Capn Makes NPR

The Capn defends looking at pictures all day...

iPhone 4 and Your Bike

For two years, I carried an iPhone 3 while on the bike. It was nothing to write home about -- not that you could write or call home once you got out into the countryside, where it's all silos and no cell towers. The iphone 3 camera? Meh. It would do in a pinch, but it was no substitute for the higher res digital Nikon I carried when photos mattered.

My how times have changed. The iPhone 4, with an upgraded camera (or two of em -- front and back) video capability, a sharper screen and a faster processor is what the bike doctor ordered.

Let me go on the record and say it's still just a mediocre phone, especially through AT&T, where the rural service could star in Cronenberg's Dead Zone 2.

But forget about the phone for a minute. Here's 10 reasons for considering the iPhone 4 in your jersey pocket.

Caution flare mode.

#10: Flashlight mode. We all carry plenty of lights for night riding. And what's wrong with one more? A flashlight app serves as a simple flashlight, or you can use it one of several other modes, like caution flare. Bonus: Speaking of lights, the iPhone has a built-in LED flash for low light video and photos. Guess what? You can force it to stay on and it's a reasonably bright light -- as bright as some of the lights I saw being used in PBP 03.

Heading south!

#9: The Compass. Oh, to have had this app on that fleche that went so far off course. With two signs missing, we didn't know which way was up, much less west or south.

Can you spot the detour?

#8: Route recorders. This $4.99 app, Cyclemeter, recommended by riding buddy Branson, does a fine job of recording the route, then displaying it on google maps, with a speed per mile breakdown as well as a couple dandy charts. It's not terrible on batteries, but if you're going way long, you'll want some kind of charger with you.

Retro styling.

#7:  Camera apps. With your updated camera, you're gong to want a few of the very fine apps available for just a couple bucks. All those effects can add a little splash to an otherwise ordinary picture.  The Caswell County courthouse gets a retro look, complete with Polaroid frame, thanks to Camera Show.

Yo! Where can I get a pizza?

#6 Google Voice Search. A great program that understands just about everything you say and, when you have an Internet connection, gives you the search results. Beats typing on that little screen with fingers sweaty from eight hours of bar tape.

Blogging on the go.

#5 Blogger applications. During the terrific Santa Cruz 1000K, I blogged while at controls or other stops. Social media uploads to Facebook, Blogger, WordPress and Twitter are possible through a variety of apps. The one I use is called BlogPress.

#4: Bike Repair App. Maybe you're not an ace mechanic, but if you have a simple mechanical problem and need help, there's an app for that. Called Bike Repair and selling for $1.99, the app has step-by-step photos for a quick roadside repair to your derailleurs, brakes, wheels, etc.

Yeah, there's a snooze button.

#3: The Alarm  Clock. Love this feature. Use it all the time, at home and on overnight rides. The robot alarm is really annoying; it's guaranteed to wake you up.



#2: Dragon Dictation. Another great app, this is free and transcribes your dictation for painless placement on a variety of SM sites or e-mail. The note on the left was a one-take attempt. Pretty accurate.

#1: The Weather. Everyone complains about the weather, but no one does anything about it. That's still true, of course, but at least you know what's in store for the next few days....

Ebay Auction: Pee Wee's Big Adventure Movie Poster

La Société Adrian Hands is auctioning off a fantastic poster of the world's greatest cycling movie -- yes, we're talking Pee Wee's Big Adventure. Here's the Ebay listing, ending Saturday, January 2. Bid early & often! Please note the Society does not have non-profit status and the sale is not tax-deductible.

The New York Times Goes....Rando?

Just in time for the holidays, the venerable New York Times has published a New York gift guide for cyclists. There are lots of two-wheeled ideas in there, including the new cycling book by former Talking Heads singer David Byrne and artwork by Brooklyn cycling artist Taliah Lempert. But my favorite on the NYT list is the complete rando bike by NY builder Johnny Coast.

You can check out the complete article here.

One other gift suggestion: the great new CD of riding buddy Chip, who currently lives up New York way, is available here on iTunes. Check out Beesting, Started and Kuschty Rye. A review of the album is here.

N.C.'s Newest Randonneurs

Riding buddies Branson and Byron have just added to their families, with sons Jack and Aubrey. Byron has a post with pictures of both. Check em out here. Congratulations to both.

Tweed, It's the New Lycra

Yes, it all comes round, doesn't it? Yo Adrian sent the link to this tweedy site. I guess it's old bike week at the Park. Personally, I prefer this Tweedy.

Foto Fun

I guess our friends in England have some of the same headaches with cars as we do. In a lighter moment, the folks on the Audax list have proposed this cycling accessory to "be used against white vans, 7.5 tonners and boy racers."

The comment from one poster: "Is the helmet compulsory?"

Best Bumper Sticker I've Seen In Awhile

Post from Mali

Son Double D has come out of blog retirement with a new post on life in southeast Mali, and the difficulty of starting over with a new language. The latest blog post is here.

An excerpt on his move from Sokolo to Boni, where he is helping out with a migratory elephant project:

The Toureg rebels have stated numerous times they will not attack foreigners, but Malian government strongholds only. So my danger was from some sort of crossfire or some increase in the Al Qaeda cell activity. It was a bit difficult to leave Sokolo. I really liked the village and was just finding a niche, language wise and socially, so the move was a bit trying. Yet, better to feel a bit put out than beheaded.

Note he is accepting donations for the elephant project. If you're looking for a worthy cause, here it is.

Quote for my Pal Jerry

"Oh, I been to North Carolina. Had me a Cheerwine already. I'm always down with whatever the indigenous over-caffeinated local beverage is."

-- Steve Earle, Wednesday night show. The NC Randonneurs had iced Cheerwine for the Shenandoah riders.

Quote of the Day

"I was passed by two bicycles. And I thought, 'Wow, this is embarrassing.'"

-- N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, commenting on the four-mile trip he made Thursday on a restored 1943 John Deere tractor. The trek took him from the N.C. State Fairgrounds in West Raleigh to the N.C. Museum of History in the city's downtown area. Troxler personally restored the tractor and donated it to the museum.

Around the Blogs: The Crucial Stop

MG did a great post on the Daily Randonneur yesterday about what she calls the "Crucial Stop." Check it for solid advice from fellow randonneur Russ about listening to your body even when your mind is telling you to keep pushing on.

The advice from Russ: head in to that store you might otherwise have passed for a cold drink, a light conversation and a few moments to collect yourself.

Force yourself to be a human being again, not some desperate randonneur on a 189-mile race against the clock.

Good stuff. Check it out here.

Wow: Vintage Edition

Wow.

A Short Break From Bike Posts...

To share pix that my son just sent from his Peace Corps post in Mali. Yes, that's him. I feel proud and petrified at the same time. He just signed up for Skype, and today we had a 45 minute video call -- for free. Ain't the Internet great?

Bicycling Hall of Fame: Greensboro in the Breakaway!

Thanks to Branson for the heads-up on this item.

GREENSBORO — The race to land the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame has entered the final lap.

A representative of the Somerville, N.J., institution Tuesday identified Greensboro and Davis, Calif., as the finalists for the biking shrine’s new home.

Full story here.

It Feels Like Flying

Yes, it's an airplane. But hey, that's Wilbur Wright at the controls, and he and his brother once owned a bike shop, which is now being considered as the home for the Bicycling Hall of Fame. Not to mention that the Wrights first flew in North Carolina's Outer Banks, which is where Blackbeard's Permanent ends up.

See how it all comes round?

Check this link for footage from 1909 of a camera mounted inside a Wright flyer. Look for the "SEE THE FILM" button as you scroll down the page.

Here's the background on what you're seeing:

This flight demonstration of American aviation pioneer Wilbur Wright was of a special historic nature: it involved images from the first camera aboard a plane! The two-seater plane with Wilbur Wright at the helm did a lap before an audience of photographers, army men and noteworthy moustached men and just avoided the cameraman on the ground. Then the plane started up again, followed a launching pad and took off: the camera was fixed for the first time on the ground that gave way…and the emotion was there, so great you could almost touch it! The image was as unstable as the cabin of the plane flying at low altitude, flying over the countryside and gradually approaching a town.

Rainy Day Fun -- Bike Auction

It's a rainy day here in N.C., making it a fine day to peruse the early photo offerings from the Copake Bike Auction, which just arrived in my In-Box.

This year's auction includes a publication with a great cover shot of Major Taylor as well as his autobiography, the Schwinn Speedster of your childhood, a beautiful Rudge Sports and a fun French tire poster. Enjoy.

Bicycling Hall of Fame (Part II)

Ruhroh. I recently posted about Greensboro, N.C.'s quest to be the next home of the Bicycling Hall of Fame. Several cities are still in the running, and Dayton, Ohio has just upped the ante.

From yesterday's Chicago Tribune:

DAYTON, Ohio - Civic leaders in Dayton, Ohio, are offering the Wright brothers' first bicycle store as a possible home to the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame.

Full story here.
Ruhroh.

Not Your Normal Tour Racer

I saw this story on an SIR listserv post and had to pass it along. Check out this quote about a Canadian racer named Svein Tuft.

"[H]e traveled sparingly, towing only his camping gear, a sack of potatoes and his 80-pound dog, Bear."

Enjoy.