Views from the saddle

Beauty Secret

2012-01-11T09:20:00.000-05:00

Fotoshop by Adobé from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.

Moonrise, Maman, National Gallery

2011-12-18T09:54:00.002-05:00

If I was Ansel Adams, I would have exposed for the moon in this shot and gotten some detail on the face of the moon as he did in his famous, Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico. But Ansel didn't have software and sliders and I used both to jazz up this shot of Maman.

Fallout from a photograph that shocked London | News

2011-12-15T07:27:00.000-05:00

Fallout from a photograph that shocked London | News

The Visual Science Lab / Kirk Tuck: So here's what I know about iPhone-ography.

2011-12-14T20:20:00.002-05:00

Is the iPhone just a phone with a little camera attached? Many think it produces quality images and others think it produces art. Personally, I think it takes an artist to make art and since most of us are not artists, it helps to use a real camera and to learn how to use it competently to make the best images we can. Kirk Tuck puts things into perspective regarding the nouveau iPhone-ography "art" movement.

The Visual Science Lab / Kirk Tuck: So here's what I know about iPhone-ography.

How bikes can save us

2011-12-13T12:45:00.001-05:00

Click to embiggen and get the code. Pass it on.

Created by: Healthcare Management Degree

A new clothing paradigm

2011-09-20T12:23:00.000-04:00

Julia studying philosophy

2011-09-03T17:28:00.001-04:00

Goldie - an Easy Racers Gold Rush

2011-08-12T07:32:00.000-04:00

Rideau River Commute on Goldie

2011-08-12T07:27:00.001-04:00

I rode the 20.35 km in 52 minutes for a 23.4 kph average. Temp was 12C, but I was comfortable behind the fairing, although I did wear socks with my Keens.

First use of Edge Bike Computer and Coffee Maker

2011-08-11T09:49:00.001-04:00

Morning Commute - Details

The bike computer that does everything ... OK, it doesn't really make coffee.

Pic of Phil Liggett, 2011 TdF Rest Day Ride

2011-07-20T07:05:00.004-04:00

Tweet from @BiciGoGo

@BiciGoGo: After several kms climbing 12% @PhilLiggett #TdF http://yfrog.com/kfp0vzaj

Good day at HOPE volleyball tourney last Saturday

2011-07-19T15:24:00.000-04:00

Tweet from @andy_schleck - Tour de France Calories!

2011-07-18T19:02:00.002-04:00

Our cook put together what each rider in our team eats a day during a day in the TDF http://twitpic.com/5p76z8

Velomobiles. OK, I'm sold ...

2011-07-15T08:15:00.000-04:00

The way to do it Ottawa

2011-07-13T09:24:00.000-04:00

Queens Plaza Protected Cycletrack is Open For Business from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

Pushy Cyclists

2011-06-29T09:00:00.000-04:00

Pushy pushbikers pushing their luck

Dumbass riding

2011-06-10T13:20:00.002-04:00

Hipster Trash Compactor - East London from jssjmsvckry on Vimeo.

Getting your $50 the hard way

2011-06-09T12:41:00.003-04:00

NYC Pinball

2011-06-08T12:45:00.000-04:00

3-Way Street from ronconcocacola on Vimeo.

A paradigm shift

2011-05-26T12:28:00.000-04:00

A fox and some hounds. For Brooks.

2011-03-25T11:54:00.003-04:00

A great idea. For Vancouver weather, maybe.

2011-03-18T09:03:00.004-04:00

Bike cafés brewing in surprising places

Century Rider. Go, old dude!

2011-03-17T08:30:00.007-04:00

At 103, Octavio Orduño is a three-wheeled wonder - latimes.com

That's just whack. Look out dog!

2011-03-15T12:09:00.002-04:00

VCA 2010 RACE RUN from changoman on Vimeo.

About face

2011-03-05T21:17:00.026-05:00

Last September I decided to change my diet based on a book I read called, the get healthy, go vegan cookbook. In two years of culinary school courses and lots of at-home practice, I cooked and ate my way into an unhealthy lifestyle - as well as having learned 26 ways to apply heat to food. You can believe me when I say the secret to French cooking is truly, " ...du beurre, du beurre, du beurre".

I followed the book and started cooking and eating vegan. And I tossed out dairy too and even reduced the intake of good fats, like EVOO and some nuts. I thought that giving up cheese would be the hardest part followed only by coffee without cream. But I have been surprised at how well it worked out. The loss of cheese, the most calorie dense food there is, has not been a problem and coffee has a surprisingly nice flavour when you don't mask it with additives.

I find cooking vegan is relatively easy, too. The dishes are nutritious, loaded with flavour and fun to make. I'm not sure how long I'll stay with this diet. I began it to get off the meds and get healthy. But it's so easy, I may not go back to eating meat, especially now that I've noticed how pasty, bloated and glassy-eyed most meat eaters look.

Eating veggies makes you lose weight. Plus I've been going to the gym regularly to compensate for not being able to ride my bike to work. Working up a sweat has made me thirsty for more. And although I've said in the past that I like to stop and smell the roses, I like to ride slowly and take it all in, I like to wear street clothes and not Lycra to ride my bike, I still have two racing machines in the garage that have not seen action in a long time.

And now I'm anxious to put on the Spandex and the clip-in shoes, do an about face and get out there and do some fast riding!

And that's got me thinking about bikes in general. I've had my Rivendell Atlantis for five years. I love that bike. Last year I rode it all summer except for a few days when I was forced to take another ride when I cracked a rim and had to wait for my LBS to get me a replacement. (I hear they've gone out of business. It's always sad when a local bike shop closes it's doors. The internet is a wonderful playing field leveler when it comes to pricing on bike parts, but it can't fix your bike when you're on tour - unless you happen to have a repair stand stashed in your panniers with a set of tools.)

As much as I like my Riv I'm itching for a new bike. Will I or won't I? I'm not sure yet myself. About face, maybe?

Great trick riding and beautifully photographed too ...

2011-02-27T12:48:00.009-05:00

I have got to get me one of these .... a helmet mounted Hero HD video camera

2011-02-21T10:29:00.002-05:00

GoPro HD HERO camera: Mountain Bike Clip from GoPro on Vimeo.

Pen Mightier than Keyboard?

2011-02-19T21:02:00.018-05:00

Pelikan M205 Clear Demo with J. Herbin Larmes de Cassis.

As keyboards increasingly replace pens, new research cautions that the switch may come with an unforeseen price: the loss of critical brain activity central to learning that is uniquely tied to the old-fashioned act of handwriting.

More ...

Cycling Sucks ........... NOT! :)

2011-02-17T11:10:00.003-05:00

Double click screen for full screen and aspect ratio.

One possible bike tour this summer

2011-02-13T16:43:00.011-05:00

I just created this bike ride at Ride With GPS (dot com) to see how feasible it would be. It's an out-and-back from Ottawa to Tupper Lake, NY with a loop of Adirondack Park thrown in. Total distance measures in at 803 km with about 23,000 feet of climbing. The hills don't get nasty until km 124 (mile 77) near Canton. Then it's up and down until I get back there. Yikes! :7

Days are getting longer

2011-02-12T19:32:00.002-05:00

It was a balmy -3C today. Not patio weather by any stretch of the imagination, BUT it's the quality of the light that was interesting. Spring is on the way. :)

Lots of talk on the boards lately about this cycling safety study in Montreal.

2011-02-10T08:56:00.003-05:00

Article in Montreal Gazette, Bike paths reduce injuries: study.

Study link is here.

"Bicycling could address obesity, cancer, stroke, diabetes, asthma,
mortality and pollution; however, the bicycling environment is
a limiting factor. The predominant bicycle facilities in The
Netherlands and Denmark are cycle tracks, or bicycle paths along
streets that are physically separated from motor traffic,
bicycle-exclusive and with a parallel sidewalk. Due to the
separation from vehicles afforded by 29 000 km of cycle tracks
in The Netherlands plus other initiatives, 27% of Dutch trips are
by bicycle, 55% are women, and the bicyclist injury rate is
0.14 injured/million km. In the USA, 0.5% of commuters bicycle to
work, only 24% of adult cyclists are women,6 and the injury rate of
bicyclists is at least 26 times greater than in The Netherlands.
The chief obstacle to bicycling, especially for women, children
and seniors is perceived danger of vehicular traffic. This perceived
danger from cars appears to be real, as corroborated by survey
participants who prefer cycle tracks over roads."

First Postcard

2011-01-30T17:01:00.003-05:00

I joined Postcrossing a few weeks ago and just received my first card. It's from Fons in the Netherlands.

The Market between snow storms

2011-01-26T21:05:00.003-05:00

Stray pic from an old flash card. Taken durning a thaw after I hung up the bike for the winter.

You thought it was just you ...

2011-01-06T10:17:00.001-05:00

Ink sampler

2011-01-03T14:04:00.008-05:00

I corralled all the inks in the house, and using a broad italic nib, did an ink test on various types/finishes of paper. This is a block of Clairefontaine Triomphe which has a very smooth surface and is great for nibs with wet, juicy ink flow - although it does take an extra second or three to dry. You can see the shading in most of these inks. BTW, putting a, "t" on Sheaffer's Scrip ink is a habit I've had since the 1970s and one I'm finding exceedingly hard to break!

Natalie Goldberg's, Writing Down the Bones, is a classic book for wannabee writers and is very inspirational. I highly recommend it.

Why didn't I think of this ... ?

2010-12-29T12:05:00.002-05:00

Take a look here - Seattle Snowpocalypse

Sort of like a K-Cup for Beer. :)

2010-12-29T09:05:00.001-05:00

If it inflated bike tyres I'd git me one ...

2010-12-22T10:05:00.001-05:00

http://www.handpresso.com/index-FR.html

Bike riders are tough hombres

2010-12-21T13:35:00.002-05:00

Looks like Ottawa. Except for all the bikes!

2010-12-08T11:39:00.004-05:00

Pay for your next bike tour, maybe ...

2010-12-06T09:55:00.003-05:00

Story here: The Taco Bike | Santa Rosa & Wine Country Dining and Restaurants

Yep, Montblanc Killed my MacBook Pro Today

2010-12-02T14:34:00.013-05:00

One of my fps. Not a Montblanc. I don't use a MacBook Pro either.

I just finished a 20,000+ word writing project using a fountain pen instead of a laptop which took a lot less time than you might imagine. I've used fountain pens off and on for 40 years and whenever I remember to use them, I wonder how I could have forgotten them in the first place. I can write for hours without muscle fatigue or having my hand cramp up. With the right paper and ink and if the nib is tuned you feel like you're writing on a sheet of glass. They are a beautiful and elegant way to put words onto paper.

I found this article which sums up the differences between fountain pens and laptops. Maybe there's a fountain pen in your future too, even if you don't want to completely spit the high tech hook. :)

NSFW: Yep, Montblanc Killed my MacBook Pro Today

Some day ...

2010-11-18T15:05:00.001-05:00

Montana's Great Divide Route from Montana Office of Tourism on Vimeo.

Thought provoking

2010-11-07T07:37:00.001-05:00

A fun short flim by Andrea Dorfman

2010-11-04T14:37:00.007-04:00

Rolling home - spooky piscator

2010-10-29T13:23:00.004-04:00

Raining like crazy on the ride in this morning, so here's one from the ride home last night.

Morning commute - dawn's early light

2010-10-28T08:12:00.001-04:00

Zzzzzzzz ...

Morning commute - Dot the "i"

2010-10-27T09:20:00.005-04:00

Roxy Paine's newly installed 100 Foot Line at the National Gallery.

Technically my commute was over as I'd already parked my bike, had my shower and was on my way in search of my morning coffee. But the moon was in the right place and the morning sun was reflecting off the stainless steel skin of the sculpture. You have to zoom in to see it properly, though. I rather like it. :)

Morning commute - drydock

2010-10-26T09:35:00.001-04:00

Balmy this moring. 12C. Going out this morning reminded me of driving south in the winter. The last stop was for gas in Pennsylvania and it was cold with snow everywhere. The next stop is Virginia and when you open the car door you're hit with a blast of warm, moist air. It's a brief respite in what's been a cold, wet couple of weeks.

Morning commute - darkness to light

2010-10-06T08:23:00.005-04:00

Morning commute - river up, sculptures down

2010-10-04T11:54:00.001-04:00

Secret to long life?

2010-09-30T08:16:00.004-04:00

Secret to long life? - Press-Telegram

Morning commute - fall is here

2010-09-23T09:38:00.002-04:00

Morning commute - c-c-c-cold

2010-09-21T10:47:00.002-04:00

4 degrees :7

Morning commute - sun spot

2010-09-20T08:39:00.000-04:00

Morning commute - a bit brighter

2010-09-17T09:25:00.001-04:00

The temp was only 5C but it didn't feel that cold, thanks to a weak sun coming up.

Coffee with the candidate

2010-09-16T12:25:00.009-04:00

Having coffee with Julia Ringma who is running for City Council and is an avid cyclist. If you're in Ward 8 - College, check out her blog, send her your questions, be blown away with the answers and then go vote for her in the municipal election on October 25th. And tell all your friends to do the same!

Morning commute - where'd you come from?

2010-09-15T08:05:00.002-04:00

7 degrees out there. Nuff said.

Morning commute - slow dawn

2010-09-14T08:03:00.002-04:00

11C degrees, slight SW wind, pretty dark but clearing and brightening. I think here are some sunny mornings left in this commuting season, before it's lights on and darkness all the way in.

Morning commute - heading south

2010-09-10T12:16:00.003-04:00

Wouldn't mind going with them. :)

Morning commute - rainy day feeling

2010-09-09T08:43:00.007-04:00

Driving mist in steady wind, actually, and 12C on the thermometer. You couldn't see water hitting the puddles but it was wet, wet, wet.

Last night I was reading some posts on The Path Less Pedaled. When Russ' rain jacket wore out he switched to a Marmot DriClime Windshirt, a garmet that I own too. It has a thin fleece on the inside and a wind shell on the outside, and is supposed to protect you in a light rain while providing a bit of warmth. But if I was on an around the world bike tour I think I'd want a real rain jacket. I was surprised he thought it was good enough.

On the other hand, I've never worn it in the rain, so I thought I'd try it this morning. It worked great against the rain and I was dry on the inside. It does wear warm, though, and since it doesn't have any pit zips, you can overheat if you're really working out.

Near symmetry, less 1/2

2010-09-08T19:33:00.001-04:00

Morning commute - quick peek

2010-09-08T08:24:00.003-04:00

It rained for most of the ride in but then, just for a moment, the sun came out as I was crossing the canal. I dug the camera out of the pack and fire off a hurried shot. It went off at about 1/80s, so it's a bit fuzzy. As I waited for the image to be written to the card and recomposed for the next pic, the sun went away and didn't come back. Sometimes you only get one shot at things in life.

Bridgehead baked goods

2010-09-07T12:45:00.001-04:00

Just the coffee, thanks. The bike tour is over. :7

A day off, but the weather isn't good

2010-09-06T13:43:00.000-04:00

It's says it's 18C out there but it feels colder. It's windy and now it's raining off and on. A good day to clean the bike.

Leftovers from the week

2010-09-05T15:41:00.008-04:00

Morning commute - the far side

2010-09-02T07:54:00.002-04:00

Morning commute - feel the heat

2010-09-01T08:21:00.002-04:00

Except for cropping, this pic is right out of the camera. No manipulation, colour or hue shifts. It's gonna be a hot one.

Lunch with an incredible lady

2010-08-31T15:32:00.006-04:00

Jule and I were fortunate enough to have lunch today with Ann Wilson who is just days away from completing her around the world solo bicycle tour. We stumbled upon her journal some months ago and it's been very entertaining to follow her as she pedaled across first Europe, then Asia and then North America, and to share her marvelous experiences via her journal. To meet her in person was a real treat! Safe trip home, Ann. It was wonderful meeting you. :)

Morning commute - morning paddle

2010-08-31T08:03:00.002-04:00

Morning commute - on the edge of light

2010-08-30T11:09:00.001-04:00

Saturday evening - puzzling

2010-08-28T22:19:00.000-04:00

Rolling home - picture perfect

2010-08-28T11:28:00.000-04:00

Trip report is now on-line

2010-08-27T10:02:00.008-04:00

If you'd like to read about my bike ride from Ottawa to Niagara-on-the-Lake where Jule joined me for some much needed R&R, not to mention some serious wine tasting, please go here.

Bonus points to anyone who actually does more than just look at the pictures.

Morning commute - blinded by the light

2010-08-27T07:52:00.004-04:00

It was 10C this morning and this was my first actual glimpse of the sun, 30 minutes into my ride.

Coffee house

2010-08-26T21:41:00.005-04:00

This pic looked warmer and brighter on the computer at home. Time to recalibrate the monitor.

Rolling home - ominous

2010-08-26T08:11:00.003-04:00

But clearing in the west.

Wrap your bike around a post

2010-08-25T14:04:00.011-04:00

Something different. And maybe practical, one day. Story here.

Morning commute - winging it

2010-08-25T08:19:00.003-04:00

Lock operators chillaxin'

2010-08-25T08:16:00.002-04:00

Saturday morning Bibi watching

2010-08-21T11:50:00.000-04:00

A true HDR image made of a composite of three bracketed shots 2 f-stops apart.

A soccer game

2010-08-21T11:03:00.001-04:00

Morning commute - flexuous

2010-08-19T09:36:00.002-04:00

It was colder than the pic makes it feel. Chilly actually. I seem to need time to wake up and warm up in the morning and am always wearing more clothes than most of the other bike commuters. I don't like riding on a full stomach, but maybe it's time to start have a little hot cereal before heading out the door. The sun was barely up when I started out this morning.

Morning commute - chilly wind

2010-08-18T08:39:00.001-04:00

Misc snaps from the week

2010-08-16T10:18:00.008-04:00

Dark, brooding skies = slow shutter speed and blurry pics. I was too tired to get off the bike for a proper shot. And I need to clean off the flash card, so here are some leftover pics from the week that was ...

Morning commute - looking good out there ...

2010-08-12T08:28:00.006-04:00

You'd think people on bikes, on bike paths that keep them out of traffic, would be relaxed and enjoy their rides. My commute is 17 km on a paved pathway that crosses only two auto-bearing roads, one at the beginning and one at the end. It's heaven.

Except for my fellow "cyclists". I used hooks here because I don't consider myself a cyclist any longer. I'm a bike rider. A bike rider doesn't need to wear Lycra or have to dress like a comic book hero before throwing a leg over a bike saddle, which seems to have become de rigueur. You're actually looked upon as a totally hick by cyclists if you don't dress the part. And you're treated accordingly. It's like with motorcyles - Harley riders don't wave to guys on Yamahas. I remember the before-days when I wore Lycra and billboard jerseys and it was the other way around. I was the dork with the funny pants and weird shoes.

I've been back from a very relaxing bike-riding holiday for four days now, and I'm amazed at how uptight all the cyclists are on the bike paths. Instead of happy, smiling faces I see grim, determined cyclists smoking along at twice the 20kph speed limit. And you'd better not get in their way! It's not a Recreational Pathway after all, for all to use - no it's a Bike, er, Cycle Path! A super highway designed specifically for cyclists to see how fast they can go.

I can only imagine how much pedestrians must cringe whenever they hear a bicycle coming up behind them. Before the Ottawa River pathway was repaved and widened, the roadies road on the Parkway. Now they terrorize the pathways. I'm actually considering returning to the roads I used before the pathways became tolerable to ride on with skinny tyres. It's less stressful!

I still have the jerseys and shorts and shoes and I may even wear them again. I just hope I'm more courteous to my fellow pathway users than some of the cyclists I've met this week.

Come on, everyone. Relax. It's a bike ride for crying out loud! :)

Morning commute - fog bank edge

2010-08-11T11:14:00.001-04:00

Morning commute - river sentinel

2010-08-10T08:14:00.003-04:00

The leaves are beginning to turn. Way too soon.

Morning commute - peaceful, easy feeling

2010-08-09T10:10:00.003-04:00

I'm back from a couple weeks of holidays and am feeling very relaxed. I got in a 750 km bike ride/camping trip, riding from Ottawa to Niagara-on-the-Lake via New York State. Part of it was along the Erie Canal towpath. Jule met me with a rental car in NOTL and we spent three days exploring, by bike and car, and tasting the region's foods and wines. We stayed in a lovely B&B in the wee village of Virgil, about 4 km (15 minute bike ride) from NOTL. There were four winneries between the town and the B&B! You can't swing a cat without hitting a winery in NOTL.

The Atlantis performed wonderfully, transporting me and my gear without incident. It rides beautifully when loaded. I'm in the process of writing up a trip report which I'll post at crazyguyonabike.com.

Bit of bike maintenance ...

2010-07-26T09:00:00.014-04:00

A ticking noise coming from below caused me, after tightening everything I could think of, including the seat bolts, to finally take the drive train apart. I was surprised to discover the inner chain ring was so close to the chain stay that it had rubbed the paint right off it! I remember reading something on Peter White's site about Rivendell's choice of stock cranks for the Atlantis.

I was surprised, too, at the amount of wear on the teeth of the middle chain ring! It's gets used about 95% of the time when I commute. I'll have to keep a better eye on it.

The good news is the ticking noise is gone and the bike looks brand new!

The inner chain ring I was using had 26 teeth. Peter White recommends a 20 or 22 tooth inner ring for the Atlantis, but I couldn't find one locally (not even a 24 toother), so I put the old one back on for now. No one had a 36 tooth ring to replace the worn middle ring, either. So I settled for a 34 tooth black one.

Jule - nice smile :)

2010-07-26T08:52:00.000-04:00

Artist @ Work

2010-07-16T11:20:00.002-04:00

Morning commute - a clear day, finally

2010-07-14T10:06:00.001-04:00

Confederation Building on the left and Supreme Court on right.

Overflow

2010-07-14T09:59:00.001-04:00

From the ride home last night, after thunderstorms swept through the city.

Morning commute - supreme (court) sunrise

2010-07-09T08:26:00.004-04:00

The 5 day heat wave will end today. Whew.

Morning commute - H,H,H, day 3

2010-07-07T08:22:00.001-04:00

'Nuff said ...

Morning commute - hot, hazy, humid

2010-07-06T08:09:00.007-04:00

It was 24C at 6am (34C on the humidex if you feel the need to make it sound worse). The showers were ice cold again for the second day and I forgot my towel!! I don't air dry so good. :7

Morning commute - stay cool ...

2010-07-05T10:41:00.002-04:00

It's going to be a hot one. 28C now at 10:30 and it felt pretty muggy riding in several hour ago. Best thing to do today would be to find a lake and jump on in. :)

A bike ride ...

2010-07-04T13:36:00.008-04:00

... via a hidden rocky beach, the Aylmer Marina and beach, and a pretty good Tim's, with only one really big hill. A great way to spend a Saturday morning.