Gees, Louise! Recycled (and new) Bicycles will not be opening at 55 W Center. It turns out that another tenant has an option to lease more space behind Great Harvest. The short story is, I am out. Quick, call Dex and tell them to forget about the address change I changed last week. Call Lowes and cancel that order for slat wall. What a pain in the anus.
I am looking again for a space. Small spots with reasonable rents are not easy to find in downtown Logan, Utah. I went yesterday to look at 170 E Center. It is not perfect by any means, but I may be able to make it work. If I want to re-open soon, I do not have a lot of choices. I am down, but not out. And now, a haiku for all the Preparation H users and women who have birthed several children:
It's like a plump grape
burning, itching, and swollen
blocking my rectum.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Shop News
I am gearing up to re-open soon. It looks like the spot behind Great Harvest is a go. I do not have a lease yet, but I hope to soon. Right now the time frame looks to be early to late February. I will be working on licenses and shop set up in the coming days. I am also working on getting in bicycles by Redline, On One, and Planet X.
With the cold weather, I have not done any long rides, just the normal commuting. The air outside is not healthy. It looks like basketball again today. I love basketball.
With the cold weather, I have not done any long rides, just the normal commuting. The air outside is not healthy. It looks like basketball again today. I love basketball.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Biria Touring City Bicycles
Friday, January 12, 2007
Shop News
I am getting closer to finding a shop location. It looks like the spot behind Great Harvest may work out. Stay tuned.
Sunday, January 7, 2007
Blood in the Snow
Red blood on white snow
Disappears when the wind blows
Wiping the slate clean
The older I get the more I think about my childhood. I probably remember less but I think about it more. I am old enough to remember movies in elementary school, real movies on reels that were shown with a projector in a dark room. When the movies were over we always begged the teacher to show them backwards. That was the best part of any movie, people running backward, smoke coiling down into a fire, snow falling up, and water climbing out of a mouth and back into its glass. I also remember one of my favorite childhood toys, a Magic Drawing Board. It was a Mylar sheet over a soft black plastic board with a red plastic stylus. When the Mylar sheet was lifted your work would disappear with an ear pleasing "shhrriiip."
Yesterday's ride began in the sun. The sky over Cache Valley was blue and the air was calm. Above the Bear River Range, layers of dark-grey angry clouds swirled in opposite directions. Patty had spent the morning near Beaver and told me about the "blizzard" going on up there. "How bad could it be," I thought, as I rolled along the Shoreline Trail and up Green Canyon.
The road up Green Canyon had been groomed on Friday and was covered with a few inches of fresh snow. Near the second gate the snow was deeper and the going was not so easy. I put my head down and started to sweat. Suddenly, the movie began to play backwards. I looked up and saw a familiar dog. Then, I saw Kris Homel and two friends walking down the road wearing worried but determined looks on their faces. One of them had a paper towel hanging from his nose. We passed so quickly, there was only time to exchange "hey," not enough time to ask about the paper towel twisted into the friend's nostril. As I followed their footprints up the trail, the movie in reverse effect became overpowering. There on the fresh powder, every 50 yards or so, was a bright red drop of blood. The wind began to blow. The snow got deeper. I pushed on. The drops of blood began to appear closer and closer together. Then, there in the snow, I saw numerous footprints where all three had been standing around for some time. Off to the right was a circle of blood one or two feet wide. Beyond the blood were footprints stumbling, and beyond them, footprints running.
I rode on, working harder and harder. The snow got deeper. I took off my balaclava. The sweat froze in my hair. All of the foot prints disappeared. It was just me, alone, making tracks in the un-tracked snow. As I neared the end of the road the wind began to blow harder. It blew me up the canyon and pushed me along. Then it swirled and stopped me dead in my tracks. The ridge lines above were veiled in tumbling dark clouds, close enough to touch. The snow became too deep to ride. I walked a while, and then I turned around, blinded by the blowing snow.
Riding down was easy and fast. The blowing snow was quickly erasing my tracks. When I reached the area of the stumbling footprints and blood, they were nearly covered with drifting snow. "Shhrriiipp." My world had become a Magic Drawing Board.
Disappears when the wind blows
Wiping the slate clean
The older I get the more I think about my childhood. I probably remember less but I think about it more. I am old enough to remember movies in elementary school, real movies on reels that were shown with a projector in a dark room. When the movies were over we always begged the teacher to show them backwards. That was the best part of any movie, people running backward, smoke coiling down into a fire, snow falling up, and water climbing out of a mouth and back into its glass. I also remember one of my favorite childhood toys, a Magic Drawing Board. It was a Mylar sheet over a soft black plastic board with a red plastic stylus. When the Mylar sheet was lifted your work would disappear with an ear pleasing "shhrriiip."
Yesterday's ride began in the sun. The sky over Cache Valley was blue and the air was calm. Above the Bear River Range, layers of dark-grey angry clouds swirled in opposite directions. Patty had spent the morning near Beaver and told me about the "blizzard" going on up there. "How bad could it be," I thought, as I rolled along the Shoreline Trail and up Green Canyon.
The road up Green Canyon had been groomed on Friday and was covered with a few inches of fresh snow. Near the second gate the snow was deeper and the going was not so easy. I put my head down and started to sweat. Suddenly, the movie began to play backwards. I looked up and saw a familiar dog. Then, I saw Kris Homel and two friends walking down the road wearing worried but determined looks on their faces. One of them had a paper towel hanging from his nose. We passed so quickly, there was only time to exchange "hey," not enough time to ask about the paper towel twisted into the friend's nostril. As I followed their footprints up the trail, the movie in reverse effect became overpowering. There on the fresh powder, every 50 yards or so, was a bright red drop of blood. The wind began to blow. The snow got deeper. I pushed on. The drops of blood began to appear closer and closer together. Then, there in the snow, I saw numerous footprints where all three had been standing around for some time. Off to the right was a circle of blood one or two feet wide. Beyond the blood were footprints stumbling, and beyond them, footprints running.
I rode on, working harder and harder. The snow got deeper. I took off my balaclava. The sweat froze in my hair. All of the foot prints disappeared. It was just me, alone, making tracks in the un-tracked snow. As I neared the end of the road the wind began to blow harder. It blew me up the canyon and pushed me along. Then it swirled and stopped me dead in my tracks. The ridge lines above were veiled in tumbling dark clouds, close enough to touch. The snow became too deep to ride. I walked a while, and then I turned around, blinded by the blowing snow.
Riding down was easy and fast. The blowing snow was quickly erasing my tracks. When I reached the area of the stumbling footprints and blood, they were nearly covered with drifting snow. "Shhrriiipp." My world had become a Magic Drawing Board.
Saturday, January 6, 2007
She Can Read!
It's my blog. I can write about things other than bicycles. I want to tell everyone how quickly my child, Lupine, is learning to read. Yesterday, I went to kindergarten with Lupine to help out. Some of the children can read quite well. Some can barely write their names. One little girl, Andi, reads on a second or third grade level. "Wow, she reads so well," I told her Mom. "Have you heard of Starfall?" she said.
There was a time when I would make fun of people who had cell phones, walking and driving around while having the most important of conversations. There was a time when I was sure too many people were spending way too much time on the Internet. Gees, who needs an Internet forum about single speed bicycles? Why is there a web site for fixed gear off road bicycles? Well, we all change don't we. I have a cell phone and I will never have a land line again. Call me, not my house, right? I have not posted to the mtbr single speed site in over two years, but there was a time when Juan Speed (me) was all over this forum. My point is this: you have to keep your finger on the pulse of modern technology or you may miss out on some valuable information and tools. Just use your finger rather than your entire body and soul. How could I have not known about starfall? Where have I been?
Lupine and I went to the starfall site last night. She quickly went through the first three steps on the Learn to Read page. That Zac the Rat is some character isn't he? This morning Lupine has completed steps 4, 5, and 6. In less than a day she has gone from tentatively and painfully sounding out a few words to actually reading. This site is just incredible. It is very interactive. If there is a word she can't sound out she can click on it for help. Each step builds on itself. Wow. You have to check it out. My sister Lynn is going to love it!
Thanks starfall.com
for helping Lupine to read.
Wow, technology.
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Mary Bar Report
Update. Look Here.The On One Mary Bar is now on my Strong. This bar is a very neat trick and treat. I have not done a real hard ride with steep climbing and steep single track, but for easy trails, fire roads, commuting, and pulling Lupine in the Burley trailer, they are pretty darn good. Yes, the long grip section gives you a lot of choices. The forward bend puts you in a position, relative to the end of the stem, that is similar to regular bars. However, your hands are at 40 degrees rather than the normal 0 to 10 degrees. For my wrecked wrists, this is a very comfortable position. It has been a long time since I have even used a traditional bar. I have been using On One's Midge Bar. I like this bar too. It is the best drop bar I have ever had, and I even rode WTB Dirt Drops for a while (no link, they are no longer made last I heard).
The real test will be climbing the steep stuff. They may put my hands too far behind the stem; and bar ends are not going to work with these bars for obvious reasons. A full report will follow in the spring. Until then, if you want a pair of these bars, let me know. I have plenty for sale. They are $65. I plan to carry all of On One's stuff in the new shop.Update. Look here.
Bars with funny bends
are suddenly all the rage.
But they fit my hands!
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Pulse of a Community
If you ever want to do a pulse check on your community, all you have to do is go downtown and listen to some live music. Do you have live music? Yeah, we have that here in Logan. There is music at the Caffe Ibis most Friday and Saturday nights. Holly Conger books the musicians, and deserves a giant thank you. Thank you, Holly.
Tonight I went to the Ibis and listened to Jason Riggs. Jason has a day job but is working hard trying to make a living by singing his songs. He is really good. He sings with heart, and I enjoy his music. The sad part is that on most nights there are few people who come to listen. Tonight the place was almost empty.
Speaking of supporting downtown businesses, I heard today that the Bombshell Exchange is gone. Who is next? If we do not support downtown Logan, it will die. This weekend I bought a wool hat for Patty at the Sportsman. Sure I could have paid 30% less by going to Gart's (not Gart's anymore) or to another store along strip mall heaven on the north end of town. Why would anyone support stores up there? Because we love to drive our cars. It makes me question the wisdom of opening a new bike shop downtown. If I build it, will they come? If I open, will 1 Cognito Bicycles survive? Let's find out.
On a positive note, I found a really good tea tonight, Zhena's Gypsy Tea. The organic Gypsy King Chai is fantastic.
I did not ride my bicycle today. I am putting on a Mary Bar and turning it back into a mountain bike for a while. It may even get two brakes and a freewheel. Instead of riding, I went for a one-hour trail run with J.B. Boy do my legs hurt.
Tonight I went to the Ibis and listened to Jason Riggs. Jason has a day job but is working hard trying to make a living by singing his songs. He is really good. He sings with heart, and I enjoy his music. The sad part is that on most nights there are few people who come to listen. Tonight the place was almost empty.
Speaking of supporting downtown businesses, I heard today that the Bombshell Exchange is gone. Who is next? If we do not support downtown Logan, it will die. This weekend I bought a wool hat for Patty at the Sportsman. Sure I could have paid 30% less by going to Gart's (not Gart's anymore) or to another store along strip mall heaven on the north end of town. Why would anyone support stores up there? Because we love to drive our cars. It makes me question the wisdom of opening a new bike shop downtown. If I build it, will they come? If I open, will 1 Cognito Bicycles survive? Let's find out.
On a positive note, I found a really good tea tonight, Zhena's Gypsy Tea. The organic Gypsy King Chai is fantastic.
I did not ride my bicycle today. I am putting on a Mary Bar and turning it back into a mountain bike for a while. It may even get two brakes and a freewheel. Instead of riding, I went for a one-hour trail run with J.B. Boy do my legs hurt.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Between a Hot Tub and a Bakery
I think I found a spot! There is a chance that my shop may be located between Great Harvest and Tubbz, just across the parking lot from my old location. Discussions and pre-negotiations are underway. The dream may be coming into focus.
Today's ride was another classic ice bike day. I rode all the way up Green Canyon. Most of the snow below the second gate and on the lower single track has melted and reformed as ice. Very slick. The road has been groomed. I don't cross country ski, but I am thankful for the groomed and packed snow. If the road gets groomed all winter, I may be able to ride it right into spring. Whahoo! If I can just keep my toes warm.
Green Canyon is white
Numb toes and an open mind
Dreams of Spring come true?
Today's ride was another classic ice bike day. I rode all the way up Green Canyon. Most of the snow below the second gate and on the lower single track has melted and reformed as ice. Very slick. The road has been groomed. I don't cross country ski, but I am thankful for the groomed and packed snow. If the road gets groomed all winter, I may be able to ride it right into spring. Whahoo! If I can just keep my toes warm.
Green Canyon is white
Numb toes and an open mind
Dreams of Spring come true?
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Yesterday's Ride
Temps above freezing
River Trail almost snow free
Is this December?
Above Spring Hollow
Rock garden to single track
Rolling back to town
River Trail almost snow free
Is this December?
Above Spring Hollow
Rock garden to single track
Rolling back to town
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Monday, December 18, 2006
The Dream
There is a huge pile of bike-shop inventory stacked in my basement bedroom. Half a dozen or so new bicycles are in storage. Four pick-up truck loads of used bicycles, frames, and wheels are in the back yard under the protective branches of a large blue spruce. These days are dark. Shadows are long, even in the middle of the day. Sleep, for a while. Dream.
Dozens of dead bikes
A mass grave, covered in snow
Waiting for Spring thaw
The solstice comes at the end of this week. As the daylight hours begin to stretch, I want to re-open in a new space. I want to make the dream come true. I can see it all so clear, a new shop, 1 Cognito Bicycles. I see new lines of bicycles too, Redline 925, Monocog and Monocog 29er, On One's Inbred, Inbred 29er, and Pompino, and others.
Stay tuned.
Dozens of dead bikes
A mass grave, covered in snow
Waiting for Spring thaw
The solstice comes at the end of this week. As the daylight hours begin to stretch, I want to re-open in a new space. I want to make the dream come true. I can see it all so clear, a new shop, 1 Cognito Bicycles. I see new lines of bicycles too, Redline 925, Monocog and Monocog 29er, On One's Inbred, Inbred 29er, and Pompino, and others.
Stay tuned.
Friday, December 15, 2006
It's Official
Tomorrow is my last day at 29 W Center Street. I am currently searching for a new space. As I said before, Recycled Bicycles will be a Mobile Bicycle Shop for a while. Contact me if you need me. I will come to you!
Alexis' Haiku
Basho wrote many poems about crickets. My favorite (can't quote it) involves a cricket in an old helmet inside a shrine. Here is Alexis' classic haiku:
A merry cricket
Alone in perfect silence
Leaves are cool and moist
A merry cricket
Alone in perfect silence
Leaves are cool and moist
Snows Are Falling...
Do you need a quality, inexpensive trainer for the winter months? It has magnetic resistance and a handlebar remote. It's only $99 during my year end sale!
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Peter's Baikus
Warm winter night sweats
Cold beer, hot wings, and good times
Bikes make it happen
Dark black nights, trails where?
Bright lights gleam, wrong turns abound.
You know where you live!
Cold beer, hot wings, and good times
Bikes make it happen
Dark black nights, trails where?
Bright lights gleam, wrong turns abound.
You know where you live!
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Thank You
I want to thank everyone for coming to the year end party. There's nothing better than coffee and guava pastries.
Even with new bicycles marked down 20%, reconditioned bicycles are still the going concern. This weekend, Amanda's Stumpjumper got a rigid fork, front and rear racks, and slick tires. It's now a touring bike. Her RB-5 came back and went right out the door one day later. What a great bike with flat bars, big 27 x 1 and 1/4 tires, trick steel chainring/alloy cranks, and a freewheel. An old Hardrock with new tires, saddle, pedals, and grips also found a new home.
There are a few clouds and some moisture in the air this morning. That's a good thing. All week the mountains were obscured by an inversion. Did anyone notice? Thursday and Friday were officially Yellow Air Days. There is a solution. Ride your bike.
I wrote the following haiku on Friday as I pedaled to work. On the way down the hill I was passed by at least four big diesel pickup trucks all with single occupants (and a few snowmobiles in the back).
The inversion's back
the Wellsville's have disappeared
in fog white and brown
Even with new bicycles marked down 20%, reconditioned bicycles are still the going concern. This weekend, Amanda's Stumpjumper got a rigid fork, front and rear racks, and slick tires. It's now a touring bike. Her RB-5 came back and went right out the door one day later. What a great bike with flat bars, big 27 x 1 and 1/4 tires, trick steel chainring/alloy cranks, and a freewheel. An old Hardrock with new tires, saddle, pedals, and grips also found a new home.
There are a few clouds and some moisture in the air this morning. That's a good thing. All week the mountains were obscured by an inversion. Did anyone notice? Thursday and Friday were officially Yellow Air Days. There is a solution. Ride your bike.
I wrote the following haiku on Friday as I pedaled to work. On the way down the hill I was passed by at least four big diesel pickup trucks all with single occupants (and a few snowmobiles in the back).
The inversion's back
the Wellsville's have disappeared
in fog white and brown
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Year End Party!
Friday, December 8, from 5pm to 8pm
Robert's Roast Coffee
Patty's home made treats
Year End Sale
20% off new bicycles (only 10 or so left)
35% off new accessories
Robert's Roast Coffee
Patty's home made treats
Year End Sale
20% off new bicycles (only 10 or so left)
35% off new accessories
Sunday, December 3, 2006
No Direction Home
There is still no real news about the future of the shop. The owner of the building wants a single lease for the entire west half. I just want the back. Not knowing truly does tug at the heart. It is so hard to tell customers and friends that I just don't know yet. It is even harder to tell myself the same thing. Looks like I'm going mobile. A veritable back-street gypsy.
Physical sick, yes,
but heart sick is even worse,
without direction
Perhaps a bike ride will help the sinuses and the heart. It's going to be cold (20 degrees F). The Snow Cats are on the beater bike, tire pressure is low, and 34/22 equals 40 gear inches. Bring on the snow.
I'm Cured
Cloudless deep blue sky
mountains white, patches dark green
frozen but alive
There is nothing better than a snow ride. Nothing. I rode the Shoreline Trail and up Green Canyon on the road to the second gate, and came down the lower single track. It was so much fun, I don't even feel sick anymore. My heart feels better too.
"Naw, I don't ride in the winter. It's too cold. You can't ride in the snow." I have heard this for years. Oh ye of little faith and even less gumption. There are a lot of people doing it.
All you need is the right set up. Snow Cats (no longer in production) are double wide rims. They make tires look like a U in cross section rather than nearly round. This allows you to run big tires at low pressure (10-15 lbs.) without getting snakebites, creating a very large tire footprint. As long as the snow is somewhat packed, you can ride it. Even a few inches of powder over packed is very easy to ride. Single speed and fixed gear make a lot of sense for snow riding. Speed is not really a concern and shifting is even less of a concern, so a 40-45 inch gear is good for me. Fixed gear allows you to instantly turn a rear wheel slide back into rolling friction (Physics 101). On snow, sliding friction is the enemy. Studded tires do nothing in the snow. Ice is a different story.
The right set up also includes the proper clothing. Today was about 20 and sunny. I wore a wool shirt, a light Bellwether jacket, ski gloves, balaclava, and a heavy wool sweater on the top half. I wore poly-pro long johns, jeans, heavy wool socks, and insulated hiking boots on the bottom half. I was a little overdressed. Oh yeah, hiking boots require big platform pedals. Forget going clipless in the snow. If it is steep, loose, or deep, you are going to be hiking anyway.
Great Trail News
The Bonneville Shoreline Trail is getting better. There is now an improved section of trail around the east perimeter fence of the new Logan City water storage/treatment facility. This allows users to cross the steel bridge and traverse down to the underpass leading to first damn. The old trail section above the water facility was really steep.
Physical sick, yes,
but heart sick is even worse,
without direction
Perhaps a bike ride will help the sinuses and the heart. It's going to be cold (20 degrees F). The Snow Cats are on the beater bike, tire pressure is low, and 34/22 equals 40 gear inches. Bring on the snow.
I'm Cured
Cloudless deep blue sky
mountains white, patches dark green
frozen but alive
There is nothing better than a snow ride. Nothing. I rode the Shoreline Trail and up Green Canyon on the road to the second gate, and came down the lower single track. It was so much fun, I don't even feel sick anymore. My heart feels better too.
"Naw, I don't ride in the winter. It's too cold. You can't ride in the snow." I have heard this for years. Oh ye of little faith and even less gumption. There are a lot of people doing it.
All you need is the right set up. Snow Cats (no longer in production) are double wide rims. They make tires look like a U in cross section rather than nearly round. This allows you to run big tires at low pressure (10-15 lbs.) without getting snakebites, creating a very large tire footprint. As long as the snow is somewhat packed, you can ride it. Even a few inches of powder over packed is very easy to ride. Single speed and fixed gear make a lot of sense for snow riding. Speed is not really a concern and shifting is even less of a concern, so a 40-45 inch gear is good for me. Fixed gear allows you to instantly turn a rear wheel slide back into rolling friction (Physics 101). On snow, sliding friction is the enemy. Studded tires do nothing in the snow. Ice is a different story.
The right set up also includes the proper clothing. Today was about 20 and sunny. I wore a wool shirt, a light Bellwether jacket, ski gloves, balaclava, and a heavy wool sweater on the top half. I wore poly-pro long johns, jeans, heavy wool socks, and insulated hiking boots on the bottom half. I was a little overdressed. Oh yeah, hiking boots require big platform pedals. Forget going clipless in the snow. If it is steep, loose, or deep, you are going to be hiking anyway.
Great Trail News
The Bonneville Shoreline Trail is getting better. There is now an improved section of trail around the east perimeter fence of the new Logan City water storage/treatment facility. This allows users to cross the steel bridge and traverse down to the underpass leading to first damn. The old trail section above the water facility was really steep.
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