Flats Blow

I decided it was warm enough not to have to layer up for a longish ride this afternoon. I was wrong about that and apparently the Miyata decided it was time to go home 6.5km away from home. 

I felt the unmistakable feeling of a rim touching the road, stopped and pumped the rear pack to a rideable pressure. Turned around and headed back the way I came, for about 30 seconds. Once again felt the same bad feeling and stopped. Resigned to calling for help, I texted Sal.

The 90's Miyata Triple Cross is supposed to be heading for Calgary where she came from later this summer. She underwent a major overhaul, the most ambitious project I've ever completed. After upgrading my All-City Pony Express to a wider range Microshift drivetrain I decided to replace the 7 speed drivetrain on the Miyata with the original Sram 10 speed of the All-City. Sounds straight forward doesn't it?

Not so much. It required cold setting the steel frame, widening the space between the chain stays to allow a longer axle and wider cassette. I watched a few Youtube videos, gathered the components to make some crude home-made tools and went to work. It took some head scratching and testing to get it right. After lining up the derailleur hanger by eye she shifts very nicely. 

As for the flat, better here and now than someplace miles from rescue in Calgary.

One More Major Change

 As of April 2023 I am no longer the president of the Northwood Hockey League!

While I mostly loved what I was doing during my tenure, the hassles of trying to provide a program during Covid were the proverbial straw. Going to the Gardens or another arena most weekends from September to March was just not something my heart was into any longer. A perfect replacement was convinced and he's done a tremendous job. I have remained as the registrar and past president. My time at the arena has been greatly reduced.

I remain as the scheduler and 'computer guy' for Lakehead Minor Hockey. I even got back to some timekeeping for both leagues this past season.

A Lot Can Happen in 3.5 Years

'Time flies'. No truer words have ever been written. Unless you add 'after 65' to that often used phrase. My last post in September 2020 was all about a new bike project to stave off covid isolation and boredom. The project was completed in July of 2022 and I've taken maybe 5 rides on that bike. It's been revamped with flat bars. My days with drop bars appear to be over. Looking cool is secondary to being comfortable now.

Eyowen II

The good news. Our 5th grandchild was born since my last post, Everly Marie. We were in Calgary when she was born and got to hold her the day she arrived, something we have not been able to do since Brandyn was born in 2001.

The bad news. Dad passed in January of 2023. He fought leukaemia for months, back and forth to the hospital for treatments 4 times per week. It was a shock. It never occurred to me that he wouldn't get better and be there for us as he always had been. 

I've semi-retired from Fat Guys, putting in 15 hours a week. That was never in the plans until Dad passed. I was never replaced and only now some 11 months later my long list of tasks is almost completely passed on to other staff members. I'm slowly moving on to new special projects and am excited for the future. 15 hours a week doesn't even feel like I'm working.