Saturday, January 23, 2021
Colors and brushes
Thursday, January 14, 2021
Hard Times
Tis the song, the sigh of the weary
Hard times, hard times, come again no more
Many days you have lingered around my cabin door
Oh hard times come again no more
Tis a sigh that is wafted across the troubled wave
Tis a wail that is heard upon the shore
Tis a dirge that is murmured around the lowly grave
Oh hard times come again no more
Monday, January 11, 2021
Mixte: Still Slowly Progressing
No hurry. Leather mudguard flap today. (Need to get some 5mm t-nuts for the inside of the fender.)
Thursday, December 31, 2020
Ron Cooper Mixte build
The rear brake straddle cables were an issue. Because the straddle cable had to be longer to clear the seat post they kept disengaging through the assembly slot. I bored the cable puck hole out to accept Mafac straddle clamps. Look and work damned fine I say.
The rear freewheel is the current iteration of the IRD body, but with the older stepped sprockets. 5-speed with 34 big sprocket. Of course the '79 vintage Campy NR derailleur couldn't wrap enough chain for that, so I installed Campy Rally cage plates. Eventually the Regina chain may be replaced by a "modern" chain, but I like the look.
Sunday, December 27, 2020
Christmas 2020
- Gunnar
Sunday, December 20, 2020
Jinglebike
by Aldo Ross
"Twas the night before Christmas..."
Thursday, November 26, 2020
Fiddly Brake Stuff
I am slowly re-assembling my vintage Ron Cooper mixte with parts I had on hand.
The past couple of days it was brake cables. The first small issue was that there was a way to adjust the front brake cable with the traditional headtube brake hanger, but no way to adjust the rear brake cable length. Digging through the miscellaneous (junk) drawers I came up with a brake ferrule thingy that I could modify. I had to drill it through and then tap threads to match a threaded cable stop. This may sound simple, but I longer have a drill press and I am ... huh, sight impaired. Half blind. So I felt a little smug when I pulled it off.
- Gunnar
Saturday, October 31, 2020
Happy Birthday Carolee and Paul
But first a Canada Warbler for my Canadian friends, who by random chance, both have their birthdays today. Two of the greatest birders and best friends a man could ask for.
Wednesday, October 28, 2020
Guy Clark - Let it Roll
I love a really good obit, but so many are unimaginative. They talk around the fact that he/she/or it "died". They "passed away" - like they sneaked off when we weren't looking. Or she ran off, "She went to be with the Lord." Or her late husband. Or her French poodle Fido.
Done about everything there is to do.
He worked on freighters, he worked in bars.
He worked on farms, 'n he worked on cars.
That grown men get when they need to cry
And he sat down on the curb to rest
And his head just fell down on his chest
A little bit harder to handle and yet"
And he lost the thread and his mind got cluttered
And the words just rolled off down in the gutter
In exchange for the rent on a one room cell
He's old in years beyond his time
Thanks to the world, and the white Port wine
He said, "Life for you has just begun"
And he told me a story that I heard before
How he fell in love with a Dallas whore
When it ended, in a whore house fight
And she turned his last proposal down
In favor of being a girl about town
And he ain't been straight none of the time
Too many days of fightin' the weather
And too many nights of not being together
In among the stubs from the welfare checks
Was a crumblin' picture of a girl in a door
An address in Dallas, and nothin' more
A couple from the mission down the street
Sang Amazing Grace, and no one cried
'Cept some woman in black, way off to the side
Black veil covering her silver hair
And 'ol One-Eyed John said her name was Alice
And she used to be a whore in Dallas
Bet he's gone to Dallas Rest his soul
Lord, let him roll, Lord let him roar
He always said that heaven
Sunday, October 25, 2020
The Owl of Athena
- G.
Saturday, September 19, 2020
Blogger
I have been maintaining a blog since 2006. Recently Google has been infiltrated by dumbshits. Google's Blogger app has changed the way posts are created, structured and posted, apparently to make it more 'cellphone friendly'. It is awkward and a giant step backward.
Facebook is ephemeral, leaving no tracks that can be retrieved. I am taking a break from Blogger, looking for other options for sharing thoughts and photos, other than breakfast at Hy- Vee.
WordPress? Anyone with other options may leave a comment.
Wednesday, September 16, 2020
Blue-headed Vireo
Also fleeting looks at a first of season Blue-headed Vireo. I had to manipulate the photo more than I like, but the firestorm haze in the sky was causing a weird pink tint to the photos when the Vireo showed up.