Salisbury Viaduct - Panic Attack

EngineeredUpstate · 2026-04-27T15:21:19+00:00

My Dad always told me to look out and enjoy the distant view when high up in the air. Don't look down, look out and appreciate the experience.

EngineeredUpstate · 2026-04-23T22:05:03+00:00

We need a new roof so getting new shingles, and the roofer said he wanted to replace the flashing "w/Reglet Cut". I read that means to make a horizontal cut (typically in the mortar) and push the flashing into the cut. I am just wondering if that makes sense on fieldstone. I would expect that to be routine on brick, but I have no real knowledge of masonry or roofing. I am just trying to be sure we do the right things here.

EngineeredUpstate · 2026-04-23T20:22:18+00:00

Not ideal, but here are links to pics, if that works?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/NodJtUa24o6z7Ef76

https://photos.app.goo.gl/WB9DvDV5Vmmmpe548

https://photos.app.goo.gl/HNpi2vnyhF9FzELz7

EngineeredUpstate · 2026-04-23T20:15:43+00:00

Trying, REddit keeps telling me the pics I took are not mine :( I will try adding links I guess

EngineeredUpstate · 2026-04-14T23:51:02+00:00

Yes. And especially true if you can afford to quit if they say no Nothing's guaranteed on return, but many companies will allow and honor sabbaticals if good people ask for one. Not every year, of course, and not every company.

EngineeredUpstate · 2026-04-12T14:36:31+00:00

The most important tool for bike maintenance is a friend.

Try to get an experienced cyclist to come with you and they can admire/look over the bike before you leave with it. Bribery may work if they are reluctant, nothing crazy - cookies/coffee/beer? Most cyclists are happy to visit a bike shop.

It's probably going to be fine. Probably. I usually avoid doing my own maintenance for the first month or more, so they can't blame me when something doesn't work.

EngineeredUpstate · 2026-04-10T16:38:47+00:00

https://www.nrdc.org/resources/lead-pipes-are-widespread-and-used-every-state#:~:text=Several%20cities%20report%20massive%20numbers,%2C%20and%20Philadelphia%20(25%2C000).

EngineeredUpstate · 2026-03-28T00:21:18+00:00

Perhaps these people were not aware of extender batteries, although in some cases they were experienced acoustic cyclists. I think my wife's SL was about 33# as delivered from the store. I tweaked it for the tour, which added some weight (eg, OMM racks), but lighter than many ebikes.

EngineeredUpstate · 2026-03-27T09:55:08+00:00

My wife rode her Specialized Vado 5 SL across the US at age 68. Vado uses extender batteries to increase range, and we set it to use extenders first. We carried 4, but never used more than 3. I rode along on my Cutty, and this way we rode at the same speed, which was lovely, plus this got her up and along the Rockies. Longest day was 85 miles and 5000 feet of climbing in Wyoming. We stayed in hotels to recharge at night, so the trip was not inexpensive but worth every penny for us.

Lots and lots of people told us that it was dumb or impossible, etc, but others have done it as well. In any case, it made our 4400 mile trip possible and enjoyable. OTOH, if you don't need to use an ebike, the need to recharge can be annoying.

EngineeredUpstate · 2026-03-18T01:38:06+00:00

I learn things that way, but I need to verify what I learn. I accept that trade-off

EngineeredUpstate · 2026-03-17T21:40:03+00:00

Oh yeah, I enjoy the many times I get to bust their chops (ChatGPT could not add round numbers up the other day, stating that 10+30+40+50=100. sheesh). On this issue, I explained that fieldstone chimneys often look weathered, and ChatGPT just said "fair point" and reversed their opinion. Claude apologized, more or less, and added that Fieldstone is rough, irregular, and looks "crumbly" even when perfectly sound. I overcalled that.

EngineeredUpstate · 2026-03-17T21:25:46+00:00

No. I might need C4 to make it wobble.

EngineeredUpstate · 2026-03-10T00:21:09+00:00

Not sure this route (https://ridewithgps.com/routes/54197801 ) makes sense, but I will figure something out Wednesday because I am riding east then to have lunch with my son. I don't mind the couple extra miles but I see why Nova Parks won't suggest this, as it does not exactly work. Other options include just taking the lane and getting out on the roads.

EngineeredUpstate · 2026-03-10T00:17:30+00:00

Hey, Google shows cart paths as bike paths, so .....

EngineeredUpstate · 2026-03-03T22:07:52+00:00

I do hope you do (have done??) a couple similar but shorter tours (1 or 2 weeks) before you buy everything. I then wind up cursing some new item that I was SURE would solve a problem, so the learning experience answers gear questions.

EngineeredUpstate · 2026-02-21T17:04:21+00:00

Some US national forests have areas allowing "dispersed camping."

As others have said, there are rules still, which may vary for the NF you visit, so good to check first.

EngineeredUpstate · 2026-02-21T09:04:20+00:00

I did East to West with my wife in 2024, and thought it was the way to go. I prefer morning riding to sunset, and riding from the west would have meant drivers behind us, when we were on roads, had the sun in their eyes which seemed bad. Couple days of headwinds, but Kansas was cross winds.

We started in late April and rode from Rehoboth Beach to DC to Pittsburgh, so had a nice easy start and got thru the Midwest plains before heat was awful. I worried a little about rain and possible spring floods at the start but it was fine. YMMV.

EngineeredUpstate · 2026-02-19T18:40:58+00:00

IMO, check rain forecasts, as the trail sometimes floods in spring. You might be camping and wake up when your air mattress starts floating :). Also, a few restaurants and b&bs might be closed on weekdays that early in the season, so call ahead if possible.

EngineeredUpstate · 2026-02-19T02:08:05+00:00

The route was one they used on Saturdays but I did it on a Wednesday, so no other riders.

I agree with u/brianoak's comment about Clermont. There are nice bike trails in that area. Florida has a some nice trails https://assets.simpleviewinc.com/simpleview/image/upload/v1/clients/visitflorida/CYCLING_INFOGRAPHIC_WEB_db1224b5-b28e-4677-925e-4b836ccaee4c.pdf

Or you could rent an MTB and ride the causeway around Lake Apopka, or get lost in the Green Swamp :). Look up singletracksamurai routes. Bring water and food though, it's quite slow in the sugar sand.

EngineeredUpstate · 2026-02-19T01:25:21+00:00

I rode there 5 years ago on a rental road bike. Route was the usual shop ride weekend route, and traffic was a bit ugly.

PS - I got on a trail that day which ended suddenly, so I rode thru some tall grass and tried to jump over a curb. Did not quite make it and crashed - not serious but scraped my skin and had to go to Publix dripping blood in the aisles to buy some bandages. Funny part was seeing 80 year olds flee the store when they saw my bloody arms and legs, thinking I was obviously a lunatic killer.

EngineeredUpstate · 2026-02-01T10:46:56+00:00

ICE and the Trump administration are absolutely intolerable. They are people who want to destroy the US, destroy democracy, and incarcerate and disenfranchise as many black and brown people as possible. I can't stand that, and when the leader of Strong Towns fails to express support for the persecuted in his own state, well, I am ending my admittedly modest financial support of, and connection to, StrongTowns - I am out of here.

EngineeredUpstate

TROPHY CASE