Winter Views: Local Fat

End of the line......this time.

 With the decent snow cover and lower temperatures it has proven to be a great period for fat biking in snow. This snow seems to be a lot more capable of holding together and not acting like hour glass sand, so riding in deep, unadulterated snow has been a fun activity. This kind of riding is perfectly suited to the Blackborow DS. Those nearly 5" wide tires on 100mm rims do a number on deep snow when things are right for that set up. 

Things were right for that set up lately. So, I took advantage and I don't have to go far to find a challenge either. This 'local-to-me' riding is so close I suppose you could say it is 'hyper-local'. I ride two city blocks and there I am. Right at the gates of the Elmwood Cemetery. 

It's really quite the resource, if you can get over the heebie-jeebies of riding around hundreds of ancient headstones. The park-like atmosphere is highlighted by run down two-track, a bit of crude blacktop, and a 'back lot' that runs between the hill where most of the humans are planted and the woods hard against Highway 63 to the West. 

The cemetery is a privately owned one, not attached to the City, and the gates are open 24-7, pretty much. They did close the place up for a couple days around New Years, I suppose for reasons of lessons that they have learned over the years. Other than that, riding, walking, or running on the 'roads' and along the woods there seems to be fair play. I never have run afoul of anyone I've seen there working, at any rate. Most of the time the place is deserted. Am I 'poaching' some riding here? Maybe. Seems like a pretty solid grey area to me though. 

Thursday's tracks to the left. A previous session's tracks can be detected to the right here.

So, why ride through this when we have miles of groomed trails for fat bikes? Well, to my way of thinking, a groomed trail is a trail where, a walker, a bicyclist, a runner, an XC skier, or whatever can go easily. You may not even need a fat bike if you are a cyclist. That's all well and fine, but I have miles of alleyway in my neighborhood which is pretty much the same thing, only harder because it is all uneven. 

And that pretty much is why I don't ride groomed trails much at all. I got a fat bike because, back in the day, I couldn't ride where I wanted to, and a fat bike gave me the opportunity to go places I could not go before. Before all the trail grooming madness here, I had to use the fattest tires with the most float that I could just to ride the post-holed trails where people had walked, or wherever the snow machines had gone. It opened up a new level of challenge and skill building I never had experienced before. 

 Saturday's end of the line at Byrnes Park, or whatever they are calling this place these days!

I learned more balance, more subtle handling skills, what air pressures do, how to shift my weight for varying snow depths and conditions. I learned how to steer in deep snow, and I learned how to max out my heart rate! I have learned these things and a whole lot more seeking out the unbeaten paths. 

I am not always successful. I dab. I fall over. I run out of leg and lung. But if I don't try I have no chance at learning or enjoying those times when it all comes together and I cut through deep snow without a dab or without stopping to get my breath back again. I wouldn't have learned that I can go up and over, through, or around the things I have. I would not have learned these things on groomed fat bike trails. 

Those things I have learned have translated into better handling skills on the gravel roads and better fitness levels throughout the year. I have gained confidence in my bike skills and to be honest, playing in the snow keeps me 'young at heart' too. There is something about just goofing off in the snow. At least for me.

Now, don't hear that I think groomed trails are dumb, or lame. They just don't spark my interest like what I am doing does. Groomed fat bike trails have gotten a LOT more people out and about in Winter, and that is all good. However you do your activities outdoors is not wrong, it just may not be my cup-o-tea, that's all. 

And in the end, I'd rather be riding gravel, if you really want to know.

Winter Views: Local Fat

End of the line......this time.

 With the decent snow cover and lower temperatures it has proven to be a great period for fat biking in snow. This snow seems to be a lot more capable of holding together and not acting like hour glass sand, so riding in deep, unadulterated snow has been a fun activity. This kind of riding is perfectly suited to the Blackborow DS. Those nearly 5" wide tires on 100mm rims do a number on deep snow when things are right for that set up. 

Things were right for that set up lately. So, I took advantage and I don't have to go far to find a challenge either. This 'local-to-me' riding is so close I suppose you could say it is 'hyper-local'. I ride two city blocks and there I am. Right at the gates of the Elmwood Cemetery. 

It's really quite the resource, if you can get over the heebie-jeebies of riding around hundreds of ancient headstones. The park-like atmosphere is highlighted by run down two-track, a bit of crude blacktop, and a 'back lot' that runs between the hill where most of the humans are planted and the woods hard against Highway 63 to the West. 

The cemetery is a privately owned one, not attached to the City, and the gates are open 24-7, pretty much. They did close the place up for a couple days around New Years, I suppose for reasons of lessons that they have learned over the years. Other than that, riding, walking, or running on the 'roads' and along the woods there seems to be fair play. I never have run afoul of anyone I've seen there working, at any rate. Most of the time the place is deserted. Am I 'poaching' some riding here? Maybe. Seems like a pretty solid grey area to me though. 

Thursday's tracks to the left. A previous session's tracks can be detected to the right here.

So, why ride through this when we have miles of groomed trails for fat bikes? Well, to my way of thinking, a groomed trail is a trail where, a walker, a bicyclist, a runner, an XC skier, or whatever can go easily. You may not even need a fat bike if you are a cyclist. That's all well and fine, but I have miles of alleyway in my neighborhood which is pretty much the same thing, only harder because it is all uneven. 

And that pretty much is why I don't ride groomed trails much at all. I got a fat bike because, back in the day, I couldn't ride where I wanted to, and a fat bike gave me the opportunity to go places I could not go before. Before all the trail grooming madness here, I had to use the fattest tires with the most float that I could just to ride the post-holed trails where people had walked, or wherever the snow machines had gone. It opened up a new level of challenge and skill building I never had experienced before. 

 Saturday's end of the line at Byrnes Park, or whatever they are calling this place these days!

I learned more balance, more subtle handling skills, what air pressures do, how to shift my weight for varying snow depths and conditions. I learned how to steer in deep snow, and I learned how to max out my heart rate! I have learned these things and a whole lot more seeking out the unbeaten paths. 

I am not always successful. I dab. I fall over. I run out of leg and lung. But if I don't try I have no chance at learning or enjoying those times when it all comes together and I cut through deep snow without a dab or without stopping to get my breath back again. I wouldn't have learned that I can go up and over, through, or around the things I have. I would not have learned these things on groomed fat bike trails. 

Those things I have learned have translated into better handling skills on the gravel roads and better fitness levels throughout the year. I have gained confidence in my bike skills and to be honest, playing in the snow keeps me 'young at heart' too. There is something about just goofing off in the snow. At least for me.

Now, don't hear that I think groomed trails are dumb, or lame. They just don't spark my interest like what I am doing does. Groomed fat bike trails have gotten a LOT more people out and about in Winter, and that is all good. However you do your activities outdoors is not wrong, it just may not be my cup-o-tea, that's all. 

And in the end, I'd rather be riding gravel, if you really want to know.

Friday News And Views

Not a fail- as much as I thought originally. (Arrow points to a drainage)

Drainage Detected:

A while back I made some sharp criticism of the bike path reconstruction as it relates to the eastern end of the University Avenue Project. Well, on a ride on December 27th, I discovered what may be a drain for runoff on the Southern end of the tunnel which is carrying the bike trail underneath University Avenue. 

If this is what I think it is, at least the South side of the trail should remain fairly passable. However; I have yet to see anything like this on the North side, which traditionally is really bad anyway, and this new construction looks to make things worse. If this doesn't get drained it would be a major oversight as that end of the trail at the butt-end of Falls Avenue has been under water since the project began. Even throughout the drought. So, they really have no excuse.

Hopefully there will be some sort of drainage put in on the North side, and I will keep on looking as this construction progresses toward its end. That won't likely pick up again until Spring, so until then, I don't expect any progress on this front. 

Interestingly, they did open up the new four lane to traffic again, so the road is humming with cars and trucks once more. Mrs. Guitar Ted and I checked it out and the new roundabout at Fletcher and University is going to really throw folks for a loop. (pardon the pun) I still don't understand why people get so freaked out about these things, but bringing up the subject of roundabouts is like stirring up a hornet's nest here in regard to these new road features. 

Will this be a necessary document to enter races in 2021?

How Will We Know in 2021? 

When do you know it's okay to ride in an event this year? Obviously, this all hinges on who gets vaccinated and if that level of folks that decide to get vaccinated quashes the spread of COVID-19. But how do you determine when the level of spread is low enough to allow for folks to gather? When is it okay, if it ever will be again, to allow outside of an area people to mingle with residents of another area? And how will that affect the elderly and those 'at highest risk' folks? 

Will we need to have 'vaccination confirmations' to gain entry to events, or gatherings? Or do we just assume it will all work and run off headlong towards the way things used to be without a whit given to lessons learned in 2019? These are all valid questions going into 2021.

It is one thing to say, "This too shall pass." I agree that it will, but when? Where is that line that we cross? Is there a line? Should we even care? These are big questions to ask as we get on with going back to events and participating in bicycle rides 'en masse'. Obviously, a way to guarantee that someone has been vaccinated goes a long way towards assuring those who are running events that they are doing so responsibly, but how do you assure that? 

I've got a lot of questions, and no good answers as we get on into this new year. I'm sure answers will come to light at some point, but as of now, I do not see anyone asking these questions. I think they are rather important to consider.

I've heard about a 'slow boat from China', but this is ridiculous.

Not To Beat A Dead Horse, But....

Just making sure that I document that in 2021 bike availability, parts availability, and prices are all changing from what we're used to. 

I've made the point about shipping times, but prices for shipping have - in some cases- quadrupled. Guess who THAT will be passed down to? If you are thinking, "Why, that's me! The Consumer!", you'd be correct. Doubly so if demand stays consistent with 2020 levels, which was unprecedented. 

Again- don't expect to waltz right in to a shop and pick up a fresh 11 speed chain, lube, a spare tube, or a new set of tires. The shop you use may not have exactly what you want. Best to call ahead. Also,be prepared to pay a lot more! Shops don't have spare reserve inventories that they paid for just sitting around, so don't expect any deals either.  It's going to get ugly in that respect, I am afraid. In fact, buying what you can get now, and stockpiling it might make sense, since prices haven't really been jacked up yet, but if you wait? Lord have mercy! Don't say I didn't warn ya! 

Here's a great, concise warning from a MTB brand that should give you some sense of what I am trying to convey here. Also, a web/brick and mortar store owner laments the lack of available inventory HERE. Interestingly, the dealer lament is pretty revealing as he shows actual dealer portal screens for two major brands so you can understand what bike shops are up against. The consumer reactions he refers to are rather revealing as well. Good reference point going into 2021. 

Comments: My take on 2021 availability for bikes and parts is this- Expect mid to late season 2020 stock levels to persist all throughout the 2021 season. Repair parts will be sparse to non-existent. I say this because 2021 model production is either (a) being held up by lack of available parts from vendors like SRAM, Shimano, etc and (b) production has already shifted to 2022 models. 

It is quite likely that 2021 will be, or already has been, written off and all bets are being placed on 2022 as being when the industry gets back on track. This may seem improbable to those of you that do not understand the bicycle industry. However; as parts procurement has been disrupted, and seeing as how all designs and specs for 2021 were signed off on long before last year, it makes sense that production figures for 2021 would actually either be the same as 2019/20 or even less since parts may not show up at factories in enough quantities to produce 2021 models. This would mean those parts would then go on what will end up becoming 2022 models. 

Either these 2022 models will be carry-over 2021 models that weren't fully produced or they will simply just paint frames in new liveries to match 2022 spec. The bike industry works in a 'three to five year plan' time space with the 'ideas' phase being one year, prototypes being the next one to two year phase, then actual production planning takes place. After this, models get spec parts lined up and then everything moves to production. By this time you are into "Year Four" from the very beginnings of the model year line conceptions at the long end and by "Year Five" you have product hitting dealer floors. So, with this in mind, some 2022 bikes were conceived of back in 2017. (!!) Given this, maybe a 'quick adjustment' may be given to what demand might actually be by 2024, and you can see that 'just pumping out more bikes' for 2021 isn't just a crazy idea, it is a factual impossibility due to the way the industry works. The earliest I could see any real increases in bike inventory happening in traditional bike channels is maybe by 2022, and brands are going to hedge their bets and I am thinking that they are thinking the boom won't hold up for that long.

An example of the new Singular Peregrine

Singular Cycles Re-Introduces The Peregrine Model: 

Singular Cycles, run by Sam Alison from the U.K., has been on the down-low for several years. His company has been known for making some really fantastic, classic looking frames. Both MG and I have owned different Singular models throughout the years. (I still have a Buzzard MTB frame in the Lab) I used to own a Gryphon, which was designed at the same time as the Fargo and in many ways 'out-Fargo-ed' that bike. (I think MG still has his?) Anyway, the Peregrine was the lugged drop bar bike that Singular made which was a classic design and well loved by many. Unfortunately, I heard that some Peregrines broke, and eventually it was withdrawn from the line up. Then Singular faded from view and well, that was that. 

But now Singular has revitalized itself and brought back the Peregrine model. It has, of course, been redesigned and updated to modern specs with through axles, a slight increase in tire clearances, and now will have a sweet, bi-plane fork. (!!) I love bi-plane fork crowns. The geometry is 71° front/74°rear with 445mm chain stays and a 75mm bottom bracket drop. Pretty interesting in that it claims to be able to handle a road crank double and still clear 29" X 2.1" tires or 650B X 2.2" tires. 

Pre-orders are open now for mid-Summer delivery. See the website here. 

Okay, that's it for this week! Happy New Year to all you G-Ted Productions readers!

Friday News And Views

Not a fail- as much as I thought originally. (Arrow points to a drainage)

Drainage Detected:

A while back I made some sharp criticism of the bike path reconstruction as it relates to the eastern end of the University Avenue Project. Well, on a ride on December 27th, I discovered what may be a drain for runoff on the Southern end of the tunnel which is carrying the bike trail underneath University Avenue. 

If this is what I think it is, at least the South side of the trail should remain fairly passable. However; I have yet to see anything like this on the North side, which traditionally is really bad anyway, and this new construction looks to make things worse. If this doesn't get drained it would be a major oversight as that end of the trail at the butt-end of Falls Avenue has been under water since the project began. Even throughout the drought. So, they really have no excuse.

Hopefully there will be some sort of drainage put in on the North side, and I will keep on looking as this construction progresses toward its end. That won't likely pick up again until Spring, so until then, I don't expect any progress on this front. 

Interestingly, they did open up the new four lane to traffic again, so the road is humming with cars and trucks once more. Mrs. Guitar Ted and I checked it out and the new roundabout at Fletcher and University is going to really throw folks for a loop. (pardon the pun) I still don't understand why people get so freaked out about these things, but bringing up the subject of roundabouts is like stirring up a hornet's nest here in regard to these new road features. 

Will this be a necessary document to enter races in 2021?

How Will We Know in 2021? 

When do you know it's okay to ride in an event this year? Obviously, this all hinges on who gets vaccinated and if that level of folks that decide to get vaccinated quashes the spread of COVID-19. But how do you determine when the level of spread is low enough to allow for folks to gather? When is it okay, if it ever will be again, to allow outside of an area people to mingle with residents of another area? And how will that affect the elderly and those 'at highest risk' folks? 

Will we need to have 'vaccination confirmations' to gain entry to events, or gatherings? Or do we just assume it will all work and run off headlong towards the way things used to be without a whit given to lessons learned in 2019? These are all valid questions going into 2021.

It is one thing to say, "This too shall pass." I agree that it will, but when? Where is that line that we cross? Is there a line? Should we even care? These are big questions to ask as we get on with going back to events and participating in bicycle rides 'en masse'. Obviously, a way to guarantee that someone has been vaccinated goes a long way towards assuring those who are running events that they are doing so responsibly, but how do you assure that? 

I've got a lot of questions, and no good answers as we get on into this new year. I'm sure answers will come to light at some point, but as of now, I do not see anyone asking these questions. I think they are rather important to consider.

I've heard about a 'slow boat from China', but this is ridiculous.

Not To Beat A Dead Horse, But....

Just making sure that I document that in 2021 bike availability, parts availability, and prices are all changing from what we're used to. 

I've made the point about shipping times, but prices for shipping have - in some cases- quadrupled. Guess who THAT will be passed down to? If you are thinking, "Why, that's me! The Consumer!", you'd be correct. Doubly so if demand stays consistent with 2020 levels, which was unprecedented. 

Again- don't expect to waltz right in to a shop and pick up a fresh 11 speed chain, lube, a spare tube, or a new set of tires. The shop you use may not have exactly what you want. Best to call ahead. Also,be prepared to pay a lot more! Shops don't have spare reserve inventories that they paid for just sitting around, so don't expect any deals either.  It's going to get ugly in that respect, I am afraid. In fact, buying what you can get now, and stockpiling it might make sense, since prices haven't really been jacked up yet, but if you wait? Lord have mercy! Don't say I didn't warn ya! 

Here's a great, concise warning from a MTB brand that should give you some sense of what I am trying to convey here. Also, a web/brick and mortar store owner laments the lack of available inventory HERE. Interestingly, the dealer lament is pretty revealing as he shows actual dealer portal screens for two major brands so you can understand what bike shops are up against. The consumer reactions he refers to are rather revealing as well. Good reference point going into 2021. 

Comments: My take on 2021 availability for bikes and parts is this- Expect mid to late season 2020 stock levels to persist all throughout the 2021 season. Repair parts will be sparse to non-existent. I say this because 2021 model production is either (a) being held up by lack of available parts from vendors like SRAM, Shimano, etc and (b) production has already shifted to 2022 models. 

It is quite likely that 2021 will be, or already has been, written off and all bets are being placed on 2022 as being when the industry gets back on track. This may seem improbable to those of you that do not understand the bicycle industry. However; as parts procurement has been disrupted, and seeing as how all designs and specs for 2021 were signed off on long before last year, it makes sense that production figures for 2021 would actually either be the same as 2019/20 or even less since parts may not show up at factories in enough quantities to produce 2021 models. This would mean those parts would then go on what will end up becoming 2022 models. 

Either these 2022 models will be carry-over 2021 models that weren't fully produced or they will simply just paint frames in new liveries to match 2022 spec. The bike industry works in a 'three to five year plan' time space with the 'ideas' phase being one year, prototypes being the next one to two year phase, then actual production planning takes place. After this, models get spec parts lined up and then everything moves to production. By this time you are into "Year Four" from the very beginnings of the model year line conceptions at the long end and by "Year Five" you have product hitting dealer floors. So, with this in mind, some 2022 bikes were conceived of back in 2017. (!!) Given this, maybe a 'quick adjustment' may be given to what demand might actually be by 2024, and you can see that 'just pumping out more bikes' for 2021 isn't just a crazy idea, it is a factual impossibility due to the way the industry works. The earliest I could see any real increases in bike inventory happening in traditional bike channels is maybe by 2022, and brands are going to hedge their bets and I am thinking that they are thinking the boom won't hold up for that long.

An example of the new Singular Peregrine

Singular Cycles Re-Introduces The Peregrine Model: 

Singular Cycles, run by Sam Alison from the U.K., has been on the down-low for several years. His company has been known for making some really fantastic, classic looking frames. Both MG and I have owned different Singular models throughout the years. (I still have a Buzzard MTB frame in the Lab) I used to own a Gryphon, which was designed at the same time as the Fargo and in many ways 'out-Fargo-ed' that bike. (I think MG still has his?) Anyway, the Peregrine was the lugged drop bar bike that Singular made which was a classic design and well loved by many. Unfortunately, I heard that some Peregrines broke, and eventually it was withdrawn from the line up. Then Singular faded from view and well, that was that. 

But now Singular has revitalized itself and brought back the Peregrine model. It has, of course, been redesigned and updated to modern specs with through axles, a slight increase in tire clearances, and now will have a sweet, bi-plane fork. (!!) I love bi-plane fork crowns. The geometry is 71° front/74°rear with 445mm chain stays and a 75mm bottom bracket drop. Pretty interesting in that it claims to be able to handle a road crank double and still clear 29" X 2.1" tires or 650B X 2.2" tires. 

Pre-orders are open now for mid-Summer delivery. See the website here. 

Okay, that's it for this week! Happy New Year to all you G-Ted Productions readers!

Blinded By The Light

 

Here are those Atomik/Berd Ultimate wheels I wrote about yesterday.

Wednesday was another cracking good day, but I was not up to doing a big ride in the country due to a procedure I had done at the optometrist. So, no "Country Views" today. Sorry! I was too busy trying to find the right sunglasses to tone down the brightness of all that light flowing into my eyeballs! 

That's right, I had my eyes dilated so the optometrist could check on the health of my eyes. Yeah.....walking out of the place was a shock! It was a bright sunny day with no clouds. My sunglasses were on the dashboard of my truck. Good thing my daughter was there to guide me by the arm. All I could see was brilliant white! 

I wasn't dying, walking through the Pearly Gates or anything, but I imagine it to be something like what I experienced Wednesday morning. Yikes! That wasn't any fun! My legs were wobbly and I felt nauseous. For a minute or two. And then it took about five hours for the effects to wear off. At least enough that I could dare to try out those Atomik/Berd Ultimate wheels a bit. 

So, I rode over to the new overpass being built for the Sergeant Road Trail. Progress has been steady all Summer due to the good weather. In fact, they should be paving over the road on top soon as they were doing final grading when I checked. 

The tunnel for bikes, on the right, and the sloping bike path down to it off University to the left.

The former roadway was considerably higher than where the new pavement for University Avenue will go.

This appears to be another approach for cyclists from the East.

It's nice to see this infrastructure for cycling and pedestrians going in. University Avenue has been a conduit for travel between Cedar Falls and Waterloo long before it was 'University Avenue'. In fact, parts of this throughway may have been part of old Native American trails and certainly would have been used by horses and wagons back in the day. Back in the early days of roads, this was part of the "Red Ball Route", a kind of Northwest to Southeast passage through Iowa from Minneapolis, Minnesota and on to St. Louis, Missouri. This became HWY 218 and is now HWY 27, or the "Avenue of the Saints". 

After visiting there I went and rode my usual 'testing loop' of alleys and hilly streets in Waterloo. Then it was back home again to take care of some business, since I could see again! Hopefully I don't have to go through that again for a while. That blinding by light situation is for the birds!

Blinded By The Light

 

Here are those Atomik/Berd Ultimate wheels I wrote about yesterday.

Wednesday was another cracking good day, but I was not up to doing a big ride in the country due to a procedure I had done at the optometrist. So, no "Country Views" today. Sorry! I was too busy trying to find the right sunglasses to tone down the brightness of all that light flowing into my eyeballs! 

That's right, I had my eyes dilated so the optometrist could check on the health of my eyes. Yeah.....walking out of the place was a shock! It was a bright sunny day with no clouds. My sunglasses were on the dashboard of my truck. Good thing my daughter was there to guide me by the arm. All I could see was brilliant white! 

I wasn't dying, walking through the Pearly Gates or anything, but I imagine it to be something like what I experienced Wednesday morning. Yikes! That wasn't any fun! My legs were wobbly and I felt nauseous. For a minute or two. And then it took about five hours for the effects to wear off. At least enough that I could dare to try out those Atomik/Berd Ultimate wheels a bit. 

So, I rode over to the new overpass being built for the Sergeant Road Trail. Progress has been steady all Summer due to the good weather. In fact, they should be paving over the road on top soon as they were doing final grading when I checked. 

The tunnel for bikes, on the right, and the sloping bike path down to it off University to the left.

The former roadway was considerably higher than where the new pavement for University Avenue will go.

This appears to be another approach for cyclists from the East.

It's nice to see this infrastructure for cycling and pedestrians going in. University Avenue has been a conduit for travel between Cedar Falls and Waterloo long before it was 'University Avenue'. In fact, parts of this throughway may have been part of old Native American trails and certainly would have been used by horses and wagons back in the day. Back in the early days of roads, this was part of the "Red Ball Route", a kind of Northwest to Southeast passage through Iowa from Minneapolis, Minnesota and on to St. Louis, Missouri. This became HWY 218 and is now HWY 27, or the "Avenue of the Saints". 

After visiting there I went and rode my usual 'testing loop' of alleys and hilly streets in Waterloo. Then it was back home again to take care of some business, since I could see again! Hopefully I don't have to go through that again for a while. That blinding by light situation is for the birds!

The Local Scene: The Kickstand

I live in an area that is a unique one with a pretty strong cycling culture. I figured that I would start a series of posts under the moniker, "The Local Scene", in which I could talk about some things we have going on here in regards to cycling and its related activities. 

I'd like to kick that off with a visit I made to a new local establishment that has tied its fortunes to the local trail scene, The Kickstand. It's a coffee shop and more....

I live in an area where there are a lot of paved bicycle paths. The oldest and most well known of these, (an image of which is shown here), runs through a State Park, but we have close to, if not over, 100 miles of paved bike paths that are really nice.

As you can imagine, these are quite a draw. In fact, we have tourism based on these paths as a destination for cyclists from around the country. Since that is the case, a local couple decided to open a coffee shop near the trail system in hopes of garnering some business from trail users and make some new friends along the way. The place is called "The Kickstand", fittingly enough.

The Kickstand is located a stones throw off the trail on 12th Street just before you cross Dry Run Creek going south away from Cedar Falls. The bike path runs about 50 yards from The Kickstand's front door, which is located on the patio behind the owner's home. It's pretty nice and intimate, and on a nice day, you can sit around at tables provided outside, or step in to the cozy confines of the coffee shop itself.

<===The Kickstand is located behind the home of Heidi and Steve Aldrich, which is located at 317 East 14th Street just off 12th, shown here. (That's their home in the image)

I decided to stop in on Friday and have a look-see. It was a beautiful early fall day and the weather was great. Heidi Aldrich, one of the proprietors, was  behind the counter and greeted me with a warm smile. I ordered up a "pour through" coffee. Yeah.....I had never heard of that before, so I had to try it out.

 <===A "pour through" happening right before my very eyes!

Well, it wasn't long before I had chosen a dark roast from about four types of coffee available for a pour through and watched as Heidi "poured through" some hot water on the grounds and then the coffee came dripping out into an awaiting cup. Cool!

And it tasted fantastic as well.

But that isn't all The Kickstand does....oh no! They had pies with your choice of whipped cream or ice cream toppings, and the pie could be heated up. They had some other pastries and sodas to wash it down with if coffee isn't your thing. Heidi also showed me some cold pressed coffee which tasted very good! I think they even had a few souvenir trinkets and what nots to sell as well.

<===The Kickstand has a cozy, warm, inviting atmosphere.

As I sat and consumed my delicious coffee, Heidi explained to me that she and Steve want to start bringing in some entertainment and grow the business as a place to go for all trail users and even those that come by car!

I figured I'd even use The Kickstand as an excuse to roll my upcoming Salsa Cycles Mukluk out for a December cruise and warm up inside with a hot, steamy cuppa-joe, then return to Waterloo afterward. (That's right, I am buying a snow bike!) 

The business is still being fine tuned, but it is well worth a stop and the coffee is black and really good! I give it a hearty recommendo. Check out The Kickstand soon, ya'all!

The Local Scene: The Kickstand

I live in an area that is a unique one with a pretty strong cycling culture. I figured that I would start a series of posts under the moniker, "The Local Scene", in which I could talk about some things we have going on here in regards to cycling and its related activities. 

I'd like to kick that off with a visit I made to a new local establishment that has tied its fortunes to the local trail scene, The Kickstand. It's a coffee shop and more....

I live in an area where there are a lot of paved bicycle paths. The oldest and most well known of these, (an image of which is shown here), runs through a State Park, but we have close to, if not over, 100 miles of paved bike paths that are really nice.

As you can imagine, these are quite a draw. In fact, we have tourism based on these paths as a destination for cyclists from around the country. Since that is the case, a local couple decided to open a coffee shop near the trail system in hopes of garnering some business from trail users and make some new friends along the way. The place is called "The Kickstand", fittingly enough.

The Kickstand is located a stones throw off the trail on 12th Street just before you cross Dry Run Creek going south away from Cedar Falls. The bike path runs about 50 yards from The Kickstand's front door, which is located on the patio behind the owner's home. It's pretty nice and intimate, and on a nice day, you can sit around at tables provided outside, or step in to the cozy confines of the coffee shop itself.

<===The Kickstand is located behind the home of Heidi and Steve Aldrich, which is located at 317 East 14th Street just off 12th, shown here. (That's their home in the image)

I decided to stop in on Friday and have a look-see. It was a beautiful early fall day and the weather was great. Heidi Aldrich, one of the proprietors, was  behind the counter and greeted me with a warm smile. I ordered up a "pour through" coffee. Yeah.....I had never heard of that before, so I had to try it out.

 <===A "pour through" happening right before my very eyes!

Well, it wasn't long before I had chosen a dark roast from about four types of coffee available for a pour through and watched as Heidi "poured through" some hot water on the grounds and then the coffee came dripping out into an awaiting cup. Cool!

And it tasted fantastic as well.

But that isn't all The Kickstand does....oh no! They had pies with your choice of whipped cream or ice cream toppings, and the pie could be heated up. They had some other pastries and sodas to wash it down with if coffee isn't your thing. Heidi also showed me some cold pressed coffee which tasted very good! I think they even had a few souvenir trinkets and what nots to sell as well.

<===The Kickstand has a cozy, warm, inviting atmosphere.

As I sat and consumed my delicious coffee, Heidi explained to me that she and Steve want to start bringing in some entertainment and grow the business as a place to go for all trail users and even those that come by car!

I figured I'd even use The Kickstand as an excuse to roll my upcoming Salsa Cycles Mukluk out for a December cruise and warm up inside with a hot, steamy cuppa-joe, then return to Waterloo afterward. (That's right, I am buying a snow bike!) 

The business is still being fine tuned, but it is well worth a stop and the coffee is black and really good! I give it a hearty recommendo. Check out The Kickstand soon, ya'all!