And We're Back!

Sorry about the lack of a real post for earlier today. I'll have a regular post up for tomorrow and hopefully going forward. Apparently some critter decided fiber optic cable was good for snacking. 

Anyway... Here are some things which will be upcoming on the blog here for y'all to look forward to.

• Stan's Products: I'll probably update the lubricant with a new post in the Guitar Ted Lube-Off Series. Fun fact: The Lube-Off has been ongoing here since the blog has been around, so pert-near 21 years! 
•  That TPU tube thing keeps garnering interest and I have a new update on the Aeron TPU tubes coming this week. 
• New Country Views: Hoping to add more of these this Summer.
• Fargo Wheels: Still looking for rims, but when I decide, there will be some posts on this.
• Maybe a surprise ride announcement for June......maybe not. Things are still up in the air with regard to something I cannot talk about just yet. 
• Ride For Jacob: A date will be announced soon. Details coming.... 
• The Regular Stuff. You know if you hang out here.....

Okay, that should do it for this delayed "regular post", which wasn't what I had in mind, but I did not predict an internet outage due to unforeseen, (and unseen) reasons.  

As always..... Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Technical Difficulties

 Sorry for the inconvenience to my regular blog readers. Our internet has gone out and will be out until later today (hopefully that’s all)

Look for a regular blog post on Wednesday. 

Technical Difficulties

The old, traditional header size has been borked by Blogger.

 Recently you may have noted that there has been a change to the formatting of this blog. It has to do with the 'template' I use provided by Blogger, the entity that this blog is hosted by, which, by the way, is a Google company now these days. Didn't used to be when I started out here. Anyway....

I received a comment Thursday, and I thought there may be a few of you out there who are wondering the same thing. So, this post will explain it the best that I am able to. The comment first:

"GT, Howdy;
I've noticed that over the past week perhaps 2 or longer the Banner Photo has been reduced
in size. What's with that? Just curious."

Well, the answer is a bit complex. From time to time, our digital overlords decide to 'update' our tools, platforms, and devices that they live in. We don't get to choose what happens, many times, and so functionality, user experience, and creative interface gets screwed up- if you think the 'update' is goofy- and you end up having to adapt. 

If there is one thing I've learned in 15+ years of blogging is that you'd better be able to accept changes and adapt. Changes are coming whether or not you want them, like them, or understand why they came. Like when Google brought Blogger under its control. Whoo-Boy! That was a sea change in user experience! They took away a bunch of control and tried to pre-package the formatting so that everything ended up being what 'they thought' was cool- not what the users thought was cool. 

And these little nuances, these little changes reflect that big change when Google took over. One day everything looks like it always did and then- poof! You open up your content editor and some dinky little thing has been tweaked by someone you'll never know so that now you have to do things a completely different way. Oh, and you get no warning. No tutelage on how to navigate the new change, or how it 'benefits' you. Yeah................thanks guys! 

So, that is what happened. I have yet to figure out how to adjust the header so it is like it used to be. Once I do- if I ever do- we'll get back to the way things once were here. Or not.........

Maybe we'll have to adapt and change with the times. You can read into that whatever you'd like.

Technical Difficulties

The old, traditional header size has been borked by Blogger.

 Recently you may have noted that there has been a change to the formatting of this blog. It has to do with the 'template' I use provided by Blogger, the entity that this blog is hosted by, which, by the way, is a Google company now these days. Didn't used to be when I started out here. Anyway....

I received a comment Thursday, and I thought there may be a few of you out there who are wondering the same thing. So, this post will explain it the best that I am able to. The comment first:

"GT, Howdy;
I've noticed that over the past week perhaps 2 or longer the Banner Photo has been reduced
in size. What's with that? Just curious."

Well, the answer is a bit complex. From time to time, our digital overlords decide to 'update' our tools, platforms, and devices that they live in. We don't get to choose what happens, many times, and so functionality, user experience, and creative interface gets screwed up- if you think the 'update' is goofy- and you end up having to adapt. 

If there is one thing I've learned in 15+ years of blogging is that you'd better be able to accept changes and adapt. Changes are coming whether or not you want them, like them, or understand why they came. Like when Google brought Blogger under its control. Whoo-Boy! That was a sea change in user experience! They took away a bunch of control and tried to pre-package the formatting so that everything ended up being what 'they thought' was cool- not what the users thought was cool. 

And these little nuances, these little changes reflect that big change when Google took over. One day everything looks like it always did and then- poof! You open up your content editor and some dinky little thing has been tweaked by someone you'll never know so that now you have to do things a completely different way. Oh, and you get no warning. No tutelage on how to navigate the new change, or how it 'benefits' you. Yeah................thanks guys! 

So, that is what happened. I have yet to figure out how to adjust the header so it is like it used to be. Once I do- if I ever do- we'll get back to the way things once were here. Or not.........

Maybe we'll have to adapt and change with the times. You can read into that whatever you'd like.

How About "ATRB"?

 

First of all- the internet is up at "Guitar Ted Productions" again. WooHoo! Although I suppose I could have used my iPhone as a 'hotspot', as a couple of you suggested, what you didn't know was that my phone does not work in the house without WiFi. Like, barely at all. This is why I have to get away from the G-Ted Headquarters to get a decent enough signal to do anything. And by the way, it's been like that for years no matter what phone I had. I can recall many times having to stand outside on a cold January evening just to be able to chat with someone. An anomaly of this house or something.... anyway. 

That's enough about that! What I really wanted to share today is about a name. Now, I completely understand that this ship has sailed. Marketing has fully entrenched the idea that the word 'gravel' attached to any marketing spiel is gold. The category is off the rails and fully built into the vernacular of cyclists. There is, as they say, no turning back. 

So, what I have in mind doesn't matter anymore. But I'm throwing it out there regardless. Just as an aside, I may or may not have already mentioned this name.........back in 2012, when it mattered, but the term "gravel" took off anyway, despite my voiced misgivings about the name and the perceptions it engenders. Water over the dam now.....

So, I was riding to work, there is this section of old trolley car trail, part of an old inter-urban railway system here that was, regrettably, left to die because of cars, of course. This old remaining section of the inter-urban railway is now a narrow pea gravel and dirt trail that hugs the side of a low bluff near the Cedar River. As I was pedaling up a grade on the Noble GX5 with the FLO Cycling G700 wheels, I thought about how this bike looks, at first glance, like some weird Pro racer's rig with a frame bag or two, and how most people probably are amazed that a 'road bike' is doing this sort of rustic, rough track with no issues. Then it dawned on me. 

This bike is a "ATRB". It is, for all intents and purposes, an 'all terrain road bike'. It just makes perfect sense. But, yeah........ Too late to turn the ship back to port now.

How About "ATRB"?

 

First of all- the internet is up at "Guitar Ted Productions" again. WooHoo! Although I suppose I could have used my iPhone as a 'hotspot', as a couple of you suggested, what you didn't know was that my phone does not work in the house without WiFi. Like, barely at all. This is why I have to get away from the G-Ted Headquarters to get a decent enough signal to do anything. And by the way, it's been like that for years no matter what phone I had. I can recall many times having to stand outside on a cold January evening just to be able to chat with someone. An anomaly of this house or something.... anyway. 

That's enough about that! What I really wanted to share today is about a name. Now, I completely understand that this ship has sailed. Marketing has fully entrenched the idea that the word 'gravel' attached to any marketing spiel is gold. The category is off the rails and fully built into the vernacular of cyclists. There is, as they say, no turning back. 

So, what I have in mind doesn't matter anymore. But I'm throwing it out there regardless. Just as an aside, I may or may not have already mentioned this name.........back in 2012, when it mattered, but the term "gravel" took off anyway, despite my voiced misgivings about the name and the perceptions it engenders. Water over the dam now.....

So, I was riding to work, there is this section of old trolley car trail, part of an old inter-urban railway system here that was, regrettably, left to die because of cars, of course. This old remaining section of the inter-urban railway is now a narrow pea gravel and dirt trail that hugs the side of a low bluff near the Cedar River. As I was pedaling up a grade on the Noble GX5 with the FLO Cycling G700 wheels, I thought about how this bike looks, at first glance, like some weird Pro racer's rig with a frame bag or two, and how most people probably are amazed that a 'road bike' is doing this sort of rustic, rough track with no issues. Then it dawned on me. 

This bike is a "ATRB". It is, for all intents and purposes, an 'all terrain road bike'. It just makes perfect sense. But, yeah........ Too late to turn the ship back to port now.

Technical Difficulties :Day 2

 

So, Day 2 of no internet service and the world keeps turning. How is that even possible?! (sarcasm inserted here) Well, since my experiences in life go well back before the start of The Information Age, I know what to do......if I can remember!  

Well, of course I remember! I also see that I spend WAY too much time on the “highway of the innergoogles” and that this much needed slap in the face is a good thing. Hopefully I don’t forget THIS lesson! Now, that said, this puts a slight crimp in my style, so to speak. I mean, it isn’t like I don’t like sitting in “The Truck With No Name”, banging away on the infinitesimally small screen of an iPhone 10. It’s just that having to do all this internet stuff on this goofy device is a learning experience I wasn’t planning on doing. 

So anyway, I have a few items in to review for RidingGravel.com as of Tuesday and I cannot easily do this the way things are right now. I mean, do I invest in spending the time to learn a new instrument, as it were, or wait until the old guit box is repaired?  This mandolin sized electronic device may be neat, but I am far more comfortable on a full size six string, if ya know what I mean. 

That’s where I am at with all this right now. First world issues, to be sure. Not complaining, just trying to have a little lighthearted fun with the current situation. My research has turned up evidence that perhaps by the time you are reading this I’ll be back to “full sized” posting opportunities. Let’s hope so. You probably don’t want to see another “Technical Difficulties” post again anytime soon.   

(Now watch....I probably jinxed everyone and myself!  Check this space out Thursday to see!) 

Technical Difficulties :Day 2

 

So, Day 2 of no internet service and the world keeps turning. How is that even possible?! (sarcasm inserted here) Well, since my experiences in life go well back before the start of The Information Age, I know what to do......if I can remember!  

Well, of course I remember! I also see that I spend WAY too much time on the “highway of the innergoogles” and that this much needed slap in the face is a good thing. Hopefully I don’t forget THIS lesson! Now, that said, this puts a slight crimp in my style, so to speak. I mean, it isn’t like I don’t like sitting in “The Truck With No Name”, banging away on the infinitesimally small screen of an iPhone 10. It’s just that having to do all this internet stuff on this goofy device is a learning experience I wasn’t planning on doing. 

So anyway, I have a few items in to review for RidingGravel.com as of Tuesday and I cannot easily do this the way things are right now. I mean, do I invest in spending the time to learn a new instrument, as it were, or wait until the old guit box is repaired?  This mandolin sized electronic device may be neat, but I am far more comfortable on a full size six string, if ya know what I mean. 

That’s where I am at with all this right now. First world issues, to be sure. Not complaining, just trying to have a little lighthearted fun with the current situation. My research has turned up evidence that perhaps by the time you are reading this I’ll be back to “full sized” posting opportunities. Let’s hope so. You probably don’t want to see another “Technical Difficulties” post again anytime soon.   

(Now watch....I probably jinxed everyone and myself!  Check this space out Thursday to see!)