hippy blog extract 17 May 2004

[hippy]

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)

 

[flyingdutch]

Originally posted by hippy

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!?!?!?

 

[hippy]

Originally posted by flyingdutch
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

 

[flyingdutch]

Originally posted by hippy
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?

 

[hippy]

Originally posted by flyingdutch
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

 

[flyingdutch]

Originally posted by hippy
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)

 

[hippy]

Originally posted by flyingdutch
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..

 

[Kingsley]

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

 

[flyingdutch]

Originally posted by hippy
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)

 

[hippy]

>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

 

[flyingdutch]

Originally posted by hippy
>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.. ...........................