a two day 220 mile vintage bike ride
One man’s quest to raise awareness and funding for dementia research.
First Look & Ride — 36’ Elgin
First time I’ve owned a bike with a coaster brake since age 8.
What’s an XTERRA Event Like?
We decided to spend a day documenting one of our local strong men and master wrench spinner Mike Rodgers as he competed in the XTERRA event of May 07, 2023
Oval Chainrings
This isn’t really cheating, is it? My original skip-tooth chainrings and sprockets were pretty knackered. Having been able to acquire NOS (new old stock) chains for both bikes from eBay
myWindsock thoughts
Can the myWindsock app actually make you faster on a local Strava Segment than your wet thumb in the wind? Full disclosure: Though not a weather nerd or over the
Let’s Lace Old School
Ubiquitous, we mostly take the wheel for granted, today for most, a once revolutionary idea goes without a second look. Countless iterations of such a foundational concept end up creating
Fragmented Disc
Typical for me—just as I was about to start training on the Elgin for this summer’s ride—I ended up derailing my efforts with a back injury (which revealed itself simply
The Public Man Behind the Story
— featured image — Ms. Magazine 40th Anniversary Murphy C. Anderson Jr. / American Comic Book Artist1926-2015 There is an awful lot that can be said about my father and
The Father Behind the Story .01
Ask most any son who’s the hero of their lives? A great portion of the responses will point to a father or father figure. Though far from normal, I am,
Paint Colour Concepts
The only way that I could settle on a paint scheme was to do a few mockups, first my old school approach, which was to sketch and color a few
Shingles and the Aging Cyclist
Stress, intense physical exertion, and the wear and tear on the body can further compromise the immune system, creating a perfect storm for shingles outbreaks… After busier than usual cycling
Portable Spray Wall
Painting anything in a small shop is always a challenge, fumes and overspray present a myriad of concerns. In the best scenario a commercial spay booth or spray wall is
LED Elgin Headlamp
With a little emory cloth a new bulb and a fresh battery my 90 year old headlamp came immediately to life. But honestly, even though my headlamp was working, by
Damn MAMILs
The arrogant MAMIL (Middle-Aged Men in Lycra) Or my encounters with road cycling assholes who seem to have ‘roid (not road) rage?(Or maybe… too much espresso and energy supplements) What
3D Custom Grips and Pedals
As one would expect the near 100 year old rubber grips and pedal platforms are in need of replacement. First thing that comes to mind is “Let Google find it”.
Let’s Chrome
Having made the decision to more or less restore my 30’s Elgin bike, prior to my big ride, re-chroming the old parts became part of the build. Of course, then
No Good Roads
Hidden Dangers Of Road Cycling This post illustrates the ever increasing dangers of road cycling. As traffic increases governments struggle with infrastructure and legislative improvements to safely allow the coexistence
Easter Eggs
I’m no expert on the origins of the urban use of “easter egg”, but the disambiguation is easy… hidden but edible or hidden and not. Seriously though, the first time
The Oracle
Or My Crossing into the Matrix… Red pill, Blue pill, nope, this Mr. Anderson has a Garmin device attached to his wrist and is beginning to question his “need” for
Childhood Lore
“The aforementioned climb ranks high on my personal list of childhood traumas—this being one of terror.”
Dementia Awareness
Be the victim… Imagine that all of your memories, the very memories that allow you to perceive your being, define an existence on this earth, slowly become corrupted. Progressively losing
Fragmented Disc Recovery
Six weeks slowly ticked by. Aside from a minor, likely self-inflicted, surgical site infection, I progressed as I would have expected. The weakness and pain in my lower back mostly
Gone Bananas
Ever wonder why people are so rude to cyclists? 56 years of riding bicycles and I still have no explanation for the aggressive and dangerous actions of others targeting cyclists(though
Utilitarian Cyclists
We’ve all seen the YouTube videos of the crazy diehard cyclists who be it by choice or necessity use their bikes in ways that seem super-human. From the balancing of
Bicycles and Dementia
Bicycles often symbolize cherished memories of freedom, adventure, and personal milestones, deeply embedded in our minds. However, dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease, can cruelly erode these precious recollections, leaving individuals and
Adult lo-cal Shamrock Shake
Saint Patrick is chasing snakes and McDonalds is rolling out the infamous Shamrock Shake – yes Paddy’s day is on the way. Bringing the first indicator of being able to