Mtn Bike Upgrades

A few years ago I bought an Iron Horse Maverick 5.0 from EMS and it has been a great bike. I didn’t go crazy this round and spent a very modest 318$ on the bike. It was on close out since EMS was no longer going to carry bikes and it was discounted down from 549$. Not being a crazy off road mountain bike enthusiast like I once was it has served me well. It is still in almost new condition as a result of its light use and rather than replace it I thought I would just upgrade a few components.

I added a pair of Easton EC90 carbon bar ends to help me ascend some of those steeper hills that always kick my ass. They barely weigh anything at a scant 81g and feature a nice ergonomic shape that easily fits the palm of your hand. I found them on Hucknroll.com for 59$ instead of the retail price of 75$

As a result I also needed to cap the ends of the handle bar when I cut the grip to add the bar ends. Being just a plug I didn’t need or want anything too fancy and picked up a pair of Eleven81 Alloy caps from Amazon for 5$. They fit perfectly and hold the bar ends on should they loosen at all while riding.

My brother and I also figured we should get some lights since we got caught a little farther from home then we thought and had to bike back in the dark. We opted to get Blackburn Click head light and tail light combo pack. It retails for 25$ but I managed to get a small discount on Amazon and picked it up for 18$ not a bad deal.

I also added a pair of Crank Brothers Candy 2 clipless pedals that also weigh a mere 296g. These too should help me climb the hills with greater ease.  I picked the silver and purchased them off ebay from an authorized seller and got them for the bargain price of 54$ instead of paying retail price of 90$

With the Candy 2’s I need a good pair of shoes and settled on a pair of Specialized Comp MTB in black. My brother has the same shoe although a little different since his are a year old. I purchased them from Landry’s Bike shop in Westborough and got a 25% discount and took them home for 112$ instead of 150$.

While at Landry’s I also picked up a case for my iPhone to mount it on my bike. I use run tracker to track my off road/on road excursions and am always wishing I could see the screen rather then have to stop and pull the phone out of my pocket. I got the Wahoo Protector Bike Case for the iPhone made by Wahoo Fitness and mounts right to the stem of the bike giving me a perfect view of all the important information I might want while riding. I got it for 45$ instead of the 60$ retail.  

So a grand total of 293$ for all the accessories and the original 318$ for my bike it is now pretty well equipped to enjoy the off road or the on road. Now that they parts are all installed now I just need to get out and do some riding.

Task 06 & Task 09 - Spectacle Island

Task (06) Visit one of the Boston Harbor Islands.

Task (09) Visit 5 new beaches. (3/5)

Island: Spectacle Island
Ferry Cost:   $15.00

At less than 4 miles and only a 15 minute ride by boat from downtown Boston is an island with a varied history. Spectacle Island used to be two drumlins connected by a small spit of sand but over the many years of use. It was first used as a recreational island with two hotels until it was discovered to be used for illegal gambling. Then it was a horse rendering plant, then a city dump, and now a state park. It has nearly doubled from its original 49 acres to a total of 85 acres. Spectacle Island is home to excavated dirt and clay from the Big Dig which was used to resurface the island after its long history as the city dump.

I joined my brother, Sister-in-Law, kids and my sister-in-law's brother. When we arrived we found a Welcome Center directly of the pier with a small beach to the left. The amenities included two outdoor showers for rinsing the salt water off and 4 small changing rooms. There is a small clam shack with modest offerings in case you get hungry. We opted to walk along one of the many paths to find a beach suitable for a quick swim. What we discovered were beaches littered with beautiful sea glass and shells. The kids collected a few cool pieces.

We finally found a beach nice enough to go for a swim and the watch was cool and refreshing.  We didn’t stay in the water long but on a nice summer day with the sun beating strong it was a welcomed way to cool down. We then continued along the paths with the kids exploring the shoreline. Even though the signs said not to walk or explore the rock walls we couldn’t resist and explored finding all kinds of cool things. Aidan got to take home a lobster pot buoy that had found its way to the island.

The city views from the island are fantastic and as we made a full circle back to the Welcome Center we explored the history of the island by reading the Island timeline found in the gift shop before catching the ferry home.  It was a wonderful day exploring one of the many Boston Harbor Islands.



Task 89 – Skydiving (SkyDive Pepperell, MA)

(89) Go Skydiving (Indoor or Outdoor)

Date: Monday, August 6, 2012
www.skyjump.com | (978) 433-9222

Of all my Bucket List items I think that Sky Diving was the one I was most apprehensive about.  The idea of jumping out of a perfectly good plane at 12,500ft seems well crazy. Having just completed my first Tandem Jump and am already ready to schedule the next trip to the clouds.

We arrived at Sky Dive Pepperell at 12:30 for out 1:00 scheduled appointment. We checked in and were told to meet at the Waiver Room at 1:00 to go through the first part of our training. At 10:00 we signed our lives away and listened to a video recording of a lawyer basically tell us that sky diving is an extreme sport and that we could be killed or seriously maimed by participating.

At about 2:00 we began suiting up for our jump and we meet the jumpers we would trust our lives with. They were a fun and energetic group that immediately put us at ease and keep the mood light and playful. One of the jumpers asked me how many times I planned to jump.  With it still and unknown I said probably once to which he replied jokingly that parachutes are optional then. They were a great group who clearly know what they are doing.

They explained position of exiting the plan, posture during free fall, and the specifics of landing. They also gave many tips for ensuring a good time. While on the plane the continued to keep the mood light and engaging all the first time jumpers. While our videographers communicated with us and recorded our last moments before jumping our tandem jumpers were double checking all the clips that bound us together.  Less than 10 minutes after take-off we had reached our altitude of 12,500 ft and we could see the curvature of the earth.

Suddenly the door opened and the wind grew louder. Two solo jumpers went first showing us how easy it is. Their effortless exit made it seem even more exiting. My brother opted to go first and I followed shortly behind him. Before I knew it he was gone and racing towards the ground. Focused more on what I learned about how to position myself I had no time for nerves and I was out the door myself. My gut instinct was to initially close my eyes and I am glad I didn’t, that first few seconds out the door were best with the amazing views and hearing the rush of wind whistling by as we accelerated to terminal velocity.

Caro my camera lady took the next 60 seconds of free fall to capture video and pictures of my experience.  She was within arms length most the time and Reid my tandem jumper guided us into several spins to show off on film.  As we approached the clouds it was an incredible to feel the moisture in the air and the sudden white out conditions. As quickly as the cloud appeared we were below it and our 60 second freefall was over. With the pull of the cord out parachute deployed and we slowed down to a comfortable cruising speed.

During our glide Reid pointed out the various landmarks such as the Atlantic Ocean and the Boston Skyline before handing over control of the chute to me. He taught me how to turn each direction and how to slow my decent.  This gentle decent was sadly over after about 4 more minutes and we began our approach to the airfield where we had begun our journey.

As I looked down I could see the parachutes of those that went before me on the ground and as instructed I lifted my legs for a butt first landing. Right before we landed we pulled down on the cords to slow our landing until we landed with less force then most do when sitting in a chair.

Caro was quick to join us capturing my big smile and excitement of the jump.  After a quick snap of the clips Reid and I were again two people instead of the 1 it felt like on the way down.  I can’t wait to go again and I still can’t get over how comfortable I felt from the start to finish. SkyDive Pepperell has a truly great time of professional jumpers who made it an unforgettable experience. Even better was being able to immediately share the video our jump with my parents who has watched from the ground. I think my mom might join us next time