Living Car Free - An Epic Journey... TO THE STORE!

ARMA GLACIEMQUE CANO
O MUSA, MIHI CAUSAS MEMORA!

Well, maybe not *that* epic, but I have a new photosmart camera and decided to take some pics of a typical Saturday trip to the store. The side roads are fantastic, but when they end you have to go over to the main roads or the sidewalks. The main roads are suicidal and the sidewalks are deep in chunder and chop from the plows.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b52/Gussick/Musa2.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b52/Gussick/Musa4.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b52/Gussick/Musa3.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b52/Gussick/Musa1.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b52/Gussick/Musa4.jpg



do the zombies in your town go after bikers too, or just peds? i'm sure he knows you can outrun him, but he's coming right at you...

That's no zombie! The man approaching the camera is in fact only 28 years old. It's just Alaska. It wears you down and ages you. And you have to shuffle to keep from falling on your hind end, thus the zombie-like walk. I myself appear to be nearly 70 and walk with a limp. I also have a hump.

Great pictures, Cosmoline.

That's a shocking bike rack.... and I wish we had those plastic basket type shopping trolleys here, they would be perfect for a DIY trailer! unfortunately all our shopping trolleys here have quite heavy substantial steel baskets.

Schweeeeeet! :)

That's a shocking bike rack.... and I wish we had those plastic basket type shopping trolleys here, they would be perfect for a DIY trailer! unfortunately all our shopping trolleys here have quite heavy substantial steel baskets.

Shocking in what sense? They're the standard portable rack stores toss down. Not surprisingly the health food stores have much better racks.

I never thought of using a shopping cart as a trailer. It's not a bad idea, though this time of year the only practical trailer would be a sled.

Shucks, I'm jealous of the bike rack at the store! :)

hey, that's a ski helmet, cool

It's a Giro G10. It works perfect for winter cycling.

Shocking in what sense? They're the standard portable rack stores toss down. Not surprisingly the health food stores have much better racks.

I never thought of using a shopping cart as a trailer. It's not a bad idea, though this time of year the only practical trailer would be a sled.

In the sense that its designed to stick your wheel into, so how do you securely lock your frame to the rack? and if your bike gets bumped its going to put a bad stress on your wheel, maybe buckle it. the way you have your bike locked to the rack is the only secure way to do it.

A sled would be uber cool, I reckon :D

I never put my wheel into the rack. I just lock up on the side or over the top. You're right, the design is pretty stupid. I believe it only works with old 10 speeds anyway. My tires won't fit between the slots on a lot of them. The main point is to have something to slow down and theft, though I try not to leave it out too long.

Great pictures....I think the other brave soul may be my roommate!

A fellow nardster!

Whoever that is, he was going with traffic on Minn., which makes him braver (and faster) than I am. I cut through the school parking lot to get to the trail.

Cosmoline, tell us about your tires. What kind are they? How are they working for you?

Those are Nokian Freddies Revenz. They're probably the best ice tires ever made. I haven't fallen once, and the only close calls have been when the trail collapsed underneath me or I tried to turn too sharply into an ice berm and the back tire got kicked out.

Those are Nokian Freddies Revenz. They're probably the best ice tires ever made. I haven't fallen once, and the only close calls have been when the trail collapsed underneath me or I tried to turn too sharply into an ice berm and the back tire got kicked out.
How much?

How many days a year would you say you actually need studded tires for city riding? For me, only 5 or 6 probably. I'm starting to wonder if they're even worth it for next year. Of course I'll still use them for my ice riding and trails, but I might not leave them on for the whole season like I do now. What do you think?

Neat pics Cosmo. Oddly, I'm most interested in hearing about Sailor Boy Pilot Bread than anything else. Even though I have no idea what it is, I kind of want some. :p

How much? How many days a year would you say you actually need studded tires for city riding? For me, only 5 or 6 probably. I'm starting to wonder if they're even worth it for next year. Of course I'll still use them for my ice riding and trails, but I might not leave them on for the whole season like I do now. What do you think?

They're expensive. $300 for the pair, which is about as much as the bike cost. But it was the last set anyone had in town and I grabbed it. There are lighter duty studs available for less serious ice.

It really depends where you live. In Anchorage we've got ice from October to March at least, even in warm winters. Most of the side streets are a mix of packed snow and ice. Only the main roads and parking lots are true pavement, and even they ice over. It's not impossible to go without studs, but I've seen riders take horrible spills trying to do it.


I'm most interested in hearing about Sailor Boy Pilot Bread than anything else. Even though I have no idea what it is, I kind of want some

They're an Alaskan staple. One of the few wheat hardtack breads left in commercial production. I think you can get them in some Seattle specialty shops. You'll notice how they're tied down. Not one broke in spite of that.

Here's some with some spruce hen:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b52/Gussick/Ptarm.jpg

They're an Alaskan staple. One of the few wheat hardtack breads left in commercial production. I think you can get them in some Seattle specialty shops. You'll notice how they're tied down. Not one broke in spite of that.

Here's some with some spruce hen:

Ahh, k. Thanks. Looks like gigantic crackers. I should try to wrangle some of that stuff for camping sometime.

EDIT: Just googled it to see where I could get some, and found this funny website description under the heading "Holiday Alaska Style."

"Appetizers: A plate will arrive. Everyone will wait to watch you eat. It’s the official appetizer of Alaska. Pilot bread, a hunk of Spam, a piece of canned pineapple and a toothpick. The toothpick will be the best part. Pilot bread has the taste and texture of cement. The Alaskans have placed bets to see how many teeth you will crack. Eat the pineapple, feed the Spam to one of the many dogs that will be milling about the Sourdough’s cabin, put the tooth pick behind one ear, and save the Pilot bread for a weapon in case the party gets frisky later."

I still want to try it, heh.