Roof Rack Additions

A co-worker of mine was looking to buy a roof rack for her Tiguan. Her husband wanted to get a couple kayaks and her car was the only one they could use to transport them. She knew I had one and that I research everything before buying. Like me she was concerned that she would have trouble using her panoramic sunroof if she got one. I explained my research and suggested she save some money by looking on craigslist.

I wanted to send some suggestions so I did the search myself and up came a whole bunch of racks and attachments. I had wanted to get a second bike rack for sometime but didn't want to drop the $150 retail + the adaptor kit for the t-channel. As luck would have it I saw an t-channel configured Big Mouth 599XTR for $50. I wasted no time and e-mailed the guy and set a plan to meet right after work. I'm $50 poorer but now I have a second bike rack at a fraction of the price. The only difference is that it had Honda end caps but I had already ordered a second set of the Thule end caps since I had lost one of mine. I never used them because I had found it before the replacement arrived.

 

2011 Tiguan Roof Rack Decision

Getting a new vehicle comes at a cost. Not only do I have a car payment again but I’m faced with the added costs of a new roof rack should I want to use my kayak or take my mountain bike anywhere without jamming it inside the car.

The complication I had was finding a roof rack that wouldn’t impair my ability to open my panoramic sunroof when installed. Having had a Thule roof rack stolen from my previous car even with the security locks I wanted to check out all the other options.

I could pick up the OEM roof rack but it’s ugly and you are limited to the space between the feet and the heavy plastic shields which isn’t enough to allow me to take 2 kayaks and my bike with me at the same time. It is important that I am able to take multiple things with me when I go on small road trips. The OEM rack just doesn’t afford me the space and look I want.

Yakima offers several options for the Tiguans. The lowest cost option is the Railgrab. While it appears that this option will give me the clearance with the bar it’s hardly an attractive option. The round cross bar is boring and pedestrian in appearance. The second option is the Whisperbar rails system. These are really low profile and are a very attractive option. They seem to barely change the overall all appearance of the car when in use however the fit tips indicate that you should remove the bars before using the roof. I really want to be able to leave the base cross bars on the car and only remove the attachments when not using them. Since it doesn’t offer the clearance needed its out. The third and fourth options are the Whisperbar Through Bar and HD Bar systems but those aren’t for vehicles which already have the roof rails.

That led me back to Thule. Thule also had several options for my car. The base mounts for my vehicle were the same but the difference was the bars. The basic SquareBar’s are not attractive and also any attachments have clamps that hang below the bar.  I would need to be very careful not to open the roof when the bar is in use or risk dragging the roof down a jagged edge of a clamp screw. It does appear that the bar can stay on the vehicle while the roof is in use. The second option was the Aeroblade’s. The aeroblade also have the same t-track that allows many standard attachments to use the adaptor packs that keep the bar clamp free. That means no hanging clamps or screws that could damage the roof.  With the Aeroblades there are two options like the Yakima’s WhisperBars. They offer an integrated bar and foot pack or the separate bar and foot pack. The integrated AeroBlade Edge fit guy mentions that the roof may not be used with the bars in place.  The separate bar and footpack didn’t say it would impact the use of the sunroof.

Just to be on the safe side I went to the local Eastern Mountain Sports and took a bar outside and held it about the height it would be with the Rapid Crossroad foot pack’s and tested the roof. It cleared but not with a huge amount of space so we will have to see when the rack is fully loaded if it clears. I plan to install it this week and will add another post when I do.
 

Mountain Biking & Kayaking Sans Roof Rack

I am aware that their have been no updates about my Mountain Biking & Kayaking activities. The reason is simple, I haven't really been doing much of either since my roof rack was stolen off my car this past fall.  The thieves didn't get away with everything but it was enough to render the rack useless. The stole the rear bar and mounting brackets and the fairing. The only thing that saved part of my Thule rack was the way the front bar mounted to the door frame. They couldn't get the rack off the steel grommets built into the car and thankfully they didn't try to pry the door open to free it.

I attempted to purchase the parts to make my roof rack whole directly from Thule but wouldn't sell me just the parts I needed. They told me they only sell the mountain brackets in sets of 4 and bars in pairs. Needing only 2 not 4 mounting brackets and 1 bar not 2 I was frustrated. Understanding that it prevents thieves from making full sets from stolen parts I offered proof that I purchased it all. The customer service person told me she would speak to her supervisor and get back to me. She never did.  Even more then the bad customer service I am angry that the locks on the Thule are so easily bypassed. In hindsight I can see how flimsy and poorly engineered the lock doors on the Thule roof racks are. A simple hard pull and the plastic lock doors pop leaving your expensive rack vulnerable to thieves. Given the flimsy lock doors on their products I decided I simply wouldn't buy a new rack from them.

I looked at other manufacturer's but they all are similarly priced and I just wasn't in a position to invest that kind of money on a new rack for a car that I may not have a whole lot longer.  I had all but given up until recently. When I saw a special on ECStuning.com for Roof racks specific to my car on sale and I am pleased to report that I sprung for a new.

Hopefully It will allow me to begin using my toys once more. The new roof rack is designed for specifically for my model VW and allows for easy installation and removal While it doesn't appear as nicely made as my previous Thule rack it will do the job. It too has locks but they seem not as secure as I would like and as such I plan to remove it between use and not leave it on the car as I had previously done with my Thule rack. I look forward to updating my blog with more adventures both on the trails and in the water soon.

Task 96 - Callahan State Park Take 2

(96) Go mountain biking 10 times (10/10)

Location: Callahan State Park Take 2
Distance: 2.73 Miles
Time: 32:27 Minutes

After our failed attempt at Callahan Start Park during our last visit partly as a result of the huge and exhausting climb up Pipeline Trail we decided to give it a second chance and try a different trail.  Starting from the same parkinglot off Edmands Rd we opted to go to the right down Pioneer Trail instead.

Pioneer Trail started off much smoother and had a very modest incline. The trail wasn’t very long  however and in no time we ended up on Rocky Rd Trail. This trail followed the perimeter of the park along the western boundary.  It took us about 1½ miles into the park before it began turning back and connected with Chick-a-Dee Trail.  Chick-a-Dee like Pioneer was only a ¼ mile trail and we took a right on to Slipper Trail with was about ¾ to 1 mile in length and had a sharp turn to the right. It finally met up with Coco Ridge Trail which again took us to the edge of the park before circling back and ending up at the Earthen Dam. We stopped here and I took a few panoramas and in the process fell for my first time. The sad part was I wasn’t even moving but with my feet clicked into the peddles I just didn’t have the balance to stay vertical. After brushing myself off we took off down The Earthen Dam which was a ¾ mile trip back torwards the pipeline trail and the parking lot.

This time the pipeline trail was manageable. Coming from the back side we had a good climb but the incline was far less daunting and while still a challenge we both managed to stay on our bikes. When we finally made it to the top it was nice to have headlights because the darkness had definitely set in. The decent down the steep side of the Pipeline Trail was a slow and careful process and the final ¼ mile stretch to the car was a relaxing ride.

This was a far better ride and a much more pleasurable experience  



Task 96 - Go Mountain Biking 10 times (Callahan State Park)

(96) Go mountain biking 10 times (9/10)

Location: Callahan State Park
Distance: 2.73 Miles
Time:        32:27 Minutes

Excited to try something new my brother and I had decided to check out Callahan State Park today. We picked the entrance on Edmand’s Rd. After getting all our gear on and the bikes off the rack we began the ride. About 100 yards into the woods down the trail we were faced with a pretty steep incline. I grabbed onto my grab bars and powered up the hill and it was a killer. I stopped at the top and looked back to see my brother on the ground. After what seemed like forever he joined me at the top and I discovered that he had not been had a good gear ratio at the start and couldn’t have made it up the hill and fell to the ground as a result of being clipped into his peddals. 

We continued on and went downhill at a slightly less steep incline. The trails had lots of loose rock and sand with exposed tree roots which made for a difficult ride. Once we got to the bottom of that hill the trail leveled out and was no more than a tire tread in thickness. Eventually the trail surfaced near the meadows where there were a significant number of dog owners with their unleashed dogs roaming free. 

Unleashed dogs wouldn’t be an issue for me except that the dumb dogs seemed to want to explore who and what I was on the crowded trail and I almost ran a few over. We continued on through a few more narrow trails before ending up near the south entrance and the Earthen Dam. The dam was very cool and had some good trails leading to and from it in a variety of directions. 

We rode along the earthen dam but annoyingly there was a lady talking on her cell phone while looking down at the ground unaware of her surroundings and walking like a drunken sailor. My brother just sneaked past her without hitting her. To avoid a collision I announced myself by saying “on your left” and I clearly startled her and she jumped. She was so engrossed in her conversation that she was oblivious to those around her also trying to enjoy the park. As I rode by she called me a jerk. It took everything in me not to stop and tell her what a stupid inconsiderate bitch she was.  

With no great trails from here we opted to head back down through where we had come. My brother went down the side of the earthen dam before me making it to the bottom only to fall off the trail landing on his back crossing the small bridge. I road down the hill next but rather than try to jump the bump at the bridge I stopped to get off.

We continued back through the meadows and began the long trek up that slightly less steep hill but it just seemed to go on and on and on and I couldn’t make it. I was forced to walk the last 100ft or so. Once at the top we looked down the very steep hill and I carefully descended down the hill with the loose rocks below me. Once at the bottom we were close to the cars and I think both happy to be done with this ride. 

We quickly packed up our gear and hit the road. While having dinner afterwards we both agreed that it was a less then fun excursion. Between the steep hills, the unleashed animals and their inconsiderate owners, we definitely did not enjoy ourselves. 

 



Task 96 - Go Mountain Biking 10 times (Assabet River Rail Trail)

(96) Go mountain biking 10 times (7/10)

Location:  Assabet River Rail Trail
                  (Marlborough& Hudson, MA)
Distance:  8.96Miles
Time:        48 Minutes

Today my brother and I got back into our Mtn Bike riding schedule and took our usual Monday night ride. We didn’t go into the woods today as I recently made some upgrades to my bike that included adding new clipless Crank Brother’s pedals. I thought it best to avoid a more technical ride while I get used to being really attached to my bike for the first time. We also go a later start then usual and even though we also have new LED front and rear lights I didn’t want to get stuck in the woods in the dark.

We opted instead to explore the rest of the Hudson part & the whole Marlborough part of the Assabet River Rail Trail which we had previously visited with his kids.  This time we managed to go farther than we did the last time and actually rode all the way to the end. It was a roughly 9 mile round trip ride from the Main Street Parking Lot across from the Main Street Cemetery.

The trail we rode was a nicely paved section and offers riders many great safety features. Every major road we crossed flashing lights to alert drivers that there were bikes on the path and near the crossing. While these lights do not give us the right away I appreciate that they alert drivers of our presence and many very nicely stopped to let us cross safely rather than dodge traffic. At the smaller roads the path had clearly marked signs to inform riders of those crossings and stop signs to ensure riders know they too have to follow the rules of the road.

Its history as a rail trail are obvious at several locations and had there been more day light I would have taken some pictures of the steep embankments where bridges over the railway once stood. They also built a tunnel under the Hudson Road/85 Connector to 495/290 that allowed the trail to continue without having to cross a highway. The tunnel colorfully showcased a mural painted by local artists.

On our way home I was glad to have our new lights as the trail is not lit and does get very dark. The lights did a great job illuminating the path in front of us and also allowing us to keep track of each other with our rear flashers. Without the lights we might have collided with a few walkers wearing black clothing who had no lights at all.

I am looking forward to the day when the entire trail is completed and extends from Marlborough all the way to the South Acton MBTA station. Included below is our Run Tracker maps and statistics.

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 96 - Go Mountain Biking 10 times (Assabet River Rail Trail)

(96) Go mountain biking 10 times (7/10)

Location:  Assabet River Rail Trail (Marlborough, MA – Hudson, MA)
Distance: 10.13 Miles
Time:        1 Hour 5 Minutes

With the heat soaring in the mid 90’s I wasn’t particularly excited about riding today. My brother of course wanted to go deep into the woods again but I suggested a more leisurely ride where we could take the kids and maybe even get my nephew to try riding without his training wheels.

He agreed that would be a good idea and that we could do it at the Assabet River Rail Trail and that it was about a mile away so we could ride our bikes there and meet my sister-in-law there with the kids so we could get a little more riding in. I agreed not realizing that my brother’s measurement skills are lacking and fired up run tracker and off we went. It is actually 4 miles away. The trip there wasn’t so bad mostly downhill with one climb that was a killer. 

Once we were there we got the kids on the trail and began following the Assabet River Rail Trail. It is a nicely paved path very level that follows Main Street to the center of Hudson. My nephew and I stopped and took our pictures with the rail car that is on display. This trail goes on for about a mile with a great stop off spot at McD’s to satisfy the kids hunger. I know not healthy but we were all a bit hungry.

Sadly my iPhone battery wasn’t cooperating and I had to stop tracking my ride. Thankfully Run Tracker lets you edit your ride so the distance calculated is accurate but the calories burned is about ½ and the pace and climb are not correct. My fault for not making sure the phone was fully charged before beginning.

We began the trip back to the car and the kids seemed to really enjoy themselves. Myy nephew seemed to be growing in confidence the whole ride although we didn’t get the training wheels off. I am hopeful that next time he will be ready to give it a try.

Once the kids were loaded up my brother and I had the not so fun task of riding back to the house another 4 miles this time in the dark. Thankfully the roads are lightly travelled and my sister-in-law followed us to keep the street illuminated. This return trip nearly killed me. I don’t know if it was just the intense heat or if the McD’s did me in but It was torture. I struggled to make it back and nearly collapsed when I got there.

It wasn’t even close to my longest ride but I’d say it was my hardest given the temperature and the humidity. I was a pool of sweat by the end.

Task 96- Go Mountain Biking 10 times (Marlborough, MA)

(96) Go mountain biking 10 times (5/10)

Location:   Marlborough, MA
Distance:   6.73 Miles
Time:         1 Hour 1 Minutes

Now that my brother is done coaching he son's soccer team for the year decided it was time we got back to our bi weekly mountain bike rides. Today we again selected the Von Alt Gift in Marlborough, MA as our location to explore.

We definitely went farther then I thought we had. We wandered aimlessly around the many tracks that can be found and as the map shows hit several dead ends requiring us to turn back and try a different path.

We passed by many beautiful houses that abut this conservation land and crossed over a few creeks. This is a great place to Mtn Bike for those who are not overly experienced. I will continue to map out the trails and maybe eventually the trails will be more obvious. I overlapped this exploration ride over the last and you can see where we were on several of the same paths. I will admit I was exhausted and desperately needed a cool drink when we got back. This was one of the rides that reminded me how out of shape I have become.



Task 96 - Bike San Francisco

Task 96 - 14.3 Mile Bike Ride of San Francisco (6/10)

What a great experience it was to have biked over the Golden Gate Bridge. Our bike journey began at Blazing Saddles at Fisherman's Wharf near our hotel. We had a good idea of what and where we wanted to go and the first stop was Coit Tower which was a short distance from the hotel at the top of Telegraph Hill.

The ride to the top by bike wasn't the easiest thing we did and after recovering we decided that hill's would cause a quick end to our day of biking.  When we arrived at Coit Tower we chained our bikes to the railing and then took the elevator to the top. (See my post about Coit Tower to learn more). After Coit Tower we returned to Blazing Saddles to exchange Chris's bike for one that wouldnt wabble when going down hills and continued along Fishermans's Wharf until we reached Ghiaradelli Square and  then we continued along the water going out onto the long breakwater in front of Maritime Park.

We then continued up the large hill overlooking Gashouse Cove and Fort Mason. This allowed us to follow Marina Blvd all the way along the water front by Marina Green, San Francisco's St Francis Yacht Club, and Chrissy Field. We then biked along the Golden Gate Promande until we reached the Warming Hut. Here we stopped and relaxed a bit before going up the big hill at Long Ave. At the end of Long Ave we took a right on to Bike Route 2/Lincoln Blvd where we found a perfect vista to take some pictures of the bridge.

From here we passed the Visitors's Center at the bridge and our journey across began. It wasn't as easy a ride as we would have liked. Half the bridge was closed to pedestrian and bike traffic which made it a busy crossing. There were many other biker's and pedestrians and we often had to stop to allow people to pass by.

The views from and of the bridge were amazing. The railings are low and I can see why it isn't hard for people to jump off.  Many of the stops were also to take some pictures including the mid point where Dan and I used our strengh to support the massive cables.

Once to the other side we enjoyed Vista Point Overlook where we had stopped a few days before when we took the first of our tours to the Muir Woods. Here we spend sometime capturing more photographs since we wern't rushed and so we could rest.

The trip back across the bridge we didn't stop for pictures or pedestrians as the crowds had definitely begun to get smaller. We followed the same route back except when we go to the Warming Hut. I decided to follow along the San Francisco Bay Trail while both Dan and Chris followed Old Mason Street. We rejoined each other just before Crissy Marsh.

From there we followed the same route we took to get here along Mason Street until we reached the Place of Fine Art's Theatre. Here we stopped for a while and explored the beautiful pond and the amazing art deco structures. We walked the entire perimiter fo the pond and stopped to sit and enjoy the view. (See my post about the Palace of Fine Art's Theatre)

After enjoying the Palace we continued back along Marina Blvd until we reached Fort Mason. Again we took the bike path through the green and down along the water to the pier at the Maritime Park.

We rejoined the cars at Jefferson Street and made a right turn up Hyde St until we reached the Trolley Cars  where we turned left on to Beach Street which we followed all the way back to our hotel before turning left onto Powell Street where we picked up the bikes.

I charted our path using Google Earth and came up with an estimated distance of 14.3 miles give or take. It was a great ride and I am very pleased I did it and that I convinced the others to take the ride too. I think if they had known how far it was going to be they might not have been so willing to participate.

Task 96 - Mountain Bike 10 Times

(96) Go mountain biking 10 times (4/10)

Location:     The Charles River Reservation (Newton,MA / Watertown, MA)

Distance:     5.93 Miles

Time:           52 minutes 26 Seconds

Pace:            8:51 min/mi

Tonight Dan and I revisited the Charles River Reservation for a leisurely bike ride. We entered at the Blue Heron Bridge and followed the trail along the Charles River to Bridge Street where we crossed into Watertown and picked the path up again. We passed the Dealtry Pool and carefully navigated the roundabout in Watertown. We continued along the river until we reached the Watertown Yacht Club before turning back. The stretch of path from the roundabout to the yacht club was in poor condition. The roots of the trees were causing the pavement to buckle and bulge and made for a very bumpy ride.

The paths were much more heavily used tonight then what we had experienced last time. Most people were very friendly and polite. Some clearly thought that the path was theirs to use exclusively and didn’t/wouldn’t allow others to pass them by without obnoxious comments. The trails however were much cleaner this time then the past visit and all the previous debris/trash I mentioned had been cleaned up. I also think I might have located a perfect place to launch a kayak and I might just have to explore the Charles River by boat sometime soon.

This is a great resource for the people of Newton and Watertown to enjoy the beautiful river views. The trails seem to extend much farther in both directions I will have to investigate how far they go and explore them even more.