Friday News And Views

Care of ImagineGnat

Tracking The Days: 

Nothing like a good old analogue calendar to track yer days by. I just can't imagine not having a paper calendar, which may seem old school to you out there, but judging from my visits to stores of late, I ain't the only one!

So in an effort to "shop small" and also to support someone I think of as a friend, I suggest that you consider one of these fine calendars from Gnat. (He of "Barns For Jason" fame) Gnat took all the images in these calendars and I think they are awesome. Mrs. Guitar Ted thinks so as well. You can get a calendar in color or in black and white, but these are so cool, you need to get both of them. Really.

These are staying with me, but they would make an awesome gift for someone as well. Check it out here.

Long overdue hangings

Speaking Of Art....

I finally got around to hanging a couple of things that have been safely rolled up in a tube for......years! 

I can not remember who it was that brought me three of these T.I.V3 header posters, but if you are reading this- Thanks! And lookee here! I finally hung one! Sharp eyed readers will recognize the image as the same as the T.I.V9 header image with different graphics.  The image is from a ride that co-instigator of Trans Iowa, Jeff Kerkove, took on one of his old "Friday Night Lights" gravel grinders which were held here when he was a mechanic with me at the shop.

The other poster is a Twin Six "Dust To Dust" poster which Twin Six sent to me at one time or another. So once again- Thanks guys! It's been too long, but it is finally out and being shown off at Guitar Ted's homestead.

I still have a couple of other smaller posters yet to get framed. I don't care if these are not matted professionally, or whatever. If I wait to pay for that to happen, it won't happen! Not that I am a cheapo- but things like truck tires, kid's clothes, and lunch money are more important, ya know?

My kinda bar action.

Blingle Bar:

I picked up one of these On One Midge Bars in a shiny gold ano recently. For the money, how could I not? (They were on sale for sub 30 bucks) These bars were developed by some aficionados of dirt drop use and- in my opinion- are still the king of off road drop bars. Others have tried, but they have not improved on these.

Now- I use Woodchippers, Luxy Bars, and Cowbell Bars, and those are all pretty good at some things, but the Midge Bar is great at most everything, with one tiny exception- The drop section is just a wee bit short.

And now I hear they are going to lengthen that bit, and allow folks to cut them back, if they want the old Midge length. Just hearsay, I don't have any confirmation at this point, but if it is true- yeah. That'd be about perfection. (Now that said- I still have an idea I think is better, but no one has been able to get it right, or has tried it yet.)

And these gold ones? They are going on Fargo Gen I soon.

Recon!

 Weekend Goings On:

While most of you Mid-Westerners will be soaking up the last bits of warmer than usual weather, I will be doing two things. First up- Global Fat Bike Day. Saturday will mark a day set aside world-wide to do the fat bike thing. I know of a big ride in Iowa City, and the guys around here are getting together at The Camp. Minneapolis has a huge one going down. I suppose there are rides going on all over little and big, but going on none the less.

I'll be doing a combo gravel/single track gig Saturday. Gotta get in a training ride for Triple D along with the fat bike celebrating.

Then on Sunday I'll be doing Trans Iowa recon and hopefully will get that all wrapped up. Got new tires on the truck, an oil change, and checked over. Everything is a go. The weather should be perfect. I hope to move to drafting cue sheets then and following that in the Spring we'll check those out and catch any mistakes. It is the method I used last year and really made for the best cues T.I. has ever had.

Okay- that's a wrap. Get out and ride while ya can! It won't get any better than this in December.