The three postings are here:
Rides 1, 2, and 3
Ride 4
Ride 5
Rides 6 and 7
Picture Summary
Saturday, November 19, 2016
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Weaving Side Trip
I have been sucked into band weaving. Not that I am entirely sure what I'd DO with the finished product, other than as hang loops for dishtowels, but I am sure I'll think of something.
Options were a band loom with two foot treadles (nice, but $$$), a tiny little table loom with two treadles (also nice, but $$), an inkle loom (just no), a kiddie rigid heddle loom (findable on eBay, or new, $), or a backstrap setup.
Also, to do pickup (patterns), there would want to be a different type of heddle, and a nice, but not required shuttle.
So I got myself a Harrisville Easy Weaver rigid heddle loom, via eBay. The original owner had woven 5 picks and given it up (!) Given that the warp was by now moth-eaten, I threw it away. This loom will be useful for 10" rigid heddle weaving, card weaving, should I want to try that, and band weaving. Plus, grandchilden can play with it.
Not yet having received the Sunna heddle from Sweden, I wound a warp for a plain band out of expendable yarn, and practiced with that. I should get the plain weaving better under control before I branch into patterns.
The stick shuttle that came with the loom works fine for plain weave.
So, less than 24 hours later, I had a 44" band. It might want to be a belt.
Options were a band loom with two foot treadles (nice, but $$$), a tiny little table loom with two treadles (also nice, but $$), an inkle loom (just no), a kiddie rigid heddle loom (findable on eBay, or new, $), or a backstrap setup.
Also, to do pickup (patterns), there would want to be a different type of heddle, and a nice, but not required shuttle.
So I got myself a Harrisville Easy Weaver rigid heddle loom, via eBay. The original owner had woven 5 picks and given it up (!) Given that the warp was by now moth-eaten, I threw it away. This loom will be useful for 10" rigid heddle weaving, card weaving, should I want to try that, and band weaving. Plus, grandchilden can play with it.
Not yet having received the Sunna heddle from Sweden, I wound a warp for a plain band out of expendable yarn, and practiced with that. I should get the plain weaving better under control before I branch into patterns.
The stick shuttle that came with the loom works fine for plain weave.
So, less than 24 hours later, I had a 44" band. It might want to be a belt.
Monday, November 14, 2016
Coffeeneuring 2016, #6 and #7
#6: Verboort Sausage Festival
Date: November 5
Destination: Verboort Sausage Festival, Verboort, OR
Beverage: Hot Chocolate
Bike Friendliness: Leaned the bike somewhere outside the Bingo tent
Bicycle: Sweetpea
Total mileage: 2.8 miles
I really had planned to have a theme of "Places I Have Not Coffeeneured Before", but that fell apart today. Too much rain. Way too much rain.
So, upon finishing the Verboort Populaire, there I was in the Bingo tent. I went for the Hot Chocolate and Sausage on a Stick, and, in a very first (I've been doing this ride since 2007), I played bingo.
After finishing up the hot chocolate and sausage, and not winning at bingo ($3 grand prize), we then rode back to the start, in Forest Grove, 2.8 miles. Sadly, because Porter Rd is closed (bridge reconstruction), we did have to take Martin Rd. The shoulder is good almost the whole way back. Almost. The rain, which had been consistent, but not heavy all day, decided to up its game and dump on us the whole way back.
#7: Ridgewood Park, Coffee Outside
Date: November 8
Destination: Ridgewood Park
Beverage: Coffee
Bike Friendliness: of course
Bicycle: Rivendell Bleriot
Total mileage: 2.1 miles
We've got a freshly-remodeled park in our neighborhood, just the other side of the elementary school. The original reservoir, with tennis courts on top, has been replaced by an enormous reservoir, a pumphouse (of which we got a tour when the park re-opened), tennis and pickleball courts on top, new trails, an excellent new play structure, a bocce pitch, water fountain, and a covered picnic area. The water department and parks district have really stepped up their game.
Coffee Outside gear updates this year were an Optimus Terra HE cookset, which is probably overkill, but I still have this secret wish to go bikepacking some time. And I'd been organized enough last year that I could lay my hands on the cookset/Svea 123 stove (fits inside the cookset) right away.
Ground some coffee, put water in my insulated coffee mug and milk in a little bottle, then figured out how to carry everything up to the park. Maybe last year I said I need to sew up a twee porteur bag. I am saying that again with a little more emphasis.
Cruised around the neighborhood, then up to the park from the new park entrance, and established myself in the picnic area. Maybe some knitting happened while I was waiting for the coffee to brew.
Date: November 5
Destination: Verboort Sausage Festival, Verboort, OR
Beverage: Hot Chocolate
Bike Friendliness: Leaned the bike somewhere outside the Bingo tent
Bicycle: Sweetpea
Total mileage: 2.8 miles
I really had planned to have a theme of "Places I Have Not Coffeeneured Before", but that fell apart today. Too much rain. Way too much rain.
So, upon finishing the Verboort Populaire, there I was in the Bingo tent. I went for the Hot Chocolate and Sausage on a Stick, and, in a very first (I've been doing this ride since 2007), I played bingo.
After finishing up the hot chocolate and sausage, and not winning at bingo ($3 grand prize), we then rode back to the start, in Forest Grove, 2.8 miles. Sadly, because Porter Rd is closed (bridge reconstruction), we did have to take Martin Rd. The shoulder is good almost the whole way back. Almost. The rain, which had been consistent, but not heavy all day, decided to up its game and dump on us the whole way back.
#7: Ridgewood Park, Coffee Outside
Date: November 8
Destination: Ridgewood Park
Beverage: Coffee
Bike Friendliness: of course
Bicycle: Rivendell Bleriot
Total mileage: 2.1 miles
We've got a freshly-remodeled park in our neighborhood, just the other side of the elementary school. The original reservoir, with tennis courts on top, has been replaced by an enormous reservoir, a pumphouse (of which we got a tour when the park re-opened), tennis and pickleball courts on top, new trails, an excellent new play structure, a bocce pitch, water fountain, and a covered picnic area. The water department and parks district have really stepped up their game.
Coffee Outside gear updates this year were an Optimus Terra HE cookset, which is probably overkill, but I still have this secret wish to go bikepacking some time. And I'd been organized enough last year that I could lay my hands on the cookset/Svea 123 stove (fits inside the cookset) right away.
Ground some coffee, put water in my insulated coffee mug and milk in a little bottle, then figured out how to carry everything up to the park. Maybe last year I said I need to sew up a twee porteur bag. I am saying that again with a little more emphasis.
Cruised around the neighborhood, then up to the park from the new park entrance, and established myself in the picnic area. Maybe some knitting happened while I was waiting for the coffee to brew.
Monday, November 7, 2016
Verboort Sausage Populaire 2016
As we were sitting at the table in the bingo tent, with sausage, hot cocoa, and a round of bingo cards, the woman across the table asked "wouldn't it be nicer to ride if the weather was better?". Our reply "it would, but bad weather is traditional".
Yeah. The weather forecast was for a dry, sunny day on Friday, another dry, sunny day on Sunday, and an astounding amount of rain on Saturday.
With that in mind, I made sure Sweetpea had the raingear and extra gloves on board. My helmet had its first raincover and neckcover event of the season, and I'd finally get to test out the new Showers Pass Waterproof Socks (wool version).
No plans to ride with anyone, but I did see many familiar names on the signup list, most of whom exercised good judgement and stayed home. However, Anita was there, and we'd ridden the first half of the Solstice permanent together almost a year ago.
It was raining lightly when I arrived at the start, but it slacked off to perhaps a faint mist heading north on Gales Creek Rd. It was so light that I swapped the jacket for a vest. That lasted almost all the way to Hwy 6, where I pulled the jacket back on. At the Hwy 6 turn, I suggested to Anita that she didn't have to wait for me, because she was pulling ahead and then having to wait in the rain.
Hwy 6 was a pleasant surprise - it had been repaved, and all the rumble strips were now buried under a layer of pristine asphalt.
About 3 miles later, the route left Hwy 6 for the delights of Timber Rd. It has a brief initial climb, then rolls along for several miles, then gains 500+ feet in the space of two miles. The rain increased on the climb (of course). Victorious. Nothing going to stop me now.
Then the drop down to Timber itself, another brief climb, some flat, and then another drop down to Hwy 26. I was very lucky, and was able to cross right away.
After crossing Hwy 26, the route continues for another 9 miles through a valley, before joining up with Hwy 47 a mile or so outside of Vernonia. I headed right for Black Bear Coffee Company - there were some cyclists leaving, and Anita sitting inside. She said she hadn't been there long. Consumed the traditional sticky roll and a mocha, refilled my bottle, and we headed back out.
We had a fun ride back along the Banks Vernonia Trail. The muck right at the summit had all been cleared away, and I completely enjoyed the descent.
We spent the final stretch from Banks to Verboort chatting. And yes, it was raining all the way from Vernonia to Verboort.
Michael was lurking by the entrance of the bingo tent, so card rituals were completed, and then we got sausage, and, in my case, some hot chocolate. Michael and I both sprang for a round of bingo, not that we won anything :-)
So, finished in 6:18 elapsed, which is quicker than last year. Always good.
Anita and I then rode back the 2.8 miles to the start, in steadily increasing rain. While it had rained the whole ride, it hadn't been heavy. Nowhere near that projected inch of rain. It was trying to make up for that now.
My feet were a bit damp, not unexpected, because they do sweat, but they weren't wet. Nor were my feet cold. I am declaring the socks an initial success.
Yeah. The weather forecast was for a dry, sunny day on Friday, another dry, sunny day on Sunday, and an astounding amount of rain on Saturday.
With that in mind, I made sure Sweetpea had the raingear and extra gloves on board. My helmet had its first raincover and neckcover event of the season, and I'd finally get to test out the new Showers Pass Waterproof Socks (wool version).
No plans to ride with anyone, but I did see many familiar names on the signup list, most of whom exercised good judgement and stayed home. However, Anita was there, and we'd ridden the first half of the Solstice permanent together almost a year ago.
It was raining lightly when I arrived at the start, but it slacked off to perhaps a faint mist heading north on Gales Creek Rd. It was so light that I swapped the jacket for a vest. That lasted almost all the way to Hwy 6, where I pulled the jacket back on. At the Hwy 6 turn, I suggested to Anita that she didn't have to wait for me, because she was pulling ahead and then having to wait in the rain.
Hwy 6 was a pleasant surprise - it had been repaved, and all the rumble strips were now buried under a layer of pristine asphalt.
About 3 miles later, the route left Hwy 6 for the delights of Timber Rd. It has a brief initial climb, then rolls along for several miles, then gains 500+ feet in the space of two miles. The rain increased on the climb (of course). Victorious. Nothing going to stop me now.
Then the drop down to Timber itself, another brief climb, some flat, and then another drop down to Hwy 26. I was very lucky, and was able to cross right away.
After crossing Hwy 26, the route continues for another 9 miles through a valley, before joining up with Hwy 47 a mile or so outside of Vernonia. I headed right for Black Bear Coffee Company - there were some cyclists leaving, and Anita sitting inside. She said she hadn't been there long. Consumed the traditional sticky roll and a mocha, refilled my bottle, and we headed back out.
We had a fun ride back along the Banks Vernonia Trail. The muck right at the summit had all been cleared away, and I completely enjoyed the descent.
We spent the final stretch from Banks to Verboort chatting. And yes, it was raining all the way from Vernonia to Verboort.
 |
| Michael, Lynne, and Anita. Picture by Michael Powell-Parich |
So, finished in 6:18 elapsed, which is quicker than last year. Always good.
Anita and I then rode back the 2.8 miles to the start, in steadily increasing rain. While it had rained the whole ride, it hadn't been heavy. Nowhere near that projected inch of rain. It was trying to make up for that now.
My feet were a bit damp, not unexpected, because they do sweat, but they weren't wet. Nor were my feet cold. I am declaring the socks an initial success.
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