The Old Duct Tape Coat Hanger Bicycle Fender Trick

I once stayed with a Warm Showers host that saw the flimsy plastic Planet Bike fenders on my bike and asked if they worked.  I noticed his look of disapproval just before I noticed his bike had fancy $100 metal fenders.  The plastic ones do work, and cost about $40.  Perhaps they don't look as slick, but they are for keeping dirty road water off my backside and shoes, so who cares?

On my trip riding down to Georgia to hike the Appalachian Trail I had a hard time finding fenders, even cheap plastic ones, I could use on my road bike with 28mm tires and no eyelets. So, I got creative. And cheap(er). 

How to Safely Pass a Cyclist

The first draft of this was a little too much of a critical mass, Portlandia, cyclists rule the world type rant.  If you are not familiar with this attitude, allow Fred Armisen to demonstrate:

I am likely preaching to the choir here, so maybe a cyclist's rant is appropriate. Is any non-cyclist going to read an article about passing a cyclist safely from a blog titled Uncle Dan’s Bike Ride? Perhaps I should consider some alternative blog names to draw in the target audience: Uncle Dan’s Monster Truck Rally Through Residential Neighborhoods, or Uncle Dan’s Fast and Furious Adventures Down Quiet Country Roads. In hopes of a non-cyclist reading this, I'll start more tactfully and try to build some common ground.

Who Cooks For You? Sounds of the Night on the Appalachian Trail

One night in the mountains of southern Virginia, a deer or two were behind the Hurricane Mountain shelter making the snorting huffing sounds that deer make. They woke me up, but I fell quickly back asleep, until a fellow hiker mistakingly cried out, “holy shit, it’s a bear!” Now fully awake, I corrected him, “It’s a f’n deer!” Sorry for snapping at you, Rock-Licker. Good sleep on the trail can be hard to come by 

Finding What Matters Most in Life: The One

I’m talking about the right bike saddle, of course.  My apologies to those who arrived here thinking I was going to be writing about love and relationships. Don’t go away just yet. I have noticed that if you substitute "relationships" for the word "saddle" below there are strong similarities between finding the right bike saddle and finding that The One. So if you are still looking for The One, or want to make sure you have the right One, keep reading and insert  “relationships” anywhere words are underlined. The key to two of life's most important decisions in one blog post.*  

110 Miles on the Long Trail

In my failed attempt to hike Vermont’s 270 mile Long Trail this fall I learned a couple important lessons.  First, you can’t plan around the weather.  I learned this hiking the AT, yet when Hurricane Joaquin was threatening to hit New England I decided to wait and see what would happen.  It never came, but the days got shorter and colder, and I caught a cold from my nieces.  Second, any kind of weather is possible in October in Vermont.  Third, a stove is a necessity if water sources are frozen.  Fourth, boots are much better than running shoes in snow, even with YakTrax.  Fifth, it’s bad luck not including my bicycle on an adventure.