Labor Day may be the unofficial end of summer for a lot of yis, but for me, it’s always Interbike.
In the olden days, when I was still a man instead of whatever it is that I am now, I would have already squeezed at least one cyclocross under my bibs by the time Le Shew Bigge rolled around.
But my final race was in 2004, and as the Last Roundup in Sin City approaches I’m mostly rolling around to no particular purpose, on whichever bike amuses me at the moment, free of licensing, race number and organizational responsibilities (that first race of each new season was usually the one I promoted).
This aimless pedaling about keeps me out of the office, where the temptation is to overload the wagon like some dumb-ass pilgrim lugging all his proud-ofs to the frontier.
Do I want to do any podcasting from Interbike? Video? If one or the other, or both, which MacBook do I take, the 13-incher or the 15-incher? Thank God I’m down to one functional camera. That’s one equipment-selection decision successfully avoided.
Unless I want to buy a new camera. …
No, goddamnit, knock that shit off. Confine yourself to the bloggery. Avoid the hernia.
I always think it would be fun to do something different, and I always wind up doing the same damn thing — wandering around with a pad and pen, talking to people, an informal process that can be knocked all to hell by these consarned newfangled ee-lectronical comosellamas.
It’s all good fun until someone gets hurt. And that someone is likely to be me. If I wanted to carry a rucksack with a hunnerd pounds of gear for money I’d join the damn Army, is what. I got the haircut already.
In other news, Red Ryder has gone to The Big Roundup In the Sky. And no, he didn’t shoot his eye out.
Mad Blog Media 
Gee, riding whatever bike suits your fancy that moment. The beauty of standard pedals. Hey barkeep, SPDs all around please and keep ’em coming.
Watch that “last roundup” talk around here pal!
That pen wouldn’t happen to be a real fountain pen, would it? I think I asked you this question before.
This 2013 iMac is starting to slow down a little. And in our downsizing frame of mind, we are thinking of replacing it with a laptop, Apple of course. Plus I will update our 8 year old Airport Extreme router to the latest model. There goes another computer desk and chair out the door. Pretty soon we will move into that van by the river that Patrick wants.
http://pleasureway.com/plateau-xlmb/
Pat, my Airport Extreme is at least that old, probably older. Is there a huge benefit to the new ones, speed wise?
They go from the 802.11 a/b/g/n specification to the newest ac which is faster. But the ac specification is fairly new, so your wireless devices might not have it. If I bought a new Apple laptop, it would. The big advantage to me is the improved antenna array they use in the new Airport Extreme. Gives you a stronger omnidirectional signal that is less affected by interference from near by wifi routers.
Interesting story about Dave Saunders his 20th century cowboy life in New Mexico and Colorado. I’d heard of the toy before the movie but growing up only read Archie comic books.
Happy Trails along the route to Las Vegas and keep us posted via whatever tech you bring. And I hope you have some good meals!
My parents got me the Daisy Spittin’ Image for Christmas, which I liked a lot more than the Red Ryder. I guess I was always an iconoclast. Never shot my eye out, either. Yet.
RIP, Dave.
My parents refused to get me the Red Ryder, citing the likelihood of impairment. I showed them by growing a third eye in the early Seventies.
Leave the tech gear home. During a recent meeting with new potential clients I decided that aw screw it…things were not shaping up to go well so why not just bring a pen and paper and leave the digital armory behind. Well guess what? Being able to REALLY listen and make old school eye contact ended up being an eye opener since I picked up on several key things I very well might have missed. Looked at my one word notes later and they were all I needed to fully engage the wants/needs of the client. So bring your fav writing tool and a pocket notebook and enjoy the final Lost Wages Interbike. Of course in your trade a camera would be pretty important but the smaller the better.
Herb, I’ve been eyeing the latest Sony point-and-shoot, the DSC-RX100, but holy hell is it one pricey little beastie. I haven’t owned a Sony camera since the Mavica was cutting-edge. And I’m not sure my mad photography skillz are worthy of such gear.
I always bring the old pen and pad, being a geezer. Also a small digital recorder, because geezer. Belt and suspenders.
If you are shopping, you shouldn’t ignore Panasonic Lumix cameras. You can spend a little, or the whole paycheck and more of one of these.
is it cx season already? where has the summer gone?
Carl, how are you holding up down there in the sunshine state. I hope you’re a fair distance from salt water.
Hard to believe, innit? I think they’re already racing in Yurp. And in Noo Yawk, too.
Keep the pirogue handy, you. Never know when you gotta go pole it down the bayou.
We always joked that Rochester had two seasons: winter and the 4th of July. So it should aways be cx season.
thanks for asking. so far it’s been quite ok here. breezy and cool. the gf removed some stuff from the veranda while i sat on the couch watching cx. tomorrow the rain is supposed to hit. we are in an old part of town at about 80′ of elevation so no worries.
the cx national champ steven hyde is from here so i watched a youtube clip of him winning a race this weekend up in new england. he’s sporting a sweet new mullet and mutton chops that will look awesome in europe this year.
Stay safe, y’all. And as long as you’re indoors, check out Sven Nys bunnyhopping a barrier and riding the stairs.
I have a Red Ryder book that was my Dads when he was a kid copyright 1940