Bike Chain clock

I want one. But it is a little out of my price range. I can't justify spending $2,338 on a clock that is going to take 12-16 weeks to be delivered, even if it is powered by George Clooney's smug.

click the picture for the product site

Got some tights ordered for winter

I ordered some tights for cold weather riding today from Nashbar. I can't wait to try them on and strut around the house and office.

2 Days of Going Around Lake Hefner

I went around Hefner Monday and today. Nothing special except the wind is next to nothing which is ultra rare in Oklahoma. But there was one note, there was a guy both days riding his bike that I noticed. Okay, cool. You saw the same person twice. They are probably just trying to get some exercise in and go the same time everyday. I wouldn't think anything of it except this guy had a full arm cast on his right arm. Seriously? I have a hard enough time staying upright as is. This guy is nuttier than squirrel shit. Tough guy. If I have a full arm cast I'm fishing. And by fishing I mean sitting on a shoreline drinking a beer.

Cheers,

What I need to build in my backyard

Just thinking about trail design gets my head filled with so many ideas. Some are awesome (Wife would hate it, too dangerous, too expensive, etc) and some are REALLY awesome. I want to put a half pipe in my backyard. But, I don't really have the room and the spot that I could put it in has a good portion of a garden already in the way. I've always seen half pipes, but they have been for skateboarders so the surface has to be really smooth for those little wheels. MTB half pipes can have a little ruggedness to them. I saw this one on Progressive Trail Design that made me think that I could build it. I've seen enough Built to Shred that I think I could build it. :)

I also want to build some technical things around my backyard just for balance practice. I know at Draper (dangit I need to go out there more) that there are logs to ride along. I want to build an elevated path around a tree in my backyard like this one.

Better start working on my brownie points and honey-do's.

Cheers,

Where would I put a MTB course?

There are discussions almost constantly (in my head) about where it would be awesome for a mountain bike (MTB) course would go. You can't just say, "The whole world should be a MTB course" because we all know that would just be too awesome and can't be your answer. But when I'm going places I look around and say to myself, "Self. That would be a great spot for a drop in." Or, "Self. There is nothing under that elevated freeway there needs to be a park there like the one in Seattle." So here is a list of a couple places that I thought we great places. They may not be feasible, safe, or easily accessible but I think it would be cool if they were there. (No particular order, but craziest one first)

1) Airport MTB Park

Like I said, crazy comes first.  I've put 4 markers on the map above (A,B,C&D) for possible locations.  I live in Mustang and used to drive by the airport all the time on my way to OKCCC taking either Airport Rd or SW 89th St. NONE of these spots are probably considerable due to airport security.  They would hate for a bunch of cyclists to be lounging around outside the airport.  Also, it would give planespotters a parking lot to fill, which airport security would hate even more.

A)  Inside Airport Fence - completely undo-able. But there are some great natural hills in that spot.  If you are ever driving by make sure you take a look.

B)  On the south side of 89th St would be awesome.  There is NOTHING THERE!!!  No one would complain about a MTB course because there is nothing there to start with.  There is probably some sort of ordinance keeping a building from going in due to air traffic control, but a MTB course wouldn't be permanent or high enough to tick on an airplane pilot.  Just watch out for pilots with an unusually low glide slope.
C)  More hills and trees.  I think it is a piece of government land.  It is across the street from the federal transfer center.  So... yeah.

D)  Everything from just south of 59th St to 89th St has virtually nothing.  There is a post office facility up by 59th st but that is it.  Imagine the course that you could put in with that much area.


2) Old Paintball field site

Someone on the OEF Forum mentioned the old paintball field off of 10th st. I think that would be an awesome idea! I've never played or walked around the area, but I've past it a ton of times when I ride around Overholser on my road bike.

3) Interstate 44

Whenever my wife needs to go to the Mall I cringe and die a little inside. It is painful to walk around for 2 hours while she looks at all kinds of things that cost WAY more than they should and at any moment she could want to buy one of them. But, I always look under I-44 and picture a MTB course. There are two man reasons why one should be put there:
a) no parking
b) falling cement from our fine roads
Either way I still see it in my head each time I drive by.

4) Mustang

The Mustang Park is a 1/2 mile by 1/2 mile of mixed use community stuff. I've drawn the Multi-Use Paved Trail in orange. Also, I drew some blue lines to show were the existing creek is also located. Softball fields and soccer fields take up a great deal of the plot but for good reason, they get used. I've put two markers on the map to illustrate where I think a park could go. I know that it would get highly used by the BMX crowd.

An empty lot across from my neighborhood recently had several dump truck loads of dirt deposited for temporary storage. The local kids took this opportunity to takes shovels and build a really great 8 foot jumps out of three enormous piles. I'm afraid to jump them. There was a small army of kids out there. At one time probably 20+ kids building and working. I know that BMX is big in the area because there is a park up in Yukon. But Yukon is a little far away when you can't get proper transportation. So if there were a park in Mustang it would get heavy use regardless of its size.

A) This area is along a creek that runs N/S. You would have to have some sort of bridge to go over the multipurpose trail that is parallel to the creek. Some sort of very tall bridge would be required (Cost is immediately going up). This spot is not going to be seen by drivers on Mustang Rd and would not be an eye-sore.

B) This spot is at the top of a very long hill that drops to the West. There are a couple groups of trees and you could REALLY do a lot of good between the "B" and the loop to the direct West. This spot is easily seen from 59th St and some citizens would consider it an eye-sore.

All of this of this course would only be a 2 minute bike ride from my house.

Cheers,

Lake Hefner

I went around Lake Hefner on Monday. My mountain bike was fixed (at no charge) from Wheeler Dealer. But there was no wind. Do you know what that means to road biking in Oklahoma?!?!? GET OUTSIDE NOW!!! WE'RE DOING 50!!!

Well, in a lunch hour I still have yet to do 50 miles. So instead I did 14 and did a lap around Hefner. Here is a snapshot from the lake.

Also, this was the first time that I actually rode around the lake with the speedometer. Time sucked and I could still not keep a great speed. But from the office, around the lake and back is exactly 14 miles.

Cheers,

Inner City Bike

The Inner City Bike is a really compact bike dealing with parking space issues. Seriously? That is your problem? Not in Oklahoma. We have all the space you need. I've had up to three or four bikes in my office alone. Not to mention the 6 other guys in the office that have had their bikes here as well. Neat concept though. The seat is questionably the same shape as my butt. :P

Results of Route #019

I start out my track at 50th and May.  I headed east this time.  Last time I rounded Britton and 63 I did a clockwise circle.  But I did an extra 2 miles, unplanned of course. 

Instead of going North on Kelley I went to Eastern.  When I got to the intersection of 63rd and Kelley it did not look familiar, so I thought I must have taken Eastern last time.  I was wrong.  I got to Eastern and it was 4 lanes and 50 MPH.  The traffic was light to non-existent, but not where I went last time.  I took some pictures out at Eastern and Britton.  Then some more pictures along Lake Hefner.  I'll post them as soon as I remember the camera USB cable. 

Time?  Too long to post.  Let's just say, I haven't been on my road bike in over two months, there was lots of head wind, yadda yadda yadda.  So this route took me some time.  (1:29 minutes)  :(

23.5 miles if you go out to Eastern instead of Kelley is what my odometer read. 

Tomorrow I may run Bluff Creek.  My mountain bike is at Wheeler Dealer.  The front and rear derailleurs are loosing the chain.  The front derailleur loses the chain to the inside.  My rear derailleur kicked the chain off and it was hung up on the frame and axle.  My guess is the tension in the rear derailleur is allowing the chain to come off too easy.  I'll ask the experts when I pick it up. 

Cheers, 

Route #019

Route #019
I've got no bloody idea how long this is gonna be...
2.5 to the lake from the office
7.5 around most of the lake
4.5 to Kelly Ave
2 to 63rd St
3.5 to Villa
1 to 50th
1 to Office

Roughly 22 miles roundtrip.

Whoohoo!

This will possibly be the route for Thursday instead of just going around the lake and back.  We shall see how I feel tomorrow.

The map is courtesy of Google Maps.  I've been using MapQuest since I started the blog in July 2008 but I do not like the new color scheme they decided to use.

Cheers,

Passing of the Trophy

I got out today with some co-workers to Bluff Creek.  We went earlier than planned.  But it was a great day.  Man, I needed to skip work and go back our there or to NuDraper.  But, work was calling and also my front and rear derailleurs are losing the chain at inopportune times in the ride.   But, I did get to pass the trophy off today.  One of my co-workers crashed on one of the downhills at Bluff Creek.  There is a sandy downhill section that bobs and weaves left and right.  Near the bottom there is a tree root that you can either go over and down quite a drop or around down a less steep section.  This section is a couple hundred yards before "Big Stupid" along the creek by the apartments.  Well, he went head first over the root and landed on his shoulder. That qualifies for the trophy.

:)

Cheers,

4 days of riding planned

I have four days or riding planned, now let's see how well my execution is after being away so much. 

Tuesday - 11:15 - Bluff Creek
Wednesday - 4:15 - Bluff Creek
Thursday - 11:15 - Lake Hefner (Road biking before winter hits)
Friday - 4:15 - Bluff Creek

My office buddies are probably going to make it Wednesday and Friday.  Thursday will either be Lake Hefner or something like Route #018.  It all depends if any office buddies feel like road biking.  Wish my bike seat luck!

Cheers,