Random Occurrence

 

A beautiful day

Clear for the first time in weeks

Is almost tragic.

 Friday, September 25, 2020

 I’m not a believer in the mystical or magic but once in a great while the universe rolls the dice and a pair of sixes pops up. Usually, as in this case, it has to do with pretty mundane matters, but what the hey, given all the darkness in the world right now it’s still enough to bring a little light and amusement.

 At work on Wednesday at lunch my co-workers were talking about what they’ve been watching and one of them recommended to my wife a documentary about a man and his relationship to an octopus. A topic that would never be high up on my list but it’s my wife’s week to pick, so…

 Oddly, it’s not a bad documentary but not because the octopus or man are extraordinary, but the filming is beautiful and the creature and man both seem interesting enough for at least a good hour. Unfortunately, like many modern documentaries, it last much longer than that.

 But what caught my eye right from the very beginning and gave me an odd feeling of familiarity with the location was the white rocks with the rust colored algae splotched across them.

 AhHa… For the last few days the random appearing screen saver on my PC is of those very same rocks that are on one of the bays of Tasmania, the 26^th largest island in the world. Thank you Windows 10 for all the geology lessons.

 The coincidence hasn’t convinced me that there’s a mildly but pretty weak God floating around the universe who can’t do much about needless suffering or racial injustice but can throw a few quirky random occurrences the world’s way. But it was amusing nevertheless.

Inside Outside

Red capped woodpecker

Knocks the eucalyptus tree

like a jack hammer.

This is 2020 in a nutshell:

First we’re asked to stay inside to avoid spreading Covid.

 Next were told we can come outside but to keep our distance as there’s more air movement and it’s a far safer place to interact with each other.

 Now were told to go back inside because the air outside is toxic.

 
You put your right foot in. You take your right foot out. You do the Hokey Pokey and you shiver all about.

Wheels Turning Round and Round

.

 Sunrise wounds orange

Through the bruised Topanga sky

As the fires smolder.

Friday, September 11, 2020

 The bike I was given a few weeks ago is now just about going to cost me as much as a new bike.

 That’s because it’s rare for a straight-out swap of components and wheels from one bike to another. I was hoping to get away with just a bar and stem purchase, but I was just informed that I would at least need to purchase a front wheel as the frame I bought (Cervelo R5) is thru axle whereas the bike I was given (Mosaic) has a traditional quick release axle.

 Now I’m not going to put together a bike with two different brands of wheels. That’s gauche. So it’s a new carbon disc wheelset I go. I was considering alloy, but what the hell, for a few hundred more I believe I can get a decent carbon wheelset.

 As per this moment the brake down of costs looks like this:

 -Mosaic bike equipped with Shimano Dura Ace electronic shifting, hydraulic brakes and Fulcrum Quattro Racing wheels; FREE!

-Cervelo R5 frameset; 2100

-Enve handlebar and stem; approximately $500.

-Bontrager Aeolus 37 Pro carbon wheelset; $1200

-bar tape and bottle cages; about $100

-Wahoo computer; $250

-Labor; about $250

 Total so far - $4400

 *(I decided to get a little smarter and cheaper and checked out if Fulcrum made a front wheel that would reasonably match the rear already on the Mosaic and they do. The DB 40 Wind is a very clean looking wheel with just a touch of red that should go nicely with the rear Fulcrum Quattro. The DB front wheel cost $725.)

 Bringing the new total so far to $3,925.

 
That, at the moment, seems like a very reasonable deal for a top of the line frame with very good components. But we’re still in the build process so cost could go up. And as anyone who builds a bike knows, costs will definitely not go down.

Holding Steady

 

Roadside skeleton

With palm sized skull and backbone

Was a predator.

 Without health insurance and being back in the states, as opposed to Panama where I could easily afford a personal physician, my check-ups have been limited to my every two-year required medical exam to renew my CDL. It’s a very cursory exam but it’ll have to do until Medicare which is only a few years away.

 With age I was concerned my vision wouldn’t be up to par as two years ago I barely made it. But at 20/30 that’ll see me through.

 Celebrating not getting worse over the past two years doesn’t seem like much of an accomplishment but I suppose that’s the position aging puts all of us in.

The Bars

My eyes are weaker

Then they’ve been before.

Is this a blessing?

 Thursday, September 3, 2020

Now that I’m building a quasi new bike, I thought I’d consider what contact points I should possibly change.

 I love my Specialized seat so that’s going over to the new bike.

 Initially, at least, I thought I’d keep my Crank Brother Egg Beater pedals, but that became a moot point when they froze up on me a week ago. Since the bike I was given had Speedplay, I thought I’d give those a go. Damned, if they’re not hard to engage. But they seem to work well and that saves me some money for now.

 The bars, after watching a few videos about sizing, I’m planning to swap out for slightly narrower 42s as opposed to the 44s on my current bike. But damned again, I was overwhelmed at all the choices of types, materials and brands. I pretty much threw in the towel and figured since the bike I was given had an Enve fork, I’ll just go with what Enve makes.

 I hope the wheels don’t have any problems or are suggested to be changed. That’s just too much to think about. I just want to be the kid who wakes up at Christmas and gets on and goes for a spin on his trusty new steed. This adult decision making about components is intriguing but does tend to sap some of the spontaneity out of what should just be an almost instinctual thrill.