Shimming your way to safety and stability

September 1324, 2016

As you undoubtedly are aware, with the possible exception of those still under the supervision of parents/caregivers, old bicycle tyre inner-tubes are surpassed in usefulness only by the peerless duct tape.  Here is a toilet that I have been re-installing after misguidedly removing it because it wobbled!?  

Luckily, I had the insurmountable collaborative power of inner-tubes and duct tape to sustain me in my efforts.  

In hindsight, I would have let it wobble.  I could have imagined that I was swaying on a high toilet in a tree, like this one!  Ah!  Nothing like a good old fashioned shit in the woods!

 

https://www.travelblog.org/Photos/3965468

Anyway, the toilet now seems to be pretty stable in its place after I grouted it in thanks to some expert on-line advice and initial encouragement and advice from my friend Bob.  It might be kind of a pain if some sorry ass sucker has to replace the toilet in the future, but I ain't gonna worry about that until/if I have to!

I saw a few fellow bicyclers out and about, and I was even able to capture this exhilarating action shot of a fellow commuter. 

I put some new pedals on my bike because the old ones were wobblier than my toilet.  They also creaked and popped in a manner that I occasionally found bothersome.  Here are the new pedals that I purchased at a bike swap a few years back. 

I like to have a few of the more expendable bike components around in case I need them right now.

I have recently noticed that most bike lights don’t seem to handle rain well.  Why, just in the past 2 or 3 months I’ve had a tail light and a head light shoot craps.  I blame the rain. 

I read about a few tail lights at this cool bike light review website.  Maybe I’ll buy one of these so my lights last longer and I’m even more visible than I normally am.  Here (Serfas USL-TL60 USB) is the one that most effectively caught my eye so far....  Unfortunately the small Serfas light that I've had on my helmet lately has either not been functioning properly after being saturated a few times or maybe it just burns through batteries faster than I'd like, but I may still give Serfas another chance.

Here (Pedal the Planet) is a book I heard about that relates the true-life, inspirational experience of a man who used bicycling as a means to fight depression. 

And Here (Omaha Bicycle Co.) is a chance to submit stories, poems, illustrations, or photos to be in a book about bicycling here in our very own Home-aha!  I can hardly wait to try to come up with something for this compilation!  

So, if things get a little wet and wobbly, maybe a bicycle tyre tube shim, and/or a bike light might help keep it all together.

Let's pedal!

Last days of summer in line

September 7, 2016

Dearly bedazzled,

What does that mean?  Well, I am here to tell you that summer is winding down, so do something desperate, as needed.  Here is how I am celebrating the last few weeks of summer. 

There may be some end of summer outsidey activities to enjoy.  Here is one that I witnessed on my way homeward.  Yes those are ponies.

I am okay with moving on to fall for the following reasons:

1.     The sun burns my pale white flesh!  Agggghhhhh!

2.     Oktoberfests!

3.     Less sweating, more sitting around, drinking beer and bitching about how summer’s over.

Here are some fall events that are impending:

1.  Psycowpath race - probably end of season, Sept 17

2.  Artsy bicycley event - October 7 evening  (also note that "All participants will receive a bell, t-shirt, and dinner + drinks post performance. ")

3.  Tour de garden 2016 - Sept 11 + block party and bands

I got Ronnie James Dio's inspirational and bicycle-based "The Last in Line" stuck in my head today.    

Here is how Ronnie would have reacted to the end of summer:

persona.rin.ru

Cryptically.  Let's find the sacred heart, on bikes!  We rock!