Mannheim

After 4 months another project has finally come to a close. These two manila envelopes are currently on their journey across the pond to a small little city of Mannheim, Germany, and my stomach hasn't stopped churning since.

Some of you may already know this, but for those who don't these two nerve-wracking envelopes contain my application for a study abroad at the University of Mannheim. I'm hoping that this fall I'll be able to finish my BA in German Studies in Germany, and that I'll be able to do it in the city I once served in for 4 months in.

This city is absolutely beautiful, and the idea of going back is one that makes both excitement and nervousness pool into my gut at the same time.

There's a longer story of how I came to this point, much of it directed by the spirit, but I'll save you the messy details. Lets just say this is a once in lifetime opportunity that doesn't even happen to those who do a foreign exchange.

Normally an exchange student will go to a predetermined sister school, and when I first started looking at doing an exchange that's what I did as well, but it didn't quite feel right. Then a little voice said "what about the university in mannheim" and so I shot off an email to the international students department at Mannheim U and found out that they had an entire program for students like me.

Many prayers, fasts, and piles of paperwork later I finally sealed the envelopes and penned in the address. I was so nervous I had to rewrite the address twice because I kept leaving out letters in the address. On top of that I even made a photocopy of all my transcripts, applications, photos, and letters of recommendation and put together a second envelope "just to be sure" my application arrived.

And so now I wait......

The University won't even begin to look at the applications of foreign exchange students until their semester ends at the end of May, and so I won't even know if I'm accepted into the program until mid to end June, and it's killing me.... Every couple of days I get on google maps and look at the satellite imagery of the city. It seems that tracing my path through the city with a mouse is the only way to keep myself calm.

I don't know what the future will bring, but it sure looks exciting.

There are two more posts below this so don't hit the little x in the corner just yet. Scroll down to see what else is new in my life.

Little Black Dress

One of the greatest advantages of having four seasons within a year is that not only is there a change in pace between cycling and skiing, but that there is also some downtime from riding that allows you to really put some tender loving care into your bike.

Ever since I first purchased Miss Devinci (My downhill bike )back in 2009 I've had plans to eventually rebuild her into a race worthy machine. Well this last winter. Thanks to a very hefty tax return and some friends who are great at scanning the internet for deals I'm proud to present:

MISS RAVEN DEVINCI

If you can't remember (or even cared to remember) what she looked like before just scroll down a couple of blogs and you'll see some pictures of her stripped down to the frame just before I started painting her.

The paint job sure took awhile. I started back in February by first stripping all the paint off the frame and bringing her down to bare aluminium (No pictures were taken of Miss Devinci naked, it wouldn't be proper), and then with a loosely obtained permission from my landlord I pitched a tent in the yard and through the month March I began laying down layers of primer, and then paint.

Unfortunately Winter made a come back for the beginning of April and the process was put on hold, as part of the painting process requires a full day where no wind or dirt or rain could contaminate the drying paint. I don't think I've ever followed the news as closely. Also not to mention that between each coat a paint the surface had to be wet-sanding and any paint runs or mistakes had to be removed before the next layer was put down.

On top of that the rear shock was sent off to Fox Racing Suspensions to be overhauled, new bearings for the headset and bottom bracket were dug up, and a brand spanking new set of race wheels were located by my friend Ty (Who desperately needs to get back from the Middle East so we can go ride).

You may not understand everything that was done but it's ok. A picture says a thousand words, and I think I'll let Miss Devinci tell you everything. Here are a few less than professional quality pictures.

For Luke

One of the sweet things about going to school is that you often find the most random things floating around campus. One of them is the Comic covered Professors door. Every school has one. Maybe every department. Down here at ISU it's kind of a fun game to enter some random building, take the stairs above the classroom to where the teachers offices are and walk around looking for funny stuff taped to doors. Well early this week I found the following comments posted on a teacher's door. It reminded me of Luke, but given that we're all children of our Mother, I figured most my siblings would enjoy the stupid humor. :P Read on.

Following every Qantas flight, pilots fill out a form called a gripe sheet, which conveys to the mechanics problems encountered with the aircraft during the flight that need repair or correction.

The mechanics read and correct the problem, and then respond in writing on the lower half of the form what remedial reaction was taken, and the pilot reviews the gripe sheet before the next flight.

Never let it be said that ground crews and engineers lack a sense of humor. Here are some actual logged maintenance complaints, and problems as submitted by Qantas pilots and the solution recorded by maintenance engineers. By the way, Qantas is the only major airline that has never had an accident.

P= The problem logged by the pilot.

S= The solution and action taken by the engineers.

P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.

S:Almost replaced left inside main tire.

P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.

S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.

P: Something loose in cockpit.

S: Something tightened in cockpit.

P:Dead bugs on windshield.

S: Live bugs on back-order.

P:Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces 200 feet per minute descent.

S: Cannot reproduce on ground.

P:Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.

S: Evidence removed.

P:DME volume unbelievably loud.

S:DME volume set to more believable level.

P:Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.

S:That’s what they’re there for.

P:IFF inoperative.

S:IFF always inoperative in the OFF mode.

P:Suspected crack in windshield.

S:Suspect you’re right.

P:Number 3 engine missing.

S:Engine found on right wing after brief search.

P:Aircraft handles funny.

S:Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right, and be serious.

P:Target radar hums.

S:Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.

P:Mouse in cockpit.

S: Cat installed.

P:Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.

S:Took hammer away from midget

Sandbagging???

Tax Day has come and gone, and while many of my fellow Americans were busy crunching numbers and digging through W-2 forms I found myself in an elementary school parking lot surrounded by small cluster of men and women wearing tights. All of whom were eyeing the queasy looking sky and thinking the same thing. "What in this good green earth encouraged me to leave my warm saturday morning bed and come out here?"

The reason. Race Day! Hosted by ICE(Idaho Cycling Enthusiasts, but i think the pun was intended) the annual Tax Day race was only a few minutes from starting. I hadn't competed in a race in nearly 5 years, and judging by the mass of $2000 carbon fiber road bikes lining up next to me on the starting line I was starting to regret my decision to come, as all I had was my $300 steel single-speed. I figured if I finished I'd be happy.

Well the race started off, and I'm sorry I didn't have anyone to take any pictures, but one hour eleven minutes thirty-seven seconds and twenty miles later I rolled across the finish line a full twenty minutes ahead of second place.

Not bad I thought.

Considering I dropped the pack about a mile into the course and never saw another competing soul until the end, but what really gave me bragging rights was the laughable fact that some kid on a cheap piece of steel was able to finish strong let alone finish. Felt good.... maybe I'll have to go start wrestling Sitani, and Noah, and Jace so I can brag about beating little kids as well :P

It's finally finished

Ok... So I'm pretty sure that most of you have no idea what's finally been finished, and that it's a project that's been in progress since last summer. In short, the three room basement apartment that I rent with my roommate Myka was originally equipped with a bedroom for each of us and a shared living room. But as Both Myka and I eventually invested in our own personal flat screens the living room became a very lonely unused room. Then last August as Myka and I were preparing to start another riveting semester of "academic joys" we looked at our living room and saw the potential for a tidy little workshop.

First steps included removing all previous furnishing from the room.

Second, thanks to the pile of unused lumber and a couple extra large pieces of shop counter tops removed from the trash heap outside of Scotts Ski and Sports, a workbench was made.

Third, a used bike stand was located.

Fourth, tools were unpacked

Five, Shop apron was found.

And sixth, Miss Devinci has been given her own Spa Day :D

Plans for a Shock overhaul, new wheels, and regreasing of bearings are in order. Along with a deep cleansing scrub that bubbles down to the threads on the nuts :D I'm hoping to enter into the Utah Downhill circuit this year to see how I can do and so I'm very excited to now have a place to myself where I can tune my bike. :D

Now of course some things are going to have to be acquired over time. Tools like a truing stand, headset press, Bottom Bracket Removal Tool, and cable cutters are all on the mind, but first addition will probably be the all essential stool. I'm currently using this bad boy fashioned out of three 4x4's and a piece of particle board I had lying around. It's fastened together with furniture tacks and I've nailed a 2x4 underneath it to keep the thin 'seat' from bending when I sit down. I know many carpenters out there are groaning quite loudly at this abhoration of construction, but really it's quite sturdy, and effective, but I too cannot wait to find a padded cushion to sit on.

But all in all it's quite a pleasing site to see. The workbench really brings it all together, and needless to say I'm pretty stoked at the whole idea. I've been wanting to piece together my own home shop ever since I started working at Perfomance back in 2005. Crazy eh. Well I guess this will serve as my blog for the first half of the year. Over and out.

NEW BIKE DAY!!!

US MSRP: $1,500*

• 4130 double-butted cromoly frame with ISCG mounts and vertical drop outs
• Marzocchi Dirt Jumper 2 80mm travel fork with 20mm thru-axle
• BMX-style 4130 cromoly tubular cranks with Syncros chainguide
• SRAM X.9 8-speed rear derailleur; short cage
• Avid BBDB 5 mechanical disc brakes

	Pea Soup

*Actual retail price may vary based on any added dealer freight, tax, and assembly fees. Frame 4130 Double Butted Cromo W/ ISCG integrated mount and vertical drop outs Sizes 13” Short , 13” Long Frame Shock N/A Fork Marzocchi Dirt Jumper 2; 20mm Thru Axle 80mm Travel Headset Ritchey Drop In Internal Crank Set 4130 Tubular Cromo 10 spline interface W/ e.thirteen 32t crownwheel Bottom Bracket Euro Sealed Derailleur Front Syncros Chainguide Derailleur Rear SRAM X.9 Composite Short Cage Freewheel SRAM PG850 8-Speed 11-28 Chain Shimano HG40 Pedals Pivit Featherlite w/ Replaceable Pins Handlebar Syncros FR riser bar; 40mm rise 710mm width; 31.8 clamp Stem Syncros FR; 50mm extension; 31.8 clamp Grips SDG Lock On Derailleur Shifter SRAM X5 Trigger Shifter; 8 Speed Right Side Only Saddle SDG Skylite I-Beam Seat Post SDG I Beam Alloy Mirco Adjust 25.4 Seat Post Clamp Pivit alloy bolt on Hubset Pivit Sealed 120t driver disc Alloy 8/9 Speed Cassette; Pivit 20mm Sealed Rim SUN S.O.S 32h Spokes Stainless Steel 14g Tires Kenda Small Block 8 2.35F / Kiniption 2.3R Brakes Avid BBDB 5 Mechanical Disc w/ 6” Rotor Brake Lever Avid FR5

So.. you survived the data sheet :D Did you understand any of it? I can upload the geometry schematics too if you wish. But if you haven't already heard or figured it out by now I have a newly added mistress to my harem of bicycles. I'd like you all to meet my new DJ (dirt jump) bike. Made from chromolly steel for a very smooth ride this baby is a mix between a BMX bike and a hardtail mountain bike. It's main riding design if you haven't guessed is for lofting yourself off of large kickers and manicured jumps, but it's also burly enough to be ridden down some pretty good trails. Ever since I spent my first winter on Elizabeths tiny little red bike I've been craving a good light bike that could be ridden in the town, and at the local dirt jumps. The streets here in Pocatello don't stay covered in snow, and so I'm hoping that as the mountains begin to be closed to biking that I'll be able to keep honing some of my new found "skills" by riding this sweet baby! Stairs, Walls, Dirt Jumps, and Retaining Walls beware this is going to be fun :D

If you're still reading I guess you're probably interested in knowing the story of how I got this little gal. Well I first wanted to get her when Scott's (bike shop I wrench at) picked up Haro Bikes this year, but sadly even with Employee Purchase this beauty was out of my price range for most of the summer. She retails for about $1500, and the shop gets them for about $850, and with the 20% of wholesale that comes to roughly $650-$700 for Employee Purchase. I still wanted it though and as mom has often told me (generally in reference to getting my room clean) that whenever I wanted something I somehow tend to find a way to get it (she would then punctuate the point that I should want to clean my room and then I'd find a way to get it done). So I've been putting little bits of money aside all summer hoping to maybe have enough by seasons end, but when I totaled the books I only had enough for the bike that's a few tiers down from this guy :(.


It's not a bad little bike, but it's kinda like buying a Kia Sephia when what you really want is a Nissan Xterra. It does the job... but.. well you all know. But being the budget friendly guy I am I decided to go and order what I could afford, but to my great pleasure I found that the Haro Steel Reserve 8 was on clearance for only a few bucks more than the 1.2 :D

And well.. the rest is kinda history, and since I'm scheduled to go riding here in like 10 min I better wrap this up and get to the trail. When I get pictures I'll post them, but until then just admit to yourself that you're a tiiinny bit jealous ;)

Down Time

Ok... so those of you who I've promised to blog

about my Labor Day trip to Colorado, my apologies. This is not it. I'm still waiting for same footage from my friend Ty(designated camera man). Due to this lack of footage, an immense amount of homework, and the fact that my poor mistress had her deraileur tore off, there has been a stupid amount of cycling down time. Parts should be coming soon, but until then I've settled into my bed, and have collected a wonderful selection of short cycling shots that I think are the bomb. Enjoy :D