DClog

Vassago Jabberwocky

A new steed arrived today. For the past 15 years or so all my bikes have been either aluminum, carbon or titanium, so this is sort of a throw back to my early days of cycling being a steel frame and fork with no suspension. The Vassago Jabberwocky is not exactly a high performance racing machine but more of a trendy flavor of mountain bike. The rigid F/F, single speed and 29-inch wheels makes a more simple, rugged and bomb-proof bike for trail riding. Huge-wide tubeless tires run at lower pressures creates the effect of a suspension and provides reassuring grip in the corners. The absence of shifters, derailleurs and cogs simplify the drive train. The frame has a noticeably different geometry than the traditional mountain bike with 26-inch wheels. This is my first bike with disc brakes and that will be a welcome improvement on those wicked-steep downhills.

Dans Macabre - Road Race Course Variation

Here is a worthy GA RR champs course! Featuring several tough climbs (Jack Pittman, Masters, Barrow Industrial) but with some long flats and rollers in between, also a beautiful section of narrow single lane Euro-style road (Stock Rd). This is a 34.5 mile loop which could be repeated (69 mile) for the Masters and Cat 3-4, and three times (103 miles) for the Pro/1/2.

This is a variation on the infamous "Dans Macabre" ride that starts at Harbins Elementary School.

visit link for map and cue sheet.

Stained Glass & Guitarist

Another Rejected Guitar

The second Gitane guitar arrived today and this guitar was obviously NOS (New Old Stock), which is not necessarily a bad thing in this situation. The serial number revealed that it was manufactured in July 2005, and the case was covered in dust from sitting around in a warehouse. Even the strings were slightly oxidized from age but I had a proper set of French-made Gypsy Jazz strings ready to be put on right away.

This DG-300 Modele John Jorgenson guitar sounds substantially better than the one they sent two weeks ago (which had been recently manufactured). There is a problem though, this guitar has a couple of minor cosmetic blemishes which I could live with, but the hardshell case is broken in several places and it is worthless. Unfortunately, the case and guitar come as a package so to exchange the case I have to send back the guitar too. [heavy sigh]

I do have 45 days to return the instrument, and they will pay the shipping this time, but I need to use it for a job next week. This guitar will make some money for me before have I go through the exchange process again.

Yes, this is the down side of internet shopping. Historically I have been lucky with online purchases but there is a lot to be said for examining and trying out the product before you buy it.

2008 Perry-Roubaix Road Race

Pre-race gathering. Dan in the center, teammate and eventual winner, Brendan Sullivan, second from left. (photo: Peter Sagat)

Macabre-High Shoals

L to R: Marshall, Dan, Cathy H., Jay, Joe, Bob, Mike, Jeff, Theron, Brent, Brad.

Today was the TC and Bob show also starring Brad, Marshall, Dan and Brent with special appearances from Jeff, Steve Simpson, Mike, Joe, Jay and Cathy.

Comparative stats from rides on the same course:
GTC Champs 2007
GTC Champs 2005

Cycling On Pluto

We are going to have a very cold weekend here in the sunny south with some flurries in the morning. I'm going to go bike riding anyway and just to get myself in the proper frame of mind, here's a photo of me at the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships Kansas City three months ago.

Guitar Exchange

The Gitane DG-255 disappointed. The instrument had a surprisingly good fret job and played in tune up and down the neck. The cosmetics were on par or above expectations. The sound was where it suffered. This style of guitar, with very light bracing, relies on select pieces of wood to achieve the desired sparkling mids, snappy highs and not too much low frequencies. Some of the older DG-255's I heard sounded OK (but not great). This new guitar, manufactured only a couple of months ago, did not make the grade.

So, I sent it back in exchange for the next model up which is the DG-300 John Jorgenson signature model.

Stayed tuned for another product review in the coming weeks.

Turning Off ‘the Monitor’

I can always tell when an improvising musician is in "the zone" because they seem to channel a higher power [may the force be with you]. Clearly some cats can do it more easily and more often than others.

OK now who wants to play jazz with your head in an MRI scanner? I can hardly believe they did this first of all but not too surprised that they actually discovered some unusual neural activity when jazz musicians improvise. Study: Prefrontal Cortex In Jazz Musicians Winds Down When Improvising

"The researchers explain that, just as over-thinking a jump shot can cause a basketball player to fall out of the zone and perform poorly, the suppression of inhibitory, self-monitoring brain mechanisms helps to promote the free flow of novel ideas and impulses. While this brain pattern is unusual, it resembles the pattern seen in people when they are dreaming."

Macabre 2/3

The trio of TC "The Tenderizer", Dan "The Executioner" and Marshall "The Ticket-puncher" perfect their performance out on the Dans Macabre course today. TC softens 'em up, Dan stalks, Marshall decides who gets aboard the pain train.

Brian rode strong but the Stock Gap and Jack Pittman climbs took a toll. Same with Antoine, both young and skilled with the ability to endure coming along. Eddy takes a licking and keeps on ticking... he gets dropped, cuts the course and jumps back in for as long as he can hang - three or four times today.

Nice weather today: sunny, 60's and a tailwind back home.

Marshall, Brian, Dan, Theron, Antoine (not pictured: Eddy)

54.6 @ 2:32 = 21.5