Independently Muggy and Restless

July 2, 2020

Sincerest salutations from the summery midwestern part of US.

I hope that you are doing well.  It seems like a lot of people are getting outside to public lakes and other public recreational venues to enjoy the summery weather.  Possibly also because there aren’t as many options as there used to be for summer fun.  

Snot Jr. and I had a nice time out on our inflatable 2-person kayak, Floatie, on Zorinsky Lake a weekend or so ago.  We went over to the west side where we saw a couple of basking reptiles but did not get quite close enough for a good photo

and got away from some of the grumpy fishermen in a 16-foot Lund (or similar) who were being territorial near the aqua underpass (i.e., bridge?).  I have no idea where I might have gotten this complex/neurosis, but I tend to bristle just a bit when someone in a larger, motorized vehicle comments on the legality of the actions of someone in a smaller, human-powered vehicle. If I don’t physically bump into your ridiculous-for-the-midwest aqua-vehicle or have a stereo cranked with my sweet paddling playlist, then I don’t feel your commentary is warranted.  Well, I guess maybe many of us are more irritable than usual these days.  This place is like a tinderbox and a lot of people are setting off some fireworks and/or smoking something.  

In the meantime, I have been riding my bicycle at slightly different times than usual.  I noticed a few things that I might not have noticed during my former usual bicycling schedule.  Here is a communal swallow colony nesting site under the overpass I frequently ride under.  

I’d never even noticed them over there before!

Also, here’s some commentary about the weather we’ve been experiencing lately.

And the mulberries are plentiful and delicious and there weren’t any other foragers out there to compete with.  

Yum!

Well, the headset fix on ye Olde Bastarde lasted quite awhile (approximately 12.5 months), but now the upper adjustable cup is cracked and the grease is kind of oozing out.  

So I will see if I can track down a replacement part.  It looks like Universal Cycle has a $12 (+$6.50) threaded headset that might work. If that doesn’t work, I think my next option may be getting new headset cups pressed into place, which involves using a couple tools that I do not have (a headset cup remover and a headset cup press). So I guess I might just take that down to ye olde bike shop and politely request that they take care of it.  

Here is an exciting story about a Harvard University ornithology professor who is bicycling across the U.S. and who is also acting as a kind of diplomat/spokesperson for the Black Lives Matter movement.  He appears to be riding a Surley (possibly a Long Haul Trucker?) and you can even follow his journey on his Twitter account:  @ScottVEdwards1

Awesome! 

Well, that bring us to the close of this edition of BSO.  Wishing you and your friend(s) a happy Independence Day and/or weekend/weekday.

Love,

BSO

  

Colonic War

21 June 2020

Dear Friends and Family,

Happy Daze of Summer!  Here at last!  And there was much rejoicing!  My dad and I were able to get out for a nice spin and I even gave myself some credit by deigning to affiliate myself with the virtual Rollin’ to Colon 2020, which has been an enjoyable Father’s Day tradition for Dad and I for neigh unto a decade or so.

We hit a bit of the Chalco Hills trail, enjoyed the rolling hills of Highway 370, and then the recreational ease of the West Papio Trail and just a bit o' ye olde Keystoner.  

The weather was glorious and the only sadness I witnessed was a young lad who toppled from his noble steed in a decidedly inglorious manner. Fortunately shortly after the event he appeared to be receiving some excellent guidance about resilience and the rough and tumble nature of the bicycling experience from his mom. 

To prepare for this event I partook of a supplement whose recent expiration date inspired me to give it a go.  It was called Total War, and I think I got it as a reward for participating in a gravel ride a while back.  It was not bad tasting.  Kind of bananay.  I was and continue to me mildly wired, but not jittery as I sometimes become after consuming caffeinated substances.  It may or may not have allowed me to keep up with my inspirational 73-year old dad as we enjoyed a pleasant recreational bicycle outing.  

I knew I would get dropped like a bag of underipe grapes if I was not bringing my A or B+ game to this event, especially after staying up later than usual the night before in order to enjoy a smart, dramatic zombie film!  

Speaking of total war, I would be remiss in not mentioning what the hell is going on with the police violence against black Americans!?  It needs to stop.  As you may be aware, there are many organizations that support progress towards fairness and justice.  Also, I exhort you to choose your political representatives with care in order to try to help.  In some parts of the US, bike rides have been effective ways to spread the message that this shit ain’t right and we gotta stop it.  

One love.

BSO

Recreational Fun and a Pint!

April 26, 2020

Dear Family,

I hope that you are doing alright and that your health is good.  

I went for another recreation bicycle outing today and it was a blast!  I rode past an olden, hilarious trailer with the Clark Erection Co. moniker, still quite legible but faded, emblazoned gloriously upon its broad side.  It was right across the creek from a large Pink Construction Co. conex storage unit. Ahhh.  All is right with the world.  Sure I could have taken some photos, but then it wouldn’t have felt so intimate.

It was nice and warm so I had a hard time withdrawing, I mean turning around to head back.  I found that a fairly large group of people were out on a memorial/remembrance walk for Payton Lester, a boy who had a very short life.  Due to the COVID-19-asaurus, I did not find out any additional details about the young fellow, although I liked the "Payton is my Hero" t-shirts they were sporting.  As I was out on the Keystone Trail heading south, I found that the trail was closed at Capehart Road, 

so I rambled about for awhile.  I took a neighborhood recreational trail

and 25^thStreet south until I reached Fairview Road, headed east, then headed back north on Fort Crook Road.  The City of Bellevue had fairly recently decided it didn’t want some of its bike lanes, and I found some evidence of this along Fort Crook Road, which had a few parts with not much of a shoulder.  

Ouch.  Why you do me like that?

Be that as it may, at least the signs were still erect.  

I was happy to see a pretty good bike lane on Capehart Road as I headed back west to the Keystone Trail.  

On my way home I noticed a lone bicycler sitting out on a picnic table behind the strip mall that contains both Kros Strain and Pint9 breweries.  He was drinking a tall boy and so I quickly interrogated him and found that I could get some beer to go from either store!  

I quickly availed myself of this option and had a pint whilst chit-chatting with Phil for awhile.  He informed me that in the Des Moines, Iowa area he once rode for 150 miles (in one day!?) just on paved multi-use trails and that he never used the same trail twice!  I was mightily impressed.  While, it turns out the Des Moines area claims 550 miles of bike routes (although about 170 miles are shared with automobiles, hopefully they don't get any ideas from Bellevue!)!  And now that BRAN has been cancelled, maybe I’ll just head out to DesMoines and ride around on some sweet trails for 2 or more days and see what kind of trailside breweries are available.  

Well, that is a brief summary of my day.  I hope yours has been equally or more satisfying.  Many blessings from the middle of (US o’) America.  

Love,

BSO

PS:  Here is an optional bike-related video for your enjoyment and/or bafflement

Maiden West Papio

April 11, 2020

Greetings!  

What have you been up to? Eh?  Must have a bad connection.  Anyway, if you are like me you are deciding which long-term radon monitoring device to purchase and enjoying a refreshing Angry Orchard cider. Please fill me in on your doings at your earliest convenience.

How are you and the COVID-19-asaurus getting along?  I hope you are staying healthy and keeping your distance.  I am fortunate to be working from home now.  It is nice for the most part.  I’ve got a comfortable place in the basement.  Just me, a pinch of radon, and lots of Yerba Mate.  For those of you who may not be familiar with Mate, it’s a South American green tea that Mrs. Snot bought for me awhile back.  I think it’s pronounced like (check)mate, but maybe it’s more like a pirate matey!?  In either case, my sweat pants and shirt are comfy and so are the slippers so the Yerba Mate is probably the only kind of mate that'll be happening around here for awhile, ya know what I mean?  Heh.  Along with this comfort; however, I have not been riding my bike to and from work as usual.  This has been mildly disconcerting.  The vast majority of my bicycling over the years has been commuting.  This has resulted in the following:

·     I’m not usually very interested in epic bike vacations because I get enough riding as part of my usual routine.

·      I also do not do much recreational bicycling unless I am getting ready for some kind of longer charity ride.

·      I don’t want new bikes often because they’re just going to get all trashed from commuting.

So those are my usual values.  But lately things have changed and so I have been out for 2 recreational bike rides in the past 2 weeks!  I might have even been on 3, but I initially could not locate the right way to get onto the West Papio Trail east of downtown Millard (pronounced Me-lard, accento en el lard).  After this minor fiasco, I took some time to check the beautiful online map created by the helpful folks at MAPA.

It showed me the way to the promised land occupied by the WPT.  And now, here is a video recap of how a person can get there (mostly as a reminder for me for the next time I can’t remember how to get there due to my usual lack of recreational bicycling.

It is a great trail! I went past Olympia Cycle, where I purchase the bike eventually known as The Old Bastard.  The trail people left some remnants of ye old railroad and a few informational signs that I enjoyed extensively.  

Hell Creek used to contribute to some hellacious floods!

All that pavement gets the creeks a-flowin' more than in yesteryears!

There was also a nice bench where I sat briefly whilst enjoying my Clif bar.  

This is at the trident-shaped confluence of Hells Creek, the West Papio Creek, and the South Papio Creek.  

Diabolically fascinating, eh?!  There was also a nice memorial.

There were people out there walking, jogging, bicycling, even roller-blading!  

Families picnicking!  

It was glorious and I highly recommend you get out for some recreational bicycling at your earliest convenience.  

I have also been using my formerly valuable time to catch up on important cinematic experiences (e.g., I watched Black Snake Moan with Christina Ricci last night).  Previously I watched The Farewell, with Awkwafina, which was also enjoyable, in less of a puerile, B-movie way.  I may also eventually watch Parasite and Can You Ever Forgive Me?.  So those are some of my big plans.  I’m still working on that GarageBand thing. I’ll get back to you soon.  How about you?  Give me a call and let’s catch up!  Hello in there.

Love,

BSO

Steamboating out and aboat

April 4, 2020

Hello friends.  

I hope you are doing well.  I am sitting at home by myself, as is my wont these days.  I am working from home and Mrs. Snot and Snot Jr. are experiencing an extended stay over at the in-laws.  Because I am working from home I have not been doing much bicycling.  However, prior to the rise of the COVID-19-asaurus I was quite fortunate to get out to a place called Steamboat Springs, CO for some lovely skiing.  It was great, as you may or may not be able to tell by perusing this recap video:

Do you know why it is called Steamboat Springs?  Well, I was told it is because the hot springs sometimes make a sound like a steamboat whistle!  Awesome, right!?  In Steamboat Springs I learned a couple things:  I should not be using my telemark skis all day at a mountain resort because it is too much damn work!  Maybe they are too long (179 cm) or maybe telemarking is just naturally more strenuous. I’m not sure.  What I am sure about is that it didn’t help that I hadn’t skied for approximately 1.5 years prior to this expedition.  Anyway, my legs (quads in particular) became quite fatigued on day 1, shortly after lunch time.  So I took the rest of the day off.  I probably would have done better if I had been doing these exercises that I have belatedly been studying intently.  

Then the next day I rented some regular, shorter alpine skis (150 cm).  Oh man!  That was such a relief!  Way easier to keep in control and turn quickly.  Me and my friend Rich were able to elevate our game from all green to greens and blues!  We even made it up to the iconic Buddy’s Run where we patted Buddy’s bust’s head in what we were enthusiastically informed by the local cognizati was an obligatory act of respect and guaranteed good luck.  Here is some background on Buddy Werner.  I didn't know anything about him until me and Rich made it out to Steamboat Springs for our ski trip.

Well, I appreciate it Buddy. I really enjoyed my time out there on the slopes.  Rich and I plan on actually taking a skiing lesson some day, which will hopefully allow us to ski some of the harder routes if/when we make it out to some snowy slopes again in the future.  The town was pretty nice too.  Plenty of great food, beers, and hospitable folks.  We were there on a Thursday (not too busy at all) and a Friday (which was warmer and still not overwhelmingly busy).  I think a lot of resorts are now closed due to the COVID-19-asuarus threat. I also recently became aware that ye olde’ BRAN (Bicycle Ride Across Nebraska, 40th edition) has been cancelled!  Woe is me.  Well I guess I’ll have to find something else to do for summer fun.  

Apart from the ski trip.  I also had a brake issue that took way longer to fix than it should have.  

A little tension-bar that helped push the cantilever back away from the rim after braking snapped!  It was a Cane Creek SCX-5 and it was good while it lasted, although I'm a little bummed it broke.  It seems like they're not around much anymore, so I was able to replace with a generic Shimano anti, that isn't quite as easy to adjust but should work alright.  And of course it happened during a rainy spell.  So I was riding my other bike, the one without the back fender, most of the time when it was soggy last month.  Here is how that went:

soggy seat o' the pants!

I eventually had to chop off one of the cantilevers with an oscillating power tool and kind of file and sand down the pivot on that side so that I could put another cantilever on.  It was kind of a minor ordeal.  But now I've got le Bastarde (avec accentes, sil vous plait) back in working condition again and I appreciate him a bit more than hitherto for.  Isn't life like that?  I never used to consider pandemics and their potential effects on us and those we come into contact with, kind of like having a rear fender during the rainy season.  Now I've got to consider whether I want to risk contacting and potentially spreading COVIDinos around, kind of like walking around with a soggy bum and sitting on someone's nice white couch!  Ouch!

So I've been doing some stuff with GarageBand that I'm guessing you will love.  I'll be sure to post it here soon.  Also been contemplating putting a unicycle together.  I'll let you know how all that turns out.  I hope you've been able to spend a bit of extra time doing some things that are out of your usual routine.  Stay safe.  Stay positive.  I will share your load/road.  I just might have a (bike) problem that you'll understand.  Be sure to use me (or someone else) as a lifeline if necessary.

Love, 

BSO

    

Na-na-Nashbar, good-bye!

February 21, 2020

Dear Friend(s) and Family,

I hope that you are loving life.  Although it is a tumultuous time in many parts of the world, hopefully you are having some good rest, relaxation, and/or recreation.  Or maybe figuring out who to support in your local/regional/national elections and/or coups.  

I recently noticed that there was a hole in my pannier, dear Willie, you silly!  It is probably going to get bigger.  

I also recently stitched up the ripped part along the inside of the pannier by using an awl to jab through the plastic reinforcement on that side.  And I have had those panniers for approximately 11 years. They are the best!  I will definitely purchase some more.  What insane, altruistic scofflaw goes about making panniers that last approximately 11 years!  Why the Nashbarians, of course!  Here are the best panniers – oh wait!  I guess Nashbar is part of Advanced Sports Enterprises(ASE) and has filed for bankruptcy, much like Price Point and Shopko before them!?  Well, I guess you know who wasn’t paying attention/supporting one of his favorite bicycle supplies suppliers!  The shame and sadness are with me now.  But the new panniers are elusive.  Let us have a moment of silence for the glory that once was Bike Nashbar.

The website is still operational under new and unnamed ownership.  Hmm.  This pannier special doesn’t look too bad.  May have to pull the trigger on that one before I lose one of my bottles of beer from ye olde panniers before I get a chance to pass it around.

And now, I think I will grab a beer to assuage my current sorrow and perhaps imbue tomorrow with a bit more sorrow.  

The name of the beer is Snowsuit and it was a gift for my belated axe-throwing birthday from my friend Nick.  Thank you, Nick.  I won’t need a snowsuit around here this weekend because temps are supposed to be in the 50s.  However, I am planning on zipping out to sunny Colorado for a ski trip in the near future!  Yes, I hope to have some fun and avoid serious injury since I have only recently felt fully recovered since my self-diagnosed medial condial ligament (MCL) (or somesuch) strain I suffered approximately one year ago.  So that should be fun, and hopefully not too painful. I’ll be sure to give you a long-winded update ASAP.  I will probably also take some video with the high-quality, but slightly awkward to attach and use, Sony ActionCam (GoPro knock-off).  To prepare for my trip, I am thinking about watching a ski-related movie, perhaps one of these?  I don’t know, Ski Party is hard to beat (I think.  The only part I've ever seen was when James Brown stops by in a comfy sweater to get down).

Well, it hasn’t been a bad winter for bicycling.  Just a few missed weeks here and there.  I have thus far only biffed it once (at slow speed on a quiet street) due to some unwelcome black ice.  How has your bicycling habit been?  Oh really!? Please tell me more!  You can always send me a postcard.

I recently went to a film sponsored by the likable Omaha Pedalers Bike Club.  It was Le Ride avec accente sil vous plais.  It is a very good movie, although I appreciated it more the first time I saw it back in November of 2017, I think it was.  The likable Phil Keoghan follows in the skinny tyre tracks of fellow Kiwi Harry Watson who was part of the first small group of English-speaking individuals to participate in the Tour de France back in 1928.  There is allegedly also a book about this event.  It was at this event that I learned about a town famous for its absinthe (maybe Pontarlier

?) and that the annual Omaha bike swap meet will be taking place at the College of Saint Mary on March 8, as noted here.  

Now that those brief introductory paragraphs are behind us allow me to fill you in on some of my latest activities.

1. 1.    In the past I may have mentioned that some of the tight-fitting, sporty boxer briefs are a conspiracy to cause impotence in those who succumb to their comfortable-looking charms.  My first inkling that this was taking place was when I donned these.  Butt my fears have been reinforced by the maiden voyage of these good-looking skivvies.  No wait, I meant these.  
2. 
3. 
   
4. They were toasty.  
5. 2.    I had a flat tyre so I elected to ride the speedy WYR bike to and from work.  It was, in general, kind of fun.  But it is geared pretty high, which seemed to threaten to cause another bout of hernia, so I good-naturedly hiked my way back up the hill on my way home.  There was a dried leaf on the water bottle holder that seemed to represent the ethereal nature of the seasons and life in general.  
6. 
7. 
   
8. 3.    The geese are back and appear to be eating dried leaves?  Maybe some grass?
9. 
   

So, there you have it. Please give me a call when you get this if you have time for a chat.  Otherwise I’ll be sure to see you at the next soiree avec absinthe, oui?

Ou revoir la revolucion!

Le BSO

Get back! Get close! Get wheel!

January 10, 2020

Hey peeps!

I hope you are better than ever!  Would you like to hear a story of redemption and finding a new home?  I thought so!  Here’s what happened yesterday:

As I was bicycling along, once again I encountered a skittery obstruction.  I say “once again” because I have noticed a few of these lately, generally when I’m in an intersection and/or turning.  Here’s a photographic breakdown:

CC was ready for her close-up, Mr. Demille.

Source of Concrete Chunk (CC)

CC's new place

As you can see, some chunks of concrete have abandoned their former residence in the street and were now to be found on the street.  I snapped a few photos and then I was about to ride off.  Hmmm.  I thought. This is kind of like that time when Peter Parker could have stopped that guy from running off with the money he stole from the pro wrestling promoters who had just paid Peter his prize money for using his unfair radioactive spider-bestowed powers to beat up on big wrestlers who might not have enough skills to hold down any real job, even a job as lowly and humble as a freelance photographer for the Daily Bugle!  Oh Peter. Well, with great two-wheeling freedom come two big wheels of responsibility.  The first wheel stays on the ground and the second wheel in the sky keeps on turning!?  So I picked up that chunk of concrete and transported it to a place that I thought would be better for all.  And that really got the wheels turning.  For example, Paul McCartney and the Wings’ “Get Back”:  Georgin’ left Tucson and bought some California grass.  But (spoiler alert), per Sir Paul’s direction, he went back to where he once belonged.  Similarly, the concrete chunk was returned to an unpaved lot where it can be back to where it once belonged (i.e., closer to its ancestral home of the earth).   

Well, I guess that is where we are all headed eventually.  But, in the meantime, there’s a lot to enjoy, fight, ponder, ignore and/or run away from.  Our Public Works Department and mayor do not seem particularly interested in providing parking spaces for those not motorly-inclined.  Well, I guess I can lock my bike to a tree or a pole or something. No rolling out the welcome mat for the human-powered 2-wheelers. At least the article I read today mentioned that there is an Active Living Advisory Committee (that was not consulted about the bike rack removal) that presumably will advocate for bicyclers and/or pedestrians when they are consulted.  Well, I guess someone’s automobile can now get back to where it once belonged. Enjoy your new resting place.

Love,

BSO