Dusty Bike

It is dark, quiet, and still. The bicycle leans against the back of the couch, and wheels leave dusty marks on the floor. The dogs lay sleeping, curled up like donuts in their crates. They stir, but only slightly, as a switch is touched and light fills the kitchen. They dream of the chase, and I wonder if I’ll be at the hilltop by sunrise. Homemade scones, jam, and fresh, steaming coffee are stowed in a spacious canvas saddlebag. A tiny cloud of dust puffs off the rear flap when I slam it shut and cinch it up. I add one more layer of wool, and think that I should wash that dirty bike. But as the freehub tic-tic-tics down the hallway, and my headlight flickers, I think to myself, “Not today”. The waking of day, with several miles of gravel, has called me away.

Gravel Plunking

It was a chilly start. Knowing that it would warm up, I had dressed in my usual summer attire. In contrast to our hotter-than-normal summer, the October morning air was more invigorating than unpleasant. I actually enjoyed the slight nip on my ears during descents into the valley where the cooler air had settled.

Gravel plunking was on the agenda. The pace of the work week is like sprinting up the muddy incline in a cyclocross race. It is both difficult and urgent. Since I've been asked to fix some things on a project that haven't gone well so far, with no ability to relax the schedule, it is also like trying to fix a flat tire while riding down the road. So on Saturday morning, I sought the opposite of all that, and gravel plunking seemed to be just the thing.

Gravel plunking is my term for a relaxed tourist pace on unpaved roads. One of my favorite routes for this activity is what I call the Slidell Loop (or Strada Biancha), and some of my friends (Rat Trap Press and Doohickie) have joined me for this route in the past. I deliberately dawdled, paused for photos, and stopped just to listen to the quiet. Because I could.

The route begins with a drop into the Clear Creek valley. My house sits somewhat on a ridgeline on the east edge of the valley. When heading west towards Slidell, one must first descend. Then there are several small rollers dividing smaller tributaries to the main channel, and alternating zones of trees and open pasture. Somewhere around 7 miles later, there is the climb out of the valley to the ridge on the western side. The view is pleasant.

I stop for water and admire the view. Then I point the front tire across the prairie, aim for the horizon, and plunk along. And when I reach the horizon, I turn right.

My A. Homer Hilsen is bred for gravel plunking. The enticement for speed from my Trek 660 project bike has been fun lately, but today was about enjoying the spectacular October weather in a more lingering sort of way. The slack head and seat tube angles, the wide tires, and the narrow, flexing fork ends all provide a comfortable ride on rugged roads.

After close to an hour in wide open spaces, rolling into the north side of Slidell is a sharp contrast. Houses appear, then cluster closer together. The road changes from gravel to chip seal. Barns, tractors, and other farm implements spot the landscape of this sleepy community.

It only takes a few minutes to cross the populated area. I notice the warmer air, the stronger wind, and the occasional resident tending their chores. They've done the little things to make one small place on this earth uniquely theirs. Rural charm.

Then I turn back to the east. It's the turnaround point on this loop. No longer heading out into some adventure, I've transitioned, in a sense, into being homeward bound. But I'm not in a hurry. I'm still gravel plunking, having a delightful morning, and...well...I shall get there...I suppose...eventually.

Travel is Glamorous

Enjoyed excellent fish tacos on the San Antonio Riverwalk from the balcony on the left side of the photo...

...but would rather have had a PBJ with my lovely bride up on the prairie in Denton County.

Test Ride

I pulled back into the driveway, chest heaving, quads burning, seeing stars. It was only a 15-minute test ride to see if everything was working right. But apparently Mr. Project Bike had other ideas.

While trying to shift through the gears, test the brakes, and carefully spin it up to speed, he surged forward with each revolution. He taunted me. "Come on girly-man," he sneered, "Is that all you've got?" He pressed further, "How about some real speed?" Then demanded, "Let's go!" And I just hung on for the ride.

Like a top fuel dragster, he burned through oxygen faster than I could supply it.

He may look like a pleasant enough fellow...this freakish frankenbike. But he's a tough task master. A real monster, this one.

Different Kind of Dawn

(looking back in the general direction of my house)

After four solid months of brilliant blue skies, harsh sunlight, and virtually no rain, we had overcast skies and some rain yesterday. It put us all in a silly stupor. Yesterday's ride on a familiar route seemed brand new. It just looked so much different without the bright glare.

This morning, I headed east. Normally, I'd be squinting my eyes and pouring with sweat. But today, the streets were wet, clouds swirled overhead, and it was in the low 60's. I paused on a small rise, it was still a bit dark, but the clouds east of me had a faint glow. When I turned and looked southwest back toward my house, I saw the black sky. This was something we've not seen around here in more than four months. It was a different kind of dawn, and it was stirringly beautiful.

Business and Balance

I suspected that things were not going well on one of our projects in Austin. I think that is why I was asked to travel down to assist. When I arrived in the project office and found this, I knew it was going to be a tough day. There is more work to do than time to do it, but a man needs to work at some kind of sustainable pace.

For some of us, a sustainable pace involves some form of mental break or diversion. For me, that means an opportunity to spin pedals in circles, watching the scenery flow by, and traveling to my happy place. I don't always take the opportunity to mix balance with business.

But this time, savoring twilight along Shoal Creek, I did.

Steps Two and Three

The project bike has been plagued with a few nagging obstacles. Work overload has been by far the biggest obstacle, but bike deficiencies coupled with my own sense of how things must be are also limiting progress.

After the initial inventory, step two was a reasonably thorough cleaning. The bike was partially disassembled, washed, and de-greased. The parts intended for re-use were re-lubed and re-installed. I didn't take the time to polish the components, but the remaining luster on some of them was still quite satisfying.

Step Three was sorting out the wheels. The original plan was to use the existing wheels. However, the Campy Moskva 80 rims, due to their apparent slightly oversized diameter, proved to be a major hassle for tire removal/installation. Besides, I have a nice pair of Mavic Open Pro wheels that are lighter and more pleasing to the (my) eye.

The Mavic front wheel was fine as is. The Mavic rear wheel included a Shimano Ultegra freehub, which is not compatible with my frame spacing or the Suntour 6-speed freewheel that came with the bike. So I asked Bernie at Trinity Bicycles to find me a reasonably priced hub and build me a new rear wheel using my rim. He recommended a Suzue hub that looks pretty good, and the wheels are complete. Another satisfying step.

The wheel photo above illustrates what an irreverent mixture of parts this bike will have. Mavic rim, Suzue hub, Suntour freewheel, Campy rear derailleur, and Shimano skewer. I'm afraid this will be the ugly duckling of frankenbikes when finished. Yet, I remain optimistic that this creature will be able to inspire a little pedaling intensity out of a long hibernation.

Step Four coming soon...

Agility Trial Roadie

Sometimes, on those family trips for weekend activities, bicycle exploration can be worked into the mix. All it takes is a little advance planning, and a diplomatic dose of managing expectations.

Mrs. Pondero thought that the purpose was to participate in an Agility Trial with her most senior student, Gus.

Gus, who often thinks of himself as the center of activity, also thought that the purpose of the outing was to participate in the Agility Trial. Not that he is quite as passionate about this sport as a Border Collie, but he's plenty passionate about the frequent treats and being the center of attention. Since the other furry rascals were left at home, he had all the treats and all the attention.

As the lowly Agility Trial roadie, I had certain duties and obligations. But my own reasons for being there were...well...let's just say they reached beyond simply attending an Agility Trial.

Since the event was in a rural area just north of the Red River and east of Lake Texoma, it seemed like a good opportunity for exploration on two wheels. The weather was perfect, and didn't take long to sniff out those lightly traveled roads, paths, and trails.

The fixed wheel Kogswell P/R performed better than expected in areas like this. It might have been a little of what some of my mountain bike riding friends refer to as trails with good "flow", or it might have been the refreshing perspective of riding somewhere new.

Either way, I had a couple of pleasant outings between roadie duties, and I saw things I don't see everyday.

And I had that eager anticipation that comes with riding new twisty roads, asking what lies beyond the next bend...and then the satisfaction of discovering the answers.