Category Archives: Things

Saturday

Today I made progress. Woke up and was out of the house by noon. wanted to go to the library and p/u some French language CD’s for my ipod. Also wanted to get a juice, last night I watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. about a guy who gets healthy by drinking just juice. Might be my last Netflix instant. I turned in $67 in coins at the bank, looked at maps at Barnes and Noble, that place sucks for maps. I went to EMS and bought a bunch of crap. and then I was back home by 2pm to do some moving. It’ll all fit and I’ve got a few last things to move but had to stop at 7pm because of the hours of operation.
At home I packed up the bike a little.
Tonight going to the bowling alley for a b-day party.

Tomorrow? move the rest before 4pm. maybe pol0. eat. still need a UV filter and soap, cancel Netflix, return French CD’s and whatever else..

Sea To Summit: Sacks, Straps and a Liner

I made some last minute changes to my system of carrying my tent, pad and bag. I was going to shove it all in a large Bailey Works Messenger bag and I had a friend modify some straps so I could cinch it to the rear rack. That would have worked and it would mean I could use the messenger bag as a backpack if I ever needed one. Plus the other little pockets in a Bailey Works bag would be nice for organization.

But then I wanted to get a water-tight sack for my down sleeping bag, and keep it in a sack, in the bag to really keep it dry. I bought a 35L so not to stuff it into too small a bag diminishing it’s loft. But then I was only using ½ the volume of the sack to still get into the messenger bag. Maybe lose the mess bag?

The stuff sack that came with my tent is way too big for the tent so I wanted to get a better fitting one for that. 9L is just right.

The stuff sack that came with my sleeping bag is tiny, as in back backing tiny, and I’m no longer using it for my sleeping bag but it works great for my air pad (that did not come with a stuff sack) and the sheet cover I made for it.

So now I needed some good straps because bungeeing multiple things is not very secure.

Sleep pad and cover in small sack tied to top of front rack. Sleeping bag in dry bag, tent in new stuff sack, Poles in stock pole bag and ground tarp folded, flat underneath it all. This is all double strapped by two “hook release” accessory straps that encompass the whole mess. But it does not look messy. It looks right and is lighter than adding a messenger bag into the mix.

Also bought a silk liner to save the sleeping bag from my dirt.

The only bummer is that I did this all a little too late to find the made in USA options.

All this shit is made in China.

Park GP-2

Sticker patches only work if you apply them the right way. Some people don’t like them but I’ve had good luck and this will be the fourth tour I’ve taken GP-2 as my only way to patch a tube. Of course I’ll bring spare tubes as well.

Made in USA

 

Topeak Road Morph Pump

I was a messenger in New York City for a while. It’s true that Time is Money. Another messenger let me use his pump when my old one was acting up. He had a Topeak Road Morph and after that I realized some pumps are way better than others. I bought my own and have had it for about 4 years now.

Bought from local bike shop.

I think this is made in Taiwan.

 

Nalini Team Crédit Agricole Jersey

This one is from the mid 2000’s. About 2004?

2008 was the last year for Team Crédit Agricole and the more recent Jerseys look different.

Anyway I was thinking that I might bring two jerseys, one team jersey of a black lager from Bad Köstritz, Germany and a second from a team sponsored by a French Bank. I was talking to friends of friends and got the advice that I should at least try to speak French if I go as far North as I say I am. I don’t think this jersey will bring me any luck but it might motivate me to practice learning a new language.

I bought this on closeout for $19 at a bike/ski shop at the end of the summer season in 2004 if I remember.

I believe this was made in Italy.

 

Adventure Medical Kits Ultra/Watertight 0.5

I bought this because, why not. It’s light and if I use it just once, for myself or for someone else, it’ll be money well spent. I added a few extra water proof bandages and small tube of triple antibiotic ointment. And a slip of paper with my emergency contact. I’ll keep this in a small outside pocket of my rear pannier, I’d like to find a little basic “first aid” patch to sew onto that pocket.

“Assembled in USA of imported and domestic components”

 

Cinelli Cork Ribbon

Cinelli bar wrap has gone on every bike I’ve ever owned, all the ones with drop bars. I was looking at the Selle An-Atomica (made in USA) leather wrap so I would have something durable and matched my saddle but in the end I just went with what I had. It was spend fifty bucks or use what I had sitting around. Also I used a left over single strip of black under this white that is exposed. It looks like a normal wrap. I wanted a little extra cushion so I cut it up just right to hit the places my hand rest with the most weight then wrapped that up. Comfy bars.

The white does get dirty but unlike the black you see the dirt and it’s not hard to go a little soapy water on a rag and give it a wash.

Made in Italy

 

Bike Light Set

 

Shit is expensive. $25 each. I bought these when NYC cops were out to ticket bikers for everything.

Bought at local bike shop.

Cateye is made in China.

The rear blinky is a Planet Bike, who are based in Madison, WI but the light is made in Taiwan

 

Bike Peddler Take A Look Eyeglass Mirror

Bike Peddler Take A Look Cycling Eyeglass Mirror.

I used to use a Cateye BM-300G Racing Mirror (made in Japan) on my other touring bikes but when switching from STI to bar-end shifting I lose that option. I want to have a mirror when I think I need one, so this is coming along. We’ll see how long it lasts. One thing I liked about the Cateye was if I got a bug or dirt in my eye I would have a mirror right there and it worked for shaving my face too. That’s why I’m going to bring it minus the bar end plug part, it’ll be my vanity mirror compared to this tiny little thing.

One thing I like about this mirror is in the old photos of my dad riding his road bike, like from before I was born or only old enough to be carried in a trailer behind his bike, he had one of these.

Cost: $15

Made in USA