Friday News And Views

A map of the 2015 Gravel Worlds course

Ahoy! Gravel Mateys!

Today I'll be on my way to Lincoln, Nebraska to join my like minded gravel riding nut-jobs to take part in the Pirate Cycling League's 2015 version of Gravel Worlds . It's an almost 150 mile route through the hilly, (YES- Nebraska is HILLY), terrain circumnavigating Lincoln.

I will try to keep up on social media when I can, so if you do Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook, I will post a few updates throughout the day Saturday. Don't count on a blow-by-blow covering of Gravel Worlds though. I'll just be posting so some folks that care will know I'm still sailing around the gravelly seas of Nebraska and not in Davey Jone's Locker.

This event used to be known as "The Good Life Gravel Adventure" back in '08 and '09. I was convinced to check out the second GLGA event by David Pals, at that time my co-director of Trans Iowa. It was a shoestring adventure and on a single speed, no less. I was hooked then and came back another time to enjoy the scene there. The second time it was co-named the "GLGA-Gravel Worlds", and again, I rode a single speed. I thought I had made it down one other time on a geared bike, but I cannot find any evidence of that, and so I guess it was twice, and I haven't been back in....gulp!, five years! Well, things have changed a bit since those early days!

The first time I rode down there the GLGA had under 50 participants. I think the first Gravel Worlds had 110 or so. Well, this one will have nearly 300! That's a big, big difference right there. I expect there will be other, "big" differences as well, so stay tuned for my thoughts on the Gravel Worlds and a ride report beginning next week.

Lou on the Left, Vee Tire Snowshoe 2XL on right

King Of Fat:

It used to be that a Surly Bud or Lou on a 100mm rim was the fattest tire you could get. Not anymore....

The new "King Of Fat", (which is what this tire should have been called, I think), is the Vee Tire "Snowshoe 2XL". For all the gory details on this beast, see Fat-Bike.com's story here.  (The image to the left is from their story as well.)

My take is that this will be the ultimate flotation tire. In other words, if you find you are going to go out and bust your own trails, go where no one else is going, and you need to be "on top" of the terrain as much as possible, then this is your tire. Translation: If you run groomed trails, dry terrain that is the realm of mountain biking, or are running on loose, drier stuff that isn't sand, these tires won't do you one bit of good. They will just be heavier, harder to handle, and stroke your "I have the biggest tires" ego. Well......they also probably will not fit your current bike. At over 5" in width on 100 mm rims, there are only a few production bikes in existence that these will fit on. I'm not sure they would fit on my Blackborow, for instance, but I've heard these tires will "barely" clear the frame.

I won't say I would never get a pair of these, as they would slot into my usual Winter hi-jinx. I like bushwhacking powder and mud, and so flotation makes sense to me. However; I haven't reached the limits of the Lou/Clown Shoe set up I have, so I just don't see the need to jump on these right now. That said, it's a nice option to be able to go to if I do ever go beyond the limits of the set up I have now.

Blackborow and the Bluto

Looking Forward To Winter:

 Speaking of fat bikes, I haven't ever gotten my plan to convert the Blackborow to......well, you'll have to wait for that. Anyway, part of the plan was the Bluto fork, and I have been on it more since my first impressions of it a while back. I still really like having suspension on this bike for "Summer duties", but it does add weight. Weight is a bad deal in Winter, and so I'll be going back to the original equipment fork, and my Anything Cage HD racks along with that, for the colder months.

I still have my Titanium Mukluk, and for that rig I may be looking to a 1 X 11 group, which will allow bigger rear tires and no chain to tire rub in the lowest gears. With its antiquated 1 1/8th steer tube, I have stuck an On One Carbon Fatty fork on there which lightens up the bike and still gives a great ride feel. I think my direction with that bike will be to use it as a "fast" Winter set up. So, I will be getting it all set for "slop" conditions, groomed stuff, and general riding around.

I still have the Snow Dog as well, but currently it has been relegated to the back wall in the basement as I don't have wheels for it at present. That may change soon though, so I may have a new plan for this old girl soon.

There may be some parts tweakage on all three rigs coming along as the months crawl on by toward 2016. Stay tuned....

And that's a wrap for now. Have a great weekend and I'll be back Monday with the start of my Gravel Worlds report......

Friday News And Views

A map of the 2015 Gravel Worlds course

Ahoy! Gravel Mateys!

Today I'll be on my way to Lincoln, Nebraska to join my like minded gravel riding nut-jobs to take part in the Pirate Cycling League's 2015 version of Gravel Worlds . It's an almost 150 mile route through the hilly, (YES- Nebraska is HILLY), terrain circumnavigating Lincoln.

I will try to keep up on social media when I can, so if you do Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook, I will post a few updates throughout the day Saturday. Don't count on a blow-by-blow covering of Gravel Worlds though. I'll just be posting so some folks that care will know I'm still sailing around the gravelly seas of Nebraska and not in Davey Jone's Locker.

This event used to be known as "The Good Life Gravel Adventure" back in '08 and '09. I was convinced to check out the second GLGA event by David Pals, at that time my co-director of Trans Iowa. It was a shoestring adventure and on a single speed, no less. I was hooked then and came back another time to enjoy the scene there. The second time it was co-named the "GLGA-Gravel Worlds", and again, I rode a single speed. I thought I had made it down one other time on a geared bike, but I cannot find any evidence of that, and so I guess it was twice, and I haven't been back in....gulp!, five years! Well, things have changed a bit since those early days!

The first time I rode down there the GLGA had under 50 participants. I think the first Gravel Worlds had 110 or so. Well, this one will have nearly 300! That's a big, big difference right there. I expect there will be other, "big" differences as well, so stay tuned for my thoughts on the Gravel Worlds and a ride report beginning next week.

Lou on the Left, Vee Tire Snowshoe 2XL on right

King Of Fat:

It used to be that a Surly Bud or Lou on a 100mm rim was the fattest tire you could get. Not anymore....

The new "King Of Fat", (which is what this tire should have been called, I think), is the Vee Tire "Snowshoe 2XL". For all the gory details on this beast, see Fat-Bike.com's story here.  (The image to the left is from their story as well.)

My take is that this will be the ultimate flotation tire. In other words, if you find you are going to go out and bust your own trails, go where no one else is going, and you need to be "on top" of the terrain as much as possible, then this is your tire. Translation: If you run groomed trails, dry terrain that is the realm of mountain biking, or are running on loose, drier stuff that isn't sand, these tires won't do you one bit of good. They will just be heavier, harder to handle, and stroke your "I have the biggest tires" ego. Well......they also probably will not fit your current bike. At over 5" in width on 100 mm rims, there are only a few production bikes in existence that these will fit on. I'm not sure they would fit on my Blackborow, for instance, but I've heard these tires will "barely" clear the frame.

I won't say I would never get a pair of these, as they would slot into my usual Winter hi-jinx. I like bushwhacking powder and mud, and so flotation makes sense to me. However; I haven't reached the limits of the Lou/Clown Shoe set up I have, so I just don't see the need to jump on these right now. That said, it's a nice option to be able to go to if I do ever go beyond the limits of the set up I have now.

Blackborow and the Bluto

Looking Forward To Winter:

 Speaking of fat bikes, I haven't ever gotten my plan to convert the Blackborow to......well, you'll have to wait for that. Anyway, part of the plan was the Bluto fork, and I have been on it more since my first impressions of it a while back. I still really like having suspension on this bike for "Summer duties", but it does add weight. Weight is a bad deal in Winter, and so I'll be going back to the original equipment fork, and my Anything Cage HD racks along with that, for the colder months.

I still have my Titanium Mukluk, and for that rig I may be looking to a 1 X 11 group, which will allow bigger rear tires and no chain to tire rub in the lowest gears. With its antiquated 1 1/8th steer tube, I have stuck an On One Carbon Fatty fork on there which lightens up the bike and still gives a great ride feel. I think my direction with that bike will be to use it as a "fast" Winter set up. So, I will be getting it all set for "slop" conditions, groomed stuff, and general riding around.

I still have the Snow Dog as well, but currently it has been relegated to the back wall in the basement as I don't have wheels for it at present. That may change soon though, so I may have a new plan for this old girl soon.

There may be some parts tweakage on all three rigs coming along as the months crawl on by toward 2016. Stay tuned....

And that's a wrap for now. Have a great weekend and I'll be back Monday with the start of my Gravel Worlds report......

Gravel Worlds: Pre-Race Prep

The rig is dialed

Gravel Worlds is this weekend and my final prep has already been taking place. I have been keeping myself in some semblance of physical fitness, and my bike is dialed. As mentioned Monday, the Tamland Two is getting the call with Bruce Gordon Rock & Road tires.

I'm going with a Topeak saddle bag and my Bike Bag Dude "Garage Bag" on the top tube. There will be two Chaff Bags to hold two extra water bottles. I'll utilize jersey pockets for food and the Garage Bag for that as well.

I'm going a hair on the minimalist side here, and that's due to my past experience with the event. I've come within 40-ish miles of finishing it twice, both times on a single speed, so with gears, I feel I will be gaining an advantage. The weather and course generally don't demand that I bring anything other than the basics- tube, pump, multi-tool, and enough water to get by for 40-50 miles at a crack. Food is also replenishable out on course at different spots. Now, I may regret these choices later on, but if I do, it would be because something happened incongruent to my past experiences with Gravel Worlds.

Oh yeah......I found an old Cateye computer in my stash that works. So, I didn't have to buy another. I'll stick a new battery in it, calibrate it, and that will get me by for this event. It will come off immediately afterward! I just don't care for computers on my bicycles. Now all I have to do is pack up my clothes and I'm good to go.

It looks a lot more like mid-September than it does mid-August!

I did go for a couple fat bike rides on Wednesday, just to blow off some steam. The day was cool and wet. Much like a mid-Fall day than a late Summer one. I actually had to wear a rain jacket and it felt okay. Not like wearing a stuffy garbage sack, which is what it should have felt like for a rainy August day. This is surely a preview for Fall weather which is right around the corner.

Speaking of weather- it is the wildcard at any of these events I go to or put on. It looks like we will see a slight return to Summer-like weather for Gravel Worlds with a typical humid, windy forecast, highs in the upper 80's, and possibly a late afternoon thunderstorm out and about to make it all interesting. I'm ready for heat and humidity. It's been that way around here for well over a month and I've done some tough days in some hot conditions. I feel pretty confident I am okay with doing 150 miles of Nebraskan gravel in the upper 80's for temps.

Now a thunderstorm down that way could get real interesting. I'm not going to pack a rain jacket, so if it should decide to pour rain, I'll have to deal with that without the rain gear, which, if it is humid and hot, wouldn't keep me dry anyway. Lightning, on the other hand.....

Well, we won't even think about that right now!

Gravel Worlds: Pre-Race Prep

The rig is dialed

Gravel Worlds is this weekend and my final prep has already been taking place. I have been keeping myself in some semblance of physical fitness, and my bike is dialed. As mentioned Monday, the Tamland Two is getting the call with Bruce Gordon Rock & Road tires.

I'm going with a Topeak saddle bag and my Bike Bag Dude "Garage Bag" on the top tube. There will be two Chaff Bags to hold two extra water bottles. I'll utilize jersey pockets for food and the Garage Bag for that as well.

I'm going a hair on the minimalist side here, and that's due to my past experience with the event. I've come within 40-ish miles of finishing it twice, both times on a single speed, so with gears, I feel I will be gaining an advantage. The weather and course generally don't demand that I bring anything other than the basics- tube, pump, multi-tool, and enough water to get by for 40-50 miles at a crack. Food is also replenishable out on course at different spots. Now, I may regret these choices later on, but if I do, it would be because something happened incongruent to my past experiences with Gravel Worlds.

Oh yeah......I found an old Cateye computer in my stash that works. So, I didn't have to buy another. I'll stick a new battery in it, calibrate it, and that will get me by for this event. It will come off immediately afterward! I just don't care for computers on my bicycles. Now all I have to do is pack up my clothes and I'm good to go.

It looks a lot more like mid-September than it does mid-August!

I did go for a couple fat bike rides on Wednesday, just to blow off some steam. The day was cool and wet. Much like a mid-Fall day than a late Summer one. I actually had to wear a rain jacket and it felt okay. Not like wearing a stuffy garbage sack, which is what it should have felt like for a rainy August day. This is surely a preview for Fall weather which is right around the corner.

Speaking of weather- it is the wildcard at any of these events I go to or put on. It looks like we will see a slight return to Summer-like weather for Gravel Worlds with a typical humid, windy forecast, highs in the upper 80's, and possibly a late afternoon thunderstorm out and about to make it all interesting. I'm ready for heat and humidity. It's been that way around here for well over a month and I've done some tough days in some hot conditions. I feel pretty confident I am okay with doing 150 miles of Nebraskan gravel in the upper 80's for temps.

Now a thunderstorm down that way could get real interesting. I'm not going to pack a rain jacket, so if it should decide to pour rain, I'll have to deal with that without the rain gear, which, if it is humid and hot, wouldn't keep me dry anyway. Lightning, on the other hand.....

Well, we won't even think about that right now!

Just A Little Reminder

Where I spend most of my cycling time nowadays.

A couple of things that happened in the last 24 hours has reminded me that many of you are unaware of my current situation in regards to websites/blogs. So, I figured I would punch out this little PSA which should hopefully clear up for those of you who are wondering or are at unawares as to what it is exactly that I do.

Number One- I am a part time bicycle mechanic at Europa Cycle and Ski in Cedar Falls, Iowa. I manage to get things done in such a way that I do not have to work full time. This plays well from a family standpoint for me, my wife, and my children. Been that way for about 13 years now. It also allows me the freedom to do.....

Number Two- My other "job", which is helping to run RidingGravel.com. This entails covering any news about gravel/back road riding, reviewing products, and keeping tabs on the Riding Gravel Events Calendar. Then there is.......

Number Three- Running this blog, Trans Iowa, and any Geezer Rides I choose to put on, plus my yearly Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational ride.

I do not have anything to do with Twenty Nine Inches.com anymore. I ceased my relationship with that site- on good terms- on December 31st, 2014. So, now it is just the bike shop, this blog, RidingGravel.com, Trans Iowa, The Geezer Rides, and GTDRI for now.

Hope that helps clear up any misconceptions out there.

#RideForWade

Wade Franck died yesterday from injuries caused by a driver in a crash on Sunday.

Tragic things happen all the time, it is true, but when a tragedy occurs to a cyclist, and one who was a brother in your profession, it hits close to home. I didn't know Wade Franck personally. However; his death yesterday has touched myself and many others for several reasons. I won't elaborate on any of that here, but for the story on what happened to Wade, see this link, which details the crash that occurred Sunday morning and more.

I wanted to post this here for those of you who might want to honor a fellow mechanic and cyclist who died while riding his bicycle, by riding your bicycle, today at around 5:30pm-6:00pm. There are organized rides in the Des Moines and Ames areas starting at local bicycle shops. But that shouldn't stop you from riding alone, or forming your own ride to #RideForWade today. To honor Wade, and to remember that we as cyclists should be clamoring for better laws and for the laws we already have, to be used to protect us, and discourage others who are disregarding the law and rights of cyclists everywhere.

Following is a post made by Wade's employer, Kyle's Bikes, on Facebook yesterday afternoon:

"It is with deep sadness that we learned that Wade passed away this afternoon.

In the wake of Sunday's tragedy, it has been overwhelming, yet not surprising, to see how many people Wade has touched. That's simply who Wade was. Keep sharing your stories.

It's an emotional time for us, and we are certain for you too. 

There will be a fund set up for a memorial and we will update when there is information about how you can help. And we will organize a memorial ride in his honor."

#RideForWade

Wade Franck died yesterday from injuries caused by a driver in a crash on Sunday.

Tragic things happen all the time, it is true, but when a tragedy occurs to a cyclist, and one who was a brother in your profession, it hits close to home. I didn't know Wade Franck personally. However; his death yesterday has touched myself and many others for several reasons. I won't elaborate on any of that here, but for the story on what happened to Wade, see this link, which details the crash that occurred Sunday morning and more.

I wanted to post this here for those of you who might want to honor a fellow mechanic and cyclist who died while riding his bicycle, by riding your bicycle, today at around 5:30pm-6:00pm. There are organized rides in the Des Moines and Ames areas starting at local bicycle shops. But that shouldn't stop you from riding alone, or forming your own ride to #RideForWade today. To honor Wade, and to remember that we as cyclists should be clamoring for better laws and for the laws we already have, to be used to protect us, and discourage others who are disregarding the law and rights of cyclists everywhere.

Following is a post made by Wade's employer, Kyle's Bikes, on Facebook yesterday afternoon:

"It is with deep sadness that we learned that Wade passed away this afternoon.

In the wake of Sunday's tragedy, it has been overwhelming, yet not surprising, to see how many people Wade has touched. That's simply who Wade was. Keep sharing your stories.

It's an emotional time for us, and we are certain for you too. 

There will be a fund set up for a memorial and we will update when there is information about how you can help. And we will organize a memorial ride in his honor."

Just A Little Reminder

Where I spend most of my cycling time nowadays.

A couple of things that happened in the last 24 hours has reminded me that many of you are unaware of my current situation in regards to websites/blogs. So, I figured I would punch out this little PSA which should hopefully clear up for those of you who are wondering or are at unawares as to what it is exactly that I do.

Number One- I am a part time bicycle mechanic at Europa Cycle and Ski in Cedar Falls, Iowa. I manage to get things done in such a way that I do not have to work full time. This plays well from a family standpoint for me, my wife, and my children. Been that way for about 13 years now. It also allows me the freedom to do.....

Number Two- My other "job", which is helping to run RidingGravel.com. This entails covering any news about gravel/back road riding, reviewing products, and keeping tabs on the Riding Gravel Events Calendar. Then there is.......

Number Three- Running this blog, Trans Iowa, and any Geezer Rides I choose to put on, plus my yearly Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational ride.

I do not have anything to do with Twenty Nine Inches.com anymore. I ceased my relationship with that site- on good terms- on December 31st, 2014. So, now it is just the bike shop, this blog, RidingGravel.com, Trans Iowa, The Geezer Rides, and GTDRI for now.

Hope that helps clear up any misconceptions out there.

The Replacement: One Year With The Oly TG-3

At the 2014 Gents Race, I lost the handle on my ancient Fuji point and shoot, dropped it at about 15mph on to pavement, and it lost its battery. Thus began the search for a replacement camera, (thus the title of these articles I have posted concerning this), and now it is time for a review of the past year with the Olympus Tough TG-3. My last update on this camera was here, back in September of '14.

This article won't be so much about camera geekery. That's because I don't even know how to run all the stuff on this thing.....yet. I've no need to, but since this camera can do movies, RAW, and can be run manually, I probably will delve into these things, someday. To be perfectly honest, I didn't buy this camera because it could do those things, I bought it because it has decent image quality and you were supposedly supposed to be able to treat it like a farm animal and have it survive. I didn't want a camera I had to worry about in my jersey pocket, bouncing around in my top tube bag, or be concerned about dust, snow, and rain. The price wasn't astronomical, and the physical size of the camera was right for me. So, now with that out of the way, here's how I used it most often.

The Olympus Tough TG-3 after one year of heavy use. 

I carry this camera along with me, on average, about five days a week. It goes into frame bags, messenger bags, top tube bags, my pockets in jackets and pants, and sometimes in hydration packs. I use it to take images from my bicycle, while on  bicycle rides, but standing, or just at work or for recreational activities. I almost always shoot Auto mode, but I have used the Scene modes and the Microscope Mode as well. As far as imagery, I have been pleased and it is easy to turn on, (when you are not riding), the auto focus is maybe a bit slow, but adequate, and I have no issues at all, really, with images I get out of the camera.

As a camera to shoot with while riding, it is a bit heavy, weight-wise. The "On" button is recessed so that, while wearing gloves, it is nigh unto impossible to get the camera up and running 100% of the time. I've missed shots because of this. That "On" button is at a weird angle too, which doesn't help, but without gloves, it can be managed. One other thing to note- The rotating selector wheel on the back of the camera is easily knocked out of its selection, so when you grab the camera out of the bag, it could be set between "Auto" and "Microscope", for instance. The camera will still get your image, but it takes six or so consecutive shots at a lower resolution and file size. Annoying at best and maddening at worst. This happens ALL the time. I've gotten to looking at the dial before I shoot when there is time to. Too bad the detents weren't a little more positive on that dial which would help prevent this.

The opposing locks on the battery/SD card door and the USB port doors can become unlocked without you doing anything.

One other odd, maddening thing that happens all the time on my TG-3 is how the locked doors for the battery/SD card door and the USB/Media port door come unlocked and the doors are flopping around, open, in my bag sometimes. The camera is dust/water proof, but it isn't so much if those locks become unlocked at random times. It's weird that they do this, because they have to be slid in opposing directions on each of two sliders for each door before you can open them. I found that by avoiding having the camera sitting with its weight on either door on harder surfaces, like a top tube bag, will alleviate this issue, but having to do that is a hassle, and to my mind, contrary to the way this camera is purposed. I have some arrows on the two sliding releases on one of the doors shown above.

High wear areas concern me on the TG-3

Another concern I have is how the plastic body parts are showing high wear in corners and along edges. I have to think that at some point this will compromise the integrity of the TG-3 and adversely affect its lifespan or performance, or both. Yes- I probably could buy a protective case for this. However; I find this offensive, in that this camera is supposed to be a knock-about camera and putting something around it will only add to its bulk and weight. Both things I am loathe to do.

Finally, the LCD on the back of the camera is not anything specially rated for abuse, as far as I can tell. It has become all but useless in bright sunshine due to all the abrasions it has accumulated over the course of being along for the rides this past year. You'd think this might be someplace a wise engineer might have done something to give the TG-3 a little bit something different that would actually, you know, be tough. I guess that's too much to ask for.

Verdict: After a year of heavy use, doing what the camera was designed to do, I cannot fault the features that are related to the image taking here. However; the "Tough" part of the TG-3 is lacking, in my view. I feel that in another year, this camera will be done for, not because the feature set for image taking will have failed, but because the tough part will have failed. The doors need to be better secured, so that the locks cannot randomly come undone, allowing the elements a chance to get inside. The case needs to be beefed up in the high wear areas, like the corners and edges, right out of the box, so the body won't wear through in a short period of time. Also, there has to be a better, tougher LCD screen treatment or material that will withstand scratching and abrasive environments. Things this camera is supposed to be good at dealing with.

These cameras go for about $350.00 now, which is okay, but I would not buy this again. There has to be a better way to go, and unless Olympus addresses the concerns I have about this camera, I won't recommend it to anyone I know that actually uses cameras during adventures. Heck- one episode of those doors working themselves open and a bit of water? Poof! $350.00 down the tubes. No thanks.

I'll be starting another replacement search pronto........

The Replacement: One Year With The Oly TG-3

At the 2014 Gents Race, I lost the handle on my ancient Fuji point and shoot, dropped it at about 15mph on to pavement, and it lost its battery. Thus began the search for a replacement camera, (thus the title of these articles I have posted concerning this), and now it is time for a review of the past year with the Olympus Tough TG-3. My last update on this camera was here, back in September of '14.

This article won't be so much about camera geekery. That's because I don't even know how to run all the stuff on this thing.....yet. I've no need to, but since this camera can do movies, RAW, and can be run manually, I probably will delve into these things, someday. To be perfectly honest, I didn't buy this camera because it could do those things, I bought it because it has decent image quality and you were supposedly supposed to be able to treat it like a farm animal and have it survive. I didn't want a camera I had to worry about in my jersey pocket, bouncing around in my top tube bag, or be concerned about dust, snow, and rain. The price wasn't astronomical, and the physical size of the camera was right for me. So, now with that out of the way, here's how I used it most often.

The Olympus Tough TG-3 after one year of heavy use. 

I carry this camera along with me, on average, about five days a week. It goes into frame bags, messenger bags, top tube bags, my pockets in jackets and pants, and sometimes in hydration packs. I use it to take images from my bicycle, while on  bicycle rides, but standing, or just at work or for recreational activities. I almost always shoot Auto mode, but I have used the Scene modes and the Microscope Mode as well. As far as imagery, I have been pleased and it is easy to turn on, (when you are not riding), the auto focus is maybe a bit slow, but adequate, and I have no issues at all, really, with images I get out of the camera.

As a camera to shoot with while riding, it is a bit heavy, weight-wise. The "On" button is recessed so that, while wearing gloves, it is nigh unto impossible to get the camera up and running 100% of the time. I've missed shots because of this. That "On" button is at a weird angle too, which doesn't help, but without gloves, it can be managed. One other thing to note- The rotating selector wheel on the back of the camera is easily knocked out of its selection, so when you grab the camera out of the bag, it could be set between "Auto" and "Microscope", for instance. The camera will still get your image, but it takes six or so consecutive shots at a lower resolution and file size. Annoying at best and maddening at worst. This happens ALL the time. I've gotten to looking at the dial before I shoot when there is time to. Too bad the detents weren't a little more positive on that dial which would help prevent this.

The opposing locks on the battery/SD card door and the USB port doors can become unlocked without you doing anything.

One other odd, maddening thing that happens all the time on my TG-3 is how the locked doors for the battery/SD card door and the USB/Media port door come unlocked and the doors are flopping around, open, in my bag sometimes. The camera is dust/water proof, but it isn't so much if those locks become unlocked at random times. It's weird that they do this, because they have to be slid in opposing directions on each of two sliders for each door before you can open them. I found that by avoiding having the camera sitting with its weight on either door on harder surfaces, like a top tube bag, will alleviate this issue, but having to do that is a hassle, and to my mind, contrary to the way this camera is purposed. I have some arrows on the two sliding releases on one of the doors shown above.

High wear areas concern me on the TG-3

Another concern I have is how the plastic body parts are showing high wear in corners and along edges. I have to think that at some point this will compromise the integrity of the TG-3 and adversely affect its lifespan or performance, or both. Yes- I probably could buy a protective case for this. However; I find this offensive, in that this camera is supposed to be a knock-about camera and putting something around it will only add to its bulk and weight. Both things I am loathe to do.

Finally, the LCD on the back of the camera is not anything specially rated for abuse, as far as I can tell. It has become all but useless in bright sunshine due to all the abrasions it has accumulated over the course of being along for the rides this past year. You'd think this might be someplace a wise engineer might have done something to give the TG-3 a little bit something different that would actually, you know, be tough. I guess that's too much to ask for.

Verdict: After a year of heavy use, doing what the camera was designed to do, I cannot fault the features that are related to the image taking here. However; the "Tough" part of the TG-3 is lacking, in my view. I feel that in another year, this camera will be done for, not because the feature set for image taking will have failed, but because the tough part will have failed. The doors need to be better secured, so that the locks cannot randomly come undone, allowing the elements a chance to get inside. The case needs to be beefed up in the high wear areas, like the corners and edges, right out of the box, so the body won't wear through in a short period of time. Also, there has to be a better, tougher LCD screen treatment or material that will withstand scratching and abrasive environments. Things this camera is supposed to be good at dealing with.

These cameras go for about $350.00 now, which is okay, but I would not buy this again. There has to be a better way to go, and unless Olympus addresses the concerns I have about this camera, I won't recommend it to anyone I know that actually uses cameras during adventures. Heck- one episode of those doors working themselves open and a bit of water? Poof! $350.00 down the tubes. No thanks.

I'll be starting another replacement search pronto........

Geezer Ride: Gear Review

The Pofahl custom single speed upon arriving home from the Geezer Ride.

As I mentioned yesterday in the Geezer Ride report, I did a little something different and pulled out a single speed for the ride. But not just any single speed. Nope. Likely a "one-of-a-kind" single speed. I also used a couple of other things I wanted to touch upon as well.

First though, a little background information for those of you who haven't been here reading for a long time. This bike goes back to 2007 when I had just met Ben Witt, who was the founder and owner of Milltown Cycles in Faribault, Minnesota. I had mentioned that I had an idea for a 29"er frame and fork. Ben asked me to send it to him to see, and then his wheels started turning. Using a BikeCad program, he cleaned up a few details and then suggested that I get the frame and fork brazed up by Mike Pofahl, a Northfield, Minnesota custom frame builder. This is what resulted, as seen here, a blue powdercoated single speed specific frame and non-suspension corrected fork. Based loosely off a Karate Monkey, this Pofahl Signature frame and fork was to feature a specially designed titanium handlebar. The design by Ben was sent off to a very well known titanium frame builder to have it fabricated. However; nothing was ever done by said builder. He basically ignored us, and several months later, hey, presto! He introduces a new handlebar/stem combo that looked suspiciously like Ben's design. Live and learn......

Anyway, I ended up putting a drop bar on it, and it's been that way since. It has a Luxy Bar on it now with a high rise Bontrager stem. The gearing is 38 X 18, and I have 180mm Race Face Turbine cranks, vintage 1995 on there as well. Tires are out of production WTB Vulpines, and the wheels are 2007 vintage Industry 9 single speed specific wheels with DT Swiss rims. The seat post is a 27.0mm Syncros, vintage 1994, which I used to run on a '92 Klein Attitude. I'm using a Minoura bolt on water bottle cage on that seat post for an additional third water bottle.

The ol' Pofahl handles gravel really smoothly.

So, anyway, this rig is super-smooth on gravel and with those 2.0" Vulpines, it really rolls pretty well. I was able to keep up all right with the geared folk, except when things got really flat, then some of the guys would drop me behind, but as any single speeder will tell you, the climbs are where you reel them back in. That I did.

The interesting thing to me was that the single speed has to be worked in an entirely different manner than I do a geared bike. I had to really spin like the dickens to roll the hills and many times I found myself sprinting up the other side to keep that precious momentum up. It was like intervals, in a way. I was pretty worked over, much more so than usual, from riding the single speed on this loop. Overall, it was good for me, and the Pofahl worked like a well oiled clock. Well, except for that durned flat tire!

You might notice the frame pump on the lateral tube. I get asked about my frame pumps a lot. I still have two of these left. They are vintage Blackburn frame pumps from 1995. Obviously, these are not made anymore. I may have to start looking into those new Silca frame pumps if my two Blackburns fail, which may happen any day now. I had one explode spectacularly on a gravel ride last year, I think it was. I suppose gravel travel is pretty stressful on things like frame pumps, what with all the vibrations. I could have bought a case full of Blackburns for what one of these new Silcas cost though!

The Gravel Worlds rig

The Bike Bag Dude Garage Bag I used was fine, with two nits. One was my fault. I neglected to secure the tail end of the bag with the thin, Velcro strap provided, which made the bag harder than heck to close one handed while riding. That was a boneheaded mistake on my part. The other was weird. The bag wanted to list to the port side no matter what I did. However; if I put it on my Raleigh, it is rock solid stable. I attributed this to the odd stem/head tube interface on the Pofahl that the front straps have to go around. I couldn't seem to get that tight enough, so chalk it up to an odd bike and set up.

Speaking of the Raleigh Tamland, I am choosing it for Gravel Worlds next weekend. This will be the last big "hoo-rah" for the year, a 150 miler, and the second time I've ever used a geared bike down there. In fact, the Pofahl has seen duty down there at the last event they called the "Good Life Gravel Adventure" in '09. The first time I ever used a geared bike down there was at the first Gravel Worlds, I believe. Anyway, the Tamland Two gets the nod and you can see how I have it set up in the image  here.

I've got my modified gearing, so I have a low enough gear for the Denton Wall, (hopefully), and I have my Bruce Gordon Rock & Road tires for the looser, sandier gravel they have down that way. I've got two Bike Bag Dude Chaff Bags for extra water bottles, and all I need now is a computer. I guess I'll have to buy one of those cursed things this week. bah! 

I'm looking forward to this weekend. It's gonna be awesome. Stay tuned......

Geezer Ride: Gear Review

The Pofahl custom single speed upon arriving home from the Geezer Ride.

As I mentioned yesterday in the Geezer Ride report, I did a little something different and pulled out a single speed for the ride. But not just any single speed. Nope. Likely a "one-of-a-kind" single speed. I also used a couple of other things I wanted to touch upon as well.

First though, a little background information for those of you who haven't been here reading for a long time. This bike goes back to 2007 when I had just met Ben Witt, who was the founder and owner of Milltown Cycles in Faribault, Minnesota. I had mentioned that I had an idea for a 29"er frame and fork. Ben asked me to send it to him to see, and then his wheels started turning. Using a BikeCad program, he cleaned up a few details and then suggested that I get the frame and fork brazed up by Mike Pofahl, a Northfield, Minnesota custom frame builder. This is what resulted, as seen here, a blue powdercoated single speed specific frame and non-suspension corrected fork. Based loosely off a Karate Monkey, this Pofahl Signature frame and fork was to feature a specially designed titanium handlebar. The design by Ben was sent off to a very well known titanium frame builder to have it fabricated. However; nothing was ever done by said builder. He basically ignored us, and several months later, hey, presto! He introduces a new handlebar/stem combo that looked suspiciously like Ben's design. Live and learn......

Anyway, I ended up putting a drop bar on it, and it's been that way since. It has a Luxy Bar on it now with a high rise Bontrager stem. The gearing is 38 X 18, and I have 180mm Race Face Turbine cranks, vintage 1995 on there as well. Tires are out of production WTB Vulpines, and the wheels are 2007 vintage Industry 9 single speed specific wheels with DT Swiss rims. The seat post is a 27.0mm Syncros, vintage 1994, which I used to run on a '92 Klein Attitude. I'm using a Minoura bolt on water bottle cage on that seat post for an additional third water bottle.

The ol' Pofahl handles gravel really smoothly.

So, anyway, this rig is super-smooth on gravel and with those 2.0" Vulpines, it really rolls pretty well. I was able to keep up all right with the geared folk, except when things got really flat, then some of the guys would drop me behind, but as any single speeder will tell you, the climbs are where you reel them back in. That I did.

The interesting thing to me was that the single speed has to be worked in an entirely different manner than I do a geared bike. I had to really spin like the dickens to roll the hills and many times I found myself sprinting up the other side to keep that precious momentum up. It was like intervals, in a way. I was pretty worked over, much more so than usual, from riding the single speed on this loop. Overall, it was good for me, and the Pofahl worked like a well oiled clock. Well, except for that durned flat tire!

You might notice the frame pump on the lateral tube. I get asked about my frame pumps a lot. I still have two of these left. They are vintage Blackburn frame pumps from 1995. Obviously, these are not made anymore. I may have to start looking into those new Silca frame pumps if my two Blackburns fail, which may happen any day now. I had one explode spectacularly on a gravel ride last year, I think it was. I suppose gravel travel is pretty stressful on things like frame pumps, what with all the vibrations. I could have bought a case full of Blackburns for what one of these new Silcas cost though!

The Gravel Worlds rig

The Bike Bag Dude Garage Bag I used was fine, with two nits. One was my fault. I neglected to secure the tail end of the bag with the thin, Velcro strap provided, which made the bag harder than heck to close one handed while riding. That was a boneheaded mistake on my part. The other was weird. The bag wanted to list to the port side no matter what I did. However; if I put it on my Raleigh, it is rock solid stable. I attributed this to the odd stem/head tube interface on the Pofahl that the front straps have to go around. I couldn't seem to get that tight enough, so chalk it up to an odd bike and set up.

Speaking of the Raleigh Tamland, I am choosing it for Gravel Worlds next weekend. This will be the last big "hoo-rah" for the year, a 150 miler, and the second time I've ever used a geared bike down there. In fact, the Pofahl has seen duty down there at the last event they called the "Good Life Gravel Adventure" in '09. The first time I ever used a geared bike down there was at the first Gravel Worlds, I believe. Anyway, the Tamland Two gets the nod and you can see how I have it set up in the image  here.

I've got my modified gearing, so I have a low enough gear for the Denton Wall, (hopefully), and I have my Bruce Gordon Rock & Road tires for the looser, sandier gravel they have down that way. I've got two Bike Bag Dude Chaff Bags for extra water bottles, and all I need now is a computer. I guess I'll have to buy one of those cursed things this week. bah! 

I'm looking forward to this weekend. It's gonna be awesome. Stay tuned......

Geezer Ride #3: Report

I rolled over in bed and checked the alarm clock- 5:55am. uggh! May as well get up and start getting ready for the 3rd Geezer Ride. This one would be easy to get to, as it was starting in the city I live in, Waterloo, Iowa. It would be a hot day. That was pretty much a given, with all the mist in the air and a clear sky, the Sun would be cooking up a good hot one for us all.

I pedaled up the street toward the HyVee grocery store located up on the North end of the city where I was to meet with anyone wanting some breakfast. I got there at about 7:00am, and I didn't notice anyone with bikes or a bike rack in the parking lot, so I sat myself down on a bundle of wood that they sell there for fireplaces, and waited. I waited quite a few minutes, and wondered if anyone was going to show up at all. I was hoping so, since I was hungry! Well, it wasn't too much longer that I saw a back lit figure with what looked like cycling gear on come walking up toward me. It was Ray from Wolcott, and we walked together inside where I saw that two others were just digging in to their meals! It was Keith and Ron from Cresco. I ordered up and then saw Tony parking his rig outside. Then Gene from Michigan walked in, and finally Jeremy showed up as well. Okay, so we would have a decent little group, at least.

The Geezers: L-R: Tom, Ron, Eric, Jeremy, Tony, Keith, Ray, and Gene. I took the image and Jacob came too late to get in! 

We left the breakfast meet up at 8:00am, which gave us plenty of time to wait, and made our way over to the starting place. It was only about three blocks away, so we rolled up and started yakking away while a few more guys showed up- Eric, Tom, and right before we took off- Jacob. That made for a nice group of ten riders. We took off right at 8:30am into a bright, sunny, humid day with a light Southwesterly breeze.

First gravel was okay. Nothing at all like it was when I rode out this way about ten days ago. There was deeper, loose gravel for sure, but at least you could find easier lines through it all. I was riding my Pofahl single speed and it was working out for me pretty well so far. The first stop would be the "big rock" at the corner of Big Rock Road and Sage Road.

The group at  Big Rock Road and Sage Road

That "BR" on the rock must stand for "Big Rock", eh? That's Tony on his Atlantis there as well.

So with all the gawking at the big rock done, we rolled off. I immediately felt like my bike was squirrelly and I knew something wasn't right. After a bit of internal debate, I asked Tony to look at my rear tire and tell me if it was flat. "It isn't flat, but it is really low." , was his reply, and I knew I had to fix it. I was reminded that I flatted at the last Geezer Ride as well. hrrumph! That isn't a tradition I wanted to continue. Oh well......

So, I got busy and a few guys lent their hands and we got it swapped out. Turns out the old tube split along a molding line. They don't make 'em like they used to. Hopefully the Michelin tube I installed holds up better, I thought to myself, and we carried onward. Well, we didn't get very far and we saw that we had lost someone or two. We had made it to the Bennington School, and were waiting on the stragglers to arrive, but I eventually went back to find them. There they were! Two up coming down the road at me. I turned around and returned to the school ahead of them. Turns out Jacob had a flat!

Relaxing in the shade cast by Bennington School #4

Information plaque in front of the school detailing its history. Click to embiggen. 

We left Bennington School behind and we didn't get very far up the road before someone called out another flat. What the......!! I was beginning to think we weren't meant to get very far this day. At this rate we'd run out of tubes! Eric assured me he had two in reserve in case I needed another one. That was comforting, but how about we don't have to stop for anymore flat tires? That would be nice. I was a bit concerned now that the ride would take all day long!

Stopped for another flat tire. Jacob again!

Well, after a short break, again- we got under way, again- and this time we had a few miles to go before we'd go left and hit the Maxfield School for anther history lesson.

Gene peering inside the front door of the Maxfield School, est 1888

I found Maxfield School quite by accident a few years back when I went up Sage Road on a whim and ended up turning left at the same spot we did and came across this old country school. It was intriguing since the sign above the door was obviously in German. I went home and researched it to find out the entire area was heavily German back in the late 19th century and this was a school set up to help the children learn there in their native language. I'm not really clear on anything else here, but it points out that this is a nation made up of immigrants, which is something we'd do well to remember today.....

Well, we lounged around there for a bit and finally I made the call to head up the road. It was announced then that we'd be stopping at Tom's place, which was right on the route, for an "oasis stop". That was sounding really good about now as we were getting pretty cooked at this point by the Sun which was riding up into the sky by this time late into the morning.

Tom's place was another seven miles up the road. Hopefully we'd not have anymore flats or mechanicals. I wasn't so sure we wouldn't, as poor ol' Jacob's bike was exhibiting a really loose Shimano front hub. I clamped the skewer as tight as I dared and that would have to do, as no one had any cone wrenches on them, of course. On we went and to Ivanhoe Road.

The oasis at Tom and Sarah's place was one of the highlights of the Geezer Ride for sure. 

Yup. That was a good one.

A cat on Tom and Sarah's farm.

The oasis was awesome, as we found Tom's wife Sarah with a cart and two coolers of ice cold beverages. One was beer and the other was Gatorade. I think most of us dove right in and grabbed a beer straight away! It went down all to easily on such a hot day.

We saw a few of the exotic animals they keep there- peacocks, shaggy Scottish cattle, and we heard the roosters over in the chicken campus. A cute little grey cat then showed up and entertained us with its attempt to climb a crab apple tree. Oh yeah.......the crab apples. They were ripe and quite tart. Very tasty. I had a couple while we were taking our leisure.

I could have sat right down and stayed there a while, but again, I motioned that we should get going, and that the next stop should be in Janesville, another seven miles away, and we'd have lunch there. So, we strung out on the rollers of Hilton Avenue, went past the old Boy Scout camp, and then I stopped at the next "T" intersection to gather everyone  back up. Then we made the push the rest of the way into Janesville, arriving there at around 1:00pm. That was later than I'd have liked to have gotten there by, but after three flat tires and as many stops as we had, it was okay. Plus, we were now past the halfway mark to getting back to the start. The rest should go by easy, right? Well, one would think so, at any rate!

Mega-ten bike lean at the Janesville Kwik Star.

We lined up the bikes and hit the grub hard. I had a spicy chicken sandwich with bacon that was neither spicy, nor very "bacony", if that is a word. Anyway, it went down smooth and I topped that off with a Rockstar energy drink. We sat around there for a bit and then headed off on the "flat" portion of the ride. This took us along the Cedar River for a bit on Maxfield Road and Ford Road. Then it was back to a short bit of rollers to the Bennington Road turn off and a brief stop at the Washington Chapel. We hid in the shade there for a bit. Tom reported seeing lower 90's for temperatures earlier on, and it felt every bit of that as we made our way into mid-afternoon.

We left then on a long slog up Bennington Road. We passed the drag strip, which has been there for 50+ years, and heard the roar of mighty V8 engines. Then it was up and down several rollers until I found myself up at the front with the riders all strung out behind me. I looked back, and there were about five guys within about a 100 yards of me. I was easily seen, and I waved my arm vigorously to point out the right turn on Moline Road. I went around and hammered up the road, looking for a good place to stop and get a bit of shade before I got everyone gathered up again.

I did stop finally at the corner of Moline Road and Mount Vernon Road, but when I looked, only two guys, Gene and Ray, were with me. Where did the other three guys go? Well, we waited and waited, and then Tony and eventually two others showed up. Tony relayed that Keith and a couple of the others went straight at the turn and Jeremy raced up there to get them turned around. Eventually, we all were back on track and we finished up the ride with no further incident. Gene, during all of this ballyhoo, took his leave of us and raced ahead so he could get started on his trip home to the Grand Rapids, Michigan area. That left us as a posse of nine.

Headed up Bennington Road

Tony meeting us at the corner of Moline Road and Mt. Vernon Road

Post ride refreshments and grub at Jameson's Public House.

Well, Eric and Tom peeled off to go home at the end, so it was the seven of us that ended up going downtown to eat and drink a bit at a local pub. The conversations were good, and everyone was in good spirits. Lots of "thank yous" and smiles on the ending of another successful Geezer Ride.

I finally walked into my front door at home at about 4:00pm, hot, tired, and ready to sit a spell! Not a bad day on the bike, for sure, and we all seemed to have a lot of fun. Thanks to everyone that came out to ride this 3rd Geezer ride. A Special Thanks to Tom and Sarah for letting us stop at their place and for the refreshments! Much appreciated by all!

Well, so will there be another Geezer Ride? I don't really know right now. If there were to be a good amount of requests for another, I'd consider doing another. Maybe not another this year, but we'll see......

Geezer Ride #3: Report

I rolled over in bed and checked the alarm clock- 5:55am. uggh! May as well get up and start getting ready for the 3rd Geezer Ride. This one would be easy to get to, as it was starting in the city I live in, Waterloo, Iowa. It would be a hot day. That was pretty much a given, with all the mist in the air and a clear sky, the Sun would be cooking up a good hot one for us all.

I pedaled up the street toward the HyVee grocery store located up on the North end of the city where I was to meet with anyone wanting some breakfast. I got there at about 7:00am, and I didn't notice anyone with bikes or a bike rack in the parking lot, so I sat myself down on a bundle of wood that they sell there for fireplaces, and waited. I waited quite a few minutes, and wondered if anyone was going to show up at all. I was hoping so, since I was hungry! Well, it wasn't too much longer that I saw a back lit figure with what looked like cycling gear on come walking up toward me. It was Ray from Wolcott, and we walked together inside where I saw that two others were just digging in to their meals! It was Keith and Ron from Cresco. I ordered up and then saw Tony parking his rig outside. Then Gene from Michigan walked in, and finally Jeremy showed up as well. Okay, so we would have a decent little group, at least.

The Geezers: L-R: Tom, Ron, Eric, Jeremy, Tony, Keith, Ray, and Gene. I took the image and Jacob came too late to get in! 

We left the breakfast meet up at 8:00am, which gave us plenty of time to wait, and made our way over to the starting place. It was only about three blocks away, so we rolled up and started yakking away while a few more guys showed up- Eric, Tom, and right before we took off- Jacob. That made for a nice group of ten riders. We took off right at 8:30am into a bright, sunny, humid day with a light Southwesterly breeze.

First gravel was okay. Nothing at all like it was when I rode out this way about ten days ago. There was deeper, loose gravel for sure, but at least you could find easier lines through it all. I was riding my Pofahl single speed and it was working out for me pretty well so far. The first stop would be the "big rock" at the corner of Big Rock Road and Sage Road.

The group at  Big Rock Road and Sage Road

That "BR" on the rock must stand for "Big Rock", eh? That's Tony on his Atlantis there as well.

So with all the gawking at the big rock done, we rolled off. I immediately felt like my bike was squirrelly and I knew something wasn't right. After a bit of internal debate, I asked Tony to look at my rear tire and tell me if it was flat. "It isn't flat, but it is really low." , was his reply, and I knew I had to fix it. I was reminded that I flatted at the last Geezer Ride as well. hrrumph! That isn't a tradition I wanted to continue. Oh well......

So, I got busy and a few guys lent their hands and we got it swapped out. Turns out the old tube split along a molding line. They don't make 'em like they used to. Hopefully the Michelin tube I installed holds up better, I thought to myself, and we carried onward. Well, we didn't get very far and we saw that we had lost someone or two. We had made it to the Bennington School, and were waiting on the stragglers to arrive, but I eventually went back to find them. There they were! Two up coming down the road at me. I turned around and returned to the school ahead of them. Turns out Jacob had a flat!

Relaxing in the shade cast by Bennington School #4

Information plaque in front of the school detailing its history. Click to embiggen. 

We left Bennington School behind and we didn't get very far up the road before someone called out another flat. What the......!! I was beginning to think we weren't meant to get very far this day. At this rate we'd run out of tubes! Eric assured me he had two in reserve in case I needed another one. That was comforting, but how about we don't have to stop for anymore flat tires? That would be nice. I was a bit concerned now that the ride would take all day long!

Stopped for another flat tire. Jacob again!

Well, after a short break, again- we got under way, again- and this time we had a few miles to go before we'd go left and hit the Maxfield School for anther history lesson.

Gene peering inside the front door of the Maxfield School, est 1888

I found Maxfield School quite by accident a few years back when I went up Sage Road on a whim and ended up turning left at the same spot we did and came across this old country school. It was intriguing since the sign above the door was obviously in German. I went home and researched it to find out the entire area was heavily German back in the late 19th century and this was a school set up to help the children learn there in their native language. I'm not really clear on anything else here, but it points out that this is a nation made up of immigrants, which is something we'd do well to remember today.....

Well, we lounged around there for a bit and finally I made the call to head up the road. It was announced then that we'd be stopping at Tom's place, which was right on the route, for an "oasis stop". That was sounding really good about now as we were getting pretty cooked at this point by the Sun which was riding up into the sky by this time late into the morning.

Tom's place was another seven miles up the road. Hopefully we'd not have anymore flats or mechanicals. I wasn't so sure we wouldn't, as poor ol' Jacob's bike was exhibiting a really loose Shimano front hub. I clamped the skewer as tight as I dared and that would have to do, as no one had any cone wrenches on them, of course. On we went and to Ivanhoe Road.

The oasis at Tom and Sarah's place was one of the highlights of the Geezer Ride for sure. 

Yup. That was a good one.

A cat on Tom and Sarah's farm.

The oasis was awesome, as we found Tom's wife Sarah with a cart and two coolers of ice cold beverages. One was beer and the other was Gatorade. I think most of us dove right in and grabbed a beer straight away! It went down all to easily on such a hot day.

We saw a few of the exotic animals they keep there- peacocks, shaggy Scottish cattle, and we heard the roosters over in the chicken campus. A cute little grey cat then showed up and entertained us with its attempt to climb a crab apple tree. Oh yeah.......the crab apples. They were ripe and quite tart. Very tasty. I had a couple while we were taking our leisure.

I could have sat right down and stayed there a while, but again, I motioned that we should get going, and that the next stop should be in Janesville, another seven miles away, and we'd have lunch there. So, we strung out on the rollers of Hilton Avenue, went past the old Boy Scout camp, and then I stopped at the next "T" intersection to gather everyone  back up. Then we made the push the rest of the way into Janesville, arriving there at around 1:00pm. That was later than I'd have liked to have gotten there by, but after three flat tires and as many stops as we had, it was okay. Plus, we were now past the halfway mark to getting back to the start. The rest should go by easy, right? Well, one would think so, at any rate!

Mega-ten bike lean at the Janesville Kwik Star.

We lined up the bikes and hit the grub hard. I had a spicy chicken sandwich with bacon that was neither spicy, nor very "bacony", if that is a word. Anyway, it went down smooth and I topped that off with a Rockstar energy drink. We sat around there for a bit and then headed off on the "flat" portion of the ride. This took us along the Cedar River for a bit on Maxfield Road and Ford Road. Then it was back to a short bit of rollers to the Bennington Road turn off and a brief stop at the Washington Chapel. We hid in the shade there for a bit. Tom reported seeing lower 90's for temperatures earlier on, and it felt every bit of that as we made our way into mid-afternoon.

We left then on a long slog up Bennington Road. We passed the drag strip, which has been there for 50+ years, and heard the roar of mighty V8 engines. Then it was up and down several rollers until I found myself up at the front with the riders all strung out behind me. I looked back, and there were about five guys within about a 100 yards of me. I was easily seen, and I waved my arm vigorously to point out the right turn on Moline Road. I went around and hammered up the road, looking for a good place to stop and get a bit of shade before I got everyone gathered up again.

I did stop finally at the corner of Moline Road and Mount Vernon Road, but when I looked, only two guys, Gene and Ray, were with me. Where did the other three guys go? Well, we waited and waited, and then Tony and eventually two others showed up. Tony relayed that Keith and a couple of the others went straight at the turn and Jeremy raced up there to get them turned around. Eventually, we all were back on track and we finished up the ride with no further incident. Gene, during all of this ballyhoo, took his leave of us and raced ahead so he could get started on his trip home to the Grand Rapids, Michigan area. That left us as a posse of nine.

Headed up Bennington Road

Tony meeting us at the corner of Moline Road and Mt. Vernon Road

Post ride refreshments and grub at Jameson's Public House.

Well, Eric and Tom peeled off to go home at the end, so it was the seven of us that ended up going downtown to eat and drink a bit at a local pub. The conversations were good, and everyone was in good spirits. Lots of "thank yous" and smiles on the ending of another successful Geezer Ride.

I finally walked into my front door at home at about 4:00pm, hot, tired, and ready to sit a spell! Not a bad day on the bike, for sure, and we all seemed to have a lot of fun. Thanks to everyone that came out to ride this 3rd Geezer ride. A Special Thanks to Tom and Sarah for letting us stop at their place and for the refreshments! Much appreciated by all!

Well, so will there be another Geezer Ride? I don't really know right now. If there were to be a good amount of requests for another, I'd consider doing another. Maybe not another this year, but we'll see......