Monthly Archives: July 2011

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

 

Wednesday

Four more days to get it together.

Yesterday I woke up and worked  a day shift. I got off work and felt very tired, not like I did very much, more just a lack of sleep. After work on Wednesdays I usually like to go to the park and watch soccer but today I rode over to a storage place near the BQE at Flushing checked prices, was OK. Figured I’d ride home to pack but on the way I checked a storage place walking distance from my apartment. It was the same price. I think I’ve got my storage sorted out.

But today I have to go to traffic court for a ticket over no lights on my bike from months ago. I have lost the ticket and don’t even know if the court threw it out or not, I don’t even know which courthouse I’m supposed to be. I think it’ll be OK. I don’t have to be there till 4:30pm.

I installed the front rack and fitted my front paniers to it. Everything is fine there. After that I put some clothes and stuff in boxes. Then I fell asleep.

Tuesday

Um, five days left. Yesterday I got some things done and totally flopped on other things.

  • picked up new eye glasses
  • sold a spare bike
  • bought sunglasses
  • ate lunch with a friend, mac and cheese sandwiches
  • brought primered front rack home
  • spray painted said rack on my roof b/c the painter is OOT till after the 1st
  • made a fitted sheet cover for my air-pad so I won’t lay right on it on hot nights
  • checked with my welder doing a custom fix to my Park FR-5, not  done yet
  • bank card came in mail
  • watched a movie
  • found my Park CBW-1, it was in my toolbox

Things I meant to do that I did not do.

  • secure a storage unit
  • pack my apartment
  • cancel Netflix, still got a few days on that one
  • call the bank
  • ask about deposit
  • buy UV filter for my lens
  • find good road maps
  • buy soap

 

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

 

Cateye BM-300G Racing Mirror

Cateye BM-300G Racing Mirror
Cateye BM-300G Racing Mirror

Cateye BM-300G Racing Mirror

This was my mirror for a while. When I set up for my first tour i was really still just a kid but i listened to older advice of having a mirror on my bike. Maybe a little dorkish but it was for my own use. I skipped the advice of mounting an orange safety flag.

I still carry the mirror, minus the bar end mounting bit, for shaving.

Made in Japan

Ray-Ban RB2132-03

Today I went to pick up my new lenses in my old frames at Lenscrafters and as I was walking out I noticed these sunglasses. I was in a hurry to meet a buyer for a bike I was selling so I kept walking. Made the sale, so that’s money in the bank and one less thing to store. After shaking hands I walked away w/o a bike to walk home. The sun seems a bit brighter when not hunched over the bars, so I walked back and bought what’s really just a delayed impulse buy. I have AAA *wink* and that gets a discount, not just on eye glasses but sunglasses too. Not bad.

100% UVA and UVB
Classic, comfortable, black, comes with cloth and case. And it means I don’t have to bring my broken Tifosi sunglasses I bought 8 years ago. Perfect.

Cost: $73

Made in Italy

 

Camera Cleaning Kit

 

 

A lens cloth, dust blower and lens brush make up a basic cleaning kit for my camera. I’m not sure where these things are made, other than the cloth, it’s made in Japan.

Just more shit I have to carry but keeping my camera clean while out on the road is important.

I collected these items over time. All together I probably spent $20

If I lost any of these items I’d buy another right away because any one is not very expensive and does a specific job well.

 

Restless

Man! so much to do to get ready. But not that much. But factor in my procrastination and I’m screwed.

Six full days until the morning I plan to depart NYC. In that time I work a day shift, a double shift and another day shift. Then Saturday and Sunday off. And then Monday Aug 1st is the day. I still do not have a route or real plan or a place to camp mapped out for the first day, nevermind the rest of the trip.

I still have to line up some bank things, fingers crossed my new bank card arrives in time. I’m turning off Netflix. My Boost mobile phone goes dead if I don’t pay, so by not paying I’m turning off my phone. Thanks Boost for doing all the leg work on this one for me. I still need to find a storage unit and move my property into said storage unit. That’s a big one but it’s on my list for today.

My front rack is still in the paint booth waiting on the last coat. My photography website is all hemmed up and I don’t know if it’ll get fixed before I leave. I still have not set everything that I’ll be carrying out to make sure I have it all. And right now I can’t find my 8/10mm open wrench. Where the hell is it?

Am I getting the deposit back on my apartment? Can I sleep here on the night of the 31st? I’m trying to sell a spare bike still. Not like I’ve had all summer to do this and I wait til my last week to put it on craigslist.

I just seen a tweet that a friend is doing PDX to SF in 3 weeks so that’s inspiring. And I’m trying to decide if I want to go through Boston or not. I think I do. I know some bikers there and it would be cool if the Geekhouse guys let me visit.

Man I’m nervous. Need to cut my hair one last time. Ask my roommate to adopt my plants. I still need to buy soap.

 

Arkel Big Bar Bag

A friend from my last tour rode with one of these. I was wanting one ever since. Right after I decided to go on another tour I ordered this straight from Arkel. So far it seems like a really good bag.

The bag mounts are all metal. The way it disconnects and installs makes sense and is not a pain in the ass at all. The main compartment is big and the front pocket is spacious. The top seems to have too much curve and reading a map area at the very front could be a pain. I might rather see that be flat but I can live with it. I have a New York City flag patch that’s going right over the Arkel logo on front.

Ordered direct from Arkel with no problems.

“Fabric made in the USA, Manufactured in Canada”

Arkel-od.com