time will tell if they can handle my weight...I mean power.


Finally,  Mazy is a good dog.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Some things


 This Burundi was really nice.  Not super complex but very smooth viscous mouth feel like a melted chocolate bar.  I kind of over roasted the Brazil but it is more complex with a bite on the front end.  Good first thing in the AM coffee.
 In case you miss pics of it here is my RK roasting drum.  The bbq grill is used for roasting only and the rotisserie is custom made to handle the weight of up to 4lbs of coffee.  It spins about one time a second rather than every 20 seconds like a normal rotisserie motor.

 Ella helping with moral support while I roast.
 Still looking for a new insulation material for my grill cozy.  The box works ok.  I mostly need wind blocking and then just a little insulation.  I have looked into auto firewall material, wood stove insulation, fireplace insulation, hot water heater and welding blankets and other things all over the internet.  I found a couple of industrial products that are very expensive and likely not worth the gamble.   If any of you see an insulating material that can handle about 800F let me know.
 Maya likes to help with the dog poop.

 Maya is cute and loves pickled herring (in the red bowl).  
 It is really hard to get close to a turkey for a pic.  I think this guy likes the little bit of open grass in our yard.  Every time he hears or sees me move in the house he flys down to the farthest part of the woods a couple hundred yards away.  Beautiful to watch.
 We all pay rent for our existence in our own way.
 Mazy is a good dog.  

Tuesday, March 04, 2014

Paul Bunyan State Forest

 I have decided I like state forests a lot more than state parks and Paul Bunyan seems like a good state forest.  State forests seem to have few if any facilities and you can camp most anywhere.
 To hall gear I used a Pulk sled and Heath used his back.
 We set up camp and went to bed but then had to pack back up in the night and make our way  out of the forest because I was not able to stay warm for some reason.  I suspect my thyroid med's are not working right since our gear and a past experience suggest this is very doable.   -20F and getting colder while in a relatively remote location meant that I was not willing to try and tough it out.  Heath was super cool about being woken up to pack up and leave in the night.  I feel bad about it.
No pics of the escape but the moonless night mixed with the super dry air made for stunning star gazing as we marched out of the woods.