My Memorial Day: I often attribute 1975 as the year I became a cyclist but actually it was Memorial Day 1968 that kindled the fire in the furnace of my love for cycling.

I remember it clearly; we had the day off from school since the holiday fell on a Thursday and was actually celebrated on its official day [the 30th, before the paradigm of the "3-day weekend" became defacto].

I had recently bought my neighbor’s Schwinn Continental [$25.00 / 41 lbs / built like a steed] and set a goal to ride from my neighborhood near Echo Park [one of the barrios of Los Angeles near the Dodger Stadium] to Santa Monica right through the urban heart along the Wilshire Blvd corridor [~34 miles round trip].

I started early [7:00am] and the adventure still seemed full of possibilities when I rolled onto the pier in Santa Monica overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Fueled from the boundlessness of youthful enthusiasm and the excitement of  the accomplishment,  I couldn’t help myself, I had to continue north [even though my dad said Santa Monica was the limit].  It was like the Song of the Sirens; Pacific Coast Highway and the myth of Malibu, just up the road, were calling.  Along the way I met a couple of other kids headed to Leo Carrillo State Beach, at Ventura County Line, and I couldn’t resist the challenge.

Round trip: ~90 miles. By the time I got home [~8:30pm] it had been dark for long over an hour.  I bonked hard at Wilshire & San Vicente without a penny in my pocket.  Bonk fever turned me into an unrepentant beggar; a passerby showed pity and gave me a coin.  A dime bought a bag of potato chips;  it revived the spirit just enough to get me home.  As I rolled the bike through the door, my dad [on the couch, watching television] looked up and asked “How was the ride?”  “Oh, it was fun.” I said.  He gave me hell later, but what did I care [?] I had ridden my steel pony all the way to Ventura County Line and back.  There was a fire smoldering.

1968: 12 3/4 years old.
~90 miles: Echo Park to Ventura County Line on PCH.
Schwinn Continental: 41 lbs.

Photo courtesy of:  waterfordbikes.com

Il Duce! Ay que tonto!

Ok! Are you paying attention!  Look over here!

Oops! [Saturday] While riding to meet another Freddie, looking down to put his water-bottle back in the cage, Il Duce hits a pothole and goes down hard [Blammo!] {Over the handle-bars}.  3 broken ribs.  [It was dark out, although that's standard m.o. for the goose-stepper Il Duce] It was nothing a little trip to ER and some Morphine and Vicodin couldn’t help [temporarily].  Other than that he’ll be OK as long as he stays away from comedy shows for a while.  It’s a fine way to top off your 50th.

Three weeks ago the mighty Pumbaa also hit the pavé on the Monday ride under similar circumstances: looking back over his shoulder [one hand off the bars] and hits a pine cone.  Blammo!  No broken ribs, although, it hurt so bad,  it was his first thought.

The Moral of this Story:  ALWAYS look far enough ahead before we let any distractions divert our attention if we’re gonna take a hand off the bars or our eyes off the road.

Above All: B’Animuax.

Photo Courtesy JJJJound.com

Dario Pegoretti: [about 4 years ago] at the last urban outpost near the northern end of the San Gabriel River Trail I stopped in at Stan’s Bicycle Shop in Monrovia to buy an extra water bottle for the ride home and discovered the work of Dario Pegoretti.

Dario Pegoretti (born 1957) is an Italian framebuilder based in Caldonazzo, outside the town of Trento, in the Dolomites, about 62 miles northwest of Venice. The frames are impeccably constructed by Dario, a dedicated craftsman, but painted and decorated by the irreverent sensibilities of a consummate artist.

In some respects, Dario’s frames can be compared to the work of John Slawta of LandShark. Some of his work was on display at Interbike in the Italian Pavilion. Visit the Peg[o]ReTti website to see more stuff.

Also worth visiting is a blog post [above category] about a new set of frames being produced by the frame-builder.  [above category] also features a flickr set of Pegoretti frame details {very cool stuff}.

As they say: Steel is steel Real.

It’s only within the race community that steel has lost favor and simply because of weight considerations. I think everyone still loves the handling characteristics of steel. Without a doubt, steel frames will make a BIG comeback. Can you see it: races that only allow steel frames[?] or weight limits {no bikes under 18 lbs} [?] That can put steel back on the pavé. If you’re self-sponsored {i.e., you pay for your own stuff, like the majority of [e]raser boyz & grrrrlz} carbon is too fragile. Over the last 5 years, I’ve seen more broken frames than the previous 30 – and not just from crashes.

Something else from Interbike [just when you thought it was over]:   Brooks is taking their media campaign beyond the English threshold  [huh?] [or maybe it's spot on].

The SAD[dle] company is determined to attract a wider audience beyond their traditional market.  The poster on the left was photographed from their booth.

They had some very cool panniers on display constructed from material that was very un-Brooks-like in material and design [high-tech fabric, water-proof zippers, nylon straps, silver hardware, not one leather strap or brass buckle].

[Elle est Animaux!] [I wonder what's on her sign?]

When everything goes flat and flaccid we need some assistance, whether it’s your unit or your inner tube.  I keep a couple of valve extenders in my ride pouch so when no one has an 80mm valve we can still fix Freddie’s flat.

Some valve stems have removable valve cores [figs. 1 & 5].  To extend the valve, remove the valve core and screw the valve extender into the stem [fig.4] then put the valve core into the top of the extender [see diagram]. These are the best valve extenders [fig.4] because you can close the valve and maintain pressure.

For valve stems that don’t have removable cores [figs. 2 & 3] you’ll need a valve extender that screws onto the stem over the valve [figs 6 & 7]; the valve stays open so you can inflate the tube.  Extenders with their own valve core [fig.6] can be closed to maintain pressure.  Extenders that simply cover the valve without a valve core [fig.7] will allow you to inflate the tube but can’t be closed to prevent inevitable air seepage.  Valve extenders that cover the valve, without a valve of its own [fig.7], won’t maintain pressure indefinitely but long enough to finish the ride.  Since these valve extenders increase the diameter of the stem where they attach, you should test them with your rims to be certain they’ll fit.  [B'Animaux]

This video has been widely circulated.  You can see the rider at the end of the video; he appears to be OK, he was just dazed.

He’s lucky he wasn’t killed.  You can see the rider knew the antelope was rushing him [he waved his hand at it].  The antelope sighted the rider and decided he was a threat.   It’s odd.  The rider could see the beast rushing him but didn’t seem to think he was on its trajectory.  Then Blammo!  I’ve had to smack dogs on their muzzles with my frame pump but shit! how do ya fend off a charging antelope.  How much do antelopes weigh?   The eland is the largest of Africa’s antelopes.  They can be as tall as 178 cm [5' 9"] at the shoulder, and a big one can reach 950 kg [about 2090 pounds.  Damn! That's lots'o animaux rushing you].  The one in the video looks impressively big [Animaux].

No one carries frame pumps anymore. We’z all so impatient now.  Better ditch the ride when you see the Animaux rushing at you.

Today is the first in a new series:
What’z your Bag Freddie?

We’z gonna take a survey of what Freddies carry in their ride pouch.  Today’s post examines the contents of Dr. Num-Num’s bag.

Num-Num carries all the essentials:  Money, two tire irons, a boot, chain tool [you can see the left edge under the boot], peel & stick patch kit, provisions for coffee, inflation device with a single CO2 canister and some extra rubber [and an inner tube]  just in case. [Two tire irons? When have we ever used two tire irons?]  As a seasoned bike tourist, Num-Num can’t shake the psychological burden to carry a patch kit.

The Doctor keeps it all in a zippered pouch he stows in his jersey pocket.

Bicycle Tire Boots:  When your tire is slashed clean through, the inner tube will poke out and burst [1].  When you get a flat from a cut like this you’ll need a “boot” to keep the tube contained when it’s inflated [2].

You can buy pre-manufactured boots [I've seen pre-manufactured boots fail easily] or you can  make your own from an old discarded sew-up [tubular].  Making your own boots is pure FredZen and will take you closer to the creator [FredDíos*].

Silk track sew-ups are great for boots because the rubber layer is thin and the casing is strong.  Road tubulars work perfectly well too.  The thick rubber layer on a road sew-up can be easily peeled off [3]; the casing is strong and works very well on its own.  When you’re back on the road the tire will roll without much of a thump from the added thickness of the peeled rubber.  Cut a few sections [4] and keep them in your ride pouch.  Place the boot on the inside of the tire between the tube and the tire wall, covering the cut, to keep the tube contained when it’s inflated [2]. For minor cuts, the boot will keep the tube well contained and you’ll be able to finish the ride.  If the cut is severe don’t inflate the tube too much [keep it adequate but not so much the boot pops through and fails]; the boot can still get you home – you won’t have to call Mickey’s mom.

For a minor slash, if you don’t have a boot, you can use a folded dollar bill as a substitute.  Dollar bills work well in a pinch.  Jacksons works better and Benjamins, honey, work the best [seriously].

B’Animaux.

*Sunday is the FredDios Sabbath [day of rest].

TheBoyaggi Boyz rode their grand adventure today; Cortona to Siena [and back] – 120 miles round-trip.  According to the UberFred, “60 miles from Cortona, 3800 ft of climbing … IL Duce had the hammer down the whole way … lots of sour faces … wine in the piazza.”

Ahhhhhh!! But then they had the pleasure of the return trip home through the familiar countryside.   You bet Il Duce had them goose-stepping the whole time.  It’s not easy being the Fascist Fashionista, but someone’s gotta do it.

The return trip: “Just made it before dark … 104 miles, 7800 ft, Siena to Asciano, Sinalunga, Chiano, Cortona.  Big Windy home. Epic. Going to town now for vino and a pub visit to finish off the night.”

Click here to see a full zoomable map of the route based on the towns mentioned in UberFred’s narrative.

They’ll be in transit Friday – back to the Mediterranean culture of Southern California.

I think we missed a great trip.  Happy Birthday Il Duce Wehrlisimo!

Tradition defines us.  We honor tradition to enrich our lives with a deep perspective.  When new concepts, ideas, methodologies and practices prove themselves, they are woven into the fabric of the culture; tradition.  Along the way the contentions between the camps help prove the mettle and paves the way to the enrichment of that shared culture.

That being said: [it's off season] put those single speeds into motion.

B’Animaux !!