Watch This Space!

<===Not new.....just new to me!

Well, I got this El Mariachi from Captain Bob recently and managed to get it up and running today. The run down is as follows: 2007 El Mariachi in Superior Blue with matching fork and stem, Salsa seat post, CroMoto stem, Delgado Disc Rims, and skewers. DT Swis 340 hubs, Bontrager Race Lite crank (older ISIS model), Ultegra long cage rear derailleur with ceramic bearing BBB jockey wheels, SRAM cassette, Avid BB-7 brakes and levers. Salsa 17 degree Moto Ace bar, cut down Ergon Team Green grips with the bar ends, and SRAM Attack "grip"shifters. Salsa seat post QR and Bontrager Inform RL saddle. Tires are WTB Stouts. Cages are Profile.

It rides great, but then again, I knew that it would. I've ridden a few examples of these before throughout the last year or so. I've always admired the sweet steel ride and handling of the original El Mariachi. When salsa changed them for this year, I must admit to being a bit bummed that I never snagged one of the Tomatillo colored ones, but this chance to own a blue one will do just fine! I rode it a bit today, a shake down of the new build, and I can't wait to ride it off road!

The Baja Epic Stage Race is slated to take place in early November. Call me stupid, but this looks like fun. Not that I could ever afford to go. With things headed in the direction that they are, I suspect that travel expenses will severely limit how many folks will go to this. Still, something about this intrigues me. Maybe I have a secret death wish, I don't know. Anyway, I like the idea of the event.

Then there is the Oregon Manifest in October. It is a handmade bicycle show, cyclo cross races, and general tom-foolery on bikes located in Portland. (Where else?!) Seems that they had so much fun in March they wanted to do it all over again in October. Hmm......but maybe there is more to this. Perhaps it is really a "do over" for some of the local builders who weren't pleased with the outcome of NAHBS. Or maybe some of the builders just didn't get their rigs done on time for NAHBS, so they figured an extra six months ought to cover them. Or maybe they want to turn Portland into the defacto cultural center of the North American cycling universe. I don't know, but it seems that they have the definite possibility for turning all French on us. I mean, their has to be more portuer bikes per capita in Portland than anywhere else on the Continent.

Okay, I must also add here that I'll be away from Guitar Ted Laboratories for a couple of days now covering the Salsa Sol Sessions for Twenty Nine Inches. My blog posts might be a bit irregular for Monday and Tuesday, but stay tuned, because it will be well worth waiting to read them!

Stay safe and healthy out there. Pray for the victims here in the Mid West. Ride a bike if you can!