Fire Fatigue

A recent report on stress stated that a very high percentage of Americans lead very stressful lives, often losing sleep and taking medications for depression, headaches, and other ills caused by living with stress. Americans tend to work too much and relax too little compared to people in other countries. We are financially stressed, stressed by work, by mortgage payments, by family problems, politics, lack of healthcare, competition in everything, yadda, yadda, yadda!

We have our President and Vice President coming on TV every other day and warning us about terrorism, WWIII, and Atomic weapons. We see our soldiers getting shot at in Iraq and wonder why they are there. We see thousands of soldiers returning from battle without legs and arms and with terrible wounds, their lives changed forever, and wonder why. We wonder why our President vetoes healthcare for children which over 80% of the American people want but which costs about 15 billion more than he has decided he wants to spend on children's health over the next 5 years, while he asks for another 145 billion to spend in Iraq just for part of the next year, a war which is opposed by well over 70% of the American people.

And on top of all that, we who live in San Diego County must deal with the stress of watching TV reports 24/7 keeping us on top of what is happening to our neighbors because 400000 acres of the County burned for the last week.

While about 500000 people of the 3 million in San Diego county were asked to evacuate their property during the fires this week, almost every one of us was impacted in one way or another. If one wasn't in the path of a fire, and was lucky not to evacuate or worry about the fire itself, smoke and ash fell from the sky and permeated the air over much of the county. It did in Encinitas where I live and where I work in Del Mar. Every thing smells of smoke and ash inside and out.
Everyone knows someone who had to evacuate, or knows someone who know someone who lost a home to the fire . My wife's sister' husband's parents had to vacate their home and stayed with them for the week. When they were able to return to their neighborhood in Rancho Bernardo, their home was still standing but when they drove around the area there were 13 homes in their immediate neighborhood that had burned to the ground.

There are 3 million stories about life during the fires. I had gone through pre-op check-ups and counseling for a cateract removal in one eye that was scheduled for this last Tuesday. I had waited for a number of months to get it on the schedule with the VA. No doubt I had some stress of anticipation, but was glad it was going to finally get done, but with a phone call on Monday it was cancelled because the fires caused staffing problems at the hospital. Things have just not been normal with fires blazing around the county.

Living in America the last few years just seems to be filled with stress--that's for sure! I often wonder where one could go to escape such a stressful existance.

The conclusion I have reached is that our government leadership is at odds with the American people, and the American people are at odds with each other. There are few who are satisfied with what is is going on in their lives, and they don't know what to do about it. That is the primary cause of stress in America, and every other little stress like fire fatigue just adds to the pile. I guess I will go home and take a pill!

Year of the Bike--Part 4-The Olmo

On my Thursday ride last week I stopped as usual at Pacific Coast Cycles in Oceanside to look at Chuck's collection of old bikes and sit on a stool in the work area while Chuck worked on a bike. I noticed that in the lower rack on the south wall of the shop there was an old rusty small frame that looked beyond recovery. The badge said it was an Olmo, which was a very nice Italian vintage brand. I asked Chuck about it and he said that someone had brought it in and traded it for some service on another bike. While it was pretty rusty, worn, and missing parts (like the orig Campy derailleurs, the chain, etc.), Chuck said that the stem and bar probably could be recovered as well as the crank and that he could probably ebay some of what was left.

Chuck's primary new brand in the shop is Felt, and he was working on a new bike getting it ready for the "floor" inventory. He was cussing the latest innovation in brakes, which was the addition of small pull levers in the middle of the bar so that the rider could brake while riding with his hands on the bar top without going to the levers at the front drops. He said that very often the cables at these "intermediate" levers crimped a bit and caused the cables to catch when the levers on the drops were used. When he got a bike like that he had to unwrap the bars and make sure the cables were properly stretched and installed through the smaller levers. I have a early 80's Japanese bike which has the old Dia Compe "safety" pull lever attachments on the brake levers and the new pull levers on the Felt reminded me of those. What goes around comes around I guess. I can't imagine that those new mini levers will last for long on the typical road bike. Real "roadies" won't buy into them!

Then, Saturday morning, as usual, I got up early, went to Starbucks for a Venti Bold, and was off on my garage sale excursion looking for bikes, fishing gear, and golf stuff while listening to the fishing show "Let's Talk Hookup" on the radio. The Abacore bite was on and causing much excitment among the fishing set. Maybe next year will be the "Year of the Fish"!

I hit a garage sale just a couple blocks from my house and saw a couple bikes. One was a small frame Olmo, the other an older mountain bike. I asked the seller what he wanted for the bikes and he said " $25 bucks for the small road bike and $40 for the mountain bike". I looked at the Olmo and it looked all original except for the seat and pedals. I said, "Would you take 20 for it? He told me that it needed a new rear tire and thought 20 would be good. So, as I handed him the $20 bill, he said, "It's Italian, you know!" I nodded. (I didn't let on that I was THRILLED!)

When I got it home I gave it a good bath. It had obviously been sitting in a garage for a long time and was dirty and greasy. It cleaned up pretty good. It had the complete Campy Nouvo Record Groupo on it. It also still had the original Campy hubs and Italian wheelset. The rear derailleur was stamped Pat. 81 which dated the bike to 1981. It was a real cool bike with a lot of pantographing on it. The front crankset was pantographed with the Olmo name around the rings in blue, and green, red, and white color insets circled the rings. The stem had Guiseppe Olmo's signature on both sides with color insets, and the seatpost also had "Olmo" on four sides with color insets. It had a 3ttt stem and bar wrapped with what seemed to be the original blue bar tape, matched by blue cable covers for the brakes. The fork was capped in chrome with Olmo stamped in blue on both sides of the top. Most of the decals were still in fair to good condition. The Columbus 531 frame sticker was mostly worn off. The frame was biege and had the typical scratches and chips one would expect in a bike of its age, and which was probably not all that "treasured" over the years. There had been some touch ups made in the past on some of the chips, and I had a close matching paint and did a bit more.

The tires were tubular and the rear Continental tire was done for. The front was a newer Vittoria and usable. I bought some new tubular Vittorias to install. I will use the good old one for a spare. It is only a 52 cm frame which is to small for me, but I think it is a real find and a good collectible which I will keep and pair up with the 1971 Mondia I just rehabbed and intend to "hang" in the den. The Mondia currently resides in the den awaiting a "hanging" date, and the Olmo is in the living room and fun to look at. The Olmo is probably the most collectable and "arty" due to all the pantographing and color on various parts. I would guess that each part producer must have made parts which were custom for these Olmo production bikes.

When I ride up to Oceanside this week and stop in to see Chuck, he is going to do what he usually does when I tell him about finding this bike for 20 bucks. He will just shake his head and mumble, "People got no idea what they have". I may even bring it up for him to check out one day. He is about 5'8 and it may be a fit for him.

Year of the Bike--Part 3--The Univega Moto

Last weekend I found a UNIVEGA MODO which was like new at a garage sale which had a tag for $175. It looked like it was a 56 cm frame which was a bit small for me, but it had a Columbus steel frame and Compagnola Veloce components. There was nary a scratch on it. Not many people are willing to buy bikes for that kind of money at garage sales. Garage sale shoppers are not serious about riding bikes. Since I look for road bikes I can fix, ride, and resell, that is a good situation for me.

I happened to have just over $100 with me, so I offered the seller that amount and said that was all I had. He hemmed and hawed and said he had only ridden the bike about 5 times, and then said he would do it, and took my offer. He said he didn't want to fool around with ads and phone calls. I thought it was a good deal, thinking the bike was probably worth $350-450 in the used market.

I googled the bike when I got home and found that it was a bike that was about 5-7 years old and had sold for a MSRP of $899 when it was new. Not bad! The Campy Veloce components were generally considered about equal to Shimano 105, and the riding reviews from people who had one were positive, indicating that for the money it was a very good riding bike.

I wondered if it was big enough for me to ride and determined to set it up for my regular Sunday morning ride to Del Mar. The frame was about an inch shorter than what I had been riding, but the top tube was about the same and the distance from the seatpost to the back of the stem seemed a good fit. I adjusted the seat post up a bit and measured heights and lengths and it fit pretty good. My bike guru Chuck at Pacific Coast Cycles in Oceanside told me that raising the saddle on a bike that is too short for the rider really doesn't make it a fit because the weight balance of the rider and the bike is not as stable.

I thought I would try it anyway. I have noticed that very good riders and the pros riding in the Tour de France seem to have very high seatposts in comparison to the position of the top tube and handlebars and ride in a more crouched position than us mere mortals. Presumably that means that an advanced rider who is equal in height to me would be positioned on a bike that would have a shorter frame and longer reach than would be a "fit" for me. I would be on a bike that is a 58 cm and riding more upright, while he would be on a 55-56 cm and riding in a more flat aerodynamic position.

Sunday morning I was off to Del Mar. I was hopeful that the bike would work because it had all the modern conveniences of integrated shift levers, 9 speed rear cassette, and a three ring crankset. Wow! 27 gears! It rode fine! I was comfortable riding. It seemed to fit, although I was conscious of the smaller frame. There was a bigger gap between me and the top bar.

I think that I will ride it for awhile and see how it goes! I may even ride it up to see Chuck to get his views on the matter, although he is a vintage bike guy umimpressed by anything built after 1985. He always is interested in my garage sale finds and just smiles and shakes his head when I tell him what I pay for my "finds". My $5 1971 Mondia Special frame is my most notable find. Next is my 84 Bianchi frame with the original Campy Nouvo Record shifters and derailleurs that I also acquired for $5. And of course, the Dave Moulton 1987 30th Anniversary FUSO I bought for $75. Unfortunately, only the Bianchi was my size. The Mondia is almost restored and ready to be "hung" in the den. (I had to buy Campy vintage derailleurs, shifter levers, A campy hubbed vintage wheelset, and a 3ttt stem and handlebar on ebay, and found a vintage Brooks saddle at a garage sale.) The FUSO is residing with a friend who was looking for a quaility Italian component bike and is very happy with it (Columbus frame/Campy Record groupo).

If the Univega doesn't work out, there will be a very nice bike on the market at a favorable price for someone who will be thrilled to find such a nice fit in a quality bike that is "affordable".

Bullshit! And Bush!

Today I was listening to Bush talking about the need to stay in Iraq or have our children face dire consequences in the future. I am getting really pissed off at that guy. I yelled BULLSHIT! three time at the radio.

I guess that was my primal scream today. I don't know if it helped, but it kind of felt good. When I got back to a computer I sent an email to both of California's Senators encouraging them to shut down the Iraqi War asap even if they have to impeach the sonofabitch and his vpsonofabitch.

Year of the Bike--part 2--Dave Moulton

I found a bike at a garage sale a few weeks ago. The seller had two of them--they were FUSOs, and I had never seen one and didn't know the name. But I recognized that the frames were Columbus and the components were Campognola. The price tags on them were 300 and 700 bucks, and I thought to myself that they were to much for me. The cheaper one had a bit of tarnish and pitting on some of the components, the front derailleur was broken at the clamp, but the frame was pristine and beautiful. I noted that " Dave Moulton, 30th Anniversary" was written on the left rear stay. I didn't know the name.

The bike was to small for me, but I had a friend who I knew was looking for an Italian bike like this, and I thought it would fit him. So I started to work on the price of the less expensive bike. It had tubular tires on it, which are a bit of a pain, I told the owner. (The more expensive bike had clinchers--much easier to handle) I also noted the tarnish and pitting on some of the components and the broken front derailleur. I got him down to $100 and told him I would have to think about it and I would get back to him. As I was getting his phone number I said, "I'll tell you what! I will give you $75 for it and won't even think about it. I'll just go home and get the cash and be right back. His wife piped up and said, "Oh Jerry, just get rid of it, it's been in the garage for 20 years!

So he agreed, and I gave him $20 to hold it for me until I got back with the rest of the money.

When I got it home I looked up Dave Moulton on the internet, and found that he had been a very well known frame maker who had started in England, and ultimately ended up in San Marcos, California with his own small bike building shop where he had turned out about 3000 FUSOs (his brand name) over the period from about 1982 to 1992. He built them all himself by hand with the help of a small staff and did them in lots of 5 frames at a time. They were sold primarily in high end bike shops in Southern California. The 30th Anniverary FUSO was built in 1987 since he had started in frame building in England in 1957. The bike I had cost $1500 in 1990, and the other one that had been priced at $700 was a more expensive model that had cost over $3000 back then. I was almost tempted to go back for it, but it had been small for me too! (In hindsight, I should have gone back for it and tried to get a price for it, though.)

I called my friend and told him of my find. I suggested he come take a look and see if it was a good fit for him. Bottom line, I traded it to him for the 1986 Trek Tri Series 700 he had bought at a garage sale for $100 a few weeks prior, knowing he was getting the better of me by far. But what are friends for. I sold his trade on craigslist for $260. His Bike shop said the FUSO might be worth up to $1000. Part of the deal I made with him, was that if he ever wanted to sell or get rid of it he had to give me a chance to buy it from him for $100. I think that bike will have a place of honor in his home for the rest of his riding days. I know that if it had been my size, I would have restored it by now and it would be my regular ride. When not being ridden it would be living with me in the den.

I emailed Dave Moulton through his web site and told him my story. He responded, and was glad to hear that I had rescued one of his bikes from a garage and got it back on the road.

He has a very good bike blog on Blogger and a web site. Google him up if you like bicycles.

The Year of the Bike--Part I

Last year I played golf once a week and my goal was to break 80 and get to a single digit handicap. It took some lessons and some persistance but I did it! It also took to much time. This year I decided to do bikes. My goal is to lose 30 lbs and get down to my high school graduation weight of 170 lbs. (That was in 1960.) About 10 years ago, I had an angioplasty performed to open a blood vessel in my heart. The doctor told my wife it was called "The Widow Maker". That was scary! I started a diet and rode 50 miles a week on a bike and lost 25 lbs to 175, so I know I can do it!!! Of course, I weakened and went off the food watch and my bike after about a year and went back up to my lifestyle weight of 200 lbs. By lifestyle I mean, eat what I want and don't excercise! Well I'll be 65 this year and I think I want to make it to at least 85, or give it my best try!
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So I am on my bike, not eating sweets and fats and making good progress!

Blog Fatigue!

I can't believe that I have not been posting anything on this blog for months. Maybe it is because I direct no one to this site to read anything I write, so my attitude is that the words just sit in digital limbo forever, or until Google says "enough" all ready, and decides that there is nothing in this blog that demands storage forever. On the other hand, from what I read of Google, they are of a mind to be the library of life on this planet, and hope to capture all the written, and perhaps spoken and visual information that is produced by all of mankind. If there are a million chimps pounding on proverbial keyboards in the hope that a single poem or essay is produced, Google will probably be monitoring that as well. So, perhaps the entire existance of intelligence of all types on this Earth will be captured and stored in their digital depository forever.

The last person alive on Earth will be tasked with the job of sending the last huge email carrying the entire sum of all knowledge on a very powerful radio signal off into space where eons later it will be picked up by a huge array of antennas on a lump of dirt in a distant galaxy, causing elation among the inhabitants who, after centuries of monitoring emmissions from the universe around them, find that they are not unique beings and there was another civilization in another galaxy far, far, away.

Perhaps they will have the capability of sorting through the trillions of digital codes and picking out those of most importance to study, and their advanced society's Google will speed through the archive and pick some pieces from this blog.

It is not that I have not been writing lately. I have recently written some poetry, and I have also written a skit for an upcoming meeting. It is a meller drama and makes me laugh out loud each time I read it. I tend to write specific to the situation and the inspiration of the moment. I also occasionally contribute on a political posting site populated by right wing whackos, and real lefty libererals who basically hit the ball back and forth across the net at each other. No one there ever wins the game. It goes on and on until boredom sets in, the moderator ends the discussion, or it just peters out when no one makes further contribution. It is reflective of our society at the moment. There seem to be no moderates who post on the site. There is little agreement on any subject. I guess the middle is boring. The effective work of government, however, is just that--boring. War, guns, abortion, death penalty laws, racism! Conflicting views on those subjects are not boring when the far right and left are so far apart in agreement on what is best for our society. I think the moderate "middle" in the country is getting fed up. The GOP right has made such a mess that there will be a "boring" revolution where good leadership will be selected to find solutions and agreements and bring back good common sense to government. There is to much war, guns, abortion, death, and racism. It all needs plainly to be fixed.

The Bush Administration has this country so screwed up that each day is made more difficult by the events in the headlines. The Sun comes up and shines, but not with optimism. One tries to count the days when reason and competence returns to government, but alot of bad stuff can still happen in the next 1 1/2 years. It is tiring!

I think I shall set aside 15 minutes a week to write on this blog during the remainder of this year.