October 5, 2019
Hello again! What is happening in your neck o’ the woods? Here in the OMA, I am on my own at the homestead with a delightful seasonal beer and a mildly celebratory mood.
The Huskers managed a hard-fought victory against the respectable Wildcats of the Northwest in a sport we refer to here as el futbol de Estados Unidos y Canada Solamente. As you may be reminded of by my pobre espanol con tilda, it is Hispanic Heritage month, and also Breast Cancer Awareness month, among others. So I am hoping there are many notable and/or enjoyable things you are currently experiencing too.
One thing I noticed the other day was that something looked different on my usual commute.
Well, it’s been a bit soggy around here lately. I also think this area may have been over-irrigated, resulting in shallow, weak roots.
I also decided to treat my trusty old winter bicycling jacket with some unidentified, but possibly PFC-free, chemicals.
Ye trusty olde jacket is an Illuminite jacket that is so damn good that I am wondering why they made it so good because I may never have to buy another one because it’s so damn tough! In other product-related news, I am sorry to say that the Bontrager Flare-R I obtained a while back (fall 2017) did not completely hold up over the past couple of years of regular use. It still works, but it will only work on the flashiest of its 5 or 6 modes. That is fine with me, since that’s the one that I use the most, but I am guessing there might be some other users out there who have different (i.e., higher) standards than I.
I have recently noticed that ye Olde Bastarde is having a few extra quirks. For example, even after replacing the drive train there’s an occasional chain skip. Although I am sure it’s some problem that I introduced myself whilst replacing the components, I can’t help but think that maybe an awesome, sweet, new, affordable single-speed bicycle with plenty of clearance for some sturdy, reliable tyres might be pretty fricking great. But, on the other hand, me and OB have some pretty deep roots that keep us up and get us around obstacles on the trail. Maybe I’ll just order a bigger chain ring next time to keep the chain further away from the crank splines to minimize resistance. When it comes to old bikes, in my experience there’s usually a solution, although it isn’t always easy and frequently a bit humbling. But life and el futbol de Estados Unidos y Canada Solamente, amongst other sports, can be that way too, right!?
Buenos noches y Octobre (con upsidowno exclamaciones marco)!
-El BSO (& el Bastarde con accentes)
