Everything Must Go was a decent movie. I laughed about as much as I thought I would at the alcoholic antics of Will Ferrell's character. Based on a short story by Raymond Carver, called Why Won't You Dance, Everything Must Go is the story of a man who has hit rock bottom. Fired from his job for drinking on a business trip, and coming home to find his wife has kicked him out and thrown all his belongings into the yard, Ferrell decides to live right there, front and center among his memories and on his recliner, in the yard. He sets up a living room and dining room area and drinks PBR after PBR and also keeping an eye on the neighbors. One friend has commented that the movie is a cautionary tale to hipsters to start watching their PBR consumption before the end up living on their own front yards.
I think it is a story about friendship, as Ferrel befriends and teaches a neighbor kid, Kenny, about business and baseball and who in turn helps him sell all of his possessions and move on. He also befriends the pregnant woman across the street who has recently moved in alone, and awaits her husband. She takes care of Ferrell when he goes through alcohol withdrawals and is miserable.
He gives her an old camera (as she collects them) and leaves her his records.
It's a heartfelt story, but not over done. There is a spectacular betrayal and insight at the end and there is moving on. It's one of the more real movies I've seen in awhile.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Bottom Bracket Revelations
I showed up to FreeCylces on Sunday thinking it was ladies night. That doesn't start for another week, but luckily Bob was there and said i could just come be a lady in the shop. So I stayed for 3 hrs and took apart the bottom bracket on the Raleigh. In my last post i had decided to donate the Raleigh and keep some of the parts. After having Bob look at it and comment on what a beautiful bike it was and that the rear tire that had been giving me trouble is completely fixable, and after Oscar said that all I needed to do was lube up the bearings and overhaul it, it would be good as new...I decided that i would keep the Raleigh.
So what if it's a little big, I already had gotten used to it, I just need to fix up a better braking configuration on the handlebars and lower the seat.
So. That is the project, now.
So what if it's a little big, I already had gotten used to it, I just need to fix up a better braking configuration on the handlebars and lower the seat.
So. That is the project, now.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Curiosity
June 24, 2011
"Pynchon is the kind of author who inspires rabid fandom, sort of like a Patti Smith."
By Erin Schmiel
Thomas Pynchon, that famous reclusive writer who writes 1,000+ page novels you either hate to read or love to read...but you still read them. On the website, Literary Kicks, Lauren Agnelli back in 2001, writes a thoughtful and thorough profile of Pynchon, even giving short synopsis-type reviews of some his large (and short) tomes.
I found this interesting as I am now reading his most recent book, Against the Day, and now really want to read Mason Dixon and to reread Gravity's Rainbow.
"Pynchon is the kind of author who inspires rabid fandom, sort of like a Patti Smith."
By Erin Schmiel
Thomas Pynchon, that famous reclusive writer who writes 1,000+ page novels you either hate to read or love to read...but you still read them. On the website, Literary Kicks, Lauren Agnelli back in 2001, writes a thoughtful and thorough profile of Pynchon, even giving short synopsis-type reviews of some his large (and short) tomes.
I found this interesting as I am now reading his most recent book, Against the Day, and now really want to read Mason Dixon and to reread Gravity's Rainbow.
Grey and Seafoam Green
Like many girls, I have the colors already picked out. Grey frame and sea foam (or light green) bar tape. This helps me visualize the final product, of which I am a long way off.
Thursday, briefly, I went to FreeCylces to strip down my old Raleigh to donate the frame (which has always been too big for me). It occurred to me, with a helpful suggestion by Jeffery that I keep the rubber brake hoods, that I could also save the headset, bottom bracket, fenders...heck anything! from the old bike for future bikes. I didn't even know to take these brake hoods off, or that that is what they're called, and well, it just multiplied after that.
The process of stripping down the Raleigh to make way for the new bike is a good one. I am saying, "out with old, in with the new." I am also reusing parts so that I don't either have to look for them at the shop or buy them. Jeffery says this is no fun, the saving time in the digging, and he's right, I"m sure to find treasures as FreeCycles and I don't want to miss out on that. I wanted to save time when I thought I was still on this 5 days to build a bike schedule which I have pretty much blown out of the water by not going to the shop this past Wednesday. I could have been at the shop at least 4 hrs then and gotten some open shop time and volunteering hrs.
I needed a night off apparently. 2 days in a row were good and I returned to a very productive 45 minutes. Saturday, I"m in for a long day of stripping and saving and searching and maybe even a ladies' shop night on Sunday. I don't know if I"ll get that much done that night, I may count it toward volunteering as I'll probably be showing my friends around the shop and helping Shannon out with fixing her wheel.
Who knows.
Thursday, briefly, I went to FreeCylces to strip down my old Raleigh to donate the frame (which has always been too big for me). It occurred to me, with a helpful suggestion by Jeffery that I keep the rubber brake hoods, that I could also save the headset, bottom bracket, fenders...heck anything! from the old bike for future bikes. I didn't even know to take these brake hoods off, or that that is what they're called, and well, it just multiplied after that.
The process of stripping down the Raleigh to make way for the new bike is a good one. I am saying, "out with old, in with the new." I am also reusing parts so that I don't either have to look for them at the shop or buy them. Jeffery says this is no fun, the saving time in the digging, and he's right, I"m sure to find treasures as FreeCycles and I don't want to miss out on that. I wanted to save time when I thought I was still on this 5 days to build a bike schedule which I have pretty much blown out of the water by not going to the shop this past Wednesday. I could have been at the shop at least 4 hrs then and gotten some open shop time and volunteering hrs.
I needed a night off apparently. 2 days in a row were good and I returned to a very productive 45 minutes. Saturday, I"m in for a long day of stripping and saving and searching and maybe even a ladies' shop night on Sunday. I don't know if I"ll get that much done that night, I may count it toward volunteering as I'll probably be showing my friends around the shop and helping Shannon out with fixing her wheel.
Who knows.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Bike Well Class and the Schedule
What do all these terms have in common? Lock spacer, head set, case bearings, locking collar, pin spacer, crank, chain stays, front derailleur, down tube, forks, fork rake, extension stem...?
They are all pieces of a bike. Many people can recognize the pedals, the saddle (seat), handlebars and wheels. But there are many, MANY, pieces to a bike, and a lot of them are hidden.
During the 2 hr Bike Well class I attended this past Tuesday evening, I learned about the inner workings of the head set and the bottom bracket. The head set, what connects the handlebars to the bike frame and front wheel has a very simple bearings system which allows it to turn smoothly while taking corners. Picture if you will, your handlebars. They have a tube between where your hands sit, this tube is hollow, and inside it is a long bolt that connects into the headset, that flat part at the front of the frame that usually has the bike's manufacture's symbol be it Giant, Bianchi, Raleigh...it's the bike's hood ornament. This bolt travels through the head set to the fork which is just what it sounds like, 2 fork-like prongs that hold the front wheel in place. Picture 2 fingers like a peace sign, now invert them, this is how the fork holds the wheel.
Now, what makes this whole system turn smoothly, is the ball bearings. Just like BB's, these are metal and need grease to travel in their case. There are a couple other parts, like locking collars that hold it all into place, but you get the idea.
I'll know more when I have to put all these pieces together for myself. For now, I was just watching Kevin, the FreeCycles volunteer describe it all as he took apart a bike.
He also disassembled the bottom bracket which is were the pedals and the crank connect to the bike. This system is very similar to the head set, as there are bearings and locking collars. Both systems need to rotate smoothly and get a lot of wear, so they need to be taken care of. It's important to make sure no sand or debris gets in there, and it happens, so that's why you take it apart occasionally to check the bearings, lube em up and make sure everything is sealed up.
This whole process was interesting to see, all those pieces which allows us to move this thing called a bike.
So, how long does it take to build a bike? Kevin felt that it would take about 5 days of 2 hrs each day to build a bike, depending on how many pieces we needed to dig for. FreeCycles has tons of pieces, all organized into sections around the shop. There are boxes of pedals, brakes, brake cables hang from the wall, next to the PVC tower of cable housing, there are tires (sorted by size) on pegs, there are walls and walls of tires, a shelving unit of cassetts and also derailleurs. It's a little overwhelming when you first walk in. Not only are there these parts in side the shop, there's a whole "bone yard" of donated bikes in various states of assembly, out in the yard surrounding the shop. But where you'll be spending most of your time is in the work space where there are racks to put your frame up onto, and all the tools you'll need for assembly. There's also a tire repair station for the final touches.
FreeCycles is a one-stop shop, you can even paint your frame when the time comes.
So, when will that time come?
The first thing you need to do is decide what you need your bike for? Mountain biking? Commuting everyday to work, or just to cruise to the market on Saturdays? Do you need a fast road bike for racing? I used to use a mountain bike for commuting to school everyday, it was heavy--but not too slow and it could handle off-road and had shocks for jumping curbs. I only took it on an actually mountain biking trail twice.
Cruisers are a popular style, I find them too big, too heavy and slow for my commuting as I"m usually in a hurry, but they're very stable for hauling groceries or holding your coffee in hand as you amble down the street. I've always lusted after the hot and fast road bike I see around town. The Scotts, Marins, Konas and other shiny, super-lightweight beauties that live only in the garage until racing time. You can literally pick them up with one finger. The Kona roadbikes are alittle more common, and folks use them for daily commuting because they're fast and durable.
Then there is the fixie trend that all the trendsters and hipsters are riding. They generally build them themselves with colorful frames and wheels, riding with their tiny U-Lock in their back pocket. Very hip, very simple, very fast.
A fixed gear means just that, you're in one gear and once you start moving the pedals keep going, there's no coasting, you're constantly pedaling. This is a little unnerving at first, but then you find a smooth, even cadence and you haul ass. Stopping is a bit of a challenge at first, you must force the pedals to stop (which can be hard on the knees). This is why you see folks in whats called a brake stand at stop lights, they're on a fixie that wants to keep going, and they're standing on the pedals and using their handlebars for balance as the stay standing until they can start pedaling. Brake stands are one of my goals, and there are fewer moving parts on a fixie, no derailleurs, no cables, no cable housing, no brakes--just pedals, crank, cassette (frame, wheels, handlebars etc) so that's what I'm going build...in 5 days. Piece of cake.
They are all pieces of a bike. Many people can recognize the pedals, the saddle (seat), handlebars and wheels. But there are many, MANY, pieces to a bike, and a lot of them are hidden.
During the 2 hr Bike Well class I attended this past Tuesday evening, I learned about the inner workings of the head set and the bottom bracket. The head set, what connects the handlebars to the bike frame and front wheel has a very simple bearings system which allows it to turn smoothly while taking corners. Picture if you will, your handlebars. They have a tube between where your hands sit, this tube is hollow, and inside it is a long bolt that connects into the headset, that flat part at the front of the frame that usually has the bike's manufacture's symbol be it Giant, Bianchi, Raleigh...it's the bike's hood ornament. This bolt travels through the head set to the fork which is just what it sounds like, 2 fork-like prongs that hold the front wheel in place. Picture 2 fingers like a peace sign, now invert them, this is how the fork holds the wheel.
Now, what makes this whole system turn smoothly, is the ball bearings. Just like BB's, these are metal and need grease to travel in their case. There are a couple other parts, like locking collars that hold it all into place, but you get the idea.
I'll know more when I have to put all these pieces together for myself. For now, I was just watching Kevin, the FreeCycles volunteer describe it all as he took apart a bike.
He also disassembled the bottom bracket which is were the pedals and the crank connect to the bike. This system is very similar to the head set, as there are bearings and locking collars. Both systems need to rotate smoothly and get a lot of wear, so they need to be taken care of. It's important to make sure no sand or debris gets in there, and it happens, so that's why you take it apart occasionally to check the bearings, lube em up and make sure everything is sealed up.
This whole process was interesting to see, all those pieces which allows us to move this thing called a bike.
So, how long does it take to build a bike? Kevin felt that it would take about 5 days of 2 hrs each day to build a bike, depending on how many pieces we needed to dig for. FreeCycles has tons of pieces, all organized into sections around the shop. There are boxes of pedals, brakes, brake cables hang from the wall, next to the PVC tower of cable housing, there are tires (sorted by size) on pegs, there are walls and walls of tires, a shelving unit of cassetts and also derailleurs. It's a little overwhelming when you first walk in. Not only are there these parts in side the shop, there's a whole "bone yard" of donated bikes in various states of assembly, out in the yard surrounding the shop. But where you'll be spending most of your time is in the work space where there are racks to put your frame up onto, and all the tools you'll need for assembly. There's also a tire repair station for the final touches.
FreeCycles is a one-stop shop, you can even paint your frame when the time comes.
So, when will that time come?
The first thing you need to do is decide what you need your bike for? Mountain biking? Commuting everyday to work, or just to cruise to the market on Saturdays? Do you need a fast road bike for racing? I used to use a mountain bike for commuting to school everyday, it was heavy--but not too slow and it could handle off-road and had shocks for jumping curbs. I only took it on an actually mountain biking trail twice.
Cruisers are a popular style, I find them too big, too heavy and slow for my commuting as I"m usually in a hurry, but they're very stable for hauling groceries or holding your coffee in hand as you amble down the street. I've always lusted after the hot and fast road bike I see around town. The Scotts, Marins, Konas and other shiny, super-lightweight beauties that live only in the garage until racing time. You can literally pick them up with one finger. The Kona roadbikes are alittle more common, and folks use them for daily commuting because they're fast and durable.
Then there is the fixie trend that all the trendsters and hipsters are riding. They generally build them themselves with colorful frames and wheels, riding with their tiny U-Lock in their back pocket. Very hip, very simple, very fast.
A fixed gear means just that, you're in one gear and once you start moving the pedals keep going, there's no coasting, you're constantly pedaling. This is a little unnerving at first, but then you find a smooth, even cadence and you haul ass. Stopping is a bit of a challenge at first, you must force the pedals to stop (which can be hard on the knees). This is why you see folks in whats called a brake stand at stop lights, they're on a fixie that wants to keep going, and they're standing on the pedals and using their handlebars for balance as the stay standing until they can start pedaling. Brake stands are one of my goals, and there are fewer moving parts on a fixie, no derailleurs, no cables, no cable housing, no brakes--just pedals, crank, cassette (frame, wheels, handlebars etc) so that's what I'm going build...in 5 days. Piece of cake.
Bicycle Composition
"The act of composition is performed by all of us"--Sidney Cox, from, Indirections for those who want TO WRITE.
Composition of a bike, from scratch, for example. Here in Missoula, if you want to build a bike you go to FreeCycles. FreeCycles, part of MIST, Missoula Institute for Sustainable Transportation, is "a nonprofit...providing bikes, parts and help to the community." And they offer, for just attending one Bike Well class and 4 hours of volunteering, all the tools and parts you need to build your own bike.
They require volunteering so that you don't just build a free bike and then treat it as if it isn't worth anything. You put time into your bike, you put time into the shop. Volunteers are encouraged to come during their Wednesday volunteer night to help sort parts, clean and organize the shop or help with any number of special projects going on. All the staff is volunteer and they keep the lights on by fixing and selling bikes at the local resale shop, The Sports Exchange.
This is what is meant by a "grassroots" organization.
Not only does FreeCycles have all the nuts and bolts of bicycle building, they have a small library where I found this gem, "Bike Ways (101 Thigs to Do with a Bike) by Lillian and Godfrey Frankel. This small treasure of a book, published in 1973, sings the praises of bicycles and why we are drawn to ride them. The Frankels cover such topics as, "Bike Clubs and Community", "Bike Camping", "Trips and Tours" and "Having Fun with your Bike." They also cover other basics like how to select and ride a bike to safety and repairs.
In the introduction, they say we are drawn to bikes for stress reduction, a sense of achievement and an open field of vision, "without dirty windshields and noxious fumes." The most profound line, for me, was; "You are the source of power quietly and confidently (sic)." This line goes well with the quote I used from Sidney at the beginning of this blog, about composition. We have the power to not only move our bikes, but to compose them. There is much responsibility and connection there.
We lose this connection, I think, when we drive too much and forget that we have 2 legs that can get us everywhere we want to go if we just use them and have a little bit of patience. Our automatic cars require these legs too, but only to push down levers that make our vehicle start and stop. In a manual transmission vehicle, we have a little bit more interaction (especially in older vehicles, say, made before 1970).
Interaction is what I'm talking about here, not car verses bike. I drive a car, I ride a bike. And now I am going to build a bike. One piece at a time.
Composition of a bike, from scratch, for example. Here in Missoula, if you want to build a bike you go to FreeCycles. FreeCycles, part of MIST, Missoula Institute for Sustainable Transportation, is "a nonprofit...providing bikes, parts and help to the community." And they offer, for just attending one Bike Well class and 4 hours of volunteering, all the tools and parts you need to build your own bike.
They require volunteering so that you don't just build a free bike and then treat it as if it isn't worth anything. You put time into your bike, you put time into the shop. Volunteers are encouraged to come during their Wednesday volunteer night to help sort parts, clean and organize the shop or help with any number of special projects going on. All the staff is volunteer and they keep the lights on by fixing and selling bikes at the local resale shop, The Sports Exchange.
This is what is meant by a "grassroots" organization.
Not only does FreeCycles have all the nuts and bolts of bicycle building, they have a small library where I found this gem, "Bike Ways (101 Thigs to Do with a Bike) by Lillian and Godfrey Frankel. This small treasure of a book, published in 1973, sings the praises of bicycles and why we are drawn to ride them. The Frankels cover such topics as, "Bike Clubs and Community", "Bike Camping", "Trips and Tours" and "Having Fun with your Bike." They also cover other basics like how to select and ride a bike to safety and repairs.
In the introduction, they say we are drawn to bikes for stress reduction, a sense of achievement and an open field of vision, "without dirty windshields and noxious fumes." The most profound line, for me, was; "You are the source of power quietly and confidently (sic)." This line goes well with the quote I used from Sidney at the beginning of this blog, about composition. We have the power to not only move our bikes, but to compose them. There is much responsibility and connection there.
We lose this connection, I think, when we drive too much and forget that we have 2 legs that can get us everywhere we want to go if we just use them and have a little bit of patience. Our automatic cars require these legs too, but only to push down levers that make our vehicle start and stop. In a manual transmission vehicle, we have a little bit more interaction (especially in older vehicles, say, made before 1970).
Interaction is what I'm talking about here, not car verses bike. I drive a car, I ride a bike. And now I am going to build a bike. One piece at a time.
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