Saturday's Adventure

I decided to go on a long ride today. You know, one of those rides where you leave a little after noon and try to get home before dark. Wound up riding for 6.5 hours and about 50 miles. I stopped by a dirt jumping spot tucked into a small patch of woods in Bear Creek Lake Park that I found a couple years ago. What was a few overgrown and under-maintained jumps is now the most amazingly groomed jump park I have ever seen...and incredibly huge. Like, 7' tall, 8' wide, 45º lips and 20' gaps huge. There were some 10 guys there working on the 3rd set and trying to convince me to, "hit 'em up. The first couple are ready to go!" No thanks!

I rode a fair amount of singletrack. A trail in the aforementioned four-noun park, which reminds me of pump tracks and the Outer Limits Loop, reaffirmed that at 40psi, my front tire is not the same as at 25psi. I also rode the Dinosaur Ridge trail, which was a long, super-technical climb followed by a very strange and short descent; next time I will try riding it the other way. This trail has some spots that look like they are straight out of Moab. I want to go to Moab.

On my way home, I got to thinking that when riding singletrack 20 miles from home, one doesn't need to worry nearly as much about wrecking tires and rims on a mountain bike as on a road bike. Then I got to thinking that roadies are sissies for not going off road in the middle of a long ride. Then I got to thinking that my mountain bike could be considered a crutch under these circumstances. After all, I used to take my old Bianchi Eros on trails all the time. Whatever. I don't care if I'm soft; I like riding my bike.

What can I say?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqNxrK-hkHA

The new hobby

COFFEE ROASTING.......not only is it cheaper it taste better!!!!!


"Big" 1 lb Batch roaster

This is the Whirly Pop Popcorn maker modified with a motor (torn out of a nut roaster I found for $7) and an older thermocouple. With the motor and the thermocouple it's a hands free roast allowing me to pay closer attention to the temperature and stove setting. Resulting in roast profiles of perfection.






Small 1/4 lb batch roaster.

The small batch roaster is a fluid bed (jet of hot air) roaster made from a $3 popper from Goodwill and the same model thermocouple. My dad and I used a dimmer switch to control the fan and separated the two heating coils for more adjustable temperature.

I must be doing something right.

I found this under my windshield wiper this morning:


Bike to Work Week is approaching, so be sure to participate in moderation. Otherwise, your car may be impounded! :)