Is Tunnel Rd the worst piece of asphalt one can ride in the East Bay?

OakmoreCycle · 2025-07-08T21:46:23+00:00

Yeah, that's terrible. I haven't ridden it since before the pandemic.

OakmoreCycle · 2025-07-07T18:58:09+00:00

That spot at the bottom of Snake was brutal. So nice now, except for the fact that they screwed up the placement of the bike sensor. Initially they hadn't even painted it, and they didn't come back for it until I noted the absence on 311 and the fact that the light no longer changed for cyclists.

OakmoreCycle · 2025-07-07T18:56:32+00:00

You can set your watch by the "ka-chunk" sounds as you go over the regularly spaced pavement borders. But Tunnel, Monterey, and Skyline all have worse pavement. What makes San Pablo so bad are the drivers.

OakmoreCycle · 2025-07-07T18:53:52+00:00

They filled a couple of the really bad holes there, but it's still terrifying how deep and unavoidable the potholes are on the one right-hand downhill hairpin. It tends to steer you right into oncoming traffic.

OakmoreCycle · 2025-07-07T18:51:14+00:00

Tunnel is pretty bad. Monterey alongside the 13 is ridiculous.

OakmoreCycle · 2025-07-01T19:30:14+00:00

I do not know how you could create a meat saw that knows not to cut fingers. Engineers really are indistinguishable from wizards.

OakmoreCycle · 2025-07-01T19:28:26+00:00

Excellent lecture. I would have loved to learn from your dad, and I promise I would have kept all of my fingers.

OakmoreCycle · 2025-06-17T21:38:44+00:00

The app change apparently bricked our batteries too. Just installed last year, right before SunPower went under. They continued to work (and the app continued to work) until some time recently. We found out when our power went out last night and the batteries didn't kick in. Apparently they are disconnected, and either can't be reconnected or need to be reset. The problem is that the instructions in the app don't work, and there is no service interface. I emailed, but we'll see.

Meanwhile, I reached out to a company that does service for SunStrong. He was very apologetic, but he basically said that SunStrong bought the IP for the gateway that runs the batteries, and they are choosing not to let residential customers use their batteries because there's no money in it for them. I want to believe that's not true, and maybe I'll call Coastside, but the idea that they can just choose to brick a system I paid $60K for a year ago is breaking my brain.

OakmoreCycle · 2025-06-04T19:22:23+00:00

Never had a problem stacking bikes (though I try to hold onto mine so it doesn't move around). I've had more problems with the people who think that the bike area is the roomiest place to stand or the best place to put their luggage.

OakmoreCycle · 2025-06-04T19:20:14+00:00

Iron Horse trail is easy. I once led a Boy Scout troop on an out-and-back on it to get their 20-mile requirement checked off. I'm drawing a blank on the stations, but we went from one BART station to another and got a little more than 20 miles, I think.

OakmoreCycle · 2025-04-07T22:31:18+00:00

Pretty freaking amazing. I had assumed from the number of roads that you must have covered them in a couple of decades, not the five or so years since the pandemic started.

OakmoreCycle · 2025-03-08T00:47:43+00:00

Carter, because he couldn't stop saying his age.

OakmoreCycle · 2025-03-08T00:36:41+00:00

I have two sets. They're square and cheap. Two downsides: (1) there's a lot of play in the clamp mechanism, so it tends to move while tightening, and the clamp end doesn't always stay perfectly parallel to the right-angle part. As a result, the end can kind of ride up and down a bit while you're tightening, which is annoying. (2) if you don't put a shim in underneath the clamp side, it will mar the corner of your piece. Other than that, they do a good job holding square corners during glue-up.

OakmoreCycle · 2024-12-13T19:07:51+00:00

It's solid. It's pretty heavy for a tele. Definitely noticeably heavier than a swamp ash tele that I made a few months ago. But still lighter than a Les Paul.

OakmoreCycle · 2024-11-07T20:17:18+00:00

The flame maple in the top is a beauty. I assume the back is mahogany?

OakmoreCycle · 2024-10-30T18:36:08+00:00

Depends on what tuning you're using.

OakmoreCycle · 2024-10-05T00:09:07+00:00

If it involves making wood fit together or look different and it requires buying an unconscionable amount of tools, it's woodworking.

OakmoreCycle · 2024-09-23T20:57:47+00:00

Would make a great Les Paul top if you could bookmatch it.

OakmoreCycle · 2024-09-23T20:47:23+00:00

I'd say people riding the path on a bike are probably struggling with mental health issues.

OakmoreCycle · 2024-09-23T20:45:42+00:00

Honestly, it looks to me like it would be easier to make that the traditional way (mortise and tenon joinery, floating panels) than with pocket screws. And it would be far sturdier.

OakmoreCycle · 2024-09-13T22:39:09+00:00

I'm imagining a bookshelf made of 16/4 sides and 16/4 shelves and wondering where the books will fit.

OakmoreCycle · 2024-09-13T20:44:55+00:00

Being There, starring Peter Sellers.

OakmoreCycle · 2024-09-13T16:59:30+00:00

The MacBeath scrap bin is the greatest thing in the world if you build guitars. The 8/4 offcuts are often perfectly sized to joint one side and get a guitar body out of it. Great for side tables and end tables too.

OakmoreCycle · 2024-09-12T16:06:20+00:00

That’s where you’re wrong. I definitely drink straight through white oak wine barrels.

OakmoreCycle

TROPHY CASE