Blog Feed: R A N T W I C K

Congratulate me, the father of a new mutant! Some might think you get used to spawning a new mutant after the first few, but let me tell you, they are so wrong! Every mutation is special in its own way. Some may recall that I put together yet another

Pick 3

Published on 2012-12-27 10:00:00

OK everybody, the time has come to determine who has won the Third Annual Rantwick Autumn Tree Smackdown.I really liked how it went down last year, so I'm just gonna do it that way again. For those of you who have forgotten or are new to the contest,

Xmas Time Suckage = TARATS Tardiness

Published on 2012-12-17 11:21:00

Christmas is sucking up TIME! I mean, it is 11:55 PM Sunday night as I write this, and it is the first opportunity I've had to post something all weekend! I used to dislike Christmas quite a lot. I worked in shopping mall retail for a good stretch ma

Trevor Traveller's Triple Tops Total TARATS Tree Tally!

Published on 2012-12-07 22:48:00

Trevor, the world-famous PurpleTraveller, has submitted three trees from across the sea!Hi....Greetings from the South Coast of the UK....Running a bit close to the wire with my entry this year.....When I found that the security had been increased at

I Need Some Time, Dammit!

Published on 2012-12-06 12:21:00

Still no time to be a proper blogulator, so I have to be brief, but I have more TARATS entries that I don't want to let get too stale.

El Paso

Published on 2012-12-03 12:20:00

Jen from El Paso makes it 19 people (and 29 trees!)

New Hampshire Weighs In

Published on 2012-11-30 11:42:00

Longtime friend of this blog Cafiend has not had good luck with his best Smackdown tree again this year:

Texan Twins Totally Try To Take Top Tier TARATS Tally

Published on 2012-11-29 21:14:00

Or, if you would rather,

Wow I'm Lucky

Published on 2012-11-29 09:00:00

The world is a violent and dangerous place for so many. I count my blessings all the time,

The Virginian, part II

Published on 2012-11-27 13:50:00

Hey, no time to try to be clever today, but

The Texan Rebel and the Flowering Aussie

Published on 2012-11-26 07:00:00

I'm gonna start writing Romance novels. I mean, look at that tag line! I hope you weren't getting all worked up for

More and More TARATS Awesomeness

Published on 2012-11-22 07:00:00

I love my job. I mean, wonder in print where Canadian trees are, receive one next day. Plus another Aussie. Crazy. Crazy, I say!Let's start with Michael from Ridgeville, Ontario, Canada. For those unfamiliar, Ridgeville is near Niagara Falls. If you

Missing Movember

Published on 2012-11-21 10:30:00

First, does everybody know what Movember is? Let's check:

More TARATS Action!

Published on 2012-11-20 11:02:00

Recumbent Conspiracy Theorist (best name ever, by the way) has sent me two more trees! The email:Hi Rantwick,

TARATS 20!

Published on 2012-11-19 14:33:00

I have received another TARATS entry, making it 20 pictures so far. The email:

Tarats Entry #19 - Seattle

Published on 2012-11-18 00:50:00

Longtime reader of these pages Steve A has had two trees in mind for my contest this year. One of them is (or was)

Are You #%^1n' Kiddin' Me #8

Published on 2012-11-15 09:39:00

I can not stand it when commercials make strange illogical connections between things.

Something Encouraging from the Middle East

Published on 2012-11-13 17:00:00

I ran across this on YouTube and I found it encouraging. Since encouragement is something we can all use, I thought I would share...

TARATS is OVER.

Published on 2012-11-13 10:59:00

At least according to Darin in Minnesota:

Ham from France - Ooh la la!

Published on 2012-11-05 13:33:00

Ham of London Daily Photo has sent in an entry from the

Exhibitionism - I Passed It On

Published on 2012-11-03 17:00:00

I have always craved attention, despite being

Minecraft, plus TARATS Entries 15 and 16

Published on 2012-11-02 11:57:00

Well, it is Friday, and none too soon I think. Rantwick Junior is testing for his Red belt in Karate at 530 today, so I'm hoping nothing delays me. Friday afternoons seem to have a special knack for surprising / delaying me.

TARATS Entries 13 & 14

Published on 2012-11-01 09:00:00

The newest entries in TARATS are from Australia! I was pleased to have an

I'm Being a Scofflaw for Halloween.

Published on 2012-10-31 11:03:00

Sad but true.

I Hate the Internet

Published on 2012-10-30 09:17:00

Well, what on earth could I write about today other than the mighty Sandy? In the past I would watch the news of events like this

The Squeaky Rantwick Gets the Trees!

Published on 2012-10-29 10:41:00

What can I say? I whined and complained and a whole bunch of TARATS entries came in over the weekend and this morning!

Waa! Waaaa! WAAAAH!

Published on 2012-10-25 12:23:00

It wouldn't be October if I wasn't whining and wailing about wanting more trees, so here I am. I have decided to try web voting for the entrants in TARATS again this year and I have made a display page for the entrants that I will add a voting widget to when the time comes.

Warranty / Customer Service Report / Mutant Winter III is ALIVE!

Published on 2012-10-24 12:45:00

I am really happy with Chain Reaction Cycles right now. Remember how one of my new Schwalbe Marathon Winters had a cut in it? I said I would report on the customer service I got. The news is very good.Here's the timeline:Tuesday, Oct 16, 12:01 PM - I emailed CRC a filled-out warranty claim form (easily found on their web site) and a picture of the cut tire.Tuesday, Oct 16, 12:02 PM - I receive an auto-reply from their "Warranty Team" saying that based on current volume I could expect a reply to [..]

Dauntless and Pantless

Published on 2012-10-23 09:45:00

Over the last several years I have come to inhabit a new reality. While reviewing video the other day, I

If You Were Riding the Bicycle #7 - Lane Splitting

Published on 2012-10-22 09:00:00

I'm curious what my North American friends will think of this... I'm almost 100% that riders from Europe and Asia etc will think it is fine, since lane splitting is common in a lot of places. It is decidedly uncommon where I live, though, and that means doing it is UNpredictable behaviour. Just the same, I would do what I did in the the video again without hesitation.

TARATS Entry #4

Published on 2012-10-21 16:27:00

Just got another entry for the Third Annual Rantwick Autumn Tree Smackdown!From Kenny's email:Mr. Wick,I took this picture just today at the CVS distribution center near my home in Fredericksburg, VA.Since you like bikes, I leaned my large internet special on the trunk to add a sense of imposing scale.Thank you and have a great day!

TARATS Entry #3!

Published on 2012-10-20 13:00:00

I think it is going to be a good year. Check out Recumbent Conspiracy Theorist's first entry (he too is promising more):Yer Pal, R A N T W I C K

Ok, C'mon Now...

Published on 2012-10-19 17:13:00

This is a quick follow-up to today's earlier post written by disappointed caveman. This just happened on my way home...TGIF. Have a super Weekend! R A N T W I C K PS - I got another entry for TARATS today! I think I will unveil it tomorrow.

Things People Say Fridays #8 - Disappointed Caveman

Published on 2012-10-19 09:15:00

Uhnn. OOK! OOK!Aag Grock,U N T T M A R G

Woo hoo! I Can't Win TARATS!

Published on 2012-10-18 11:04:00

I really can't win TARATS now, because I gots me a entry from another person, one who like, is not me.

The King for 2012

Published on 2012-10-16 23:00:00

Well, I have not received a single entry in my tree contest yet, and I becoming rather worried. I know many of you are still waiting for peak foliage joy-joys, or at least I really hope so.Here's something to get us started: the official entry of my tree, the soon to be dethroned King of Autumn himself! He can't win, so he's no threat, except for the fact that he might kick the butt of your puny "winning" entry in votes, sucking all the fun out of winning at all! HAhahahaha! Think I'm over confi [..]

Sadness and Filth

Published on 2012-10-16 11:33:00

My new winter bike was ready! Ugly tub? Check. New front fender / splash guard kludge? Check. Awesome new studded tires? Check. Lights transferred from Summer bike? Check. Test ride. Uncheck awesome new studded tires... deep sadness.

Encounters with Rantwick, episode Twenty One: Rocket Raccoon

Published on 2012-10-11 11:54:00

To be honest, I don't really like the video I'm about to post. There's a kind of lameness about it that I can't quite put my finger on. Last night when I made that same observation Mrs. Rantwick said, "well, you worked on it for a couple of hours; you should just post it anyway. It's cute." Mrs. Rantwick being someone who is very seldom wrong, here we are.

Things People Say Fridays #7 - Good Morning!

Published on 2012-10-05 06:45:00

When I bicycle

I'm Seeing Red.

Published on 2012-10-04 11:08:00

In last year's Autumn Tree Smackdown I received my first entry on October 12. This year it seems to me the trees in London are peaking a little sooner. The King, for example, is getting close to maximum crimson:

A Trip to Dundas Ontario - Studying the Wildcat

Published on 2012-09-28 08:00:00

As some BikeSnobNYC readers may know, the Wildcat himself was in Hamilton (well, technically Dundas) Ontario

Bicycle Saddle Height: Higher and Higher

Published on 2012-09-26 15:52:00

Something strange is going on. Year after year, I have raised my

Fat Bikes and Grip Studs

Published on 2012-09-23 09:00:00

pic source: fat-bike.comAs much as I am happy and excited about Mutant Winter III, there is another winter cycling solution I am interested in. Fat Bikes. These are bikes that are designed for use on snow or sand or generally ugly terrain, characterized by crazy wide rims and very wide and usually rather soft tires. Good examples of the most popular are the Salsa Mukluk and the Surly Pugsley.The reason I'm interested is that I could ride the unplowed and icy MUPs in London Ontario on one of thes [..]

Cycling in Traffic: Irrational Fears

Published on 2012-09-21 08:30:00

If the title of this post drew you in because you care about Vehicular Cycling or Cycle Driving or any of those crazy notions about roads being shared without special paint or lanes or infrastructure, you are in for a real disappointment, despite the fact that bikes and roads and cars are nowhere near mutually exclusive. This post is about my stupid brain and its totally unfounded, irrational fears: Since I have not been buried in concrete, you can expect to see another post here soon.

Childish Again

Published on 2012-09-19 07:00:00

I have posted in the past about bringing clothing that belonged to my children (socks, underpants) into work instead of my own stuff. Those incidents were accidental. Now I have started taking their stuff on purpose...

Turn About is Fair Play

Published on 2012-09-18 09:30:00

See what I get for scaring people the other day? Dude startled me bad on my way into work on Friday morning...People

Distant Early Warning

Published on 2012-09-17 09:55:00

I must confess, I used to see people running blinky lights in the day time and think they were overcautious nerds. Why would they want to just waste their batteries that way?

TARATS is a SMACKDOWN

Published on 2012-09-14 18:00:00

I feel like there wasn't nearly enough fanfare about TARATS (the Third Annual Rantwick Autumn Tree Smackdown) in my initial post. I mean, this isn't about a bunch of tree huggers taking pictures and being all nice, you know. This is a SMACKDOWN. With Autumn trees. And the people are usually kind of nice and some may actually hug trees on a regular basis. But make no mistake, people,

Mutant Winter III

Published on 2012-09-14 06:00:00

My winter bike is becoming more run

Hard Times

Published on 2012-09-13 16:30:00

Hey, you ever just ride on the plastic shell of a bike seat instead of a real bike seat? I did it for a couple of years when I was young and it suited me just fine on the frequent but short rides I was taking at the time.

You Know What's Fun? Scaring People!

Published on 2012-09-12 09:30:00

I startled or scared no less than three people on my way into work yesterday. 1 by accident, 2 on purpose. It was fun. Well, the on purpose ones were fun. The other one made me feel like a bit of a tool; you know how when you're riding up behind people on a path and have to decide whether to announce your presence (which sometimes makes them scatter in all directions) or just slide by quietly? Well, I misjudged on this one. Maybe I really should just get a bell.Anyway, here, for your enjoyment, [..]

The Third Annual Rantwick Autumn Tree Smackdown!

Published on 2012-09-11 11:20:00

Last years winner from JAT in SeattleAttention, foliage fans, the Third Annual Rantwick Autumn Tree Smackdown, North America's premier fall-foliage-posted-on-an-obscure-website competition,

Yep, That'll Happen.

Published on 2012-09-10 12:29:00

Hi all. I sincerely hope others have been enjoying some excellent riding weather like I have since I last touched base. Not much time to think of the blog or write anything lately, again.

Sunglasses Again

Published on 2012-08-29 08:20:00

I sure seem to write about sunglasses a lot. I'm really getting kind of angry now... I am on my fourth pair of the summer. Which is why I don't buy good sunglasses. I lose 'em or break 'em. Of course, one could argue that perhaps I would take better care

HispanWick?

Published on 2012-08-27 11:51:00

I think most people who blog for a while start getting emails like this from time to time:

Blast From the Past

Published on 2012-08-20 11:01:00

While I was away in Thunder Bay in July I saw this vintage cycle locked up outside the Hoito:The Hoito is a Finnish breakfast place / diner that must be experienced if you go to Thunder Bay.It is located underneath the Finlandia Club. Try the Finnish pancakes. Newsflash: There are lots of people of Finnish

How Cyclists See Toronto

Published on 2012-08-20 10:12:00

If you had to guess which city would be nicer to ride your bike in, would you choose Toronto, Ontario, Canada or Dallas, Texas, USA?I'm thinking that most people who don't know either city would guess Toronto. Canadians are usually so well mannered, right? Right?Here's a post from one Texas cyclist who didn't really enjoy Toronto's downtown cycling scene. I think it should be seen as a wake-up call to anyone who thinks Toronto is doing OK when it comes to cycling...Second Class in TorontoI would [..]

The Olympic Ideal

Published on 2012-08-13 14:39:00

There's something that has gotten a lot of play on Canadian media that I want to share with my non-Canadian readers because it is just so cool. In this case, it is the Canadian who slipped up and a Costa Rican who just might be the best sport ever.Here's the deal. Canadian triathlete Simon Whitfield wiped out while passing over some wooden structure that was built over top of a speed bump. His mistake. Video available here. Sorry I couldn't embed it in this page, CTV wasn't having any of that ki [..]

Things People Say Fridays #6 - Sweet!

Published on 2012-08-10 11:30:00

Unbridled enthusiasm is something in short supply in my world. Just the same, the mic on my helmet cam managed to pick some up the other day:Thanks, excited dude! You made my day. Have SWEET weekends everybody!Yer Pal, R A N T W I C K

Well Lookie What I Found!

Published on 2012-08-09 11:12:00

I found something good last week. More on that in a minute. First, a couple of other things.I need to re-post or cross-post or whatever they call it with this:Curiosity Killed the CatSaw it on Abandoned Stuff by Saskboy and felt compelled to share.Secondly, I wanted to say a little something about street riding in the rain. I find riding in the rain very pleasant, excepting the times

Peace and Quiet

Published on 2012-08-02 01:34:00

As I indicated in my last post, I was away for a vacation recently. I've been slow getting back into the swing of this blog and everything else, really, because it slowed down my brain in an awesome way. I went home to Thunder Bay and spent most of my time on Bolduc Bay, Dog Lake

I'm Not Back Yet

Published on 2012-07-27 15:16:00

Hey all, just a quick note to say that I haven't gone off the deep end or been squished by a car or anything. I went on summer vacation in a rather hurried, can't care about the blog right now fashion and was really off the grid for a good while there; I couldn't have updated the blog if I

Perfect Steady Circles

Published on 2012-06-29 10:15:00

There are times these days

Are You #%^1n' Kiddin' Me #7

Published on 2012-06-27 13:15:00

I've been driving my family a little crazy with my obsessive behaviour surrounding this commercial:The stuff being advertised here is being called a "water enhancer" by the company who makes it. Every time that guy says "it really changes your water", I scream "YES, it changes your water into juice!" at the TV. My family used to just laugh, but now they are beginning to find it tiresome. Nonetheless, I can't seem to let it go.I have nothing against this product, but for some stupid reason I can' [..]

POV Cycling Video Bits n' Pieces

Published on 2012-06-22 09:30:00

I've had a few snippets of video that I didn't know what to do with for a while, so I strung 'em together:About the video: - The under-bridge guys were just doing an inspection. I don't know what the deal was with the masked dude though.-

Encounters with Rantwick, episode Twenty: Super Salmon Cycle Squad!

Published on 2012-06-18 10:17:00

I don't know that I have ever done back-to-back Encounters with Rantwick posts; but when Encounters happen, they happen, I guess.It is a an awe-inspiring thing to come across perfection. Unless of course you see it all around you. I suppose some people find it all over the place. I envy those people, because I don't always have the eyes to see. I've got this to hang to for now:Those three are a reminder to me that perfection is possible, and for that I am grateful. Thank you, SSCS!Yer Pal, R A N [..]

Encounters with Rantwick, episode Nineteen: Geese Are Cranky Jerks

Published on 2012-06-15 01:32:00

Jerks are common enough, although in my experience most people aren't. Jerks, I mean. Then again, maybe we're all jerks. I mean, maybe the vast majority of us are nice, except for the rare moments when we act like jerks. There are just so many of us, though, that we experience somebody else's very rare jerky moment multiple times daily.One thing I did not know was that Geese were cranky jerks. I mean, I had a hunch, but it was unproven. Until

Downtown Fixed Gear, RANTWICK Style

Published on 2012-06-11 11:21:00

As some of you may know, my summer commuter (named Summer) is a fixed gear. Way back when I did a post about the unhip nature of its setup.I had a nice ride in downtown traffic on that bike

Cross Purposes

Published on 2012-06-04 13:21:00

Much like this bike I saw recently, events in my life currently seem locked at cross purposes to any writing, posting, or even reading efforts. This is just a quick note to say that I hope to be back to regular posting again soon. I sold the Great Satan as planned and have been riding every work day, so I have lots of video I would like to work with as soon as I can find a little time.Perhaps my man Mordecai can help me realign my work/life/blog balance. Until then, take care of your centres of [..]

Hey, City of London Department of Transportation Planning and Design! You ^%$**@n' Rock!

Published on 2012-05-22 09:55:00

Remember how I wasn't too crazy about the signs at the Hale

I Am A Blogging King!

Published on 2012-05-17 10:47:00

You know, people start blogging for all kinds of reasons. Some people find it theraputic. Some have some sort of agenda or message they're trying to promote. Some just enjoy writing so much that they just do it for fun. All of those reasons apply to me

Things People Say Fridays #5 - Why The Heck?

Published on 2012-05-11 11:00:00

As I've often written before, people often comment about the camera on my head. It doesn't usually make me laugh like a goof.I Strongly Suggest You Laugh Like A Goof Sometime This

Encounters with Rantwick, episode Eighteen: Cycle Satan and Devil Dog

Published on 2012-05-09 10:00:00

You know, most commutes are pleasant, but boring. I delete most of my commuting videos from my camera because they are just plain uninteresting.

Things People Say Fridays #4 - Guess What!

Published on 2012-05-03 23:28:00

Video says (although not very clearly) it all...

Cycling on a Roundabout - Part Deux

Published on 2012-05-02 22:38:00

I recently posted something on how to cycle a roundabout. I took a longer route home from work today because the weather had turned very nice and I had the time. Heading southbound on Hale into the roundabout, I noticed signs that I had not noticed when eastbound on Trafalgar (although upon reviewing the video I saw that they were there too):I think these signs are supposed to indicate that pedestrians will be on the sidewalk and at crossings, cars and bikes will be on the road and to watch out [..]

Help the Creator of the Grumbear

Published on 2012-04-27 13:09:00

I am a selfish person. Here's the deal: Rantwick Jr., creator of the world-famous Grumbear, is raising money for the Heart and Stroke foundation in a school-based initiative called "Jump Rope for Heart". He skips, you pay. The selfish part is that normally I would take his pledge form into work and make the rounds and try to raise some dough on his behalf. The problem is, there are so many things circulating at my work asking for cash right now that I just don't wanna be one more. So here we are [..]

Just Ride Your Bike

Published on 2012-04-25 15:50:00

Hey, don't let things like this get you down!When something bugs me, there are two answers that work for me 99% of the time. 1) Take a shower. 2) Just Ride

How To Bicycle On A Roundabout

Published on 2012-04-23 09:18:00

On rare occasion, I find that I want to write seriously about something that may prove useful to others. I know, it freaks me out too. Anyway, here we go:London Ontario built its first roundabout a while ago, at the intersection of Hale and Trafalgar. I think it has quite handily dealt with the railway crossing and traffic tie-ups that used to characterize that spot. Here's a picture!source: Google MapsI recently

If You Were Riding the Bicycle #6 - Handling The Oblivious

Published on 2012-04-20 13:00:00

First off, let me once again apologize for my relative absence on the blog lately. I have a new and if I may say so, rather novel excuse. Believe it or not, I've been spending my non-working hours developing a Toy Idea. It's true. When my top secret invention has been adopted by a huge toy company and I'm all set to collect my millions in royalties, you can bet I'll flog the product on these pages. Until then, the best idea anyone ever had will have to remain a mystery and this blog will suffer [..]

Things People Say Fridays #3 On Saturday - The Law

Published on 2012-04-13 13:00:00

The reason this post is showing up late Saturday night is that I've been trying, without success, to make the youtube vid show up like it does on my desktop. It won't. After a dozen infuriating tries, including some right from scratch, it still goes wrong in the bits about me and London cops. I know things flash too fast and you don't have enough time to read some captions. I've been screwing around with it for two days. I'm done. F(%k It. Now to the originally scheduled post:I recently posted s [..]

Things People Say Fridays #2 - HEY!

Published on 2012-04-06 13:15:00

No talk. Just vid. It's Friday.Yer Pal, R A N T W I C K

Holy Spoke!

Published on 2012-04-03 23:30:00

"The bicycle spoke may be one of the handiest non-tools ever". I am writing this post because I just had the thought once again after using a spoke to fish things out of our bathroom sink's drain. There were cotton swabs, a toothpick and other stuff, all efficiently removed using a bicycle spoke, which saved me from having to drain and possibly take apart the trap. I have posted some less-than-appetizing pictures on this blog, but not even I would inflict a picture of what I found on my readers. [..]

SARATS - Last Post

Published on 2012-04-02 10:54:00

Well, JAT's maple syrup has finally been produced and is ready for shipping, hopefully today. I had placed a pre-order for his bottle, and when Jakeman's called me and I went to pick it up, I asked the lady working there why Extra Light was so hard to find.I thought it was only a difference in processing of the sap... I was wrong. Apparently in order to make Extra Light

Fat Head

Published on 2012-03-28 08:18:00

As some of you may know, I recently had to replace my bicycle helmet thanks to an idiotic wipeout. I have always known that I had a large noggin. I bought the biggest helmet Canadian Tire had and it just fit if I dialled the thingy to the largest possible circumference.Yesterday and

I'm Officially Out There

Published on 2012-03-26 11:01:00

I have written an "About The Author" page with pictures of my real face on it for those of you who are brave enough to look. I was growing tired of being half-cagey about who I was and figured if people were nice enough to come and read my stuff, the least I could do was look 'em in the eye.The "About The Author" link under my profile links will get you there if you wanna take a peek. No time for anything new or interesting today, but I'll see what I can rustle up over the next few days.Yer Pal, [..]

Things People Say Fridays #1

Published on 2012-03-23 11:15:00

As the title suggests, I'm hoping to present a

rantwick.com

Published on 2012-03-22 22:09:00

Hey there everyone. I've made the decision to register rantwick.com, and this blog will be found there from now on. Google tells me all the old stuff will be automatically forwarded to the new domain, so you shouldn't really notice any difference, and if you're used to typing rantwick.blogspot.com, no worries because it should automatically forward to rantwick.com.I'm a little puzzled about what, if anything, will happen with my feeds or ads, but I'll sort out any problems out as we go. If you a [..]

UWO vs. Fanshawe College vs. TSGTA: Higher Education in London Ontario

Published on 2012-03-20 09:00:00

Last Saturday was the "perfect storm" for drinking and mayhem here in London Ontario. As most of you will already know St. Paddy's fell on a Saturday this year. Here in London, that Saturday coincided with summer-like weather despite the fact that it was mid-March. (Not quite the ides of March, but close. Hmmm.) Anyway, things got nasty in a subdivision adjacent to Fanshawe College when drunken revellers went psycho and had a good old fashioned riot:The first footage was taken by the CTV cameram [..]

The Great Satan

Published on 2012-03-17 00:05:00

I have a devil living in my driveway. It is a beat up 2006 Hyundai Elantra.This thing is sucking away my soul, bit by bit. Melodramatic, I know, but ever since the Rantwick clan once again had two cars, I've been riding less and less.

Singletrack

Published on 2012-03-09 13:00:00

I haven't done any dirt trail riding in 20 years. That is strange, because when I was younger I really loved it, getting muddy, wiping out sometimes... the challenges are exhilarating. When I returned to cycling several years ago, it was as an on-road and paved path commuter guy, and that remains true to this day. I think I may be saving wild times in the bush for my mid-life crisis or something. So, the title of this post is a little misleading. Here's what I meant:Sorry I felt compelled to use [..]

Singletrack

Published on 2012-03-09 13:00:00

I haven't done any

Just A Couple of Things

Published on 2012-03-02 17:34:00

I went to Jakeman's for the sweet elixir to send off to JAT but they didn't have any! Should have more in a couple of weeks... at least it will be fresh!Hey, you know what else is nice about Jakeman's? It is owned and operated by, you guessed it, the Jakemans! A pleasant thing in our monster corporation dominated world.Now here's something that caught my eye at the grocery store a few days ago:I wonder if "McDowell Ovens" is owned by the McDowells? I'll have to check that out sometime. What caug [..]

Just A Couple of Things

Published on 2012-03-02 17:34:00

Rantwick Down!

Published on 2012-03-01 10:41:00

I had a nice little wipeout a week ago on Thursday morning. I was barely moving and not even on the street at the time. Here's a helmet cam view of this stupid event:As one might expect, the cam doesn't show much of what happened. I don't know where my mind was, but it wasn't on riding my bike or the big patch of ice I rode on to just as I was turning. I mean, it looks like I was aiming for it, but honestly my mind was just elsewhere, I guess.Unlike a previous almost-stopped fall I wrote about o [..]

Rantwick Down!

Published on 2012-03-01 10:41:00

SARATS Finale!

Published on 2012-02-27 11:11:00

Well, the votes are in and I've made a video to sum them up. Thanks again to everyone who entered... I hope you'll be back next year.JAT, email me with a mailing address and 500 mL of Jakeman's Canada #1 Extra Light maple syrup (the best I've ever had) will be yours!With any luck I'll get back to writing about cycling now. I love it even more than trees, believe it or not.Yer Pal, R A N T W I C K

SARATS Finale!

Published on 2012-02-27 11:11:00

SARATS Flip Flop - Let's End This Thing

Published on 2012-02-22 11:01:00

It seemed like a good idea at the time. I mean collecting "video votes" to decide the SARATS winner. The thing is, I don't have the time to get out there and do it, and I don't want this contest to drag on forever. So here's what I wanna do instead: Let the entrants decide.I will be sending an email to every entrant asking them to visit this page and vote for any two trees other than their own in the comments. I made it two trees because I couldn't decide between my top two and figured others mi [..]

SARATS Flip Flop - Let's End This Thing

Published on 2012-02-22 11:01:00

Valentine's Day the Rantwick Way

Published on 2012-02-16 22:28:00

Mrs. Rantwick and I believe that Valentine's Day is pure commercial nonsense. For years now, we have agreed to do nothing on Feb 14. I do, on occasion, surprise her by having flowers sent to her office or something, but never on Valentine's. We usually get some candies and stuff for the kids, but that's it.I had been away from home (in Winnipeg, Manitoba) for over a week and was missing my family like crazy. By the way, I attempted to collect video votes for trees at the airport a couple of time [..]

Sir Vay Lance

Published on 2012-02-05 23:59:00

In my last post I mentioned something I found a little funny in my web stats. Well, the very next day I got a visit from somebody else I had never noticed before:If you read my previous post and the comments on it with an eye toward specific words and phrases, do you think it possible that they may have flagged it for a little visit somehow? I can see a few that make it a possibility, if a remote one. I've never noticed that particular visitor before and they don't appear anywhere else in my rec [..]

Blog Stats Reveal My Normal Visitor

Published on 2012-02-01 12:16:00

Like any blogging OCD freak, I sometimes look at my web stats to see how unpopular I am. I am quite unpopular. That's OK, though, because those who do keep coming back are generally my kind of people.Those who don't keep coming back often land here because they were doing google image searches, and I saw something interesting today.It's 12:25 AM. Do you know where your norms are?I think Chris Koos, the mayor of Normal, may have an interloper on his hands, a late night image searcher straying [..]

Skippy

Published on 2012-01-30 09:21:00

I posted a while ago about how I would like to build a Winter bike using an internally geared hub next time around. Here's why:You know, this thing was performing surprisingly well considering how much slushy crud had accumulated in it. I have fenders for this bike but haven't installed them yet. It is my hope that a front fender with a great big mud flap may reduce some of this buildup, but this kind of thing is usually inevitable in my experience. The result, often, is that you end up with onl [..]

Oh Crap, I Did it Again.

Published on 2012-01-25 10:30:00

As some have noted in the past, if I ever post something saying I won't be around for a while, you can count on something in the next few days. Well, it has happened again.In this case it is because happy coincidence allowed me an opportunity to collect some SARATS video votes at Masonville Place (Mall) here in London Ontario! I'll probably just keep collecting them until I feel there is a clear winner. Here's round one:Hastily assembling that video and posting this is all I've really got time f [..]

Out But Not Over

Published on 2012-01-21 17:51:00

Due to circumstances somewhat beyond my control, I will be absent from this space for at least a couple more weeks. I hope there are still a few of you left when I get back! My apologies for the lack of activity on SARATS and anything else... sometimes other things are just more important. I really look forward to resuming regular posts as soon as I can.Yer Pal, R A N T W I C K

Frustration

Published on 2012-01-13 10:05:00

Deepest apologies, all you SARATS entrants. I have not had an opportunity to get out and collect votes on your trees yet. Frustrating, stupid busy life. Wait, scratch that. My life is pretty awesome. I live in the best country on the planet in a state of outlandish excess and luxury by most of the globe's standards, my kids are great and my marriage rolls on as happily as ever. Stupid blog, making me feel guilty for having a good life... anyway, I intend to knock out a slideshow tonight and coll [..]

Outstanding. Like Really, Really, Great.

Published on 2012-01-03 12:00:00

Some of you (very few, but some) may recall a character in my life named the Grumbear.The Grumbear was created and named by my son, Rantwick Jr., when he was 6 or 7. Rantwick Jr. is 10 years old now. The Grumbear has been an important part of my life ever since he was created. I stick his terrifying face over the partitions of people's cubicles at work sometimes. I also use him in a "talk to the hand Grumbear" kind of way when sitting in my office.I once hallucinated the Grumbear after eating so [..]

Last Gasp SARATS Entry!

Published on 2011-12-22 10:55:00

Hey there! Long time no write! How have you been? I sure have missed you these last 9 days... I have no good excuse. Just got busy again. Somebody else who got busy was Darin from Duluth, Minnesota. He submitted a picture for SARATS at 9:01 PM (Eastern) on December 15, bringing the total number of entries to a whopping 18! There were 12 entries in the Smackdown's first year. Now, does that translate to 150% growth or 50% growth? I've always been a little slow on growth percentages. In any case, [..]

A SuperMutant, Boeshield T-9, and a Tree

Published on 2011-12-12 11:30:00

I have sad news. Mutant Winter is no more. When I got around to trying to clean her up for this winter season, I found that the disc brakes had deteriorated into rusty clumps of unfixable goo. I didn't want to buy new ones. Other things were also pretty bad, so I stole the studded tires, the second best tub in town, pedals and a few other components and slapped 'em on an old SuperCycle mountain bike. SuperCycle is a house brand for Canadian Tire bikes. At the lowest end they are about the same a [..]

The Best Cycling Retirement Idea Ever, Or Pure Stupidity. One of Those.

Published on 2011-06-17 09:15:00

As my spotty-at-best posting might suggest, life and work are continuing to conspire against my blogging efforts. The life stuff is good, I'm doing a little coaching for the first time this year and my free time is pretty much soccer soccer

Snow Face gets his Freak On

Published on 2011-06-06 23:46:00

I've got other posts I want to write, but no time to write them. So, rather than remain absent, I present for your amusement a little bit of video of the mighty snow face !Snow Face is now about 7 months old, and he likes gettin' his freak on...

THE Health Unit, Facebook and Twitter

Published on 2011-06-03 11:02:00

You know, say what you want about London Ontario. The London-Middlesex Health Unit, a common naming convention for Health Units all over the province, owns the URL healthunit.com. Wow, man. Somebody was on the ball on that one. This post wa

Encounters with Rantwick, episode sixteen: Friends of the Freak

Published on 2011-06-02 22:10:00

I mentioned in a recent post that I was gonna try my new camera on my helmet, where most would have in the first place. I must admit that I like that perspective best after all and since I edit all the video anyway, "head sweep" is not the problem I

Am I Just Paranoid?

Published on 2011-05-30 12:25:00

There's a Staples commercial about people being robbed and deciding they need to replace an old computer that the thieves didn't take. For some, the problem with this is that the people's priorities are kind of messed up. I find the commercial kind o

BikeSnobNYC Causes WTF

Published on 2011-05-11 22:45:00

I thought my word to form syndrome (WTF) was in check, but it would seem it is not. This time I blame BikeSnobNYC, because he is running a contest that spawned this:This is the intergalactic symbol for bike love used on the planet Tridork. That doesn

Bicycle Nudist

Published on 2011-05-09 01:00:00

Okay, I know I just posted something saying I wouldn't be back for a bit, but a couple of beers and a little video reviewing later, here I am.I was reviewing some video from my new video camera, the one I asked for opinions about the chest mount for.

Good News Bad News

Published on 2011-05-08 23:08:00

The good news (for most, I hope) is that I'm not dead. The bad news (for most, I hope) is that I remain unable to find any time to post anything due to the demands of school and work and stuff.Spring has finally arrived in some form here in London On

I'm Voting for The Internet

Published on 2011-04-25 16:32:00

Hey everybody! I hope everyone had a nice Easter. I've been awful busy and haven't been able to read stuff on the Internet, much less write any. I don't think I'm fading away like lots of blogs do... my guess is that the psychotic demands of my work

Encounters with Rantwick, episode fifteen: Stupid Honking Jerks

Published on 2011-04-18 02:08:00

I'm not usually one to piss and moan about the weather. I mean, I most often get some sort of sick satisfaction out of climate related cycling misery and/or joyjoys thanks to true preparedness. But Mother Nature sent out some teaser days that looked

Bag Balm

Published on 2011-04-11 10:45:00

First off, my apologies for being rather absent lately. This blog has had to play something like sixth fiddle to a bunch of other things. One of those things was, well, something I am reluctant to write about but that often affects cyclists... s

I'm Back, and I'm Chesty

Published on 2011-04-01 12:51:00

Yes, I was gone for that whole month in order to undergo Breast Enhancement. Rare for a dude, I know, but I'm not your average turnip, y'know?OK, that was my lame attempt at an April Fool's joke. What follows is the post I really wrote for today

March Break

Published on 2011-02-28 11:06:00

Since I have been too busy to post or even read anything bike related online lately, I thought I would make it official and take a little hiatus from writing here while I catch up with my real life.I am going to take a true March Break, like for

Driving Is Bad For Me

Published on 2011-02-16 14:39:00

No, no, this time I'm not referring to the impotence. I, like many cyclists, drive quite a lot too. In my case though, I almost never drive to work. Being a regular bike commuter allowed our family to go down from two cars to one and that

UK Cycling PSA - Bank Job

Published on 2011-02-15 12:37:00

Quite a long time ago I posted this Awareness Test, a PSA from Transport for London that I thought was pretty cool. Well, today I ran across some more spots from the same the same people, the video below among them. I really like these

On Love

Published on 2011-02-14 11:01:00

When it comes to the heady subject of love, many are searching for answers. How do I find it? How can I keep it? What is it? If you are one of these searchers and your quest has brought you here, I pity you. Nonetheless, I have a perspective to

Snow Face Friday

Published on 2011-02-11 10:00:00

I've been trying to post more frequently lately, but Friday has arrived and I find I don't really have anything to say. That, of course, doesn't mean I won't post something anyway... you're reading it right now.As I have done before, I'll just post s

Something Important That Has Always Bugged Me

Published on 2011-02-10 12:02:00

Writing a blog on a regular basis can really change the way one thinks and acts. Normal people go through life being somewhat annoyed by this or that and then moving on. I, however, have a place to piss and moan about everything and anything my

YAY!

Published on 2011-02-10 09:34:00

I don't know why, but I get extreme satisfaction from seeing pictures of my contest prizes on other people's blogs.First it was Ham in the UK with his Canadian Tire money won in the Obstructionist Art Contest.Now it is Big Oak receiving his Maple Syr

Cast Away A Canuck! Help London's Chris Ellison Get On CBS' Survivor

Published on 2011-02-09 11:30:00

Despite the way I often bash TV, I still watch quite a bit of it. I am particularly fond of The Office (US version) and much to my chagrin, Survivor.I heard a snippet on CBC Radio this morning highlighting the efforts of a London Ontario man to

OPD - Ortlieb Pannier Disorder

Published on 2011-02-08 11:01:00

Some of you may know this already, but I have something of an unhealthy obsession with Ortlieb Panniers. I have blogged at each stage of what I now consider my Ortlieb Pannier Disorder.It began with researching Ortlieb Pannier fabrics and their relat

There's A Hole in My Bucket. Goodbye, My Tubby Old Friend.

Published on 2011-02-07 11:30:00

I have mentioned the blue plastic tub that resides behind the seat of Mutant Winter many times. Well, the 2nd best tub in town has bitten the dust.The same snowy morning that snowblower man yelled at me, the tub snapped right off my bike. Being

NHL? No, non, no, silly... TDF!

Published on 2011-02-04 23:25:00

I read an article yesterday that got me pretty excited. Steve Bauer is putting together a mostly Canadian cycling team capable of competing at the highest levels, and he is quite ready to poach hockey players to do it. He was one, after all. He

Are You #%^&1n' Kiddin' Me #5

Published on 2011-02-04 11:15:00

Sometimes news coverage just makes me want to scream. I don't mind a little fluff or human interest stuff, but the chosen lead stories sometimes leave me really angry. Thankfully here in Canada we have the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). Far

The Shipping News (No, not that Shipping News)

Published on 2011-02-03 08:57:00

I took my packages to the post office last week and was informed that I would be charged extra to send those tubes. Apparently they are a pain because they roll off conveyors and stuff. So I didn't ship. I took my stuff back home and had a beer and t

Would You Turn The Other Cheek?

Published on 2011-02-02 11:30:00

I am a peaceful person. I don't really know how to fight and have never been in a "real" fist fight with a stranger. Before you get the wrong idea, I didn't get in a fight today either, but the potential was there. For the purposes of the following n

Introducing a New Member of the Rantwick Clan

Published on 2011-01-31 11:45:00

Some of you may remember that the Rantwick clan were the proud owners of a dog who I called my "customizer". I am sad to inform you that he met an untimely end last summer. He was still very young (about 18 months) and it has taken me

With Friends Like These...

Published on 2011-01-28 09:40:00

I don't often have visitors from the outside world into my office, but it does happen now and then. That's why I was glad to spot this on an unopened printer box in there before anybody else:The culprit is my best friend at work. He does things like

Slow As Sap

Published on 2011-01-26 11:30:00

Hey, remember the First Annual Rantwick Autumn Tree Smackdown? Remember how 3 lucky entrants won the awesome prize of a tiny bottle of the very best maple syrup I could find? Remember when I wrote "Congratulations you 3! Send a note to rantwick at gm

A Public Apology for An Idiotic Move

Published on 2011-01-25 22:05:00

I am just in from work. About half an hour ago (4:45 my time) I made a completely idiotic move on the bike that I am ashamed of. I have to make dinner and stuff right now, but on the tiny chance that the driver I almost crashed in front of while cros

Making the Switch - Signalling Right

Published on 2011-01-24 11:41:00

I'm starting to wonder how many people properly understand this hand signal.pic sourceIt is, of course, the hand signal for a right turn used by motorists (and some cyclists). It is made with the left arm because drivers are typically sticking their

Waving Flag of Doom

Published on 2011-01-21 15:55:00

This picture has nothing to do with this post. I just like it. It depicts Descartes opining on the notion that "Steel is Real". Now, to our regularly unscheduled program...As Friday afternoon rolls by and work proceeds, I've been sneaking peeks at th

Why Am I So Warm?

Published on 2011-01-19 15:29:00

When I read about what other people wear for cold weather riding, they always seem to be much more heavily dressed than I am. This morning it was -8C on my ride in. I was running late and did not layer up properly and wore what I consider the minimum

Spoiled

Published on 2011-01-17 11:13:00

Despite a pretty dramatic start, the winter so far has been very nice for riding. This morning was the coldest ride in so far this winter (I think) at -14C. The thing is, -14 is great. Anything below -10 is fine with me. Getting a little mo

A Most Dubious Honour

Published on 2011-01-14 11:45:00

Like several of my blogging pals, I recently got an email from somebody who claimed to Love RANTWICK so much that it had been selected for a Top 50 bike blogs list.I did not link to their website as their snazzy image links urged me to, bec

Kia Sportage Commercial - Share The Road

Published on 2011-01-13 11:30:00

There is a car commercial that is airing (or aired) recently here in Canada that has me kind of intrigued. I have no idea if it has aired in any US or European markets, so I figured I would post it and see what my very intelligent rea

Cycling in Sticky Snow: Speed and Funky Fenders

Published on 2011-01-12 12:15:00

This morning's ride was quite difficult since there was quite a lot of what I've heard some people call "shortbread" snow on all but the busiest streets. "Shortbread" seems pretty apt to me... it is kind of soft and squishy and sticky but not at all

Published on 2011-01-10 11:45:00

This is pretty much a tweet I guess, because I'm only posting to update anyone foolish enough to come here often on my status. I've acquired the additional maple-rific prizes (inlcuding some for next year) that I needed and should

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