hippy blog extract 17 May 2004



H

hippy

Guest
17 May 2004

I feel so "messenger" today. After about 20 years of using a normal
backpack (about 10 riding with one) I finally tried something different
- a messenger bag. A Crumpler "Fux Deluxe" to be precise. $170aud from
the store in Lt. Burke street, Melbourne. It's a funky
black/orange/blue - I bought an old model which has horizontal AND
vertical reflective strips compared to the new model's single
horizontal one. The guy in the shop said that striping was the most
expensive thing on the bag. La dee daa ;)

It feels different. That's all I can say about it, for now...

Of course I rode the GT SS in and popped nice little track stands at all
the lights to complete the messenger stylin' package. All I need now is
a radio and some tatts!

Cadence Wars.. After some discussion on a.b, I thought I'd see how fast
I could spin. Going down a hill on Whitehorse Rd. towards Box Hill on
the GT I counted my right leg pushing 32 times in about 10 seconds, for
a cadence of 192bpm. I say 'about 10 secs' because I was looking at my
watch for the timing. I'd get a bit faster with a more accurate method
of cadence measurement that didn't require one hand off the bars!

Time: 1:06 (about what I was doing before the Europe trip)



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hippy wrote:
> Time: 1:06 (about what I was doing before the Europe trip)




Heeeeee's BAAAAAAACK! (in black. and orange and blue!)

enjoy the stretch of Whitehorse Rd between Elgar and Union Rds? Arent
those tram stops a joy!?!?!?



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flyingdutch wrote:
> enjoy the stretch of Whitehorse Rd between Elgar and Union Rds? Arent
> those tram stops a joy!?!?!?




I'm used to them now. If I'm moving fast I stick to the road and squeeze
by the huge concrete slab. If I'm moving slow or there's a tram nearby I
take the 'bike lane' option.

Outbound bike lane is good when a tram has stopped - pass about 20
stopped cars, take the path, and then jump off the curb and you're now
in front of everything! bwahahaha

hippy
- messenger wannabe



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hippy wrote:
> I'm used to them now. If I'm moving fast I stick to the road and squeeze
> by the huge concrete slab. If I'm moving slow or there's a tram nearby I
> take the 'bike lane' option.
> Outbound bike lane is good when a tram has stopped - pass about 20
> stopped cars, take the path, and then jump off the curb and you're now
> in front of everything! bwahahaha
> hippy
> - messenger wannabe




stayed well clear, to be honest. Isnt one of those outbound lanes
directed straight into the path of cars coming out from one of the
side-streets?



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flyingdutch wrote:
> stayed well clear, to be honest. Isnt one of those outbound lanes
> directed straight into the path of cars coming out from one of the
> side-streets?




Yes. I wonder who is at fault if I hit a car or a car hits me? I guess
it would be my fault because the bike path forms the bottom of a T
intersection with the side road. At night, it's pretty easy to see car
headlights there so it's not all bad..

Do you take the bike path or stay on the road?

hippy



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hippy wrote:
> Yes. I wonder who is at fault if I hit a car or a car hits me? I guess
> it would be my fault because the bike path forms the bottom of a T
> intersection with the side road. At night, it's pretty easy to see car
> headlights there so it's not all bad..
> Do you take the bike path or stay on the road?
> hippy




road the couple of times i have ridden out that way, but ever fearful
the 'tracks of death' will get me (mind casts back to broken arm number
3 circa '87)



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flyingdutch wrote:
> road the couple of times i have ridden out that way, but ever fearful
> the 'tracks of death' will get me (mind casts back to broken arm number
> 3 circa '87)




3 broken arms!!

You're the last person that needs to worry about maintaining a
'hardcore' status!

hippy
- swapped the 15w Vista globe for 10w and longer running time..



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On Sun, 16 May 2004 23:38:00 +0000, hippy wrote:

> I feel so "messenger" today. After about 20 years of using a normal
> backpack (about 10 riding with one) I finally tried something different
> - a messenger bag. A Crumpler "Fux Deluxe" to be precise. $170aud from
> the store in Lt. Burke street, Melbourne. It's a funky
> black/orange/blue - I bought an old model which has horizontal AND
> vertical reflective strips compared to the new model's single
> horizontal one. The guy in the shop said that striping was the most
> expensive thing on the bag. La dee daa ;)
>
> It feels different. That's all I can say about it, for now...


Mine has worn away the back/bum of my (suit) trowsers.
It must swing across my back a bit as I ride... *shrug*
The bag shows no sign of wear though ;)

Pretty good other than that.

-kt

--
Kingsley Turner,
(mailto: [email protected])
http://MadDogsBreakfast.com/ABFAQ - news:aus.bicycle Frequenly Asked Questions
 
hippy wrote:
> 3 broken arms!!
> You're the last person that needs to worry about maintaining a
> 'hardcore' status!




The count was 3 back in 87!

Its now 4 and 2 collarbones, 2 knee reco's, 3 Ti pins in right wrist
(Steel may be real but it aint nice having rust in the machine!)
Shoulder Reco (and I think Im working my way towards another!) and many,
many hangovers!!!

And they said Baseball was a non-contact sport! (altho 2/4 arms and
collarbones were due to cycling)



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>Originally posted by flyingdutch Its now 4 and 2 collarbones, 2 knee
>reco's, 3 Ti pins in right wrist, Shoulder Reco (and I think Im working
>my way towards >another!), and many, many hangovers!!!


and I thought I needed training wheels! ;)

Do you still play bashball? Prefer the 'non-contact' of cycling?

hippy



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hippy wrote:
> >Originally posted by flyingdutch Its now 4 and 2 collarbones, 2 knee
> >reco's, 3 Ti pins in right wrist, Shoulder Reco (and I think Im working
> >my way towards >another!), and many, many hangovers!!!

> and I thought I needed training wheels! ;)
> Do you still play bashball? Prefer the 'non-contact' of cycling?
> hippy




no more baseball. Lost interest (and most of shoulder socket) to
be honest...

Very little contact experienced in quite awhile now (reachs for Head to
touch wood...) (not including BIG dump at Mt Dissapointment offroad a
couple of years back).

Havent even fallen off at the lights track-standing (not that Im very
good at it!) for yonks

Came VERY close to losing it a few weeks back along Bourke St in front
of work on one of them big steel plates over roadwork-hole.

Read about the dude who retired from Yesterday's Giro stage with 'facial
injuries'. shudder.. ...........................
:( :( :(



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