Pining for Snow – December. 30, 2024
If you’ve tried to email me in the past week, you know that I have been enjoying some OOO time- it’s become a tradition for my little family to head North to our humble little cabin in Pinetop to disconnect from technology, reflect on the year, and plot goals for the next one.
Usually we get to take the dogs out to frolic in the snow, and we were hoping that we would let the little guy see some flakes for the first time, but it has been very dry up there, and there was only pine trees and chilly air to greet us. Leo still had a great time, and the dogs got to enjoy dog beds by the fire after a few jaunts in the woods. Hoping for some frozen precipitation soon!
Snakey Sleepytime🐍– December. 16, 2024
As much as I lament the cold of winter, the cooldown from summer is always a great relief- and the ophidians that hang out on the trail go subterranean to await the planet’s upper axis turning back towards the sun. While they slumber, there are still permanent warnings to bipeds of their existence. I find these signs amusing, yet poignant- the desert flora and fauna usually has some sort of trick up its sleeve to prevent you from getting too close.
Pie in your Eye – December. 9, 2024
As we are mid-swing into the end-of-year festivities, I’m celebrating one of my favorite holiday pastimes and traditions, baking, and this year has had no shortage! I made more than a half dozen pies over the Thanksgiving holiday, and have plans to bake tens of thousands of calories in cookies in the coming weeks. If you stop by the shop, there’s a chance you may be able to snag some! The pictured pie features extra flaky homemade crust and lattice, with the classic Granny Smith filling in my favorite super deep ceramic french pie dish. À la mode!
Twofer Thursday – December. 2, 2024
If you follow my weekly rants here, you’ve seen me spew about my slight obsession with the “Free Couches of Tucson,” and also the awesome street art/murals we are surrounded by in our downtown metroscape. Just down the avenue from us, I discovered a double whammy: a luxurious three cushion leather sofa in front of a local music venue/skate shop/artist studio! The buttery leather may now be crisp on this item, but I’m sure it has offered many folks respite from the hard concrete jungle. Since I don’t have social media, I’ll share this with you here!
Surly Supreme – November. 25, 2024
If you’ve been following these posts, it’s likely you’ve seen glimpses of the Surly Ogre that we recently built as the ultimate commuter/armageddon bike. It has been released into the wild to frolic in the elements, and enjoy copious fresh air whilst silently conveying its rider and cargo through unpropitious weather.
The Veer belt drive/Rohloff is truly a masterpiece of a drivetrain, and coupled with the dynamo lighting, this brute is ready for the apocalypse or trips to the store (whichever comes first)!
Cold Plunge – November. 18, 2024
We seem to have skipped over autumn weather here in the Old Pueblo, with temps going from 104° at the beginning of November, to mornings of 34° as of a couple days ago. As weary as we all were of the enduring summer heat, the swing in temps has most of the thin-blooded desert dwellers now donning their heavy cold weather gear and wondering when it will get warm again! Even though I’m no longer in shorts and flip flops (or my super fashionable SPD sandals), I remembered the blazing sun doing its thing on our recent Catalina State Park Overnighter and rejoicing that we are getting a break from triple digits everyday.
FYI: your waterproof Ortlieb bags (which are on sale right now!!!) can double as a beverage cooler filled with ice in a pinch!
Nothing like the first time – November. 11, 2024
This past weekend, I was able to get out with the family on a short hike in the Rincon Mountains, and my son got to experience a backcountry trail for the first time! The weather was nice enough that we could hike during the day without melting, and he also got to see his first horse at the end of the hike. I’m excited for future outings, and hope he enjoys getting out into the wilderness on two wheels as much as his dad does! For now, he gets to ride in style in his mahawi backpack (I have to admit, it’s quite luxurious).
Split your belt, not your frame (or pants)! – November. 04, 2024
We are currently custom building the most sublime Surly Ogre, complete with a full SON28 Dynamo lighting system, Rohloff hub, and a belt drive. Seems innocuous, but the frame doesn’t come with a split to run a Gates belt, but thankfully we now have Veer belt systems available for any frames that have at least 8mm of horizontal dropout! The belt is bifurcated and joins using a series of rivets, eliminating the need to send your frame to a builder to modify. It runs at a lower tension than Gates, and is easier on your hub driver. I’m super stoked to see this bike completed, and it may just pop up as a future Tidbit when it’s finished! Let us know if you would like to ditch your chain, and we can get you set up!
Mariachi Moments – October. 28, 2024
This past weekend we helped support the Fall 2024 Cyclovia Tucson by doing free bike maintenance, which was mostly flat changes and brake adjustments, but never knowing what the day would hold, we came well prepared. After a yearlong hiatus, it was great to see thousands of folks out enjoying themselves on streets closed to motor vehicle traffic! We had a beautifully shaded spot and were neighboring the folklorico and mariachi groups, and were able to enjoy being right up front for their performances.
Petite Asperitas Cooldown – October. 21, 2024
This week is yet another ubiquitous sunset pic, but these clouds were ushered in after our first cool front of the season, dropping the high from 105° to 73° in a day. This type of cloud has fascinated me for a while, and it is the newest cloud type recognized by the International Cloud Atlas! While this image may not be as striking as some of the others on the internet, seeing these still brought an exclamation point to the refreshing cool air.
Heatstroke Heroes: Desert Camping at 100°! – October. 14, 2024
This past weekend, a few brave souls wandered into the Sonoran Desert heat on their bikes to go camping at Catalina State Park. It was a toasty 100°F as we left the shop, and only got hotter as the day went on. We were rewarded for our efforts with Type 2 fun, and showers if we wanted! Kudos to the efforts put forth by everyone that attended!
Off the Couch, but not Over the Bars – October. 07, 2024
This past weekend I participated in one of my favorite rides, the Tour of the White Mountains put on by the fine folks of Epic Rides! While it was great to get out of our week of record shattering heat, I did not train or prepare for what always proves to be a very arduous task. After 50 dusty miles and a few more, I was cooked, but very happy to have done another year.