Bike saddle rant and yet another REI review; Returns at REI

Who really knows why nearly all bicycle makers include a saddle that will never break in.  Almost all the saddles are flat in profile where your ischial tuberosities contact it.  That is not a good way to start a relationship with a saddle, irrespective of how much padding or gel they place on those contact points.  The WTB Pure is the stock saddle on the Novara safari.  Saddle designers know nothing about human anatomy.  "Designer" is a generous term to apply to most makers of saddles.  More like "We'll just put some multi density padding here and some gel there, then we'll carve a little valley there to provide relief for midline anatomical structures.  Then we can call it race ready too.  And we'll charge a lot of money for it, then anybody show buys one and suffers discomfort will be too prideful to admit that they made a big mistake."If makers of saddles simply started with a couple of depressions about 9 cm apart it would be a really good start but still not the same as having a leather saddle that will eventually conform to a rider's butt.  My local bike shop has a stand with at least 30 bicycle seats that people have left in exchange for something better--I myself have contributed two saddles to that stand.

The review: Product:  WTB Pure bicycle saddle.

 1/5 stars

Those other reviews are fakes

No one that I've spoken to likes this seat. Our problem: we have two sit bones and the seat is almost flat in the areas where contact occurs. That means this saddle is quite tolerable for short rides but nothing beyond that. Maybe those other reviews aren't fakes--they just didn't get far enough to discover the uncomfortable truth. $59.00 for this? Let's move the decimal point over to the left a couple places: $59.00 >>$0.59

Is REI getting more judgmental in their returns department?  Am I reading too much in their facial expressions?  

"Man this guy doesn't buy anything here. He just brings stuff back."   

"He gets most of it delivered to his house or he goes down to Portland to pick it up tax free."  

Are they just trying to be helpful when saying "we can adjust the handlebars on the bicycle you are returning."?  Maybe it's just me.  After all, I did return a $715 bicycle which I didn't find entirely comfortable due to its horrible stock saddle, a WTB Pure saddle and a low position on the handlebars.  More cogently, I didn't have much room for another bike.  The Novara Safari wouldn't have filled a niche that I needed filled. My Giant OCR Touring bike can take fat tires up to 38 mm.  The Safari isn't really that heavy--I just don't need another bicycle with which I'm not totally in love.

I also returned $270 worth of bike shoes that just didn't fit well or were too heavy for a bike shoe.  I kept the Shimano R065 road shoes--they weigh 20 oz per pair in size 46--just right for Goldilocks.

Unused intellect at Sunset Air

The boiler was cycling frequently, yes, in the middle of summer.  And I noticed that the kitchen's radiators were warm.

I called Sunset Air.  They came, they looked and they billed.

They didn't really do much except look at some flow control valves and seeing the rust, said, that needs to be replaced.  Suggested that I leave the system off until winter. Advised me on the mechanics of how to replace the rusted valve.

Au contraire, I inspected the valve after they left and noticed the lever on top could turn.  I turned it clockwise and turned on the boiler.  The boiler cycled on and turned off for at least 12 hours, maybe more, and none of the radiators were warm.  Problem solved.  First, I'm a dummy.  2nd, Sunset Air's tech might also be one.

Worse yet, Dan Weber of Sunset Air. wrote an outrageous estimate of the labor to replace it: 6 hours!!!

Hey Dan, are you trying to finance a new boat?  Usual Dan type performance.  Doesn't return calls. And unfamiliar with what he's estimating.

Gary's WEstern Wash hang

That was wonderful.  First, the temperature dropped about a refreshing 15 degrees lower than the 79 F in Aberdeen.

Who was there?  Host Gary R. and GF Dawn, Dawn's dgtr Hannah, son Logan, Logan's friend Tanner, Logan's friend Maddie, Hannah's BF Tim.  Where is everyone sleeping?
Well, the kids are sleeping in this:


I brought a crab pasta, w/basil, green peppers, zucchini, garlic, Romano cheese I'd made that afternoon.

Dawn made Cheeseburgers.

Saturday, Kayt came with dog Haley, who sleeps in the foot box of her hammock.

Then, many hours later, John came with Sarah, They got lost after AT&T's cell signal faded, and their smartphones couldn't navigate without. I am confused.   In this day, any number of smart phone apps can provide guidance without a cell phone signal--they use a GPS signal. Sarah said, John gets lost just going across town.  John wore a cargo vest and cargo pants with pockets chock full of knives and knife sharpeners.  He showed Logan how to sharpen a knife with a diamond sharpener.  Kayt saw the sharpener and swore she would buy one. I showed him my French pocketknife and he produced one that looked exactly the same but in the next larger size.  This is one guy you do not try to surprise.  For all I know he had a machete tucked in between his cheeks.  Sarah said something about shady characters around the apartment where she lives--I thought with a knife crazy boyfriend like john, that she would have a giant bayonet that she would brandish on leaving or approaching her home.

Kayt saw the clip on the paper towel roll--she had to have one of those!  It was a table cloth clip for picnic tables repurposed for paper towels.

Kayt's truck was loaded with camping gear, including the tent that could have been welded to the frame, as it probably would stay there until she got a new truck.

I biked to the Moclips store, buying olive oil and apple juice for the rib barbecue, Went for a ride to as far north as the Moclips Hwy, then turned south as the speed limit rose to 50 mph. Rode to Pacific Beach and then Seabrook.  Houses in all phases of completion at Seabrook.  Almost down to the beach.  I can imagine how a tsunami would affect all that.  Back at camp 1:10 after starting.  Back to the store for BBQ sauce, then back to the gate to close it after John/Sara left it open.  Many cold stretches with wind.  A hot shower brought pain to my cold fingers.

The ribs, prepared by Gary, tasted fantastic.  Juicy, with the meat just falling off the bones.  Sarah looks at the ribs, asking "is that pork?"  Me: "Yep, are you Jewish?" Sarah, taking a nibble: "Yeah"   Me: "It's kosher pork."  Did Sarah smile?

Sunday, a 2nd great nights sleep in the hammock for me.  I haven't been sleeping indoors in my hammock at home for a few weeks now.  Naps, yes, but not overnight.

John and Sara, packed and on the road back to Portland before 11 a.m.  Kayt on the road to Vancouver, WA about 30 min later.  Me packed and on the road not long after that.  The further away you live, the later you arrive and the sooner you leave.  Interesting?

Great times. I thank Gary and Dawn.

How do I hate my mountain bike?

Let me count the ways. 1. Mountain bike handlebars don't offer a comfortable place to put my hands. I don't have enough padding on my gloves  to absorb the shock  transmitted by those handlebars . 2. It's treacherous going over gravel and rocks and going past blackberry bushes armed with thorns. 3. The squishy gel saddle that I have on the bike doesn't breathe. It gets hot, almost like it's on fire. It's so squishy I don't know where I'm really sitting. 4. Weyerhaeuser has closed its logging roads-- there's no place to go anymore.

Smart ass 2

Vern & Jan sent me a link.  It's the hammock made by sea to summit.  Claimed as the world's lightest at 4.9 ounces.

Here's another link to a video where a rat from the company talks about the new hammock https://www.facebook.com/canoeroots/videos/10154465170244850/ 

Me:  Wow! I think she said, "a 4.9 oz ... ultralight, compact, gerbil (durable?) hammock"!  

Me:  I'd pick one up to try out if REI gets them (REI doesn't display hammocks, compelling us to buy to try).
  

Asks Jan when I sent her more information (from http://www.thegearcaster.com/2016/08/sea-to-summit-ultralight-hammock.html):   Are these two hammocks the same product?  

 Me:  Yes, the same product.  They have strung out the hammock too tightly in the canoeroots web page--Most likely done that way so that they could slingshot Barbie dolls across the showroom floor

I think you also put in one Ken doll. 

More Smart-assed by half

Smart assed comment:  OMG! Powdered sugar outlines of dead cutlery?



Next smart ass comment:  How do they get the animal to put it right on the middle of the plate? Intelligent design or evolution?

Calories vs activity and time vs. distance

I've started a spreadsheet where I input activity, mileage, minutes of activity, calories burned per the S Health app on my phone.

So far, the range of calories burned per mile travelled for

• Cycling  41-43
• Hiking 94-95.4
• Walking 79-100

Calories per minute:

• Cycling  9-10.5
• Hiking 4.7-5.1
• Walking 4.1-5.0

Upholstery after the cats

The cats have been out of the house for years.  The damage they have done to the furniture has not undone itself. Threads and stuffing hung off the corners of chairs and sofas. I cut most of the threads but more stuffing begin to work its way out.

I could have just cut off a piece of fabric from the cushion and use that the patch the damage, but I got some fabric that looks like it would match and cut off pieces to cover the damage.

 I stapled one patch on and then tacked on the free Edge

On the other side the framework underneath would not accept either staples or tacks. I ended up using hot glue for that.

A long day in Olympia

I don't hate to drive.  It's just boring and puts me to sleep.  Listening to the radio is interesting but it doesn't really keep me awake.

Yesterday I went to Olympia.  Halfway there I had to stop and take a nap.  I Shopped at Costco and then I felt tired.  Luckily I had a hammock in the trunk and I took a nap next to the parking lot at Costco.  I slept for about 30 minutes.  I can't seem to remember anything else that I did in Olympia.

Oh boy.  I am looking at my list for yesterday.  After my nap, I also went to the bike shop, trader joe's, Lowe's home improvement, target, Home Depot, Rei, Jo Ann fabrics and the indoor garden shop.   I also walked about 3 miles around the capitol mall.

I bought a hammock at Rei, a Hennessey ultralite Asym backpacker model.  Thinking I would try to figure out what Asym in its title meant.  It's really a pretty crummy product--It's too small, No whoopie slings, no buckles, they don't give you enough webbing for a real tree, and setting it up is really fussy.  The company is based in British Columbia and outsources their production overseas.

I've already installed the lamp that I bought at Lowe's home improvement center.

Joanne had fabric to repair the cat damage To the Mr. Chair.  I think I will do that tomorrow morning.