Diary of the Migration to Clipless

Day One :: Monday
Despite my first clipped-in spill occurring on Embarcadero in front of ferry bldg and about 30 tourists, the hardest part thus far is the FUCKING STRUGGLE TO CLIP BACK IN!! It takes more than a little bit of emotional and momentum energy to find the clip and get back up to speed.

Day Two :: Tuesday
As of the morning of my 2nd day with the new clipless pedals, I finally found what may be the trick to clipping back in. Instead of finessing it whilst the pedal is up, try mashing into the clip in the down position. A wiggle and a push and we’re in.

When coming up to a potential down foot scenario, if you’re in doubt, just clip out to avoid a spill.

These things take some time to get used to. More to the point: to get my body to break what is a 3 1/2 decade old habit: to lead to step off with my toes instead of my heel.

2nd fall this morning. At a deserted stoplight in industrial San Rafael.

As of the afternoon of my 2nd day, another lesson learned: make sure the cap screws under each shoe are more than just tight. I noticed one was loose whilst clipped in this morning. But when my fingers confirmed it wasn’t loose, I just chalked it up to normal play within the clip.

Well, on the blast to the ferry this afternoon, that same foot would not come out of the clip, no matter how far a jarred my heel. It just stayed clipped. Scary shit. This is my right foot, used almost 80% of the time to clip out and foot down.

Turns out I lost one of the 2 screws and the other was loose. Luckily I have basic tools. No wait, luckily I got the dual pedals cause I was able to get to the ferry on time. Where I could then sinch down the remaining 3 screws on both shoes.

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Day Three :: Wednesday
Third day, third spill. This time early dusk. This time with visible damage to vehicle and rider.

As with each of the other spills, the part of my body to strike the tarmac first has been my right knee. This time the surface was highly uneven and my knee strikes and scrapes. As I stand here now in line for the ferry, I dare not lift up the legging.

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Also on the right side are my trusty cap end blinkies. I suppose they were never stress tested for this. But a third jam and it just exploded in a spray of plastic, lens and AAA battery.

SPEW :: los angeles bike

created: Sometime mid to late 1995

Around late January of this year, I began to grow aware…again. To come aware of the fact that there is absolutley no truth to the saying that “The devil will find work for idle hands to do.” I was far from idle, mind you. But even prisinors’ are busy. Even the Govenor has some time on his hands. It’s just what you do with your free time that makes you the man that you are. Or the woman that you are.

My awareness led me to spend exactly what I had saved up from Lightworks on what I considered a completeltly, rationally, sane object. King Full Mt. Bike compliments of Gary Fisher & American Expresss. It was the top-tier of objects I’d coveted all my life.

And just when I think that this Bike will see just the boardwalk of Venice and never any single-track, I begin to notice the weather here in SoCal. Record highs and clear days drive me from venice up to Mid-City where I meet the groomsmen for a meal and a belly of tequilla compliments of El Coyote. What started as a gathering of specific clan, bled into riding further still to follow the rim of the level. I began to catch my breath as I played cue on full-size Canadian rules. I practiced my Swing-Dancing with Cricket to bootleg Frank from the George Burns Estate…no shit.

I have never been so on top of my game than ever before in my life. I realize this as I’m riding west-bound on Olympic crossing Robertson…approaching that little hill just before Century City before I get that phat decline ALL THE FUCKING WAY TO THE BOARDWALK ….14.3 miles of smiles. “You do not cry for me…I cry for you.”

I’m drunk.. I jut got home from said bike ride. I love you. I’m going to bed.
SHAMAN