*** Special Bulletin: I hope everyone is out earning their bike commuting merit badge this week. It's National Bike to Work Week and there is a Bike Rally at the State Capitol building on Friday morning. Put up some flyers at work and cajole your friends. The more the merrier. And now back to your regularly scheduled programming... ***
I don't know about you, but I absolutely love found things. In the last couple of weeks I've beenlucky enough to find several things worthy of a little blogosphere mention. For those that aren't finders, it's pretty simple. Free, not stolen, and bonus points when unexpected. An example would be fresh ramps (wild greens) found on a hike.
My first find was one of necessity. The bottom bracket of my trusty tank had given out. I picked up a handful of bearings at the local shop, Bicycles East, and thought it would be a simple repack. To my dismay the BB was entirely shredded and I wasn't about to buy a new one. Aftermoping for a while about not having a nearby bike co-op (http://www.thebikeproject.org/)had an idea - DUMPSTER DIVE. It worked perfectly. I found a kid's bike in the local transferstation salvage yard, stripped the BB, and was good to go. The Huffy rolls once more.
Once you 'learn' to dumpster dive, you don't stop. What an amazing source of found things. This quickly brings us to the second found thing. A friend asked me to keep an eye out for a used child trailer to convert into a flatbed cargo hauler. That same day while passing by the previously bounteous salvage pile, I happened across just that item. Score! I tied the trailerhitch to my basket and dragged it home. All it's missing is a proper hitch, but Doug can figurethat out.
The last find is not really a thing, but I'll explain. I've found some folks in the Hartfordarea who like the same offbeat riding that I do. The Detour de Connecticut that Salem organized was a perfect example. Longish mileage, notracing, exploring new places, and very mixed terrain. Late in the 113 mile trek, I distinctly recalla short uphill segment that appeared to be a creek bed. At the end of the all day ride I was justabout bonked, but used my last couple calories to sustain my perma-smile. More please. I'd liketo find more.
8 comments:
is that the same child trailer that was sitting off the trail just east of ecology dr.? if so, good. if not, well, now all 11 people who read this blog know. perhaps everyone wants a trailer.
You mean the ascent of the hill of champions?
Yup. This was the trailer by the side of the trail. Hope I didn't scoop someone else.
nah, i don't think anyone's been scooped. i'm just glad that the trailer and someone who needed a trailer have been united.
did you get the bottom bracket from that bright green/yellow huffy wreck that was even further up the road?
lastly, i'd be surprised if the creek bed/ascent of the hill of champions hadn't been flowing with water. i don't know, but it sounds uncharacteristic of a deTour organized by Salem.
The bike I stripped the bb off went back in the pile.
That may have been the 'Hill of Champions'. I had made the entire climb until a particularly ungraceful tip over at the top when I put my front tire in a hole.
Also liked the high speed descents in Mesh. Wet dirt roads with washboarding make 40 mph fun.
Dumpster dove two tomato cages this week.
This isn't the eatbikeblog.
...but maybe it should be.
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