Shop Notes -- Park Tool BB-19

  

At my local bike shop I picked up a Park Tool BB-19 bottom bracket tool for an upcoming project.  I now have three different bottom bracket tools hanging on my tool board.  The older ones are for the square taper fixed flange cartridge type BB and the newer hollow splined axle versions.  All my bikes use the cartridge style bottom brackets so I have no experience with the old school cup and lock ring stuff from the vintage days.  It may seem irritating to have to buy three different tools to do the same thing but I have been wrenching on bikes for more than 20 years and in this time I have seen the components evolve and improve.  

Bottom bracket technology is an area that has seen a dramatic reduction in weight and because of the shift away from the heavy solid steel square taper axle the tools have had to change to accommodate the dimensions of the newest designs.  Progress marches on and being a gear head I don't mind having to buy a new tool once in a while and learn how the new stuff works.

My recumbent bike is the first bike I have owned that uses the 16 notch external bearing BB cups so this is the reason for the BB-19.  A parcel finally arrived the other day from the Hostel shoppe containing this awesome carbon fiber boom.  The boom was a special order from HP Velotechnik in Germany.  I can't wait to see it installed on my bike.

Nothing quite like carbon weave in the sunshine

Not A Race

I'm not a regular rider of charity events but what enticed me to do this fun ride was the unique opportunity to ride my recumbent bike on the world class Mid Ohio Sports Car Course.  The weather forecast called for a 50 percent chance of thunderstorms but the actual conditions couldn't have been better.  Temperatures in the mid 80's and lower humidity than usual made for a great afternoon workout.

The pictures I took from the cockpit of my recumbent cycling machine as I made my way around the 2.2 mile road circuit.  The lay of the land looks relatively flat in my photographs but I assure you this is not the case.  The track was designed using the rolling hills of the Clear Fork valley and as a result one lap is divided fairly even between uphill and downhill.  The only flat segment is along pit row.  The back stretch is a good half mile of steady decent where I easily hit 30 mph in top gear.  Following the strait away was an S-curve and then a sharp 90 degree turn both of which I was able to negotiate at 30+ mph without touching the brakes. 

Summit Therapy & Performance put on the event to benefit the fight against MS.  They did a nice job and I will look to support their cause again in the future.  It's been a while since I did anything for a cause and I have to say I do feel good about helping out.  

    

Porshe's are a dime a dozen on this track but I'm going to claim the first ever run of another fine piece of German engineering: the HP Velotechnik Street Machine unless someone can prove otherwise.

Ride Time:  1:50
Distance: 27 miles/ 13 laps
Average Speed:  14.6 mph
Max Speed:  35.8 mph

Shop Notes -- Rollastand

I have decided to participate in a charity event next week for MS.  I've been needing an excuse to clean my recumbent bike so I set to work this fine Saturday afternoon in the garage.  By nature recumbent bikes have unconventional frame shapes which will not fit the clamp of the typical bicycle maintenance stand.  Unfortunately this means getting down to ground level to work on the wheels and underside of the bike.

A few years ago I bought this handy device called the Rollastand.  Although designed specifically for motorcycles I have found the Rollastand is perfect for use with the recumbent.  The two black rollers turn smoothly on heavy duty cartridge bearings.  I can easily rotate the wheel and gain access to the hub, rim and all the spokes.  Inspecting the tire and applying preservative is likewise a breeze.

I also have a padded four wheel creeper like the auto mechanics use that I sit or kneel on while performing my maintenance tasks.  For working on diamond frame bikes the Park stand can't be beat but with a bit of ingenuity I have found ways to make working on the recumbent somewhat comfortable and easy.  And as a result more fun.

I Drew A Picture!

This beautiful piece of artwork is actually a light table tracing I made from a photograph of my recumbent bike. (One of my favorite subjects.)  My medium was black Sharpie on paper.  I photographed it and then adjusted the exposure to achieve a floating in the clouds look.

Heavenly.

   

Kindle

I've always been a bit behind the curve when it comes to adapting new technology.  For about a year now I have been thinking about the Kindle ebook reader.  I had not seen one of these things in real life until the other day when I came upon the display in an office supply store.  As I played with the simple controls of the display unit I was impressed with the user-friendliness of the device and clarity of the screen.  As luck would have it the store was offering a sale and I walked with my new Kindle for twenty dollars less than the advertised price.

The curmudgeon in me used to say I like paper books I don't need another infernal electronic gadget.  In my first week I have finished two books and have three others started.  I can unequivocally say that I love this thing.  Being able to change the font and size of the type is an incredible feature.  One-handed operation is a breeze allowing me to eat popcorn or smoke my pipe while reading.  And believe it or not I don't know everything so I find the on board dictionary and ability to quickly look up the definition of a word a godsend.  In the summertime I do a lot of reading on the patio and I used to hate when the wind turned the pages of an old-timey paper book before I was done reading.  A problem no more!

All of these things have quickly won me over and stole the wind from the crusty curmudgeon's sails.  I purchased the Kindle with the hopes that it's convenience would encourage me to read more and it certainly has.  With the features offered by the Kindle and a good book downloaded it seems easier than ever to lose myself in the movie in my head as the virtual pages effortlessly click by.

       



"My Insulator" A poem by Dwight Dodge

I belong to an online club called ICON or Insulator Collectors On the Net.  Icon is a great club full of resources and people very passionate about the insulator hobby.  I suscribe to the club's message board in digest form so that it automatically downloads to my email everyday.  I am just a lurker mostly and don't post much to the ICON board but I very much enjoy the discussions about all aspects of the Hobby.  This weekend I saw this poem submitted to the Icon site by Mr Dodge of British Columbia.  The poem resonates with me and I believe captures the magic perfectly.  Great Job Dwight!

-Recumbent Conspiracy Theorist 

-- 

My Insulator

I have an insulator

That gleams so very fine

Whenever sunlight streams upon

This glassy jewel of mine.



There upon the window sill,

It captures ev'ry beam.

It stores them up and sends them out

Much richer, it would seem.



Just feel it's solid beauty.

The lines are round and clean.

You touch a part of days gone by

In molded glass of green.



I would like to know just what

It heard when it was young;

When the wires whispered to it,

While on the pole it hung.



Just perhaps, it heard about

The death of some one grand.

No doubt, it heard about a war

That raged across the land.



All it heard, I cannot know.

The present I can see.

It warms the heart to contemplate

What beauty there can be.



Dwight Dodge



Recumbent Ride

July 23, 2011

For days after my big hike in the Shawnee Forest my legs were incredibly sore.  My bike riding keeps me very fit cardio-wise but I was not prepared in the least for the type of exertion I encountered during during that 8 mile jaunt.  By the end of the week I was feeling good and was once again itching to get out for a bike ride.  

I decided I would head straight west from town and ride 20 miles before turning back.  I loaded my bladder with ice cubes and water placed it in the seat bag.  The relentless heat wave was into its second week and again I took off on my next adventure in humid 90 degree temperatures.  I often wonder how endurance athletes managed to stay properly hydrated back in the days before wonderful invention of the Camelback.  On hot days I routinely consume the entire 70 ounces that my pack holds.  I suppose I should pick up a 100 ounce bag for my longer days out.

The 20 mile turn around point put me at a rural crossroads with a small pizza joint on one corner.  That is the green and white storefront in the photograph.  By this time of the afternoon storm clouds were gathering from the intense heat and I could hear rumbles of thunder even though the sun was still shining.  After a short break I got back at the controls of my recumbent cycling machine and pointed myself to the east.  

For the next 8 miles I cruised across the flat agricultural lands and watched a huge dark gray storm cloud ahead of me.  The storm was moving from the south to the north and I was hoping it would slide on by but I kept encountering the big fat raindrops that often precede a deluge.  The drops would taper off and stop altogether then resume.  Finally the heavens opened up with a massive downpour complete with vertical lightning bolts and thunder crashes.  I kept cranking the pedals and the rain actually felt great but after a mile the precipitation was falling so hard that visibility or lack of it was beginning to be a problem.  One of the few downsides to riding a recumbent is riding in heavy rain. On an upright bike one can lower their head and only look up briefly to maintain course.  This works very well if you have a helmet with a visor like on a mountain bike helmet.  Unfortunately on the recumbent my face was looking directly into the  storm and I could not lower my head even if I did have a visor.  I suppose if I was wearing goggles I could have kept going.

Luck was on my side and I spotted an old one room brick school house along my route that offered a bit of shelter.  I rode out  the rest of the storm with a piece of farm equipment stored in the school house.  Being out on the flatlands during a thunderstorm always makes me nervous so I was thankful to at have a least half a roof over my head.    

Through the hole in the far wall cornstalks are visible bending violently in the wind.

These one room schoolhouses are all over the surrounding countryside.  Many are decaying like this one but others have been preserved and turned into homes with additional structure added by the owners.  It is amazing to think that at one time in the not too distant past this was the institution of primary education in rural America.  Each township had it's own schoolhouse because of course with no cars or school buses the classroom had to be accessible to all children.  

After the storm passed I got back on the road and finished up the last 10 miles of my ride watching the lightning show to my left as the storm receded to the north.  I noticed on my cycle-computer that the temperature had gone from 91 degrees before the storm to 72 degrees.  Nearly a 20 degree difference.

Out and Back

Bike:  HP Velotechnik Street Machine

Ride Time:  2:32:24

Distance:  40.00 miles

Average Speed:  15.7 mph

Max Speed:  28.00 mph

Insulator Post -- Glass in the Air -- Southern Ohio

Click on photograph for a closer view.

Having been interested in antique glass insulators for a few years now I don't get overly excited when I spot an existing line during the course of my travels.  It has even become a sort of game between my son and I to see who notices old glass on poles first.  All of these lines that I have seen in various states of disrepair are old signal circuits running along rail road right of ways.



This photograph taken in the Scioto Valley a few miles upstream from the confluence of the Scioto and Ohio Rivers.  The Scioto lies between the trees and line of distant hills in the background.



Deep in the hills of Adams County I noticed a railroad and it's accompanying poles and wires as we made our way to the Serpent Mound Memorial.  The road was curvy and I was not able to get a good look at the insulators but it was fun to watch pole after pole of green and clear glass glinting in the sun as the miles ticked by.  Later that day as we retraced our route back to the campground I could not stand it any longer and I had to stop the car and snap a few photos.  

Many of the insulators were the common CD 154 Hemingrays that were used up into the 1940's and 50s but after I got out of the car and got a closer look I noticed that each cross arm had a couple CD 145 "Beehives" still installed.  This got my attention because I have never seen a beehive up in the air before.  My experience with beehives consists only with the ones in my personal collection and those on display at the shows.  The only thing I know for sure is that Samual Oakman patented the style in 1884.

  

I have no way of knowing how old the beehives are that we saw along this line.  I have California beehives that were made between 1912 and 1916 in my collection so I know the style was being produced as late as that time frame.  Looking around online I could not find a date when production of the CD 145 style stopped but its a fair assumption to guess that some of the beehives we saw could be nearly 100 years old.

  

Macro Photography

When one walks into the forest with the intention of taking a few interesting pictures two options present themselves.  1. Photograph the trees.  (I think I've got that covered.)  2.  Press that little macro button and get down on the ground.

Theres a lot going on two inches off the forest floor.

Shawnee State Forest, Scioto County, Ohio

 

Day Hike

Family Campout -- Episode 4

While looking at the park map I noticed a seven mile day hike that looked like fun.  Great! I thought.  Having decided not to bring the bikes along on this trip I figured we would have a good opportunity to enjoy some quality hiking for something different.

We planned to do this hike as a family but unfortunately the weather got hotter and more humid each day.  In the mornings we rose early around 7:30am and by 9:00 it was sweltering.  On the scheduled day LeeAnn and Wyatt decided to bail on the hike and spend the day at the Park Lodge swimming pool.  I can't say that I blame them and then I realized this arrangement would let me attack the loop at my own pace and get in the zone as they say.

I filled my camelback bladder with 70 ounces of water and stowed a bag of pistachios as a salty snack. I set out into the forest sometime before noon.  Extreme heat does not seem to bother me and long ago I learned how important it is to stay hydrated.  I enjoy the cleansing effect of a good sweat brought on from intense physical exertion.  I certainly got my fill of both this day.

The trail followed densely wooded ridge tops where a cool breeze always seemed to be blowing and descended into steamy and moist ravines where the air was stifling and still.  I knew it was hot when I saw the exposed tops of rocks buried in the trail sweating like water pipes on a humid day.

At about the three mile mark I encountered a young woman hiking the opposite direction.  We exchanged a quick greeting and continued on each going our separate ways.  I was beginning to think I was the only one hardcore or perhaps crazy enough to be out on a day like this and not relaxing poolside or in the lake.

I continued on pushing the pace enjoying the much different physical challenge offered by this hike as opposed to my usual cycling efforts.  Climbing is tough be it on a bike or on foot but descending steep rocky trail is extra strenuous and taxing all the while using caution to avoid turning an ankle.  I love the solitude of being out in the wild on my own but at the same time I am well aware of the risks.

In the distance ahead of me I began to here the distinctive sound of a chain saw.  This did not surprise me as had I read a small sign posted near the trail head warning that work was being done by the forestry department.  As I drew nearer I could hear the saw suddenly idle down followed a sharp cracking sound then a dull ominous thud.  Hearing it in person has much greater impact than watching that show on the discovery channel. 

Rounding a bend in the trail I came upon the work crew sitting down taking a break.  When I reached them one of them asked "A pretty hot day to be all the way back here isn't it?"  That's funny I thought to myself as they were decked out in work pants, hardhats and heavy leather chainsaw chaps.  Being on the clock though they had a reason for being out on such a hot day.  They were good guys and even offered me some water from their big orange water cooler. 

With my senses heightened from the exercise the smell of the freshly upturned soil was intense.  Walking on the loose ground did become annoying when I had to periodically stop to remove chunks of clay and pebbles from my lowtop hikers.  mosquitoes, flies and gnats attacked each time I came to a stop.

At about five miles the trail split right down the middle of a huge black raspberry patch.  I had walked almost half way through the patch which sat on the top of a long ridge before I noticed it.  I was busy looking for photo opportunities and nearly missed the berries all together.  This unexpected find made the whole day worth it.  Some of the fruit was just coming ripe.

I gathered and ate four or five handfuls of the delicious fruit and within minutes I felt the energy from the natural sugars coursing through my body.

The trail followed raspberry ridge steadily downhill and with a few more ups and downs I finally found my self nearing the end of the loop.  I passed this odd stone structure shortly before meeting back up with the short connector leading back to the trail head.  A chimney maybe but strange with no mortar between the stones.

Everyone has their own idea of what an "epic" day is but for me this was it.  After putting in an all day effort like this I have a new found respect for those who carry their gear, hike, camp and then get up the next day and hike some more.  Back at the campground I put on my bathing suit and took a long cold shower.  Returning to the campsite I sat down and enjoyed a beer happily reflecting on the days events before starting my spaghetti dinner at sunset. 

Highlands Nature Sanctuary

Part III Family Camping in Southern Ohio

On the afternoon of our first day spent exploring the area we discovered the Highlands Nature Sanctuary.  This 2000 acre preserve is located in eastern Highland County along the Rocky Fork between Rocky Fork  Lake and Paint Creek.  

A short foot trail winds to the bottom of a dolomite gorge carved out by the Rocky Fork.  Outstanding examples of Ohio's geology and diverse plant life abound in the park.

Climbing down into the gorge I could not help the feeling of being transported back in time.  Seeing this part of Ohio as it would have looked through the eyes of  Native American inhabitants or early explorers as they mapped out the details of the Ohio territory many years ago.

The Great Serpent Mound

This is part 2 of my series documenting our family trip to southern Ohio.

Thanks to my keen interest in history I noticed that our campsite was about 20 miles away from the Great Serpent Mound effigy built by the Native American Fort Ancient people roughly a thousand years ago.  Thanks to Harvard archaeologist Frederic Ward Putnam for recognizing the important historical significance of this site over a hundred years ago and seeing to it's preservation for future generations to experience.

At the bottom of my post are links to additional information about this most interesting Native American earthwork.

The Serpent Mound was not a burial mound but most likely constructed as a ceremonial site.  The snake was a popular effigy among Eastern Woodland Indians as well as other ancient cultures around the world.  At 1,330 feet long Ohio's Serpent Mound has the distinction of being the world's largest effigy mound.

--

Near the Serpent Putnam did excavate two conical burial mounds.  By studying the human remains and artifacts buried within he was able to attribute these burial mounds to the Adena People who lived in the area preceding the Fort Ancient peoples.  Excavations and radio carbon dating done in the 1990's proved the Serpent Mound to be younger than the burial mounds and indicates that the builders of the Serpent could have adapted the existing burial site to their own uses.  The following pictures from the museum located in the park show how the burial mounds would have been constructed building up a conical shape as more graves were added over time.

http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=2223

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serpent_Mound