The Surly Cross Check: a Colourful Build

Two months ago, the Co-Habitant got a Surly Cross Check frame that he wanted to build up as a fun on/off road bike around a touring wheelset with fat tires that we already had in our possession. He is getting a nice roadbike later this summer (waiting for the frame to be finished!), and the Surly was meant to be "the other bike" - a playful, go-anywhere bike built around an inexpensive frame, mostly using components we already had. He swiftly put the bike together and has now cycled about 500 miles on it. The Cross Check is technically a cyclocross frame, but it is versatile and can also be used for touring and commuting. Given its unusual build, we've had many questions about this bike and so I offer a review on the Co-Habitant's behalf.





The most noteworthy aspect of the build, is that we were able to fit the frame withSchwalbeFat Frank tires and metal fenders. This looks great, and the tires feel awesome, but to tell the truth the whole thing was a pain. The Cross Check is described as being able to fit tires up to 45mm with fenders, but the Fat Franks are 50mm. It was a tight fit that required some DIY. Initially we wanted to useBerthoudsteel fenders, which are available in 700Cx60mm, but the Co-Habitant was not impressed with their quality upon seeing them in person. He also dislikes plastic fenders and did not want to use SKS. In the end he decided to get the Velo Orange Zeppelin 700c x 52mm fenders (which are rated for 42mm tire), and "massage" them to fit.





Out of the box,the fenders were too tight: The edges touched the sides of the tires and there was not enough space under the brake bridge and behindthe seat tube to mount them high. So, the fenders had to beopened up. But when you open up a fender that's 52mm, it no longer follows the line of a 700C tire, instead making the opening much smaller. So while opening the fender, it had to also be stretched out - taking care not to crimpthe edges. To do this, he used a flat low table holding the fender upside down against its surface and pressing down gently, rolling it end to end - opening and pressing down. Pressing down would close the fender and opening it would alter the curvature, so the back and forth balanced out the opposing forces.





For the front fender there was sufficientclearance underneath the fork crown, but inthe rear there was less clearance - thebrake bridge is quite low and thechainstays are short. He had to dent the top of the rear fender (which isn'tvisible) in order to get it closer to the brake bridge, then fabricate a customcircular-L-bracket to hold the fender in place, screwed into the eyeletof the brake bridge. To dent the fender, he placed it on some clothing on the top edge of the back of achair, then hit it with a rubberized end of a pedal wrench, creating agrooved dimple. He also had to dentthe ends so that they wouldn't pinch near the bottom bracket.It was a bit of an ordeal, and if you are going to attempt this beware that it is easy to ruin the fender - it may not be a risk worth taking.





Happily, the "massaging" was a success and the Cross-Check looks great with the fat cream tires and the VO Zeppelin fenders. The ride is fast and cushy, and the Co-Habitant is discovering just how addictive wide tires are. On the downside, the clearances between the tires and fenders are so tight, that the set-up is not really practical for serious off-road cycling: stuff can get caught in there and cause problems. But for fire trails and gravel paths it is fine, and if he decides to do anything more serious (like the D2R2!), he will remove the fenders.





The rest of the build for this bicycle has mostly already been described here, but a few changes have been made since then. The original shortish stem has been replaced with a 9cm stem, flipped upside down. The original yellow cloth tape got filthy and tattered fairly quickly, so we replaced it with Fizik tape. Initially, the cloth tape was supposed to be shellacked to a warm caramel - but the bright yellow looked so "right" on this bike, that it began to seem like an inherent part of its personality and he decided to keep it that way. He also added a frame pump, lamenting the lack of pump peg and using a strap to hold it in place.





After two years in a lukewarm relationship with his BrooksFlyer saddle, he decided to sell it and replace it with a Berthoudtouring saddle - the male version of the one I now have on my Rivendell. So far he loves it.





He fitted the bike with theCarradicebag that used to be on his old bike.





It now has a patch on it, to cover the tear that happened as a result of the bag rubbing over the brake cable on his old bike.





He affixed a CatEyeheadlight to a braze-on on the front fork, and a SpanningaPixeo tail light to the rear fender.






He tried to liberate himself from clipless pedals and rode the bike with touring pedals for a few weeks, but ultimately could not take it anymore and put his old clipless pedals back on. Fair enough, but this does limit the versatility he originally had in mind for the bike.




After riding theSurlyCross Check for two months, his main feedback is that the bike is faster than he expected - even with the wide tires and a bunch of weight in the saddlebag. While initially he intended to use the Cross Check in conjunction with his oldMotobecaneuntil he got his new roadbike, theMotobecane was retired as soon as he started riding theSurly- no need for it, since the Cross Check did everything it could do and more. He does not find the bike sluggish, and it seems that the tubing is just right for someone of his stature (6ft/ 200lb+). Overall, he is pretty happy. Though he likes lugs, he also likes a nicely done TIG-welded frame and theSurlysuits him just fine.





My take on his Cross Check... I think it is a well-made, attractive frame for the price and I am glad that he finds it comfortable and fast. To be honest, I think that at least to some extent this build was not so much about practicality, as about doing a fun and challenging project using a bunch of components that we had acquired but had no use for. If the original purpose of the bike was off-road, then the tire+fender combo with such tight clearances does not really make sense. I have a feeling that he will end up using it mainly on the road, because I can't imagine him bothering to remove and reinstall the fenders every time he wants to take it on serious trails. And this means that when he gets his long-awaited road frame later this summer, the functionalities of the two bikes will overlap considerably. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But given how much he likes theSurlyI am almost worried that he might be disappointed with the special bike he's waiting for. Well, hopefully not.



On a more general note, while the Cross Check is clearly versatile enough for commuting and touring, I wonder whether many cyclists actually use it for cyclocross racing. I have a hard time imagining that, given how relatively heavy it is - even the floor models with narrower tires and sportier components. But maybe I'm just biased from having handled too many lightweight bikes recently.



The SurlyCross Check is a fun bike with a cult following, and it is particularly impressive how customisable the frame is. With its happy colours, fat cream tires, elegant fenders and classic touring accessories, the Co-habitant's Cross Check is distinctly his own.

Hike to Grotto Falls

Our travel buddies arrived yesterday, but we didn't meet up until later that night. Today they joined us as we made our way back to the National Park. We picked what we thought would be a very short hike, because we were concerned about how Josh would do. Somehow we messed up. We picked a trail that was twice as long as yesterday's hike. Let's just say that we didn't need to worry about Josh one bit. He hiked faster than all of us and didn't seem tired at all. I can't say the same for me. My calves are still on fire!

Ijsbaan op de Neude

Translation: ‘Skating rink on Neude square’ in Utrecht Centrum. This provisional indoor skating rink on Neude is open from 10:00 to 22:00 until 8 January . There is a cafe inside as well.

Skating is the national sport of the Netherlands. Almost everyone in this country can skate, at least applicable to those that are of Dutch origin. Skating is big here, it’s just too bad that during winter we rarely get frozen lakes, rivers and canals these days, unlike 20 years ago.

In fact the Netherlands is a lovely sight when the lakes, rivers and canals are frozen. So many people from different ages are out skating. Gezelligheid!

This winter is probably the mildest winter I have ever experienced.

Visit Period: December

Wordless Wednesday - Not Your Normal Portrait

Carrie and Tami. Summer of '81. Digitized ...
Copyright © 1981/.. by Rebeckah R. Wiseman

From One Beach to Another

Monday, February 11th - - After leaving the St. Augustine area, I headed west toward Pensacola. It was a beautiful day - with sunshine and temperatures nearing 80 degrees - at least until I got a few miles west of Tallahassee!



Driving along Interstate 10, I could see a dark wall ahead. It was rather ominous looking so I started slowing down. Thankfully, other vehicles did the same and a few minutes later I entered the darkness. The wind buffeted poor Van Dora and the rain pelted the windshield. In a matter of seconds, the bright sun disappeared and the temperature dropped from 80 to 65 degrees.



I've driven in a lot of different weather conditions but this is the first time, I think, that I literally drove into a cold front. It was both fascinating and frightening at the same time! Thankfully, the worst of it only lasted about 10 minutes. But the colder temperatures remained, as did the rain (off and on), for the next 3 days. I stopped for the night before reaching my destination. Florida has some very nice State Parks along the I-10 corridor between Tallahassee and Pensacola.



Tuesday, February 12th - - I continued on my way to Pensacola and checked in at one of my favorite campgrounds - Big Lagoon State Park. A few errands that needed taking care of took up the remainder of the day and I settled in with the laptop for a few hours before turning in for the night.



Thursday, February 14th - - Yesterday was a mostly rainy day and was spent in the library, which just happens to be across the road from Big Lagoon. How convenient is that! This morning it was also extremely cloudy and drizzling rain but after noon I noticed that the sky had started clearing - the sun had come out and with it blue skies. I closed up the laptop and headed for the beach.



Part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore is just a short drive from Big Lagoon - cross over a bridge onto Perdido Key and make a left turn after a few blocks and there you have a pristine, undeveloped, beautiful shore that extends for several miles. There were few people wandering the beaches. It was still rather cool, only 55 degrees, but there was very little wind and the sun felt quite warm.





The sand alongside the road was 5-6 feet high. This pattern, made by the wind and bits of grass, reminded me of a sun dial. I strolled along the shore for several hours, savoring the sunshine and the sound of the waves.






Looking westward, the sun glimmering on a receding wave.





To the east, the shimmering white sands seem to go on forever.




The wind, weather, and waves had cut into the shoreline in several places, creating drop-offs of 12-18 inches.





In other areas, little valleys had formed along the shore. It made for interesting walking!

Hard Core Bicycle DIY: Is It Worth It?

Over his year and a half of adult bicycle ownership, the Co-Habitant has progressed from not knowing much about bicycles at all, to completing two full bicycle builds from scratch. In the course of that time, knowledge was gradually gained, tools were purchased one by one, and increasingly complicated procedures were mastered. I helped when I could, but mainly the mechanics are his thing. I will stick to writing about it, thank you.



It certainly would be nice to write an inspiring post about what a rewarding and empowering experience it is to do one's own bicycle builds and overhauls. But the truth is, that I do not necessarily believe that to be so - which is why I do not do it myself. Assuming that we are speaking ofserious DIY here, beyond simple maintenance, these projectsrequire the investment of considerable amounts of time, energy and money.At the risk of coming across as discouraging, here is how I see it:

It is worth doing your own bicycle mechanics if...

...You truly enjoy it and look upon it as a hobby to fill your spare time with. That is the #1 reason in my view. If you do not enjoy it, the process can be extremely frustrating. Also, keep in mind that like any hobby, this one will require spending money on supplies - some of which will be wasted on trial and error. You will surely ruin cables and cable housing, possibly even components. You will order the wrong parts and will need to return them. Sometimes you will only realise that they are the wrong parts after you try to install them and scratch them up - making returns or exchanges impossible. You will have to make multiple, unexpected trips to bicycle shops and hardware stores for things you will suddenly realise you need. All this better be enjoyable, or it makes no sense.

...You own multiple bicycles, plan to build up multiple bicycles, and/or foresee yourself frequently changing components on your bicycle(s). Only then does it make financial sense to invest in the many tools you will need to do your own overhauls and builds - and to go through the learning process before you actually get good at it. Things like a proper bike stand and a standard tool kit will already cost more than most bicycle shops charge for a bike build. And then there are the less common, but often necessary tools, such as headset presses, cotter presses, bottom bracket tools,dremels, and so on, that raise the cost of DIY even higher, if you properly account for it all.

...You are good at bicycle mechanics. If not, then it is just plain dangerous to work on your own bicycle. While some mistakes make for good learning experiences, others - especially when it comes to brakes, steering and the drivetrain - can have disastrous consequences.

...You are, at least to some degree, a control freak and like everything about your bicycle to be "just so". Sure, a bike shop may do an all right job. But you would just feel better if you trued those wheels or tensioned that chain or installed that bottom bracket yourself.

Ifall of the aboveapply, then by all means - full speed ahead with the DIY. You will enjoy it, and it will be rewarding. However,if your primary goal is to save money, I would suggest you think twice. It is not just about buying all the necessary tools that you may seldom have occasion to use again, but also about time. While on the surface it may seem that I would save money by doing abicycle build myself, in economic terms this is actually untrue. In the time it would take me to build up a bicycle, I could insteadtake on an extra freelance project in my own line of work - and the income from it would be greater than the money I'd save by building the bike myself. Financially speaking, the wise thing to do would be to allocate that work to an experienced mechanic while using the time saved to earn money in my own field of expertise.

I am fortunate to live with someone who enjoys working on bicycles (see his description of his travel tool kit!) and is quite good at it. I am also fortunate that he had some time off this summer and actually wanted to spend it working on bikes. Now that he has accumulated all the tools he needs and sufficient experience, we can do pretty much anything bicycle-related at home - and I appreciate that very much. But I by no means think that it is every "real cyclist's" duty to be able to do these things on their own, just like I do not think it is every "real home owner's" duty to be able to do their own plumbing and electrical work. If you are passionate about bicycle mechanics and are good at it, then certainly it can be fun and rewarding. Otherwise, it is best left to the experts - for the sake of your nerves and your wallet.

Home Sweet Winter Home

When we first started full-timing, we didn't understand the annual sites that people stayed on. I mean, we understood what they were but we didn't understand the why. Our thinking at the time was if you have a house that has wheels, it should move around. Otherwise what's the point.



Like so often in life, we now do understand it since we are now in the position we are doing it ourselves. Why? For many different reasons; but in general because our needs have changed since then. So for this season at least, we secured a site that would allow us to stay put in one spot. I have no idea if this will be something we will continue to do and I don't need to know that. I only need to know what works best for us today.



The cons to staying put are we don't get to see new things and new people as often. The plusses are we get the spot we want for a longer period of time, we hopefully get to know the people that are staying put here with us a bit better, joining a CSA and we have internet. High speed internet!!!!!! Which we had long forgotten about. Which means Nathan can work much faster and more effectively and so can I. I can blog much faster which means I may return to more regular blogging.



Oh and we had to find a spot that was big enough for us to play cornhole on.



We really love our new spot. It's Home, Sweet Home, for now.

Morning Glory With Dew

A Grandpa Ott covered in dew.

Springtime in Park City

Photos taken June 1, .. in Park City, Utah

Summerfest and The British Invasion

Since the extent of our fun this past few weeks has been along the lines of Trivial Pursuit and the library, we were very excited to visit St. Mary's Summerfest today. Not only did it get us out of the RV, but we also got to see a Beatles band, The British Invasion. The Beatles pro of the family said they were "ok". The rest of us thought they were great.

Speaking of libraries and the Beatles fan in our family, this week when we went to check out our goodies the librarian complimented our choices in movies. "Thinking movies" is what she called them. I giggled because they were mostly Beatles movies and due to the Beatles love that Austin has. When we got home and watched them, I saw she was absolutely right-they were thinking movies. Once again my kid taught me something about life that I might not have ever known otherwise.



Back to our fun at the Summerfest, it was very crowded there but we still found a table to sit and eat our corndogs and elephant ears at. I wish I'd have thought to take pictures of the festival, because it was a really nice one. I love small town fairs and festivals and how the locals all show up to attend them. It's nice to see that things like this are still loved in our country. And we always get a great feel for the area while we are sitting there and soaking it all up. It's one of the reasons we wanted to travel, so it's great when we do get to experience it.



Living the life in Ohio!

Tragedy in the Gunks: Stephanie Prezant, Age 22

(Photo:Stephanie Prezant, age 22.)



On Sunday something unthinkable happened.



A young woman full of life, just a few months away from college graduation, went outside climbing for the first time. She had no reason to think she was doing anything risky. She climbed an easy route,andbelieved the rope to which she was tied was secured to a massive tree on the ledge above her.



But when she weighted that rope the systemthat was supposed to protecther collapsed.Climbers who were nearby reported thatthe rope didn't catch her. Instead it (and the slings to whichit was attached) came tumbling down.With nothing holding her weight, the woman fellabout twenty feet to the ground.



Eyewitnesses said that rescue personnel came immediately, tending to her injuries and quickly getting her to an ambulance. Despite these efforts, they could not save her.



Young Stephanie Prezant died.



I never knew her, but as a member of the community of Gunks climbers, and as an ordinary human being, I feel such pain at this tragic loss. I can only guess at theanguish her family must be feeling.Being a parent myself, Ihave the barest inkling of the grief they must be dealing with. And as for the people who were with Stephanie when it happened, for them too this must be such a terrible time. I am so sorry.



I wish I'd been there. I wish I could have done something to prevent this horrible event before it all unfolded.



Whenever an accident like this happens, we climbers tend to come together and speculate about it on the internet. It may appear insensitive, but it is inevitable and probably cannot be prevented.



Part of this phenomenon, I think, is just the morbid curiosity we all share.But there is a more positive side to the internet postings.Thereis genuine concern in the communityfor the well-being of others. Another part of it is the worry we all feel as climbers. We trust our gear with our lives and when we hear of an accident wefear that our trust is misplaced and that we could be the next casualty. We want to know the details bothso that we mayavoid whatever mistakesmight have been made and also so that we can distance ourselves from the accident.If we canestablish that this accident was caused by one mistake or another, we can feel assured of our own safety because we would never make THAT mistake, whatever THAT mistake may be.



I am as guilty as anyone of participating in thisorgy ofcuriosity and speculation. When I heard there had been an accident I started a thread on Gunks.com seeking more information. Mostly I just wanted to hear that the young woman would be okay. But like everyone else I also wanted to analyze the event, to learn from whatever went wrong.



I guess I should have restrained myself. My own post on the accident was an example of how these internet feeding frenzies produce misinformation. I provided the few details I'd heard and one of them-- the name of the climb from which Stephanie fell--turned out to beincorrect. And then after some useful information surfaced, the thread devolved into the usual speculations and know-it-all prescriptive arguments, none of which were at all helpful to anyone. Another thread, on rockclimbing.com, followed a similarly depressingtrajectory.



I hope the Mohonk Preserve rangers who responded to the scene will eventually be able to make some determination of what really caused Stephanie's anchor to fail.



Here, on my blog, I do not wish to presume I know exactly what went wrong.Nor do I wantto make her climbing partners or family feel any worse.



Of course without knowing whatcaused the accident onecan offerno formula for avoiding this kind of disaster.



But the temptation to preach is irresistible.



I want to say:



Please, all you climbers out there, do not assume this accident was solely the result of inexperience.We don't know what level of experience these climbers had. Even if in this case it turns out they were all first-timers, we all know that experienced climbers toohave beeninjured and killed when they trusted faulty anchors. Whatever went wrong here, do not delude yourself: it could happen to you or me.



Be careful out there.



The systems we employas climbersare very simple. But inabriefmoment of complacency, or exhaustion, or distraction, it is all tooeasy to set upthese systems incorrectly. Here I am speaking not just of top rope anchors, but of all the systems we climbers use.And I speak from experience. We are all capable of failure. Eventhe best of us under some circumstanceswill fail to double back a harness, finish a knot, lock a carabiner, or attach ourselves properly to an anchor. Anyone can fail to ensure the ends of the rope are even or that both strands are through the rappel device. Anyone canload a GriGri backwards.



It can happen at any time.



Please remain vigilant. Double-check everything. And employ a partner check whenever you can. A fresh set of eyes is so often helpful. I have no idea whether it would have made any difference in this case. But it never hurts.



I have been fortunate. The times when I have screwed up, partners have been there watching for me. There have been no consequences. Others, obviously, havenot always been so lucky.



I like to think I have come through to the other side. ThatI have graduated from the screw-up years. But I know it only takes one lapse. When you trust your weight to your gear, it has to be right every time.



I want to do right by Stephanie. I want to honor her memory. I intend to do so by watching out, for myself and my partners. And for others. In the future Imay be less prone to walk away from situations that seem unsafe, and more prone to offer some friendly advice to strangers. It is allI can think to do.



I hope you will do the same.

Drive By Shootings

One of the kindest things that Nathan does for me is to drive around and let me take pictures. Most times I like to walk around to take pictures. When it is as hot as it has been lately, I prefer to drive. I can't drive and snap shots, so I need his cooperation for this.



Every time we do this, I get home and find all kinds of interesting shots. Shots that have me going, wonder what I saw here. Or better yet, wonder what I missed here.



It is kind of hard to get the timing down right when taking pictures this way. Lots of pictures come out blurry. The lighting is off. The composure is terrible. The flip side is that we can see a lot, and capture a lot when we do this.Sometimes I ask Nathan to stop. Because I know that a quick shot won't do.I know that a drive by shooting won't be enough to capture what I want to.That we need to take a much closer look to fully take in the beauty. It is my photo tour version of "stop and smell the flowers".Beautiful, isn't it? Living the life in Virginia!