Hot tub party

I'm one step closer to being a king of leisure.

Phase 17 of site prep. Dabby and I dug down 2 feet and filled it with gravel. Then I rented a plate compacter and whacked it down, then we dug in some cinder blocks, leveled them and whacked it down again. Then we set 6"X6"s on the blocks and the hot tub on top of that. I turned out level and very sturdy, which is good as the full tub weighs over 5000 pounds.

Big thanks to my custom carpenter crew : Devon, Sam and Justin. They did a great job for a fair price. I'll get some detail pics if it ever stops raining.


Yes, I got four kittens. Filbert, Fig, Marty and Ghostface.

media blitz!

"It causes problems in my life sometimes," he says, "because it's all I think about."

The Boregonian gives Sweet T some love : Fringe Sports

blogging

Shit, forgot I had a blog again. I guess I've been too busy with real life. Here are some pictures from the last week or so.

I overcame my aversion to "bike culture" and attended the MCBF. It was fun, this 10 year old girl won at foot down and soaked in the glory. I saw Meghan, Magpie, Rev. Phil, Sweet T, Sarah, and lots of other friends and acquaintances.

Glenna came down from BC to pay us a visit.


Shepherd, meet sheep.

And goat.
Justine at the Molalla River. We also swam in the Sandy and twice in the Rickreall Creek.

The boys. After years of threats I finally made it to the Humane Society. Squirrels, mice, etc, your days are numbered.


Glenna longboarded Orchard Heights Road and pronounced it "pretty tame"

Another good year for poison oak.


Heating up Rickreall Creek.

mtb ride this Sunday

Meet at Ristretto, 42nd North of Fremont by 9:30am for a 10am departure.

The Return of Shiprek!

Reentering the Atmosphere

Walking out

An interesting walk out today. I went for a little road ride in the late afternoon, just to stretch my legs, I told myself. Of course as soon as the road turned up and that LCD Sounsystem song I like came on the headphones I started riding like I was Pantani on the Col de Galibier. By the time I hit the top I was deep in oxygen debt and my judgement must have been impaired. I thought "I'll just head down this little gravel road for a ways, I'm pretty sure it connects up with a paved road in less than a mile", of course it got steep and soon I was going fast, having fun, bunny hopping storm debris, mooing at cows, etc. About 2 miles later I hit pavement, thinking "I made it", only to feel both tires get softer as I coasted along. Two flats. No problem, I thought, I always carry at least two tubes in my tool bag plus a patch kit. I pulled over to a conveniently placed boulder and unloaded, pump, tire levers, uh-oh where are the tubes...oh yeah, I gave them away last weekend and neglected to replace them. Open the patch kit...no glue. I must have swiped it for the other patch kit in my other backpack. Idiot.
I was a little pissed at my lack of preparedness but quickly got over it and had a mostly enjoyable 5 mile walk home. The only bad part was the shoes. If I had been rocking New Balance or Saucony, no problem, but tight fitting Sidis with metals bits bolted to the bottom proved to be less than ideal. Once I got into the walking though I started to really enjoy it. I saw all kinds of things I had missed when driving or biking. Several new views, though I still haven't found a good view of my house, there's always a hill or tree in the way. Wildlife : A deer, various hawks, various rodents, one barking dog, four cows. Dead : a large beetle, two frogs, scrub jay, squirrel (yes!)
I got passed by quite a few cars but no one stopped to ask if I needed help. Maybe I was striding confidently or something. Maybe people are just dicks. If a slow moving farm truck had been going my way I might have stuck a thumb out and offered 5 bucks for a ride but it was all sedans and luxury SUVs. One guy did stop when I was almost home, he was headed East over the Eola hills and wondering if he was going the right direction for Willamina. I was tempted to give him the old "keep going, you can't miss it" but gave him the straight dope instead. As I cut a diagonal through the Farmer family filbert orchard my watch said 94 minutes, not too bad. Natty was installed in her favorite corner of the green leather couch, I'm not sure she knew I was gone.

Rickreall Open 2009 pt.2

The Kid demonstrating his footlock technique.

Much speed scrabble was played. I may have won one game early but once Sarah, Tiah and Misia heated up I was out of my league.

Disco knows a thing or two about starting fires.


Tiahdactyl's description of the weekend, from facebook :

ride ride ride, corndog, tacos, ride ride ride, arrival!,people, dogs, beer beer beer, pump track races, hot dogs, russian salad, biscuits and gravy, hot dogs,beer beer beer, speed scrabble!, bonfire, dance party,sleep, speed scrabble, coffee, chit chat, tree climbing!, little bike ride, sweeping, lunch, departure in a vehicle...

Tiah took a lot more photos than I did, you can see them on her flickr page.

Those young hipsters, touring on track bikes...


Climbing the old oak.

Hodges, Rusty and Bean have a dog party. I made a half hearted attempt to get Natty to pose with them but she wasn't into it. Apparently the queen does not lay down with her subjects.
Bean in the orchard.


Chas and Fox depart for Eugene and San Francisco by Friday.

Check out those sweet Black Star panniers.


Lucky and Sweet T prepare for takeoff.

MTB ride

This Friday, June 19.
Meet at Ristretto Roasters, NE 42nd just N. of Fremont by 9am for a 9:15 departure.
Maybe 3 Corner Rock or a Wilson River trail. Suggestions are welcome.

CMWC Guatemala 2010

I am going to this. Book it.
CMWC Guatemala, September 1-13, 2010
featuring :
La Ocho
A reincarnation of the original “human powered rollercoaster”, a figure-8 bike racing track featuring an “over-under”. The Guatemalan version will be made of clay with a wooden bridge. It will be a featured attraction at CMWC 2010 and serve as the primary pre-event.

Rickreall Open 2009 pt.1

Another great Open in the books. A thunderstorm hit Friday night and made most of the trails unrideable but we managed a few time trials Saturday afternoon. It was super slick but still fun. Timmy did the most laps in 2.4 minutes with 9. A bunch of others got 8 including me, Drew, Mace, Matt, Chas and Milkshake, who was wearing a protective boot on his ankle. The road race was canceled due to lack of interest, except from Drew. So maybe Timmy wins. Maybe Drew wins because everyone else forfeit the road race. I'm going to call it a draw, put the small amount of cash raised in the TW Slush Fund and have another Open in the late summer. Let's say August 21-23. It may also be a birthday party for Justine, Tiah, Jefe and any other late August birthdays, we'll see.Canceled in favor of a yoga seminar. Details of the next Open to come.

Rickreall Open

The Open starts tomorrow!

The weather may not be ideal, I know some were hoping for 95 and sunny so we could have a pool....but I actually prefer 72 and partly cloudy.

The Berms trail is fast and flowy. Thanks to Dabby for all the digging and shaping. Just for the record Dabby will not be attending this Open in the interest of fostering Team unity and camaraderie, but look for a newish and gradually improving Dabby in the future!

The Annex is primed for big air. Bring pads and helmets. I had a vision for nighttime hijinks that is best described as "twin fire descent"...hard to explain but you'll understand when you see it.

Remember to bring a flashlight, headlamp or lantern, sleeping bag, food to BBQ, beer and ice, mosquito repellent, hay fever meds if you get it (it's pollen city out here), Ipods or records and a BMX or mountain bike.

Also I wasn't joking about the $10 per car parking fee, so be ready for that.

And... Sweet-T and Boston have both inquired as to rides down Saturday night, anyone have extra room?

Plus! Remember to support our sponsor, The Rickreall Mini-Mart located in downtown Rickreall. Or just bring your beer money to the farm and we'll mount a massive expedition with Bob trailer or truck.

Rickreall Open 2009

It is on. You are welcome from Friday morning to Monday evening. Bring cash, beer, food, and a positive, winning attitude.

scenes from a mini work party

We built up the new Fat Chance for Jaden to ride around. it turned out pretty light as a single speed. It's not for sale but if someone I really like wants to buy it and pledges to go riding with me a bunch I could be convinced to let it go for a good price.


I'm a 24 inch convert. 26ers feel floppy now.

The upshot of my decision to cancel the satellite TV service. I moved most of the crap out of the TV room and made it a guest room. I ended up with two of these Ikea tables that I had no use for and decided to integrate them into the Berms of Endearment trail. This stunt will henceforth be known as "the tabletop".


Jaden and his crab stabbing stick.

Best of luck to Sweet T, Eric and Brian as they represent Team WRECK in Milwaukee.

pre-open work party this weekend

Here's your chance to sculpt the time trial course to your liking and maybe pre-ride the road course. Bring gloves and a willingness to move some dirt and logs.

real estate update

If anyone wants to be my neighbor the property two fields south of me just went on the market. It's a little spendy but I bet they'd come way down, in this tough economy, as they say. It's on a little hill and includes a bunch of outbuildings and a large grove of mature oaks. A zip line to the pump track could be possible with a really, really tall tower.

weekend linkage

A few days ago I read an interesting article in the Times about how a Dutch company is trying to bring polaroid film back. They touched on how, in this era of digital photography speed doesn't matter anymore and the advantage of polaroid is the physical photo becomes art. With a built in frame and it's own color saturation and a certain realness. Anyway that wasn't interesting enough to blog about but today the Times ran their photo editor's 426 favorite reader submissions. Mace, you should check it out.

I guess this link is also for Mace, a long article about the NBA and the evolution of the game and referees. I don't usually link the Sports Guy's stuff, but this was interesting to me. His podcast has gotten better also, good interviews with Jeff VanGundy, Mark Cuban and David Stern recently.


But pro-hugging students say it is not a romantic or sexual gesture, simply the “hello” of their generation. “We like to get cozy,” said Katie Dea, an eighth grader at Claire Lilienthal Alternative School in San Francisco. “The high-five is, like, boring.”
Once again, I'm ahead of the curve.


Just so we're all on the same page, it would be totally insane to spend $400 on a plastic chair and leave it out in the woods, right?
Even if its " a cult product", a "revisited baroque ideatype", "the most daring example in the world of polycarbonate injection in a single mould" and would look so cool in a certain clearing, surrounded by mossy logs and dappled in afternoon sun.

Also, I finally put a deposit down on a hot tub. Not like this one pictured though, mine is being custom built out of reclaimed cedar and the wood stove will be inside the tub. It won't be ready in time for the Open but look for a series of hot tub themed parties this fall.

Westside Invite 9 part 4

I found a few more photos from the Westside weekend...


Esra and her "crazy" face.

Timmy hydrating.

It's a good sign if you can flash the horns at the last stop of an alleycat. By this point I would be drooling and talking to myself.

Guy claims he got this tattoo in Portland after Team Wreck beat Team Skirt at the first Westside tournament.

She had a good sprint.

I heard Keo killed it in the freestyle. I opted to miss it in favor of deep fried calamari, fish tacos, Stella Artois and good company.

Timmy won the trackstand again. Good to see him get a little glory, the main race sounded brutal.

Celebration time. Mt. Ranier looked a lot bigger in person. Anarchy point was an awesome venue for the afternoon but I always feel a little nervous hanging out at a superfund site for an extended period. I don't think the hill we were sitting on was made of dirt.


I spotted this signed Cannibal jersey at the warehouse space shared by Moebius Cycles.

Someone's quiver. Heavy on the Colnago, Masi and trials. One road bike was buried and I hope it was intended as a joke, a really old bonded Vitus with really old Spinergys. Unsafe at any speed.

Skillz.

Puzzling out the manifest at Hat and Boot park.

Kickstands are the new tarck bikes.

Watch out for this one.

She will scalp you.

a walk around

I remember my mom ordering some semi-illicit poppy seeds from Amsterdam. I like to think these are an example but I'm not sure.


Disaster in the lettuce bed! The day before these were orderly rows of heirloom lettuce and spinach.

At first I thought of deer but they could have reached all the lettuce without trampling in the bed.
Then I noticed a few holes, so it's an invader from below but not a mole or gopher as there were no mounds at all. Any guesses?
I think the solution is to dig all the dirt out, reline the bottom and sides with heavy steel mesh and refill with new dirt.

Big and little.

I've let a few parts of the Annex go without mowing to see what would happen. The result is (predictably) a mixture of the last crops grown in the field plus weeds.
The majority is this stuff. It seems like a perennial rye grass. I think it might have been grown in the field some years ago but I'm not sure.

There are a few patches of wheat from last year.

This looks like oats to me.

There are a few patches of this thin grass with feathery seeds. I'm pretty sure it's never been planted here. Maybe it's a native or just opportunistic.

This looks like fescue, which was growing here for several years. I expected more of it to come back.

The pit version 2.

In the interest of evening out the twin berms I scooped out the inside track and added a kicker into the right side of the s-curve leading into the harsh berm. Still not even but closer.

Sunnyside Environmental School 7th grade field trip

My vehicle group. We had a great time once some ground rules were accepted.
A main topic of conversation was my Ipod and why it sucked.
Left to right leaving Jaden out,
Adam : not enough metal, limited Sabbath and Maiden, need more Priest etc.
Brody : Somewhat more reserved, Brody proffered his own CD which was all mid-80s schlock, heavy on the Bon Jovi. I often felt Brody was making fun of me in subtle ways. He may be cooler than me already. Shit.
Isaac : not enough funk, no disco, quotes : "That's all the Stevie Wonder you have?" "Are you racist?"
The only common ground was, surpisingly, "1234" by Feist. After the first time it became traditional to cue it up full volume before every longish bridge, roll down all the windows and scream along with the lyrics. Good times.

My cabin group. Somehow I got stuck with the cool kids. Nearly every second of our "cabin time" was a jam session. Two guitars, a bass, garbage cans and brooms for percussion and Lee's vocal stylings. He had the campfire in stitches but saved his best material for the cabin. I recorded one song in garage band if I can figure out an easy way to post it here I will.

At the Columbia Maritime Museum. Way better than I expected. I'd love to go back and spend a whole afternoon there. A few of the old guys acting as docents seemed super interesting and I'd love to ask them a million questions.

Real or statue?



This figurehead, which may or may not be Lord Admiral Nelson, was found washed up on a nearby beach.

Mmmm, sushi.
The whale skeleton at Long Beach.



Beach sculpture by Junior

The kids at Waikiki Beach.

At the North Head Lighthouse. Another interesting volunteer that I wanted more time with. I did learn that the light had only been extinguished twice, Dec. 7, 1941 and one other earlier time when they were concerned about a British attack. Also I learned the horizon was 20 miles away at the top of the lighthouse. I've always heard from boat level (sea level I guess) the horizon is 7 miles away. Is there an easy formula that correlates height above sea level in feet to visual horizon in miles?


Self portrait with wind.