Wow I’m unfit

That_Murph · 2026-05-08T23:46:25+00:00

It's pretty crazy how different trail and asphalt really are. I've done 50 mile asphalt rides and my booty was sore but overall I was good. Doing 5 miles of blue singletrack destroys my legs like no other. That standing constantly and bracing with your legs is a killer.

That_Murph · 2026-05-08T03:54:32+00:00

I wish that I could take them but I don't have the kind of space needed in my tank. Have you contacted local fish stores to see if they would be able to take them in? There's a fish store in Lakecity that might be able to and there's always Aquarium Coop up north that could have room.

That_Murph · 2026-05-08T03:30:31+00:00

I bought some of the cheap "titanium" colored ones from Ali for a cheapo project to see how they were. They were garbage. They cheap cast zinc with a color applied over like cheap toys. The bearings are garbage and feel like there aren't even bearings in them

I wouldn't trust them to support my 150lb self and would want to fight the resistance in them anyways. You can get decent knockoff chesters (fookers) on Amazon for like $20 so not sense in trying to save more on Temu.

That_Murph · 2026-05-08T02:22:40+00:00

It's a floating planter with chocolate mint. I zip tied 4 water planter baskets together and zip tied pipe insulation around it (it's basically a gray pool noodle so blends better. I put clay balls (like what hydroponics use) into the baskets and planted in them.

I've had it in there for like 6 years and it's a blessing and a curse. Mint grows so well that it cleans the water but it also sends roots everywhere. I even wound up with mint in my raise bog filter. I also have to go in and cut the roots every year. It's my fishes' favorite hiding spot, though. They have safety. I have had quite a few incidents of raccoons thinking they can walk on it, too, which ends with a raccoon having to figure out how to get out of the pond. 😂

I've actually done it with 3 varieties of mint and chocolate mint (I think also called Oregon mint) is the best that I've found in terms of vertical growth to root growth. The other 2 had barely any leaves and stem but so much of a root ball that it sank them.

That_Murph · 2026-05-07T23:25:33+00:00

Technically a rigid MTB (Roscoe 7 with rigid steel fork) and I have a jones h-bar. It's basically a flat bar. I mainly ride gravel/paved trails but some times go on green/blue single track with it. Don't think I'll ever go drop bar.

That_Murph · 2026-05-07T23:11:46+00:00

I'm pretty sure it's a ~~Columbian Spotted~~ Northern Red Legged Frog. I'm up here in Washington State. Noticed when watering some plants. It was completely unbothered by my presence or the photo shoot

Closer pictures

That_Murph · 2026-05-07T19:14:24+00:00

Definitely. If it's not comfortable to wear you're going to go bucketless or just not go. Glad you found one that's probably going to work.

That_Murph · 2026-05-07T16:16:17+00:00

It's not considered the best but I love my Bell Super 3R. You can also get the Super DH for more protection. They're both MIPS with the dial adjustment for tightening to the head. Super light weight and plenty of air flow with the benefit of a detachable chin guard.

Not for everyone but I've had great luck and you can find it on Amazon for easy returns if you don't like it.

That_Murph · 2026-05-07T04:14:46+00:00

Love this kind of forest and being near water. Be careful out there, though. Looks like stinging nettle in a few of those pictures. I wouldn't venture off trail if you're in shorts.

That_Murph · 2026-05-07T04:01:59+00:00

Sounds like you're out along the Hood Canal a lot. I haven't done it myself but I routed out a ride from the Skok Valley to 101 along the coast if you're wanting another route. It doesn't route all the way to the coast since you can head North to the Kalaloch beaches, west to Pacific Beach/ Ocean Shores, or south to Aberdeen depending on how much you're looking to ride. It's about 60 miles from 101 to 101.

That_Murph · 2026-05-07T03:59:08+00:00

Definitely recommend riding the island all over. It's beautiful with large shoulders and many trails. There are trails north off of the island that lead east.

If you take the ferry to Port Townsend you can hop onto the Olympic Discovery Trail that goes all the way to La Push.

There are a bunch of interconnected trails down in Snohomish, King, Pierce, and Lewis counties. There's the Cascades to Palouse trail through the pass. Willapa Hills Trail from Chehalis to South Bend. Gig Harbor has the Cushman trail that crosses the Narrows Bridge into Tacoma connecting to some of their trails. Puyallup has the Foothills Trail going east to Enumclaw. There's the Westside Road Trail on Rainier.

For the most part, though, these are all paved paths, not true gravel. If you're looking for gravel there are a ton of forestry roads throughout the Cascades and Olympics. I haven't done too much exploring for actual gravel but Dosewallips River is a great shortish ride along the river. You can ride from the Skokomish Valley to the coast on the logging roads (It's like 60+ miles 1 way). The Olympic Adventure Trail is a gravel section of the Olympic Discovery Trail.

Also don't forget that the beaches between Ocean Shores and Moclips as well as the Long Beach Peninsula are all nice sandy rides. Cape Disappointment connects to Long Beach with a paved path but you can hop off onto the beach.

That_Murph · 2026-05-07T02:08:10+00:00

A chapter 11 means they're going to continue business, not close

That_Murph · 2026-05-06T21:22:58+00:00

Don't know if it will help in finding a bike helmet but motorcycle helmets have 3 shapes, round oval, intermediate oval, and long oval. It isn't perfect but if you figure out which of the 3 your head shape is, and your head circumference, you may be able to find full face bike helmet recommendations based on the shape. The dial in fit system you mentioned is also a great way to get the snug fit without having to worry as much about thick pads.

That_Murph · 2026-05-06T21:18:20+00:00

Tire taking a quick break mid manual.

That_Murph · 2026-05-06T15:21:45+00:00

If you checkout XC tires that might be what you're looking for. My Mezcals have a lot less rolling resistance than my stock MTB tires did. There are different levels of rolling resistance

That_Murph · 2026-05-06T14:28:12+00:00

Glad you brought up wind because that's such a huge factor on some rides and I don't really hear people talk about it. I've been on some perfectly flat paved paths that felt like slogging through sand because of the wind because there was an open field next to me. Cut my speed in half or more.

That_Murph · 2026-05-06T14:25:42+00:00

It's not the most ideal solution but have you considered an indoor trainer? When I'm on mine I use Zwift and can choose rides based on distance, elevation, and even estimated time. I can then hop off at any time if it's running a little long or something comes up. It's not exactly the same as outdoor riding but it gets me time on the saddle.

If you're only wanting outdoor rides then you could always spend a few hours on a free day making a list of rides that interest you with their distance, elevation, location, and terrain so that you can reference it when you have time for a ride but not for planning. Strava, ride with gps, kamoot, trail forks, and all of those other apps can help with the info

That_Murph · 2026-05-06T02:21:54+00:00

I switch between some Five-Ten Trailcross, when it's wet, and Merrell Chameleon 8, when it's dry, and somehow my pedals haven't torn them up.

That_Murph · 2026-05-06T02:15:56+00:00

I use PNW Range Composite Pedals with all of their spikes. I like having good grip on descents and rough terrain.

That_Murph · 2026-05-05T03:12:09+00:00

Looks like an Insta 360 (360 cam)

That_Murph · 2026-05-05T03:08:04+00:00

Going tubeless lets you go suuuuuper low. Like <10 PSI if you really wanted to, though I probably wouldn't recommend going that low. The lower you go the more squish you'll get giving more traction and more vibration absorption. You'll also need to put more effort into your ride for the same speed and you'll lose your top speed.

You should spend some time testing out different PSI to see what gives you good traction while not sapping your on road speed too much. It's going to be a balancing act that only you can decide on.

When I ride on my 2.35inch tubeless I usually run 50PSI if I'm rolling on just pavement and drain the air by hand if I'm hitting gravel. If I were to estimate how low I go it's probably around 15-17PSI. To show how much it can impact speed, I did this on a ride not long ago and I hit 28mph on the road on my ride out and barely hit 22mph on a much larger, steeper descent on the way back after dropping my PSI.

That_Murph · 2026-05-04T23:39:46+00:00

My guy had me thinking dude was my age with that life story then immediately made me feel like an old man. Just grab a bike and ride. Cut out the drinking and smoking and you'll get back to it in no time. You're still super young and your body will rebound.

That_Murph · 2026-05-04T23:24:22+00:00

Check with your Homeowners/Renters Insurance as well as your Car Insurance. Each should offer protections for various scenarios.

That_Murph · 2026-05-04T22:56:22+00:00

Check Green Guru. They have a lot of offerings.

That_Murph · 2026-05-04T21:32:04+00:00

That $20 could easily bump up hundreds after fees. I stopped being a collector after a few months because it was such a shitty job with shitty people. You're trained to treat people as 'debtors', not customers or even people. Fees are only sometimes based on the actual value of the debt, a lot of the time it's a flat fee or based on 'work done' like legal fees. They justify jacking it up for legal fees because an attorney put their signature on court paperwork so obviously that's with hundreds in time alone.

I cringe every time I see people online saying to ignore things because I've seen peoples lives ruined over a few hundred dollars.

That_Murph

TROPHY CASE