Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year

A joyous and Merry Christmas to you and yours. The season continues until the wise men bring their gifts. It is that time of year when all misgivings and offenses are forgotten. It was why the baby Jesus needed to be born. Peace on Earth Goodwill to All Men.

And A Happy New Year.

I walked into our Church’s Christmas party some days back and “The Grinch” started playing on the radio. I asked, “Did you put on that song just for me?” which brought many a smile; sly mischievous smiles.

A star; we moved the Christmas tree downstairs this year and now have room for a star. “Star of wonder star of light…” I put the outdoor lights up Christmas Eve (after returning from Firestone) and they will be up until January 6th. Though the tree was up several days prior, we trimmed it on Christmas Eve also. When I was young many families still waited for Christmas Eve to buy and trim their tree. Now we can enjoy the remainder of the Christmas season in Winter’s rest.

Even the lack of snow on Christmas, or seeing young ladies wearing white after Labor Day, cannot dampen the Christmas spirit. The lights would certainly look brighter with some snow however. Our home hold a lot of holiday decoration potential.

I have a nice place for a Nativity scene under our porch. Christ was born in a cave, so they say. I was there on the spot. My most moving experience in the Holy Land was in Galilee. It looks very much the same as when Jesus walked the coastline, near completely undeveloped. There is a big groundhog like creature that inhabits the rolling hills. As I watched them my heart was moved as I realized that Jesus had watched the very same scene.

The cards all went out on time. Though we received far fewer cards this year than last I have no interest in worrying over stolen mail trucks, lost cards and packages, local thievery or vandalism, all which seem to be on the rise. This is Christmas.

I was Christmas shopping with my wife and asked “Should I use the fifty dollar bill I have or small bills?” as we walked up to the register. Her answer was indistinguishable.

“Are you going to pay, or should I pay?” she asked a few moments later.

The shopping is over. Now we can enjoy the rest of the Christmas season, I hope.

The Container Store had a variety of stocking stuffers on sale. I have to imagine their sales boom after the Christmas holiday. They sell bicycle hangers, as I mentioned before, if you need to store your bicycle for the Winter.

The Fat Bike Alpha Trail riders are encouraging, through Facebook, other Fat Bike riders to get out and ride to groom the trails. Yes the ground is covered and beginning to freeze. If Fat Bike is something you enjoy it is time to get out and support the cause. There is a race this Saturday. Otherwise there is the entrepreneurial success known as Ray’s to celebrate with.

Click here for editor picks for the best bikes in 2015, or if you are the type to build or upgrade your own bike click here for the best components of 2015. Here is a review of some bike shoes and a frame bag. There is still time to take a survey for an entry in a bicycle give away.

Are you ready? …Are you ready. It’s time. The Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival registration begins January 1st, and if you don’t act fast you’ll be passed over. The allure of the event comes from its foundational position on the mountain bike scene. This will be its 34th year. That, and the fact that it is in a remote area of the state that has avoided over development.

As I shopped a few days before Christmas in peace, by myself, the lines at the checkouts were long. It was far from shoulder to shoulder in the aisles as one shopped however. Will the malls ever be as packed with frantically merry shoppers panicking over last minute Christmas gifts as in times past? Does one blame the economy, or is it the Internet?

The major retailers were happy to wish me a Merry Christmas. This is the Midwest. The Post Office was another matter. I never felt such a sense of fear and/or disdain from another over Merry Christmases as I did from those working at the Post Office this year. It was as if they were saying, “Why are you doing this to me?”

Misao and I went to see “The Nutcracker” Sunday. We received the tickets as a gift. It lifted our spirits to enjoy a bit of extravagance in our life. The objective of the ballet performance was crystal clear to me; mice in the house need to be killed. Yes children, they may look cute and seeing a dead creature may be distressing but it is a necessary reality. Don’t disparage your parents for killing mice. As soon as there are enough mice to choose a monarch all could be lost. A message conveyed in Victorian militarist ideal and splendor. It is like those old stories of trolls and bridges, all to teach the children; “Don’t talk to those strange people living under the bridge.” It is for insights such as these that you read.

Finally we have snow. Misao almost made it home in the storm. She got the car stuck good, down at the end of our alley. She called and had me trod out to help. I rocked the car out, with the help of a neighbor, came back around the block and backed the car down the alley from the other end. Yes, the city did a lousy job cleaning up the snow. In-laws, via a younger brother, were in town (they left this morning) and were disappointed that it looked like they would not have the opportunity to see snow. They are from Brazil. The blessings of the Christ Child come in many forms. They got their snow and I hope it didn’t effect any of their return flights.

The Christmas lights in snow. Even a few of the icicle lights have started to work again.

$360 for two new tires as I found a flat when we were preparing for our holiday sales December 23rd. A cut in one tire and a nail right at the edge of tread on the other; both needed to be replaced. The days around Christmas are very hard to judge as far as sales potential. I don not think we lost out much sales wise.

Snow tires? I wish I could afford them this year, but my dad has complete confidence in the modern all season tire and he should know. He learned to drive when everyone had snow tires, some with steel studs, and when one was still allowed to put chains on their tires in the city.

I was going to buy Misao a new washing machine but now with the cost of the new tires she says, better not. However, if I were to believe the e-mails Sears is sending me they are almost giving appliances away right now.

This is not the first time, in the many years we have lived here, that our car has had problems right on a big sales day. We celebrate Christmas unfazed. It is of no consequence in light of what others have suffered, and it makes the wonder of His birth all that more significant.

I had to call AAA for the tire change because the Ford Fusion has lug nuts that do not hold their form and go round and round in the manufacturer provided wrench gizmo. The ratchet set was no help either.  I have several problems with the design of the Ford Fusion which I may innumerate on in the future. As I was attempting to change my flat the night before our neighbor was struggling with his truck, which wouldn’t start.

But no Grinch will be stealing our Christmas. Leaving our house this morning on a spare and a low tire I passed a slew of cars in the neighborhood also with low tires. Firestone was unexpectedly busy Christmas Eve morn when I brought the car in the next day. The man who arrived just after myself also had a low tire he needed repaired quickly, in order to keep to his travel plans. Colder temperatures; it’s the time of year to check your tire pressure. Even colder temperatures will keep tiny vandals off the streets.

Many demand our police officers wear body cameras. I say mechanics need to wear body cameras. I am completely confident that I will receive proper and reliable service for tires from any major tire retailer. But I do not care where you go. When it comes to other auto repairs, beware; especially you women.

I have some furniture design and build to do. Misao got me the tools I need from my list, a bunch of underwear and some other necessities. A wool fedora from JC Penny was a happy surprise. “All I need now is a pheasant feather to stick in the band.” I told my mother as I showed off my stylish look. My father blames JFK for men’s hats going out of fashion. He never wore a hat.

Misao was happy with my gifts to her. We heated up a Honey Baked Ham on Christmas and went over to my parent’s home to share. Then it was to my brothers to spend some time with more family. My parents didn’t feel like leaving their home any over the holiday.

The dog received nothing this year and I think he has taken note. Perhaps it will be wise to sleep with one eye open for a while.

“The diet?” you wonder. Your concern moves me. The diet has suffered over the holidays. My initial twelve pound loss on the Bulletproof Diet is well preserved but I have retreated drastically from my under 250lb race weight goal. I thought I was losing a bit of weight but it was only improved muscle tone I had been observing. I am not sure if that comes from more walking, reflecting the demands of shopping, or the new health drink we are consuming known as kombucha. I will have a long post on our kombucha adventure in the New Year.

No fitness or bicycle related gifts this year. No shortage of snacks either. This year we neither gave nor received fruitcake; the meal of kings in my book. Working fitness back into my daily life will be high on my New Year resolutions, possibly even ahead of my goal of worldwide dominion.

The $127 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.

How Bazaar

No, I’m not referring to the weather as bazaar, those balmy spring like temperatures confusing the world of Flora, as I wait eagerly for the snow. Nor am I referring to the fact that Hillary Clinton, or Obama for that matter, can even show their faces in public, let alone her being the supposed democrat candidate for president. That is truly bazaar but not the bazaar of this post. (If “13 Hours; The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi” doesn’t open the eyes of democrats I don’t know what will. Debate over.)

The bazaar I am referring to is The Milwaukee Bike Bazaar formerly known as the bike swap. If that is not bazaar enough for you perhaps the Hugh Jass Bike Series is more your style. An interesting series I first heard of at the last Metro Mountain Bikers meeting. The events include demo bikes, a bike toss and a taco truck to fuel the body. The next race is a familiar venue to all mountain bike enthusiasts in Milwaukee.

And what is this bazaar looking chunk of wood and MDF? It is a jig for assembling more cedar planter boxes for standard 2x4’s or rough cut. There are so many slots to accommodate having more then one vertical support per wall at various spacing.

Bazaar rot patterns on my garage wall are duplicated on the opposing wall’s exerior. It comes from the spawn of Jehovah Witness families urinating on my garage for over a decade. The overhead door is smashed in as many years past, though none of them or their friends lived along our alley, they would set up a portable basketball hoop and drive into my garage door over and over. It all began shortly after we moved into the neighborhood with the ring leader of these haters shooting a pellet gun at my dog (Tun-Tun my late very bestest dog ever and forever) from their upstairs unit window across the street. Other antics included, but were not limited to, turning on my outdoor spigot or that of my neighbor’s to run water continuously against our home’s foundation wall, sending water into our basement and raising water bills. A rock thrown at our window and the attempt to kick in a man door on our garage were frustrated by neighbors. “To steal our bikes.” they confessed to a neighbor as they continued to kick the door until the neighbor chased them away. Confronted at times they were even heard to say, it is because of the Church we belong to; using the derogative of course. A very special Merry Christmas to all Jehovah Witness.

How bazaar.

Tun-Tun bloodied up a loose pit bull that tried to attack Misao in the park one day.

The $126 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.

A Sunday at the Museum

Being male and white, obviously loaded with privilege that sets me apart from all others, my wife and I just had to go to the art museum to illuminate ourselves in the floodlight of great art. It wasn’t the glow of master craft that we basked in but the fact that admittance was free, courtesy of Kohl’s, this Sunday.

Observing piles of rocks and what looked like giant reams of blank paper setting on the floor my wife said, “We have lots of art at our house.”

Walking the new extension and galleries of the museum my thoughts and my wife’s words were in complete harmony as she said more than once, “You could do that.”

I am not easily impressed by what would be called modern or contemporary impressionistic art, but I did enjoy the Sam Francis display. We didn’t renew our membership this year as my wife didn’t use it and we had better places to put our money.

These are dangerous times for mountain bike trails. Destruction comes with every pump of the pedal as churning tire upon soft wet dirt tears the earth. The only thing worse than a derelict mountain biker on a closed trail would be to run those muddy tires over a canvas and make us pay to see it.

I noticed a bicycle aid station, with a pump and all, just across from the War Memorial; that is an annex to the museum for you not from Milwaukee. There is an effort to get another kind of bicycle aid station in Hoyt Park; it includes tools. The pump station is the most expensive part. The station is to be in memory of Rob Hofmann; a leader in the Wisconsin Bicycle Federation.

The eagle scout project for a similar station in Minooka Park has also been completed. Saris produces bicycle aid stations. A chain of convenience stores in Portland is installing bicycle aid stations at all their stores.

And do you want to watch all seven Star Wars movies at once. You are in luck.

After the Christmas cards are done a big decision needs to be made; real or artificial. It will be time to get the Christmas decorations up. The neighborhood is looking more festive than the past few years. Each street and block in our neighborhood has a different feel, but an influx of home owners have raised the standards. It is a nice little enclave.

“Why don’t I get a Christmas card?” you ask. Tell me who you are and I’ll send you one.

The $125 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.

All Indoors

It is Cyber Monday and it is wet and gloomy outside. All mountain bike trails are closed until the freeze sets in permanent this Winter. It is a day to stay indoors.

And if the trails cover with snow and you got no fat bike training indoors is the only way. I’m not talking strength training or some fancy steppin aerobics. I’m talkin simulators designed to assist your training. Via the wonders of Facebook two more instruments of indoor self torture have come to my attention.

The first is Zwift. It appears to be strictly software, compatible with a variety trainers and computers. It is a social medium for training. You can train together with people from around the world while you are alone at home. That is a feature on most of the trainer software these days.

The Peloton Bike is for those of you who enjoy spinning classes and being encouraged on by a trainer. You can workout from home with a live class or load one up on demand. You can compare your stats with all from around the world who have completed the same class. You can also ride virtual trails and courses. It is unclear if the virtual rides are interactive with others or if the required tablet comes with the bike. I suppose if the tablet is not included you could also use any type of computer set up in front of you.

“Three posts in one day?” I hear your accusations. “You must be behind again in your writing goals.”

Not anymore. It is time to shop.

The $124 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.

A Great Convergence

How else can you describe this time of year. The garden is being shut down for the Winter, though I may try growing in a makeshift greenhouse. Winterizing the house and last minute exterior repairs are oh so close to complete. Then there is the Christmas shopping (cyber Monday the mere end of the beginning), Christmas decorations, Christmas Cards, Christmas cookies, searching for Christmas cheer and of course bowling season is now in full swing.

And the dog wants to hunt. Brighter pictures from a brighter time just a few weeks past. But is bowling exercise? A question continually asked on this blog. Whether you believe it is or not, a group class with a first rate instructor is well worth the investment.

Yes, YouTube, the answer to all mysteries and methods, provides plenty of instructional footage from some of the best coaches around. Nothing However beats a hands on lesson. My friend and I signed up for a group class led by one Richard Shockley. It was most excellent. He promised a ten pin rise in one’s average after his class.

The bowling coach, after intense observation, took time with each of the participants. When he got to me he said; “There are so many things going on here I don’t even know where to begin.” I believe I impressed him with my ability to learn. The lane’s pro shop professional gave additional pointers that complimented those of the coach.

I didn’t achieve a ten pin rise in my average yet, but my approach and balance improved significantly. I now suffer far less strain on my back and knee after the lesson. Even though my average initially has dropped I have faith bowling glory is in my future. It will take time to adjust to the new approach and I have little time to practice. My team is shooting to win the second half of our Winter League.

I would recommend such a group bowling lesson to anyone bowling on a regular basis. Yes, you should take advantage of what YouTube has to offer in instruction, but after that nothing compares to a hands on lesson and a group class is the most economical.

Some of my bowling buddies ridicule me for watching Japanese women’s bowling, P-League, on YouTube, but I find it more instructional. The women competitor’s approach is slower and smoother than men bowlers and the format of the show is more appealing. Besides, it is the only purely Japanese programing my wife can enjoy.

There is a great bewilderment among bowlers as to why the sport is no longer on television. It was once America’s most popular sport and many believe it could be again with proper programming. I remember lots of bowling shows on the old television from when I was a kid. With HD television there are numerous old bowling shows one can see on the multiple offshoots each channel can now broadcast over. Even local high school sports are now regularly broadcast over the airways.

But if bowling cannot make it on broadcast they should go Internet. I speak of my Roku from time to time; my internet streaming device. (trying to think of a Christmas gift?) And Winter certainly is a time when we spend more time indoors and often in front of the television. A new additional to the Internet channel lineup (also called apps) is Poker Central. Poker also had its time in the sun on broadcast television. Poker Central provides 24/7 streaming broadcast of poker programing. They have a secondary menu of limited on demand selections. Actually Poker Central streams about eight hours of programming three times a day, repeating some of it in the following weeks or months.

I’m surprised how much poker programming there has been, but it could never compare to all the old bowling programming that is available. It is one thing to sit down and say, “I want to search for a bowling show” and set to work. It is something completely different to be able just to turn on the television, change the channel and poof, there it is, bowling. (or mountain biking, or fishing, billiards, sheep’s head…)

I believe Internet channels are the future for all second tier profession sports, especially those with a large base of amateur competitors. If you can provide 24/7 streaming, on demand options a plus, people with any interest in whatever particular sport it may be will add that channel to their device.

You still have the advertising with Poker Central. It is an income stream that can make all such similar programing possible. Most bowling shows were edited to include advertisements already. The next great breakthrough for Internet television, particular the streaming channels, will be the ability to provide local advertising, to provide advertising by city or region rather than nationwide. I believe that will be the biggest catalyst to seeing the formation of channels dedicated to second tier sports with a large base of amateurs.

Though mountain biking competitions are hard to cover as a televised event, technology, namely drones, can resolve all coverage issues if you have enough skilled and knowledgeable individuals covering the most interesting parts of a course.

Mountain bikers are known for volunteering. In such light even the most insignificant of race series could muster a crew to create coverage of a race. WORS is far from insignificant. It is the greatest Race Series in the country. Even though participation is down for racing, trail use has never been higher. There is a large interest in the sport and in the interaction with the environment it facilitates. There is also plenty of potential side content such as; trail building, travel and resort mountain bike experiences and bicycle maintenance to name a few.

Another task converging at this special time of year like a fifteen pound ball bowling into the pocket is that of making resolutions for the coming New Year. I actually got a few volunteer hours in with Metro Mountain Bikers in 2015, and got out fishing twice. My training resolutions have no time to wait. I should be setting them already. Exercise can relieve the stress of the season.

But the question remains unanswered; Is bowling exercise? Ike our dog says. “Taking me for a walk is exercise!”

The $123 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.

The Busiest Weekend of the Year

Dining out. A Thanksgiving tradition for some though for our family it was only the second time. My father footed the bill. I guess he and we all had a lot to be thankful for. The Golden Mast is truly extravagant and a lovely drive, even in the pouring rain.

Of course most important is that now I can listen to Christmas music with a clear conscious. A beautiful time of year, with good clean wholesome music on the radio to fill one with visions of God and family. Have you heard Taylor Swift’s version of “Santa Baby”?

I have uncovered the secret of Black Friday. I understand now why, or rather how it invaded Thanksgiving and why its invasion will be beat back. Yes, we are a more materialistic society today than in the past. We have more material. Still Thanksgiving will be held sacred once more.

It is not the sagging economy that is keeping shoppers at bay this most active of shopping weekends. And I am not saying it is not still the busiest shopping day of the year. The incentive to storm the towers of commerce has just diminished significantly.

I believe the biggest incentive over the last decade for Black Friday madness has been technology, namely the flat panel TV (and perhaps tickle me Elmo). Now, most everyone has a flat panel television.

The flat panel television has been revolutionary. Size matters while at the same time it doesn’t. You no longer needed a giant room to have a giant screen. The TV no longer dominates the room, taking up significant real estate and controlling the layout and traffic patterns of your living space. The flat panel can go almost anywhere and takes up no more space then a picture hanging on the wall. A computer station can now cohabitate on a small desk, rather than demanding a desk of its own.

The flat panel was expensive at first. Shoppers rushed to the sales. Then, when the prices came down, larger and larger flat panels hit the market in large numbers, with large price tags, and shoppers rushed for those on discount. New technologies continue to enhance the flat panel televisions but these technologies exceed the expectations of the viewer.

So now most everyone has a flat panel and the Black Friday stampedes have been corralled. That’s just how I see it.

Retailors, please stop opening on Thanksgiving.

I am in shock that Thanksgiving is over and I have yet to prepare to get all the Christmas cards out. I saw a man buying two-hundred Christmas stamps at the post office the other day. Then there is the shopping and the Christmas parties… And the Christmas decorations; our neighbors put theirs up this weekend. We are going to have to bake some cookies at some point and Christmas is less than four weeks away!

I know what you are saying. “What about your diet Phillip? We are all truly concerned for your health and wellbeing.”

It is not a good time of year for weight loss. But Thanksgiving has been more forgiving than Halloween.

The Bulletproof Diet was initially successful for me. I dropped thirty pounds. I gained over ten pounds back. What did I do wrong?

First the weight loss stalled and then I became complacent.

• I ran out of the supplements and stopped taking them. Most important are Magnesium and vitamin D.
• We started eating deserts, again. Homemade bread and even cake did not do much to increase my weight or slow my weight loss. The effects were negligible. Not even store bought donuts made a big impact (thank God) but store bought, processed and packaged, cakes and cookies were really bad. Also the Halloween candy. I blame the children for not trick or treating. I would also note that I do not do the grocery shopping.
• My wife began preparing a lot of rice and potato casseroles. We decreased the amount of fresh vegetables and meat. My wife turned cheap in other words. Particularly we stopped buying the grass fed animal meats. I believe this has had the biggest impact. There is a Doctor Axe on YouTube and he recommends that if you are going to spend extra money with a diet it is best spent on first making sure you are eating the grass fed animal products. It really is that important. Much of the meat on the shelves today is packed with estrogen.
• We have the Bulletproof style coffee almost every morning but sometimes we go without. My wife has it far less than myself. It is hard to find a good price on the Kerry Gold (grass fed cow) butter. Meijer has the best price but I have discovered, over Thanksgiving dinner, that one of my younger brothers buys everything on the shelf when he finds it available. Yes, the Milwaukee area is suffering a shortage of grass fed unsalted butter. Trader Joes has the next best price outside of sales.
• Kim Chi, one of many highly beneficial fermented foods had also been missing from our diet when I suffered my greatest weight gain. We are back into making our own. Kim Chi is recommended for weight loss by many. All traditional fermented food products are recommended for their health benefits. There was nothing fermented on our Thanksgiving table. Check out Cultured Food Life.
• Exercise? My weight loss and gain had nothing to do with how much I was or was not exercising.

I have to make a correction, just one for now, on the Fair Life milk; a product I wrote about previously (higher protein less sugars). You actually don’t get a full half gallon as the proximate size of the container may suggest. It actually is more expensive than organic milk. It is like dog food, price wise. A few years ago we could buy forty, or even forty-four pounds, for about forty dollars. The bag has shrunk considerably year by year. Now the large bag of dog food is only thirty pounds and it is almost impossible to find for less than forty dollars. It is inflation without the inflation via deflation.

Wow! I should get a Nobel Prize in economics for that last line.

And speaking of flat panel televisions and YouTube, my wife and I were watching YouTube on our flat panel the other day. No, not Dr. Axe though we watch many of his videos, We were watching woodworking videos. We were watching a young lady supposedly building a backboard for a bed she had built.

My wife said; “Is this real. Woman can’t build stuff like that.”

I answered with the most obvious response in the most obvious of manner and obvious of tones, “She’s not building it. There is a man off camera really doing all the work.”

“Yeah, must be.” she answered.

It was so obvious, and yes …that conversation did happen. I may be guilty of embellishment and conjecture to the point of foolishness at times in my attempts to entertain, but there are no fictions in my posts.

YouTube is amazing and all that much more enjoyable on the big screen. Many YouTube producers are sponsored. For example, looking at several videos on how to build a bed they will mention their sponsors, in this case mattress retailers. Casper, also recommended by The Great One Mark Levin, was one sponsor along with Leesa Mattress. The commercials before the videos are also amazing productions, providing a storyline and motivation for a product or company. Sometimes we watch them all the way through, even as long as five minutes. Though sitting in front of the television is probably not recommended for weight loss.

Like always, I gain nothing from any individual or organization I may write about here, accept for a few pennies a year I earn and have yet to collect from the advertisements you see on my blogs. I share experiences and thoughts with an effort to entertain and inform. I do not necessarily recommend anything.

The $122 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.

Is it Tuesday Already?

I thought it was Thursday.

I committed a grave offense just the other day.

“No, not you Phillip!” I hear you scream.

I have only myself to blame and perhaps the freshly fallen snow.

“It must have been the snow, only the snow.” Your pleas console my ears.

But alas I have fallen short. …I listened to Christmas music before Thanksgiving.

The sin of Christmas shopping on Thanksgiving is one sin I will certainly never be guilty of. But if you want to be a real hell raiser you can always join others of similar ilk at the annual Turkey Hurl. Yes, that mountain bikers tradition of going for a gut busting ride, after stuffing oneself with turkey and all the fixins, will take place during the Packers game. …The horror. It makes one doubt all that is good in the world.

Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday will hopefully disperse the hysteria over shopping on Thanksgiving. Emery’s is having a Post Over Eating Sales Event. The e-mail said, “Buy one bike get one bike free.”

The trails are wet with the snow melt. Riding them would be highly detrimental at this time. But things may freeze soon, and even if we get more snow, try a fat bike. I’m still looking to get some more riding in this year.

I actually made it to Metro Mountain Bikers’ last Monthly meeting. The warning has been sent out; The Off Road Motor Biking Group is after the same type of lands as we the worthy, we the mountain bikers. Will the horrors never cease?

No. The Santa Cycle Rampage is coming December 5th. That’s a Saturday and for the sake of all that’s good and pure keep your children locked indoors lest their dreams of Santa Claus be ripped away by the image of a torrid of unscrupulous imposters.

I have been busy in my workshop. I will be making a jig to assist in a certain ongoing endeavor. I made this beam for my sawhorse with some straight MDF board. (Always wear a ventilator when cutting MDF) It is in perfect level with the top of my workbench.

The Wisconsin Bike Summit has come and gone. One theory is the attendance was up because there was no advocacy day. In the past the summit has always been in Madison and they have had a day when the attendees go into the capital to lobby their representatives. Mountain Bikers were honored at the Summit as independent and willing to work. Many, I could say most, mountain bike trails were built by volunteers.

Work days are all but finished for the season. Minooka has traditionally had its workdays Sunday mornings which just doesn’t work for me. I have to give God his due.

They also demoed a very realistic bicycle simulator at the Summit referred to as Shifting Gears. There are plenty of ride simulators on the market. You can also contact your local bike shop, at least the larger ones, and sign up for group workouts using simulators. Winter is here, not the Christmas time of Winter but the perfect first snow just before Thanksgiving Winter.

I heard tell of a war in Baja. The unofficial stunt course with its berms and jumps at Hoyt Park is being removed by the County. The word is that new constructions go up nearly as fast as they are taken down. Derision has been disposed upon responsible path users by those trending towards anarchy. It has been said people come from as far away as Pewaukee to ride the bootleg trails. The suspense builds.

The $121 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.

Topics of Debate

I have not been invited to tomorrows Presidential Debate here in Milwaukee, even though I offer highly accurate analysis per the common man. You would think someone would offer me six figures, if not to head their campaign than to write for their rag. Of course, what is good for the people, the truth and common sense are not in demand among the political types. One thing is not up for debate; my own sense of self-worth. Now if only my finances would reflect that.

No tomorrow’s debate is not at The Domes. The Winter Farmer’s Market opened Saturday and we just had to go. Munster is a highly underrated cheese. We bought some  Pepper Munster from one of our favorite dairies at the market. Munster is a great cheese for sandwiches though some may argue for Swiss or even American.

The lack of debate over the officiating of the Packers Panthers game testify to the obvious fix the officials were running. So obvious that the NFL does not want anyone talking about the game officiating or showing the replays. And this mornings local Packer analysis on the radio will not even mention the mountain of penalties? Shame, shame. “The only thing evil needs to triumph is for good men to say nothing.” Some one said that.

No, that is not the line for the free cookie recipe book from We Energies. That is the line for pictures with the reindeer.

This is the line for the free cookie recipe book. This is Milwaukee, …and they did say free. The man behind us asked for seven.

We debated giving out candy this year for Halloween. We rushed out at the last minute and bought a bunch. Too few creatures of yet to be established height came to our door, which left me with a daunting dilemma.

My wife confiscated the unclaimed goods and I am now under ration.

I discover this treasure waiting for me most mornings. One of each.

Some people debate whether it is proper for women, girls, to dress up in an otherwise inappropriate fashion on Halloween. I recommend modesty. Ignore the alluring words of temptation offered by a certain female talk show host. I saw a wonderful very respectable costume while we were out working on Halloween. Two young ladies had dressed up in common jeans and hoodies as twins. It was a really convincing costume. I think they were sisters.

Halloween sales testified to the reality of our economy (the issue of our upcoming political debate; the economy …not reality). Sales were worse than years past. And with Halloween on a Saturday this year I expected at least a 10% jump in sales rather than a 10% drop. Hey, gloomy weather doesn’t deter people from going out on Halloween. People used to parade in elaborated costumes from bar to bar. That was so many years past the images fade from my memory.

WORS, the most successful mountain bike race series in this country, has dropped from twelve to ten races for next season. Great efforts are put into holding these events and great efforts are put into participating in them; travel lodging, time, keeping one’s bike is racing form. Interest is not dropping, resources to participate are. If you’d like to debate my analysis there is a comment section.

Emery’s is having a fitness equipment sale. Sales, it’s all we have left. The Container Store opened at Mayfair Mall. They have a selection of bicycle hangers among their inventory.

IMBA is running a contest to win a free mountain bike trip for two to Italy in their membership campaign. We couldn’t even afford the free trip; the missed sales.

And speaking of Halloween, again, are not flashing lights designed to disorient people as they travel through the haunted houses? So why would one think putting flashing lights on your bicycle would make you safer? Why do so many police cars get struck by other vehicles when they are making road side stops? Flashing lights? There are to many gimmicks in the field of bicycle safety for night riding.

Here is an issue for debate: Was it easier to lose weight in the eighties and why? Needless to say my diet has been suffering a reversal. I suspect environmental causes behind my weight gain. With all my home repairs I must be stirring up some toxic catalyst to fat storage. I have not slept much more than five hours a night for the longest while now, which also is bad for a diet.

Getting back on the supplements recommended in the bulletproof diet has stabilized my weight. Now Bulletproof recommends a new supplement and claim their form of the supplement is the best. Glutathione is a super antioxidant important in cleansing your body of toxins that the body may try to neutralize by storing in fat.

The final debate: Do I attend the Metro Mountain Biker’s monthly meeting Tuesday or listen to the Presidential Debate live on the radio? I’ve missed two meetings, and I can most likely find the debate on YouTube the next day if not that night. Besides, the candidates will be on stage, they wont be free to seek me out for my invaluable advice. Until then I will be right here at home if anyone is looking to come visit.

To those of you closer to me or my family thank you for your prayer and support for my mother over her surgery and recovery. She is now safe at home after almost eight weeks in the hospital.

I made this step for her as my parents bed is too high off the floor according to the social worker. That 2x4 across the top edge fits snugly under the bed frame so the step will not move. When using a router the key is to take a little bit off at a time; making several passes. You’ll get a more controlled result and wont burn out your router motor.

The $120 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.

Rolling Along to Fitness

Time, the seasons, it all just keeps rolling along. With Winters approach the time of CycloCross is passing. If you’re not a CycloCross nut, you may want to prepare for the Fat Bike race season. The event at Lapham Peak is catching on. It is a six race series beginning November 19th. Or you may like to seek Fat Bike high adventure. It is Spring in South America.

If you don’t have the equipment for Winter competitions of the outdoor type, it is the time of the year when that age old question arises; Is bowling exercise?

It is bowling season. I have been called back by my life long friend to grace his team. One conclusion has struck us all. Our team brings out the best in others. In the other team’s score that is.

The bowling league pays out at the end of the season for high game, high series, high team game and team series, for both scratch and with handicap. We observed, now for the second year, that the individual bowlers and teams holding the three top positions in each category, eligible for prize money, all achieved these outstanding results when they were bowling against our team. It’s true! Okay, maybe not 100% but for the clear majority.

We bring out the best in others. Which translates into, we have a losing record. But it is well deserved in an uncommon way. I think we deserve a kickback.

It’s actually scary. That really is the house we live in. The holly is looking a bit stressed. It needs plenty of water going into the Winter. Don’t listen to the weatherman. They always say its going to rain but they are wrong more than right. Water your evergreens.

I need the exercise bowling may or may not provide. Unfortunately I have little time to practice and we are down to one car once more. But I rolled my best game in two years last night.

I have not been successful in following any yoga routines. What I enjoyed most in my youth was the good old punching bag. When I started going to the gym years back I was hoping to find one with a punching bag but my friends were members of a more generic brand. Club ownerships have changed and I am not longer a member of a gym. I miss and long for the weight training.

You know I pursue all my interests, at least as far as I can via the Internet. And you know that I am eager to support any person or group I find that have a passion behind their products or causes. Hanging a punching bag, where and how, is the greatest hurdle in purchasing a punching bag. I found this hard working American who produces the best in bag hangers. Don’t buy a cheap Chinese knockoff. Get the best here.

Looking to tailor a Winter fitness training program that fits my personal interests, I found a fascinating fitness show via my Roku. It is on one of the NRA channels. They take an individual through a training program that includes quickness and agility training. They seek to train not only the muscles but the nervous system. The goal of the training is to shoot accurately under physical stress. To run around a range shifting quickly from one stance to another, some unconventional but necessary in a life and death circumstance, and still hit one’s target. A complete training approach that I will glean aspects from to develop my personal Winter training discipline. Or there is always the old trainer.

The Winter Farmer’s Market opens a week after Halloween; November 7th. They have plenty of eats (and coffee) for sale if you’re hungry. It is a nice way to start one’s Saturday, in a sunlight filled greenhouse. Parking may leave you with a walk. Cherish the exercise.

The $119 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.

Thing Are Not Always What They Appear

What is a ‘Fondo’ anyway? It has yet to be discovered but USA Cycling has a list of events still to come here. Cyclo Cross and Fat Bike dominance are quickly approaching but until the snow flies there is plenty of good riding left in the year. Just be sure to dress for the weather; keep your head covered and legs warm.

Just look how beautiful autumn is. How can you not get out?

We were in our car late at night and I was about to make a right turn. Fortunately I took a second look (in my mirror) as one of those recumbent bikes came rolling by into my turn. He passed without incident but I had to think, “What an idiot! This late at night?” Especially considering he was so low to the ground I could only see him (without my mirrors) after he passed.

Okay he had lights but bicycle lights are pretty useless. They’re too small. Even if you see them the scale may suggest a larger vehicle much farther away. Yes, if you truly want bicycle safety at night those red tail lights need to be as large as you see on a motorcycle or car. Then these riders, with their high tech bikes have removed most of their reflectors (fancy pantsy peddles) and often wear dark clothing. Reflective clothing, and your good old fashioned typical reflectors are what tell drivers there is a bicycle in front of them. It’s just how I see it.

I was driving at dawn in the north woods way back when. I came over a rise and saw a light I took as a headlight in front of me. The light moved from the oncoming lane and into my lane. A drunk in a car with only one headlight? I slowed as quickly as I could and was planning to go onto the soft shoulder anticipating that the driver may swerve back into his own lane, which could have been hazardous for me and my vehicle as the land beyond sloped steeply away. Then I realized that this was a tractor with a light shining backwards for safety. It had pulled out of a field from the far side of the road and was slowly heading where it was heading. At dawn, the farmer most likely didn’t notice my headlights beyond the rise, and I could not make out the tractor clearly in the not dark but not light, with the light shining at me. When I realized it was a tractor I could pass it safely in the opposing lane.

The Wisconsin Bike Summit is coming November 6 to the beautiful Appleton Wisconsin. There will be a heavy emphasis on Mountain Bike issues. Appleton has lots of fine dining. The Bike Fed is also campaigning for a vulnerable users bill which covers bicyclists, pedestrians and farm vehicles. Bicyclists should have their own paths as far as I’m concerned. I don’t think they belong on any high traffic roadways roads, especially at night.

Safety is important. You don’t want to have to enjoy football like these poor saps.

Yes, we took a mini vacation at my wife’s suggestion, and went to Holy Hill. We came across the unholy scene above along the way.

We hiked, reflected, enjoyed the scenery, stopped to pray and most importantly shopped. Honey. fresh apples (now Misao knows what a ‘peck’ is), apple cider, and a few gifts.

Here is a good place for metal art. Antiques and knick knacks makes for an interesting stop.

This is also the time of the year to contemplate how one will train this Winter. Emerys and all the bicycle shops have organized indoor training sessions. I will depend on my trainer in the basement.

Milk! Some call it liquid food. Some the elixir of life; if you’re under two years old or have access to fresh unpasteurized cows milk. My wife found this product. It is the next evolution in milk production. They start with what they claim to be the finest milk (but not organic). Then they have altered their pasteurization process to remove that burnt taste that flash pasteurization produces. It’s a burnt taste that you don’t recognize until you’ve had fresh milk or batch pasteurized milk. Then they divide the milk into its various parts. They put it all back together with higher concentrations of protein and calcium, less sugar (it’s lactose free), and as much fat as you like. We buy whole milk. Since there is no chemical reactions or additives involved I see this as a good development; the best alternative to fresh unpasteurized milk. It’s like making lemonade out of the lemons of pasteurization.

This new milk comes from that dairy with the big tourist shop and tours. It is like the only tourist attraction in all of Indiana when you’re traveling from Indianapolis to Chicago, or in our case Milwaukee.

Misao celebrated a birthday. I got here this delicious caramel apple cake. I had no time to bake one myself as I have been focused on home repairs. When you bake a cake, you are trying to balance the proteins in the flour, egg whites and milk, with sugars and fats; found in sugar, butter, egg yolks and milk. So, I wouldn’t use Fairlife Milk in your typical baking recipes. The protein balance has been shifted considerably, and who knows how the higher calcium will alter a batter.

Have you seen the “100 pound of potatoes in four square foot” technique. Potato towers; not what they appear to be. We saw one guy on YouTube who got four potatoes out of his potato tower. He used the wrong type of soil but... You need a lighter composted type of soil. One family used a soil that was mostly sand and sawdust. From my research, already planning next years garden, buckets, bags and even barrels appear to get better results than a potato tower when you consider the investment involved.

Potatoes are cheap, but you can grow hundreds of varieties that you’ll never find in the grocery store. For proven high volume/density potato growing techniques and the greatest variety of potatoes you will ever find go to The Kenosha Potato Project website.

The $118 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.

It’s Like I’m Not Even Here

October still has plenty of Mountain bike action going before fat bikes take rule over Winter. Of course the WORS final event is this coming weekend in Sheboygan, but every weekend holds mountain bike adventure of some kind.

The ‘Gila Monster Grand Fondue’ in New Mexico, competing with the WORS final event is a timed event that includes a fondue get together. Fondue is stale bread dipped in a hot bowl of melted cheese; for you uncultured. The ‘Tour de St. George’ in Utah is the weekend of October 24th. Another warm weather destination would be Black Mountain North Carolina for ‘The Bookwalter Binge Gran Fondo’ on Halloween. Bring your high waters.

Is it that I haven’t taken this route on my bike since they built these access ways or has it been so long that I have forgotten that I saw them. The Canal Street corridor of the Hank Aaron Trail is a bicyclists dream, and now getting all the way to the lake via Canal Street has become significantly more straight forward and enjoyable with these access ways off the 6th Street bridge. You can dismount and roll your bicycle down on those little ramps along the edge of the stairs.

Or you can go, “Weeeeeeee!”, down the ramp on the west side, which is the best side for me. One less street to cross. Avoid the round about and stretches of desolation.

Menards is having one of their sales. It has become clear to me that I am being taken advantage of. I showed you all how to make that beautiful planter bed out of 2x4 rough sawn cedar and I have received not even a single thank you. Yes, I checked the stock of Menards’ rough sawn 2x4’s to build more boxes. I know last time one store had 124 in stock.They now have 23 and within a 200 miles radius all stores average far less than 20 units each. You have to travel 240 miles to Avon Indiana to find a decent stock. They must not have the Internet in Avon.

Building your own out there? You can’t even give me a “Like” on Facebook? Perhaps a comment on the post? I mean when I see what gets dozens, even hundreds of “Like”s …. Okay. You’re all welcome. But did you get this little waste out of the wood you bought? And that long piece will be just enough for another vertical for another box.

Yes, I spent a whole lot of time designing that box, and not just to minimize waste and costs. There is a dimensioning system that creates shapes more attractive than others. A variety of options were considered to achieve an attractive massing without waste. So your box is most likely just plain ugly whereas mine is exceedingly beautiful. I was thinking of giving out all the dimensions and how to cut each board (eight foot lengths are the best economy) to maximize efficiency and minimize cost, and I think I will; if someone asks me in my comments.

The $117 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.

It's Mine Now

The End of a Season

The end of the mountain bike season is quickly approaching. The Fall Color festival has passed. WORS is holding its final event on October 11th and WEMS has their Championship event on October 3rd. The Metro Mountain Bikers Fall Social Ride is approaching. Plan now if you can. In Australia The Simpson Desert Classic is on now. I am not sure if it is the beginning of their season down under or the end; if their season runs in the cool or warm season. You have a year to plan for the next.

Broccoli is a cool season plant related to cabbage and I was very satisfied with my experience growing it in the garden. Only one plant produced broccoli over the Summer and I had slim hopes for a harvest. But the others came around and the plants seem to have no enemies. After cutting off the main head of buds, afterwards small offshoots will soon mature and give you quite a secondary bounty. Still you would have to plant a row ten foot long if you really enjoy broccoli to get the most out of your labors. Every part of the plant is edible and we enjoyed cooking up the leaves.

Another end has come. I showed you a pile of wood some time back and promised to let you know what would become of it. I made a wish, clicked my slippers together and it turned into a fine raised planting bed.

First, I cut the wood beginning with the long members; all of each length cut before I cut the next length, making sure each end was square. I offset every length with a five inch block per my design. These were rough sawn red cedar 2x4’s which made them 1-3/4” by 3-3/4” true dimension.

I arrange the pieces by length.

I arranged them by side.

I aligned the pieces for each side and ran a centerline down… the center. Note the altering lengths. The corners will interlock.

I marked where the screws will go and predrilled where the lower screw will go only through the horizontal. I drilled where the upper screw will go at a slight angle through the horizontal and into the vertical member (placed under the horizontals). The angle is to push the horizontal members upward (or forward as it sits)  against the secure blocking to the top of the wall of the planter; even with the top of the vetical.

Major brain spasmatragic attack. I created this wood jig to allow my Kreg jig to drill the angled guide holes. Sometimes my mind get stuck on irrelevant details. The precision of the Kreg jig system is to precisely set screws at corners where precision is absolutely necessary. No precision is required for these angled predrills accept for the holes location for aesthetic reason. So I wasted half of a good afternoon pursuing a solution to a nonexistent problem.

Essentially I made rafts held together by a single central tie.

All four. Make sure you work out the interlock before you cut and assemble. They are upside down.

I used the Kreg jig to predrill the corner connections on the ends of the short members.

Then I drilled precise counter sunk guide holes along the top edge for when I attach the cap made from some cedar decking; not too close to the corners.

I use two drills (see way above). It makes the work go quicker when using the Kreg jig. They have bits that switch out with a snap from drill bit to driver but that cost money. I snapped the Kreg screws with my electric plug-in drill on a previous project. I bought a small cordless drill with torque setting to resolve that problem. If you don’t have a torque setting on your drill, a cordless gives more when hitting resistance and when you take your finger off the trigger, than a power drill plugged into an outlet. So the plug-in drills and the cordless drives.

I clamped this wood into the corners to keep each member in line when connecting the corners. Then I made sure the top and bottom horizontals aligned before I began to secured the corners.

Here it is before the final panel. They all interlocked easily. Cutting each end square with the miter saw nearly ensures it will all be square when assembled.

There it is. Now, after the box is complete, I can measure for the cap.

Measure twice cut once. I should have checked the angle on my miter saw. When swung to the right it is spot on 45 degrees. Not so when swung to the left. A fact I soon learned when trying to make the cap square. I had to trim the angle cut ends.

I checked the fit of the cap and lined the inside of the box with a good quality weed barrier fabric. I thought of using 2x4 PVC board for the bottom rail and the verticals which will be exposed to the earth. PVC lumber is expensive and 2x4’s are not typically stocked.

I used the cap to mark out where the box would set. I sealed the top of the cap before securing it to the box. I could have waited until the very end.

Then I set four bricks on level at each corner. In the end the box will not depend on these bricks to remain level. Dirt will fill in underneath when you fill the box. I set the top of the bricks a bit above grade to protect the bottom rail of the panel.

I secured the cap to the box outdoors. I didn’t want to damage the cap edge carrying the whole assembly up the stairs out of the basement.

I placed the box where I wanted. I tried to set it square to its surrounding but the fence line, the house, the walk and patio are all on a slightly different axis. I pulled it back and dug out where the verticals stab into the ground. Then after getting it set on the bricks I checked the level again and shimmed at the bricks to bring the top of the box to level. Note the garden fabric is pulled out to allow the dirt to fill in underneath. The verticals planted in the ground and the cap should keep the sides from bulging out.

Then I drilled the guide hole into the vertical and put in the second screw for each horizontal. I wanted a tiny bit of play in all the members until I got it all settled where I wanted it.

The dirt. I sifted these rocks out of some crud I had dug out for a previous project. The rocks would take up space at the bottom but what happens if in the future the planter is removed? You’ll have all sorts of obnoxious rocks on your lawn.

This is the sifted dirt. It went in first. Then I took two bushels, seen below, from my composter. I bought three square yards (three bags topsoil one of composted manure) for additional fill. Then I mixed in the compost. I still need some ten square foot more of good garden soil.

Now we’ll see how my design holds up over time. Check out the poker table I built here.

The $116 question: What were my three most favorite WORS races? Keeping the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.