throet

48 minutes ago, The Tip said:

Throet, the Dana Peak Saturday ride was SOOOOO much fun for me. But I would have never been able to keep up with that group of youngsters on my h-bike (human powered! lol)

 

That was truly an amazing ride, one of the best I've done in CenTex, even with a DNF. I was at around the 12-13 mile mark and not too far behind the group when I came to a fork. The path left went further up the hillside, while the path right went down closer to the lake. I chose the "right" path and then realized you guys were up the hillside when I heard chatter from the group. Luckily I ran into @Barry who apparently decided to do some solo riding. He graciously offered to guide me back near the starting point, where I could head back to camp and he could do a little more riding. That added another 3-4 miles to my ride which ended at around 17mi. Both of my legs were starting to cramp - so I definitely made the right choice to bail. Grateful too that Barry was willing to slow the return pace down for my guided ride back. That part of the ride was equally enjoyable and we had some pleasant conversation. 

On 3/18/2023 at 7:19 AM, AustinBike said:

I will say that cranking up a 4-mile climb on a fire road that was about as steep as Jester and courtyard, my 36T cassette was no match for the guys on the e-bikes.

I can understand the allure (and usefulness) in some areas, but not here in central TX. Especially with the weight to torque ratio being out of whack.

I'm still in the traditional camp.

I'm a diehard and still in the traditional camp myself, even at 64. However, my perspective has changed some after this past weekend, and I'm more sensitive to use cases that I previously rejected. I hung out with a bunch of the SATN guys at Dana Peak for what now appears to be an annual gathering, and I was in no shape to keep pace on a couple of the group rides that ensued. For me personally, dropping out and either heading back to camp or traveling at my own pace is not a big deal. If others prefer to finish the ride instead with the aid of an eBike, that's really their choice, and there is absolutely no reason for anybody to regulate that, even in Central Texas. Really comes down to personal preference, and I'd like to know that the eBike option exists should I choose it someday, wherever I want to ride. 

Thanks to @The Tip and others from the SATN crew who put this event together. Ended up bailing out Sat afternoon after surviving the torrential rain Fri night. Was amazed at how well the trails rode Saturday despite all of the rain. Suppose the rain was blowing sideways during much of that storm, as evidenced by the number of people out there who had to abandon their tents. I was able to remain sheltered in my tent, but it took quite a bit of effort to get the inside dried out on Sat. Anyway, got 3 good rides in during the 2 days I was there. I definitely need to ride out there more given the relatively close proximity to Cedar Park. 

12 hours ago, AntonioGG said:

I did not like this.  My wife’s grandpa liked Early Times—the cheap one in the plastic bottle.  We bought him nicer stuff and he refused it.  So after the anything BIB recommendation, this is the first one I got.  I can’t remember the details but it was off-putting to me.  It could have been a bad memory association with having it on those retirement home/dentist little solo cups (was not supposed to have it there!) Glad you liked it for yourself though.  I still try other BIB stuff and like pretty much everything BIB.  I may give it another shot now that my palate has developed some more, just out of nostalgia.

Sorry you didn't like it. Personal preference definitely plays into what makes it into the regular rotation. I finally got around to picking up a bottle of the Jack Daniels BIB last week and while I'll keep enjoying it until it's gone, it's not something I'll buy again. Seems to have that same Flintstone vitamin flavor that some of George Dickel's stuff are notorious for. My go to BIBs are Early Times and Evan Williams. Been meaning to pick up a bottle of Old Tub BIB to try as well. 

Finally got a chance to get out and ride since the switch back to CCW. It's hike-a-bike for me on many of the climbs going either direction, but I definitely enjoy the overall flow and fun going CCW. The trail was dry and dusty Sunday morning despite any recent rains. The relative humidity must have been near 100% as we were picking up mist during portions of our only lap. Still, was worth getting out. 

Made it out to RPR yesterday for the first time this year. Morning conditions were superb, and the wildflowers were absolutely brilliant! Doesn't seem like the signage has improved any since my last time out, but for whatever reason I was able to create more flow than I've had out there in a long time. Rode for close to 3 hours with a buddy who had only been out there one other time. Definitely worth the trip if you can make while everything is still in full bloom. 

I'm in with a tent site for the duration but will be looking for the slow group. New job is killing me, and I hardly ever get to ride anymore. In fact, this will be like a substitute for my normal, annual out-of-state MTB trip. Looking forward to it though, and hoping for some good weather. 

On 3/27/2023 at 8:49 PM, ATXZJ said:

A younger friend turned mine onto this track. A bit meme-ish in a zoomer kinda way, but pretty catchy.

 

Nice catch! Checking out some of his other stuff on Tidal now and pulling some new tracks for my Indie and EDM playlists. 

Finally ventured out with my folding saw to see what I would encounter. Started with my normal climb behind the YMCA up to the cliff overlooking the lake. Didn't get far before I had to start clearing cedar. Probably spent a good 45 minutes just getting through the section along the lake and cleared quite a few large limbs that were laying across the trail. Worked my way up to the twisty track section leading to Snail, and cleared quite a bit more there, at least enough to allow riders to get through. It's a good thing too because I never realized how many people actually ride that section. Probably half-a-dozen or so came through while I was working. All I cut was cedar, but I cleared some downed oak limbs as well. Rode my usual line down Snail to the bottom before realizing that the exit was completely blocked - way more than I cared to tackle by myself. Moved on to Bob Ross and Rim, and everything was clear. I'm assuming somebody already did some work over there. 

Bottom line is that I did way more cutting than riding today, but it was nice to get out and at least peddle the bike a bit. Rode PicnicX and Picnic as well which were both clear. 

This thread is supporting the argument I've been having with my wife. She claims we've had ice storms the past 3 years and I argued that it was only '21 and '23. I don't recall anything of the sort last year. Here is what's going on at my place now. 

On 11/8/2022 at 5:57 PM, Jessica said:

Question, is there any RV camping near any of these trail heads?

Sorry - just now seeing this. I had actually posted what you see below on your separate thread back in Nov. The Hwy 27 Fishing Village does have RV parking and it is directly across the street from Womble Trail access. Would suggest calling though as it's been a few years since I've been there. 

RIP Jeff Beck - influenced by the great Blues guitarists before him and followed by many after him. So thankful that we can continue to enjoy his life's work. 
 

13 hours ago, AntonioGG said:

Wow! That alt line is awesome!  

Where is Hawg Jaw - part of the Snail complex?

21 hours ago, AustinBike said:

You have to keep in mind that your "speed" is relevant to what is being measured. Most people (no offense) and not doing it right which is why they can't seem to figure it out. Let me give you an example:

Netflix's Server <-A-> CDN server (internet edge) <-B-> Your ISP's server <-C-> Your Router <-D-> Your switch (or wireless) <-E-> Your computer

Now, each of the segments (A-E) have a different speed, so what is your "Netflix speed"?

The short answer is "always the slowest segment."

Haha no offense taken. Been managing various aspects of IT since the late eighties, when IBM was pushing Token-ring and academics swore the internet would never be commercialized. For at-home computing these days, I don't worry about anything beyond my own ISP. Where profits drive performance, I'm satisfied that the parties delivering content and the parties delivering bandwidth have got things sufficiently sorted out. 

On 12/29/2022 at 7:03 AM, AustinBike said:

I have experience in this. MoCA works well and I was able to sustain high throughput to a screen porch. For me the issue with MoCA is the extra devices and the need for power. Running Cat 5e or Cat 6 is easier in some cases, more difficult in others, depending on the house and construction. The key on MoCA is to spring for the better devices. Pay an extra $30 and get something from a name brand vendor, you'll save yourself $30 in hassles over the year. This is the one I tend to recommend:

https://www.amazon.com/Motorola-MoCA-2-5-Adapter-Throughput/dp/B09KS8C3NB

Powerline networking (your other choice) is not that great. It *generally* works but a lot of it depends on your house's wiring. I live in a 50-60 year old house that has been remodeled several times. I actually have two separate power distribution networks (unfortunately), the original and one from a remodel. 

 

Keep in mind that a smart TV does not need much bandwidth. 4K streaming only consumes ~25Mb/s of bandwidth; even a marginal WiFi signal should be fine in many cases. If you are getting drop outs that is another issue, but if you are getting a stable signal today and it is not stuttering, adding anything might not necessarily change the dynamics.

Thanks @AustinBike for all of this info! I ended up getting a pair of ActionTec devices off eBay. Appears that same brand is marketed as SoundBeam. Anyway, the installation was literally plug-and-play and I'm now getting a steady 100Mbs connection to the main TV in our family room. The kit came with a coax splitter which I used in the wiring cabinet to connect the coax cables coming in from both the downstairs family room and upstairs game room. So a single Ethernet connection on the router can feed two coax segments. Of course I'll need a receiving device at the end of both of those connections; so I plan to by a 3rd MoCA adapter for the game room. Instead of connecting that one directly to the upstairs Smart TV though, I will hang a WAP off of it to improve the wireless signal for all devices upstairs.

I'm sure you were right about wireless connections being adequate for 4K streaming, and it seems with Gigabit fiber coming into the house, AT&T's gateway puts out a really solid wireless signal. I just tested from my desktop computer that is currently connected via wireless, and I'm actually getting 201Mbs, which is double that of other connections that are limited to the 100Mbs bandwidth of the ethernet adapter itself. Is that really possible?  

Anyway, what I discovered over the holidays is that when we had a houseful of company all scrolling on their phones / iPads via our wireless while also streaming 4K to 2-3 TVs, the Smart TV interface was really, really slow at times. Didn't seem to be any interruptions or delays while actually watching movies (possibly due to good buffering), but when trying to move from app to app or scroll through the DirectTV Stream guide, there was a lot of stuttering. Not sure what I'm doing will fix all of that, but I love to tinker with this sort of stuff anyway. 

20 hours ago, Barry said:

For my wheater preference Maker's Mark Cask Strength is DAMN close to OWA107. And higher ABV and cheap and available. 

 

Makers and Makers 46 both come in a cask strength. Do you have a preference between the two? 

Picked up another great low-cost BIB to try and have been really pleased with it. As @Barry has noted, seems you can't really go wrong with any of the available BIB selections, no matter the price point. On the other end of the spectrum, my neighbor turned me on to a side-by-side comparison of Wellers 12-yr and Wellers Antique 107. Hands down the 107 was my preference. In fact, I didn't really care for the Wellers 12-yr at all. Suppose it all comes down to individual preference as folks are paying $250 per bottle for that stuff.  

Kali Mission have worked well for me. Very minimalist and seem to check all of your boxes. 

Anybody tried running Ethernet over Coax? I'd like to give this configuration a try with my SmartTV in the family room. A couple of these devices can be purchased for just over $100 from Hitron, which would be much cheaper than wiring a new twisted-pair from my wiring center in the master closet to the family room.

Fireside with Mocha Stout 

I was so sad to learn that Evan Williams Single Barrel would no longer be available in TX. But then I finally got around to trying Evan Williams BIB. Seems they are very similar in taste, and the EW BIB is half the price, higher proof, and still readily available. Between WT 101 and EW BIB, keeping the cabinet stocked with affordable daily sippers is a "no brainer".  

On 11/11/2022 at 9:37 AM, Chief said:

 

Haha ..... if I had a nickel for every bottle of Merchurochrome that got used at my house ..... 

On 11/9/2022 at 11:27 AM, Chongo Loco said:

Not in Hot Springs, but I've stayed at one on the east side of Mt Ida. there's a state park at Denby Point right on the lake that you are an easy ride to the western edge of the LOViT trail. 

Also a little south of Hot Springs on Lake DeGray you can camp right by the Iron Mountain trailhead I think. Never stayed at that one.

Not far from Mt. Ida is the Hwy 27 Fishing Village that sits directly across the street from the midpoint of the Womble Trail. You can do out-and-backs in either direction from your RV spot, or the folks there will shuttle you to / from either end. It's incredibly remote and scenic, but there is a small town to the north where you can go in for some grub, etc. One night we went up there and were treated to a local bluegrass gathering. Believe the name of that town is Story. Mt. Ida isn't too far either going south. Best bet though is to just pack what you need and enjoy the surroundings. They have cabins and tent spots in addition to the RV spots, and it's never been overly crowded from my experiences. Everything around there is "dry" - so pack plenty of libations to cover the duration of your stay. If you need more riding than the Womble offers, the trails in and around Hot Springs (including LOVit) are less than an hour away.    

Highway27FishingVillage (homestead.com)