Skip to main content

Scrub oak, scratches, and cockroaches

Got out for some trail exploration w/ Chris yesterday.  Got a little "off-route" and did some bushwacking through tons of scrub oak.  Lots and lots of scratches and a buncha cursing.  I think scrub oak is the cockroach of the shrub family, tough enough to survive a nuclear blast.  

Bushwacking through scrub oak also brings back memories of another favorite pasttime of Chris and mine, off widths!  Most people hate off widths, but we get a perverse sense of accomplishment from the abuse necessary to conquer them.  The satisfaction of completing a huge climb (or trail) is enhanced by the sweating and bleeding required by the off width (or scrub oak).

I did a runtime test last night of my MC-E flashlight.  About 53 minutes to 50% of the initial lux, with the light pretty much toast at 60 minutes.  So, I can get one lap at full burn if I just use the battery.  

I don't think I want to swap batteries every lap, so I spent the evening building a 3x18650 battery holder out of a Brut deodorant container.  3 x 53 minutes at full burn should mean that,  given some amount of conservation, I can get away with one battery change.  Just gotta figure out a way to tap the flashlight body for a power jack.

Woke up to a couple inches of unexpected freshies this morning.  With the snow and the Bogu Kumite this evening, it looks like I'll be hitting the trainer after the munchkins go to bed tonight.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What do we have here? My planned race bike, the culmination of a lotta work and planning. Looks like a Redline Monocog 29er singlespeed, but its not quite that simple. Frame: Redline Monocog 29er Forke: Manitou Minute Absolute 80mm Handlebars: Jones H Bar (yes, more expensive than my frame) Brake levers: Vuelta's (nice, long, and light) Brakes: Avid BB7's Front hub: DT Hugi / Onyx Front rim: WTB something or another Rear hub: here we go...Shimano Alfine 8 speed interally geared hub Rear rim: Stans Arch Cranks: AC Lo Pro XT Seatpost: Ritchey Tires: Specialized Fast Trak Pro Now, the reasoning behind this build. First of all, the Jones H Bar is awesome. Bars with a sweep like this one and the On One Mary are the only kind that I can ride for long periods of time without elbow pain. The multiple positions on the Jones are sweet for long rides. The Monocog...well, I like it. It is heavy as a pig, but the ride is nice. This is my first 29er, so I don't know if its wheel si...
1 comment
Read more

Yuba Mundo V3 Upgrades

It's been a while since I posted about the Mundo. It has been pretty cool for toting around 70ish pounds of kids. After some riding, I decided to invest in a few upgrades. I put on a deflopilator, a double-legged kickstand, a front rack (just because it was laying around), and figured out the 185mm rear disc brake. The 185mm disc brake requires a 203mm adapter to clear the rack frame member. Seems to work fine with that setup (at least on the stand, I haven't taken a real ride yet). 185mm rotor with 203mm rear disc brake adapter Cheapo 2 legged kickstand (big improvement)
6 comments
Read more

Yuba Mundo...Schwing!!!

It's been a while... I'd say the knee is almost 100%, but wouldn't wanna hex myself. :-) I've managed to get out for the occasional ride the past 6 weeks or so. Most of my biking focus has been building up the new kid hauler / cargo bike. The Yuba Mundo V3. Nearly fully sorted, just need to come up w/ something for the kids feet. I installed a carbon fiber stoker bar with matching grips...stylin'. I've had the bike out for a few test rides, including a 19 mile, sub-zero night ride on trails. Worked fairly well. Some chain length issues to sort out and disc brake tuning, but otherwise...smooooooth. Riding on the back deck while hanging onto the bars is fun. :-) Specs: Mundo V3 frame - blue Mundo V3 fork (threaded) Shimano STX headset (threaded) Nitto Albatross handlebars Kalloy adjustable stem Oury Mtn grips - blue Shimano LX M581 brake/shift levers Avid BB7 185/160 disc brakes Deore/Ditchwitch wheels w/ 14mm adapters 2.4" Mutano Raptor tires XT sha...
9 comments
Read more