Captain Bob Inc.

Salsa Mukluk 2 frame fork for sale, size XL...new...

2012-01-15T05:03:00.001-08:00

Now $550. was asking $600. This is a new frame/fork, never ridden. Bought it to take all parts off to put on a size large frame. Now I have this beauty for sale. No paint to chip or scratch as this is anodized black. There is a small decal blemish which you can see in the pictures. It's on the non-driveside downtube. Call me if you have questions, Rob 319-fouronefive-6302

Turkey Burn 2011

2011-11-19T19:28:00.001-08:00

Yes, I know it's late notice but we will be having a Turkey Burn ride this year. It will be 11-26-11. That's Saturday! It will be from 9am to 12pm. This year we will be having the ride on the South side of camp....there are some reopened trails that we will be riding too so if you haven't been to the camp lately you're missing out! If you need directions just call, text or email me. Rob Walters 319-415-6302 or captainbobinc@gmail.comAlso, I will whip up a batch of Chili for us to eat after we ride.Thanks and hope to see you there!

trying something new.......

2011-11-17T17:50:00.000-08:00

Well, trying something new isn't always so much fun. The evening meal tonight didn't go as well as Pam had planned, but we gave it try. Can you guess by the pictures who enjoyed the brussel sprouts and who didn't? I bet you can.....

thankful for God's blessings......

2011-11-13T18:58:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday!!

2011-11-08T10:01:00.000-08:00

this past weekend we celebrated our little Madelyn's 11th Birthday! So proud of her. she is growing up so fast!

zoom

2011-11-04T16:02:00.000-07:00

uggh!

2011-10-26T10:23:00.000-07:00

here's a pic of just one of the many scrapes habve from a little bike crash from te weekend......feeling fine today though thankfully. Will be at Lebanon Hills and Murphy this Friday rocking the awesome trails! Can't wait! Riding up North with buddy who is picking up his new bike. should be a fun but quick trip up and back.

super rigid.......

2011-10-24T19:21:00.000-07:00

Pinter's was a hoot!

2011-10-22T17:54:00.001-07:00

what's up!

2011-10-22T15:01:00.001-07:00

Camp Time Trial randomness........

2011-10-14T19:04:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday we had the 3rd of 4 fall time trials at the South side of the Scout Camp. Small turn out again but that's to be expected with it being our first time doing the series. It was great to see Chris Cogdon since it's been almost 1 year since I saw him last. Still fast too. And the always fast Mike Johnson riding all the way from Cedar Falls on the Salsa Mukluk, rode a couple laps and then rode home. He took the majority of the pictures too. Thanks Mike! Thanks for doing the timing Alan. Also, Eric took the win again. Your hard training is paying off Eric!!

swinging and soccer..........

2011-10-03T04:43:00.000-07:00

all puffed up.......

2011-09-25T20:21:00.000-07:00

2011-09-22T16:29:00.000-07:00

crazy sky last night.......

2011-09-22T05:07:00.000-07:00

cruisin on the mama.......

2011-09-20T17:24:00.000-07:00

A nice little gravel cruise tonight. Not many miles but it was still nice to get out. Great weather and a nice little sunset treat from God......the sky always amazes me especially this time of year.

Salsa Spearfish frame with Fox RP23 shock $800.

2011-09-08T04:35:00.000-07:00

Size large Spearfish. I used it for part of the summer. There are a few little scratches on the frame and one bigger scratch on the left chainstay. It was scratched by the rotor from installing the wheel. I can touch the paint up if you want. Other than this it's in excellent working order. Uses a pressfit bb30 bottom bracket and a tapered steer fork. You can go to Salsa's website for other details. I am in between sizes so I am selling it. Call me if you have any questions. Rob 319-four one five-6302. Thanks!

for Beth......it's not a bike facebook or blog post!

2011-07-04T08:13:00.001-07:00

Old Town Rush kayak $250.00

2011-07-04T07:50:00.000-07:00

Selling our Old Town Rush kayak. It is 9'6" long. It's very roomy inside for bigger people. I am 5'10" and have bigger legs an fits me just fine. It's a very stable kayak too which makes it great for beginners and kids. Comfy seat too with adjustable backrest. Nice adjustable foot pegs too. Included is a spray skirt which works well for rougher waters or colder days. There are normal scratches on the bottom but nothing bad. Lots of life left in this kayak. The color is a darker shade of lime green and black. See my blog for more pictures.

For Sale!!!!

2011-04-01T09:11:00.000-07:00

$40. Nike long sleeve wool jersey. One snag on the sleeve but it's repaired. size large.

$40. NEW Nike short sleeve wool jersey. never worn. size xl.

$40. NEW Twin Six short sleeve jersey. Never worn. size xl.

$30. Hind windbreaker. great reflective piping. fits like a medium/large but says medium.
$20. Pearl Izumi heavy weight long sleeve fleece jersey/coat. zipper works but the very bottom it's broke so I sewed it shut. Now it's a full zip pullover. size large but it's a big large.

$40. Bellwether long sleeve fleece jersey. Only worn once. size medium.

$75. Mountain Hard Wear coat. Like new. worn just a few times. size xl.
Call me. Rob 319-four one five-6302.

Spearfishing.......

2011-03-03T17:13:00.000-08:00

Just a quick spin down my gravel road and back. Just love this bike. I've that if I max the dampening on the rear shock it helps the Spearfish pedal so much better on gravel roads. Obviously, it won't be a good setting for trails. I plan to get a little ride in this weekend.

Then, after church on Sunday I hope to be building up my new Salsa El Mariachi steel frameset. We'll see if there's time. Maybe anyone reading this can help me decide on the build kit. I have Shimano lx/xt build or a Sram x9 build. Can't decide yet, the Sram kit is by far newer (brand new to be exact) and much nicer. The sloppy gravel roads will surely destroy it though.

** The blue Salsa is like mine will be (except mine will have gears) but not mine.
Later
Captain

Schwinn Predator vintage bmx bike $100.

2011-01-23T19:41:00.000-08:00

Schwinn Crisscross touring cross bike 700c $40.

2011-01-23T19:39:00.000-08:00

Sutton Supreme (Royce Union) vintage road bike $75.

2011-01-23T19:37:00.000-08:00

Centurion road bike $30.

2011-01-23T19:29:00.001-08:00

mountain bike single speed $75.

2011-01-23T19:19:00.000-08:00

We're back!

2010-04-27T03:46:00.001-07:00

Just a few pics for today. I'll try to post more details soon. What a trip though. So many fun and exciting things that we did.

Captain

We're Off !

2010-04-19T05:34:00.000-07:00

more randomness...........

2010-04-17T04:45:00.000-07:00

I have been having internet problems all week. Blogger not letting me upload any photos. Finally, today it's working.
Logging roads........not a pretty site!
New Salsa El Mariachi...........Very sweet! Go here to the Salsa site.
Sweets Marsh

ramdom pics.......loving my new camera!

2010-04-13T04:37:00.000-07:00

Mushy driveway.....
Seahorse bacon bit......
Freshly painted yard roller......
Madee......all smiles!
Notice the downward spiral of the kite........
Ella......all smiles!
Just a lazy day flying a kite....... good times.

Mark your Calendars!!!

2010-04-11T07:21:00.001-07:00

Come on out to race or just help...or both!

Thanks!

group ride and some hoops........

2010-04-09T03:54:00.000-07:00

Rode up and down the driveway last night with the girls. Then, moved onto a little game of PIG. I think we were all winners.

Big weekend plans? We do. Installing some new parts on one bike, painting a yard roller, cleaning garage so we can set up for garage sale, start planning and packing what we will be taking to Florida. In between all that I might get a bike ride in, if not, oh well. Not much I can do when it's Pam's call weekend. I think the girls and I will be plenty busy.

Have a great weekend folks!

Captain

random pics.......loving my new camera!

2010-04-08T04:42:00.000-07:00

Ella on the parallel bars ^

tornado drill at work ^

progress in downtown Waterloo Ia.......not really. Property owner didn't want people sitting on the steps of their empty building. Really, this place is a dump! ^

Madee doing a cartwheel ^

Old windmill taken from the car going 60mph ^

Holy Cow, It's been how long since I posted?

2010-04-06T04:05:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the lack of posting. No time for it. I have been riding a little and working on trails a lot. Now it's time to get ready for the garage sale which is in two weeks. Then, off to Florida for the week. Can't wait!

Here are a few photos of the girls on Easter weekend. They had a great time. The sunrise service and breakfast went over very well. A great turnout for both and all the food was cooked and ready at the same time. Very good!

Captain

Wed night ride

2010-03-25T04:35:00.000-07:00

and what a ride it was. Started off behind Bike Tech with the five of us. Jeremy Fry, Mike Johnson, John Adamson, Jeremy Fry and myself. That's right, my fat but on a 30 pound bike with those super fast dudes on lightweight cross racing machines. My plan was to hang on as long as I could. That worked okay until about 1/2 way to Parkersburg. Then, it was Jeremy off the front and Mike, John and Robert bridging the gap. I don't think they were actually trying to catch him though. I endeed up about one mile back when I thought I saw them head north. I was wrong. I crept along on the blacktop for a mile and then went south again a mile. I then headed west, again since I saw some bike tracks on the side of the gravel road. I think they were leaving me a trail on purpose. Thanks!

I started cramping in the inside of my calves anytime I started spinning the pedals at a higher cadence. Pushing a harder gear helped but I was already out of energy by that point. I started drinking the rest of my water since I knew P'burg was near hoping to get rid of the cramps. A quick stop for more water and I was back on my way home. I think I took the same route home but cannot be sure since it was getting pretty dark. About 1/2 way home I started feeling a little stonger again, but, that when the road grater started messing with me. What was blacktop smooth gravel roads quickly turned back into the rough stuff. In the dark it's much harder to find a good line and my little led flashlight had great power but the beam was just too narrow to help in that regards.

All in all it was a great ride. It hurt! I was what I needed to get a reality check that I need group rides if I want to get into shape. Just chugging along at my own pace is never going to be good in a race environment or a group ride.

Thanks for the good workout guys!
Captain

another week gone........

2010-03-22T04:13:00.000-07:00

Sorry, No pictures today. Internet connection not so good for some reason.

I can't believe how fast the weeks are flying by. Along with that snow thank goodness! Our snow here was gone by noon on Saturday. In fact, the yard is already as dry as it was before the snow.

Hope you all had a good week and weekend. We did but like I said it was busy. Made it out for a ride midweek only to break a pedal 5 miles out. I had to soft pedal back to the truck. The bearings must be shot cause the spindle area was really loose. Thankfully, it stayed in tact so I didn't have to walk. I guess it's time for new pedals. Probably sticking with SPD's for now. Won't be going the egg beater route for sure. I have broken those before and don't feel like messing with it again.

Took out the trusty Fargo on Sunday afternoon. I can feel my fitness getting better each ride. One of the biggest hills near my place felt flat to me. The hills over by the scout camp near waverly are giving me very good training. I might need to head over to New Hartford soon. Now those are good hills. Probably the biggest hills this close to us. I know there are much bigger and longer hills in Iowa but I don't want to travel too far.

So, hope you have a great Monday, I know I will.

Captain

Monday blues? Not here!

2010-03-16T04:32:00.000-07:00

Monday was a great day for me. A few things took place that for some reason I have been dreading. However, the sense of urgency has now turned into inspiration. It's regarding the Scout Camp and the upcoming race on May 8-9th. We have a lot of work to do but in time it will get done and we will have a great race. It's still wet but the drying seems to be coming quickly. More on this in the near future.

I was able to sneak out for a couple of hours last night for a spin on the Salsa Selma. I think I have her pretty well dialed in but the bars might be a tad low for xc but we'll see. For now I am leaving them.

It was a good tough ride but something I needed badly. Gearing was 34x16 which was tough on the gravel road climbs but what my legs need to get some strength. I felt pretty good and got in 30 miles. I did some sight seeing also checking out the water levels of the Cedar River in Waverly. It's pretty high over there but nothing like in recent years.

Have a great Tuesday!

Captain

great weekend

2010-03-15T04:08:00.000-07:00

A great weekend here at the Walters. Not much biking going on but we did play outside almost all weekend. Especially on Sunday after ss and church. Even made it to the park. Can you believe I didn't take one picture. What's wrong with me?

I also completed the sale on the Teesdale. A cool couple of guys made the trip down from Rochester and hung out in "my shop" for a couple hours. It was really great just hanging out and chatting about bikes and riding. Anyways, the Teesdale is now gone and I am a bit sad to see if go but, it's good to be able to focus on the bikes I have and making them just right. I realized over the weekend that all but one set of pedals are shot. So, now I need to decide if I am going to stay with SPD or head over the the Egg Beater, Time, Look of Speedplay camps. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Right now I am thinking about just staying with SPD.

Wheels! I need a nice 29er geared tubeless wheelset. It's mostly for the Fargo but I will be needing them for the Chequamegon 100 too. That should be the Selma build but things might change. Regardless, I will be running gears for this race.

Going for a ride tonight after work so wish me good weather and a great ride.

Captain

almost got it right

2010-03-11T04:47:00.000-08:00

I was running some errands after work Wed and swung into Scheels All Sport and headed straight to the clearance racks in their bike dept. Nothing I couldn't live without but I did stumble upon their bmx dept. They have a VERY cool display that is surrounded by chain link fence. It's open so you can walk in but I found it fitting for the typical age group that rides bmx bikes. It had a city park feel to it with bikes leaning up against the fence. Even a few "nice" rigs zip tied to the fence itself for stability.

I almost started thinking that these guys FINALLY have the "real" bike business figured out. That is until I saw the tag on this little SE Racing Ripper X. Or should I say "Fuji." I had to take a picture. I didn't think twice about the decision I made to not tell any of the staff. They need to figure this crap out for themselves.

After that, there was and elderly man who looked like he was really ready to buy a bike. I listened a little while one of the clerks explained the single speed Trek Lime to the man. The man kept asking why the front hub was so different and what the big plastic box was under the bottom bracket area. The clerk kept telling the man that the hub was a fashion feature and the black box was for the speedometer (which is didn't have). Then, the phone rang and the clerk never returned. 5 minutes later I went over to the man and explained that the bike was a 3 speed electronic shifting bike with internal gears and a coaster brake. I went over with him how it all worked. Then, I suggested a couple other shops in town that I call "real bike shops."

I call that my good deed for the day.

Captain

Teesdale gone?

2010-03-10T04:31:00.000-08:00

Maybe after this weekend. I have a fella from up north that is pretty interested in the Teesdale. I REALLY hate to see it go but it's time to finish up other bikes and get some nice wheels for the Fargo. They will be the same wheels I use on the Selma set up 1x9 and raced in the Chequamegon 100. I have finished building up the Soul Cycles Dillinger again too. I call it my single speed rigid freeride bike. It handles and rides like one. Laid back and will go over anything easily.

Have a great day folks and ride your bike if you can. Me, I might have to skip my Wed night ride due to rain. We'll see though. Maybe I can get in a little ride.

Captain

leave work early? good idea!

2010-03-04T04:12:00.000-08:00

Headed out of work early today. Lately my rides have not been so fun. Sort of the feeling that I ride and hope I make it home. Always feeling like I am bonking a long ways from home. Not encouraging either. But, Wed was different. I was riding the gravel roads over by the scout camp and I seemed to be getting some strength and snap back into my legs. I felt REALLY good for the first time in about two months. Maybe it's the weather or just that hump I have passed over. Regardless, I felt good and was able to get in right about 42 miles. That's the most I have ridden all winter so I am pleased with that.

I just have one crappy picture from my Blackberry. Left the camera at home on purpose.

Almost forgot to mention the BEST part of the ride........NO WRIST PAIN!

Captain

Fargo is my friend again........

2010-03-01T04:46:00.000-08:00

With the new Carver My Ti bar installed I was itching for a good ride. Saturday was the day. Thankfully I was able to get in about two hours of riding and another 1 1/2 hours on Sunday. All in all it was a great weekend of riding for me. I have a couple of tweaks left with the bar stem set up and then we should be golden. Here's a few pics.

Check out the deer pic. No hind legs. I don't think someone cut them off, they would have taken the thigh part too. Weird huh?

Captain

by george, i think i've got it!

2010-02-25T04:23:00.000-08:00

It's been a long road of struggling to get this Salsa Fargo to fit me right. However, good things come to those who wait. I think I have found just the right handlebar to fit me just right. I need to swap out the brake levers and shifters back to the Shimano Xl dual control set-up and get a couple rides to know for sure. I zip-tied the drop bar to part of this new bar and rode around the driveway and down the gravel road just a bit and so far I think it will be just right. Finally! One problem I can see is that I will be so comfortable on this bar that all of my bikes might need the same bar. That will have to wait a while cause these bars ain't cheap!

Captain.

boring week.

2010-02-24T03:58:00.000-08:00

not much to say. it's been a boring week on the bike. not much action. too busy at home and WAY to busy at work.

Captain

2010 IORCA schedule

2010-02-19T04:35:00.000-08:00

The calendar is out. I plan to do a few of these events but not sure which ones yet. Send me a note if anyone wants to join in with me.

Captain

2010 IORCA schedule

The 2010 Iowa Mountain Biking Championship Series schedule:

IMBCS #1 - April 11 - Sylvan Island, Moline, IL
IMBCS #2 - April 25 - Decorah, IA
IMBCS #3 - May 9 - Camp Ingawanis, Waverly, IA *****
IMBCS #4 - May 23 - Banner Lakes, Indianola, IA
IMBCS #5 - June 6 - Morehead Pioneer Park, Ida Grove, IA
IMBCS #6 - July 17 - Scott County Park, Eldridge, IA
IMBCS #7 - July 25 - Seven Oaks Ski Area, Boone, IA
IMBCS #8 - August 15 - Lake Ahquabi State Park, Indianola, IA
IMBCS #9 - August 29 - Sugarbottom Rec Area, North Liberty, IA
IMBCS #10 - September 25 - Lake Manawa State Park, Council Bluffs, IA
IMBCS #11 - October 3 - Sycamore Trail, Des Moines, IA

Other non-IMBCS races:

Iowa Games MTB Race, Peterson Pits, Ames, IA - TBD
24 Hours of Iowa, Seven Oaks Recreation Area, Boone, IA - September 4 & 5
4th Annual Women's MTB Clinic, Des Moines, IA - TBD
5th Annual Des Moines Dirty Duathlon, Des Moines, IA - TBD

running a little late........

2010-02-18T04:39:00.000-08:00

Headed over to the shop Tuesday during my lunch hour and picked up a new chain for the Selma. An 8sp chain this time. Great suggestion G-Ted. Thanks! It's much beefier than the one I just broke.

Mounted that up Tuesday night in hopes that I could get ready quickly Wed after work and get in a short ride before sundown. Well, I did get in the ride but didn't make it home before dark. It was a good ride. My fitness is coming along nicely but I have a long ways to go. Recovery after a climb is lacking a bit but that will come soon.

I hope to get a good long ride in Saturday. Maybe a three hour ride. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Captain

frosty morning....

2010-02-14T12:34:00.000-08:00

Don't you just love the damp winter evenings......No! Unless, they bring us a beautiful morning like Saturday!

I decided it was too nice out to be inside. So, the girls and I bundled up and headed out for some play time. I didn't take many shots but here are a few I like.

After shooting I pulled the girls around on their sled for a while. They had a great time and so did I. While they finished up playing I prepared my Selma for an afternoon ride. My mother hosted a candle party in Waterloo so the girls and I stopped in for a visit. The place sure smelled good. Pam's aunt had an afternoon planned for my kids which meant I was off the clock for a few hours.

I geared up and headed out. I was hoping for two hours of ride time and accomplished that. However, the last two miles of my ride were all about me hiking with my bike. Yep! Broke another chain. That's two chains in the last 6 months. I think it's time to just by some new chains. Maybe a stronger one this time.

It was good to get out. So, if you haven't rode this weekend......just do it now!

Captain

Photo Friday

2010-02-12T04:24:00.001-08:00

Thought I would give photo Friday a shot this week. Before I left the house this morning I knew something dramatic would unfold from the sky. So, I packed my little old Fuji p&s camera. It doesn't do low light so well but any picture is better than no picture at all. My window of the Cube was frozen shut so I had to get out of the car for this shot. I took two more shots before this one but neither of those two had the color in the clouds yet. It's crazy how fast the sun rises and sets.

No kidding here, I shot each of these frames less than 2 minutes apart. I drove 1 mile and then stopped to take another shot....then another mile and then another. I like the 3rd shot best. I was able to use the car door for stability.

I was a bit disappointed when the sun actually crested the horizon because all of the color pretty much disappeared. Oh well, I think almost getting hit by a school bus once was enough.

Have a great Friday and don't forget to look to the sun for some warm photo inspiration.

Captain

grass track racing?

2010-02-11T04:21:00.001-08:00

What is this you say? I was lost in the internet over the weekend and stumbled across grass track racing. Seems like this use to be a pretty popular form of bike racing. I have never heard of it. It seems that across the pond it's picking up popularity again. Not sure if we'll see much of this in our neck of the woods but without a local Velodrome I could see this stirring up some interest. Maybe not, unless you like suffering, and like left turns only or no technical terrain to tackle. I guess if you like everything mentioned in the previous sentence you might just enjoy cyclocross racing.

In any regards, I guess it would be very spectator friendly, just like cross racing. I don't know. I guess it's just something to post. After all, I gotta keep this ole blog updated.

Captain

Too funny!

2010-02-09T04:53:00.000-08:00

Ok. Not bike related but oh so funny! Click the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rsEnwKrsvc

fun fun Sunday....

2010-02-07T18:42:00.000-08:00

I have mixed emotions about today. We just didn't make it to Sunday School or Church. We were starting to get ready and decided to not go. It was a tough decision but with my head cold I knew I didn't need to be there. We have a lot of elderly folk there and sit pretty close to each other. Also, my little girl has been battling a bumb leg. She apparently injured herself Wednesday evening at gymnastics. She has some bad pain just above her ankle on the inside of her leg. It seems like the same spot where I get shin splints but I know that's not what it is. Ella has also been having a lot of growing pains. So, went to the Dr on Saturday morning and he didn't think anything was wrong. We decided to save her from radiation and will wait to do an x-ray until Monday, if it still hurts her. She does seem to be getting a little better so we'll see. With ss being upstairs and with part of the morning sermon for the kids being in the basement we decided to just skip today. My in-laws made a trip over for lunch today and we all had a nice time. Good food. The kids were a little stir crazy and I decided I needed to get some fresh air. So, we bundled up and headed out for some sledding around the yard. With all the melting as of late It made it too slippery for me to get any traction to pull the sled. So, I fired up the old lawn mower and pulled them around for a while. As you can see the girls had a pretty good time. I did too and the cold air didn't see bother me too much until I topped out the mower which goes 7 mph. Pretty fast for a mower and fast enough for the win to get into my ears. I am paying for it now. I can feel the darn ears filling up with fluid. I better take it easy for a few days in hopes that I will be ready to get back outside for a ride soon.

Super Bowl? Yeah, I watched it. Good game. I didn't have a favorite team when the game started but I ended up pulling for the Saints by halftime. They seemed to want it just a bit more than the Colts. Good game though.

Captain.

I'm in!

2010-02-05T03:46:00.000-08:00

I think the roster filled up in 10 hours or something like that. Facebook was haunting me last night after receiving the word that there was a new race headed to the Northwoods. I raced up in Chequamegon a couple of times and decided if I went back it wouldn't be for the Cheq festival. However, i never expected to try something as crazy as the Cheq 100. You can see more details here.

So, now I need to get my fitness ready and figure out what bike and set up I plan to use. That will be more difficult I believe since I mainly have single speed rigid bikes. I will have to decide soon so I can get comfortable with the bike cause that's going to be a lot of miles!!

Captain

fargone fargo

2010-02-04T15:44:00.000-08:00

I've been having a really hard time lately with my Salsa Fargo. During the summer I had her built up with a Mary type bar upside down. It was comfortable enough for gravel and paved roads but anything off road was certainly a challenge. the front tire did nothing but wash out at every turn which caused a ton of braking. I even toasted an entire set of pads during one of Gnat's Fargo rides. I was also running a 120mm stem to get the bar out where I needed it (and anyone that knows 29ers will tell you that you shouldn't have to run a stem that long). The top tube of the Fargo was sized for being run with a drop bar which gives you the extra distance.

So, I bought the new Salsa Woodchipper. It's what most would call the perfect dirt drop bar. I think they are right too. However, I can seem to get quite comfortable. I have tried running it low and also high. Yeah, even in the middle too. The first and foremost problem I have is the palm and wrist on my left arm. I am still suffering the effects from the broken elbow. I am not sure how long this will persist. I know for sure that the drop section of the bar puts pressure in the wrong spot of my palm. It's the same spot that the steering wheel of the car presses on too.

So, I guess I am a crossroads with this bike. I think it would be a better fit for me if I owned an Xl frame size intead of the L my current set up would be perfect. Problem is the standover height is WAY too tall for me on the XL. I don't think I should make any drastic decisions until the weather is better and I can get some more normal rides in with the Woodchipper. I did have bar tape on the drops section of the chippers and it was wrapped pretty fat. Still not right. If if I raise the bars too high, which would help the drops, then the hoods and flat part is worthless to me.

All I know is that with the Mary bar set up and Ergon grips I can ride all day and be comfortable. Well, other than the sketchy off road parts.

Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance to the three people reading this blog. Man, I never should have taken so many months off from blogging. :-)

Captain

Teesdale 29er for sale. $1300 complete bike.

2010-01-31T18:36:00.000-08:00

Check out my other blog for the details but in a nutshell, the bike is complete and for sale as shown. Also there is a 2nd hanger for the drive side so that the frame can run gears if you choose. Go here for the details and more pictures. Captain Bob Sales

stuff for sale!

2010-01-29T04:47:00.000-08:00

Check out my for sale page for some sweet deals on some frame and a fork. This wil be updated weekly until I have room for all my cars to reside in the garage!!

Here is the link > Captain Bob Sales

Captain

transformation..........

2010-01-28T12:46:00.000-08:00

Well, plans always seem to change with me so why not just roll with it. I have been contemplating the build on a few different bikes for most of the winter. The Selma will be the first one to get a change however, it may not last into the summer. First off you'll see a new fork. That is G-Ted's test for from Wes Willits named the "WOW" (weird or what). It does look weird but not as bad at the lime green it was last week. It has now been stipped of it's paint and buffed over with sand paper and scotch brite. It needs a little more work before it gets some clearcoat. I may even have to sandblast it a bit. It was pretty nasty under the paint.

I also switched over to a silver seatpost which matches nicely with the fork. The Salsa stem will remain on this bike. I plan to get a new handlebar though but have't quite nailed down which one yet. Also, I swapped over to a different saddle. This one is much more comfy on longer distances which will help since I plan to use this as a longer distance single speed gravel grinder. I have a sweet set of wheels I will post about next week but there is some product that's going to be for sale soon here to fund another wheelset. I will be shopping for something Easton related.

Hope ill today so no riding for me but maybe Friday after work I can get in a few miles before the darkness sets in.

Captain

Selma

2010-01-26T16:44:00.000-08:00

I just realized that since my old blogging days ended and now started again, I never posted anything about my Salsa Selma. Here is a crappy picture but it's better than nothing. The fork will be replaced by spring with something a little different. Maybe a nice steel or ti fork or maybe the new Bontrager carbon fork. Not sure but since the steer tube is too short for me on this frame I have to get something different anyway. The frame of the Salsa is not the lightest out there but it's pretty darn light. I know there are single speed frames under the 3lb mark out there but don't want something that is prone to breaking. I beat the heck out of my Salsa Mamasita and it never showed any signs of fatigue. So, I'm pretty sure the Selma will hold up just fine to my abuse. I feels a bit beefier than the first generation Mamasita. I don't have any idea what the complete bike weighs and I really don't care. Maybe when she it completed with the parts that I want to stay on I will toss her on the scale. The only problem that I am having is that the bars are so low and the top tube is pretty tall and I get the brake levers to smack on the top tube when the bars spin. A longer steer tube would help this by moving the bar higher but i don't want the bars too high. Salsa I believe could have made the large frame with a tad more standover height. Just a nit pick. The ride is quick, stiff and very efficient. There is still a nice touch of give in the rear but it's no soft tail.

So, this is what I will be rocking all over the midwest this season. I hope to make an appearance at quite a few mtb races. I might try setting this up with a double double gearing system. A nice easy gear for off road and a nice big gear for gravel roads. I have my Salsa Fargo for longer distances and group rides but I really want to ride single speed mostly this summer. I find that it's difficult to keep my leg strength if I keep riding a geared bike. I bet a single speed Fargo would be quite nice.

Anyway, hope to see you on the trails soon. Darn winter!

Captain

got mama out...

2010-01-25T15:25:00.000-08:00

Well, this is a RARE event at the Walters. Getting Pam out on a trail....IN THE WINTER! I can barely get her on a trail in the summer let alone when it's cold. But, this was her idea. About a week ago she saw an ad in the local newspaper letting folks know that the Bremer County Conservation Board was putting on a free snow shoeing day at Cedar Bend near Waverly Ia. Free for all adults with a limit of 20 participants. So, a day or two later I called their office and we got in. The gal I spoke to said there wasn't much interest yet. We were a bit worried come Saturday afternoon when it was still raining cats and dogs, worried that there wouldn't be any snow left. We were glad to see there was still plenty of snow upon our arrival. We were surprised to see a full parking lot when we pulled up. There were more than 20 sets of snow shoes and it was a good thing since there were more than 20 people there. The guide split us up into two groups. Pam and I were in the second group. As you can see by the pictures we were outfitted with some vintage style bamboo shoes. I was a bit reluctant and not really sure how much fun it was going to be with these old fragile looking shoes. To my surprise the construction felt pretty good. A little sloppy with the rubber clamping system but seemed to hold secure enough. We headed out and before long Pam and I were flying through the doubletrack trails. By the time we hit the singletrack we had already caught the first group. Pam's effort was quite a surprise to me. Really, it was pretty impressive. That is until the blister started to form on her heel. She has a sweet pair of snow boots but they are slip-ons which were a little bit of a problem for her. But, she suffered though it. We ended the day with about three miles of hiking which laster about an hour. Good times for sure. We dropped off the gear with the crew and headed for the Fainting Goat. They serve some of the best boneless buffalo chicken wings you can get around here.

So, I suggest you all try this sometime if you haven't already cause it's a hoot! Really good workout too. I normally can't ride these trails with my bike in the winter so it was nice to experience them by foot.

Thanks for joining me Pam!

Captain

Vikes out........

2010-01-25T03:26:00.000-08:00

So, being a Vikings fan started when I was about two years old. My grandfather forced it upon me before I knew what the game was. It stuck with me to this day. Football is a game I love to play and watch. However, getting older has not settled well with me when it comes to my team making mistakes which costs them the game. Last night was one of those days again. The Vikes, no matter how great their team was this year, was not error free. So many big errors too. You have to hang onto the ball. So, as I write this blog I can say that my football days are over again. I will play ball with the local kids that think I am as good as Brett Farve but I will have to change the channel next time I see a game. I just get so mad I feel like a kid not getting my way.

You know, I sure could have rode a few miles when the game aired but I chose to sit on the couch and consume empty calories and be mad at folks that make millions of dollars each game they play.

Oh well, I consider myself growing up now.

Captain

lucky me......

2010-01-21T04:24:00.000-08:00

Today I consider myself lucky in a weird sort of way. I have to go to work. However, both my kids are ill with another round of the flu. The lucky part is that I have to go to work which means Pam has to stay home with them. It seems like I am always the one to stay home when they are ill so I guess i am lucky today. The girls, not so lucky. Hope they feel better by the weekend. I have some fun plans for the kids that I do not want to cancel or put off for a later date.

Rollers tonight? Yeah, that's what I will be doing. Not thrilled about it but I have to do it. How else will I be able to push a big gear on the Selma during XC races this year.

Ok, enough rambling for me, I have to get to work.

Captain

I hate this weather!

2010-01-20T04:34:00.000-08:00

The ice/snow has got to stop sometime, right? But when? Soon I hope cause it's driving me crazy. The gravel roads were just starting to get pretty good again with mostly all gravel showing. Not after today though since we could see 1/4 ice. Enough complaining I guess.

Wish I were at the trailhead getting ready to shred some singletrack. However, I bet I am on the rollers tonight sweating to the oldies. I really like 105.7 FM.

The girls have gymnastics tonight so maybe the sweet wife will take them there and let me get in a training session.

We'll see.

Captain

just hanging out....

2010-01-18T16:07:00.001-08:00

It's been a fun weekend here at the Walters. Sunday was a fun filled day. Starts off with Sunday School and church. Then, a quick trip to the grocery store for some good eats. Once home we snacked a bit and then ate some good lunch that Pam prepared for the girls and myself. Pam's on call this weekend so she wasn't able to make the trip to ss and church due to it being farther than her 30 minute limit to the hospital. Boy, she prepared some sweet pork chops for us. Thanks!!

After the twerps took naps I decided it was time to get out the modeling clay that I picked up the other day at Hobby Lobby. Tons of fun for $2.00. I went to the craft store just to pick up some latex mold builder for MG's tubeless tire sealant brew. When I saw the clay at the checkout lane I knew I had to get it. Better than play dough in the fact that it doesn't dry out for a long long time.

So, we rolled, squeezed, smashed, poked and molded for about two hours. That's right. All four of us at the dinner table. Each of us working at our own station stealing ideas from each other. Good times. I can't wait for the next go-round.

Captain

blackberry post test

2010-01-16T19:46:00.000-08:00

Not sure if this will work.

hazy day in the saddle.....

2010-01-16T15:11:00.000-08:00

bout time I started getting in shape again. I have been so bad at getting much saddle time lately. I have been pretty reluctant to ride on my roads and this dates way back to last winter when I broke my elbow. I mounted up some different tires for this weekend and it made a difference. The Geax Barro Race TNT's don't have a very deep tread but the compound is pretty tacky so they really gripped the ice and packed snow. Softer snow was a little bit of a problem but I managed. If we get more snow I will have to put on the Racing Ralph 2.4's which haven't seen much action this winter.

I was more than happy with the 2 hrs I was able to get in. There were a few photo breaks which I needed. Riding the single speed with a pretty easy gear left me bouncing quite a bit so my tush needed those breaks. My gearing was 34x18 which is not a great gravel road ration for my area of the state. I will be hopefully be running a 36x16 Monday when I ride.

So, there you go. My first real post in too many months.

Captain

Blog Revival!

2010-01-14T16:11:00.000-08:00

I am going to give this another try. It seems like when I don't ride enough I get down. That causes me to not blog. Weird things go on this head of mine. So, regardless if I ride or not I want to start blogging again. I think I have more time for it now. It won't be everyday though so if you are reading, don't expect too much.

Real posting might start Friday night or Saturday sometime. We'll see.

Thanks for tuning in folks.

Captain

Raleight XXIX-G 29er frame

2009-07-15T07:10:00.000-07:00

$175.$175.
$175.

Schwinn Crisscross $75

2009-07-15T07:04:00.001-07:00

$75.
$75.

Weekend Hike!

2009-04-01T04:51:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of the little hike me and the girls went on Sunday. We are also collecting rocks from the playground in the yard. The variety of rocks amazed us. One handful can produce so many different colors and textures. God's creation is awesome! All of this in our own yard. The girls don't fully understand how big the world is yet but someday they will. Then, they will be even more amazed. I think we spent an hour laying on the pea gravel covered ground. Just digging and looking.

Good times! Better than riding my bike. Speaking of bikes.....I am building one up this week so stay tuned to 29inches for details and pics. It is pretty cool. Not my long awaited Selma but still pretty cool.

Captain

when will the busy end.........

2009-03-31T03:41:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Pam was able to get away for the weekend for some girl time. Her and her cousins, aunt and mother headed down to Iowa City for the weekend. they bargain shopped till they dropped. So, that left Mr. Mom in charge for three whole days. The girls and I didn't do anything crazy. Just had a good time hanging out. I was able to step out for a two hour ride on Saturday while the girls were off to swim lessons. A friend who takes their child offered to take mine for me. Cool! So I headed over to Sweets Marsh. The trails are finally drying up and it was a nice time. Had mix of gravel, pavement and double track.

I am hoping to get out Wed night with Cuz and Craig. We'll see what the weather does. Should be a good time though. We will all three be on single speed 29ers.

Captain

Macro Monday

2009-03-30T03:26:00.001-07:00

Not always a Macro Monday to guess at but still sort of cool. Gotta love the light cast from a setting sun.

Have a great day!

Captain

So busy at work these days.......

2009-03-24T19:44:00.000-07:00

You guys ever get so busy at work that you almost hate looking at the computer at home? I am there this week. Well, actually I was there last week too. Hopefully next will bring me a break from my workload at the office and my blog will reflect it. I can't wait for some unique and inspiring thoughts to spill out of me. Bare with me this week on the boring posts. I am out of town on Thursday and may not have time for a Photoshop Friday but I will try. Might not be home until really late Thursday night.

Ok, enough of my crying about how busy I am and get back to complaining about the weather! Ha!

If you know anyone interested in a cheap single speed mountain bike have them get a hold of me. It will be ugly but in good working order. Size will be for about a 6 foot tall person. Should have it complete in about a week.

Captain

busy weekend..........

2009-03-24T03:51:00.000-07:00

It was a pretty busy weekend. We had a visit from my mom and stepdad on Friday night. Spent some time at Veno's pizza place in Tripoli. It was a nice time. Some of the best pizza in Iowa too.

Saturday, my dad came home from WI to celebrate his 59 birthday. Happy Birthday Dad! It's was nice to spend some time with you.

Sunday, we headed over to West Union to visit the in-laws. They just returned from a two week vacation so it was nice to have them home. The girls were happy to have them home , especially for the cartoon network and the Disney channel. We don't have cable at home. Also, while in West Union, we decided to have Madee hone her downhilling skills. As you can see her first attempt was not quite as good as her second.

I think the girls had grandparent overload and are still recovering. :-)

In other family news: Happy Birthday Cuz! Hope you had a nice weekend. Wish I could have hung out with ya.

Macro Monday

2009-03-23T07:29:00.001-07:00

Photoshop Friday

2009-03-19T21:16:00.000-07:00

It's during rides like this when I really wish I had my new Salsa Selma 29er. The wheels on the bike I was riding are small little 26ers. I know you are wondering where I found such a big elephant. Where do you think? At the Zoo where they house all of the really big elephants. Toss in a handful of peanuts and you get a free ride. The soft skin felt like our soggy Iowa trails.

Have a happy Friday folks.

Captain

Finally!

2009-03-19T03:41:00.000-07:00

I finally sold my last 29er frame yesterday. The Zion is gone. I tried many times to make it fit me but no luck. It is now gone and I have the Selma 100% paid for. What a relief. Now I just need the frame. :-)

I am still a little unsure on the parts that will grace the Selma. Most of the parts I have but I still need to decide on the handlebar. Carbon or Aluminum? Salsa Carbon flat bar or Salsa Pro Moto flat bar?

Here is something cool that I will be getting for sure. Click Here!

Captain

Tuesday Tidbits

2009-03-17T03:40:00.000-07:00

Monday morning I had to drop the car off at the wheel alignment place in Waterloo before work. Since I didn't have another ride to work from the shop I decided to toss in the bike. It's been years since I was able to ride my bike to work. My schedule of dropping off and picking up kids doesn't allow 2 hr commute one way. With the shop only being three or so miles from my work what better chance would I have? It was a beautiful morning. I followed part of the Cedar River Trail over by Mid American energy and was able to see the sun rise. The morning sun was casting a nice reflection on the river. It was nice time to clear my head before starting the day. I can see how commuting has it's rewards but I would be hard pressed to give up the car, even if I lived in town.

We also had our first Camp meeting of the Spring season. Lots of laughs and quite a bit of items on the agenda were covered. I will pass along more updates on the topics later in the week if I remember. All in all though it is always fun to get together with the other members of the board. Talking about bikes and events that include the use of bikes will most always be a great time. Paul M is missing from the below photo as he showed up just minutes later. Even if he were there when the photo was taken I still would have clipped him out due to my narrow lens. :-)

Have a great Tuesday!

Captain

Macro Monday

2009-03-16T03:27:00.000-07:00

Weekend wrap-up

2009-03-16T03:11:00.000-07:00

It was a busy eventful weekend. The kids and myself were suppose to take a quick trip up to Wi to see G'pa but he had to work Saturday at the last minute. Pam was on call all weekend so she wasn't able to go but since we couldn't either it was nice to not have to leave her behind. So, I played in the garage and the girls played outside., all day! It was great. I even had a visitor named Guitar Ted. He stopped over with his little lady (daughter) and while Ted and I talked bikes all afternoon the girls played. Actually, they dug in the sandbox, pea gravel, mud and more mud. Those girls had a great time. Thanks for coming over Ted, it's always nice to have you over, anytime!

I did get a ride in on Saturday but it was just a quick 20 mile sprint. I felt really good. Wrist is getting stronger and legs felt good.

I rode with my oldest daughter on Sunday afternoon. While I pulled the youngest girl in the Burley Madee rode on her own bike. We went to the paved road and back which is a rather hilly mile stretch. She was so proud that she rode a 2 mile TT. It was a good time. While she was riding along she was also watching for animal tracks. We spotted a few deer tracks and stopped to take a closer look. It was a nice time had by all.

I wished for more riding this weekend but I will take good times with friends and family ove riding anytime.

Captain

No Photoshop Friday today...........

2009-03-13T03:37:00.000-07:00

Ok, last night I was working frantically on todays post. After about an hour I was putting the final touches on the finished product in Photoshop and......you guessed it, locked up on me!! You're freakin kidding me! I was mad enough to not want to start fresh so nothing for today.

However, I will not leave you empty handed. My youngest daughter Ella always comes to the rescue. The other night Pam asked me if I was messing around with her Sudoku puzzle. Not me. Then we went in for a closer look and realized that someone had been counting the numbers. You can see a couple of the numbers make sense but the majority of them are just numbers in order. Those would be the ones Ella added. Pretty funny. It's so neat to see our 4 yr old writing so well and getting the counting thing down pretty well too. Oh my, how they grow so fast.

Happy Friday folks!

Captain

Way too cold!

2009-03-12T03:41:00.000-07:00

Well, I did make it out for a nice ride Wed night. I decided to head straight into the wind on my way out. I did and man was it cold. Thankfully, the sun was beating on my face. That helped offset the cold a bit. I headed out west. Then, North. I think the wind was worse from the North. It was brutal especially given my fitness level sucks right now. It was not fun. Once, I started East for home I felt pretty good. Actually, it felt a little too fast at times. Weird how you forget what speed feels like after missing it during the winter. The ride back East and then South and then East again went by pretty fast and would have been faster if my calves didn't cramp up. All in all it was a good ride. Stayed pretty warm with just a base long sleeve t-shirt, Salsa Wool long sleeve jersey and a windbreaker. Oh, and two pairs of tights.

Stay warm folks. The heat will be here soon.

Captain

Nothing new here..........

2009-03-11T03:41:00.000-07:00

Here is you answer to this weeks Macro Monday: Rabbit turd laying on a patch of moss covered by a light dusting of snow. Who would have thought there would be so much variety and texture in a rabbit turd? Not me. I always assumed that since they looked like a Coco Puff that they would look the same close up. Wonder what next Mondays will be?

Word on the street is that the Selma will be here around 4-1-09. I have also heard that some frames could show up sooner and some later. Hmm....wonder which batch mine will be in? Hopefully, the sooner. I had a stem and seatpost over at the anodizer man for some custom color but for some reason he botched the job. So, we have to polish the parts in hopes to salvage the parts for a different bike. They most likley will never look as good as when they were new. That Stinks! So, I am on the hunt for some paint to lay on a part that will make my Selma unique. I hope that plan works out because if it does I think this direction will be even cooler than the ano job.

In other bike news I have decided to build back up the Zion. I rides comfortably and it's paid for. So, why not ride it since nobody wants to buy it. I was riding a Trek cross bike that holds a 45mm tire but that doesn't quite cut it for mountain biking. The frame and fork were not built for extreme riding. So, back on the Zion until the Selm comes in. It will be geared but I will also be riding my Soul Cycles Dillinger 29er single speed. This is the rig I tested though TwentyNineInches.com. Here is a pic of the Zion. I have to add my 3rd bottle cage and front der cable and she's ready.

Have a great Wednesday. I'm riding outside tonight after work. The wind is your mountain, right Jeff!

Captain

What's on your radar?

2009-03-10T04:10:00.000-07:00

I need to start racing soon. I am hoping to hit two races in April and they will be on the mountain bike. So, what's on your radar for April? Is there any races south of Iowa or anywhere that might be even dryer? If so, please let me know. I am really needing some dirt.

There are two races ion Iowa but there has to be more options. IMBCS

Captain

Macro Monday

2009-03-09T03:38:00.000-07:00

What is it?

Photoshop Friday......or not?

2009-03-06T05:58:00.001-08:00

Finally! I am pleased to announce Selma! She is my new Salsa Selma single speed racing machine. All 29er baby! I was lucky enough to get my hands on a prototype frame. I can't say how I got it or who gave it to me. That's top secret. What I can say is that I have it built up and ready to ride. However, there are parts that will be swapped out soon. First part to go is the fork, doesn't match too well. I have the another one on a different bike right now but not for long. And no, I haven't weighed the bike yet so don't ask. I was at the shop yesterday getting a pro fit so I will be very comfortable spending long hours in the saddle.

Sorry for the crappy picture. It was taken with my cell phone. I will have much better pictures up on the blog soon.

Thank you "friend" for the frame.! Hope to see you on the trails soon.

Captain

Thank you Salsa!

2009-03-05T03:47:00.000-08:00

Well, most of you know that I am still recovering from the broken arm. My friends over at Salsa Cycles know this too. They were kind enough to send me a little care package. Inside this care package was quite a treat for me. First off, thanks to Jason Boucher for getting all the Salsa employees to pay for this Wool Jersey though payroll deduct. They each donated a little bit of their hard earned cash. Thanks! It means a lot. :-) Second, is a gift from Salsa Marketing Director Mike Riemer.
Let's start with the jersey. It is a mighty fine wool jersey. Best I have ever worn and I am not just saying this. The fit is very accurate. I especially like the length. NOT TOO LONG. The material has a silky feel to it. Not itchy at all. Gotta love that. I wore it on three rides so far and only had to wear a windbreaker over it. Stayed dry and warm which is not usually the case for me with a poly blend jersey.

The gift from Mike is a bit different. Mike is a pretty extreme mountain biker. He races the Arrowhead Ultra which is something I would never do. Crazy people do this race. He had a little leftover food from this years event and thought it might help in my recover. Well, it did help with my spirits but not my nutrition. I didn't eat any of it. The contents include: partial Poptart, Reece's peanut butter cup, 1/2 beef stick (which looks like a pinkie finger and is not Mike's. I guess they counted all 10) and a couple Advil. You can read the writing by clicking on the picture. Funny stuff.

This was a pretty generous gift from some great people. I have been fortunate enough to meet these guys on a few occasions and was even lucky enough to ride with them and share a riverfront breakfast. Thanks Salsa! I really appreciate this!

Captain

Pulling the plug......

2009-03-04T04:38:00.001-08:00

Well, I had to pull the plug on the CIRREM. Sore arm, weak body and now the flu. Came home early Tuesday and going in late today. It disappoints me a little but I know there will be other races this year. After all, this wasn't even on my radar until I heard about it. My plans are still focused around mountain bike races, but this race would have been good training. I would hate to get though half of the CIRREM and find myself not able to finish. Then, I would have to find a way back to the start.

Oh well, maybe next year.

Captain

Tuesday tidbits

2009-03-03T04:49:00.000-08:00

So, no guesses on Macro Monday except for Gnat. Well, there are four things in the photo.

1. Half eaten beef stick.
2. Half eaten strawberry Poptart.
3. Advil.
4. Peanut butter cup.

More on that story tomorrow. It's pretty cool but I don't have enough time this morning to type it up.
Here is a picture of the wall at my desk. I like keeping happy things up at my work. Madelyn, my 8 yr old wrote me this letter. Click the image to make it big. Pretty cute. She made me the heart too. Ella, my 4 yr old made me the other picture. It's a flag in case you couldn't tell. Gotta love their efforts. It's so nice to know they love me.

Made it out for a ride Monday after work. Got in around 20 miles. Still wrist pain but not quite as bad as the weekend. Night off tonight so we'll see what Wed brings. Legs felt better too so that's good. I was rolling back through Tripoli and saw this opened car trunk and wouldn't you know it, they guy had a Salsa Selma frame just laying there. I ran back home to get my car and when I made it back to town the Selma was gone. I should have snagged it when I had the chance. Hmm, oh well.

Have a great Tuesday.

Captain.

Macro Monday

2009-03-02T03:39:00.001-08:00

There is much more to this weeks Macro Monday than you know. I will let you all guess for a while at what you are seeing. Stay tuned later in the week for an in depth blog that is pretty cool. I think you will enjoy what I have to say. But, enough for now, start guessing.

Captain

ups and downs.....

2009-03-01T20:32:00.000-08:00

Hope you all had a great weekend. Mine was filled with an up and a down. I was lucky enough to only have to wear the cast for three weeks. However, I was surprised at how weak my entire arm is. The wrist is the main issue now. I went out for a quick single speed ride on Saturday. Well, let's just say I should have stayed home. I was cold, sore, cold, weak and sore. And old. I couldn't put out any effort to speak of without blowing up within seconds. We're not talking sprints either. I couldn't even muster up the energy to keep a 20mph pace for more than 1/2 mile. I headed home after 9 miles. I was cooked. Really down too.

Then, Sunday after church my loving wife was suppose to be out of town but her plans changed due to a pinched nerve in her shoulder. She said I should get on my gear after lunch and head out for another ride. Really? Why? She was feeling pretty rough and decided to sleep for a while with the kids. So, I decided to head out even though I really should have been home taking care of her. This time on a cross bike I sort of built with extra parts I had laying around. At least I have a few bail out gears today. Turns out I was in store for a nice day on the bike. I was going to head over to Sumner and back which would make a 30 mile loop but decided to stick with the 20 mile loop. I felt much better. Not as cold either. So, back in the saddle was good to me on Sunday. Wait, I guess not all good. I was bombing along pretty quickly and came across a washboard section in the middle of the gravel road and then it happened. I didn't time a little wheelie just right and jarred my wrist when the wheel came down harder than I had planned. Popped my hand right off the hood. Nothing crazy happened. I didn't wreck or even steer off course but it reminded me of how weak this limb still is. It still hurts me right now as I type this blog and it's 10:45pm.

It worries me a lot when I think ahead to next Sunday and the CIRREM. Right now, I would have to say that I shouldn't race it. I am not bailing out yet but the thought is sticking with me. I guess I hate to put my family in a state of worry. I really don't want to have a LONG drive at an EARLY time and get in the middle of the race and then have to bail and pedal back due to a wrist that I already know could be an issue. This sort of thing could really put a damper on my spring mountain bike racing if I were to really hurt it. I know that racing a rigid single speed mountain bike will takes it toll on me this year but I want to at least start fresh.

Oh well, enough over thinking this for today. I am headed to bed. Oh, and I am not proof reading this so if it stinks, oh well. Sorry in advance.

Captain

Photoshop Friday

2009-02-26T19:23:00.000-08:00

Well, another week has gone by which brings us to the 2nd edition of Photoshop Friday.

As you all know, I think about bikes A LOT! You know, so does my buddy Gravelo. He's heeling up too, so when you are done reading here send him some good vibes. I think he collects about as many bikes as he thinks about. Just the other day I was flying over his place with my chopper and saw him standing out on his deck. I snapped a quick picture before heading for home. Dude, I never knew you had a pool.

Captain.
close-up of the Gravelo.........

Don't put it in your mouth!

2009-02-26T04:54:00.000-08:00

Wed was a pretty eventful day. We woke up to an ill child. Walked into the girls room and found a strange smell of chicken. Hmm, that's wierd, chicken. We had chicken the night before so I didn't think too much of it until I arrived at Ella's bed. She woke up, sat up in bed, and said, "What's that smell dad?" I looked at her bed and realized that she lost her lunch from Tues and her dinner as well. There was even a shiny looking something that appeared to be a rock. I said what's that Ella? She grabbed it and said it was the rock that Lexi made her put in her mouth at school Tues. I guess that little rock plugged a pipe or something. I made mention to her that she can't be putting things in her mouth, let alone swallow them. She told me that Lexi did it and she couldn't stop her. Ella said it slipped down her trote (that's how she says throat) before she could stop it.

Well, I sure hope she learned a lesson from this. The picture is the rock that we found. It's about the size of a dime.

Good news here though, I got the cast off Wed morning. Oh my, this arm is almost more useless than with the cast on.

Ok, got to run. Talk to you tomorrow on Photoshop Friday!

Captain

I am so proud

2009-02-23T19:25:00.000-08:00

Monday night was parent/teacher night. We walked around the school and looked at the many displays that the students worked so hard on. There were some pretty interesting devices, concoctions, things, pottery and some other things. Wait, there were even some other "things." No, we weren't able to identify what everything was but regardless, they were cool.

Just a few weeks ago, about 20 minutes before the bus was to arrive at our house, Madelyn said, "Hey, dad. I need to bring some things to school that I can build something abstract with." I said, "Really. Today?" "Yup, today dad," she said. So I headed to the garage. Then I went straight to the "old parts" bin. I asked myself, "Why do I keep all this crap." Now I know. Pam, headed for the old desk in the office. As you can see by the pictures she was able to use quite a variety of items.

I love what she created. She is very proud of it as well. She was telling me about a "part" but couldn't remember the name of the part. She said, "You'll know what it's called dad." I did too. It was a chain ring. Granny gear to be exact. She thought the name "granny gear" was funny. I agree. That's why I don't use one.

Have a great day folks. If you have kids, take some time to go out and build something with them. Who cares if you don't know what to call it when it is done. It will still be fun. I know after seeing how excited she is about it we will be making some things of our own together.

Have a great day!

Captain

Macro Mondays

2009-02-23T03:14:00.000-08:00

Ok. Since Photoshop Friday was so much fun I have decided to not wait any longer before rolling out Macro Mondays. This day will feature a close up photo of something. You can even try to guess what you are seeing if it's not obvious.

So today is the begining. You may have to guess at this one or you may not. You decide.

Captain

my other girl.....

2009-02-22T18:13:00.000-08:00

I told you the other day that I would post a picture of my other girl. I guess today is the day. Here is Madelyn. She is my 8 year old. This was taken last summer during a Tripoli Days event at the park. Boy, I sure wish it was this nice outside today. I have two nicknames for her. Pipsqueak and Monkey. She prefers Pipsqueak best.

Captain

Photoshop Friday

2009-02-19T19:44:00.000-08:00

Wow! It was fun while it lasted. Lance's bike is SOOO fast. I guess I should have known that someone would turn me in eventually. Lucky for me though I was able to keep the wheels. Can't wait to get this darn cast off. The blue doesn't match the bike at all.

For the birds

2009-02-19T04:42:00.001-08:00

Man, this weather is for the birds. I sure can't wait for the warmer weather to come here and stay.

Stay tuned for something new here at Captain Bob Inc. It will be called "Photoshop Friday." This will be a picture of something that I have photoshopped. It will most likely be cycling related and hopefully stay right along with current events. Tomorrows post will be a good one and I think you will enjoy it. It cracked me up while making it. There might even be days where you might not even be able to see what was changed in the photo.

So come back and take a look. Feel free to post a comment on whether or not you like it.

Captain

Brunch anyone?

2009-02-18T04:36:00.000-08:00

Come on over to the Tripoli City Hall on Feb 22 from 9am to 1pm. The Park and Rec board is serving an omelet and pancake brunch. All you can eat. Cost is free will donation. There will be muffins and fresh fruit served as well.

I will be there making omelets or pancakes for everyone. Here is your chance to get served by the Captain.

Hope to see you. HERE is a link to last years blog picture. I can't find the original picture. Hmm

Captain Bob

Hot Single Mama

2009-02-17T04:51:00.000-08:00

This post is to give, those that want to know, a little insight on what drives my desire to lust after the ellusive Salsa Selma. Again, for those of you that want to know, please, read on. For those that don't care, well, then just read it anyway. I have installed a virus that will be downloaded onto your hard drive if you exit this blog without reading it. Skimming through the blog is good enough. Just retain some of what you skimmed.

Ok. Back in 2007 Salsa introduced the Mamasita. It is a 29er race frame. Flattened carbon seatstays and flattened scandium chainstays. The rest of the frame is made from scandium. Scandium is an aluminum variety. My first Mamasita felt like a springy super lightweight, steel frame. Very lively ride. In fact, more lively than most steel frames I had ridden. I have owned a few very nice steel frames too. A nice Bontrager Race Lite was one of them. This Mama out performed them all I think and it came in much light than those steel frames. I do still ove steel so don't get me wrong. For many years now I have been a single speeder so this desire to get back on a single speed was aways on my mind. As soon as I threw a leg over that Mama I knew I needed to get a SS Mama. So, after years of bugging the crap out of the Salsa crew they decided to make one. Ok, make more than one and I am sure it wasn't just me that wanted one. But, this time I take pride on being the most annoying caller Salsa has ever hear from. Sorry Bobby! I know you took a lot of flak from me but I know you have thick skin. Really white, but thick none the less. Reminds me of the guy in the movie Powder. No, I'm kidding. Powder was more of a shade of blue.

Ok. Back the the subject at hand. So, I started hearing rumors a while back about a conversation that took place at Interbike or Sea Otter about this dude from MTBR, G-Ted, a Salsa big wig and some other fella. Not sure who that was. The "SS Mama" was brought up. I hear there was one sentence that referred to the bike and I guess that was enough. So, this brings me to the bike of my dreams. I should mention this too but I have a problem with bikes. I love them all and everything new is pretty cool to me. But, this Selma is one frame I have loved before I even laid my eyes on one.

Selma. Selma is the name chosen by Salsa to be laid underneath the clear coat on my SS Mama. Love the name. I wanted the color to be the silver to pearl white fade like the Campeon but I received a real treat when I found out that the chosen color was a metallic gray with a blue hue. Then, the bright bold blue decals that lay ontop of that gray. Yes! Salsa did it. Suprised me and made me even more excited about this bike.

So, what sets the Selma apart from the Mamasita? Not much really. An eccentric bottom bracket for chain tensioning. Lack of cable stops for running gears. That's about it. They left ever rider the nice subtle option of adding a rear derailier hanger for running gears. You could very easily run a 1xsomething. You would just need to run full cable housing. Pretty cool. I heard that the Selma will have a bit stiffer tubing to handle the extra stress that many will be inflicting on the frame when mashing up the climbs. So, not much else to say except see you on the trail when I get mine.

Thanks for reading. Here is a direct link to the Salsa Selma. I just realized that there is a referrence to someone named Bob in Salsa's description of the Selma. I am betting that they are referring to Bob Barker though. Ha!

Here is another link.

Ok, if there are mistakes I will correct them later. I am late for work.

Captain

Mondays.......

2009-02-16T18:50:00.000-08:00

Well, the doc says I need one more week before I can get another x-ray. I suppose that's not too bad of a deal. I still want this cast off right now though.

On to better news. I hear that the Raleigh Rainier single speed cross framesets will soon be available. Well, that is if you are lucky. I might be one of the lucky ones. I hope. Here are pictures of a completed one. CLICK HERE TO SEE PICS

Captain.

Happy Valentines Day

2009-02-14T05:54:00.000-08:00

This shot of the sun setting on an old wheel gives me a warm feeling. Same thing my heart feels when I think about my three girls. Mom, of course, is the best wife a guy could ask for. My other two girls are Madelyn and Ella. They make me smile (most of the time) and that feels good and keeps me healthy I think.

Enjoy your family and friends.

Captain