Bend it like...

Don't say it, don't say it...

Beckham!!!!

(Goddammit)

So after making my thumb look like my wiener  hanging out of my pants with some of the most scenic landscapes this country has to offer as the back drop, we continued west. 

(We're in Mormon country, act appropriately)

We had to stop back by the Bay to register our "Love Tub" and party with friends, so we took to the coast. 

(Roadside camping in Big Sur. Notice the blown out tire, turns out trailer tires rated for 55 mph means you shouldn't drive faster than 55 mph, who knew?)

(Casita Styling by the Pacific)

(You can't just swing through Santa Cruz in September and not shred some "hero dirt, pretty sure there's laws against it. There's also laws against riding illegal trails but clearly this Radish picks and chooses where and when to abide by The Man's rules. What can I say, I'm a rebel, sometimes.)

(Picked up a few more bikes. Just like drunk girls at a party and dollar bill$ in my wallet, the more the merrier.)

After the Bay Area pit stop, we were back on the road, our next destination? WWOOFing on a farm in Bend, OR. What's WWOOFing you ask? Well I'll tell ya. It stands for World Wide Oppertunites  on Organic Farms. Basically, you work a few hours everyday in return for a free place to camp and all the veggies you can harvest, plus some fresh meat (i.e. bacon!)

http://www.wwoof.net/

(Every route we take is the scenic route)

(Hehe)

(The Farm!)

(My mornings)

Oregon is rad, that's will be come more obvious as we continue on our quest. While roaming around some BLM land on my Black Market Roam I stumbled upon the Deschutes River. 

(Upon this epic discovery, I immediately took an unflattering selfie. I'm sure Lewis and Clark would have done the same if the technology was available)

(Found this mint bike sculptor while riding at Phil's Complex in Bend)

So Oregon rains way more than California. After slipping and sloshing through mud for about ten miles  in 40 degree weather I was in need of a beer and a burrito. Longboard Louie's has got'em both. 

(Epic skinny wheeled gravel grinding too)

Did I mention this Radish is now an Enduro Racing Radish? Yup, I signed up to destroy all the competition for the legendary Ashland Super D. 

(Pre 16 mile downhill shuttle run)

(Pedaling uphill is for suckers)

(Sick trails and worn grips)

(Race practice)

("I asked for a 13 but he drew a 31")

(Post shuttle run, we crushed it)

So this Oregonian Adventure is simply too rad for one post, also I'm trying to (and failing miserably at) posting more often, so I'll finish this tale later. Stay tuned to see just how hard I crushed it at the Ashland Super D and be prepared for some next level traveling rawness.

-The Rad Roaming Radish

Getting Squirrelly on the Surly

(The Pacer in its natural habitat)

Old white dudes love saying "Gotta use the right tool for the job" almost as much as they love caddilacs, golf, and Viagra. The only problem? Sometimes picking the right tool is a little harder than choosing which saw blade to use(fuck it, as long as it cuts, right?). Sometimes the job is getting as lost as you possibly can while adventure pedaling on two wheels out in the middle of nowhere on a kind of paved road with no cell phone reception and your only map is a screenshot on your iphone of an actual map but way smaller because its on a 3" screen since paper maps are just too bulky. Finding the tool for that job can be a bit trickier.

Most bike "jobs" are more straight forward. Going for a road ride? Grab your road bike. Hitting some singletrack? Grab you mountainbike. But then there's those "other" jobs that some folks never get to experience. Maybe the idea of knockin out 40 miles with 17 of them takin place on a sketchy logging road in the middle of nowhere appeals to you. Maybe while pedaling down some perfectly manicured asphalt you see an unlabeled gravel road and think "What's down there? Better find out...". Maybe you think riding ten miles to a trailhead before you ride another ten in the dirt and then ride back home would be a "good time". Maybe, if we're going to be completely honest with ourselves, this bike is going to spent more than its fair share of time locked up in front of a bar hopefully in a not so bad neighborhood  so you may not want to spend $4000 bucks on it. 

(Taken mere minutes before I met a bear and then some moose out while lost on some Washington coast logging roads) 

Chances are if these things float your boat, you know two things:

1. You're kinda weird (me too)

2. Picking the right ride is hardest decision you will ever make (this includes major life decisions such as marriage, children, Chevy vs Ford)

For me, I chose the Surly Pacer. 

(Say hello to my little friend)

 Why? 

Several reasons, some more valid than others. 

First of all, Surly's just a rad bike company. They make rad stuff, appealing the the bike nerds and die-hard commuters of the world rather than the masses of couch potatoes and fair weather weekend warriors on their big box brand comfort bikes. Now, there's nothing wrong those comfort bike riding elderly folks strolling down paved bike paths just off the beach in Florida. If you pedal two wheels once in awhile for a good time, fuck yeah brah. But it is nice to find a company that makes quirky super specific niche frames and parts for those of us stricken with a certain chain driven affliction. 

While shopping around for the perfect frameset to use as the building blocks of my dream adventure bike, not too may companies were offering steel road frames with 32c tire clearances and somewhat relaxed geometry all within a working man's budget. 

Not only were the frame specs and price tag on par for my needs as a bike snob, but perhaps most importanlty, the looks gave a sense class that can be hard to find in a the latest carbon fiber tye-dye colored CX race machine. Would I have preferred a fancy steel Italian steed with shiny polished lugs and a name I can't pronounce? Maybe, but for $450 this Surly frame and fork were good enough. 

Not too light, not too heavy, 1 1/8 head tube, 27.2 seat tube, good tire clearance, all pretty standard specs. Yup, I figured this frame would be perfect to get into some trouble.

As far as the rest of the build? Nothing too fancy, mostly left over and second hand parts. Full Ultegra 9-speed groupo a buddy gave me after he upgraded to ten speed, used Chris King headset, a Bontrager Race X-Lite rear wheel I nabbed for $20 bucks and whatever else I could scrounge up. The few parts I bought specifically for my adventuring included some tan wall Panaracer Pasela 28c tires (since they're a little fat but still looking classy), some 45cm Nitto classic handle bars (again, nice and wide), and if course a Brooks saddle (if ya have to ask why, never mind).

(Breakfast ride)

After months of scavenging up parts, I had enough to build a bike. Once it was all said and done, I found out one thing, man she was a smoooooooooooth ride. Yup, while not the lightest, or fanciest, or fastest, or newest, or most expensive, she rode just how I hoped she would, nice and smooth. 

 Here's a few pictorial examples of where she's been: 

(Gotta keep them Brooks covered)

(We got this)

(Here's to hoping 28c is wide enough)

(One of the more important duties of this workhorse)

Not sure anyone who reads this poorly updated "blog" would ever want to build up gravel capable, kinda touring style, fire road crushing, coffee grabbing, 700c race bike that you can still ride to work, but if you're thinking about, the Pacer might be the way to go. 

Keep it rad, whatever your wheel size. 

-The Radish

P.S. Oregon Part II is coming up