Saddlebag as Buffer Zone

With most of our bicycles fitted with saddlebags, we've noticed a welcome secondary benefit: They provide an effective buffer zone. Should a bicycle fall or come into contact with an abrasive surface, the bag can protect the frame, components and saddle from getting damaged.

When a bicycle is on its side, it essentially rests on the saddlebag, without the saddle itself touching the ground. If the bag is large enough, it can even provide enough of a buffer so that the drivetrain does not suffer from impact.

The saddlebag is also helpful when you need to rest the bicycle against a rock or a fence. Even if you have a kickstand, sometimes it is too windy to use it, or the ground is not stable enough, and you are better off resting the bike in a position where it can't fall. On the picture above you can see that the saddlebag allows for almost the entire bike to avoid contact with sand or rock. While the primary purpose of a saddlebag is, of course, to carry stuff, the "buffer zone" it provides is tremendously useful. I have scuffed the saddles on every bicycle I've used without one.

H Street Revisited

Now that H Street is coming back into its own, I wanted to pick my father’s brain about what it was like back in his day, in the 1920s. I decided we ought to take a tour, and see what was left, so we climbed into my pollen laden car and went back in time.

Our first hurdle was driving down H Street from Northwest to Northeast Everywhere we went the streets are being ripped up or there is new construction. Plus Dad couldn’t see through all the green funk on the windshield so that was a handicap, but we finally found the block where my grandfather, Peter Cokinos, had his candy shop at 1103 H Street. There’s a convenience store and an empty space there now, but back then he used to make candy and ice-cream in the basement. He made a very good living at it, too, and retired in about 1926.

I asked Dad if there were any other Greeks around back then, and it sounds like you couldn’t swing a cat without hitting a half dozen families - including branches of our own clan. Jim Cokinos, a first cousin, to Papou, had a deli at 10th and K, and the Kendros family lived nearby. There was the Kavakos Grill at 8th and H which became a nightclub during World War II, plus The Rendezvous which the Kalevas family ran. The Chaconas Bar and Grill was at 10th and H, and the Bacchus Grill was at H and 15th ( owned by the Bachhus family not the god)
He also remembers the Paramount Grill was run by two Greek brothers. It was "a blue collar sort of breakfast place". (Imagine that.)

Besides all the Greeks ,there was also Whall's Department Store which was 2 stories high and carried everything. There were three movie theaters- the Apollo, the Empire and the Princess - all of them gone now. (The Atlas which is now a performing arts center
didn’t open until the late thirties.) There were lots of beauty shops and barbershops- altogether a thriving business community.

Our next stop was 919 11th Street, the house Dad and his older sister, Catherine were born in. Peter Cokinos bought this house brand new probably in 1914. The block is a little worn down now, the fluted columns on the houses have been replaced, but it's still standing. Our family moved from here to Macomb Street around 1927.



We nabbed a mail person and continued down memory lane.
A few blocks away, at the corner of Montello and Neal, we found
Samuel Wheatley Elementary. Dad didn't recognize it at first as it had gained two large additions since he went there, but the whole school is empty now. This is where Dad and Aunt Catherine walked to school,
and where they learned to speak English for the first time.

Next it was over to the DC Farmer's Market. ( not to be confused with Eastern Market) A lot of the stalls are boarded up now. Of course, Dad remembers when it was all going full force, though it took us a while to find Litteri's Italian market. The paint has faded, but little else has. changed, and Mom thought she even recognized one of the countermen. After waiting a couple of years for a couple of sandwiches which were actually worth the wait, we picnicked with the carpenter bees at my son Kit’s school, Hardy which is being housed in a building that was the Hamilton School. The school is located on Brentwood Parkway just off Florida Avenue, within walking distance of his grandfather's childhood.

Wandering Along

Monday, April 4th - - Upon leaving Copper Breaks State Park, I continued northwest in the general direction of Amarillo. My intended destination was Palo Duro State Park, which some claim is the second largest canyon in the United States (the largest being the Grand Canyon).



However, I tired of battling the wind which was coming from the north with gusts of 35-50 mph and turned south after about an hour of driving. Several other factors added to the decision to forgo Palo Duro at this time – my left leg has been giving me some problems making hiking on uneven, rough trails a bit problematic – the wind was not due to let up until later in the day – the overnight temperature was going to drop into the low 30s - and tonight Butler was going up against UConn in the Big Game! So Palo Duro would have to wait for another time.



Just east of Silverton on Texas Highway 256 a rest area at the top of a ridge provided good views of the road just traveled.





This simple wooden cross at the top of the ridge honored “Gran” and “Pop”.





And this is the view that was off to the right... looking north.



Looking northeast.

Yes, I stopped at a motel for the night. And was disappointed by the outcome of the game. Neither team played all that good but Butler played a little worse, dashing the hopes of everyone cheering for the underdog.

Back to Chesapeake

Today we headed back to Chesapeake. If it were not for our travel buddies, and wanting time with them, we'd be moving on because we've had our fill of the area already. After spending the winter in Florida, it is very hard for us to sit "still" and not be moving. It's well worth it to have family time with people we enjoy so much though.



We had a nice, short drive over to the park. We ended up in the same section that we were in last time, in fact our old spot was still open. I'm sure this will not be the case soon because this park is very busy in the summer. They have upgraded many of the sites in this section to 50 amps with makes it very nice when we want to run both air conditioners inside.

We're hoping the weather holds out for us and it nice here. A few days of rain has me feeling quite grumpy so I need some sun at this point.





Living the life in dreary Virginia.

Who's Afraid of Toe Overlap?

The idea of "toe overlap" or "toe clip overlap" (TCO) is one of those hot button topics that can causemetaphorical bloodshed in online discussionsamong bicycle enthusiasts. Still, I would like to have a go at it, as I think my perspective reflects the type of cyclist who does not typically take part in these debates. I would also like to discuss the topic from both sides of the argument, encouraging readers to form their own opinions. In short, here are my 2 cents:

What is toe overlap?On some bicycles, it is possible to hit the front wheel with your toe when turning at slow speeds. This interference (or overlap) between your toe and the wheel can make you fall. Toe overlap is especially common on bicycles with small frame sizes and large wheels. If you picture what happens to the wheels of a bike as the frame gets smaller (as the top tube gets shorter, the wheels move closer together), it makes sense why that is so.

Is toe overlap a problem?

I don't think there is an answer to this question that rings true for everyone, but I will try to cover multiple sides of the argument.



An argument for "no": Chances are that you alreadyhave a bike with toe overlap and simply haven't noticed. Try it: make a slow, sharp U-turn on a quiet street or in a parking lot, and pay attention to whether your toe can potentially hit the wheel as you are making the turn. The overlap is more drastic on some bikes than on others, but most smaller-frame production bicycles have it to some degree. The reason many cyclists remain blissfully unaware of it, is that we rarely cycle at speeds slow enough for the wheel to turn so sharply as to cause the overlap. So while the overlap is a theoretical possibility, it is not usually a threat.



An argument for "yes": Cyclists do occasionally make turns slow enough to cause toe overlap. Instances when that might happen include the aforementioned U-turns, as well as slow turns in urban traffic. In addition, beginner cyclists tend to go slower than experienced cyclists - making them more vulnerable to toe overlap.



An argument for "no": Some in the bicycle industry will argue that toe overlap is not so much a "problem" as a reality, and it is the cyclist's responsibility to learn to deal with it. Even on bikes with dramatic toe overlap, and even when those bikes are fixed gear (i.e. coasting through a turn is not an option), there is a way to time your pedal strokes so that your toe does not hit the turned wheel. There are formulas and instructions for this. Over time, it becomes "second nature."



An argument for "yes": What is "second nature" to some, may not be to others, even over time. There are some experienced cyclists who've had bad falls as a result of toe overlap. The bottom line is, that if your bike has toe overlap, and if you actually manage to hit the front wheel with your toe as a result (or get your toe jammed in there, which also happens), you could have a bad fall while trying to execute a turn. Therefore, at least in theory, a bike with toe overlap is more accident prone, than a bike without. Some would argue that this in itself makes it a "problem" and not just a "feature" of the bike.



What can be done to avoid toe overlap on small size bikes?

In theory, a few things can be done by the framebuilder or manufacturer to create small size frames without toe overlap. The problem is, that all of these changes have consequences that can be perceived as drawbacks. For example:



Smaller wheel size: Toe overlap can usually be eliminated on a small frame by fitting the bike with proportionally smaller wheels. For instance: 650B instead of the typical 700C on a roadbike, or 26" instead of the typical 28" on a roadster-type bicycle. The reason this is seldom done on production bikes, is that it is more costly for a manufacturer to design different sized frames around different wheels. Additionally, cyclists themselves tend to have an aversion to smaller wheels, due to a commonly held belief that larger wheels are faster. This makes smaller wheeled bikes less popular, despite their no-TCO advantage.



Changes in frame geometry: Toe overlap can also be eliminated by a number of changes to frame geometry. The simplest method is to make the the top tube a bit longer and the seat tube a bit steeper, which will create more space between the front wheel and the crankset without changing the way a bicycle handles too much. However, a longer top tube means that you will either be too stretched out on the bike, or will need a super-short stem. And a steep seat tube means that you may either be uncomfortable with the aggressive angle, or will need to find a seat post with considerable set-back. If you prefer a relaxed seat tube angle and a reasonable top tube length,then the other options are more complicated, as they involve messing with the bicycle's handling: Making the head tube slacker and increasing the fork rake will reduce toe overlap as well, but it could make the bicycle less responsive, which many cyclists would find undesirable. I don't want to turn this into a lesson in frame geometry, but suffice to say that some would prefer to deal with the toe overlap, rather than make either of these changes to their bike.



Conclusions?

It is hard to find a definitive answer to the questions of whether toe overlap is a problem, and of how to eliminate it. Different frame builders, bicycle fitters, and other industry spokespersons will tell you different things, and they may all sound perfectly convincing and reasonable while you are listening to them... until you hear the other guy's argument for the opposite, and it will sound equally convincing and reasonable.



My personal view is that toe overlap is a problem if you consider it a problem. And if you do, then I don't think it's right for anybody in the bicycle industry to try and persuade you otherwise in order to sell you a bike. Ultimately, it should be up to the cyclist to decide and for the framebuilder, or salesperson, to accommodate.

The Grand Canyon :: Navajo Point and Desert View

Navajo Point is the last viewpoint before arriving at Desert View. Quite Spectacular. Indeed.





And a closer view of The River.



And this is how it looks from Desert View. The exterior of the Watch Tower was being renovated the last time I was here and this area was not accessible. I think the little blue wheelbarrow adds something to the picture, I'm just not sure what!





A slightly closer shot of the same view as above.



Each one of the stones used in construction of the Watch Tower was reportedly selected by the architect Mary Jane Colter. She also determined where each stone was to be placed.





I did go inside and was going to go up but after the first few steps, my legs cried out “no way” so I turned around. I was completely enthralled by the interior and took plenty of photos the last time, which you can see here.





The view to the east, looking out over the desert. The Little Colorado Gorge lies a few miles away and the terrain is still quite rugged.



And so, as the road to Desert View comes to an end, so too does this Journey of mine... I've made it safely back to Indiana. I'm Home Again. Thank you to everyone who has followed along, I'm so glad you could join me for the ride...



For those of you who are feeling the need for a bit of adventure, my cousins Sue & Fred will be hiking into the Grand Canyon in a few weeks. Then they will be traveling in the West and in May will follow the coast north and “driving” to Alaska via the Marine Highway. They will be spending the Summer Up North! I wish them well in their journey and will be following along virtually, as many of you have been following me...

Gloucester VA to Gasburg VA

Yesterday we left the Chesapeake Thousand Trails resort to head a short distance to Gasburg, VA. We didn't want a long driving day because of going to DC the day before and we wanted to see what the resort here was like. We stayed at Lake Gaston Resort which is a ROD resort. This was one of the nicest resorts we've stayed at so far.



It was similar to Chesapeake in that it had water and the gorgeous fall colors. It was very different in one special to Austin way-it had an incredible family center. He was able to bowl and play racquetball

with Dad right at the resort. Ask him about the big goose egg on his forehead and he'll happily tell you his sports injury story. Then he'll tell you how he hurt his Dad too. Great male bonding times!



Actually, he'll probably tell you about the prime rib dinner he ate here that so impressed him, he is counting down the days until his birthday dinner where he wants prime rib again. Speaking of impressive, I have to brag on Nathan for a few minutes. He took the shots in this post and I think they are fabulous! I used to say we took entirely different shots when we had a camera in our hand but I've noticed our styles are beginning to merge a bit. Guess that is what happens when you live this.close.together.







He still does zero photo editing, so I grab all of his shots and do with them what I want. Pretty generous of him, huh? We really had a great time at this resort, even though we were only there for two nights/one day. We will come back in the spring and spend a longer time here then.



Coco loves to walk so much that it's a treat to watch her. She just wants to be outside all the time, most likely because she was used to having a doggie door and a backyard before. Since we just joined the rest of the world and watched the movie "Up", we find this particular move hysterical:



She is so obsessed with...Squirrel! Living the life in lovely Virginia.

Blue Dragon Balloon

One of my favorites of the special shapes.

Day's End at Rock Cove

Seems like my focus this summer has been on wildlife, but I have been getting the occasional landscape shot or two. Here's a fairly recent one from the Lake Superior shoreline near my home.

The Seat Cluster: a Starburst of Lugwork

One of my favourite parts of a bicycle frame's anatomy is what's called the "seat cluster" - the joint where the seat tube, the top tube, and the rear stays of the bicycle meet. If done nicely, the seat cluster can look like a beautiful starburst of lugwork, and that is what I love about it. On the picture above is the very classic seat cluster on the Waja trackbike I rode in Vienna earlier this summer.

A similarly classic seat cluster on the Rivendell Sam Hillborne.

[image via Franklyn W]

And another example from an Ebisu bicycle. You can see how the individuality of the cut of the lugwork interacts with the colour of the paint to create subtle variations in form and shade. The stay caps (those narrow diagonal pieces that taper to meet the main lug) can be rounded or pointy, flat or concave, stubby or elongated.



[image viacycleczar]

They can even wrap all the way around the main seat lug, like on this Toei bicycle, so that the pointy tips meet. This is called a "wrap around seat cluster" design.





The stay caps also make for a good surface to embellish with an engraving of the manufacturer's name, like on this vintage Trek 610.



[image via Dancing Weapon]

Or with hand-painted flourishes, like on this Bob Jackson.



[image via Royal H.]

They can also be carved, if so desired, like on this early Royal H. frame.



[image via ribalrid]

While I prefer classic seat clusters, there are also many designs that deviate into all sorts of creative directions. On this Bates B.A.R. bicycle, the seat stay caps look like sharpened pencils and meet the main lug at the bottom.



[image via somervillain]

On this vintage Trek 560, the seat cluster is one big lug, and the seat stays are held by lugged sockets at the back.



[image via Kevin Saunders]

And then there are seat clusters where the stays connect to the tube directly, below the lug, like on this Formigli frame. (My understanding is that both this and the method used by Trek above is done to create tighter clearances?)



[image via Royal H.]

A similar approach to "fastback stays" by Royal H., with the seat stays attached at the rear.



When it comes to lugwork, there is no shortage of details to get obsessed about, and the topic can provide hours of impassioned discussion to those who feel strongly about one design over another. Crazy? Maybe so, but also beautiful... like the seat cluster on my Royal H. frame that will (hopefully very soon now) emerge as a fully built bicycle.

The Bobbin Birdie Flies to Iowa!

I hope that everyone is having a nice Valentine's Day - either celebrating it, ignoring it, or doing something delightfully un-Valentinesy, whatever your persuasion.




But what will thered Bobbin Birdiebe doing, you might ask? She will be spending the evening packing her bags, for soon she will fly to her new human friend in the Midwest. I would like to announce that the winner of the Valentine's Day Give-Away and the recipient of the Birdie is Audrey W., whose submission I repost below:






The photo is a little fuzzy, but a close look reveals details that struck me as both sweet and meaningful. On the right is a picture of a heart shaped wheel in a truing stand. And the poem on the left reads:




"true love

discouraging, tiresome
amassed frustrations
quick release–
escape
restore sanity?

true love, loyal to
youth, to health, to
the beating-
heart

celebrating curves,
bearing pain and
bliss–
eternal"




Though not as sleek in presentation as some of the other entries, the impact of Audrey's card stayed with me, and many readers reported the same effect in their feedback.




Audrey is involved inthe Bike Library in Iowa City, where she and the Birdie should feel right at home as a couple.Please join me in congratulating Audrey on her new bicycle!






I would like to thank everyone who submitted their poetry and art for this give-away (see the 15 finalists here). Your work brought joy to lots of readers, and I hope there is some satisfaction in that. Thank you also to those who gave feedback about their favourite entries; I read all the comments and they definitely influenced my decision. Finally, I would like to express my appreciation to the fellows atForth Floor - the North American distributor of Bobbin Bicycles -for sponsoring this give-away with no stipulations or strings attached. As always, thank you everyone for reading, and a lovely evening to all!

Dinner at our hotel camp near Wadi Rum

As we drove back to our hotel camp at Bait Ali Camp, just a few kilometers away from the Rum village, we were looking forward to an evening of chilling out.



Caught this postcard foto of 2 camels from the moving car.





Took a quick video as we leave the protected area of Wadi Rum back to our hotel camp.



We were not really sure what to expect for dinner that night but we were told there will be a buffet at the restaurant for all guests. I’m looking forward to some real Jordanian fares, I hope.



I heard that if you are staying at the Bedouin camps you get to see how they cook their meat traditionally. Under the ground! Wow, that would have been a very cool experience to witness and taste the actual food but I doubt if the hotel camp would be similarly showcasing this traditional aspect of Jordanian culinary.



When we arrived at the hotel camp, the first thing we did was to order a glass of drink. Red wine for me obviously. I need my spirits to help me relax and feel at home.



As for the dinner buffet, it was nothing that spectacular but it was OK.



I loved the ‘Arayes’ though. This is a typical Middle Eastern meat dish mainly found in Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria—grilled pita bread stuffed with minced meat mixed in spices and herbs. It was really, really good. If the whole meal were to be based on the Arayes only then it would have been 5 stars.



Blondine liked the dessert. I think it was called ‘Basbousa’, a crumble cake sprinkled with coconut strips on top.



The only thing we didn’t like during dinner was the music. They were playing some American pop music that does not really fit to the ambiance of the place. I made sure I communicated my displeasure when I submitted my hotel booking review.



Green salad, different types of Arabic dips and sauces, pickled vegetables and pita bread.



Couscous, lamb and chicken barbecue and the arayes.



Arayes, grilled pita bread stuffed with minced meat in spices and herbs. 5 stars!



For dessert, Basbousa.



There were quite a number of guests that evening at the hotel camp.