murder ballads and orangina

Good amount of riding in this week, which I'm happy about. The humidity is brutal though. It's looking like I'll try being competitive for cross season. Most of my Spooky is together now (as in, it's in the same place), I just need to dig up bar/stem/post/saddle/tires. I've got time. I will update this very post with pictures soon.

In other bikey news, Africabike broke another axle, but Bryan told me about a great option from Woodman Components in the Bill Extrem RSN hub. It's got a super burly 12 mm axle with the ends machined to fit through normal dropouts. To match this monster, I found an old Mavic D521 at the shop, (with ceramic coating no less). This 36 spoke beast will finally be a wheel worthy of my steed, and likely the heaviest wheel around by a good measure. Fab.

Last week, Chris, Dan B. and I went to Boston Beer Works, where I had never been before. I was quite tired, but I ordered a sandwich I didn't really want anyways. The sandwich was lunch the next day. This is only notable because I got a very special, very rare onion ring sombrero, which was even given a special celebratory box! I was quite honored.

For this week's video, an example of why everyone should watch every Extras (there's only 13 episodes), starring Sir Ian McKellan



See also Patrick Stewart's appearance.

Twist away the gates of steel

Last weekend, Thom P. got married! The wedding was fun, and lots of people were there. Even Bryan! Congratulations to Thom and Miriam! Exclaimation points!

Some sad news on the Africabike Evo, it seems the 1" disc tab equipped rigid fork was a typo, and nobody makes a cheap fork to that spec. If anyone has/knows of such a thing, please let me know, but until then, that project is being shelved. I know IF or Igleheart could do it, but going custom would be against the spirit of the AB, not to mention I have to pay for other stuff now...

New cross bike! I'm getting a Spooky Supertouch, which I decided to get as soon as I rode Marcus's and it was miraculous. This will also be my first SRAM bike, as I rather liked how the Rival stuff on Marcus's bike worked. I'll keep posting progress on the build.

This Sunday I'm going to the MIT Flea market, and who knows what I'll come back with. Last time I got this monkey wrench from the 1940s, and there's all manner of awesome obsolete tech there from Newtons to Wizards. It happens every 3rd Sunday from 9 to 2, and it's totally worth checking out.

This week's video is a return to music, with Blur's Clockwork Orange inspired "The Universal", one of several excellent videos from the group.

Now my door has swollen from the rain

This year's 4th of July was in many ways a repeat of last year's, with a bunch of people from Glenville getting together, though this year there were more people and more food, hanging at the esplanade, and watching the fireworks. It was best 4th I ever remember having. I wonder how Bryan's 4th was.

So it was my birthday on the 7th, and now I'm 23. Doesn't really feel any different.

Versus (née OLN) is on all day at the shop now, for their tourxtravaganzafest coverage of the TDF, and while granted, there is lots of bike racing between the bullriding, fishing, and cagefighting, I'm struck by the strange choices (and resultant implicit viewer demographics) by advertisers during the tour. Cadillac I get, as the CTS is meant to be the europhile's Caddy (and it seems they're actually making the wagon which is cool..though I'd still sooner a 3 wagon), and the bike company ads are logical, but some of the others paint an unfortunate picture. Between solicitations for "natural male enhancement", hair loss serums, debt consolidation and credit checks, impotence cures, and the occasional visits from Billy Mays from beyond the grave thanks to the magic of Mighty Putty, it seems the expected viewership is largely comprised of broke, bald, impotent men that have sprung leaks. These men also have the money for a $40,000 car and a fancy carbon bike. I suppose that's where the debt came from. All that's missing are the VH1 Classic/Comedy Central staple ads for the unfortunately named vocational school UTI.

TopGear has started their new season, and so far, it's been up to form, with one particularly tremendous segment involving Ken Block, Ricky Carmichael, James May, one Subaru and one Suzuki in some beautifully composed all terrain gymnastics. You can see it here.

This week's video goes out to Chicagoland people, all of whom are apparently familiar with this ad.

Delay

Sorry, this week's post will be a bit delayed. Shame, I had such a streak going