First day here in Utah. Goal is to find an apartment to live in. Visited like 5 different places today, going to 7 more tomorrow. Some expensive, some not so much. Was thinking I wanted to do a 2 bedroom so I would have space for bikes and gear and stuff, but I think I can easily get by with a 1 bedroom. It's just me, so really no need. Kinda need to decide on a budget I think. I CAN afford all the places I have looked at, but I don't really want to spend more than I need to. I'd rather bank it and save it for later.

Also, my hotel is right next to a custom bike guy here in Ogden. Shop is called "Why Cycles" run by Adam M. whom apprently used to own Borealis Cycles and has since sold it. He does all Titanium bikes. Wanted to try riding one of his Cross / Gravel bikes but nothing in my size. I'll definitely have to hit it up when I get moved down here. He seemed to have some good insight to how the mountain bike and cross scenes were, so I'll need to stay in touch. He also gave my Dad and I shot glasses as free swag for stopping by. Don't think they get many visitors. Most their sales are online I think.

Sorry for the double post, but forgot to mention this.

Met up with my future lead down here for Lunch. Told me I'm going to be using "MariaDB." Apparently it is a lot like mySQL. I've used a bit of mySQL and I'd say I understand it. I'm more experienced with SQL server though. Going to be teaching myself some more in this language and about this overall schema over the coming weeks so I can dive right in when I get started. Sounds like they have been holding off on working on some stuff until I get there. Nervous, but excited to get to learn a lot real quick and demonstrate knowledge. I've got a busy few weeks ahead of me what with finishing school, packing ally my stuff up to move and getting ready for work.

Glad things are working out @Ttoc6. I hope the transitions are smooth for ya.

@Ttoc6 - I did a climbing camp around Logan, to the north of Ogden. Beautiful country to ride in! You're going to be spoiled. :)

Good luck finding a place and getting settled.

The latest issue of Bike magazine has a test/review of a Why Cycles hardtail 27.5 plus mtb. They gave the bike high praise, even saying it's their favorite hardtail, or something to that effect.

Definitely nice bikes. He's doing all the production in China, testing in Taiwain and finishing em up here in Utah. Each bike has a unique quote stamped into the Ti on the NDS chainstay. I'll definietely take one for a test drive when I get down here.

On a related note... Now I have to decide if I want a hardtail or a trail bike. In Seattle everyone rides Full sussy trail bikes and just pump up the rear for racing. Here, it seems, hardtails are more popular. I know hardtails are better for racing and riding around on mellow terrain, but they seem more limited in what they can do.

I went FS after I found that a HT beat me up too much and left my back out of whack for a week after every race.

But that was also when I lived out in West Texas and was riding/racing in the rocky canyons.

I went riding today in some rocky canyons for 4 hours with 2 guys who are far beyond my skill/courage level. I was considering a hardtail recently but today it would have been brutal.
My next mtb will be full suspension, if I ever make the move. My old bike has 100mm rear travel but it helps a lot.
My friend has a 27.5+ bike (Scott Genius) and he flew up and down crap I wouldn't try.
I saw a guy ride up a rock outcropping which was hard to walk down. Amazing skill some people have.

Committed to going to San Diego area Aug 10-15. Funny thing is that for Southwest the cancelation policy is that you can cancel up until to 10 minutes before departure. If you cancel inside the last 10 minutes before departure or simply don't show up then you forfeit your payment.

10 minutes. Jeepers.

I've narrowed it down to ~2 apartment complexes. A cheaper one that is about 10 miles from work. Downsides to it is the distance is a bit further, and apparently the internet is pretty badin the complex. It is closer to the mountains and has much larger floor plans than many other places. The other is an expensive place (~300 more a month) to be closer to work (about 6 miles down one road). Plusses are the amenities and view from this place are really good. Also very close to public transit to get down into SLC. But I'm out of the way from the mountains and more in a "city" area.

Coming from Seattle, all these areas seem like good, safe places. Just a matter of determining if I want to spend the extra money for fast internet and nice (read, newer) place.

There really isn't much debate about what type of bike you need to ride in UT. If you subtract DH/enduro riding.

Unless you plan to get radder than most get one of the lighter slightly relaxed all road disc bikes that will fit Jack Browns (for smooth stuff) and 650b mtb tires. Should you enjoy the odd 6' drop and turning any appropriately faced rock into a booter, go FS.

Let's ride! I'll lead you out

Took the grandkids to see Beauty and the Beast today. Between admission, refreshments and supper at DQ afterward, there went a C-note. :( They enjoyed the movie, though, and it was fun being with them.

I was curious how it related to Cocteau's version, which I saw in 1970 (?) as a French major in college. Then it was shown in a small classroom on a small screen, a well-used 16mm movie from a typical projector with scratchy sound. There were a few nods to the original in the new version, and Emma Watson did a good job with Belle, but a B&W low-budget production vs. a color big-budget production musical done 50 years later...apples and oranges. I prefer the original.

A few years back, Cocteau's version was restored and re-issued in France. I need to scrounge a copy of the restored version. For a taste of it, go .

I wish I had more time, I'd love to ride a bit. But probably a no-bike trip. I'm starting to think about itinerary and this may be a busy trip. First trip for just the three of us, me, the Missus, and Junior, with no family/other obligations. I will be visiting my best friend in SoCal, where I used to go for my training camps. He was my best man at my wedding but I don't think the four of us have seen each other since then. 10 years.

I was watching the TV show "Naked and Afraid" yesterday afternoon - there wasn't much on while I was ironing clothes.

Anyway, one of the participants tells the story of how she woke up to find a demon in her room and then she had sex with it. Now she has to pray every night to keep the incubus from coming back to have sex with her.

Her partner responds, "I've never had sex with an incubus, but I believe you."

The best part of this story is that you're ironing clothes while watching Naked and Afraid.

We used to watch that a decent bit, not a terrible show. The naked part is weird, but I think I get it (I mean, the supposed idea, not the obvious reason of getting people to watch it).

They don't seem to have the participant's best interests at heart though. They let people who are pretty unprepared try it, and let them get way, way past safety before helping.


Edit: when I click in the browser box in my phone when in this thread it reads "butt-chit-chat"

Decided on an apartment yesterday. Opted for the more expensive option with nicer amenities. One of the big draw backs of the cheaper place was a really bad and inconsistent internet connection. Working in software, I think I'm going to need a solid Internet connection if I ever need to work virtual.

I think I will like the place I chose. Now just a few more weeks of school. Buckling down, because the motivation is lacking to do schoolwork. I'd rather be outside riding my bike..

At least they warned you.

Told me it was max of 15 mbps. Based on the reviews online, it might have been worse, when it worked.. Definitely felt like I never got the whole story from any of the places I went to, but I guess that's what it means to be sold something..

You know you're a [messy] cyclist when...
You remember you're tire is bad while cleaning up the house so you grab a new one off a random surface as you walk by and start unfolding it absent mindedly. Lol.

Earlier I realized I hadn't checked my tires in a while and lo and behold, the tube was trying to escape the sidewall! Tire still had lots of tread on the outer surface but sidewalls were threadbare. Wtf is up with that?

Came across this article about Italy's new program to give away leases on historic properties in out of the way scenic areas. Basically you have to use it to promote the countries leisure activities such as cycling. I'm tempted to look into this to see if you are required to monetize the property or simply provide a safe haven with access to sustenance and repair facilities.

Climbers huts are very necessary and popular in the mountains across Europe. These range from barely qualifying as shelter to incredible simple structures with rudimentary facilities like water collection, secure place to store emergency rations, or a pit. I wonder if a truly out of the way villa in pristine riding country would prove viable enough to qualify for one of these leases.

My parents are from a rural area on the Portugal/Spain border and they kind of despise these types of initiatives, I think they see them as a waste of spending that ultimately don't meet any original goals. Where they come from, people get funding for all sorts of agricultural and even some tourist initiatives (funding for raising livestock, maintaining land, an old seminary converted into a little hotel) and make some marginal efforts but essentially end up pocketing free money. I only have a cursory understanding but my impression is a lack of oversight is leading to some abuses with that. Ultimately, agriculture and population declines are probably going to make villages like my parents' into ghost towns in my lifetime, which is just incredibly sad, given my roots in that region likely go back millenia. Anyhow, I find efforts to preserve rural/historical heritage in Europe somewhat fascinating. But on a cycling note, I think it would be awesome to go riding where my parents are from, there's a granfondo in that area with over 10k ft of climbing, it's kind of on my bucket list.

For what it is worth, my interest was in preserving the way of life in places like your family home.

In the last 30 years criminal enterprise has really expanded as the cost of maintaining the largesse of wealth outpaced the physical and fiscal ability of the current generations. If the 1% are unable to manage their widespread holdings I can see the need to get creative in preserving local treasures owned by the government. Abuse and under the table deals for the purpose of exploitation are no doubt the rule instead of the exception driving initiatives like you mention.

No doubt you would still be at the mercy of Italian politics, but at the point an initiative is being posted in international papers I think this is quite different. If you gave it some thought I think you would realize the power of free labor and emotional connection are motivators directly tied to the reasons families like yours put down roots where they did. Running power, sewer, and internet to create a spa are not. Would you rather someone spent their shekels propping up Western culture to no end or overseeing a worthwhile project that will never stop asking for more attention?

It got hot! So weird to nned a base layer on Monday and be totally overheated on Wednesday.