Dan

A few things I’ve been watching: Black Sails (Hulu): have you ever wanted to watch a high budget pirate porno, with a decent plot, without your significant other questioning your pornhub.com spending? Honestly, plot is a bit convoluted, but the scenery makes up for it. Worth checking out. Lonesome Dove: another dvd kept around. Gets my vote for best western of all time. Absolutely worth buying/renting. 5/5. Also, the book is even better! I’ll start an argument by saying this is Cormac McCarthy without being depressing as shit. Walk Hard: the Dewey Cox Story (Netflix); I’m usually a sucker for a dumb comedy, but this was wholly forgettable. Watch Step Brothers, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Step Brothers, I love You Man, WeddingCrashers, Talladega Nights, Or any 2010ish comedy instead. And yes I said Step Brothers twice. Just watch it. Hamilton (Disney+): a musical about the guy who laid the foundation for the Federal Reserve? Doesn’t sound that exciting, but I actualIy enjoyed the show. It was definitely... unique. Everyone was super talented, other than Hamilton who I would say was just ok, but if you write the show I suppose you can pick your part. Worth watching; I’ll probably try to see it live next time it comes to Austin.

I just tried it out on my phone. When I tapped the banner, on the iOS app, it took me to the donation page. Not sure why yours wouldn’t redirect, but maybe try on a different system? Once you donate, the banner shrinks, but it doesn’t fully disappear. I couldn’t find a way to completely remove the banner so we might be stuck with it until the end of July.

Unforgiven is one of the few DVDs I still own. Intellectually, I know that Clint Eastwood plays the same character in almost every movie, but damn do I enjoy watching him shoot bad guys. Also, Firefly is so much fun! I feel pretty guilty for not watching it when it actually aired.

Been on a western kick for a bit. Some really good options streaming. True Grit: both versions are on Amazon Prime. IMO the 2010 version, with Jeff Bridges, is vastly superior to the John Wayne one in almost every aspect. I’ve argued this with John Wayne fans, and this is the hill I choose to die on. Hell or High Water: on Netflix. A modern day bank robber story. With Jeff Bridges, again, and Chris Pine. If you have spent time in West Texas, this will make you nostalgic. Also, just a solid film in general. Hostiles: also on Netflix. Christian Bale spent his career fighting Indians, and now he is escorting a chief back to his homelands. Pretty brutal and unhappy, but a good show nonetheless. The Ballad or Bust Scruggs: also Netflix. A series of short films in the Wild West. The tonal shifts between the films are drastic, but all enjoyable in their own right.

How does Thumper difficultly compare to Double Down? I’ve been wanting to check it out but have been slow to leave the comfort of known trails.

The last series I completed was Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson. I enjoyed it, but I could see it not being for everyone. It’s long, lots of characters, and provides little exposition. It also borders on “grimdark” at times, which isn’t really my thing. It had interesting characters and world building that kept me reading. It’s a completed series of 10 books that are each about 1000 pages. I just finished the first book in the Earthsea series by Ursula K. Le Guin. It’s pretty much the opposite of Malazan. I saw it described as YA fantasy, but to me it seems more like classic, “Tolkein-ish” Fantasy, which makes sense because it was published in the 60s. The first book was only about 200 pages so it’s a quick read. I just purchased the second. 2 very different series different, but both good!

It’s definitely a solid bump in difficulty, longer/steeper climbs and bigger step ups, but I’d say go for it. There is a bailout at picnic if you aren’t enjoying it. I’m a relatively new rider myself, and I have to walk a number of features on DD, but I still enjoy it and feel like I get a little bit better each ride.

Same. I never know what that feature is going to look like or what rocks might be loose.

175 riding weight. 27.5x2.8 tubeless Maxxis Rekons with 35mm rims. 16Front/18Rear psi. I don’t know how accurate my floor pump gauge is but I shoot for something around these measurements.

I’ve been using the non-Co2 version of this one. Worked well so far.

I tend to gravitate toward fiction in my reading; I get enough serious content at work so I usually don’t seek more out. That said, if you have some more serious works that I should check out, please share! 1. The Way of Kings (Stormlight Archives series): this is a reread for me, but I’m a creature if habit so whatever. Probably my favorite modern fantasy series. It has an alien setting and doesn’t spoon feed the reader, which I appreciate. 3 books complete with the 4th scheduled this year. Sanderson is a writing machine so this shouldn’t turn into another GoT... 2. The Republic of Thieves: this book is a disappointment. It’s the third in a series that has done nothing but decline in quality. You should read The Lies of Locke Lamora, which is great, and then forget the series continued. Honestly don’t know if I will finish this. 3. Morning Star: the third book in the Red Rising trilogy. Another dystopian series about class warfare in the distant future, but this one is actually good! Or at least comparatively good. Pretty on the nose, but I don’t regret finishing. 3.5/5 stars.

DM sent.

Not biking related, but I need to reduce my board game collection and would rather give them away than try to sell. All in good condition/no missing pieces (as far as I know). They are a bit more hobbyist than Monopoly or similar titles, just FYI. You can find detailed info about each by searching boardgamegeek.com. I can also hold onto them if you want to wait till after the pandemic to meet. Ranked in order of complexity: Harry Potter: A Hogwarts Battle - Claimed Castles of Burgundy Memoir 44 Dark Souls: The Board Game - Claimed Star Wars: Imperial Assault - Claimed Mage Knight - Claimed

In Bruges: Found this at the back of my DVD drawer after thinking I lost it during the last move. A dark comedy about two hitmen, Collin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, hiding out in a small Belgium town. The comedic parts are hilarious, and the somber parts are heartbreaking. Lots of symbolism/philosophical content throughout. I don’t know if it’s streaming anywhere, but it’s worth a few dollars for a digital rental IMO.

Not too long ago, I sat down with the idea of watching a lighthearted movie. I was scrolling through the various streaming services and came to one option that caught my eye. The cover showed Matthew McConaughey wearing a cowboy hat, smiling, with his arms wide open. The title sounded vaguely familiar so I didn’t bother to read the plot synopsis and just hit play. Long story short, Dallas Buyers Club is not a comedy.

Tiger King: only a couple of episodes in. Documentary/drama about big cat owners who run private zoos. It’s definitely a train wreck involving a bunch of equally awful people, but I can’t stop watching. On Netflix. Patriot: dark comedy about a spy trying to prevent nuclear proliferation by taking a job at a Midwestern piping manufacturer. Poor guy can’t catch a break. Really enjoying this on Amazon Prime. Curb Your Enthusiasm: Pretty much Seinfeld if it was rated R; starring Larry David. On HBO and Amazon Prime. Futurama: one of my all time favorites that I put on for background noise or whenever I’m feeling nostalgic. Pizza delivery boy accidentally frozen in cryogenic storage for 1000 years wakes up in the year 3000. Shenanigans ensue. On Hulu.

Beautiful day on SN!

Clueless people were out in full force last week. Along with a dozen or so helmetless/shirtless mountain bikers, I saw two hikers almost get hit by a train because they decided to walk across the bridge by Mulligan. I’m all for people enjoying the outdoors, but I’d rather not spend my ride watching people narrowly avoid serious injuries. This week, I switched to riding first thing in the morning and it’s wonderful!

I’ve only skimmed the Austin Order, but i believe it classifies Outdoor Activity as an Essential Activity and classifies travel for/to Essential Activity as Essential Travel so... yes?

Just got a voicemail from LCRA. Looks like LCRA parks are closed until further notice and all camping reservations through 4/20 are being cancelled/refunded. Not all that surprising I suppose.

I called Peddler Bike Shop in CP on Sunday. They were doing more limited business to avoid too many people coming into the shop, but it seemed like they could accommodate most things if you call ahead. Not sure if this has changed since then. Also, Redhorn is doing online to-go orders for beer/wine/food.

Thanks for the detailed response! I’m right about the same height so I’ll be sure to check out both sizes before buying.

I’ve been mountain biking 2x a week since September. Thinking about getting a gravel bike for wet days. Should I get a Salsa Journeyman Apex 1 700? Or something else?