sewing update

So there's the vest I was working on, fresh out of the laundry (linen; do NOT tumble-dry!). I did a good job on the construction, but I don't like the fit all that much... but I made the pattern myself, from a vest that kind of mooshes on, so I'm not too disappointed.

Linen gets a kind of drapey-hang after it's been worn a bit. I'm glad I chose linen. (And it's good for carrying the cell phone, so here's that, too.)

If you see me when I'm not wearing a jacket, there's a good chance you'll see the vest.

Latest cycle jersey:

 

The puckering around the neck is reduced when I wear it. I've fixed the problem of the waviness in the seams.

Knits are better done on a different kind of machine than the home sewing machine I have, but I'm not about to get one of those; it's less about the cost than about affording it the house room. There are attachments and stitch choices that can be utilized, and my skills are improving.

The fabric I used for this one is commonly used on less-expensive jerseys (my two club leader jerseys are made of it). It has the advantage of being cheap when bought in bulk, and available in a number of colors (although the commercial manufacturers usually just get white and sublimate-print the graphics), but it only stretches one way  (confusingly referred to as "two-way stretch", as opposed to the "four-way stretch" that allows stretch in every direction). If you check your jersey at home, it will probably have decent stretch crosswise, but very little at all up-and-down (from the shoulder to the hem, for example). It made putting the sleeves in very tough. I have enough left to make one of those raglan-sleeve jerseys (I might like that pattern better), but I doubt I'll get more of this stuff, when the four-way stretch stuff (like that green-and-white) is available.

I have an idea for a knee-length blazer (have I posted that already?), but I need more practice first.

back to flemington, and remembering a difficult day

 I couldn't complete last year's version of this ride, because my derailleur exploded.

Once a year, Laura OLPH plans a ride to Factory Fuel in Flemington. Getting into Flemington from Pennington takes us across some roads that we don't often see: some of the routes are confusing and traffic-y, and if there have been changes in the intersections and landmarks from one year to the next, we don't usually know about them. But I enjoy the annual pilgrimage to Factory Fuel.

Peter, Jack, and I were early enough to the start that we decided to go try to meet Laura... but then it felt like it was getting late, so we headed back to the parking lot at Twin Pines.

At the lot:

We went up Hopewell/Wertsville and down Rileyville.

I had this eerie sense of foreboding on Wertsville Road. Last year, this is where the Uber didn't pick me up, and where The Excellent Wife (TEW) finally did. The woman on the tractor in the third picture was especially friendly, although I doubt she'd remember.

I got over it.

I don't remember where these were.

We got a little separated before the stop, and I remembered a speech Laura gave to a former member, Ed "Snakehead" C: "The head of the snake has to make sure that the tail of the snake makes the turn..." But we all wound up together, and no harm was done.

At Factory Fuel:

That's the Yellow Maserati. Some days, I really like it. Today is one of those days.

On the way back, we came across one of those intersections that's changed since we were last there; we missed a turn and had to adjust, so the ride was perhaps a smidge longer than planned.

And the derailleur is still intact.

hi-viz bike gear: begging for approval

 I hate high-visibility bike clothing. 

Evidence for effectiveness is mixed: one article says it helps, but only if drivers are paying attention anyway; this article says it may increase the odds of a crash; it's pretty clear that the evidence is mixed, at best.

To me, though, the wearing of high-viz gear seems like we're begging the drivers for permission to be on the same roads as they. "See?", we say. "We're doing everything we can to make it convenient for you! We take on all the responsibility for your asshole driving!"

Nope. Bright colors are a good idea. But high-viz just strikes me as so much begging. 

I won't do it until it's mandatory.

Which I suspect it will be some day.

And then, I'll be protesting, and finding passive-aggressive ways of undermining the mandate.

---

There's a group that rides out of East Brunswick, and one of the requirements, apparently, is that riders wear high-viz lemon-yellow. Now that I'm making jerseys, I feel like I should make one all-black, with a quarter-inch stripe of that high-viz yellow across the back shoulders, and show up for the start, so they can throw me the hell out.

more on the vest

 Last month, I cut a pattern for a vest I wanted to make for myself. The excuse was that I wanted a pocket for my cell phone, and I've purposely made a pocket specifically for it, but it's taken on another life, and now I like it as much because it's coming together well (as the bike jerseys mostly have not). 

I practiced making the pocket opening on some scrap fabric, and it went together just the way it was supposed to... so I went out and got some neutral-colored linen (the real stuff; less expensive, even in a bricks-and-mortar store, than I thought it would be). As I always do, I bought extra; I might have enough to make a whole 'nother one.

Below, the front panels. The one on the left is right-way-up showing the pocket opening. The one on the left is wrong-side up showing the extra-deep pocket for the cell phone. On the other, you can just about make out the shallower pocket; shallow enough that I can actually get my fingers to the bottom.

Then, below this, some other construction details. Men's vests often are made so that the back is just the lining fabric. In this case, I'm using lightweight cotton muslin, because coolness (of temperature, not of temperament) is a value. The back, sorely needing a pressing, is on the left.

On the right is one of the lining assemblies. This will go inside the piece on the left in the top photo. There's a large piece of muslin attached to a smaller piece of the linen, so that when it hangs open, the linen will be visible inside, as well.

 

Artificial fibers are usually cheaper, and sometimes longer-lived, than their natural counterparts, but artificial fibers are almost always poorer for ventilation. For this summer-weight vest, I wanted as much ventilation as I could get. Besides, in 2021, a linen/cotton vest is a marvellous* anachronism, and will add nicely to my resolution to increase and improve, slowly and regularly, my eccentricity.

(*The spell-check objects to my spelling of "marvellously" with two L's. Piffle.)

protecting white culture

 Tucker Carlson is always going on about protecting white culture.

Is white culture so fragile that is is under threat from other cultures?

If so, why is it so great?

If not, what is he afraid of?

weekend rides march 20, 21

 Forgive me, but I'm just not inspired to write much. I had a good time on both rides, and I'm in better shape than I thought I'd be, but the writing just isn't flowing.

On Saturday, Laura OLPH took us on this 45-mile-or-so ride. (My ride shows 55 or so, but I did a few extra miles.) Memorable to me, but of no interest to anyone else, was a disagreement I had with one of her neighbors about where I'd parked; I've learned my lesson, and won't risk parking in that spot again.

Laura had six signed up, but one complained of being out of shape for the day; I hope he's OK.

 

The route was more-or-less that widdershins to Sergeantsville that is such an improvement on the way we used to go. We stopped at the eponymous Sergeantsville General Store.

The route was demanding: 2900 feet of climb over the distance. Perhaps as a reward, near the end, we were graced in the presence of this regal, haughty hawk.

He allowed us to act like paparazzi, then soared off to attend to more pressing matters. It was the only picture stop of the day.

---

Today, I led a ride out of Claremont School. I didn't get any pictures until the stop. I did one of my usual routes (the ride was about 40 miles; that page includes my to-and-from rides) at my usual not-quite-B pace, allowing the fast horses places where they could run out.

One of the fast horses got in front at an inopportune time and missed a turn; a well-meaning fellow went to chase; Dave H, acting as sweep, waited for them for a bit, but when Dave returned, we let the others go. I make a point of saying in my speeches that if you're off the front, you're on your own; I will add a speech about if others are off the front, you can call but don't chase; don't compound the error by forcing us to wait for more people... because I won't be willing to wait. 

We found a potty at the Lubas Park on 601, and stopped at Thomas Sweet. They still have the toilet closed, but the pizzeria next door has one available (I think).

We also stopped at the Montgomery Arboretum lot.

We're all back now. 

I'll try to be more entertaining next time.

the fit is good; the seams aren't

 (Pardon the potato quality of the picture...)

This is the jersey pattern with raglan sleeves, that I make up in that awful floral stuff. I made adjustments to the pattern, and now the fit is good, but the seams are all wavy, which is apparently a common problem wiht some knits.

See the shoulders?

Time to go work on something else.

fast horses

 After getting whipped on last week's ride, I planned another C+ ride.

Andrew A, in for a few days from a two-yearish stint in Ithaca, said he wanted a C+ ride, and Laura OLPH caught up with us along the way.

 (Below, the sheep on Bayberry Road.)

But a number of fast horses showed up, too.

We stopped at the Boro Bean.

After the stop, Andrew and Laura left... and there wasn't any reason NOT to let the fast horses run. So the pace picked up.

They were kind enough not to leave me in the dust (and I was riding a bit better this week than last). I finished with a 15mph average, and I have no doubt some of them were faster, because they were usually waiting for us to catch up.

Bike pics. One of these might be the FreeWheelers website background soon.

(Above, Len C's Lauf. It's got a front suspension and tires big enough to be mattresses. It looks to have a cushy ride. Len can make it move pretty quick, too.)

Ride page linked here.