tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68659472024-03-21T01:17:04.608-05:00The Bike is Better than the RiderRandom ruminations about whatever's on my mind...Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-58131686650468299892021-10-12T13:27:00.006-05:002021-10-12T13:45:52.593-05:00Carol Didn't Have to Die Carol died in the wee hours of the morning on August 18, 2021. She left a gaping hole in the lives of the people closest to her. The hearts of all the people she touched will mend, but be left with invisible scars. Carol and my wife, Ellen, were besties, in the truest sense of the word. Though for the last 20 years we lived half a country away from Carol, we'd generally see her once or Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-29409951173802987852019-01-03T12:36:00.002-06:002019-01-03T12:36:44.303-06:00I admit it. I Cheat.Dang. It's only January 3rd and I'm already a day behind on Januwordy. I blame it on Nova and Ultima Thule.
I admit it. I cheat. Been doing it my entire career. Remember how in school you weren't supposed to work together? Except on that end-of-year team science project, where Jeremy just goofed off and you and Cathy wound up doing all the work? I cheat in a totally acceptable way. I use open Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-91999641794587926192019-01-01T10:13:00.002-06:002019-01-01T10:29:03.082-06:00Thoughts on the Complex Problem of Terrorism(I started writing this piece in 2016 before Donald Trump was president. Obviously, things have changed a bit in the intervening 2+ years, but I still think it's worth contemplating the difficulty of solving the complex problem of terrorism, both imported and homegrown. I must thank Januwordy for the nudge to pick this back up.)
In The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer, Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-789843763526521292016-04-14T13:09:00.003-05:002016-05-28T09:29:01.700-05:00Hunting Online for Vintage Bikes/Parts
Hunting Online for Vintage Bikes/Parts
Those of us with a penchant for vintage bikes (heck, vintage anything) can’t generally just wander into our favorite local store or check out Amazon for most of the stuff we want, and wind up spending an inordinate amount of time searching the net for interesting bits. There isn’t just one place to go to find what we are looking for. Bikes and parts are Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-87327656432358217152016-02-09T14:22:00.001-06:002016-02-09T14:22:18.845-06:00Winter BreakI just returned from a week in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I heartily recommend it to anyone in need of a week in a wintertime approximation of paradise. While we have stayed in several places up and down the Bay of Banderas over the years, this time Ellen and I stayed at the Sheraton Buganvilias where her mom has a time share.
Restaurants
Recommended:
Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-16269286182246329632015-12-01T11:47:00.002-06:002015-12-01T17:43:34.431-06:00Pushing Back on Misuse of the word Accident
I was reminded in an email thread discussing Jan Heine's recent crash in Japan about the frequently inappropriate use of the word "accident" to describe most crashes where motor vehicles hit cyclists and pedestrians (and probably fixed objects and other motor vehicles). Lynne Cooney wrote:
Again, this was not an accident, it was a negligent driver. Continuing to call these Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-63059623375613922982015-11-09T21:17:00.000-06:002015-11-09T21:17:15.175-06:00CrunchI think there is a noise everybody makes without thinking when their lower level neural circuits determine that they are suddenly at great risk of injury. For me, it's "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!". Not two or four "whoas," three. It's unconscious, erupting before you even form the thought that you are in trouble. I guess that comes from the fast circuits Daniel Kahneman wrote about in Thinking Fast and Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-53424776126043692832015-11-04T09:42:00.002-06:002015-11-04T09:54:51.600-06:00Don't Expect PerfectionChicago has has an excellent history of bike-friendly mayors. Richard M. Daley was responsible for much of our cycling infrastructure. His successor, Rahm Emanuel has built aggressively on Mayor Daley's legacy. In fact, Richard J. Daley was responsible for designating the Lakefront Trail as a bike path, in 1963!
LFT is one of the most heavily trafficked multi-use paths around. Strava has a nice Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-20808700007685421132015-11-01T06:25:00.002-06:002015-11-01T06:25:56.803-06:00Daylight, Daylight, Where For Art Thou?So, the clocks fell back again last night. At least here in the US of A. I'm sure there are plenty of other posts on the subject (here's one which caught my eye), but I will add one more.
I have a hard enough time sleeping. I don't need extra, artificial, impediments to my already faulty circadian rhythms. This morning, after the overnight time change, I wound up getting up shortly after 4am (5 Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-77401834005066799692015-10-30T09:08:00.001-05:002015-10-30T09:08:27.257-05:00The God of Salt Can be an Angry GodI ride an old Trek set up as a fixed gear much of the time, and it's pretty much my full-time winter ride. (I have a couple other bikes I don't really mind sacrificing to the God of Salt, but I don't ride them much.) The pedals on the Trek have been complaining recently (creaking, mostly), so I figured it was time to service them.
I had another set of pedals ready to install, so this Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-63215185070901610422015-10-19T13:45:00.000-05:002015-10-19T14:20:56.643-05:00PhyllisMy oldest cousin Phyllis passed away recently. Naturally, I've been thinking a lot about her in the time since. Just as naturally (if you know me), it's taken me awhile to collect my thoughts and decide to put them down. I started writing this a couple days ago, on my way to the memorial service, somewhere between Portland and Seattle, sipping my coffee, trying to organize a few thoughts in a Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-74274135360364724812015-10-07T09:16:00.002-05:002015-10-07T09:40:29.011-05:00Bicycle LightingOver the last several years, cycling has witnessed a sort of lighting arms race, with brightness now measured in hundreds of lumens. I'm sure that by now some company has broken the kilolumen barrier. It's gotten to the point where many morning Freds ride around with lights on their helmets whose brightness rivals Hollywood premiere search lights. If several Freds are riding in a pack, it can Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-82343273780282784122015-09-08T15:16:00.002-05:002015-09-08T15:16:52.145-05:00Well, that was an adventureThe Base Two Cycle Club in Evanston does a pancake run a few times a year, riding from Evanston to Algonquin, eating breakfast at Bella's Short Stack before returning. Round trip is about 95 miles. One such ride was planned for Labor Day, and I rode for the first time. I still don't know the exact distance, however, as you will soon see.
The forecast showed a reasonable chance for rain, so I Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-22378949225838574502015-06-09T12:04:00.003-05:002015-11-10T13:34:25.837-06:00Aero Bars and Traffic Don’t Mix
I routinely commute between Evanston and Chicago’s Loop. Most days, a good chunk of the ride is on the Lakefront Trail. Now that the weather has warmed up, I no longer have LFT to myself. In particular, the triathletes are back.
I have no problems with triathlons. I think a triathlon is a fine activity. However, I do have a problem with people who insist on riding in their aero tuck in Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-39894533585399484322015-05-07T13:31:00.000-05:002015-05-07T13:31:14.277-05:00Come on People!
I had a nice early morning bike ride today with some bike buddies, then stopped at the house to grab my bag, switch bikes (not sure why), then ride to work. I’m normally a pretty early morning rider, frequently getting to work before 7am. Today, I was riding through Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood right around 8am. Lots of cars. Lots of bikes.
My gripe today is with the people on the bikes. Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-88792965396362640402015-04-17T11:52:00.000-05:002015-04-17T11:52:16.476-05:00Equipment Check - Siva Cycle AtomI purchased a Siva Atom via their Kickstarter campaign. My main goal was to use it on long rides where I want to run a GPS app on my phone within sucking the battery dry. I don't intend to use it to power lights. It took them longer to get to production than they originally anticipated. I took delivery on my Siva in late November 2014, just as winter got started. Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-6962380243763320822015-01-07T10:07:00.001-06:002015-01-07T10:07:44.166-06:00Hot and Cold
Here in the midwest we are experiencing what the good folks in Lake Wobegone would term a “mild cold snap.” Not being as stoic as the citizens of that town on the edge of the prairie, the cold necessitated a bit more care in my kit the past few days.
I have neoprene booties on my shoes and use bar mitts on my handlebars, so both my toes and fingers are pretty well protected from the cold and Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-54713637828050869982015-01-05T09:57:00.001-06:002015-01-05T09:57:40.501-06:00Outrage
I love to ride my bikes (I have several). Some things that make me happy (there are many more):
Watching the sun rise over Lake Michigan
The momentary connection with a teenager I see practicing track stands
A quick wave to drivers who yield the right-of-way
The money I save when I don’t take the train to work
The countdown on the last few days before reaching 5,000 miles for the yearSkip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-54103888900219128282014-12-01T08:58:00.002-06:002014-12-01T08:58:48.288-06:00Interactions & Negotiations
The law here in Illinois says that as a cyclist I “must obey the same traffic laws, signs and signals that apply to motorists.” Even though I’m breaking the law, I frequently use the Idaho Stop; I roll through stop signs and often proceed through red lights after stopping. yet, I’m not a risk taker. Most cyclists aren't. Every time I get on my bike, I intend to return home safely. I’m not Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-75955632673194849642014-11-20T13:49:00.001-06:002014-11-20T13:49:16.530-06:00StVZO lights
Here in the US of A, we apparently have no standards at the state or federal levels regarding bike light beam shape. Consequently, the only common choices available from any retailer (from Wal-Mart to specialty bike shops) are basically insanely powerful flashlights (we are, if nothing else, a bigger-is-better society) which attach to various parts of your bike or body. They are powerful enough,Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-90251948482878138682014-10-09T14:36:00.001-05:002014-10-09T14:36:45.874-05:00Three things all cyclists and motorists should doI firmly believe that bikes are fundamentally different modes of transportation than driving or walking. I think it's unfortunate that bikes are, for the most part, treated by the law as "little cars." I recognize that this treatment has a long history. Given the amount of time which has passed since bikes were last the dominant conveyance on our streets, it's not surprising that streets were Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-75140232367255553472013-10-26T21:57:00.004-05:002013-10-26T21:57:41.389-05:00Music of the cityThis is a long-delayed post. I commute into the Chicago Loop from Evanston on a regular basis. My normal inbound route includes Wells south of the Chicago River. Most of the time the sound is typical city stuff: cars zipping by, horns honking, or the often deafening sound of a CTA train rolling overhead. Once though, a slow-moving CTA train tapped out the beat to Glenn Miller's In the Mood. I Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-58085766932851107682013-10-24T19:19:00.002-05:002013-10-24T19:19:39.228-05:00Vintage Bike Classifieds - A Great VintageIf you're reading this blog, you're probably a bit like me, buying and selling bikes and bike parts, out there looking for the next good deal. I'm into vintage bikes. It seems I always have one under construction. I just finished off a Trek 520 fixed gear commuter. My next project is a Jim Redcay frame.
Ebay is clearly the biggest marketplace for vintage bike parts, but the fees for sellers keepSkip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-79354393391811105232013-10-22T11:33:00.002-05:002013-10-22T11:33:28.899-05:00Fixed Gear - but not Hipster FixieI finished my first fixed gear build last week, a converted Trek 520:
I plan on using this as my commuter. I had never ridden a fixed gear bike before. I've now got three rides and one Arte Johnson manuever under my belt. The first ride was with the pair of SunTour Cyclone pedals in the above picture. Before the second ride I swapped those out for one of my Look sets. I was nearly home from Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6865947.post-7694617507518043552010-05-26T22:04:00.006-05:002011-01-17T16:34:33.060-06:00Theorem - you will eventually get into an accident...I saved the title of this blog as a possible topic back in May. At that point it had been a long, long, time since I'd last been in a bike accident. I had known other people who'd been in accidents in the past couple years, but I had, perhaps miraculously, remained upright.However, that changed last fall when I had not one, but two, mishaps Skip Montanarohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811773789254959145noreply@blogger.com0