Customer Service - an unsolicited review

A while back, I ordered a Velo Orange Grand Cru long setback seat post to go with my Brooks saddle. This month the part of the seatpost that holds the seat rails to the post broke.

Once I got home, I emailed Velo Orange and sent them a couple of pictures of the problem - mostly to let them know it happened. I didn’t have my original invoice and I knew that at least a year had gone by since the purchase, so I didn’t bother to even ask about a warranty replacement.

Friday Writings for Randos - Waiting

{Friday Writings for Randos - A weekly post that features pieces from other writers that touch some facet of the Randonneuring experience, even if that was not the author's intent. It's stuff that's best read out loud - slowly.} This week it's:





Waiting

by Raymond Carver

Randonnuering as destination travel - The 134K prequel

A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for

William Shedd

Wednesday, February 15, 2012.  I finally got around to printing the cue sheets for the upcoming rides. The 83 mile Cody's Corner Permanent on Friday. The 190 mile Central Florida Randonneurs "300k" brevet on Saturday. Holy crap. A tingle of energy zipped through me.   My hands got a little cold. 273 miles in two days. That's a lot of riding. The 200K I rode on New Year's day seemed a long way back and the sprinkle of short rides since then seemed woefully inadequate as a prep. After finishing the day at work, I rode the Brompton home, using the easy hour spin on its 16 inch wheels to calm the energy of my anticipation.

A better alternative to Road ID

A blogger I read was in an accident with a car. (you can read about it if you click HERE),

He was wearing a Road ID. The EMTs had no idea what it was. I am not surprised. I was a volunteer firefighter for 7 years.  I went through hundreds of hours of training and Road Id was never mentioned. Road ID advertises to cyclists in cycling specific media. You see Bob Roll advertising Road ID on TDF coverage that only cyclists watch but you don't see it during football games that everyone watches. That is the problem. An ID tag marketed to cyclists does not serve its primary purpose - letting non-cyclists know who you are.

I use a dog tag. Everyone in this country knows what a dog tag is. Every dog owner, war movie watcher, everyone who watches the news. Basically every emergency responder.When you are unconscious and unresponsive, your neck and chest get a lot of attention from medical personnel. They check airways, perform CPR. In those instances, a dog tag worn around the neck will be noticed where a bracelet on the wrist may not.

My dog tag has my name, address, phone number and blood type. If I had a particular medical concern or allergy it would be there. Good information in a place easy to find.

That's why I have a dog tag instead of Road ID.

Central Florida 300k - Randonnuering as destination travel

A brief trip south for a taste of summer in the midst of winter. 

Five of us from NJ decided to travel south to Florida for a mid-winter brevet. Two flew. Three of us drove over 17 hours to get to Indian Harbor Beach on the Space Coast and the 300K brevet hosted by the Central Florida Randonneurs. 

Friday writings for Randos - For one boundless summer

{Friday Writings for Randos - A weekly post that features pieces from other writers that touch some facet of the Randonneuring experience, even if that was not the author's intent. It's stuff that's best read out loud - slowly.} This week it's:.....

 

An excerpt from "Off the Map - Bicycling across Siberia" 

By Mark Jenkins

Then one day I went beyond our backyard. Beyond all that I knew down the sidewalk past where we would turn to give old Mr. Schicksal a casserole. I had been planning it in bed or maybe dreaming it. I knew I wasn't supposed to but I just had to see. I went fast in a blur, my great little rabbit heart rejoicing in my throat. I was liquid, hurling my red bike. I didn't know how I could go so fast. I didn't know how I could go so far so fast. I saw giant foreign houses and giant foreign fences all so near I could have touched them. I smelled new things and heard strange dogs. I saw foreign kids and foreign moms all up close as if they could have lived where I lived. I went to the edge of the earth. To where looking back I could just make out the trees in our front yard. Then I almost ran into a car. I stomped backward on the pedals and squealed and skidded.

Downtime

On the way back to our cars after the New Year' day 200k, I mentioned to Joe K. that I was going to dial back the riding back for a few weeks. Just ride casually "off the clock." 

Friday writings for Randos - Flight

{Friday Writings for Randos - A weekly post that features pieces from other writers that touch some facet of the Randonneuring experience, even if that was not the author's intent. It's stuff that's best read out loud - slowly.} This week it's. . .

 Flight

by Louis Jenkins

Sunday morning commute

Three scenes from a Sunday morning in February

Friday writings for Randos - Rain Travel

{Friday Writings for Randos - A weekly post that features pieces from other writers that touch some facet of the Randonneuring experience, even if that was not the author's intent. It's stuff that's best read out loud - slowly.} This week it's . . .

Rain Travel

by W.S. Merwin