Tools

Over the years I've acquired quite a collection of Park Cassette Lockring tools. At one point I must have had a dozen of them. I can only remember buying 4-5, yet the drawer was full of them. Then came the Dewalt 18v cordless impact wrench.

I bought it to remove lug nuts from the race car at the track. I has over 600 Ft/Lbs of removal torque. Then I used it to remove a cassette. The impact feature means the chain whip stays in the drawer, it easily removes the lock nut with just a short the pull of the trigger. Unfortunately it also tends to break the removal tool -- typically shattering the business end.

Last weekend I finally broke my last one. It was pretty new and Park specifically warns against it, so I think it's best if I stop using the impact wrench. I was going to get another when my mechanic showed me what he uses for that job. A custom Crombie from Abbey Bike Works. The one I held was the solid handled version, but I ordered the SL which has a hollow handle. With custom engraving -- No, this is not a hammer! -- it will take a few weeks to arrive.

The La Pavoni at work

La Pavoni Pub Espresso Machine

The company for which I work takes great pride in supporting the "Coffee Culture" at the office. They provide very nice La Pavoni Pub commercial grade espresso machines and matching grinders in each of the buildings in our campus. I sit in an Engineering building, close enough to the kitchen to hear our macine and estimate it regularly pulls 10-15 shots a day. Until recently I avoided them totally, here's why.

When interviewing here 6 months ago, I tried to pull a shot on one of them and, as usually happens with no time to work up a proper shot on a new machine, it was shit. Still I was impressed at the sight of a commercial machine. After starting, I took a good long look at the La Pavoni in my building and realized it was absolutely filthy. It was beyond filthy -- it is easily the blackest, most scum covered espresso machine I've ever worked with. The grinder was also in sad shape with so much build up around the adjusting collar it was frozen in place. I ignored the machines for months, drinking tea instead, resigned to the fact that anything it produces will taste of rancid coffee oil and little else. 

I'll admit is was probably the sound that got me. The siren song of grinder, pump and the scream of the steam wand. It called to me. So I started to clean it up -- working in the mornings before anyone else gets in. I brought some Cafiza and a back-flush basket from home and started using them a couple of times a week. The first session with Cafiza was disgusting. Large chunks of black -stuff- started coming out and the water was black. I ended up flushing a more than a dozen times just to get all that -stuff- out. I cleaned both portafilters thoroughly; I don't think the baskets had ever been removed as there was a 1/4" of scum under both of them. I used dental tools to clean the grinder collar and free it so the grind can be adjusted. It's taken a couple of weeks to get most of it cleaned up. On Friday afternoon, after a good clean, I spend a little time dialing in the grinder and produced my first "good" shot -- it was the first one that doesn't taste like a dirty machine.

This morning I pulled another pretty good shot, not best shot ever, but made a little sweeter by the clean machine. I'll admit a little satisfaction from the effort. Now if we can just get some freshly roasted beans to grind we'd be in business.

Coe Monstercross 1 Ren 0

With just a weeks time to prepare, I was a little concerned that I would not be ready for the Coe Monstercross. I was right.

With a busy work and travel schedule I got exactly Zero training in before the event. In fact, the event was only my second ride since the Spring Classic nearly a month ago. I figured that if I could get to the to of Hamilton still feeling pretty good, I'd be good for the whole ride. On the climb up Mt Hamilton I was harshly reminded that I would not be feeling good. On the summit, I realized I was totally spent; my legs jello and my oxygen deprived brain screaming for relief. There was no hope in going on, so I quit, thinking about the line: "Once you quit something, you just make it easier to quit next time", and Andy Schleck's racing season so far. Neither was enough to inspire me to push on.

When I reconnected with the group at the summit, the last to arrive,  I let them know my decision. As they pedaled off to complete the adventure, I felt the brisk wind on my cheek and realized; even with my choice to turn back now I was still looking at a couple of hours of riding to get home. I pointed the Haka downhill and let her run, wishing I had left on the smooth 30mm slicks I used on the Spring Classic, instead of swapping to the knobby Rocket Rons for all the dirt I had expected to ride today. So with more than a little caution I descended all the way to the bottom -- which, if you know Mt Hamilton, you know involves more than a little climbing. An hour later I was back in San Jose, but on the wrong side of the valley. Another 45 minutes got me home. Strava says it was 55 miles and 5500ft. Seems like it was a lot more.

The next day was a testament to the effort and lack of preparation. I was really sore and it stayed that way for 2 days. Finally today (Monday) the legs don't feel like stuffed sausages. Although nobody like to quit, but I think my decision was correct and I'm glad I did. That said, I still really want to do that Hamilton - Coe ride and how that I have a buddie who has done it and a good map I'm sure I'll get to it in the next few weeks -- this time with a couple of training rides to prepare.

I think the highlights of the ride was having the right spare part to saving another rider's ride. Half way up Hamilton I ran into one of the riders in our group on the side of the road with a broken chain. During the planning for the Spring Classic I ordered some SRAM PowerConnect chain links and only the night before I added one to my seat bag. Luck was with us and that little link saved his ride and providing it was the highpoint of mine.