tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post5502781826149507603..comments2024-02-03T23:48:14.712-08:00Comments on The Trailer Park Cyclist : The Salvation and the CurseTim Joe Comstockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05351911607475089105noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-67055826512660550692013-09-23T17:18:14.610-07:002013-09-23T17:18:14.610-07:00Well, thank you, tj, I will treasure those thought...Well, thank you, tj, I will treasure those thoughts and hold them close, for comfort, in the times when I feel slightly less than fleet of foot and light-hearted.annahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03781197684265615040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-27451780103524613472013-09-22T12:23:53.723-07:002013-09-22T12:23:53.723-07:00The wanderers and the wayfarers, the sojourners an...The wanderers and the wayfarers, the sojourners and the sailors; these are the tribe of the fleet of foot and the light-hearted. They carry the chore of easing the burden of those bound by tribal restrictions and the work to be done and home-work...they bring tales from afar and they are always alone and yet: never alone for all the people of everywhere is their tribe and so, my dear, you are a shamanista, a brujo, a sojourner of the planet and thus a member of the Universal Tribe and you will always have a home in the hearts of those you meet along the way and they will remember you and that is your chore. So far it looks like you are doing it right.<br /><br />tj<br /><br />Tim Joe Comstockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05351911607475089105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-64756570840908540192013-09-22T07:34:19.807-07:002013-09-22T07:34:19.807-07:00Hmmm. No, that's not a tribeless tribe I would...Hmmm. No, that's not a tribeless tribe I would consider wanting to be part of... <br /><br />I guess I should just be more philosophic about having no tribe. (There is no tribe for me, I know it.)annahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03781197684265615040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-86315471777645168912013-09-21T17:00:44.202-07:002013-09-21T17:00:44.202-07:00I think they call it Burning Man, Anna.I think they call it Burning Man, Anna.Tim Joe Comstockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05351911607475089105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-60891088770135252042013-09-21T08:45:21.330-07:002013-09-21T08:45:21.330-07:00Isn't there a tribe of the tribeless somewhere...Isn't there a tribe of the tribeless somewhere...maybe...? annahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03781197684265615040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-4261758426723763902013-09-03T20:01:13.843-07:002013-09-03T20:01:13.843-07:00I understand where you're coming from: it'...I understand where you're coming from: it's more that the simple roaming life has always been one I aspire to but never kept up for more than a couple of months in my 20's...<br />He doesn't have a bicycle yet: I have a dutch bakfiets I can carry him around in, and he'll be getting a balance bike at Christmas, when he's 18 months old or so. He's pretty coordinated so far, running everywhere and climbing stairs, so I'm hopeful of him getting the hang of bikes nice and early.Jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07352066702581072497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-4851576422469634112013-09-02T15:19:24.088-07:002013-09-02T15:19:24.088-07:00Thanks TJ. I will saunter through and pick up all...Thanks TJ. I will saunter through and pick up all of the info on your blog since I'm looking for a new road/commuting bike. My uber-functional cargo bike (a Worksman) just isn't quite up to par for a 10-mile commute every day. <br /><br />I've only come to know Lloyd's work and writing in the last few years, so I can't claim to be a long-term believer, but I do hope to one day get a piece of land and build some small cabin upon it using my own two hands and his books as guide/inspiration. And even irrespective of his writing and lifelong body of work in the small home community, Lloyd is one bad-ass motherf'er, and I can say without exaggeration that I hope to someday be 1/10th as cool as he is. El Gauchohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16123486882754116176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-61149178463422515932013-09-02T11:56:34.562-07:002013-09-02T11:56:34.562-07:00Man, I now owe Lloyd big time, if I didn't alr...Man, I now owe Lloyd big time, if I didn't already. Truth is, I was barely out of High School (in the Paleolithic era) when I first discovered Lloyd Khan. To a corn-fed hoosier boy like myself, his writing about domes and alternative building techniques and the guys (mostly in Cali) doing the work...it was my Valhalla and I never made it, quite, but I will be eternally grateful for his kindness in putting my work on his pages.<br /><br />Welcome, Gaucho! It ain't all about bicycles, here, exactly...I hope you will come back to the Park and hang with the crew.<br /><br />tjTim Joe Comstockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05351911607475089105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-21715378514329605872013-09-02T07:03:38.864-07:002013-09-02T07:03:38.864-07:00I came upon this treasure trove by way of Lloyd...I came upon this treasure trove by way of Lloyd's Blog as well. It may have taken burning half a day to read up on past postings, but that was well worth it. Keep up the awesomeness. El Gauchohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16123486882754116176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-23227274719552750052013-09-01T14:27:22.949-07:002013-09-01T14:27:22.949-07:00Hey man! I think it is pretty cool that we have b...Hey man! I think it is pretty cool that we have both made his page. My traffic count is goin' crazy. I'm a bit stunned by it, to tell the truth. Thanks for noticing!<br /><br />tjTim Joe Comstockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05351911607475089105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-3839075616032111082013-09-01T13:36:20.885-07:002013-09-01T13:36:20.885-07:00Nice spot on Lloyd's congrats!
T.sJNice spot on Lloyd's congrats!<br />T.sJAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07422790467583525066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-75059457639173967292013-08-30T14:45:41.996-07:002013-08-30T14:45:41.996-07:00IF you haven't already then fuel your Divide d...IF you haven't already then fuel your Divide dreams with this set of reports from Kent's bike blog -http://kentsbike.blogspot.com/search?q=Divide RoadieRyanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15900109046198641775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-42637196781193571502013-08-30T14:41:35.509-07:002013-08-30T14:41:35.509-07:00Brother it sounds like it would be cheaper for yo...Brother it sounds like it would be cheaper for you to pay for rides in Six packs instead of Gas ;-). I think the Monkey would be a great candidate as an "all rounder" One set of sturdy off road set with some 2.5" meaty 29er tires and another set of 32 spoke 700c rims with some 32mm panaracers for riding the roads. Heck I have even seen some articles about running brake and gear cables that somehow detach so you can swap handlebars with ease.... but any of the bikes you mention would be awesome. I look forward to more word of Tim Joe's Bicycle Acquisition Decision And Serialized Story 29er (AKA BAD-ASS).RoadieRyanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15900109046198641775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-2961869908384243922013-08-30T14:14:54.949-07:002013-08-30T14:14:54.949-07:00Well the Ogre was my choice also, until those craf...Well the Ogre was my choice also, until those crafty rascals at Surly came out with the ECR. But I don't know. Cheap bastard that I am I will probably follow Gypsy's path and find some worthy used bike on Craigslist and do a buildup. With guys like Cass and Nicholas Carmen (and Roadie and Hugh) to give me advice, how can I go wrong?<br /><br />Whatever it is, it will be a 29er and Divide specific. That seems as good a target to shoot for as there is. <br /><br />As far as the work/life balance thing goes, I don't have any answers. If you can sleep at night and look yourself in the mirror in the morning, yer probably doin' it right. I have had problems with both in the past, but not now.<br /><br />The only reason there haven't been TPC t-shirts yet is the artwork. I don't have any.<br /><br />tjTim Joe Comstockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05351911607475089105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-67064351418700064712013-08-30T12:59:45.004-07:002013-08-30T12:59:45.004-07:00"Then there's the Divide"
I know it..."Then there's the Divide"<br /><br />I know it is crazy but about half of the reason I acquired my 29'er is this weird back burner flame burning for a Divide trip. Now, it could be my rare chance to meet the TP cyclist face to face.....a couple of old guys wrestling bears on the Divide!!<br /><br />Except for those peculiar few that say they would return to their jobs even if they won the lottery......almost everybody harbors a desire to rise above the have-to-be-there workaday lifestyle. I am with you that I don't mind the work part of work, it is the required day in and day out attendance factor that grinds on me. Your post here keeps me thinking (your ultimate purpose???) on just what is the meaning of life and a man's work that he chooses to do. I don't really have expensive hobbies or tastes. My work to keep the balls juggled up in the air is all about the family I had a hand in creating and raising. Those checks I keep sending CSU could keep me in bikes,gear,and beer for a long time. Yet,I like taking care of them and helping them move forward. Just another internal dialog/conflict I face. At some time it will all slow down; my need to contribute financially to their survival and then I can make some decisions on how to proceed. <br /><br />Hey, whatever Cass says about a bike....probably should buy it, although I see him riding Ogre all over the South American Map. Those were some fantastic pictures to look at. Check out his article on the Whiterock ride in Utah that is in this month's edition of Adventure cycling magazine. That is a beautiful ride that I really want to go for.<br /><br />Part of tj's tribe.....maybe we should get t-shirts made!!!<br /><br />Oh yeah....craziest thing I have read all week is, a man who does not even own a car spending $500 on gas.<br /><br />I have gone on here too much. <br />Keep us entertained and thinking....part of your burden now!!<br />JimJim Bangshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11618333090634257257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-11052282086473551282013-08-30T06:40:42.009-07:002013-08-30T06:40:42.009-07:00As I was typing this post I was thinking that, yea...As I was typing this post I was thinking that, yeah, you guys are a tribe I am happy to belong to. The world of cycling is so diverse and vast that there are many tribes there, I think, but here at the Park I feel like we have a pretty groovy crew. <br /><br />I didn't realize that you had a cycling son with a bunch of bikes...maybe the subject of a post, Brian? With pictures, maybe? I don't know what's wrong with me...I can't stop looking at pictures of bicycles on the internet. Or thinking about bicycles or riding them...<br /><br />tjTim Joe Comstockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05351911607475089105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-41558758297829397032013-08-30T06:30:55.229-07:002013-08-30T06:30:55.229-07:00Cass! I was just talking about you! I really enj...Cass! I was just talking about you! I really enjoyed your last post at While Out Riding.<br /><br />I would love to hear some more of your thoughts on the ECR. Didn't you have a Krampus for testing? Reading about all the carrying you were doing in the mountains makes me wonder if weight might not be a significant factor...I believe that ECR tops thirty pounds before luggage...but what a fun ride!<br /><br />tjTim Joe Comstockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05351911607475089105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-2513244845761747382013-08-30T06:23:00.722-07:002013-08-30T06:23:00.722-07:00Roadie, I could do a full Blog post about my evolu...Roadie, I could do a full Blog post about my evolution as a cyclist and it would be pretty odd, all things considered. A lot of it takes place in fantasy-land, of course, looking at bicycles I can't afford (yet) and dreaming of rides I may never take. But one of the sweet points of working for my old colleague Jack is his work is continuous and pretty steady so if I save money I can take off for a month at a time and go riding, then plug back in to his machine and crank up some more bucks.<br /><br />I have been making it for a month now without buying a truck, but it is costing me a lot of money to pay co-workers to come pick me and my tools up and take me wherever the job is. Once there it is OK, I ride my bike or get a ride from the motel<br />to the job. Renting a truck is a possibility, as is U-Haul, but both options are costly, also. I've spent over $500 on gasoline in the last month, and I don't even own a car!<br /><br />I'm still working out the process, obviously.<br /><br />The Karate Monkey was my first fantasy bike, but the influence of Gypsy Nick and Cass Gilbert and Joe Cruz is making me seek dirt and get as far from the road as I can. And yet...flying along on back-roads on a pair of drop bars with my head in the clouds...it's a quagmire of desire, to be certain.<br /><br />Then there's the Divide...<br />tjTim Joe Comstockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05351911607475089105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-12016172810536963512013-08-30T06:19:45.953-07:002013-08-30T06:19:45.953-07:00TJ,
I'm sorry sir, but you are a member of a t...TJ,<br />I'm sorry sir, but you are a member of a tribe; actually, the leader of one right at this old blog. And we love you for it!<br /><br />I think you're doing the right thing because I always feel like the end justifies the means and if it means you get new tires, and may a shiny new 29ER, then why not? You earned it amigo!<br /><br />My son turns 30 next week and I'm proud to say that his various parents are pitching in to purchase a bike workstand to better handle his herd of 2 wheeled steeds. Papa is very proud of him! And his son, my grandson, turns 1 in a few weeks. Guess who is getting his first bike from Gramps?<br /><br />Stay well and keep turning the pedals, my friend! And keep the missives coming, too!<br /><br />Brian in VABrian in VAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-1661181036139004832013-08-30T06:09:54.993-07:002013-08-30T06:09:54.993-07:00It makes me happy, too, Sara. I think all of us d...It makes me happy, too, Sara. I think all of us dream of somehow escaping from the way things are...but very few do. Myself included, it now appears. But I will continue to focus on the Way of the Bicycle, keep my load as light as possible and stick around looking for alternatives.<br /><br />Saving money so I don't have to stay out year-round is the place to start, I think...<br /><br />tjTim Joe Comstockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05351911607475089105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-77054505792277285552013-08-30T06:06:49.313-07:002013-08-30T06:06:49.313-07:00Under current conditions, I take my rides wherever...Under current conditions, I take my rides wherever I can, Daniel. Thanks!Tim Joe Comstockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05351911607475089105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-27280430435877361792013-08-29T18:02:47.251-07:002013-08-29T18:02:47.251-07:00Thumbs up for the ECR... but then again, I would s...Thumbs up for the ECR... but then again, I would say that... casshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05063564447531681364noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-76767241784962153562013-08-29T10:02:57.179-07:002013-08-29T10:02:57.179-07:00Funny I was thinking earlier about selling the use...Funny I was thinking earlier about selling the used car I bought (and have almost paid for) last year. I was thinking I would pay off some debts and have $80 extra a month not paying insurance and then I realized I need to take my girl to Gymnastics once a week (not bike-able unfortunately) and if I used a car share service I would be paying about....$80 a month. Sometimes living simple is hard. Your post reminds of an excellent called "Your Money or Your Life" that sums things up as "we trade our life (Time/energy) for money" I really need to dust that book off and read it again.<br /><br />Glad to hear your solvent if solitary and that you are whipping crit laps in the parking lot, look forward to hearing more about the 29er/Surly -have you considered a Karate Monkey?<br /><br />Your Pal Roadie RyanRoadieRyanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15900109046198641775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-70042811394554262352013-08-29T08:05:26.548-07:002013-08-29T08:05:26.548-07:00Love this post.
I find myself wanting to withdraw...Love this post.<br /><br />I find myself wanting to withdraw and then realize that I just can't... However! Our 5th grade son has decided that he wants to ride his bike more this year and I can't tell you how happy that makes me.Sarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11747096555799522127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3267224089554889479.post-63868721984046722152013-08-29T07:34:31.708-07:002013-08-29T07:34:31.708-07:00TJ,
We all have to be a part of the system in som...TJ,<br /><br />We all have to be a part of the system in some way. Its how immersed in it that we have control of. I can only imagine the satisfaction of building with your hands. <br /><br />I can picture you cruising around that lot in the early morning light. That must have been awesome!<br /><br />Keep those pedals turning and keep your perspective!<br /><br />DanDaniel Weisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04637437742446611544noreply@blogger.com