Random Things

Just a post of random things while I have the chance to jot them down.

What's spinning? I have been enjoying some county music recently. Not the trivial lyrics, over produced, dog-beer-and truck, hip-pop-country stuff. I am not a fan (and every genre has that kind of music out there). What I like about country music is the instrumentation. A steel guitar, maybe some banjo or mando. I also seem to gravitate towards music and artists that are songwriters and that write about meaningful things. I have enjoyed Margo Price's first two albums. Been spinning Beck's "Sea Change" in the car. Most recently though it has been Kacey Musgraves' "Golden Hour". Similar to Beck's swings toward country from the alt-hip-hop or whatever you categorize him as, Musgraves swings from the other side blending more modern sounds in with more traditional instruments.  Favorite tracks would include "Slow Burn", "Golden Hour", "Oh What A World". Her effortless singing sits right in with songs. Take a listen.



A small amount of progress on the stone surround for the new hearth. The walls will be framed with some heavy weathered timbers. I cut them down from some 4x10 hemlock. Still need to poly them.

It's what's for lunch. Wonder why we have epidemic levels of diabetes, heart disease, obesity.

The Ohio State Road Race is coming up on May 6. Turns out to be the same day as the new 6 hour race in WV that I was kind of planning to do. Instead, I will be working the registration table at Lake Hope. Want to volunteer? They need drivers and corner marshals. Find Team Athens on the Facebook for details.

Easter was another busy holiday while trying to get over being sick. Nice to live so close to so much family. Hard to live so close to so much family. Up at 5:30 am to get rolls rolled so they can rise and bake before I head to soundchecks at 8. Church at 10:30. Lunch with Shelly's grandparents and fam. Grab some coffee on the way to my folks for another meal. Home by 8. Lot of food. Lot of sitting. Good but long day.

Ankle update: about 90%. Most of the pain and swelling are gone. Still limited range of motion and discomfort. Maybe run again for the first time this week. Or maybe go for a swim?

The parking lot is once again filled with flood water. It gets better... the city just informed us that the sewer pumps are being turned off. So please hold it. 

On second thought a swim seems like a bad idea.

Ditches

The township cleaned the ditches this week. I guess I should be pleased that the mailbox is still in place.

The ole mailbox is looking pretty rough after being run over a couple times, hit by boom mower, thrown in the creek, thrown in the neighbors woods, and now had a ditch spun in front of it.

And, just when my ankle was almost its normal size, a wasp stung me just just above my sock. Result = cankle. Grr, wasps are jerks.

And since Ohio (as a lot of the country) is experiencing multiple rounds of weird winter weather and I still can't seem to get many rides outside, I am still using the indoor trainer. Last summer I bought a slightly used Tacx Vortex Smart. Fully controllable with BTLE or ANT+ (depending on the software and device). Here are a few thoughts on it and on a few of the available training software packages out there. The iOS Tacx apps work fine for calibration and firmware updates as well as just setting a power or slope point and rolling. All the weird issues and quirks seem to be with desktop apps for riding a virtual course. Depending on the software it may or may not use BTLE, it may or may not need paired again every time you use it, it may or may not work if your old iPod Bluetooth is turned on and sitting upstairs, it may or may not work is some Garmin software is running, oh, and the software support is pretty bad. The three packages I tried (Tacx, BKool, Rouvy) apparently are all translations from other languages to English, judging by the weird grammar, and have instructions like "pair the trainer".

Tacx was the easiest to pair to the trainer, as it should be, but I only successfully did a ride with it once. Instead, the app would regularly crash, without error, it would just disappear. It also needed to have ride videos pre-downloaded. These were big, multiple GB. And after downloading 3 GB only to have the app crash and the video disappear, let's say I was done using it.

The second app I tried was BKool. The challenge pairing with this was that it needed to use ANT+. But, if your Garmin software is running in the background it will prevent the connection, even though it can see it. And if anything BTLE is trying to connect to the trainer, ANT+ won't pair. This took me a while (days) to figure out. The software itself was stable. Browsing all the videos and routes was a little labored but I wasn't overly picky about the ride as long as it hit the time frame/distance/climbing I was looking for. I also don't use it as a game and ride with/against friends so I don't have any comment on that nor did I use it for structured workouts. I actually subscribed to BKool for a couple months and used it a couple times a week. The rides and videos were great and terrible. I got to ride in Moab, in Spain, New Zealand, etc. Some videos were well produced. Some were almost dizzying. Some were in beautiful mountain areas and some on city streets loaded with cars. Not a refined package, but solid. I would not hesitate to use it again.

Finally I started using Rouvy (Virtual Training). Again, terrible instructions with weird grammar. I can use BTLE but only after you make sure every other device isn't trying to connect to the trainer. Also the trainer must be connected in Windows Bluetooth devices and then you can finally connect in the app. Oh, and when you restart the app you apparently have to re-do the Windows paring/connecting and then reconnect in the app. Supposedly an issue that Rouvy knows about and says that it is Windows' fault and the solution is to buy another BLTE dongle or repair each time. Not sure how much I buy in to that since the Tacx software paired fine. The software itself is much more refined than BKool. It has been very stable thus far too. I can stream the videos as I ride and don't have to use 4K either. I like the interface. This morning I rode in Red Rocks, so that was cool. Again, I have not tried any races, and structured workouts, or self created routes. I can subscribe monthly for about $8 so I may likely use it for a couple months.

Indoor trainer riding is hard mentally. Last year I rode more miles on rollers than I had ever in the past. I doubled that this year. Much more entertaining. I wasn't sure if a smart trainer would be worth the cost but will say that if you ride inside, it is.

So what's spinning? Been listing to a couple things lately. I got an Amazon Unlimited music account so I have listened to a lot of different stuff including some Grateful Dead. Actually listened to a live version of Dark Star that lasted so long it finished just before I got home on my half hour commute! I also really like the new U2 album, Songs of Experience. Some of their best of recent years. Check them out. Looking forward to the new Jack White hitting tomorrow.

Rock on.

Leguary

I heard the term Leguary recently (so I can't take credit for it). It's true. Legs that may spin some through the winter are never really ready for that first long ride of the year. This year was going to be different. I put the longest trainer rides I have ever done only to set myself back playing soccer.

This past weekend should have been the Gravel Rouser. It was also the end of spring break at school. I have been hitting it pretty hard at work trying to meet deadlines and do what we used to do with twice as many staff.

So I had Friday off from work and Sunday off from playing guitar at church. We had planned a quick trip to the Blackwater Falls area/Davis/Thomas WV for some hiking and food. But as luck would have it we ended up under a winter weather/freezing rain advisory when we would have been traveling. Instead we headed to Casa for breakfast follow later by some pie from Fluff. After getting some stuff done I got out with the ole Redline d440 and blasted some back roads for a couple hours and my legs could tell.

Saturday was spent watching it rain and then moving and splitting firewood (for next year since we are still without the wood stove). I loosely planned to make Sunday the big ride day. It was supposed to turn sunny and in the 50's. Before I could finalize a big back road rouser, Ethan asked if we could hit the trails. We ended up at Lake Hope for the afternoon. Ethan is still getting his bike legs but did a good job trying to keep up with this old man. In the end we did 19 miles of trails before running out of food and water.

And today was near 60. After work I took the chance to replace the brakes on Shelly's car. Now to settle in for the next winter storm that is to follow the rain coming tonight and tomorrow. 2 to 4 inches of wet snow predicted.

Hope you can get outside.

Cat 2

I wish this title was regarding my license upgrade to Cat 2 (well, actually I don't know that wish is the right word). Rather it is referring to the category 2 ankle sprain I received almost 2 weeks ago while playing indoor soccer. The high school has held open gym indoor soccer through the winter since I was in school. Ethan has been asking every week if I would be playing and I finally did. First time and last time for the season. While putting my left foot out to block a shot, the offender kicked and rolled my ankle pretty severely. The result is a lot of burning pain, partially torn ligaments, swelling, and some pretty purple colors. Recovery? "Should" recover within 8 weeks.

Not my foot, but it looks exactly the same. (Photo courtesy of OrthoInfo)

For anyone from this area of south eastern Ohio you know what the weather has been like. A few heavy freeze and thaws with lots of flooding rain, from 3 inches of snow in 2 hours to 82 F a couple days later. For the rural folk, this means mud. The township roads are falling apart. Our driveway is falling apart. Last week I rented a dump trailer and hauled 15 tons of crushed limestone home and spread over our driveway. Unfortunately I could not pull the hill with it loaded and had to dump in to the front bucket of my tractor and spread it that way. Worked fine and I am grateful for my tractor, but it did take a lot longer that way.

Even with 5 tons this truck tows so nice. Until you have to turn around a 22' long truck with 14' of trailer.

I got a good start on the new hearth for our wood stove. The base is still at the welder's, but I told him not to rush since I had so much more to do. We picked out the tile for the floor and the veneer fieldstone for the wall and have it on order too.

Hopefully this will look a lot different in a month.

Not riding, though I may switch to flat pedals and give it a try soon even if only on the indoor trainer. Even the thought of trying to unclip makes me want to pee myself. Running? Not even on the radar at the moment. Sad too, I was going to try and run the Hope Iron Furnace trail run this year (the 4 miler, not the half).

From 77 and 3 inches of rain to 37 and 3 inches of snow back to 82 and 3 more inches of rain.

Not my best

I have to be honest, this year hasn't been my best thus far. Multiple setbacks at the office, a big health scare at home, things breaking, so much mud, short on patience, and short on bike rides (or runs for that matter).

Case in point, the Pilot. Shelly's car started making some weird noise when turning, when upsetting the suspension, and a little vibration on the highway. After some investigation it seemed that the drive side axle needed replaced. I order one up and after an extra trip to A town to get more tools I finally got it changed last night, in the dark, in the mud (we don't have a garage or concrete). Well, it still clunks. Except now I can make it happen by turning the wheel back and forth. It is the inner tie rod. I specifically checked it a week ago, but couldn't get it to make a sound. Well we now have a new axle that wasn't needed and I still have to change the tie rod. Out more cash and time.

I spent the entire day today tearing out some old floor, beefing the floor up with an extra floor joist, and building a raised hearth pad for the wood stove, or if it can't be repaied, I guess we will have a small stage. Getting ready to set the tile backer and discovered that I bought the wrong mortar. Another trip to Athens. Mixed it and must have measured the water wrong. Runny mortar. This after I had stopped at Lowe's earlier in the week to get all the lumber and supplies. In that trip I bought a 2x10 that was really a 2x8 because someone had put a 2x8 in the 2x10 pile. 

There are a few others along the same vein that I won't go in to. I think I have everything planned out, researched, materials ready, and I miss something, wrong supplies, wrong plan, etc. It is tiring. First world problems though, unlike some friends that lost loved ones this past week.

But, the world turns. The sun rises. The ice forms and thaws.

Ever notice how as the morning breaks there is a brief moment of color, before the sky just relents to steel grey?

And speaking of steel grey.

I often look at Brock, how happy he is to see a wood pecker, how excited he gets to have a donut (well, I kind of do that), dancing through the kitchen because, well, I don't remember why actually. I do want to be that excited about things, about the day, about life. Or at least kind of that excited. 

Oh, and by the way, when a customer is pushing a large cart of lumber including a 4x8 sheet of OSB through the store and you are an employee of the store (that didn't even offer to help me get said sheet of 3/4 OSB off the shelf and on to said cart) walking down the aisle at the same time, please move out of the way. Seriously, you are somewhat more maneuverable. Thank you very kindly to gentleman with the cart of DeWalt tools that he was putting on the shelf that moved to keep me from running over the store employee.

I need a bike ride. 

Cracked Up

I am sitting on my couch looking in the direction of where just a few days ago there was the warm glow of a fire, but now, it is a bare wall with a discolored spot on the floor where the soap stone wood stove once sat. I should back up a few days though.

Monday I arrived at the office prepared to do some work for a contract we have with a delivery in February. This particular job meant I needed a very specific and expensive tool. Said tool was nowhere to be found. I recall last using it in December of last year but it has apparently not been seen since. One person thinks they put it on my desk, one thought they left it on a cart in the lab, another says it should be over there. But, gone, like the wind. To replace it will be a couple thousand dollars and take three months. To say the the stress of this was heavy would be kind. We just finished a year of some pretty big write offs and the idea that I had to report that we lost the tool and it would set us back is not something that would be fun for anyone.

Tuesday I got home after an unseasonably warm Monday where I had let the fire go out. I restarted it like always, some wadded up newspaper crammed under some nice seasoned wood. The fire took off without a miss. Hours later while sitting in the living room I hear a sound much like someone clicking their ring on a glass in their hand, but it was somehow louder and coming from the direction of the fire. Later when I checked the damper on the stove I could see a line of orange glowing on the floor under the stove. Snap! My 34 year old wood stove's cast iron base just cracked!

I emailed the manufacturer about it and they have since replied that it can be welded. But that is a full disassembly of the stove. At least that means I can build the hearth we have been talking about for years and it will also mean that my stash of seasoned wood will surely last the winter.

The next day, Ethan needed the little car so I drove the Pilot. I discovered the front end was making some undesirable noises. Maybe it is the control arm bushing. Problems with those led to Honda extending the warranty to 100k miles.

We worked hard through the week to try to prepare for a design review while also trying to come up with solutions to the missing tool. Just when we thought we had a plan in place to solve it (though still cost money) another setback. This time while machining a part a rubber plug that was protecting some critical bits from machining debris came out and chips went in. While using a magnet to try to clean it, the magnet came apart and lodged itself where it cannot be removed. (I know this is somewhat vague because I can't share all the details, but lets just say this is a REALLY big deal). But the magnetic field around the part made some really cool patterns with the machining chips.

Friday also brought the news of the passing of my aunt. She had been in poor health for a long time (some of it due to her own choices, but none the less).

I spent Saturday dismantling the wood stove before jamming a back road bike ride in as the rain started. The recent heavy snow and subsequent thaw with included rain has left our driveway wrecked. It was so bad that we had a UPS delivery this week and the driver could not make it up and tossed the packed along the side of the driveway.

Today I jacked the car up and removed the front tire to look at the source of the clunking. Looks like it will need a new front axle and not the part that had the warranty extended.

All of this has been consuming my thoughts, making sleep hard. Today while playing guitar at church the question was asked if anyone had a praise for this week. While I didn't respond because I was playing, I did think. What could I say? Somehow all this week had meaning. Some of it is just stupid first world problems, but we all have a desire to have a purpose, to be needed, to succeed in whatever it is we do. The meaning? I have no idea as I type this. I write all of this just to say that in life we deal with all sorts of things. Sometimes it is in abundance, other is times in loss.

I listened to a Radiolab this week where the notion was that there isn't free will and that everything we do, say, think, feel is explained by a biological process. In this there is no source of hope, joy, or meaning. So there is my praise, that since we are more than just a biological mass that aimlessly wanders this world, we have hope, joy, and meaning.

And on a MUCH lighter note, my niece wrote my folks a note warning them about big foot. Enjoy.

Foto Friday

I am sitting in my office as freezing fog drifts past my window. November has just ended and while it sure seemed busy, I don't feel like I accomplished much. Short days, Thanksgiving, deer season, and all the standard family stuff all put a squeeze on our time.

At least my running miles are up.

Fall has given us a lot of great sunrises and sunsets though. Art on a grand scale painted by God. We all love them (just check the Instagram), attracted to them like a moth to a front porch light. Even the girl I passed on the drive home just a few days ago, trying to shoot a photo through her windshield of the sunset as she was apparently driving with her knees, changing lanes at 60 mph.

Art is all around us if we can take time to notice. In the simple things. In the grand things. And pizza.

Take a moment to throw a stick in to the river.

At least December 1 means that U2's Songs of Experience dropped. Go take a listen.

Thanks for checking in. D