Yesterdays Bridge Dedication

Here's the article from the Paul Bunyan Trail Bridge Dedication Yesterday:

                                   

A dedication of the Paul Bunyan Trail bridge was held Wednesday afternoon. Cutting the ribbon were, from left, Courtland Nelson with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Parks and Trails; Jerry Downs, trail advocate, Rep. John Persell, DFL-Bemidji; Lori Dowling, Minnesota DNR, Sen. John Carlson, R-Bemidji; Bemidji Mayor David Larson; Sen. Tom Saxhaug, DFL-Grand Rapids; and Rep. Larry Howes, R-Walker. Article by:Monte Draper | Bemidji Pioneer

 

I was not able to attend due to a trip i had to take, but it is now official.  Terry McGaughey would be so proud of what has been accomplished with the trail he faught so hard to get completed. God bless him and what he started.  I never had the pleasure of meeting "Mr. Paul Bunyan Trail" (Terry McGaughey), but I think of the 25 years he dedicated to getting this trail completed, and now he may rest in peace knowing that his trail he worked so hard to get, is complete.  He was the best thing that ever happened to the bicycle community, in my oppinion.  It was a sad day when he past of natural causes, in 2010. I hope that one day soon that someone with the compation and energy he had for getting this trail completed, will do the same for the rest of the trails and expand the trails statewide, or even all over the USA, so that bicyclists may get on a bike trail in Bemidji and end up in Texas, New York, or even Califonia, but we need someone that will stand up and do that for the bicycling community.

 

 

Keep on Biking...

Give us three feet

I went for a ride around lake bemidji on sunday evening.  When i got upto where old 71 and county RD 20 meet, the shoulder gets very skinny, just big enough for one bicyclist to ride in.  Afew people did give me the three feet or more, but eh rest of them did not give a crap if they ran me off the road, i can see if your meeting a car or goign around a curve, thats fine, just stay in your lane, but when you have the space to move over, PLEASE MOVE OVER!!!  We as bicyclist are vehicles of the road just as much as cars are.  We have our lanes, and you have yours, and sometimes we share the same lanes, so please, treat us like we are a vehicle of the road.  I wanna thank all the people who do move over for us bicyclist when safely allowable, We as bikers, THANK YOU!!! 

Keep on Biking...

Schwinn Sprint Update

The bike is pieces now.  I took it apart on Friday, and sanded it down to bare metal.  then I primed it and let that dry in the tree outside the shop.  Then when it was dry Jim, (my friend, and Jr. Grease Monkey at Shifting Gears), sanded it down so it was smooth, then we painted it.  All the parts; the frame, the fenders, and the chain guard; are all hanging from the ceiling drying.

Here's the before pic.s:

this is the frame, and below are all the other parts

the fenders, chain guard, and front fork

the pile of parts (it's a little dark, but you get the pic.)

Here's the priming pic.s:

(rear): the front fender

(front): the chain guard

rear fender

and here's the painted pic.s:

the frame

fenders and chain guard

front fork

When I put it back together, I will take more pictures, and post them.  On Tuesday I will be putting the pin stripes on the fenders.  i can't wait to get that done, so i can see what it looks like.  

Keep on Biking...

ReBrit

i just found this cool website of this guy in Madison, Wis., and he restores old American and British bikes.  Check it out if you like old bikes: http://rebrit.com/index.php, i had to let you guys know.

Keep on Biking...

I love Crazy Weather

I love biking in the rain, some people may think i'm crazy for doing it, like in this Yahuda Moon comic.

I love that one, some people think that biking is just for recreation, and that is cool and all, but bikes are also great for commuting back and forth to work, the store, or where ever your going.  I enjoy crazy weather, calm weather is nice, but it can get boring after awhile.

the bubble on the left, says: "Do you need a ride? we can put your bike in the back trunk?" it's a little fuzzy.  This is how i feel every winter when the first snow falls, getting on the bike and making the first set of tracks in the fresh snow.  when i tell people that i bike in the winter, they look at me and say, "are you out of you mind?" and i look back at them and say, "Yes i am but that is besides the point."  I don't get why some people hate the snow and the cold and yet still live here, if you don't like it you don't have to live here.  Us hardy Minnesotans love it.  

i have done that before, i get all that half frozen snow and moisture from your breathe, i helps some times, when you don't want to expose your lips to the cold to get a drink.  Let me know if your a winter biker...    or not...

Keep on Biking...

Comic strips from Yahuda Moon.com

Schwinn Suburban Before Pictures

Here's an update on my restoring project.  I took before pictures of my Schwinn suburban.  Here's some pic.s:

this is from the side

from the front

i like that little bag on the front, i can keep two spare tires in there and some tire levers, and all it is, is an old camera bag i found at goodwill for $0.99.

this is the bottom of the front fender

this is the rear fender, i wasn't able to get a picture of all the rust, i forgot to.  but this is the new color I'm painting it, it has a few dings in the fender, but those will be gone after Friday.  the rust was about a 1/2 - 3/4 inch stripe going from just above the reflector, to about three inches from the brakes. it was bad, and you'll probably be able to see it when we stripe all the paint away.

Top and bottom tube

New color vs. old color

as you can see in this picture there is yellowish pin stripes, i am going to be putting antique cream colored pin stripes on to the fenders when all the rest of the painting is done.

rear of original seat

original GT 100 Schwinn Derailleur

I will be posting pictures of the painting process, next Tuesday.  I will have a lot of them.  I am hoping to have the bike painting finished by the end of next Tuesday.  All the

Timeline:

Friday: Strip of all the old paint, and put on new coat of green.
Tuesday: post painting process pictures, and Put on Pin Stripes.
Thursday: Post finished pictures.


I hope you enjoy these pictures as much as i enjoy showing them to you, can't wait till the bike is ready to be shown off.  Next year i plan on restoring my AMF Nimble, can't wait for that one.  The paint is bubbling up on the fenders and starting to on the frame. 

Restoring an old bike

I have a bike that i'm working on right now, hoping to get it restored soon, It's an old Schwinn Suburban. the rear fender was all rusted, parts of the frame, and the bottom part of the front fender are as well.  I am restoring it to its original colour on the frame, but i'm thinking of painting the fenders cream coloured.  I'm not sure yet, but when i do i'll let you know.  Heres a pic of what kind of bike i'm talking about, this is not my bike it's a picture i got from google.

Although mine is a little bit darker green than this one, but you get the picture.  When i get it finished i will post after pictures, but on thursday i will try and post before pic.s, so you can see the process.  It should be fun.

I also have AMF (by: Roadmaster) Nimble, it's maroon coloured, and i love it, it didn't need much restoring, the paint on the rear fender will need to be scraped off and repainted in a year or two, cuz it's starting to bubble up from the metal.  I plan to keep that one the same colour.  I'll post updated pictures as i restore the bike.

Keep on Biking....