tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27425776678792263462024-02-20T17:13:23.203-06:00GNAT LIKES BIKESGnat has moved:
https://gnatlikesbikes.wordpress.comGNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.comBlogger161125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-22239769463788468082008-11-07T05:06:00.001-06:002008-11-07T05:06:00.739-06:00Photo FridayNice bike. Nice parts. Nice ride. Nice natural light. Nice rest time.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9B2oOfYJblvhBkEONe1J47QKlYnKhJAJw8d-xrAl123Mm68R6g9E9uZjOef8wvJZJxQ9ryO90vJlZIjhszhX_K5ld1YhzL0mMcSo5-MwaXO88jvLh4DCv0l43oAz8ys58kLNish8q1Kwr/s1600-h/PB020636.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9B2oOfYJblvhBkEONe1J47QKlYnKhJAJw8d-xrAl123Mm68R6g9E9uZjOef8wvJZJxQ9ryO90vJlZIjhszhX_K5ld1YhzL0mMcSo5-MwaXO88jvLh4DCv0l43oAz8ys58kLNish8q1Kwr/s400/PB020636.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265301440180985234" border="0" /></a><br /><br />On your next ride, stop and look around. Who knows what you'll find?<br /><br />Ride your bike. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9B2oOfYJblvhBkEONe1J47QKlYnKhJAJw8d-xrAl123Mm68R6g9E9uZjOef8wvJZJxQ9ryO90vJlZIjhszhX_K5ld1YhzL0mMcSo5-MwaXO88jvLh4DCv0l43oAz8ys58kLNish8q1Kwr/s1600-h/PB020636.JPG"><br /></a>GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-16285498487068687152008-11-06T09:21:00.003-06:002008-11-06T09:30:24.663-06:00A big change - Moving Gnat Blog to WordpressThat's right. My first big change on my road to 40 years old. The Gnat blog is moving and I'm putting this blogger account to rest. <br /><br />New Address - <a href="http://gnatlikesbikes.wordpress.com/">GnatLikesBikes</a> = http://gnatlikesbikes.wordpress.com<br /><br />Please update your link if you have linked to the Gnat Blog. <br /><br />Why am I moving to Wordpress? <br /><br />It give me more control, flexibility and options for the future of Gnat and the Gnat Blog.<br /><br />I've imported all my old posts and pictures. I'm working on updating the image sizes from the imported posts so they fit with my new site. I'm working on that now so some of the pictures don't fit my template yet. <br /><br />So...Please click on the link above or cut and past the address into your address bar. Again, please update your link to the new Gnat Blog.<br /><br />I'll be updating my links as well, so if you want to be linked to the new Gnat blog, head on over to the new site and leave me a comment. I've got a list going already, but I know there are other good folks out there that have linked to the Gnat site.GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-40217851428843725832008-11-05T15:47:00.004-06:002008-11-05T15:56:54.822-06:00A little gatheringWe had a little gathering this morning. Left the house at 6:00AM to meet up with some friends, make some food, drink coffee and ride the bottoms. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixui8vOEgulE8D_35D-FxJvpUCd4YRCB7YI5_GjOUfvXwtvAOs5maC7moTqZkWpBEDpLawFc_ycRcw4ID9IuQ5o1-7EWU0Aq6tjgZAOAmp9dPb8BvhozEmuQRxl-LZUN8UIyXQVu-a7Fyw/s1600-h/Gathering.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixui8vOEgulE8D_35D-FxJvpUCd4YRCB7YI5_GjOUfvXwtvAOs5maC7moTqZkWpBEDpLawFc_ycRcw4ID9IuQ5o1-7EWU0Aq6tjgZAOAmp9dPb8BvhozEmuQRxl-LZUN8UIyXQVu-a7Fyw/s400/Gathering.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265295321321150626" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I wish all days could start this way!GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-91029252114219673112008-11-04T05:00:00.002-06:002008-11-04T05:00:00.406-06:00The Road to 40It's only been a few days since I turned 39, but I've been thinking about this Road to 40 Years old post for several months. Yeah, I know, I'm a bit of an odd duck. Who in their right mind thinks about turning 40? Who focuses on turning 40 and writing a blog post? Many folks are looking back when they think of turning 40. I'm not, I'm looking forward. My year leading up to 39 was my best ever. No question. Now what about the road to 40 and how do I improve on 39?!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-m3lqOdIzGDao_iwkD9eYJsdfaLz46S1l__TQkWuGf8JiXGwA2Yy8a2Skt3k2HKI_FCRrUZCYfE1BRHpBM48aXB2dE9jTDcc7EGLQjIt6NxzZKFN1t7DAAgVBCPBGqSh0wEraQO0zg6ES/s1600-h/PB030676.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-m3lqOdIzGDao_iwkD9eYJsdfaLz46S1l__TQkWuGf8JiXGwA2Yy8a2Skt3k2HKI_FCRrUZCYfE1BRHpBM48aXB2dE9jTDcc7EGLQjIt6NxzZKFN1t7DAAgVBCPBGqSh0wEraQO0zg6ES/s400/PB030676.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264572060963329394" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Click on image to blow up if you can't read text</span></span><br /><br />2 days after my 39th birthday, I got this in a fortune cookie. Pretty darn cool if you ask me. While I don't want to get into all my personal beliefs, I do think this stuff happens for a reason and at times little things and messages like this are words of grace.<br /><br />For some of you that know me, you may know I've been thinking about the coming year. In some cases, a few of you might even know a thing or two about some crazy ideas I've got for the coming year. The thing is, some of those things are big, but this fortune really could mean something else entirely. I can't share all my secrets and thoughts, but it really could mean something else that would impact my life in a big way. I love the mystery of it and at the same time it scares me. <br /><br />So with that, I'll leave you with this picture.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwxDsnlan8JCfQ51Wb2ALgmrgC7GiHOSNeiui_YbxtmdovPOVHtfHxUEKNSbJBvn_sTKaWedK0GdfJlteJiPkxv1b_zfci-CUq3jGwkIoCbKbQc18_UgJPsLxvQPVnEWF6s4WlF6iReRgK/s1600-h/Road+to+40.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwxDsnlan8JCfQ51Wb2ALgmrgC7GiHOSNeiui_YbxtmdovPOVHtfHxUEKNSbJBvn_sTKaWedK0GdfJlteJiPkxv1b_zfci-CUq3jGwkIoCbKbQc18_UgJPsLxvQPVnEWF6s4WlF6iReRgK/s400/Road+to+40.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263751230239381058" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I took this picture while on my Alaska to Utah bicycle adventure trip. I've used it before so if you've been around reading my blog that long, you've probably seen it once or twice. It was taken just outside of Fruita on my way to Moab. This image is more telling in more ways than you might know. It's a powerful picture to me.<br /><br />So with that, happy Tuesday. Stay tuned in the coming days and weeks as I lay out some of my plans for 2009. I'm pretty confident the road to 40 will be my best year yet.GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-72497492699180229962008-11-02T17:08:00.010-06:002008-11-03T17:16:20.760-06:00Just can't get enoughOne taste of riding dirt last weekend was all it took for my kids to get hooked. Today, the Gnat family hit the south side of the MN River heading east toward the Sibley House in Saint Paul.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmvlAIti4kslaeeiWkQNihkkx0Q2hSqrkPZzR3ScD0RL64nIHGngZdEhyYxgqXzBEIEkArpaf4T0T6s-iWkruLRbc-0E6c6i93SvBfLDTbQ4L9BAEa4r7Qib99HjEuZ-vEG9tAkh9Fr7L/s1600-h/PB020571.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264204144338807426" style="width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 300px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmvlAIti4kslaeeiWkQNihkkx0Q2hSqrkPZzR3ScD0RL64nIHGngZdEhyYxgqXzBEIEkArpaf4T0T6s-iWkruLRbc-0E6c6i93SvBfLDTbQ4L9BAEa4r7Qib99HjEuZ-vEG9tAkh9Fr7L/s400/PB020571.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />They wanted to go further and further. I think they must have read Guitar Ted's post on the 320 mile Trans Iowa 5! We ended up with over 5 miles of dirt trail. My boy wanted to go 8 miles - 4 miles out and 4 miles back.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeYzywFnMBTQbbJPS7nrN7bMwjRxIx2EJJDTh5BVIIU9O4bWpNdOvD7JPqWmSHOEoxmficJ2YS4QKJddZtaE15Vl29zvyO-sNhgPq5Kw2e357h7mPlqhkdoE-yyz3TEJYXR2OIzQE0jQKg/s1600-h/PB020613.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264204696742410546" style="width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 300px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeYzywFnMBTQbbJPS7nrN7bMwjRxIx2EJJDTh5BVIIU9O4bWpNdOvD7JPqWmSHOEoxmficJ2YS4QKJddZtaE15Vl29zvyO-sNhgPq5Kw2e357h7mPlqhkdoE-yyz3TEJYXR2OIzQE0jQKg/s400/PB020613.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Today, I changed it up a bit and rode my custom S & S 1x9 El Mariachi. It was a nice change. Man I love my El Mariachi. The Fargo has really cut into my El Mariachi ride time.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zZFllhWaysD6MbyPRVjde4MWoWJuST76wzZ6eA-8w12lFuGNCOaNnbls_r-9nlGA8x82_j29kIaso-3PbmHgw-zCtQvKNAAoAw-Ifq9gH1ifdmRAWpnyiUEE1So9-KmrMANbIGae40ek/s1600-h/PB020634.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264205380823555794" style="width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 300px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zZFllhWaysD6MbyPRVjde4MWoWJuST76wzZ6eA-8w12lFuGNCOaNnbls_r-9nlGA8x82_j29kIaso-3PbmHgw-zCtQvKNAAoAw-Ifq9gH1ifdmRAWpnyiUEE1So9-KmrMANbIGae40ek/s400/PB020634.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMLlnnMqWPaiUIq0Li6vULm0q1yRC_QivqjwKPSYLcp4eEbiLA6aqrukERYz7fI8lnqNjboCKR8JWbkfEh6xuVhzD3PwnVxJzTn50KYxi3-K7dCgKG3FWRRmLUYb4JvWEuNoxCf3kpmaog/s1600-h/PB020580.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264215890230019474" style="width: 400px; cursor: pointer; height: 300px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMLlnnMqWPaiUIq0Li6vULm0q1yRC_QivqjwKPSYLcp4eEbiLA6aqrukERYz7fI8lnqNjboCKR8JWbkfEh6xuVhzD3PwnVxJzTn50KYxi3-K7dCgKG3FWRRmLUYb4JvWEuNoxCf3kpmaog/s400/PB020580.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />As the sun lowered, the shadows got long and we rode out.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSClIMLqu60dDUaMXLxqHpZqRYNit9pvEltVFb82ra0SF7tQiY95ce7uO26oLuE2zeRsW4l4PpfKVluVaC_wH-4DUWqOtnjSVr3bVlFuo43UTi4zck8w66ALIgeiNpQCu8Bdtb9sIeihxq/s1600-h/PB020661.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264223533723258514" style="width: 300px; cursor: pointer; height: 400px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSClIMLqu60dDUaMXLxqHpZqRYNit9pvEltVFb82ra0SF7tQiY95ce7uO26oLuE2zeRsW4l4PpfKVluVaC_wH-4DUWqOtnjSVr3bVlFuo43UTi4zck8w66ALIgeiNpQCu8Bdtb9sIeihxq/s400/PB020661.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Another amazing fall day with the Gnat Family and our bikes.GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-37954010449513488332008-10-31T05:00:00.001-05:002008-10-31T05:00:00.851-05:00Friday PhotoLast Saturday was an incredible fall day - blue sky, late season color, sun, and the smell of dry leaves. My wife reminded me that when we were in Utah we had discussed taking the kids on their first official mountain bike ride. We've done countless rides through the neighborhood, but we've never done a family ride on single track. Great idea!<br /><br />About an hour later the entire Gnat family was rolling out of the Murphy-Hanrehan parking lot to hit the dirt ribbon. Murphy has a .8 mile beginner loop through the rolling prairie. After a little fear followed by encouragement on lap #1, the kids got the hang of it and really had a blast. In the end, we did 5 laps (4 miles) and both kids were so proud of their accomplishment....OK, mom and dad were too. Incredible day and one I'll always remember. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8mN7LcE3v_AE2M3ySNFe4qg1-OGWwn2aG5blpWbCQiM4UufMp-6A79JkrNP_nXdpqWWLvDksfRun58t3sEw2-y1IEJcmcpcvUHAKuDeaaunBgVqdQs9zJtfY3bnfGUjQt7PpB7M8USf6/s1600-h/PA250413_2.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8mN7LcE3v_AE2M3ySNFe4qg1-OGWwn2aG5blpWbCQiM4UufMp-6A79JkrNP_nXdpqWWLvDksfRun58t3sEw2-y1IEJcmcpcvUHAKuDeaaunBgVqdQs9zJtfY3bnfGUjQt7PpB7M8USf6/s400/PA250413_2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262751835821930466" border="0" /></a><br /><br />These are pretty good too.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig094sG7gljG280aCGFjmnT41Uk9KULiF5n1cMugR-V9Y-ZjgeaGVu_k4kvZM-V9kTnflghbzyEdKswSCGOG6mT4AJ1jHa9PyyQ39Krt6wnSrx_pc9FmUYzwWiQGyEYvQ8JLGHP-GyMosg/s1600-h/PA250401.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig094sG7gljG280aCGFjmnT41Uk9KULiF5n1cMugR-V9Y-ZjgeaGVu_k4kvZM-V9kTnflghbzyEdKswSCGOG6mT4AJ1jHa9PyyQ39Krt6wnSrx_pc9FmUYzwWiQGyEYvQ8JLGHP-GyMosg/s400/PA250401.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262752456482558930" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDmwSM8-tdojceK2JuijhMy32NQwtl-6cHeLvZFpTPko7NO__O27GpO1i1XzYj55lB1NbTU7Jowv0SxvR2HdnGuT6ImXPC6JGpKTdGsuUiajb8Ntx7HgVOBDNWJpUd9deFaE_Kzlkd91IF/s1600-h/PA250402.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDmwSM8-tdojceK2JuijhMy32NQwtl-6cHeLvZFpTPko7NO__O27GpO1i1XzYj55lB1NbTU7Jowv0SxvR2HdnGuT6ImXPC6JGpKTdGsuUiajb8Ntx7HgVOBDNWJpUd9deFaE_Kzlkd91IF/s400/PA250402.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262752745022924242" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Kids Rule! Get out and ride!GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-77033073912693446222008-10-29T05:00:00.002-05:002008-10-29T05:00:01.824-05:00More Salsa Fargo Pictures!I've said it before, but someday I'll tire of talking about how much I love this bike. I'm sure some of you are sick of it, but for me I feel like this bike inspires me and feeds my thirst for exploration and photography by bringing me places and connecting trails and roads.<br /><br />Yesterday on my commute home (my 39th birthday I might add!) I ran across a section of trail with really good natural light. I stopped and experimented with my new camera. Enjoy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5Jgjs5UxpnrqgbUMKi1QN3bN5em-80sjSm3-u1TlEZ6y3IYrOTjvWYJ9vOLHyMnlB3E4wu5OkUSTVDfcJ78fe8DECHwglVLWIWqwoxs2jCE3Lx8UkArdsxL6Mpb8CmByCjxq0wJm2lAX/s1600-h/PA280470.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5Jgjs5UxpnrqgbUMKi1QN3bN5em-80sjSm3-u1TlEZ6y3IYrOTjvWYJ9vOLHyMnlB3E4wu5OkUSTVDfcJ78fe8DECHwglVLWIWqwoxs2jCE3Lx8UkArdsxL6Mpb8CmByCjxq0wJm2lAX/s400/PA280470.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262385263723435378" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc5W5g4HPEV2sOPfIiJDV5RhicvguGiatvjs5Bm8_B-E86QwA5lHbu4jjArm2RmTKMeqUIis1BUPhY_0svh6hyphenhyphenfTpR5O5bq659njzdPYbpoy1hD7uhVhfATc63h1mMCW8q-qQLDT42cxjq/s1600-h/PA280463.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc5W5g4HPEV2sOPfIiJDV5RhicvguGiatvjs5Bm8_B-E86QwA5lHbu4jjArm2RmTKMeqUIis1BUPhY_0svh6hyphenhyphenfTpR5O5bq659njzdPYbpoy1hD7uhVhfATc63h1mMCW8q-qQLDT42cxjq/s400/PA280463.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262385773178562882" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Finished the day with 4:45 minutes of riding - Almost 40 miles of dirt, 25 miles of pavement, and about 50 new pictures. Fun stuff.GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-64160431251489549002008-10-28T05:00:00.003-05:002008-10-29T20:44:41.378-05:00Olympus E420 Initial Review - My first 1000 picturesI've taken nearly 1000 shots now with my new Olympus e420. Thus far, I've been really happy with my purchase. Now...Before I go any further, if you ended up on the Gnat Blog because you are a professional or aspiring photographer looking for a painfully detailed and opinionated e420 review, look elsewhere. I'm just learning photography. I chose the e420 because the size really works well with my active outdoor lifestyle, it's price doesn't break the bank and most importantly, I think it has very good image quality.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR5GsgA3lcoQGCZeYJCpnPz3rc6UwPeFGDQVkkzf0u3zRYtgcdgrrz5N0yddAk5eonlWDfo5YFWfcugJ_bGGOAT0S6XX5TV4Ys6f1z4CfSZtR13-ECtcTg4sRFINaozDIA-2a74TwbaeIQ/s1600-h/PA160091.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR5GsgA3lcoQGCZeYJCpnPz3rc6UwPeFGDQVkkzf0u3zRYtgcdgrrz5N0yddAk5eonlWDfo5YFWfcugJ_bGGOAT0S6XX5TV4Ys6f1z4CfSZtR13-ECtcTg4sRFINaozDIA-2a74TwbaeIQ/s400/PA160091.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261425985531542562" border="0" /></a><br /><br />One of the things I really love about this camera is that the start up time and the focusing are really fast. I've been able to get shots I missed with my old DSLR and my old point and shoot. The layout of the buttons is really nice. I haven't had to stop and look at the controls too many times.<br /><br />My initial set up is with the Zuiko 25mm pancake lens. I chose this lens for its size and functionality. I don't have to fuss with it. I just stop and shoot, stop and shoot, occasionally ride and shoot, and so on. One detail regarding this camera is that for any given focal length, it has a 2x magnification factor. Thus, the 25mm pancake lens is really a 50mm fixed focal length.<br /><br />So far, the Zuiko 25mm lens has proven to meet my needs. With the 2x magnification factor it is a bit narrow at times, especially when I was in the Utah mountains and wanted to capture a wider view of the environment. Getting used to a fixed length also requires you to look at shots differently as your position will greatly dictate your image. Beyond that, the image quality is pretty good and it is great for candid, quick shots.<br /><br />One of the reasons the camera is smaller is that the Olympus e420 is a 4/3rd camera. This relates to the aspect ratio (dimensions) of the image. It also does a way with a conventional mirror system, thus making it smaller than a traditional DSLR. True image quality folks quickly point out that these 4/3rd cameras have image sensors that are much smaller than most, if not all, true DSLR's. It is true, but I will also point out that they may be missing the point because these cameras have a much larger image sensor than a point and shoot AND they have lens interchangability along with a slew of other benefits. I see and use this camera as an advanced adventure tool and due to its size, I compare it more to a smaller point and shoot. Yet, it's image quality doesn't look like a point and shoot.<br /><br />Overall, I've been happy with the color. It's got different settings for vivid, natural, monotone, etc. I usually shoot in natural.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Tnxpl8Cirlu3Jnxr0zuUay86ZNPrAq0KSYGXFJsbsXHG6Br10AiqOYhd5O4FLazqOGQKzxJC6ApuX_82U66dHdvTq7H8Wl0CudHchoUT85gdvPhZyae_VsyuhKUPSJm6DqDK7HA9PMNN/s1600-h/PA170123.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Tnxpl8Cirlu3Jnxr0zuUay86ZNPrAq0KSYGXFJsbsXHG6Br10AiqOYhd5O4FLazqOGQKzxJC6ApuX_82U66dHdvTq7H8Wl0CudHchoUT85gdvPhZyae_VsyuhKUPSJm6DqDK7HA9PMNN/s400/PA170123.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261429276782313858" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-uRPHxcIjLhohqBoRHCAeBscQVHNwWsvBx-q6JgdS7OInWIV0YJevOlUp0VAwPpByfTOK8lA7Bz-TBoEaitOVTmcD6yee4YhnkJYoVGMBeRW7mhyphenhyphenR6stJ3E4Q3_ImtEdJzarNvHJRzV-Q/s1600-h/PA180327.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-uRPHxcIjLhohqBoRHCAeBscQVHNwWsvBx-q6JgdS7OInWIV0YJevOlUp0VAwPpByfTOK8lA7Bz-TBoEaitOVTmcD6yee4YhnkJYoVGMBeRW7mhyphenhyphenR6stJ3E4Q3_ImtEdJzarNvHJRzV-Q/s400/PA180327.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262026129351711698" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I really like the quick menu. Touch the button and navigate directly to one of about 25 different functions that appear on the screen. Once you learn the symbols it's very easy to understand and easy to navigate.<br /><br />I've got a couple of niggles with the camera though. In all honesty, the functionality might be built into the camera, but I can't figure it out. I don't like that when I turn off the camera, I lose the settings I'm in. When hiking in Utah, I had gotten everything set up for the conditions. I accidentally turned it off a few times and when I restarted, the settings went back to default start up settings and I was forced to navigate through and change settings. I'd really like to be able to at a minimum save my preferred and adjusted metering mode so every time I start it, I don't need to change it.<br /><br />I also don't like the view finder...well maybe I don't. What I mean by that is that the sides of the image are blurred. Maybe it's the lens and camera combo as I've only used it with the pancake lens, but I don't like that when I use the Optical View Finder the very outer portions (the sides) seem out of focus. This isn't what I learned with on my old film camera. I don't like it here and it give me the feeling my pictures aren't going to turn out. I'll report back after I check it with a different lens. One last little niggle is that the LCD monitor is a bit dull as well. Makes it difficult to a good preview when in bright conditions. It's OK if you are in the shade, but overall it feels a bit dull compared to my old Canon LCD.<br /><br />Beyond that, I think I'm still in the getting used my new camera phase. It works pretty well in most conditions. I'm still struggling with getting good exposure in high contrast situations. Many of my first shots in contrasty situations did not have blue sky.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDpWhrS4teqr9EnXD2RPSDjN_1JD-u0NbtxM9nGKEb8bcYDf44zunzTFP9xQT0WElPWquSGqfH5iRAX2wbe3ehTB88nkSQZiwfvz-p9LHs-Np7RM0vO10bI2Hmbhl8B4c7e-S8DM9BHUW/s1600-h/PA180326.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDpWhrS4teqr9EnXD2RPSDjN_1JD-u0NbtxM9nGKEb8bcYDf44zunzTFP9xQT0WElPWquSGqfH5iRAX2wbe3ehTB88nkSQZiwfvz-p9LHs-Np7RM0vO10bI2Hmbhl8B4c7e-S8DM9BHUW/s400/PA180326.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262021008351627250" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I adjusted the camera white balance and exposure compensation and had better results. This shot was 4 shots later. Granted, I'm out of the shade, but still it helped.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivwjWwy18-Y4nkHkeecySZzbtScxPoRZRifxhxUGxEBarwG9_i3ksOzGF7Ms01MngwxJrAR2yuoht6L7CEXJD9pq4GJF2OKWb9dRXHsNRfRCsUSDPUBTEHihW6B1PlhBU8BN2hwE0yubTo/s1600-h/PA180330.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivwjWwy18-Y4nkHkeecySZzbtScxPoRZRifxhxUGxEBarwG9_i3ksOzGF7Ms01MngwxJrAR2yuoht6L7CEXJD9pq4GJF2OKWb9dRXHsNRfRCsUSDPUBTEHihW6B1PlhBU8BN2hwE0yubTo/s400/PA180330.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262021970698952386" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A few last notes.<br />- All shots were with no filters and no modification in any software. These are straight up JPEG downloads.<br />- I haven't started shooting in RAW and manipulating with the software. I want to learn the camera first and then start playing with that.<br />- I haven't played around with it in low light situations. Many reviews have commented that the e420 doesn't have image stabilization and that it doesn't work in low light conditions. I'll report on this later.<br /><br />Overall, I love this little camera and am very happy with the purchase. Can't wait to keep learning and making my images better. With that, I'll just take a quick rest here and get back to shooting and learning.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5A6g3hDAZiuCwTOpwsGPYn5GQkgzrkEc3kLd5BPxO3pyRKb1pfUbhL0CKRCQjBTaXFszRUzr-BmMuLaUBJ45eewF8SKGzbDm3mSAEBm6AMEDQvpqfstCU2ElzFh1YU-fGHx4FW_y4MYO/s1600-h/PA180325.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5A6g3hDAZiuCwTOpwsGPYn5GQkgzrkEc3kLd5BPxO3pyRKb1pfUbhL0CKRCQjBTaXFszRUzr-BmMuLaUBJ45eewF8SKGzbDm3mSAEBm6AMEDQvpqfstCU2ElzFh1YU-fGHx4FW_y4MYO/s400/PA180325.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262024865720965778" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Stay tuned for Photo Friday. I'll be posting up my best image thus far with my new e420! Might even be my best shot this year.GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-70460557614276669602008-10-27T05:00:00.001-05:002008-10-27T05:00:00.985-05:00Salsa Fargo UpdateA while back, I posted a few pics of my newest Fargo configuration featuring a new SRAM Rival 10 speed kit. Essentially, I wanted to see how to make a lighter, faster and STI/Ergo/DoubleTap shifters. Why? Well....That's just what I like to do. More importantly though, I have some ideas about next year and I will want/need a bike just like this for what I have in mind.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDCjz1yJRzONKD-wXq-b0S-KDkEXEXwLq2mzamatoPdsuH9x_YRRvLRHxaTCwQBYfapgnCWzGYBtfr6uGZSszjVoYBK5U4Z6BnkjHBRiERGyDYl6TIPnGNnQMCrnLL7KcNvL0Pcc3UtvXC/s1600-h/IMG_2572.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDCjz1yJRzONKD-wXq-b0S-KDkEXEXwLq2mzamatoPdsuH9x_YRRvLRHxaTCwQBYfapgnCWzGYBtfr6uGZSszjVoYBK5U4Z6BnkjHBRiERGyDYl6TIPnGNnQMCrnLL7KcNvL0Pcc3UtvXC/s400/IMG_2572.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261639317848725410" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The crux of this build was the front derailleur set up. The road Rival front derailleur didn't have enough throw for a Mtn Chainline. Because I wanted to ride the bike, I ended up with a 22-36 SLX crank...Notice the nice bashguard. Nice drop bar 29er with roadie stuff and a freeride crank!<br /><br />Well, I have finally solved the problem and the results are in the B to B+ range. I'll put out the required disclaimer here stating that super quick or road shifting snobs will probably not like my solution.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEwvrbEY2G0b-Xu6F8G2mRbo-_BVIeK9W9iZtfjy-XXINcm560ZnF9aKVb82dACPxI7ooiYtk8c1ZviS2gr3C_9XgdAyAHrLOPX834dndDXKOnXYxTQgN1kRNivDgsh1p54kUHivAzW0MN/s1600-h/SDIM0183.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEwvrbEY2G0b-Xu6F8G2mRbo-_BVIeK9W9iZtfjy-XXINcm560ZnF9aKVb82dACPxI7ooiYtk8c1ZviS2gr3C_9XgdAyAHrLOPX834dndDXKOnXYxTQgN1kRNivDgsh1p54kUHivAzW0MN/s400/SDIM0183.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261640479905961474" border="0" /></a><br /><br />My end set up is as follows. <br /><br />- Surly Mr. Whirly cranks<br />- 36-48 Shimano 110mm bolt circle 9 speed rings - $$<br />- SRAM X.7 mtn front derailleur <br /><br />This set up is sweet. In all honesty, the shifting is a bit slow going up into the 48 tooth ring. Thankfully, Shimano rings have pick up teeth and they lift that narrow 10 speed chain right into the right place. Besides, when are you shifting into the outer ring under full power? OK, someone will need that and that's why I put out my disclaimer. It's a B to B+ performance. It works for me and if you are not too picky, it will likely work for you too.<br /><br />Beyond that, this is my first experience with Surly Mr. Whirly cranks. They are working really well, but I was shocked at how many pieces are in the kit. I had some difficulty getting the chainring bolts to snug down. Not sure what is up here but I'm guessing it is just tolerance stacking and that the 2 rings and the spider all add up to the low end of the tolerance scale. I also set up the external BB with only 1 spacer between the BB shell and the cup, this means two are on the left side. This gives a narrower chain line and works really well.<br /><br />I've got about 400 miles on this set up and I'm pretty pleased. Now that I've got this one running perfectly I'm converting Fargo prototype #1 into an off road warrior. Stay tuned.GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-41115577581608581352008-10-25T09:18:00.010-05:002008-10-25T12:38:14.257-05:00Salsa Fargo + Going Far = FargoingI got back in the bike groove yesterday. I left at 5:00AM in the rain and headed to Minneapolis for breakfast with the FMBC (Friday Morning Breakfast Crew). I had zero cash and the cafe only takes cash so I made quick detour. I don't think this is what they had in mind when they installed drive up ATM's.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqEqGCGAs7-T9Ml0DhWAwl-JDkxANoKsu5dB3iu9QGX4-OqDcL40FTpDI70aK1xH_PAFUhsBKZ-MZigdv-ZjTQIwcSFQ-Y46ks9T195amxxxbgcrnjPKpTD-SjQhE9VJEUS8eLfuo32eB/s1600-h/SDIM0174.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqEqGCGAs7-T9Ml0DhWAwl-JDkxANoKsu5dB3iu9QGX4-OqDcL40FTpDI70aK1xH_PAFUhsBKZ-MZigdv-ZjTQIwcSFQ-Y46ks9T195amxxxbgcrnjPKpTD-SjQhE9VJEUS8eLfuo32eB/s400/SDIM0174.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261096541340612866" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Sorry it's blurry, it was dark & cold and I was wet so I snapped a couple and got back on the road. My legs felt a little tired after 2 weeks off the bike. Thankfully, I was alone and just pedaled my own pace to the cafe.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDXbDzxJZd4nFrbTyPlpmipi5JtA4L7P3IsjLROb_k2H5u2UBiT9IThd99qWKmVd6KnMSfPvaKgDh0z8v7HtiMC6brlYFpHjFqbj8Kp9vwlJSpJ687IY9-tqXoF1ygxsVNglual-W56BG/s1600-h/SDIM0127.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDXbDzxJZd4nFrbTyPlpmipi5JtA4L7P3IsjLROb_k2H5u2UBiT9IThd99qWKmVd6KnMSfPvaKgDh0z8v7HtiMC6brlYFpHjFqbj8Kp9vwlJSpJ687IY9-tqXoF1ygxsVNglual-W56BG/s400/SDIM0127.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261097593933761330" border="0" /></a><br /><br />After breakfast, we headed for work. Unfortunately with the rain, this meant we'd be riding pavement. I was on my Fargo with Maxxis Crossmarks, quite a disadvantage compared to the skinny tires the rest of the crew was on. The 30 psi in my big 29er tires along with a faster than normal pace just made my legs feel worse. Still, felt good getting over 30 miles in before 8:00AM!<br /><br />Thankfully, the rain didn't last long and the wind picked up. This meant I could ride some dirt on the way home. On top of that, I had a tailwind for my commute home. Man I love tail winds on Friday's. I dropped in and hit the dirt. I even threw in a little adventuring (off trail excursion).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDG9fRqC_PfPZk-GxVqcA4xU-oIL0PmOILpOlXCylJZCyLGhRpM8tK8tnKyHJ-qQsVxQttZiosRWxG8YbioBeSDNozC8ruQgaxlVk2dH1cmedUYGHspeYfmmlvnjA2M5TD7dzszKpLUXHh/s1600-h/SDIM0200.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDG9fRqC_PfPZk-GxVqcA4xU-oIL0PmOILpOlXCylJZCyLGhRpM8tK8tnKyHJ-qQsVxQttZiosRWxG8YbioBeSDNozC8ruQgaxlVk2dH1cmedUYGHspeYfmmlvnjA2M5TD7dzszKpLUXHh/s400/SDIM0200.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261098877145848738" border="0" /></a><br /><br />After almost 13 miles of single track and dirt road, I traversed the river through this urban art corridor and then finished my journey on pavement.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKJOOc_BvU4Y3_C4m8eRPpJuvqfgkl8X2yCbT0PPdNnXHWLj-d1UEYk8gnNJuoDIKX-Phe5_iLw9T8vVp5Rg0UoJ3h4aWELgFUjBsWoLN2eyBAxsMs60LfP4rC0x3oOyUZBt12O-OelVE/s1600-h/SDIM0208.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKJOOc_BvU4Y3_C4m8eRPpJuvqfgkl8X2yCbT0PPdNnXHWLj-d1UEYk8gnNJuoDIKX-Phe5_iLw9T8vVp5Rg0UoJ3h4aWELgFUjBsWoLN2eyBAxsMs60LfP4rC0x3oOyUZBt12O-OelVE/s400/SDIM0208.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261099983307394882" border="0" /></a><br /><br />In the end, finished my Friday journey with just shy of 60 miles. Rain. Sun. Wind. Pavement. Food. Friends. Gravel. Singletrack. Art. Nature. Photos. Exploration. It had it all. Now that's what I call Fargoing.<br /><br />Hope to hit dirt today as we are expecting snow on Sunday!GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-27248442937523054192008-10-24T05:00:00.001-05:002008-10-24T05:00:00.236-05:00Photo FridayI took this photo in Utah last week. We started hiking on the cool shaded side of the Wasatch mountains. The trail quickly went up. We had been hiking for about 2 to 2.5 miles climbing up through the trees the whole time. Then with little warning, the trail opened up and turned to rock. These little trees stood alone in the sun on a rocky point. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhyphenhyphenUAlfFT_QNHWZrbouGfwRWQrK7xiQXXW8mAKIoUEYaeb6O6j6zRkTkpMan_TWY5peqS17RP0txPVYTQnInCmTgROHCta0-8C2Atg1vqaXyCPzWtk0epowGlZo9S2IG4hGDAp40r3StS/s1600-h/PA170114.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhyphenhyphenUAlfFT_QNHWZrbouGfwRWQrK7xiQXXW8mAKIoUEYaeb6O6j6zRkTkpMan_TWY5peqS17RP0txPVYTQnInCmTgROHCta0-8C2Atg1vqaXyCPzWtk0epowGlZo9S2IG4hGDAp40r3StS/s400/PA170114.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260518805001711890" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Enjoy your weekend. Snow is rumored to be on the way!GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-39666679890600632522008-10-22T11:54:00.007-05:002008-10-25T12:12:48.517-05:00I Fly UtahWhile in Utah, we were really taken and amazed by the natural environment. However, it wasn't the only thing that amazed us. We were lucky to get a couple of passes comped by the city of Ogden to <a href="http://www.iflyutah.com/">I Fly</a>, an indoor sky diving experience.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNLkTZXuIPpuIL9WI1HQhYK_EWfIsexwB3W145GhUBvd6uHNQMfAGZeG34SvX-FkJ2eqy-aygFUCeYkDFE3NnomT996d_ORXYctLeFiwdFPFKzsFYcql1QDUKkPnYtXG25sZ6UBmhb_1t-/s1600-h/PA170150.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNLkTZXuIPpuIL9WI1HQhYK_EWfIsexwB3W145GhUBvd6uHNQMfAGZeG34SvX-FkJ2eqy-aygFUCeYkDFE3NnomT996d_ORXYctLeFiwdFPFKzsFYcql1QDUKkPnYtXG25sZ6UBmhb_1t-/s400/PA170150.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260025258805176434" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I know what you are thinking after seeing that picture, "How did a girl like that end up with Mr. Potato head?" Well...I guess I just got lucky.<br /><br />After a little instruction, we enter the wind tunnel area and waited our turn. The wind tunnel shoots air straight up at about 100 mph (depending on the sky diver's weight). Jen went first and made it look too easy. Here she is floating about 10 feet in the air.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLC9t5Q-YkesOe9jIQXkJvJ8V0Gwcj4sMiH0FD0E-1lCf8mUtl4sx8lQ29b50m5HjCGSHri4FcFCR-vo09MgRxO_kEhTDRkalcPqtv0yMpKa5JSRRzol780U60kZIf3WrN_Vwin9vusxC/s1600-h/PA170189.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLC9t5Q-YkesOe9jIQXkJvJ8V0Gwcj4sMiH0FD0E-1lCf8mUtl4sx8lQ29b50m5HjCGSHri4FcFCR-vo09MgRxO_kEhTDRkalcPqtv0yMpKa5JSRRzol780U60kZIf3WrN_Vwin9vusxC/s400/PA170189.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260025750073308450" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I went next and after a little help from the instructor, I was floating on air. So cool. I was a bit nervous at first, but that immediately went away after the instructor helped me with my position. I tried to give the thumbs up for this picture, but even that subtle little hand change dropped me out of the air. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijwC8fYBWDO8EBS76QpynpRBcDVoVWbbmoPwBEqWaMa0sEkqFvBr82P7siBbrQoOtaB2p_GQ7XTAntTmpTYzSzpK9Yn_Vn1CIRH0pp5JIUql11myzAmyZfKJMLH2rVnlZdepGpZY-JvTo/s1600-h/PA170213.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijwC8fYBWDO8EBS76QpynpRBcDVoVWbbmoPwBEqWaMa0sEkqFvBr82P7siBbrQoOtaB2p_GQ7XTAntTmpTYzSzpK9Yn_Vn1CIRH0pp5JIUql11myzAmyZfKJMLH2rVnlZdepGpZY-JvTo/s400/PA170213.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260026639574857890" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We each got two turns in the tunnel. On the second run it was easier to get situated and then a professional instructor came in and floated us up about 20 feet. We went up and down like a yo yo. In the end, it was quite a bit of time for 2 minutes of floating, but it was worth it. Certainly one of my favorite things I've ever done.GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-92050394035545691262008-10-21T05:23:00.009-05:002008-10-21T06:12:06.309-05:00Eden, Utah - Aptly NamedAs the title says Eden, Utah is aptly named. The picture below is what every morning looked like from our lodging. In all honesty, I don't think I could tire of sipping coffee in the early morning hours looking at the Eden valley. By the way, that dot floating in the air is a hot air balloon.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbF_b3Z-QEUZNcxIxP9353tRlNdplriuNFhPjgNWpMlXckoEWSVifFVDTgUSUfVvqxo4gERAKozD4TiCg15CEuXDt_EU5Qm0WI163-T3FfRVbKTOUAYp7jCaU0Nf2bnqCzTazv6iBBJ2W2/s1600-h/PA160075.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbF_b3Z-QEUZNcxIxP9353tRlNdplriuNFhPjgNWpMlXckoEWSVifFVDTgUSUfVvqxo4gERAKozD4TiCg15CEuXDt_EU5Qm0WI163-T3FfRVbKTOUAYp7jCaU0Nf2bnqCzTazv6iBBJ2W2/s400/PA160075.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259552956303529106" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This trip wasn't my typical business trip. Not only did I get to bring my wife with me and spend a day or two almost solely with her, we were put up in executive housing out at Wolf Creek. Our 2800 square foot house was comped to us by the resort. I think they are a little bit off with their market research of bicycle industry wages. For anyone looking, this house is for sale and is priced just above $600,000 fully furnished....Did I mention the view?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWTkQeNg1jsUF4zHUuUZZAeddJahCheNJ7n5bQgqyUK2sC57QnunKuunuxYFRCuenVyD_29_7kXYtGZQ8oeGb66w3FP3AOhoW5ufbAZqXi7y11m_ZuPmA_a_5vkR6mJAj8szRhc83oXmBi/s1600-h/PA160079.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWTkQeNg1jsUF4zHUuUZZAeddJahCheNJ7n5bQgqyUK2sC57QnunKuunuxYFRCuenVyD_29_7kXYtGZQ8oeGb66w3FP3AOhoW5ufbAZqXi7y11m_ZuPmA_a_5vkR6mJAj8szRhc83oXmBi/s400/PA160079.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259554900128709042" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The first couple of days were spent hiking and hanging out with my wife. This was only the second trip in just over 6 years that we have taken together without our awesome kids. It was nice to hike and talk like the old days. Our hikes were the best part of this trip. Not only were the views amazing, but we got to talk about things that mattered to us instead of just going through our typical day and routines.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKcTSkycplmcEJhEeBPFf_TpRCwxeJEbhPCHgtH2Gp0cmOFujCoJNPIErSG1w216392-e3FvAgUg_708nykTt74l5boNoWO4FVkM5FEUzGla1ZRs90LkA4NQSorEk8FQ_5Gu7JY1rca-Rz/s1600-h/PA160094.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKcTSkycplmcEJhEeBPFf_TpRCwxeJEbhPCHgtH2Gp0cmOFujCoJNPIErSG1w216392-e3FvAgUg_708nykTt74l5boNoWO4FVkM5FEUzGla1ZRs90LkA4NQSorEk8FQ_5Gu7JY1rca-Rz/s400/PA160094.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259555774519145890" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I also played with my new camera quite a bit. I took over 500 photos. I deleted almost 250 of them. Not all were deleted by choice, I did not bring the proprietary cord to hook it up to my computer and I needed to delete images to take images because my memory card was full. Yeah, I know that I should plan these things and have more than one memory card, but I didn't. Drat! That will teach me! Oh well, I learned a lot. I even got a few good pics. I'll likely have a separate post on my new camera, until then here are a few images that I like. Nothing too great, but some with things I like. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSxbIj_u1ujMSmOnyhfQwns7x5L_AMZu3d2sQct92OXwfiifum0466iW5cj032Sn3i7CD49Pwh9UIN_z5CmTPvEMrFM1dTVyZz5SWPqZF31b1XIKCLFOJPffHAzNoVUbYblIkyGNKsFIR/s1600-h/PA170121.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSxbIj_u1ujMSmOnyhfQwns7x5L_AMZu3d2sQct92OXwfiifum0466iW5cj032Sn3i7CD49Pwh9UIN_z5CmTPvEMrFM1dTVyZz5SWPqZF31b1XIKCLFOJPffHAzNoVUbYblIkyGNKsFIR/s400/PA170121.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259557273911453122" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YY8P5rPiVwAU5EltSvnCPvgCEM0lvsK-NmiWZAXgOzj1u-6BI88IV1yEE3fOLZL6k4_OawPMpue3uDhXDN8bOHc7rS2ElfQ1nQOm0460szAeWA5ndoBAvvQOT7i5I7KnwN7qCz1JOcRt/s1600-h/PA170125.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YY8P5rPiVwAU5EltSvnCPvgCEM0lvsK-NmiWZAXgOzj1u-6BI88IV1yEE3fOLZL6k4_OawPMpue3uDhXDN8bOHc7rS2ElfQ1nQOm0460szAeWA5ndoBAvvQOT7i5I7KnwN7qCz1JOcRt/s400/PA170125.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259561430848440018" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Stay tuned this week for some high flying adventure, some more mountain views and a little Utah history.GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-60324224396565039272008-10-19T22:30:00.003-05:002008-10-19T22:47:19.070-05:00A Little R & RI've spent the last 4 days in Eden, Utah returning tomorrow after some glad handing with some important people from the city of Ogden. I was invited out here for some business and took a little extra time on the front end of the trip for a little R & R. This time, R & R did not include riding AND my wife joined me on this trip. It was a much needed change up to my now typical business travel. <br /><br />I can't wait to share my stories. Until then, I'm going to sit back and enjoy the view.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjgXZ2yZvAt6cbOd_397nXp6iHyeTgiAlkrDw5rwXtc-vgz-LAbdzR6uMDGzrIMeFXAmNpZutycEMF-CypwzC2FsTEfojNeNBCEprhaGnuk6F6L9FkFOLmXh8g8bd0yRwXooP4J7HqHaA1/s1600-h/Hot+Tub.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259076758354813426" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjgXZ2yZvAt6cbOd_397nXp6iHyeTgiAlkrDw5rwXtc-vgz-LAbdzR6uMDGzrIMeFXAmNpZutycEMF-CypwzC2FsTEfojNeNBCEprhaGnuk6F6L9FkFOLmXh8g8bd0yRwXooP4J7HqHaA1/s400/Hot+Tub.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><p> </p><p> </p>GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-80488833892637371592008-10-17T05:06:00.000-05:002008-10-17T05:06:00.298-05:00Friday PhotoI took this photo while having dinner in Decorah, Iowa after the first day of the 2007 Big Wheeled Ballyhoo. It ended up on the cover of the 2007 Salsa catalog. What's better than riding followed by good food with good friends?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Xz8Y0raVDYge0odXnir4a3pLltyvGWEQJg5nhUCIm8fqIvh0JRJOCXEpmFyupVcCKu8eQfRJHH4mfqS7b1t4rgz4_J8KShqcz4JI0fbZL_0yFzYocF1klQFamHAt8gqNMjSuLbvgH1GU/s1600-h/IMG_1212.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Xz8Y0raVDYge0odXnir4a3pLltyvGWEQJg5nhUCIm8fqIvh0JRJOCXEpmFyupVcCKu8eQfRJHH4mfqS7b1t4rgz4_J8KShqcz4JI0fbZL_0yFzYocF1klQFamHAt8gqNMjSuLbvgH1GU/s400/IMG_1212.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257556134659174818" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Enjoy your weekend. I'm in Utah.GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-6330507794297747372008-10-15T05:06:00.003-05:002008-10-15T06:43:34.290-05:00OK, enough camera stuff. How about a Fargo custom pack?Things are happening quickly this fall. No rest. Just planning followed by action. Enter custom bag #1.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTiEixyddkhdgsId8By5tFFVMAe12i54jBtx0YqGBXb22iPxV-JO09QTGID7gHPRG-thXRA1PMdOcdHZI-XI_I_WhkZp6suiuqwPx-GdDZ4vP9pTSd8ReQzdAXvbfv14ZWQN2bLT6iwpbF/s1600-h/Fargopack.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTiEixyddkhdgsId8By5tFFVMAe12i54jBtx0YqGBXb22iPxV-JO09QTGID7gHPRG-thXRA1PMdOcdHZI-XI_I_WhkZp6suiuqwPx-GdDZ4vP9pTSd8ReQzdAXvbfv14ZWQN2bLT6iwpbF/s400/Fargopack.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257089980220924802" border="0" /></a><br /><br />There will be a full post in the future on this, but I am so excited I had to show a pic. I've always used racks with stuff sacks. I can't wait to try a custom frame bag.<br /><br />Special thanks to J.M. for letting me tag onto his project and to E.P. at Epic. Sweet.<br /><br />More to come.......GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-73863454744196460112008-10-14T05:00:00.003-05:002008-10-14T05:00:00.986-05:00A small wonder - Olympus E420Here it is. I found one in stock and it should be here Wednesday. I can't wait.<br /><br />Blog Reader Warning: Be prepared for camera geekdom.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/olympus_e420/review.html" target="_self"><img src="http://www.letsgodigital.org/images/artikelen/36/olympus-e420-review.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); width: 396px; height: 318px;" alt="Olympus E420 Review" onmouseover="this.style.cursor='hand';window.status='Olympus E420 Review';" onmouseout="window.status='';" border="1" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo Courtesy of </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/19166/olympus-e420-review/">Let's Go Digital</a></span><br /><br />So...Why did I choose an Olympus E420? Great question with a longish answer.<br /><br />Size - Currently, this is the smallest DSLR camera in production. I think this may be rivaled by the upcoming Panasonic G1. Many folks have really put down the small DSLR movement. For many of those folks, I'm guessing they've not had to fit days worth of equipment into a couple of small packs. I'm also guessing they've never ridden a bike with a full size SLR for 100 miles or for multiple days. For what it is worth, my favorite picture of the year was taken with my full size digital SLR in the middle of North Dakota. I lugged my full size Canon & bag on this ride. In all honesty, it was this trip that made me really want a better camera while on my bike rides.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkrqA25xpdZB4kiti4-AeZWJp5BjKd74M1s_iGYrXXlNPSI_8irmaQUBHiQ8DnD0BboUFOtUPf8NjaT7aiukELcxbJZRhaQlchIx97cEOO82zk6aPfgupDKX1x_xR4HXQsSMcZ_kAqKX9/s1600-h/IMG_2186.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkrqA25xpdZB4kiti4-AeZWJp5BjKd74M1s_iGYrXXlNPSI_8irmaQUBHiQ8DnD0BboUFOtUPf8NjaT7aiukELcxbJZRhaQlchIx97cEOO82zk6aPfgupDKX1x_xR4HXQsSMcZ_kAqKX9/s400/IMG_2186.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256808337990831954" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It's a DSLR - I've ridden with a point and shoot Canon camera for several years. While I love the size concept and simplicity of a point and shoot, at times I really wanted a higher quality image that I couldn't get due to the small size of a point & shoot image sensor. While the Olympus isn't quite the same size as a full size or full frame DSLR camera, it's significantly larger than a comparable point and shoot. This means higher quality pictures that if desired, I can do more than just post blog pictures. Additionally, if you want to take action shots, point and shoot cameras are pretty much a joke due to their focus (in)ability and their shutter lag.<br /><br />Lens interchangeability and quality - Lens interchangeability and quality were critical points for me. In addition to lens interchangeability, the lenses for the Four Thirds system are smaller without sacrificing quality. The stock Zuiko pancake lens is a killer lens for all around use. It's mighty small too.<br /><br />Expandability - Someday, I'll add a nice short fish eye lens and a short zoom to the mix. The prices are somewhat reasonable. I'd say very reasonable given the quality and reputation of the Zuiko lenses. This should be all I'll ever really need unless my hobby becomes a profession....Which, frankly speaking, I don't think could ever happen because I'm average at best at photography and I don't think average pays the bills.<br /><br />Battery Life - Once broken in, I expect to get almost 500 shots from a single battery charge. That's up from about 100-125 with my current aging DSLR and about 10-20 shots from my dead point and shoot. It's much less than 500 if using live view for composition. While live view is something I've grown accustomed too on point and shoot, my old DSLR doesn't have live view and I'm learned to take pictures with a view finder.<br /><br />Image Quality - In all my research, I've found this camera to be one of, if not the, best at this price range. I also like that it shoots Raw + JPEG. Makes it easy to view and put up JPEG blog pictures while still capturing and having higher quality RAW images.<br /><br />While I don't think this camera is perfect and I know hard core pro photographers have ripped this thing to shreds, I think for me, it is the perfect little big camera. It could only be made better (for me) by having a fully weather proof body. Time will tell of course. I hope all my research, testing and discussions actually work and prove my decision to be a good one.GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-31009858566974050112008-10-13T06:42:00.004-05:002008-10-13T06:53:18.195-05:00Change is a comin'Well....Change is finally coming. My Willits sold in record time and as a result, I'm jumping ship from Canon. While Canon and Nikon are duking it out on top, other camera makers are making some pretty cool little cameras. Where I end up may be a surprise to some, but this new camera should add some real capabilities to my riding and adventure photos. You'll have to wait and see. Assuming I can find the exact set up I want in stock somewhere, I should be taking pictures in Utah later this week. Sweet.<br /><br />Until then, enjoy your week. Change is coming in our weather too. Enjoy it while you can.GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-37043461330829345052008-10-10T05:06:00.003-05:002008-10-10T05:06:00.455-05:00Photo FridayThis past week we got some much needed rain and the fall colors popped here in MN. I don't know how folks that don't have 4 full seasons live where they live. Fall is the best time of year for riding. Sure, the days are shorter, but as I've written before, fall is wool clothing riding season. I can put on my wool and ride comfortably for a long period of time. My Wingnut back pack is lighter too as I usually use water bottles in the fall and my pack only needs to carry my camera and a few supplies.<br /><br />Yesterday, I was trying out a Sigma DP1 camera. The DP1 is the first pocket size camera with a full size DSLR image sensor. It's known for it's color capabilities, has full manual controls and shoots RAW. It's a powerful pocket camera, but it's a bit quirky and slow. Folks are starting to unload these cameras now that Sigma announced the DP2 at their annual trade show in September. <br /><br />I rode my Dos Niner. My ride sort of stunk as I wasn't feeling very good. I cherish fall riding. It's so good. I didn't get the shot I was looking for either, but I got this. Not bad detail and color for a pocket point & shoot camera.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJSL26O05ls_lCz15UyEX6ICEDyL9OASDGMPbx8xY3O-5UAkVoix0UtakzJg8NTGFZNAi5Xh9TqPI8EFsRrVUGhnv_XrAWBb4jtA3BZ4ygiJok4y8aGQTOKx7qzvzFQXfgHdch0aw41sNh/s1600-h/Murphy+Fall+Dos+Blog.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJSL26O05ls_lCz15UyEX6ICEDyL9OASDGMPbx8xY3O-5UAkVoix0UtakzJg8NTGFZNAi5Xh9TqPI8EFsRrVUGhnv_XrAWBb4jtA3BZ4ygiJok4y8aGQTOKx7qzvzFQXfgHdch0aw41sNh/s400/Murphy+Fall+Dos+Blog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255302966493604194" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Enjoy your weekend folks. Ride your bike. Go for a walk in the woods.GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-36491364186855558012008-10-09T19:40:00.006-05:002008-10-09T20:03:14.174-05:00Another Shameless For Sale Post - Willits 29erWell, I've got one more on the block. Two down, one to go. I've been saving in hopes of replacing my broken and/or dead camera(s). We've also run into some unplanned expenses, car repairs and water softener replacement.<br /><br />So...Here goes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PiNze3RJDsJKUNGzMgR_KEki81fWhi2eUgyfKlKuqworJ3dmp2ODMym8GRgkYGznX0DjW0l0InT1b2pu1W75J4IWUQQU2TpXycKZ0K10bLXeIjPnVnOhKesAzYlZ7Anf5sQGvZ8dOrf_/s1600-h/IMG_2828.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PiNze3RJDsJKUNGzMgR_KEki81fWhi2eUgyfKlKuqworJ3dmp2ODMym8GRgkYGznX0DjW0l0InT1b2pu1W75J4IWUQQU2TpXycKZ0K10bLXeIjPnVnOhKesAzYlZ7Anf5sQGvZ8dOrf_/s400/IMG_2828.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255321312628823746" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Used Willits New Sheriff with Paragon sliders. Steel w/2 tone paint. $650.<br /><br />It's a bit old school in TT length and feels Ibis like. It's also a little tall too due to the extra tube and styling. It's a 23" TT (About an 18" equivalent). Has internal rear brake cable routing. I've also got all the extra frame tubing bits that Wes cut off the tubes when mitering. Hey, it was part of the package. I had the bike set up as a flat bar mtn bike and also as a drop bar 29er. <br /><br />Price includes: Frame, Type II rigid fork, and custom Hope black/gold headset. Freight and any extra Paypal credit card fees are extra. The bike is shown with wheels and BB cups. Those are not included. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyav-Ku66k1PPJI8_bOH8nLYT9wITAHNzc_bfQxk17aRn1ehLwIBHT5MOgC_z5DsmW9ivKdzX0DFQdqo7sl5XY4dRm4NR9pr4IQMpjcVKLjloqhBGDbVoQG2tNNF5j2glEc8bPSuHBK6Qd/s1600-h/IMG_2827.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyav-Ku66k1PPJI8_bOH8nLYT9wITAHNzc_bfQxk17aRn1ehLwIBHT5MOgC_z5DsmW9ivKdzX0DFQdqo7sl5XY4dRm4NR9pr4IQMpjcVKLjloqhBGDbVoQG2tNNF5j2glEc8bPSuHBK6Qd/s400/IMG_2827.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255322898994080882" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is one of Wes' newer frames built down in Austin. I acquired this in a trade in March or so and have ridden it twice. It's a beauty, but I have no need for it. Bike fits Weirwolfs with adequate clearance. <br /><br />The paint is far from perfect but the bike still looks really nice. Here's a pic of the paint wearing out on the TT. It's also got a couple of chips on the down tube.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JQaUaymQehYtcUBMvDLUtv2x2RDL6bNXaJ7Mztg93w48QnFKLPe7Lgp40aXQEauMAPWZLTahlgjOZVm50ISkBNgjf8KJGb5jVmfsR-eV48qieH6Xh9FmArbosBJbbQDH5jBiIw2A10bX/s1600-h/IMG_2832.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JQaUaymQehYtcUBMvDLUtv2x2RDL6bNXaJ7Mztg93w48QnFKLPe7Lgp40aXQEauMAPWZLTahlgjOZVm50ISkBNgjf8KJGb5jVmfsR-eV48qieH6Xh9FmArbosBJbbQDH5jBiIw2A10bX/s400/IMG_2832.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255322373108803218" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Email me at G N A T at L I V E dot COM.GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-43688829773523310242008-10-08T05:46:00.009-05:002008-10-08T06:45:33.844-05:00Gnat's Theory of RelativityLately, I've been spending a lot of time thinking and planning. This is occurring both at home and at work. Sometimes what you are doing or what you want to do don't require much planning at all. While at other times, they require a lot of thinking and planning.<br /><br />Over the past year, the Gnat blog gave me the opportunity to explore, to learn, and meet new people. It also rekindled my love for riding and taking pictures.<br /><br />This is where Gnat's Theory of Relativity (GTR) comes into play. My theory is that somehow, whether we know it or not, we pick hobbies and have passions that are relative, similar or supportive of one another. I'm sure some folks will likely point out that they they have hobbies that are not connected, say like bike riding and stamp collecting. However, I'd bet that somewhere, some how if you look hard enough there is a connection.<br /><br />For me, bikes have consumed my life. Bicycles have been my passion since the first day I pedaled my first red 20" Schwinn. I still remember my mom and my aunt Bev pulling that bike out of the back of my Mom's wood paneled silver station wagon. I still remembering hitting the lilac bush in the back yard trying to learn to ride. I still remember doing endless laps around the house. Bicycles gave me freedom and allowed me to explore and get to places I couldn't get to before.<br /><br />As I look back at my memories, I also see that I had one other passion that is as strong as my passion for bikes, photography. I still remember taking black & white photography in college. It was the only semester that I didn't purchase and/or build a new bike. It consumed me. I spent every waking moment riding around the Minneapolis taking pictures and then spent every single evening in the dark room. That said, I never did anything with it. In all honesty, back then I could never afford two hobbies on my bike shop income and I just let it go and stuck to bikes.<br /><br />So where am I going with this? Well, this past year has been one of the best years of my life. I could spend hours and days talking about that and why I think that. But, in looking back over the year, I see lot's of things that I wasn't connecting are really connected.<br /><br />For me, this past year has finally connected my passion for both photography and bicycles.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqnAuHpAPdv5Oj9ClIV2MLGliHCqLBU4RL_77tiY2Sdn7AkvYwC7w0fz9cVeAgDaroCB0CT3lAuZP5uagf-klyiTX0OPCbO7kP7B7sxZatv-mZSKyAE8A6_XdhovYlvlSHobAmrMD_-aR4/s1600-h/IMG_1213.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqnAuHpAPdv5Oj9ClIV2MLGliHCqLBU4RL_77tiY2Sdn7AkvYwC7w0fz9cVeAgDaroCB0CT3lAuZP5uagf-klyiTX0OPCbO7kP7B7sxZatv-mZSKyAE8A6_XdhovYlvlSHobAmrMD_-aR4/s400/IMG_1213.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254740237335734226" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Bicycles gave me a vehicle to explore and meet amazing people.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHVzDt9tNYeKaRXH0I9k2B5RLJNP9jy45hGq8NqapMxsxqIlw8_bqJs4rP-njEGFpnIxuZAHyDz-mIzFzmHbYcF2j8FpMVzHo12btXGkshhP9xReM_9N2cRhPq7pwaayuZ3XhbludAp1VI/s1600-h/IMG_0083.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHVzDt9tNYeKaRXH0I9k2B5RLJNP9jy45hGq8NqapMxsxqIlw8_bqJs4rP-njEGFpnIxuZAHyDz-mIzFzmHbYcF2j8FpMVzHo12btXGkshhP9xReM_9N2cRhPq7pwaayuZ3XhbludAp1VI/s400/IMG_0083.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254739523419533218" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The Gnat Blog gave me the opportunity to learn and share my stories.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVShsAJkyzSRBsT6iS169r36qQjw0tJr3GNFYamLCo4U4QI-qWIeeg5RCkdWEqC5l2VFuj11lnWZMPlPXIiXSHQ-U2oUcXov-e4uuzSqyePLs8T-hNZITUdL4m811PYtjP00xPT_2iwHh/s1600-h/dia_0003.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVShsAJkyzSRBsT6iS169r36qQjw0tJr3GNFYamLCo4U4QI-qWIeeg5RCkdWEqC5l2VFuj11lnWZMPlPXIiXSHQ-U2oUcXov-e4uuzSqyePLs8T-hNZITUdL4m811PYtjP00xPT_2iwHh/s400/dia_0003.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254745085499994994" border="0" /></a><br /><br />My job gave me the opportunity to ride and take pictures all over the world.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwP59NegjpiSrAck_DW8YQ6UeDuKb66AlDBvIJ3TWIVGZDy1JqNoPhFm0hN1dCtkOVTRVci3k5xF1erWeTJr8LBhfOfCpuh3af0Qn4zC1ylN-U1F5Ct6o9DN2g124BPBAlBAQ1CaMRoVWC/s1600-h/IMG_0226.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwP59NegjpiSrAck_DW8YQ6UeDuKb66AlDBvIJ3TWIVGZDy1JqNoPhFm0hN1dCtkOVTRVci3k5xF1erWeTJr8LBhfOfCpuh3af0Qn4zC1ylN-U1F5Ct6o9DN2g124BPBAlBAQ1CaMRoVWC/s400/IMG_0226.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254745500588696498" border="0" /></a><br /><br />No wonder this has been such a great year. So...Where am I really going with this? Well, I've been thinking about what grand vision I have for me and for the Gnat blog. While I've been doing this unintentionally already, I'm going to focus the Gnat blog on the things I love and that are connected.<br /><br />Bicycles - People - Photography - Exploration<br /><br />They are all connected by Gnat's Theory of Relativity.GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-22166490950799718342008-10-06T18:15:00.007-05:002008-10-06T19:05:04.833-05:00N & N turn 6!I can't believe my twins turned six today. Amazing. I also can't believe how much fun kids can be. This year's theme was "Apples" and we held it right after the neighborhood bus unloaded. Thankfully, they meant the real apples and not the little ipod thingies that I'm sure they will ask for soon.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM2CfbNujuyXjzl8TR2ZbEKVgwxmoS75upp67WxYg9k9IwbfEb-_QUoHylBUKo8h0tVHqm6_4PYrYYB_AdcXRL7mURcuSTo7D8ZJE7JP2y0BJbaqSkFNGK7IRrmCFQbttP5Ga-MvygmP1n/s1600-h/IMG_2755.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM2CfbNujuyXjzl8TR2ZbEKVgwxmoS75upp67WxYg9k9IwbfEb-_QUoHylBUKo8h0tVHqm6_4PYrYYB_AdcXRL7mURcuSTo7D8ZJE7JP2y0BJbaqSkFNGK7IRrmCFQbttP5Ga-MvygmP1n/s400/IMG_2755.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254185410003697490" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Thankfully the weather held out and we got a beautiful fall day. I think the high point for my boy was bobbing for apples. We were pretty certain he was going to drown himself, but he ended up coming up with an apple. Focus and commitment. I like it. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93xQVdw7xnJ4hZiaG-o5a8o_27ZymkSDNjonBuucwIkMAzD0vDkk_Ys5NkkJNX7nFLEciFOaLQp0JnshGOXWW4_uqAuYrsAsoc7inYZOSLoX3se78-uZX6w0ttOcn_L5H_pqlsX8ebUSH/s1600-h/IMG_2771.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93xQVdw7xnJ4hZiaG-o5a8o_27ZymkSDNjonBuucwIkMAzD0vDkk_Ys5NkkJNX7nFLEciFOaLQp0JnshGOXWW4_uqAuYrsAsoc7inYZOSLoX3se78-uZX6w0ttOcn_L5H_pqlsX8ebUSH/s400/IMG_2771.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254185948785256498" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This one was pretty funny too. The kids did an apple relay where they had to roll the apple with their nose.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNB2DREdQ3aBjQ0J7l4VzUHU398z81u3cNfogpcHd5kxXRZ2H5o1IvqaLmABVHmrie_oaAylfNAaEH4Dw1SZzXc1mLp3ockiOHbT23aDRk7Z7Qr0G1Bp0pIY6q6VWNiG3NIT0DKmBZE7C/s1600-h/IMG_2714.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNB2DREdQ3aBjQ0J7l4VzUHU398z81u3cNfogpcHd5kxXRZ2H5o1IvqaLmABVHmrie_oaAylfNAaEH4Dw1SZzXc1mLp3ockiOHbT23aDRk7Z7Qr0G1Bp0pIY6q6VWNiG3NIT0DKmBZE7C/s400/IMG_2714.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254186652800387282" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Birthdays come down to cake and ice cream. My wife crafted this fine apple from home made cup cakes and home made frosting while Culver's supplied the ice cream cake.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI8y1YJai6UoKTpnKqIkpzaj5Q1lHEElkyOiepjDnKoMZB6SPDvMANh0zHYeVRn4XwFLaoBUEz5OWrABsCOlCk3yc9MtHHDRS73kLYSCzoe3F7rALl2xoiKIxekv2AO3NBYR7bVUkrab5t/s1600-h/IMG_2815.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI8y1YJai6UoKTpnKqIkpzaj5Q1lHEElkyOiepjDnKoMZB6SPDvMANh0zHYeVRn4XwFLaoBUEz5OWrABsCOlCk3yc9MtHHDRS73kLYSCzoe3F7rALl2xoiKIxekv2AO3NBYR7bVUkrab5t/s400/IMG_2815.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254187706113309810" border="0" /></a><br /><br />In the end, it was a fun time had by all. No one got hurt. No police or child protection showed up. No crying kids. All in all a great neighborhood party. Happy Birthday N & N. Mom and dad love you so much. You are awesome 6 year olds.GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-22066476230509604982008-10-05T10:29:00.012-05:002008-10-05T20:35:46.229-05:00Rainy day musingsI'm still in my after Interbike purge. And by purge, I mean I'm still purging the stink and filth that is Vegas. Man I don't like that city. The whole family is sick. It's cold and rainy outside. My body hasn't recovered yet.<br /><br />Thankfully, I got a couple of good rides in this week. In fact, on Friday, I got my first long adventure ride in quite some time, ended up with almost 60 miles. It had it all; pavement, double track, & single track. Yes, I rode my Fargo.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZ0pyah3U8aYBQT-mND3PBhEofsDNbcHjQIr876ZrJ3c1CBXMKGfbm15yl_LvEJSq9ENYEvH7zcsstLnMX7DVfLdxiICBQ24BZpgLUFvDO3ACyyGOt53WsJ0I-qf_9gM4a2KthkGLNxkO/s1600-h/Tunnel+Vision.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZ0pyah3U8aYBQT-mND3PBhEofsDNbcHjQIr876ZrJ3c1CBXMKGfbm15yl_LvEJSq9ENYEvH7zcsstLnMX7DVfLdxiICBQ24BZpgLUFvDO3ACyyGOt53WsJ0I-qf_9gM4a2KthkGLNxkO/s400/Tunnel+Vision.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253848492235999602" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Even though my body is still purging, my legs felt good. Really good in fact and as a result, I'm pretty spent today.<br /><br />Beyond that, I've got a lot on my mind. These are random thoughts and not necessarily connected. That's just how the brain is working today.<br /><br />- My twins turn 6 tomorrow! I can't believe it.<br />- My cameras are both busted up so my picture taking is suffering....and that means my blog pics for both my work blog and the Gnat blog are suffering.<br />- I'm still digging out at work and I've got another work trip to Utah coming up next week.<br />- I turn 39 later this month. What will the road to 40 bring?<br />- Bikes. Packing up one that is sold and prepped another to sell.<br />- Our coffee machine broke down yesterday after cleaning and descaling. Man, our old one lasted 8 years. This one lasted about 8 months. Drat! I had to go buy coffee from a store.<br /><br />Yeah, that's what's on my mind today.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Edit: I'm almost finished with my slide show on my new Salsa Pistola. Here's a sneak peak. Complete write up available Monday or Tuesday </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.salsacycles.com/amigos">here</a><span style="font-style: italic;">. </span><br /><br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2FGnatLikesBikes%2Falbumid%2F5253744898623009473%3Fkind%3Dphoto%26alt%3Drss%26authkey%3DQkc3RWD0xfY" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" height="192" width="288"></embed>GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-65202374484720294542008-10-03T05:06:00.001-05:002008-10-03T05:06:00.793-05:00Photo FridayLooking back over the last two weeks, I've got a lot of fun and great memories. Today's photo is taken from a play ground in Estes Park, CO. I was spinning the kids on this fine & potentially dangerous piece of play ground equipment and taking their pictures. I never got the exact shot I was hoping for, but I can't look at this picture without smiling. It's just what I need today. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RqoDi4m-fDBT2-Yu3qAbo__fBdbgOrDMB6kYASI7Eaw7IBqc4sQqNeEBP3cFXG8-b6lYHIMdxGOyuaeEsomRgUHEAcI73Da2EcnLC24ILjwKFX5QDkMcV84W60ePUwyiJojEYaS3q5Jw/s1600-h/IMG_2619.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RqoDi4m-fDBT2-Yu3qAbo__fBdbgOrDMB6kYASI7Eaw7IBqc4sQqNeEBP3cFXG8-b6lYHIMdxGOyuaeEsomRgUHEAcI73Da2EcnLC24ILjwKFX5QDkMcV84W60ePUwyiJojEYaS3q5Jw/s400/IMG_2619.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252768373708958306" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Enjoy your weekend. Ride your bike. Laugh with your friends, family or kids.GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742577667879226346.post-72056911686662240202008-10-01T12:04:00.008-05:002008-10-01T16:58:33.130-05:00Introverted TendenciesI'm still coming down after Interbike. I've written about this before, but whenever I have these big weeks with large physical and emotional efforts, I need my space. I'm a strong "I" on the Meyers Briggs preference indicator. Some have told me they think I'm an "E" and don't believe it, but its true. I certainly can be a practicing extrovert, but deep down, I'm still a strong "I". Weeks like the last 2 weeks really bring it out in me.<br /><br />Thankfully, I rode by myself in the early AM on Tuesday and I took today off to spend time with my family and to think. I got a little time to work on my own bikes too. I've got a lot to think about. Honestly, pretty much since June, I've not had much extra energy to think about things that need to be thought about. So....Over the coming days and weeks, I'm looking forward to getting back on my schedule. I'm looking forward to getting some down time and some stuff done that is long overdue.<br /><br />Over the coming weeks and months, I'll be laying out my plans for the GnatLikesBikes blog and a little bit about my personal plans. I assure you, it should prove interesting....At least I think it should prove interesting.<br /><br />Until then, I leave you with this. This is what I'd like to do for the next few days.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjYIpd-y585Zg4CvKUDzIMTN27Qdb6KDLaMOJwy_WjvWrIn6v250E5hY9fGYV25T9Dwn8gEtPlBaqAk0LhECFKAwqrA6YaNxu_OhfRteeh59hlnZ8zwsd-xXQWVE5nPg2KeJInHUU4Up_/s1600-h/Sleep.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjYIpd-y585Zg4CvKUDzIMTN27Qdb6KDLaMOJwy_WjvWrIn6v250E5hY9fGYV25T9Dwn8gEtPlBaqAk0LhECFKAwqrA6YaNxu_OhfRteeh59hlnZ8zwsd-xXQWVE5nPg2KeJInHUU4Up_/s400/Sleep.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252306880917822002" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Sleep....I guess even a super hero needs sleep.GNAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11030083238539453615noreply@blogger.com3