September-October Photo Dump

I've been neglecting the blogosphere as of late. Here is a photo dump of the last 2 months of bike related shenanigans, as biking really does make everything a whole lot more enjoyable.

Scored a new ride on craigslist: Scandium Salsa Motorapido. The sheer carbon footprint of manufacturing this rare-earth-element frame will force me to ride bikes long into my old age to offset the carbon deficit, but is sure is light and pretty.

Fall began. Riding in crunchy dead leaves is a special feeling.

Flew to Colorado to visit friends and family, and learn a little about traumatic brain injury, and hopefully ride bikes.

Zomba.

After drinking 650b flavored coolaide the past two years it felt good to get back on a 29er.  Raleigh XXIX. 

Durango dust.

The sky is bigger here.

Just standing near these jumps caused a fracture to my clavicle.

"Some times you just need to look at some bikes." -Douglas G.

Colorado waterfalls are somehow superior to those in Alaska, but far from compatible to anything in Iceland. 

Brainiacs. 

Listening to booring lectures for one day was a small price to pay for getting rad with my best friends, road tripping across the state with my mom, buying cheap avocados, and gourmet donut holes.

God bless America.

Back in Alaska:

Gold Mint Trail; Hatcher's Pass.

Fun with Photoshop app, but not as fun as the ride.

I was out of town on beaches, mountain tops, or shredding desert single track for almost all the cyclocross races this year but I did make it to the final race as a fan. Loaded up the xtracycle for some BBQ action, in town adventure by bike. 

Badass fat-tire chariot. 

Bike wash. 

Cyclocropcircle.

The trails had a very spooky feel to them this past weekend, must be close to Halloween.

Holding on to fall as long as the snow stays away...

I think all the radiation from Japan is making the sunsets more beautiful.

Beginning to build

My attempts to build up the Surly Travers Check on a budget have led me to scrounging through the bins of components left over from other projects, parts taken in trade,  various craigslist impulse  buys, and eying the other bikes in my stable with cannibalistic intentions . 
In looking at the hodgepodge of parts, a vision of the build begins to form.   This Travelers Check is a unique and rare frame (now out of production), easily packable into a suitcase for hassle free air travel thanks to the S&S couplers; and with 132.5mm spaced horrizontal rear dropouts, it has the ability to be built as a singlespeed or geared; with road or mountain hubs.  Equally at home happy road riding on narrow slicks or tearing up muddly trails, Fatties Fit Fine. This particular dark blue Travelers Check will serve as the foundation of a mini-29er of sorts, a MonsterCross bike, with the largest tires possible crammed  into the frame and fork.  The bike will need to serve duty as reliable transportation for commuting,   conquering the muddy rooted local singletrack, weekend bike packing missions, the occasional cyclocross race next fall, and extended backcountry touring in Iceland and Spain come July.  beginning stages of the build: Shimano Triple will turn a vintage XTR titanium 8 speed cassette.   XTR brakes for low weight,  reliability,  and maximum stopping power. Titanium railed Saddle to mellow harsh vibes.  Silver Thomson Elite for strengh and style to color match the S&S Couplers.  Stay tuned for dynamo hub wheel build.