Making the most of the weekend

Tracks embossed in grass on a nice evening.

Today I had the opportunity to finish up a few tasks around the house. Well, some were tasks, others were working on bikes, which I only rarely regard as laborious.

One quick project was for the Panasonic. I made a swap from a 39 tooth aluminum chainring on a 130mm bolt center diameter 170mm crank, to a 34 tooth stainless steel chainring on a 110mm bolt center diameter 175mm crank. If the last sentence was gibberish to you, I assure you it translates to increased single speed mountain biking fun.

Going from 39 teeth (L) to 34 teeth (R) means a better gear for climbing.

I teamed up the Surly 34 tooth stainless steel ring with a Spot chain guard.

I also hung up our new clock. Our big girl is learning to tell time, so the new clock will be a great visual aid in understanding how it all works.

It's always a good time to ride.

I collected the vintage Schwinns for a family portrait. We now have one each from the decades of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. It's intriguing to me to examine how the bikes changed, yet stayed the same.

Front to back, a 1947 Schwinn-built B.F. Goodrich, a 1956 Schwinn Corvette and a 1964 Schwinn Hollywood.

You can tell they're sisters, but each has its own personality.

I did a few non-bike things too, but it would of course be a shame to waste the day away merely accomplishing stuff, so we made sure to fit in a ride. We did several circuits on the dirt trails, on which she has now mastered climbing the second steepest hill. I'm not sure if it was her new pink skirt or the handbrake that gives her power, but she's brimming with confidence when it comes to off-road riding. She shook off a couple of minor crashes with a smile and was proud of the minor scrapes she received.

This girl is tough.

Soaking up the last few moments of the sunset.

Some of us appreciate certain segments of the ride more than others.