June Bug

Shouldn't it be Karousers?

Damn, Hammerhead Karoo is now facebook stalking me.

I imagined something practical like a device that would allow you to see a larger version of the little device's screen on your big phone screen. Or something. Who am I kidding. Every electronic device that I've purchased has caused me unremitting irritation and misery, except for my Chromebook, which I like, except that it sent a successful print request to our blue tooth printer on Day 1 and every since it's acted like it's never heard of a print command, or it might send a print command but, gosh darn it! it's Thursday on an even day of the month, so NOPE. Anyhoo, I've used my Garmin (830?) twice in the last year, but it's button activated; no swiping or touch screen. The Karoo's largish navigation screen has a touch screen/swipe function, which gives me hope. Post up if anyone sees deep discount coupons.

Any updates on how you all like the Karoo? Compared to Garmin or others? Is it missing something you'd like? Do you use it paired with your smart phone? Easier to use? More "intuitive," whatever the **** that means with any electronic device.

I have a great phone (MOTO G) that I quit using because updates were no longer supported. Now I'm off to investigate uses for phones without a cell plan.

Ditto on the dingy tunnel creepiness factor. Tacos, because.....tacos. If you cross over the dam and stay north on Pleasant Valley, past Canterbury and Willow streets, there's a permanent taco trailer with two picnic tables out front (Tacos Guerrero) behind an insurance office on the left (west) side of N. Pleasant Valley, just before E. Cesar Chavez. Good tacos (tasty corn tortillas) just a two block detour from Lady Bird Lake. It's permanent enough to show up on googlemaps. And yes to continuing connectivity to Govalle Park on Bolm Road (the start of the Southern Walnut Creek Multi-Use Path). The opening the old highway bridge to bikers/pedestrians is a step in the right direction.

Access to recreation by water creates a healthier populace, both physically and in terms of mental health, so infrastructure that supports this is important. My favorite moment riding on the board walk was coming across two girls under full steam in full-on quinceanera mode; yards and yards of billowing neon pink taffeta and net and lots of makeup, in the middle of a weekday. Not possible to say where they had come from or where they were headed. Some examples of quinceanera dresses here. For those not familiar, a quinceanera is a 15th birthday celebration marking the passage from girlhood to womanhood in Hispanic culture, with both festive and religious connotations -- a debutante ball of sorts, with family, food and church. Have also seen quiceanera photo shoots underway at Zilker Botanical Gardens; the subjects were dropped off in limos and the guys were in tuxes. It's a very big deal. Oh, and I'm fine with whatever bridge solution happens, as long as it's wider with a much higher guardrail.

Makes sense that some <55 year old buyers would want to buy the house and rent it out while the years pass until they are 55 themselves. Not too interested in Sun City - like communities, but the lock and leave lifestyle is becoming appealing.

Fantastic. The guard rail on the water side is very low relative to a cyclist; I hate it. I have cycling friends who take their chances with traffic rather than use the walkway. Alas, five years to completion? But yes, this will be a wonderful upgrade to the Lady Bird Lake Trail loop.

That's the damn truth. I'd use the term explosive. That area is between TX 130 and the (partially completed )183 Toll with no impediments to high density development -- lots of open, relatively flat land. In addition, the 183/I35 intersection is being developed with overpasses in all directions and there is easy connectivity to the 290 Toll.

Intense has three wheel-size iterations for the Primer: 27.5", 27.5"/29", 29". MTBR.com does a comparo of all three here: 2020 Intense Primer First Ride, The Tale of Three Primers

I have a Road ID bracelet with name, TxDL#, phone number of contacts.

Intense has just come out with a reverse mullet bike: 29" in front and 27.5" in the rear.

Interesting outdoors open house with lots of large posters on easels with options for development at the park. If my BMX-dar and SKATE-dar are accurate, there were a LOT of BMX and skate park folks in attendance (hi, CMC!). It's an interesting property, just an old farm at the confluence of Walnut Creek with the Colorado, with farm fields in the extensive flat areas, and heavily wooded streamside. Also, for you geology and geology adjacent folks, there's a recently (this year!) abandoned oxbow on Walnut Creek. There are heavily wooded areas along the Colorado, but those areas have apparently flooded 6 times in the last year alone, so not prime for development. One non-bike related aspect was Colorado River access for boaters (and presumably) and people wanting to fish. As we were turning in to the park, I noticed a narrow sidewalk along the edge of FM 969. Driving out, we looked more carefully; it stops at Decker Lane. We turned NE on Decker Lane to see if it continued and it doesn't, even though there is an elementary school about two hundred yards from that intersection, with zero bike/pedestrian access.

He's not wrong that it's a project bike.

Thanks for this update. I hope Bike Farm has retained its wonderful eccentricity. I used to go by there on my previous commute route, got a flat fixed there once and have bought some Kali gloves. The previous location was a hidden gem situation a block off Lamar and had I not finally noticed it for some reason, I would never have known it was there, even riding past it probably 20 or 30 times. Was confused for a minute when I googled for the new address. Texas Bike Farm (same folks) is in Burnet. Bike Farm (austinbikefarm.com) is now at 5440 Burnet Road, Austin, TX 78756. Bunch of restaurants in this stretch of Burnet, but not a super bike-friendly location. However, it's in the middle of neighborhoods, condos and apartments with no bike shop close by or anywhere near that I'm aware of, so could be a very good move for them. It looks to be adjacent to Little Longhorn Saloon and almost across the street from Little Woodrow's...

Bump. I'll be attending. Some uppy-downie potential at the confluence of Walnut Creek at the Colorado River?

When you join IMBA and indicate Austin Ridge Riders (ARR) as your local chapter, you are automatically an ARR member. Membership link here. Scroll down to JOIN button. You also get a complimentary bike magazine subscription with your IMBA/ARR membership; Dirt Mag is one choice. And socks -- you get a pair of socks!

https://www.rei.com/s/revelate-cyber-deals Revelate frame bags for 40% off. https://reviews.mtbr.com/the-best-cyber-monday-deals-for-mountain-biking

Dirt Bicycle Components, an Austin based bike wheel company at 1914 Howard Lane, has 35% off for today (Dec. 2) ONLY. From the Facebook page for Dirt Bicycle Components: 35% off could take them from an aspirational carbon wheelset to wondering how you could get your furniture sold on Craigslist with cash in hand by midnight. They do have some aluminum wheelsets (boost) for more moderate prices.

Worked a bit with CharDog when he was laying out new trail at Pedernales Falls a few years back. The park folks designated a specific contour line (1100') for the trail to follow, basically a limestone outcrop. It's a rocky trail for a reason. If you moved in from the rocky edge of the outcrop (IIRC from about 15' to 30' or so), often there was nice flat dirt, typically without much vegetation. You'd put your trail there, right? But CharDog knew that's where water settles and stays after a rain, and takes a long time to dry. Any trail there would become a muddy mess after a rain. The rockier area close to the rim of the outcrop drains quickly and is good to go soon after a rain. Also, I really like Fiskars tools. They have a good page + video on trimming and pruning practices here. Most any ranch in the Hill Country will have oak trees. If you're not up to date, get informed about oak wilt, the safe time of year to work on oak trees and how to avoid spreading it via your trimming and pruning tools. No landowner will love you for introducing or spreading the scourge of oak wilt on their property. A & M oak wilt FAQ page <snip>

Why has no one mentioned Blue Grooves? Are they even still A Thing? Speaking of throwbacks, I was watching a true-crime show (murder porn) on Investigation Discovery channel where Velociraptor tire tracks (noted close to the murdered soon to be ex-wife's house!), were introduced at trial. The defendant's mountain bike had (cue scary music) Velociraptors. Also, currently: 29 x 2.35 Ikons in front and 2.3 Ikons in back.

Welcome, xl_cheese, and thanks for retaining the most perfect and my personal fave avatar + handle combo of all time!

My humble (but strongly held) opinions: Yes to IMBA guide! Before all else, understand sustainable trail building; apply the IMBA solutions always. If you do that, that trail will still be there to enjoy in 5, 10, 15 years and onward. a) Decide what kind of trail (or loop) you are building and stick to that -- internal consistency. If you are building a beginner loop, stick to that -- consistent beginner characteristics throughout, ditto intermediate, advanced. Don't build crappy, half assed switchbacks. b) Alternately, (my preference) you can create a flow-ish trail and include alternate challenge lines. Or you can build a more challenging loop with mellow by passes. This will allow more people to use the trail and decide when they are ready for more of a challenge (or not) and takes care of endless whingeing* about cheater lines. Anyway, look at the terrain and set your vision first. You're not wrong to go about it either way. Also, this: As we've traveled around mountain biking, and as recently as this week, we run into families with younger kids looking for a safe-ish place to ride. Everybody has a mountain bike of some description, maybe Dad is the instigator with a high-end bike and mom and kids have low-end but functional bikes and and they need maybe a two- or three or even five-mile loop that is easy for the little guys but still moderately interesting and enjoyable. When people go out and have a great experience on a trail, especially with their kids, then they are more likely to want to expand that experience and at some point, maybe want to grow more into the sport. Sometimes mom and dad are both hammerheads but the grommits are little -- like five or six years old. Same dealio. This comes strongly to mind because awhile back when ARR had the TMBRA race at Reimers, we set up a little loop for kids - 100 yards or so long, it wound around with little dips here and there, went thither and yon through clumps of trees, and there were little kids riding it over and over because it was "just right" for their skills in terms of challenge, length and their bikes. It was so fun to watch. *whinge (informal, British): complain persistently and in a peevish or irritating way

After riding with a group every Tuesday morning on the Southern Walnut Creek Multi-Use Path, I'm in the "wider is better" camp -- and would prefer to see 12 ft width, minimum -- 14-16 ft wide would be even better. The Southern Walnut Creek path is heavily used by cyclists and is curvy in may places with limited sight lines. The bat-out-of-hell riders (singly and in groups) are scary and this path will only get more use as time goes by. The limited sight lines mean that walkers and even other cyclists are definitely vulnerable to being mowed down. I was introduced to the wider paved paths in Atlanta. They're awesome.