Fixi Kruza

Yeah, I know, I haven't been around much lately. Hell, it's summer, and in addition to that, I've been jettin'bout on my new Fixi Kruza. I'm really liking this thing.

It comes from fairly humble beginnings; Lexy, recycler extrordinaire, as well as a good friend, passed along to me, an old Royce Union 12 speed, built around 20 years ago, using some of the heaviest materials known to man. The frame is small; 17 or 19 inches, which works well for me. It was originally intended for use in El Lextal, our Smellington to Hamden bike tour, which, unfortunately, has been canceled for this year, since xTal has gone and tore up her ACL bouncing on Lexy's trampoline.

I had planned to make it a fixi pretty much right from the get go. I've been watching Al, and then Lily, gettin' hooked on fixi. After riding Lily's old fixi, I knew that I would have to have one too. The key piece is the rear wheel; a 700c x35 rim on double fixed gear hub, built by Chris of Spoke and Wheel in Bridgeport.

This one is definitely a cruiser though. The chain ring, which is original equipment, is huge; 52 teeth, and the cog I'm using has only 13. That's a pedal to wheel revolution ratio of 1:4. That's 4 wheel revolutions for every full pedal cycle. It's slow when the light turns green, but it picks up speed fast. The seat is a plush Specialized Body Geometry plus, sitting atop an Avenir suspension seat post. The handlebars are Soma Noah's Arc, with 2 inches missing from each end, hangin' off of a Avenir adjustable stem, sittin' as high as it can go. The pedals are Wellgo Fixed gear pedals, with MKS toe clips, and no straps; which is how I like it. It's comfy enough for long flat rides in the country, and the high gear ratio makes it a fast commuting machine.

I've been riding without skull protection, but Sheryl's recent spill, and subsequent hospital time, scared me. I won't be doin' much night ridin', until I get a helmet, and some blinky lights.

Bendecir

Hay un cierto dulzor suave por la noche aquí. Su espesor, y un poco pegajosas. Puede oír en el lejano sonido de la ciudad central; cómo se hace sordo. Incluso los coches van por en la calle abajo. La carretera, I-91, no está lejos. Se trata de "una bestia poderosa que duerme nunca". A pesar de que el tráfico es menos denso en la noche, todavía es bastante coherente. De vez en cuando, una ruidosa moto paseos a través de la sonosphere, suavizado su sonido y por la forma de espesor, y sucia, aunque angelical, manos de la noche. Se trata de un regalo, este lugar, en esta ocasión. Este nuevo cielo, como se llama.

Standin' on the edge of gettin' it on, gettin' it on.

I think that was George Clinton, someone please correct me if I'm wrong. ...and no it's not Bill or Hillary's brother.

In any case, that's where we are. ...and in this case the we is the royal we; Sheryl and I, and, hopefully, Lily, as we prepare, mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, and financially for our journey westward.

My nominal internet home will be going down while we make the transition, and I will probably not get around to arranging alternative hosting during our transition. So this is most likely gonna be it.

Here is where we'll leave our breadcrumbs, postcards, and souvenirs. Our goodbyes and our hellos.

I'm sitting in my tiny little office, at work, listening to Lucinda Williams singing...
come out west and see
the best that it can be
and though you won't stay permanently
come out west and see.

climb up on a rock
and stretch out in the sun
and close your eyes and let
your imagination run.

...

who knows what the future holds
or where the cards may fall
but if you don't come out west and see
you'll never know at all.

That pretty much sums it up. That, and the way Sheryl lit up when we stepped out of the Sacramento airport into the warm California dusk.

By the way; today is Lily's birthday. ...and it's a happy one.

Before we go, however, we must have a good bye party, and we will.
You'll be there won't you? Good. If the lord of our land, as we refer to Matt, has his way, the backyard will be dug up and full of construction happening on his new income generating apartment units.

Don't get me wrong. Matt has a perfectly legitimate right to use his land to generate income and provide housing for Yale grad students. I fully support his right. I also know and believe that he, in fact, has an obligation to his family to exercise that right. However, it's sad that it will occur at the expense of our sweet little back yard eco sub-system. But that's progress.

Just like the Sacred Heart Masters, our summer rowing situation. It was sweet, really sweet, for the past five years. We got to row, learn to row, fall into the Housie, jump into the Housie, love the Housie, and be revolted by the Housie. We rowed up to the Dam, and down to the ocean. But it's done now. John and Cis need to make progress. They need to move on. ...forward, onward. I enthusiastically support they and their endeavors, I love them both, and I wouldn't want it any other way. Still it's sad that we can't all row together this summer.

However, there are rowing opportunities in Sac, like the River City Rowing Club. In fact Sac is loaded with opportunities for us. That's why we're heading out. As I often say to my daughter, Tova, "if yer not breakin' any eggs, yer not makin' a cake."

come out west and see...