Friday News And Views

UCI's Version Of Gravel Worlds Set In Italy This October:

 Last week it was announced that the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) was going to hold its inaugural "Gravel Worlds" in the Veneto Region of Italy on October 8th - 9th according to a report on "VeloNews". (Note- I have also seen a report saying the date was the week before, October 1st-2nd)

The exact location will be announced at a later date, but it may have something to do with working around, or with the promoter of Serenissima Gravel, which is set to take place October 14th in the same region of Italy. 

The UCI World Gravel Tour dates for 2022

Comments: The UCI Pro Gravel Tour has already had a few races completed, but there is not a lot of chirping about it here in North America on traditional cycling outlets. Most of the coverage here has been focused on the Pro road tour, which is fully underway after two years of truncated, or no racing at all on the calendar. 

It will be interesting to see if that tour gains any traction with fans, media, and Pro level racers in the future. The race coming up in Fayetteville, Arkansas may generate some interest. So far, it has not really turned any heads here, and any Pro level gravel coverage has been mostly focused on things like the Belgium Waffle Races and Life Time Fitness' Grand Prix of Gravel races.

Image of a rescue of a TD rider from Fernie Search & Rescue last week.

Trouble On The Tour Divide:

I haven't written much on the Tour Divide in recent years because it has become something other than what it used to be, and I think it just isn't quite as impressive these days because of technology/social media. That's my take, might not resonate with you, and that's fine. It is just why I don't feel the need to feature the event here much anymore. 

However; this year it seems that extreme weather conditions have caught out a lot of riders. According to this story published on "Fernie.com", several racers have had to be rescued on the Tour Divide route who were suffering from 'hypothermia to broken ribs.' 

Comments: Interestingly, the story linked went to the Tour Divide website and copied and pasted the 'rules' for rider safety which pretty much exonerate the event from any responsibility or oversight by the event director. I'm guessing that was a pointed attempt to portray the event in somewhat of a negative light here. It doesn't help that reports of riders disregarding officials warnings and the report of a trashing of a room by some divide riders in Whitefish have been noted.

At any rate, the accessibility and popularity of Tour Divide as a "bucket-list" thing to do has about the same connotations as an ascent on Everest these days. So many success stories and little cautionary tales make it seem as though just about anyone could pull this off, and maybe, in the case of a decent weather year at Tour Divide, that might be true. 

But now, with extreme weather conditions happening more frequently, and with the extremely remote nature of this route in many paces, it might prove to be wise to come prepared for the worst. In fact, things are so weird this year that riders could face extreme snow/cold, flooding, and excessive heat conditions, wild fires,and drought all along the route this year. For more on risk taking and my thoughts on that, see this post from earlier this year, and pay attention to the closing paragraphs.

Trek is marketing a digital or print magazine to consumers.

Direct To Consumer Marketing Takes Form Of Magazine:

Trek has taken the challenge of direct-to-consumer marketing and are offering their own magazine. The "Performance Issue" was just released last week in digital form and a print magazine is available upon request. 

The issue details Trek sponsored athletes from road, gravel, and mountain biking with a look at some of their inclusivity programs and the Trek Travel arm of the company is also featured. Along the way you get the obvious adverts for Trek products.

Comments: With the homogenization of media in the cycling niche and the media corporatization which affects the number of independent media outlets, companies are left out in the wilderness when it comes to avenues to advertise and have reviews posted which show their products off in a good light. (Like they used to when companies would buy ads in publications to insure 'good reviews') Of course, there is social media. However; Trek seems to have moved on from the "influencer" marketing strategies employed by some companies which utilize athletes and their social media platforms and audiences. Trek now has taken control directly in terms of their narrative and with this digital release and print publication, they seem to be making their own path to consumers when it comes to marketing. A "Direct-To-Consumer Media", if you will. 

In fact, I've been told that at Trek dealerships it is required by salespeople to obtain "contact information" under the guise of "making an account for receipt" purposes. This data harvesting might be how Trek intends to grow its reach for the digital publication they have launched.

Interestingly, the issue I viewed online featured female athletes, people of color, and an indigenous cycling initiative with almost no "traditional cycling media" type stories at all. It's obvious that Trek means to make headway into the social changes advocated by those who criticized the company's messages heavily over the past few years. 

This is what amounts to the "catalog style" marketing from the 20th Century, updated for today's audience. In fact, Trek calls it a "catalog" and prompts its email subscribers to "Browse the catalog". It will be interesting to see if this catches on and if - or how- it affects traditional cycling media. Will there still be independent reviews of Trek/Bontrager gear, for instance? Or, will all that disappear and will you have to access the Trek "catalog" issues to see tests/reviews of their products by their sponsored athletes/influencers? Hard to say now. But it is an interesting take on marketing in the 21st century. 

From the Summer 2017 Geezer Ride

Geezer Ride Reboot?

During the Hall of Fame Ride last weekend the subject of the Geezer Ride I used to put on came up again. Specifically it was Martin Bunge who brought it up and said that he'd strongly consider doing it if I were to bring it back. Then later on Josh Lederman expressed the same, and after the ride he tried his best to give weight to his suggestion. Then, unbeknownst to those two, and independently of them, N.Y. Roll said that bringing back the Geezer Ride might be a good fundraiser for the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective. 

Okay, now this has gotten me to thinking....

First, many of you probably don't have a clue as to what it is I am speaking of here. So, a 'geezer ride' is an easy, casually paced, no more than 40-ish mile gravel course. It's prime aim is to provide a fun, relaxing, non-competitive arena for anyone that is curious about gravel riding and would like to try it out. 

The secondary purpose was to provide a shorter route which could be ridden without too much training or effort and have good company, a fun time, and a hang out opportunity afterword. 

I started the Geezer Rides in 2014 and they ran up through 2018. Of course, that was when I "retired" from events productions. And I had intended on keeping myself out of doing this entirely, which included even organizing group rides, (like last weekend's Hall of Fame Ride), and I was just going to do whatever rides I wanted. However; the suggestion by N.Y. Roll to make the Geezer Ride a benefit to the mission of the non-profit Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective has merit and I am interested in perhaps doing another Geezer Ride. 

So, what do you think? Comment below.....

Have a great weekend! Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

UCI's Version Of Gravel Worlds Set In Italy This October:

 Last week it was announced that the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) was going to hold its inaugural "Gravel Worlds" in the Veneto Region of Italy on October 8th - 9th according to a report on "VeloNews". (Note- I have also seen a report saying the date was the week before, October 1st-2nd)

The exact location will be announced at a later date, but it may have something to do with working around, or with the promoter of Serenissima Gravel, which is set to take place October 14th in the same region of Italy. 

The UCI World Gravel Tour dates for 2022

Comments: The UCI Pro Gravel Tour has already had a few races completed, but there is not a lot of chirping about it here in North America on traditional cycling outlets. Most of the coverage here has been focused on the Pro road tour, which is fully underway after two years of truncated, or no racing at all on the calendar. 

It will be interesting to see if that tour gains any traction with fans, media, and Pro level racers in the future. The race coming up in Fayetteville, Arkansas may generate some interest. So far, it has not really turned any heads here, and any Pro level gravel coverage has been mostly focused on things like the Belgium Waffle Races and Life Time Fitness' Grand Prix of Gravel races.

Image of a rescue of a TD rider from Fernie Search & Rescue last week.

Trouble On The Tour Divide:

I haven't written much on the Tour Divide in recent years because it has become something other than what it used to be, and I think it just isn't quite as impressive these days because of technology/social media. That's my take, might not resonate with you, and that's fine. It is just why I don't feel the need to feature the event here much anymore. 

However; this year it seems that extreme weather conditions have caught out a lot of riders. According to this story published on "Fernie.com", several racers have had to be rescued on the Tour Divide route who were suffering from 'hypothermia to broken ribs.' 

Comments: Interestingly, the story linked went to the Tour Divide website and copied and pasted the 'rules' for rider safety which pretty much exonerate the event from any responsibility or oversight by the event director. I'm guessing that was a pointed attempt to portray the event in somewhat of a negative light here. It doesn't help that reports of riders disregarding officials warnings and the report of a trashing of a room by some divide riders in Whitefish have been noted.

At any rate, the accessibility and popularity of Tour Divide as a "bucket-list" thing to do has about the same connotations as an ascent on Everest these days. So many success stories and little cautionary tales make it seem as though just about anyone could pull this off, and maybe, in the case of a decent weather year at Tour Divide, that might be true. 

But now, with extreme weather conditions happening more frequently, and with the extremely remote nature of this route in many paces, it might prove to be wise to come prepared for the worst. In fact, things are so weird this year that riders could face extreme snow/cold, flooding, and excessive heat conditions, wild fires,and drought all along the route this year. For more on risk taking and my thoughts on that, see this post from earlier this year, and pay attention to the closing paragraphs.

Trek is marketing a digital or print magazine to consumers.

Direct To Consumer Marketing Takes Form Of Magazine:

Trek has taken the challenge of direct-to-consumer marketing and are offering their own magazine. The "Performance Issue" was just released last week in digital form and a print magazine is available upon request. 

The issue details Trek sponsored athletes from road, gravel, and mountain biking with a look at some of their inclusivity programs and the Trek Travel arm of the company is also featured. Along the way you get the obvious adverts for Trek products.

Comments: With the homogenization of media in the cycling niche and the media corporatization which affects the number of independent media outlets, companies are left out in the wilderness when it comes to avenues to advertise and have reviews posted which show their products off in a good light. (Like they used to when companies would buy ads in publications to insure 'good reviews') Of course, there is social media. However; Trek seems to have moved on from the "influencer" marketing strategies employed by some companies which utilize athletes and their social media platforms and audiences. Trek now has taken control directly in terms of their narrative and with this digital release and print publication, they seem to be making their own path to consumers when it comes to marketing. A "Direct-To-Consumer Media", if you will. 

In fact, I've been told that at Trek dealerships it is required by salespeople to obtain "contact information" under the guise of "making an account for receipt" purposes. This data harvesting might be how Trek intends to grow its reach for the digital publication they have launched.

Interestingly, the issue I viewed online featured female athletes, people of color, and an indigenous cycling initiative with almost no "traditional cycling media" type stories at all. It's obvious that Trek means to make headway into the social changes advocated by those who criticized the company's messages heavily over the past few years. 

This is what amounts to the "catalog style" marketing from the 20th Century, updated for today's audience. In fact, Trek calls it a "catalog" and prompts its email subscribers to "Browse the catalog". It will be interesting to see if this catches on and if - or how- it affects traditional cycling media. Will there still be independent reviews of Trek/Bontrager gear, for instance? Or, will all that disappear and will you have to access the Trek "catalog" issues to see tests/reviews of their products by their sponsored athletes/influencers? Hard to say now. But it is an interesting take on marketing in the 21st century. 

From the Summer 2017 Geezer Ride

Geezer Ride Reboot?

During the Hall of Fame Ride last weekend the subject of the Geezer Ride I used to put on came up again. Specifically it was Martin Bunge who brought it up and said that he'd strongly consider doing it if I were to bring it back. Then later on Josh Lederman expressed the same, and after the ride he tried his best to give weight to his suggestion. Then, unbeknownst to those two, and independently of them, N.Y. Roll said that bringing back the Geezer Ride might be a good fundraiser for the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective. 

Okay, now this has gotten me to thinking....

First, many of you probably don't have a clue as to what it is I am speaking of here. So, a 'geezer ride' is an easy, casually paced, no more than 40-ish mile gravel course. It's prime aim is to provide a fun, relaxing, non-competitive arena for anyone that is curious about gravel riding and would like to try it out. 

The secondary purpose was to provide a shorter route which could be ridden without too much training or effort and have good company, a fun time, and a hang out opportunity afterword. 

I started the Geezer Rides in 2014 and they ran up through 2018. Of course, that was when I "retired" from events productions. And I had intended on keeping myself out of doing this entirely, which included even organizing group rides, (like last weekend's Hall of Fame Ride), and I was just going to do whatever rides I wanted. However; the suggestion by N.Y. Roll to make the Geezer Ride a benefit to the mission of the non-profit Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective has merit and I am interested in perhaps doing another Geezer Ride. 

So, what do you think? Comment below.....

Have a great weekend! Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Washed Out

The old nipples must go!

Well........that sucked! I woke up at 5:00am Saturday morning, checked the radar, and the bad news was plain to see. The Geezer Ride wasn't going to be in the cards for me. Heavy rain, lightning, and cool temperatures are not a mix that makes for a fun ride.

It rained here till around 11:00am and then it spit, spewed.....showered? Whatever you want to call it. It did that for a few more hours on top of it all. That was Saturday. I did not deign to throw a leg over a bike. Then Sunday was perfect.....of course, as I had other obligations.

So, once past a minor plumbing issue on Sunday afternoon, (Have I mentioned I hate plumbing issues?), I sat myself down and finished unlacing an old wheel and then lacing that rim back up with the old White Industries ENO hub I mentioned here last week. I managed to scare up enough spare bits and bobbins to get the job done. Well......the rear wheel. The front I haven't started on yet.

Fall weather looks to have settled in here and the next few days should provide opportunities to get out on the bike. I am very hopeful of that, as missing riding this weekend was tough on me. Not only that, but the end of season reviewing game is ramping up once again. Playing against what the weather may do in late October and early November is dicey. The whole season may shut down in mid-November or I may be riding into December.

And I have wheels to finish building.

Washed Out

The old nipples must go!

Well........that sucked! I woke up at 5:00am Saturday morning, checked the radar, and the bad news was plain to see. The Geezer Ride wasn't going to be in the cards for me. Heavy rain, lightning, and cool temperatures are not a mix that makes for a fun ride.

It rained here till around 11:00am and then it spit, spewed.....showered? Whatever you want to call it. It did that for a few more hours on top of it all. That was Saturday. I did not deign to throw a leg over a bike. Then Sunday was perfect.....of course, as I had other obligations.

So, once past a minor plumbing issue on Sunday afternoon, (Have I mentioned I hate plumbing issues?), I sat myself down and finished unlacing an old wheel and then lacing that rim back up with the old White Industries ENO hub I mentioned here last week. I managed to scare up enough spare bits and bobbins to get the job done. Well......the rear wheel. The front I haven't started on yet.

Fall weather looks to have settled in here and the next few days should provide opportunities to get out on the bike. I am very hopeful of that, as missing riding this weekend was tough on me. Not only that, but the end of season reviewing game is ramping up once again. Playing against what the weather may do in late October and early November is dicey. The whole season may shut down in mid-November or I may be riding into December.

And I have wheels to finish building.

Friday News And Views

Spotted Horse This Weekend:

The big event on gravel for Iowa in Fall is now the Spotted Horse Gravel Ultra. It is slated to go off this weekend. The event is put on by Sarah Cooper with help from some fine Iowa gravel folks like Steve Fuller and others. Basically the same bunch that do Iowa Wind & Rock in April.

The events are pretty much take-offs on the Trans Iowa model with self-navigation, self-support, and long distances the main features. Sarah is based in Madison County so most of what they do is West and South of there. (Read: very hilly and remote for Iowa)

This weekend may prove to be pretty challenging with rain in the forecast for Saturday and what with the several days of soaking rains we've had previously to this weekend. Sarah likes her dirt roads down there, so I am thinking it is going to prove to be a big bite to chew on for all involved.

It's been fun to follow along on Facebook as far as folks getting wigged out about the weather and seeing the things Sarah has been juggling in regard to directing things. Ah!......the memories! On one hand I can certainly sympathize, on the other, I am blessed not to have to go through that anymore. Hopefully the weather folk are all wrong about the rain and things go off unhindered by weather. But if not, I hope everyone stays safe and good times are had. Those times when things aren't according to plan are usually the best memories later, but also may be the most stressful when they are being made too!

Geezer Ride: Cresco-

And.......yeah! It's supposed to rain up in the Cresco area as well. I don't know what will happen for certain, but the plan is for me to make my way up there regardless, and if it looks bad, I suppose there will be a call made.

This one isn't being organized by me, so my best advice would be to pay attention to the Facebook Page for the event and monitor that for any announcements that may or may not be made there. Cresco Bikes is this Geezer Ride's official host, so they get to make the call, not I. So, being that I am the instigator of these Geezer Rides, I gotta go there, but you should keep an eye out on the weather.

As I wrote yesterday, it seems that this Fall is quickly becoming one that will be dominated by rains, wet grounds, and some flooding. Great..... The best season to ride and it looks to be getting squashed for the second year in a row now. I sure hope this pattern breaks down soon and that we can get into another dry stretch, because I am sick and tired of all the wet weather now. If you are from the Southeast, you probably are hoping for a change as well, only it isn't due to rain. No......they are getting roasted down that way. 

Old single speed stuff about to be reborn.

Two Old Hubs, Two Old Rims, 64 New Spokes = New Wheels:

Earlier this year, (I think it was), I posted here that my friend Grannygear had bequeathed to me a bunch of single speed stuff he had no use for anymore. Part of that treasure was a set of White Industries ENO hubs. They used to be on Granny's old Karate Monkey back in the day.  

These hubs had seen a lot of grinding in SoCal dust over the years, so when I got them they were dingy, dull, and the rear bearings were ......ah....less than smooth, shall we say? Yeah. They needed replacement.  With gravel season coming on I sat these aside and gave it some time to simmer on the brain. Then I came across my old set of Hope Pro 3/Salsa Gordo wheels. The free hub pawls shelled out on that hub and I had zero luck here in the US getting a replacement free hub body. So, those went on the back burner long ago. Well, when I found them languishing in the corner of the Lab, I had a thought. Let's unlace those Hope hubs, clean up and freshen up the White Industries hubs, and lace up a killer set of QR single speed wheels.

I looked up how to service the White Industries ENO rear hub, and it looked easy enough. The bearings would have to be ordered, and then I could pop those back in. But then I discovered something under a pile of crap in the bottom of my work tool cabinet. It was a tandem specific rear White Industries hub which had a defect. Seems the hub shell was polished just a wee bit too much and there was a crack in the middle of the hub shell which when the hub was torqued, it distorted the hub shell, revealing the crack. The wheel was warranted, I cut the old hub out, since no one wanted it, and saved it for.......

Well, I had no idea why I saved it, but guess what? It had the exact bearings I needed. Boom! Swap-a-roonie, and I had a freshened ENO rear hub ready to roll. Now I have one rim freed from its grip to the Hope hub it was laced to and one more to free up. Then it's build wheels time. Hopefully that will happen this weekend.

This new wheel set will go on my OS Bikes Blackbuck, a bike I have to get up and running again. The Gordo rims are the forerunners of the "wider-is-better" trend in the MTB world and are 35mm outer rim width. I had these on the Blackbuck once before and it made for a stellar combination of rigid bike and cushy wheels. I have something special in mind when I lace these hubs up, so stay tuned.....

That's a wrap for this week. As always- Thank You For Reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

Spotted Horse This Weekend:

The big event on gravel for Iowa in Fall is now the Spotted Horse Gravel Ultra. It is slated to go off this weekend. The event is put on by Sarah Cooper with help from some fine Iowa gravel folks like Steve Fuller and others. Basically the same bunch that do Iowa Wind & Rock in April.

The events are pretty much take-offs on the Trans Iowa model with self-navigation, self-support, and long distances the main features. Sarah is based in Madison County so most of what they do is West and South of there. (Read: very hilly and remote for Iowa)

This weekend may prove to be pretty challenging with rain in the forecast for Saturday and what with the several days of soaking rains we've had previously to this weekend. Sarah likes her dirt roads down there, so I am thinking it is going to prove to be a big bite to chew on for all involved.

It's been fun to follow along on Facebook as far as folks getting wigged out about the weather and seeing the things Sarah has been juggling in regard to directing things. Ah!......the memories! On one hand I can certainly sympathize, on the other, I am blessed not to have to go through that anymore. Hopefully the weather folk are all wrong about the rain and things go off unhindered by weather. But if not, I hope everyone stays safe and good times are had. Those times when things aren't according to plan are usually the best memories later, but also may be the most stressful when they are being made too!

Geezer Ride: Cresco-

And.......yeah! It's supposed to rain up in the Cresco area as well. I don't know what will happen for certain, but the plan is for me to make my way up there regardless, and if it looks bad, I suppose there will be a call made.

This one isn't being organized by me, so my best advice would be to pay attention to the Facebook Page for the event and monitor that for any announcements that may or may not be made there. Cresco Bikes is this Geezer Ride's official host, so they get to make the call, not I. So, being that I am the instigator of these Geezer Rides, I gotta go there, but you should keep an eye out on the weather.

As I wrote yesterday, it seems that this Fall is quickly becoming one that will be dominated by rains, wet grounds, and some flooding. Great..... The best season to ride and it looks to be getting squashed for the second year in a row now. I sure hope this pattern breaks down soon and that we can get into another dry stretch, because I am sick and tired of all the wet weather now. If you are from the Southeast, you probably are hoping for a change as well, only it isn't due to rain. No......they are getting roasted down that way. 

Old single speed stuff about to be reborn.

Two Old Hubs, Two Old Rims, 64 New Spokes = New Wheels:

Earlier this year, (I think it was), I posted here that my friend Grannygear had bequeathed to me a bunch of single speed stuff he had no use for anymore. Part of that treasure was a set of White Industries ENO hubs. They used to be on Granny's old Karate Monkey back in the day.  

These hubs had seen a lot of grinding in SoCal dust over the years, so when I got them they were dingy, dull, and the rear bearings were ......ah....less than smooth, shall we say? Yeah. They needed replacement.  With gravel season coming on I sat these aside and gave it some time to simmer on the brain. Then I came across my old set of Hope Pro 3/Salsa Gordo wheels. The free hub pawls shelled out on that hub and I had zero luck here in the US getting a replacement free hub body. So, those went on the back burner long ago. Well, when I found them languishing in the corner of the Lab, I had a thought. Let's unlace those Hope hubs, clean up and freshen up the White Industries hubs, and lace up a killer set of QR single speed wheels.

I looked up how to service the White Industries ENO rear hub, and it looked easy enough. The bearings would have to be ordered, and then I could pop those back in. But then I discovered something under a pile of crap in the bottom of my work tool cabinet. It was a tandem specific rear White Industries hub which had a defect. Seems the hub shell was polished just a wee bit too much and there was a crack in the middle of the hub shell which when the hub was torqued, it distorted the hub shell, revealing the crack. The wheel was warranted, I cut the old hub out, since no one wanted it, and saved it for.......

Well, I had no idea why I saved it, but guess what? It had the exact bearings I needed. Boom! Swap-a-roonie, and I had a freshened ENO rear hub ready to roll. Now I have one rim freed from its grip to the Hope hub it was laced to and one more to free up. Then it's build wheels time. Hopefully that will happen this weekend.

This new wheel set will go on my OS Bikes Blackbuck, a bike I have to get up and running again. The Gordo rims are the forerunners of the "wider-is-better" trend in the MTB world and are 35mm outer rim width. I had these on the Blackbuck once before and it made for a stellar combination of rigid bike and cushy wheels. I have something special in mind when I lace these hubs up, so stay tuned.....

That's a wrap for this week. As always- Thank You For Reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Geezer Ride: Cresco

Geezer Ride This Saturday:

Just a quick reminder about the Geezer Ride this Saturday up in Cresco, Iowa. The fellas at Cresco Bikes will be hosting this one- around a 48 mile course- and they plan on having us check out the local pizza place afterward for food and craft beer. here's the blurb from their Facebook post:

"A 48-mile (approx.) unsupported gravel road bicycle ride in Howard and Winneshiek Counties. Event starts at 7:00am at Cresco Bicycles in downtown Cresco, IA. Coffee and rolls will be provided. Riders depart as a group at 8:00am. This is a non-competitive ride which will pass by various points of interest in the area. Finish at Atomic Pizza in Cresco for food and craft beer. The route is not too hilly. No registration or entry fees, just show up at the shop."

If you happen to have the time to check this out, please do. It will be fun, and I will be up there for the ride, barring any calamities. So again, the Geezer Ride, 2019, Fall Edition will be out of Cresco, Iowa, and it should be a good time. 

Hope to see someone that reads the blog up there Saturday.  

Geezer Ride: Cresco

Geezer Ride This Saturday:

Just a quick reminder about the Geezer Ride this Saturday up in Cresco, Iowa. The fellas at Cresco Bikes will be hosting this one- around a 48 mile course- and they plan on having us check out the local pizza place afterward for food and craft beer. here's the blurb from their Facebook post:

"A 48-mile (approx.) unsupported gravel road bicycle ride in Howard and Winneshiek Counties. Event starts at 7:00am at Cresco Bicycles in downtown Cresco, IA. Coffee and rolls will be provided. Riders depart as a group at 8:00am. This is a non-competitive ride which will pass by various points of interest in the area. Finish at Atomic Pizza in Cresco for food and craft beer. The route is not too hilly. No registration or entry fees, just show up at the shop."

If you happen to have the time to check this out, please do. It will be fun, and I will be up there for the ride, barring any calamities. So again, the Geezer Ride, 2019, Fall Edition will be out of Cresco, Iowa, and it should be a good time. 

Hope to see someone that reads the blog up there Saturday.  

Friday News And Views

The Ibis Ripmo AF (Image courtesy of Ibis' site)

Metal Frames Make A Comeback:

There were several years running that whenever a company made an announcement of a mountain bike, it was all about the top of the line, carbon fiber framed model, and oh yeah....it is offered in a cheaply spec'ed aluminum version too- but about that carbon fiber! 

Well, lately it seems that there is an undercurrent of announcements featuring.....aluminum framed mountain bikes? Yep. I wouldn't call it a backlash against the uber-spendy carbon rigs, because there aren't that many new-fangled metal framed ones out there, but there are some, and that is notable.

Ibis announced a new one based upon their Ripmo model and they call it the "Ripmo AF". (Yeah.....double entendre' and all) It's a cool idea with the potential to reach more riders who cannot afford to throw down 5+G on a bike that will be thrashed within an inch of its life. Basically, the metal framed bike could be said to be the bike for those who really use up equipment. They don't care about weight, scratches, and they don't want their bikes to be snapped, cracked, or punctured by their riding style or by the environment they ride in.

But of course, you can break anything. I get that, but if you have seen the manufacturers warnings about scratched carbon, well, that alone makes me think twice about a carbon mtb frame. Especially if I were to ride hard in rocky terrain. Heck, I wince whenever a piece of gravel smacks the downtube of any carbon gravel bike I ride. You just never know when that one hit will be the one to put your bike's frame into the trash bin. So, it is cool to see manufacturers looking to make aluminum something other than "the cheapest alternative".

One hangar to rule them all and.....oh, nevermind!

SRAM Attempts To Make A New Standard:

 Maybe you saw this? SRAM have announced the "UDH Hangar" for the mounting of rear derailleurs on through axle bikes from 2020 on. It is proposed as a "one solution" hangar that is compatible with all rear mountain bike derailleurs and could be compatible with all future MTB frames. That is- if the frames are designed around this standard.

Much like SRAM's DUB bottom bracket, the idea is to streamline the choices for rear hangars down to just this one. If you have ever noticed, there are probably well over 100 different hangars in existence for modern bicycles. Many are hard to source, and many are quite expensive, seeing as how they are simply machined chunks of aluminum.

So, while this is an awesome idea, I just don't see it panning out. It well may show up on several bikes, but if we think manufacturers are not going to make their own, proprietary hangars anymore, well then, we're stupid. I just do not see this SRAM UDH thing making that issue go away any more than I see DUB bottom brackets fixing the issues of the various different bottom bracket standards that are out and will continue to come out.

But kudos to SRAM for trying.

Impact Kanza? Yep!  Look for this next year.

 CrankTank Announces New Media Event At The DK200:

You probably know that the DK200 is a BIG deal in the gravel scene. It's far more than a race, these days anyway. It basically has become a week-long gathering of the gravel folk and now a company called CrankTank want the media in on the action. 

CrankTank has done something similar at the Kona Ironman event, (also a Life time Fitness event....hmmm....) and now they state that "With the shift to DTC (Direct To Consumer) that is currently happening in the bike market, we see brands introducing product to media and consumers in a more compressed timeline and we see inventory more aligned with media moments. For this reason it makes the most sense to integrate your brand communication strategy to include consumer events in your product marketing strategy. DK is the currently epicenter of gravel, and brands are jockeying for position in this emerging market. CrankTank makes it easier to bring new product to market in the gravel segment with Impact Kanza." (Read the full story on "Bicycle Retailer And industry News" here)


Curiously, CrankTank is taking the year off from doing the Kona event and another event in Sun Valley they have produced in the past. Apparently all hands are on deck to bring more media attention to gravel.

Geezer Ride Fall '19:

Hey ho! It's been a minute or two since we have had a Geezer Ride. A couple of years back, some fellas came down from Cresco and joined us for a Geezer Ride. They got "bitten", as you might say, and they decided to put one on themselves. (Which I allow, by the way) The thing was, one of the principals involved had knee work done last year, and since he wanted to ride, well, they put off doing a ride till now. That's one of the reasons why a Geezer Ride never happened in 2018. Anyway.......

This Geezer Ride is being put on by the guys at Cresco Bicycles. The date is SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5th, 2019. The time will be 7:00am for donuts and coffee at the shop. Ride starts at 8:00am sharp! 

The route has been devised by the fellas at Cresco Bikes and all I know is that they will be guiding us. It's going to be about 51 miles in length. THIS IS SELF-SUPPORTED! Bring what ya need for the distance! We will be going through one small town, so there might be some chance to resupply, but I am not sure on this. I was told it will have historical bits and only the first third has any hills while the rest is described as fairly flat. I know this area, and there are no real tough hills.

I also need to communicate that the route will not be released on digital platforms, there will be NO FILES to put into a computer, and NO MAP OF THE ROUTE beforehand. If ya wanna know what's up, ya gotta commit blindly. We'll all ride off that cliff together the day of the ride. If'n that ruffles yer feathers, don't plan on coming. This is a Geezer Ride, after all.

Check for any updates here, but I suspect that unless weather shuts us down, you won't see anything else other'n whatz there now. Geezer on!

Okay, that's a wrap for this week. Have a great weekend and ride them bicycle dealios!

Friday News And Views

The Ibis Ripmo AF (Image courtesy of Ibis' site)

Metal Frames Make A Comeback:

There were several years running that whenever a company made an announcement of a mountain bike, it was all about the top of the line, carbon fiber framed model, and oh yeah....it is offered in a cheaply spec'ed aluminum version too- but about that carbon fiber! 

Well, lately it seems that there is an undercurrent of announcements featuring.....aluminum framed mountain bikes? Yep. I wouldn't call it a backlash against the uber-spendy carbon rigs, because there aren't that many new-fangled metal framed ones out there, but there are some, and that is notable.

Ibis announced a new one based upon their Ripmo model and they call it the "Ripmo AF". (Yeah.....double entendre' and all) It's a cool idea with the potential to reach more riders who cannot afford to throw down 5+G on a bike that will be thrashed within an inch of its life. Basically, the metal framed bike could be said to be the bike for those who really use up equipment. They don't care about weight, scratches, and they don't want their bikes to be snapped, cracked, or punctured by their riding style or by the environment they ride in.

But of course, you can break anything. I get that, but if you have seen the manufacturers warnings about scratched carbon, well, that alone makes me think twice about a carbon mtb frame. Especially if I were to ride hard in rocky terrain. Heck, I wince whenever a piece of gravel smacks the downtube of any carbon gravel bike I ride. You just never know when that one hit will be the one to put your bike's frame into the trash bin. So, it is cool to see manufacturers looking to make aluminum something other than "the cheapest alternative".

One hangar to rule them all and.....oh, nevermind!

SRAM Attempts To Make A New Standard:

 Maybe you saw this? SRAM have announced the "UDH Hangar" for the mounting of rear derailleurs on through axle bikes from 2020 on. It is proposed as a "one solution" hangar that is compatible with all rear mountain bike derailleurs and could be compatible with all future MTB frames. That is- if the frames are designed around this standard.

Much like SRAM's DUB bottom bracket, the idea is to streamline the choices for rear hangars down to just this one. If you have ever noticed, there are probably well over 100 different hangars in existence for modern bicycles. Many are hard to source, and many are quite expensive, seeing as how they are simply machined chunks of aluminum.

So, while this is an awesome idea, I just don't see it panning out. It well may show up on several bikes, but if we think manufacturers are not going to make their own, proprietary hangars anymore, well then, we're stupid. I just do not see this SRAM UDH thing making that issue go away any more than I see DUB bottom brackets fixing the issues of the various different bottom bracket standards that are out and will continue to come out.

But kudos to SRAM for trying.

Impact Kanza? Yep!  Look for this next year.

 CrankTank Announces New Media Event At The DK200:

You probably know that the DK200 is a BIG deal in the gravel scene. It's far more than a race, these days anyway. It basically has become a week-long gathering of the gravel folk and now a company called CrankTank want the media in on the action. 

CrankTank has done something similar at the Kona Ironman event, (also a Life time Fitness event....hmmm....) and now they state that "With the shift to DTC (Direct To Consumer) that is currently happening in the bike market, we see brands introducing product to media and consumers in a more compressed timeline and we see inventory more aligned with media moments. For this reason it makes the most sense to integrate your brand communication strategy to include consumer events in your product marketing strategy. DK is the currently epicenter of gravel, and brands are jockeying for position in this emerging market. CrankTank makes it easier to bring new product to market in the gravel segment with Impact Kanza." (Read the full story on "Bicycle Retailer And industry News" here)


Curiously, CrankTank is taking the year off from doing the Kona event and another event in Sun Valley they have produced in the past. Apparently all hands are on deck to bring more media attention to gravel.

Geezer Ride Fall '19:

Hey ho! It's been a minute or two since we have had a Geezer Ride. A couple of years back, some fellas came down from Cresco and joined us for a Geezer Ride. They got "bitten", as you might say, and they decided to put one on themselves. (Which I allow, by the way) The thing was, one of the principals involved had knee work done last year, and since he wanted to ride, well, they put off doing a ride till now. That's one of the reasons why a Geezer Ride never happened in 2018. Anyway.......

This Geezer Ride is being put on by the guys at Cresco Bicycles. The date is SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5th, 2019. The time will be 7:00am for donuts and coffee at the shop. Ride starts at 8:00am sharp! 

The route has been devised by the fellas at Cresco Bikes and all I know is that they will be guiding us. It's going to be about 51 miles in length. THIS IS SELF-SUPPORTED! Bring what ya need for the distance! We will be going through one small town, so there might be some chance to resupply, but I am not sure on this. I was told it will have historical bits and only the first third has any hills while the rest is described as fairly flat. I know this area, and there are no real tough hills.

I also need to communicate that the route will not be released on digital platforms, there will be NO FILES to put into a computer, and NO MAP OF THE ROUTE beforehand. If ya wanna know what's up, ya gotta commit blindly. We'll all ride off that cliff together the day of the ride. If'n that ruffles yer feathers, don't plan on coming. This is a Geezer Ride, after all.

Check for any updates here, but I suspect that unless weather shuts us down, you won't see anything else other'n whatz there now. Geezer on!

Okay, that's a wrap for this week. Have a great weekend and ride them bicycle dealios!

Friday News And Views

Geezer Ride 2018:

Last year I tried putting on a Geezer Ride, but it got put off by the weather twice and I finally just gave up on it due to my busy schedule in 2018. That was a bit of a regret for last year. However; this time the Geezer Ride is planned and hopefully it will go off on its date of Saturday, October 5th. 

In another change, this time the Geezer Ride goes North! During one of the past Geezer Rides, a couple of fellows came down who are affiliated with Cresco Bikes. They expressed interest in doing a Geezer Ride, but due to injuries and what not, it did not happen last year. (Another reason there were no Geezer Rides in 2018) That health issue has been overcome, seemingly, for one of the organizers, and it appears that the group out of Cresco Bikes has a great route, not very hilly, but interesting, for us to tackle this Fall.

This would not be the first time that a Geezer Ride route was not planned by me. This occurred a few years back when we had the Geezer Ride out of North English. That ride, in fact, was an inspiration for part of the last route for Trans Iowa v14. It took us through some Amish country, and we had a fantastic time. This route that is being planned by the Cresco Bikes folks is, apparently, going to have some cool stuff on it as well, so I look forward to being a part of this.

Stay tuned- I'll have more detailed information as the date draws nearer.

The Black Mountain Cycles MCD did really well- once again.

Gear Review For The Solstice 100:

The report of my wanderings in the Nebraska countryside are well detailed in my three Solstice 100 posts from earlier in the week. This little bit will be about some of the gear I used during, and before and after the event.

Of course, the Bubblegum Princess was used, (Black Mountain Cycles MCD) and it performed flawlessly. This bike is so comfortable and smooth. The shifting (Shimano) and the brakes (TRP Spyre) both were quiet and fault-free. The tires and wheels were WTB Resolute 42's on Spinergy wheels. No flats, no issues.

I wore a Twin Six Standard Wool jersey over a Bontrager base layer with liner shorts from Zoic and Showers Pass shorts. The socks were wool, Hiwassee brand, and the shoes were older Shimano MTB shoes. I wore an aero helmet from Bolle', which surprisingly was quite cool and comfortable.

One big plus in the gear department wasn't used on the ride, but it sure helped me get to the ride and back again. It was the Silca Maratona Minimo Gear Bag which I just reviewed for RidingGravel.com. You can click through to read the review if you want to. All I'll say here is that I doubt I ever forget my shoes for an event again. The bag is good. I like it.

So, gear-wise, I was not let down at all. It was a failure to be prepared on my part in terms of fitness. I also screwed up navigating, somehow, and that also contributed to my failure. But as far as gear goes, I was spot on. I wouldn't have changed a thing there.

The new version of the All City Electric Queen.

 Enough Of The "Shred-Tails" Already:

Mountain bike "fashion" has swung this way and that throughout the decades. First it was all about touring/exploration. then it was XC racing, then Free Ride, and "Long Travel", then "Enduro", and on and on. It used to be that the base MTB bike was a hard tail. You started there, and then you branched off. Hard tail MTB's were declared "dead" in the late 90's/early 00"s, but 29"ers brought them back. Somehow they persist. Yet, it could be said today that the "hard tail" is dead. The "all-purpose", go anywhere, do anything MTB has become what I call the "shred-tail". Long, slack, and low, it is a tool bent by the designers for going down. Fast.

The slack head angle on a lot of these rigs handles like a wheel barrow in tight single track. Most "younginz" have zero experience on a bike that actually shreds tight single track, and can do fire roads, and can do berms. Because the pendulum of geometry has swung so far to the "playful, down hill oriented, fast, shreddy, jumping, popping, wide open trail type of bike that it suffers on anything but groomed, buff single track with long sight lines.

Anyway, All City claims that this new fashioned rig "climbs well" and does all the "fun stuff". yeah....hmmm. I bet it does. Ya know, I recall the days of the old geometry 29"ers, and the fast, razor sharp steering and climbing abilities of my old Bontrager Race 26'er. Now those bikes climbed and were awesome in tight single track.

I'd rip my old OS Bikes Blackbuck any day in the woods here over a slack front end, long traveled, short rear ended "shred tail" that is the norm now. But I can also see where 27.5 X 2.8's on the Electric Queen could be a blast as well. I just think these shred-tail rigs are compromised in the "all arounder" category hard tails used to live in, but are seemingly extinct as far as choices go nowadays. (Or are they? Read on...)

The New Jones LWB Complete

Then Just When You Think All Is Lost:

So, are there any hard tails that aren't "shred-tails"? Why, yes there are. Here's a great example of one- The new Jones Bikes LWB Complete which was just announced recently.

I've spent some time speaking with Jeff Jones, the designer of this bike, and he would not like it if this was called a mountain bike, because in his parlance, it's just a great bicycle. Good for anything- road, gravel, mountain, touring, and....well, you get the idea. But there is no denying the fact that Jeff Jones was selling these designs as mountain bikes first, and that's probably how they are best known.

That said, Jeff Jones would also tell you that his design, unconventional as it may be, does the climbing, descending, and single track shredding all well because it was designed to excel at everything. To my way of thinking, this is a great example of what an "all-arounder" is. I'm sure there are others, but it does stand out from the herd and according to its owners, some who I know personally, the Jones Bike is just a great bicycle.

So, there you go- the hard tail lives.

That's a wrap for this week. have a great weekend and keep on riding!

Friday News And Views

Geezer Ride 2018:

Last year I tried putting on a Geezer Ride, but it got put off by the weather twice and I finally just gave up on it due to my busy schedule in 2018. That was a bit of a regret for last year. However; this time the Geezer Ride is planned and hopefully it will go off on its date of Saturday, October 5th. 

In another change, this time the Geezer Ride goes North! During one of the past Geezer Rides, a couple of fellows came down who are affiliated with Cresco Bikes. They expressed interest in doing a Geezer Ride, but due to injuries and what not, it did not happen last year. (Another reason there were no Geezer Rides in 2018) That health issue has been overcome, seemingly, for one of the organizers, and it appears that the group out of Cresco Bikes has a great route, not very hilly, but interesting, for us to tackle this Fall.

This would not be the first time that a Geezer Ride route was not planned by me. This occurred a few years back when we had the Geezer Ride out of North English. That ride, in fact, was an inspiration for part of the last route for Trans Iowa v14. It took us through some Amish country, and we had a fantastic time. This route that is being planned by the Cresco Bikes folks is, apparently, going to have some cool stuff on it as well, so I look forward to being a part of this.

Stay tuned- I'll have more detailed information as the date draws nearer.

The Black Mountain Cycles MCD did really well- once again.

Gear Review For The Solstice 100:

The report of my wanderings in the Nebraska countryside are well detailed in my three Solstice 100 posts from earlier in the week. This little bit will be about some of the gear I used during, and before and after the event.

Of course, the Bubblegum Princess was used, (Black Mountain Cycles MCD) and it performed flawlessly. This bike is so comfortable and smooth. The shifting (Shimano) and the brakes (TRP Spyre) both were quiet and fault-free. The tires and wheels were WTB Resolute 42's on Spinergy wheels. No flats, no issues.

I wore a Twin Six Standard Wool jersey over a Bontrager base layer with liner shorts from Zoic and Showers Pass shorts. The socks were wool, Hiwassee brand, and the shoes were older Shimano MTB shoes. I wore an aero helmet from Bolle', which surprisingly was quite cool and comfortable.

One big plus in the gear department wasn't used on the ride, but it sure helped me get to the ride and back again. It was the Silca Maratona Minimo Gear Bag which I just reviewed for RidingGravel.com. You can click through to read the review if you want to. All I'll say here is that I doubt I ever forget my shoes for an event again. The bag is good. I like it.

So, gear-wise, I was not let down at all. It was a failure to be prepared on my part in terms of fitness. I also screwed up navigating, somehow, and that also contributed to my failure. But as far as gear goes, I was spot on. I wouldn't have changed a thing there.

The new version of the All City Electric Queen.

 Enough Of The "Shred-Tails" Already:

Mountain bike "fashion" has swung this way and that throughout the decades. First it was all about touring/exploration. then it was XC racing, then Free Ride, and "Long Travel", then "Enduro", and on and on. It used to be that the base MTB bike was a hard tail. You started there, and then you branched off. Hard tail MTB's were declared "dead" in the late 90's/early 00"s, but 29"ers brought them back. Somehow they persist. Yet, it could be said today that the "hard tail" is dead. The "all-purpose", go anywhere, do anything MTB has become what I call the "shred-tail". Long, slack, and low, it is a tool bent by the designers for going down. Fast.

The slack head angle on a lot of these rigs handles like a wheel barrow in tight single track. Most "younginz" have zero experience on a bike that actually shreds tight single track, and can do fire roads, and can do berms. Because the pendulum of geometry has swung so far to the "playful, down hill oriented, fast, shreddy, jumping, popping, wide open trail type of bike that it suffers on anything but groomed, buff single track with long sight lines.

Anyway, All City claims that this new fashioned rig "climbs well" and does all the "fun stuff". yeah....hmmm. I bet it does. Ya know, I recall the days of the old geometry 29"ers, and the fast, razor sharp steering and climbing abilities of my old Bontrager Race 26'er. Now those bikes climbed and were awesome in tight single track.

I'd rip my old OS Bikes Blackbuck any day in the woods here over a slack front end, long traveled, short rear ended "shred tail" that is the norm now. But I can also see where 27.5 X 2.8's on the Electric Queen could be a blast as well. I just think these shred-tail rigs are compromised in the "all arounder" category hard tails used to live in, but are seemingly extinct as far as choices go nowadays. (Or are they? Read on...)

The New Jones LWB Complete

Then Just When You Think All Is Lost:

So, are there any hard tails that aren't "shred-tails"? Why, yes there are. Here's a great example of one- The new Jones Bikes LWB Complete which was just announced recently.

I've spent some time speaking with Jeff Jones, the designer of this bike, and he would not like it if this was called a mountain bike, because in his parlance, it's just a great bicycle. Good for anything- road, gravel, mountain, touring, and....well, you get the idea. But there is no denying the fact that Jeff Jones was selling these designs as mountain bikes first, and that's probably how they are best known.

That said, Jeff Jones would also tell you that his design, unconventional as it may be, does the climbing, descending, and single track shredding all well because it was designed to excel at everything. To my way of thinking, this is a great example of what an "all-arounder" is. I'm sure there are others, but it does stand out from the herd and according to its owners, some who I know personally, the Jones Bike is just a great bicycle.

So, there you go- the hard tail lives.

That's a wrap for this week. have a great weekend and keep on riding!

Single Speed Spitballin'

So, when I quit Trans Iowa I said that I wasn't completely out of producing or dreaming up events. I knew I would still be doing the Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational, and maybe a Geezer Ride, but I also left the door open for thinking up other nonsense. Gravel based nonesense, mind you.

So it was that I was over at N.Y. Roll's house dropping off a wheel set and quaffing a PBR when, suddenly, I had an idea.

"Why hasn't anyone done anything single speed specific for gravel? Why shouldn't we have an Iowa Single Speed Gravel Championship?

Ideas can be dangerous. 

N.Y. Roll got a bit excited after his initial confusion about just what the heck it was I was spouting off about, but he was excited in the end. Ideas were bounced around. Grand ideas too. Hard to say that someone of my meager assets could pull it off, but then again, single speed hooligans never need much motivation to get out there and prove that they are never in the right gear. Or right mind, some would suggest, but that's another story.

So, besides some overall crazy idea, here are some ideas we were spit ballin' to share with ya'all.

• Single speed only can enter, duh!
• Course for a championship needs to be 100 miles, in my opinion. No other distances offered.
• No support.
• Course would be maybe marked. I still don't like GPS crap. Yes......you can call me a retrogrouch.
• Might be cue sheets for nav...... 
• Possibly a jersey up for grabs. Special. Single Speed specific and all. 
• No classes other than Male and Female. 
• Adult beverages might be involved.
• Thinking late March....... That way ya got a jersey to sport all year. Plus the weather might suck. Which would be a bonus in my mind. Besides, single speeds are best when the weather is bad anyway.
• Likely it would be in Central or North Central Iowa. 

Now, don't go planning anything just yet. This is just being put out as a feeler for reaction to this idea. Good, bad, or ugly, let me have it. I just figured there needs to be a Single Speed Championship in Iowa. Maybe that's just dumb. Who knows. You should let me know if you know that it is dumb. Then I would know. 

Otherwise this will just go into the scrap heap of ideas and never be done. That's all......... 

Single Speed Spitballin'

So, when I quit Trans Iowa I said that I wasn't completely out of producing or dreaming up events. I knew I would still be doing the Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational, and maybe a Geezer Ride, but I also left the door open for thinking up other nonsense. Gravel based nonesense, mind you.

So it was that I was over at N.Y. Roll's house dropping off a wheel set and quaffing a PBR when, suddenly, I had an idea.

"Why hasn't anyone done anything single speed specific for gravel? Why shouldn't we have an Iowa Single Speed Gravel Championship?

Ideas can be dangerous. 

N.Y. Roll got a bit excited after his initial confusion about just what the heck it was I was spouting off about, but he was excited in the end. Ideas were bounced around. Grand ideas too. Hard to say that someone of my meager assets could pull it off, but then again, single speed hooligans never need much motivation to get out there and prove that they are never in the right gear. Or right mind, some would suggest, but that's another story.

So, besides some overall crazy idea, here are some ideas we were spit ballin' to share with ya'all.

• Single speed only can enter, duh!
• Course for a championship needs to be 100 miles, in my opinion. No other distances offered.
• No support.
• Course would be maybe marked. I still don't like GPS crap. Yes......you can call me a retrogrouch.
• Might be cue sheets for nav...... 
• Possibly a jersey up for grabs. Special. Single Speed specific and all. 
• No classes other than Male and Female. 
• Adult beverages might be involved.
• Thinking late March....... That way ya got a jersey to sport all year. Plus the weather might suck. Which would be a bonus in my mind. Besides, single speeds are best when the weather is bad anyway.
• Likely it would be in Central or North Central Iowa. 

Now, don't go planning anything just yet. This is just being put out as a feeler for reaction to this idea. Good, bad, or ugly, let me have it. I just figured there needs to be a Single Speed Championship in Iowa. Maybe that's just dumb. Who knows. You should let me know if you know that it is dumb. Then I would know. 

Otherwise this will just go into the scrap heap of ideas and never be done. That's all.........